[Maksio58]

Is there a way to make a ship explode instantly, as in bypassing the whole cascade explosion thing large ships have, but without removing the shockwaves?

I want to make it seem as if something hapened to a ship (in this specific case a Demon). So i want it to explode and fall apart just as it starts exiting subspace. But if i simply use the self destruct command it takes too long to fall apart. I want debirs and shockwaves before the "portal" closes.

[Nohiki]

I think this is related to the number of hitpoints the ship has, so use the custom hitpoints in FRED to adjust it as you need.

[Rodo]

Check set-subsystem-strenght -> Hull -> 0
BLAH, I just read what I wanted there.. sorry, no idea.

[General Battuta]

Very easy. Just enable kamikaze, it'll blow up instantly.

[Sushi]

Isn't there also a "vaporize on ship death" flag or somesuch in FRED?

[Maksio58]

Very easy. Just enable kamikaze, it'll blow up instantly.

Thanks, that did the trick. Also whlile toying with special hitpoits and special explosions i discovered its actualy linked to explosion damage. This would also explain why a meson bomb takes so long to explode if you just drop it into a mission with no modifications and shoot it.

For anyone interested in doing a "subspace accident". If you set the self destruct to 1 or 2 seconds after the ships jump event (in case of destroyers anyway) you get a "portal", explosion and shockwave without debris. Set it to 3 or more and you get debris. 3 seconds + Kamiakzi gives a perfect effect since the ship goes Kablooey just as it starts exiting subspace.

[Droid803]

Very easy. Just enable kamikaze, it'll blow up instantly.

Thanks, that did the trick. Also whlile toying with special hitpoits and special explosions i discovered its actualy linked to explosion damage. This would also explain why a meson bomb takes so long to explode if you just drop it into a mission with no modifications and shoot it.

For anyone interested in doing a "subspace accident". If you set the self destruct to 1 or 2 seconds after the ships jump event (in case of destroyers anyway) you get a "portal", explosion and shockwave without debris. Set it to 3 or more and you get debris. 3 seconds + Kamiakzi gives a perfect effect since the ship goes Kablooey just as it starts exiting subspace.

Hm...someone should do that for that S:AH mission. IIRC the Lucy used to come out all the way, then asplode.

[T-LoW]

Also in the credits mission for FS-port there is just the explosion but no debris of the Lucifer. That could be changed, too, so the player can actually see his work

[FreeSpaceFreak]

Isn't there also a "vaporize on ship death" flag or somesuch in FRED?

Yes, but that makes the ship just disappear when its HP reaches 0. No debris and - IIRC - no explosions either. Only usable for very specific circumstances.