[docfu]

As the subject says: How hard would it be to create a mission with a drone frigate as an enemy?

I realize the homeworld mods will eventually have to implement something like this but I think it would be cool to see something outside of what they do.

I think for gameplays sake there would be some natural limits:

1. Drones have a limited number but regenerate gradually if destroyed.
2. Drones stay within an arbitrary distance of the frigate(Between 5-10km).
3. Drones would have limited weaponry (1 energy weapon, very limited missiles)
4. Drones could be disabled by destroying the Frigate's comm array.

How hard would it be to make something like this? Is it possible to do using regular Fred and SEXP's or would there need to be an addition to the AI to keep ships near the frigate and have them swarm appropriately?

It would be cool if someone could whip something up with just a Deimos and stock models to see how it would look.

[mjn.mixael]

If I understand what you are asking.. this would be very simple. But I'm not sure I completely understand..

Looks like a frigate that is protected by some fighters with limited weapons? The fighters stay close to the frigate and are disabled if the frigates comm disabled?

You can limit the weapons via FRED or with tables. You can tell them to stay close to the frigate.. you could go the extra mile and set up a sexp that says "if drone > 10km from frigate then disable it or force it to turn around with ai goals." It'd also be very simple to set up a sexp that disables all fighters (drones) when the frigate comm is destroyed.

[Black Wolf]

Defintely doable with sexps.

[docfu]

Looks like a frigate that is protected by some fighters with limited weapons? The fighters stay close to the frigate and are disabled if the frigates comm disabled?

Basically yeah. To elaborate a little more. The model of the frigate would have to have a docking bay added(for in mission launch/recovery) and the fighter model should be something smaller(by about half) than a standard fighter.

The only thing I worry about with SEXP's if that if you wanted to make multiple missions with a similar ship it would take a lot of copy/pasting to make a ship like that work.

Homeworld and Cataclysm both had drone frigates. Cataclysm's "Hive" frigate only had 6 drones but for Freespace I'm guessing 16  would be a good number as you can model a nice sphere with two 8-point cubes.

The drones also exploded(to keep the battlefield clean) when the frigate was destroyed but in a Freespace version they should just slow to zero and be inactive.

If anyone is interested in setting up a mission/make the models I'd be happy to write detailed specs for a drone frigate system.

[mjn.mixael]

Basically yeah. To elaborate a little more. The model of the frigate would have to have a docking bay added(for in mission launch/recovery) and the fighter model should be something smaller(by about half) than a standard fighter.

Easily possible, though it has more to do with modelling than the sexp system.

The only thing I worry about with SEXP's if that if you wanted to make multiple missions with a similar ship it would take a lot of copy/pasting to make a ship like that work.

This isn't something that would be built into the game. Sexps will work just fine. As for copy and pasting.. Protip: You can open missions in notepad.

Homeworld and Cataclysm both had drone frigates. Cataclysm's "Hive" frigate only had 6 drones but for Freespace I'm guessing 16  would be a good number as you can model a nice sphere with two 8-point cubes.

Not at all sure what this is about. (The spheres)

The drones also exploded(to keep the battlefield clean) when the frigate was destroyed but in a Freespace version they should just slow to zero and be inactive.

Either one is extremely simple to set up in FRED.

If anyone is interested in setting up a mission/make the models I'd be happy to write detailed specs for a drone frigate system.

A better option might be for you to learn how to do it yourself. Grab Blender (a free 3D modelling app) and try to make the models. Then do the FRED walkthrough (included with FS2) to learn the FRED basics. The things you are asking are very basic modding and would be useful for you to learn! 

[MatthTheGeek]

Homeworld and Cataclysm both had drone frigates. Cataclysm's "Hive" frigate only had 6 drones but for Freespace I'm guessing 16  would be a good number as you can model a nice sphere with two 8-point cubes.

Not at all sure what this is about. (The spheres)

Sphere.

You seriously need to play HW1 more.

[Ranger1]

Sounds like you are trying to do something like SGU and the drones from that series.  Probably would have to make the drones small and maneuverable to since they will have limited weapons with quite a few of them.  I would probably have the buffer exceed 5k.  Wouldn't take much to zip into treb range and run before the drones can react.