HI all,
First of all, I have to apologize for my bad english. Hopefully you will understand this mail.
I am user of HLP since a year or so, but this is my first post. I followed modding work of this communitiy thru many years on HLP. Also, I am hardcore fan of FS. Main reason why am I writing will be shown in following text. First I want to say something about myself which may help you to take my opinion as "scientific proposition".
My main occupation is "Law Scientist", which has nothing to do at all with programming
(that is reason why I never posted text before). Thru years I gathered knowledge about all social sciences and astrophysics (my hobby). That helped me to see some discrepancies between reality and unreality in this game, such as cultural development of different species, also technical development, etc. As hardcore supporter of this game (because this game affected my life in profound way) , I decided to play with textures and options in order to bring this reality as real part of real simulation. Maybe my mail, will help you to make new breakthrough in sphere of that reality (if you never thought about it before).
Maybe you had already such ideas, but if not, I ll be happy to give you these. You can even use my propositions as yours, cause all I want is to pass my ideas to the most active FS community.
Volition/Interplay never intended to make such real game, cause it would last long in development and technology was not so "strong" back in those days, but you (programmers) have that opportunity now. I've always followed two basic philosophies in my life, first is to transfer knowledge and ideas to other people, and second is to be aware that hidden idea worth's nothing.
My ideas are telling about space reality, also, social, technological, weapon development. I mean, it is really stupid to believe that 3 races which are thousands light years apart from each other, they can have almost everything same, except how they look.
Few days ago I had a problem with my computer and I lost most of my textures which I made in last few years. I never made a backup, because I was thinking "well, I ll work on this from time to time...". Only one thing remained on my email, which is, thankfully, enough to show you some of my basic concepts. After this "crash" I am totally aware of the danger that I can lose all examples I made (at some point of time, comps just die), so I decided to give my thoughts to you, before is to late. Maybe my ideas have no worth at all, but as I said, "ideas are there to be shared".
So here is main story:
1. FS is game where you have 3 different species, right? But, somehow they use almost same based technology (seeing from how weapons, engines etc look like) in many areas. Lets take terrans and vasudans as an example. First, they look physically different, right. They had different planetary conditions where they evolved, right. But somehow they have same propulsion, weaponry, energy sources etc. That is exactly the depth which lacks in this game.
2. It is even more illogical if you compare Shivans and other two! Shivans have completely different body structure (exoskeleton etc) and society nature and behaviour. But, they also have propulsion etc almost as same as Ter or Vas. Only colours are different between these species.
3. Realism is also not existing in the way how sounds are acting in universe. Physical laws say to us, that sound can't be heard in space, so why should you hear them in FS, especially if you want to make realism in this game. Any sound produced outside of cockpit can't be heard, even when you fire your own guns, you will have, maybe, only possibility to feel some sort of kick inside of the hull, but not entire sound. I know, you are asking yourself maybe "how should I know when I fire, or when someone is firing on me?" Well, imagine that you are in space as astronaut. Would you say "I don't want to work or fly there because I can't hear a thing". I don't think so, cause it is how it is, and you need to adapt to such environment. I already experimented with sound, and realism was far more greater. I really felt like, "damn, what is happening here, where are other ships", cause I felt realism. I am aware that every game, should be fancy etc, but, isn't it maybe better to simulate real circumstances, especially when we all know that this game is space "simulation"?
So what I am proposing goes as follows:
Energy source:
Terrans: They use traditionally nuclear reactors, not fission based, but fusion based reactor. Fusion reactor is already in building process in present days, named as ITER (based on experimental Tokamak reactor, you can google it). That is new era of reactors, which are safe and reliable. Imagine how can they be perfected in future. So Terrans are getting their energy from reactors in all ships. They dont use their hull as solar panels as collectors cause human body can't stand radiations from the space (more about it follows by vasudans and shivans)
Vasudans: They use two sources (based on their planetary environmental conditions, they managed to make more perfected solar collector technology, which terrans doesn't have). Solar technology and reactors. Their ships are like big solar panels, but because of their bodies (just like terrans) they cannot use all kinds of radiation, so they use microwave and light. However, they use also nuclear source like terrans, but it is not so perfected as by terrans (remember those core breaches on GVD typhoon as vasudan tried to retrofit it for new beam weaponry).
Shivans: They use only space radiation energy. But, not only solar, they use every space radiation (microwave, solar, gamma ray etc), so they perfected their technology at highest level. Only lucifer used reactors because of shields. Because, if you have such strong shield, it will deflect every radiation at some level, so the ship couldn't have enough energy for anything to manage (Just like earths electromagnetic field which defend us from dangerous solar winds, microwaves, cosmic radiation).
So, this is first basic thing about energy which gives you clue about possible energy solutions, and based on that, you can imagine differences between the hulls.
Hull technology:
Terrans: Lets see today's space hulls. First, they are quite bright in order to deflect different sorts of radiation (because of lethal radiation). In today's FS terran hulls are multicolour, which is not realistic at all. Only if you use your hull as solar panel, then it should absorb energy not deflect, but terrans doesn't use such sort of technology, not only because they never perfected it, but because human body doesn't stand radiations. So hulls must be like today's, only they are thicker and stronger (better materials). Other thing , take as an example those pipes and lights on textures of capital ships. Imagine you have such large number of pipes on big ship. It would blow it away, because those pipes are collectors of radiation, and not only that, they are from strategic point of view easy target and represent lack of defences. Hull should be like tanks, with no pipes, lights etc visible outside of the ship.
Vasudans: They use solar radiation, so they hull can be darker. But, problem is, original pattern of their hull textures are unrealistic. It has no specific rule of texture shape, it is organic. From defence point of view, that is also one big lack, cause if you have many plates of such irregular shapes and different sizes, it would be more difficult to repair the damage and it would took more time for it. I support existence of such plates, but they should be more symmetric, but still able to represent vasudan hull philosophy.
Shivans: Their hull is highly efficient, even if you destroy part of the main hull, they use such materials (in order to show how this race is advanced and different from other two) that next area below will collect energy too. That is exactly what makes huge difference in evolution of this species. Their hull is because of that much darker, cause they collect every source of energy which they encounter throughout the space. In same time, because of high efficient collectors, their hull should look like as fish skin, made of huge number of same sized parts putted together.
Engines/propulsion:
Well this is what makes this game at most unrealistic. Every specie has same based propulsion only colour is different (even colour is wrong, I ll explain later). There is many theoretical types of propulsions presented in modern literature, but FS has choosed only one.
As I supposed, judging from engine signature (thrusters, but I will use word "signature"), it looks like that propulsion is ION-based, which is already tested by different countries in reality. In order to make iconic presentation of every specie, so if you see any ship, you should say "here is something different and it is another specie". It is highly needed to manage propulsion technology. So here it goes.
Terrans: Lets suppose they use ION propulsion. As I proposed they have nuclear reactors as energy source, so they can produce huge quantity of energy, and for ION you need so much. So Terran engine signature can remain as it looks, but only color should be RED not blue. Why? Well, colour signature says you how efficient you can use your energy. If you produce higher temperatures it will glow brighter and more "blue" (like now), but terrans are thru history well known that they do not have as first goal to reach the most effective consumption of energy as far as they have enough to produce. So here should be same thing, "engine is not so effective, they are working at lower temperature and spending much energy so they have red signature). Same thing works for weaponry, but to that I will come later. Conclusion: Terrans are using ION propulsion, and signature is red. Keep in mind to look on net how ION signature looks like, in order to make realistic textures (today's ION propulsion have blue signature, because of higher temperature. But in same time, these are weak, so all energy is concentrated in one small point, and that is reason why they have higher temperature)
Vasudan: They use "almost" the same propulsion as terrans, but it is highly efficient ION engine. So their signature can be green or bright-green. This has sense, because, keep in mind, that vasudans are producing less energy, so they needed to be more efficient. Their engines are working at higher temperatures and are more effective. But still, signature has to be somewhat different than terrans. Because, of higher temperature, signature should me smaller and thinner, and by terrans should be slightly thicker and bigger.
Shivans: So, this specie has totally different evolution and energy source also, so their propulsion philosophy should be completely something else. That means, no engine thrusters at all. They should use some sort of electromagnetical-antigravitational propulson. Because of high energy production and different pattern of social, technological development, they never used "rocket propulsion", so they evolved in other direction. This propulsion means, shivan ships should show different engine signature. Every ship should "blink" over and over again as effect of generated propulsion field.
I mentioned earlier that nothing is possible to hear from outside of space. Well, maybe as effect from shivan invisible propulsion field, you can make some sort of static or jamming effect. That means, when shivan ship comes too close to your ship, your HUD will start to feel it. That is scientifically possible and would be also cool.
Weponary:
Here I ll use Star trek as a reference, because I suppose we all know for ST, so we can imagine much easier some effects.
Terrans:
Guns: Terrans are using kinetic based weapons, but more efficient, cause those weapons are weapons of the future, not present. That means, take as example already tested railgun few years ago. It doesn't use powder, but electricity as propulsion of muzzle. So terrans weaponry should be just as today's guns, but with higher firing rate (over 1000 per sec), without powder and also muzzles are made of harder materials. As pattern you can use airplane guns (there is different solutions, from Russia, USA, France etc, which can be used as pattern, personally France aircraft gun is best example). Main thing about this weapon is they are making huge hull damage, but not so effective for shield, just opposite of vasudan weaponry (to that I'll come later). Flak guns are well known in human history, so they can remain, only thing which is not real is shockwave made by Flaks. There shouldn't be shockwaves from small exploding objects, especially in space. As an example, take WW2 flak guns. If you transfer and use effects from space into earths atmosphere it would mean, that one shockwave should kick 500 meters aside normal airplane flying thru air. But, that was not the case, so it is not possible that you have such effect in space also. So that effect should be "off".
Energy based weapons should be introduced to terrans only after terran-vasudan alliance, cause, vasudan have long history of energy weapons, terrans not. In same time, vasudans started to use some "flaks and muzzle based weapons" after forging alliance with terrans. Before GTVA, they had totally distinct weapon technology (That will give more depth in game). This means also for all types of energy weaponry. It is imperative to follow terran "imperfection" in this area, so they can have energy weapons, but they are not so effective like vasudan, or like shivan. So they managed to create only AAA beams and spacecraft lasers at low efficiency and at low working temperature, which means they have red weapon signature also (lets say, it is like in star trek. Makes more sense). Capital terran weapons should be like Vasudan Flux cannon. I tested with harbinger model, at approx. 2000 m/s even more, because railgun technology is so fast, faster than powder based guns. Even powder based guns (aircraft ones) are making speed over 1200m/s, so this is also important to change in order to feel realism. This means, terrans doesn't use capital beam cannons, because of energy ineffectiveness, but they have strong railguns, just like WW2 battleships
They even don't use lasers (terran huge laser,...etc), because for that role they have different types of railguns. Even those turrets on capital ships looks more perfect for such guns, than for some laser or beam. All ships made before GTVA doesn't use vasudan energy based technology, and only few ships (like Leviathan) can use AAA. Ships contructed after GTVA can/have mixed technology. But, anyway, dominance should be on own types of weaponry. Rockets are ok to be. Humans have long history with this type od weaponry. If you ask yourself about sounds, well, I used those from Half-Life. That was most easiest way to find new sounds. I must say, it was different felling to hear burst of fire from Apollo fighter
Conclusion:
small spacecraft: small railgun based guns, vasudan energy weapons, and rockets.
capital weapons: Flak guns, AAA beams, and heavy realgun guns.
Vasudan:
Guns: energy based weapons, just like now in FS, only, they are much better against shields, than against hulls. Muzzle based weaponry were introduced after GTVA. They doesn't use Flak guns on ships made before GTVA, only after. Instead of rockets (it is also dumb to believe that such race as vasudans would have rocket instead of something else) they have something like torpedo (similar like on star trek). It glows and follows its target. It is more acceptable in theory of vasudan as energy based society to have such secondary weapon rather than rockets. Similar to the function of the flak gun, takes normal laser (like terran turret laser), but it fires much much faster at higher firing rate, in bursts (like those pulsed phasors on USS Defiant). Vasudans have AAA beams, more effective than terrans, and colour is in range of green. In fact all vasudan signatures should be in range near green colors.
As capital weapon I propose Beam to remain. Maybe it would be good to have prior GTVA capital weapons, like heavy vasudan laser, cause beam technology came along with shivans and only vasudans managed to reproduce that technology.
Conclusion:
small weapons: energy based weapons, terran small spacecraft railguns, photon torpedo (shivan should use quantum
)
capital weapons: vasudan laser, AAA beams, heavy laser (before GTVA and Shivans), beams (after meeting the Shivans).
Shivan:
Well here should be the biggest difference between this race and others. First, they have totally different technology, second, they have totally different needs, third, they are not in alliance with other two to share their weaponry.
So here is the deal. Guns: shivan have high energy based weapon efficiency, so their weapons are balanced against hull and shield. Because of high efficiency, colour of their weapons should be blue or violet, but not red at all. They don't have flaks or rockets, because it is stupid to have same types of weaponry on all races. So they have effective guns, without rockets on small crafts. Simply, they don't need it! Their primary weapons are enough strong to kill you without any additional help. In order to still have function for shivan bombers, I would scientifically accept that they have torpedoes like vasudans, but more efficient (quantum). So rockets are totally wrong to see on shivans. They don't have flak guns, instead of it, they have fast firing AAA with more hits per burst than 3 (now is 3 times as I remember), and normal AAA are also there. Shivan doesn't use normal lasers on capital ships. They have strongest beams of all races so colour should be blue or violet also.
Conclusion: small crafts: lasers; Bombers: lasers and torpedoes
capital ships: weaker but faster AAA (has function like flak gun or vasudan laser), AAA normal and beams.
So, here should be made main difference in case of weapons between all species and it adds more depth in realism. Note one more thing, beam flickering is totally wrong, cause, if you direct beam in specific direction, every change in shape or size will affect on weapons strength. It is likely it wouldn't make any damage. So flickering is wrong. Take as an example again star trek. Even those disruptors on Romulan ships are almost without flickering. It is more scientifically plausible, If you fire i.e directed photons, every change in shape will send those photons on other area, so main area would not receive enough photons to be warmed enough and eventually to me melted/destroyed.
There is also one more thing (which can help to advance quality of the gameplay) about rockets. Well, in space it doesnt matter if a rocket has fins or not. So, all rockets should be without fins. This will cause less polys per model, and make gameplay look better.
My ideas are not changing FS in its core, but to make it more realistic and with more depth. Story is fine, but things which I mentioned earlier are huge thing if you want to bring reality. I don't know if I slipped something of my mind, but if you have interest and questions, I'll be glad to answer (as much as I can, considering my work and time) I am happy that I said my ideas to open world, cause, I work something totally different than programming, or texturing (You've probably noticed it when I mentioned my occupation). So I had to send these ideas to someone who maybe can make something of them.
All these ideas are only "ideas", since I have no exact programming knowledge or ability to achieve all of this. I just managed to change few things in tbls and textures, but real programming is totally strange thing. However, I noticed that this forum (like most of forums this kind) have small percentage of people who are actively involved in social sciences, so my countribution to this site can be in this spectrum (analysis of plausible social, evolutional etc, patterns). Since I have interest on astrophysics as my hobby, I can put these two sciences in new perspective.
So, hopefully you can find some use from all of this, and maybe make more realistic space simulation
p.s Few of my "amateur" examples I'll try to upload later.
