Meet the Starbase!

posted on May 23rd, 2009, 10:11 pm

Have you ever wanted to be able to choose whether you could build a fully functional, fully customizable Starbase? Well, now’s your chance to vote on how you want this dream to come true—as realized by RedManMark’s modding skills.

So here’s the deal: before he starts the nasty task of building this thing, he’d like to know which of two implementations you would prefer.

NUMBAAA One: your construction ship builds a basic weak scaffolding, which then gives you an initial three separate upgradeable features: Offense, Defense and System. For instance, if you upgrade System, your structure will be able to withstand special weapons better, if you upgrade Offense, your structure will become a mean lean fighting machine. Each of these first tier upgrades will alter the features of the station. For instance, for the Federation, your scaffolding begins as “the mushroom head”, and if you choose Defense, the station grows in mass and gains “the stalk”. However, if you choose Offense, it gains phaser platforms and no “stalk”. The second and third tier upgrades will also have the option of altering Offense, Defense and System—thus further changing the appearance so that you have twelve possible ways of altering your main base to become more like an Outpost, or like a Starbase, or like a Deep-Space-Station… or even a mix somewhere between. Thus you can build an outpost to begin with and slowly transform it into a behemoth.

NUMBAAA Two: your construction ship gets the option to build an Outpost, Starbase, or Deep-Space-Station (a limited amount can be built, but it is a very powerful station… kinda like DS9 I imagine). Thus each of these stations would have different initial costs, ranges, weaponry etc at the start. Each of these bases can be upgraded for Offense, Defense and System again. For instance, the Outpost would get 2 upgradeable options, the Starbase 3, and the Deep Space Station would get 4. Each of these upgrades would alter the features of the stations as well. Here you have to plan ahead as to what sort of station you will need, because each sort of base will have its own niche.

The clincher to both of these implementations is that you would be able to SEE your add-ons being built—just as you can see a Borg Sphere being built at the Collective Uplink.

posted on May 23rd, 2009, 10:18 pm

Can't pick, both are very interesting.

posted on May 23rd, 2009, 10:30 pm

I like the idea of seeing the starbase's being built, and being able to choose and upgrade the starbase as i see fit, dont like the idea of having just one starbase for each. Could come up with some very intresting designs depending on what your choose is.

is this going to be made for fleet operations, or stock A2?

posted on May 23rd, 2009, 10:32 pm

I'd expect FO. How many there are doesn't bother me too much, as long as I can get the 'mighty Mushroom' I love so much.

posted on May 23rd, 2009, 10:42 pm

Sorry, I must have caused a misconception: the only limited structure will be the Deep Space Station as it will be so powerful. Likewise, this is indeed for Fleet Operations 

posted on May 23rd, 2009, 10:53 pm

Brilliant!  We'll have to call you RedManMarkTheHandyMan from now on!   I'm impressed by your ability to do this!  And I really like both suggestions.  The deep range starbase sounds really fun.

posted on May 24th, 2009, 5:02 am

they both sound really cool idk i cant pick.

posted on May 24th, 2009, 5:05 am

I'll just add my two "sense"  ( ) and say that I think the second method allows more strategy because it forces the player to decide what sort of building he/she wants before plopping down the cash--the other way allows  you customize so much that you never have to make a hard decision about what to upgrade.

posted on May 24th, 2009, 5:11 am

well the first option seems to fit better with the current style of fed turrets

posted on May 24th, 2009, 7:29 am

I have this image in my head of a Klingon starbase, with Offense/Offense/Offense/Offense/Offense/Offense/Offense, a range of Artillery+ and so many guns that nobody wants to get anywhere near it.  If you get to it, it's screwed because it's basically just a giant space gun-platform, but still...intimidating.

posted on May 24th, 2009, 8:13 am

Both concepts sound great, though for a more strategic gameplay I'd suggest the second option, though the first does fit in with what's in place already and with what exists for Fed turrets.

posted on May 24th, 2009, 8:30 am

Hmm, when you are able to upgrade, you can upgreade 'each' slot 4 times on the deep space station, right? So you can level up the offense 4 times, the defense 4 times and the system 4 times.

So in the end, every station will be maxed out by this way and we have for every player the same station. The only difference is, if you build an outpost, a starbase or a deep space station, that the final form will have other values.

Well, it is not bad I think. It reminds me on the dominion gameplay, where you can choose between turrent platform or perimeter.

And it kinda reminds me on the federation gameplay, where you build your turret and then chosse the interior.

For the three kinds of stations:

Outpost:
This station is not as large as a starbase and you are not able to build more than a scout there. You are not able to repair your ships there but you may manage to use it as a backbone for your fleet. The Outpost will send crew-pods to your fleet when in range, so that damaged ships get their crew back instead of beaming it all one-by-one over. The great advantage of the crew-pod. When this pod docks on, you get some points of your hull value back, the crew will increase by xx members and the outpost dont hase to shut down its shield for transporting.

You are also able to use a tractor beam with the outpost that may deactivate enemy propolsion and when reseached the technology, it may deactivate the weapons of the ship (costs special energy of the outpost)
In addition to the crew-pod, you may be able to capture enemy ships with that tactic even better.
Tractor only works, when enemy shields are down.
The Outpost gives you a good sensor range and may detect cloaked ships for a shot amount of time (ping-around)

Starbase:
More, offense, more defense, more system value and you can repair all ships of the 'first' yard there.
In addition to the outpost, you can build freighters and building ships here. Maybe an additional special ability.

Deep Space station:
This station is like a dreadnought and may withstand a tactical cube alone  :whistling:
You can repair ALL kinds of vessels here and you are able to build up a special destroyer class vessel here, that is only avaible here. (The Fed got it's Runabout, i think, this ship got an heavy upgrade, after voyager entered the timeline again. So we may build something like the delta-flyer.)
This ship must be reseached.

It is a good and fast perimeter-defense ship... (maybe  :D )
The Deep Space station got an extremly heavy armor, offense ond system value and maybe two special abilities to choose.

I'll take the second option, because it makes my suggestions above avaible. (Not to mention, that it is only a wish )

posted on May 24th, 2009, 12:27 pm

I have this image in my head of a Klingon starbase, with Offense/Offense/Offense/Offense/Offense/Offense/Offense, a range of Artillery+ and so many guns that nobody wants to get anywhere near it.  If you get to it, it's screwed because it's basically just a giant space gun-platform, but still...intimidating.

Dominus made it a little unclear, with both methods you only get so many overall slots much like the borg chasis system now...

so if you went with option one you would get say 6 slots in total, there would be 3 upgrades for offence, 3 for defense and 3 for system... so 9 possible upgrades to choose from and only 6 slots... so you could go O/O/O/D/S/S, really depends on the outpost ur going for, if you went mainyl offensive and not defensive you wouldn't get your beloved starbase but more of a very tactile and powerful mushroom shaped weapons platform, also depending on your modules you choose will vary what specials you get, so choosing defensive all the way over offensive will eventually unlock a point defense system that will shoot incoming torps...

with the 2nd idea it will work like the borg chasis you see today...
your build the scaffolding, then choose either outpost/starbase/DSS...
they all have a certian amount of slots, so outpost 3, starbase 5 and DSS 7... then your be offered a screen much ike the borg chasis where you choose your modules, but like the first one you can't just choose 5 offensive, it will be limited to three of each... then when the modules are choosen you click to confirm and it builds... Though with the 2nd idea you get one further upgrade of each system when it is finished like the current outpost when your pay for one O/D/S each but they won't porvide you with anything new... instead buying O will increase ur fire rate or weapon strength not give u a new weapon, buying D will increase your chield output not increase ur hull strength and S will increase ur restistance to special weapons and the power of ur special weapons...

P.S. What i also really need is varied starbase designs that go along with the modules choosen... so if ur good with a pen get drawing!

posted on May 26th, 2009, 3:37 am

I drew up a starbase that looks like it could be added on too if need be, its a fed design, but i cant figure out that dumb scanner of mine. o well ill post it tomorrow

posted on May 26th, 2009, 11:32 am

A heavy armed DeepSpacestation that could do minor repairs on Ships or process resources would be cool.