Sci-Fi Gameplay Ideas

[XLjedi]

I've been kicking around the idea of developing some self-imposed gameplay rules that might allow for the following...

1. Orbital Construction
2. Jump Gate
3. Hyper-Drive

So my idea is, for each case above, I have the Hyper-Edit mod, and what I'm thinking is...

Orbital Construction:  Create an orbital base that can receive parts via normal transport and docking.  Once I've transported and docked the parts needed to construct a given vessel, I then just allow myself to use hyper-edit to put the craft in orbit next to the orbital construction base, last step would be to undock and delete all the parts used for construction.

Jump Gate:  I was thinking of constructing a ring-type station in orbit via the normal process.  Likewise, creating another jump gate in orbit somewhere else, and by flying my craft through the ring, I allow myself the use of Hyper-Edit again to move the craft to a different Jump Gate location.  I have not decided whether the Jump Gates in this situation would be linked, but I'm leaning toward that...  so I might need to make use of multiple gates to branch my way to a given location.

Hyper-Drive:  The Jedi Starfighter comes to mind... where docking a craft to a hyperdrive ring would allow transport via Hyper-Edit to any location of my choosing.  The only caveat here is that unlike the other two scenarios noted above, fuel consumption doesn't really come into play.  So in this case, I would be using a hyper-drive system that carries no fuel use implications, which is somewhat less appealing to me but I haven't ruled it out yet.

Anyone else given this any thought?  ...or maybe have additional ideas along these lines?

  

Edited July 11, 2017 by XLjedi

[Spricigo]

 

have you considered something like:

1. Orbital Construction => Extraplanetarylaunchpads
2. Jump Gate => ESLD jump beacons
3. Hyper-Drive => Alcubierre warp drive

[XLjedi]

5 minutes ago, Spricigo said:

 

have you considered something like:

1. Orbital Construction => Extraplanetarylaunchpads
2. Jump Gate => ESLD jump beacons
3. Hyper-Drive => Alcubierre warp drive

I did, but I was moving more along the lines of avoiding additional mod installations and sticking to stock parts.  With of course, the one exception of allowing the use of Hyper-Edit... 

I may re-read thru those again though just to see what issues and/or additional gameplay rules I might consider. 

[Spricigo]

If you want to avoid adding parts you may consider  simple construction instead of EPL.  Off course HE also works, while more immersion breaking and more management of the "costs".

[XLjedi]

14 minutes ago, Spricigo said:

If you want to avoid adding parts you may consider  simple construction instead of EPL.  Off course HE also works, while more immersion breaking and more management of the "costs".

Thanks, it's a tad better than EPL, but still is modifying existing parts in the game and holding tanks to hold and convert metal to build rocket parts.  At this point, I really don't want to mine resources and convert metal to parts.  I just want to carry the parts I need to space and assemble them in orbit.   For now, addressing it with a set of gameplay rules makes me happy.  Could be that I may want to automate these rules down the road into a mod. 

If I were to develop an Orbital Construction mod, it would maybe do the following: 

1. A pop-up window in the SPH/VAB showing a list of Orbital Construction Facilities
2. If you select one, your parts available for construction in the SPH/VAB would be limited to the type and quantity of parts at the station
3. Build the craft using available parts
4. Deploy the craft at the station in exchange for the parts

Under this scenario, you might need one custom part for the mod...  A modified docking port at the station so anything attached to it can be read as parts available for orbital construction, or better yet no custom parts at all and anything attached to the station by a docking port is fair game?   Granted, if I went down this path, there would be other details to iron out...

[Spricigo]

8 minutes ago, XLjedi said:

Thanks, it's a tad better than EPL, but still is modifying existing parts in the game and holding tanks to hold and convert metal to build rocket parts.  At this point, I really don't want to mine resources and convert metal to parts.  I just want to carry the parts I need to space and assemble them in orbit.  

You don't need to mine, you may just launch the Rocket Parts from Kerbin and use it to build the ship. For that you only 2 modified parts: the Holding Tank (carry 3000 rocket parts weigthing 7,5t) and the Construction Port (modified junior docking port where you craft will appear).

1.Delivery the rocket parts at the station

2.Click the construction port and select the ship you want to build (load vessel menu in VAB/SPH)

3.Craft will be built expending rocket parts, energy and time

4.After the construction is complete, delivery the vessel in the Construction Port , supply it with fuel and flight.

I see that is not exactly what you asked (specially point 3). Maybe the details can be adjusted with Module Manager patch. (you'd need someone else to help you with that ).

55 minutes ago, XLjedi said:

Under this scenario, you might need one custom part for the mod...  A modified docking port at the station so anything attached to it can be read as parts available for orbital construction, or better yet no custom parts at all and anything attached to the station by a docking port is fair game?   Granted, if I went down this path, there would be other details to iron out...

I Liked the idea but see a possible problem: how it will handle a stack of parts attached to the "supply port"? Suppose I want to use some part in the middle of the stack what happens with the parts attached to that part?  A workaround its to give the "supply port" the ability to disassemble and load whatever is attached to it into a KAS container from where the "assembly port" load parts, a extra custom part required.

 

[XLjedi]

1 hour ago, Spricigo said:

I Liked the idea but see a possible problem: how it will handle a stack of parts attached to the "supply port"? Suppose I want to use some part in the middle of the stack what happens with the parts attached to that part?  A workaround its to give the "supply port" the ability to disassemble and load whatever is attached to it into a KAS container from where the "assembly port" load parts, a extra custom part required.

 

From a gameplay perspective, I'm assuming that I've thoroughly vetted and already have the design finalized for the craft to be assembled in orbit.  I know exactly what parts are needed, and I put exactly those parts in space.  If I goof and send up too much, it's just destroyed/discarded as waste. 

Part salvage is one of those "details I'd need to iron out" if I ever decide to build the mod, which is not really the discussion topic or intent of this gameplay discussion thread.   When/if I do decide to take the discussion beyond "gameplay" I'll post a thread in the appropriate "Add-on Dev Forum" and would certainly welcome your continued feedback along those lines.

For now, I'd like to focus back on the sci-fi gameplay idea, and see if any other folks have had similar ideas or maybe a different "Sci-Fi Gameplay" idea not included among the three I posted.

Edited July 11, 2017 by XLjedi