ship capture & analysis of benefits idea (playing Balance Mod 1.16) |
Just wanted to discuss the way capture is working now, after playing balance mod 1.16 a bit. Couple of points Captain Kwok & others might find interesting or want to put their ha'penny worth in.
Currently when captured frigates are analysed there is a strange bug where you are awarded small ship size 4 over and over again. If you analyse more than one frigate in a turn you are awarded ship size 4 then 5 then 6 etc but at the beginning of the next turn you are back to size 3. So in fact you get no benefit from it at all over size 3.
That strange bug aside (which may be stock, I dont know), I notice one difference from the last time I played which is that I cannot upgrade captured enemy ships to my own designs now. I also cannot repair items I dont have tech for. Nor can I get new tech areas by analysing ships carefully captured with whole components, if it is a racial tech I dont have.
The value in capturing ships has decreased, quite a bit. I can understand there may be rationales behind these strictures but it feels like the progress has been a bit one sided, mostly "thou shalt not" but it struck me this made room to add a perk to make capture a bit more worthwhile.
I was thinking that if you dont get tech areas and cannot refit or repair, it might be nice to get a research bonus, preferrably proportional to your research income for analysing intact tech from different tech areas you havent already analysed and a smaller bonus for any strange tech you have already analysed and that includes a small bonus for any alien ship analysed.
I am thinking of some kind of Area 51 factor, if you see what I mean.
What do you reckon?
Re: ship capture & analysis of benefits idea (playing Balance Mo
In Balance Mod, there are only 3 level for each ship. So, if you have already level 3 frigate, you can't increase the level.
First, control if you try to retrofit a racial tech ship size to a normal ship size (organic/crystalline to normal) or viceversa. They are different ship size, so you can't retrofit the ship. Second, there is a cost limit for retrofitting ship. The retrofit can't costo more than 50% the old ship cost... third, you can't repair a component you don't have. How your engineers could fix a component the don't know? Can a mechanic fix an aerocar from 2100 bc? Fourth, if you don't have a Racial Tech, you can't discover the component...
This cut down the importance of boarding... but don't forget that boarding sucessfully a ship, let you use it as a ship without building it... anyway, I also think that board must be more usefull...
PS: Sorry for my bad english...
Re: ship capture & analysis of benefits idea (playing Balance Mo
Boarders shouldn't be allowed to take over ships. Think of all of the hardware and software security measures. How about a non-human using a retinal scanner? It wouldn't work even if they had eyes. The computer in ST:TNG would lock out the whole ship in a hijack situation. An argument can be made for subverting some crew members but a properly motivated crew would never help, especially if you're attacking in a genocidal rage. 
Re: ship capture & analysis of benefits idea (playing Balance Mo
Vince, the space marines have tech that can splice into control systems and undercut the security lockouts. I thought everyone knew that! That is what you research when you research boarding parties.
If you want to stop them you have to use security stations or a self destruct device.
Otherwise the security in inadequate to stop the expert marine techs who are specially trained for the job and the ship is fated to change hands.
Also... its a game! 
Re: ship capture & analysis of benefits idea (playing Balance Mo
I should put those marines in charge of the empire research projects.
Re: ship capture & analysis of benefits idea (playing Balance Mo
Also in TNG sometimes the Enterprise is boarded succesfully. Think about first contact. Also the Voyager is taken sometimes by boarding.
Re: ship capture & analysis of benefits idea (playing Balance Mo
Plot devices. It shouldn't happen unless the ship is throughly trashed or derelict. It helps if everyone's tech level is near par with each other (or the boarder is above in tech). Imagine one of us trying to board a TNG ship.
Re: ship capture & analysis of benefits idea (playing Balance Mo
One other thing I like about sending out marines, is it quickly ends offensive weapon fire. All you need is to break shields and the ship capture it and then you aren't getting hit anymore. When your fighting an organic race this is very powerful. I really like putting supply leach with boarding parties. You end up getting an undamaged ship everytime.
SEV, more than a feeling.
Re: ship capture & analysis of benefits idea (playing Balance Mo
I've noticed that thing with balance mod and getting additional levels of ship body tech, but it doesn't amount to anything. Kind of irritating, because you think there maybe something on the design that you could use, so you analize it rather than scrap it (sometimes I need those minerals...)
SEV, more than a feeling.
Re: ship capture & analysis of benefits idea (playing Balance Mo
You can easily tell from the components on the ship or the hull size if it's worthwhile to analyze.
Re: ship capture & analysis of benefits idea (playing Balance Mo
Sounds like a great idea to me. I like the idea of an Area 51 factor.