marhawkman wrote:
that's why the refueling process is automatic. The only decision you(normally) need to make is when to send the ship/s back to refuel.
Any decision is another decision, that I for one would prefer to not have to make every little tiny decision that can be simplified out of the game.
marhawkman wrote:
Alternatively, it gives you the option to build fuel tankers(something NOT modeled by MoO2) that are large enough to carry enough fuel to resupply an entire fleet. thus allowing you to have a fleet temporarily extend it's range to far beyond the normal range of your ship technology.
This is a feature that I believe could compliment and improve the Moo2 system.
marhawkman wrote:
Stranding ships isn't necessarily a useless ability. If you aren't planning on having the ship return, what good is it's remaining fuel?
Ok, I agree. A colony ship doesn't need to return, and this is where it is a good idea to be able to turn the 'safety' off.
Behold:
"The Improved Moo2 Supply and Fuel System"
This system is based on the Moo2 fuel system, though with some additions. The system uses the concept of ships having fuel and using fuel, but this is all hidden from the player, and it appears as though movement is based on some fuel range to the player, and thus it is very simple for the player. I describe this system as working the way Moo2 works in its core form, on the basis of 'this is how I think the Moo2 system works under the hood'.
Factors
Ships have a certain fuel range (distance to a star system) based on one main factor, overall fuel technology; a second factor, components (eg fuel tanks); and other factors, eg support ships, ship size using less fuel, etc.
Resupply Points
First: Resupply points. A resupply point is a means to refuel ships, replenish supplies, crew, ammo. A resupply point is an allied colony/outpost/millitary base (refills fuel to full), an allied ship (adds fuel bonus while in fleet, eg tanker), or specials/events (eg planet with fuel crystals, etc). Eg, after discovering that an unallied system has fuel crystals, it extends fuel range upon travelling there.
Basic Movement Rules
When moving fleets, ships are in 'safe mode' by default. As a result, a fleet can only move to an unallied system/discovered resupply point, only if the ship(s) in the fleet with the least fuel left can make it back to a friendly colonised system after moving there.
Safe mode can be turned off, because there are good cases for ships to not have to return to a colony. For example long range scouting, colony ships will never need to return to a colony. In the case that a ship is stranded, it becomes disabled until refueled. Ships disabled for long enough, will have all their crew die eventually. This depends on crew supply and survival technology/ship design.
Resupply
Ships can have there fuel resupplied by resupply points. This involves refueling all ships in a fleet completely. If this is not possible, then ships would be refueled based on some automated system, eg ships with the least fuel get fuel first, or on a priority basis setup somewhere by the player.
Ammo will be resupplied at millitary bases and colonies with millitary infrastructure (eg starbase, barracks, weapons factory, weapons store). Maybe with the proper technology, ammo can be replenished in other cases (eg a planet has certain materials that can be used for your missiles, etc), though this is an extra optional idea.
Resupply of new crew members, crew supplies, etc can occur at any place with people or supplies, generally any colony/stabase/millitary base.
The effects of running out of ammo are simple, they don't work. I don't see any further need for ammo to have to be constently in supply.
The effects of crew supplies or crew running low are optional. Perhaps this only comes into effect when a ship is stranded/disabled and can't get home, at which point crew supplies/crew members effect how long before they die.