collecting ideas for new fields

[The Silent One]

Having recently redone some field/nebula graphics, I thought it would be fun to have a larger variety of fields in-game. They're not too hard to code (if you know some .focs), and I've put up an example here: https://github.com/TheSilentOne1/freeor ... nite_swarm, a nanite swarm that heals ships near it. Let's create some more fields! Write down all your crazy field ideas here, and then let's select the best ones and put them in the game.

[Oberlus]

Space/Meteor Blizzard
Ships within the field receive some damage per turn.
If shields are ignored, ok, but then two fields would be worse for shielded ships than for unshielded.
If shields are not ignores, ok too, but seems interesting to me that shielded ships would have an advantage in such fields.
I think this should be faster to dissipate than other fields, to avoid being too harsh on static fleets.

Void Rift
Ships can't pick starlanes that are affected by this field. Ships trapped within this field have their speed set to zero (so if caught in a starlane, they will be stuck in there until field goes off.
Alternatively, travel could be allowed but at a big loss of speed (-80%, or -60 or similar). Or this could be a different field.

Hidrogene Cloud
Fuel resupply for ships spending a turn on a system affected by the cloud.

Electromagnetic Fog
Something to disable/hinder fighters but not guns with the rationale that fighter maneuvering/comunnication/organisation is crippled.

[The Silent One]

Meteor Blizzard (phoenix asteroids )

[The Silent One]

Updated branch above with meteor blizzard. Besides the damage, I gave it +1 research per ship in storm (zealous observers) so empires low on research may actually want to put some sturdy ships in there to generate themselves some RP.

[labgnome]

Gravity Well
Found around Neutron Stars or Black Holes. Increases speed by 4x for approaching ships, decreases speed by 1/4x for leaving ships.

Psionic Field/Psionic Rift
Reduces shields to 50% on ships of regular species. Reduces shields to 25% and causes hull damage for ships of telepathic species.

[The Silent One]

Gravity Well
Found around Neutron Stars or Black Holes. Increases speed by 4x for approaching ships, decreases speed by 1/4x for leaving ships.

I think that's currently not possible with FOCS.

Code: Select all

stackinggroup = "METEOR_BLIZZARD_SHIP_EFFECTS"
            effects = [
                SetStructure value = Value - Round(MaxStructure * 0.1)
                SetResearch value = 1
            ]

This isn't working, is there a way to round in FOCS?

[The Silent One]

This isn't working, is there a way to round in FOCS?

Solution was that I needed to put "Target." before MaxStructure:

Code: Select all

SetStructure value = Value - (Target.MaxStructure * 0.1)

[labgnome]

Gravity Well
Found around Neutron Stars or Black Holes. Increases speed by 4x for approaching ships, decreases speed by 1/4x for leaving ships.

I think that's currently not possible with FOCS.

That's a shame. I would like a "falling in" effect for black holes and neutron stars.

Then what about a time dilation field that just slows speed?

[Oberlus]

That's a shame. I would like a "falling in" effect for black holes and neutron stars.

Then what about a time dilation field that just slows speed?

Something like the effect of the Spatial Distortion Generation, but with the effect reversed so that it attracts instead of repeal (search for "DISTORTION_MOVEMENT_STACK" in advanced_focus.macros)

That way ships fast enough would not be affected.

If we want all ships to be affected, maybe a mixture of that FOCS code (to differentiate if the ships is approaching or leaving the system), but instead of moving the ship (MoveTo/MoveTowards), changing its speed, and not by a fixed amount but multiplying/dividing it.

[Ophiuchus]

Gravity Well
Found around Neutron Stars or Black Holes. Increases speed by 4x for approaching ships, decreases speed by 1/4x for leaving ships.

I think that's currently not possible with FOCS.

Why not? You can check what the next target system is and I think also how far the distance is; then you boost speed for a slingshot with it.
Also you can check if you are in that system or if that was your last system and maybe even how far the distance is you covered.
Of course if your ship is fast enough you just pass by without effect.

But the main problem with such a change is that this is totally not accessible to AI.

[The Silent One]

Why not? You can check what the next target system is and I think also how far the distance is; then you boost speed for a slingshot with it.
Also you can check if you are in that system or if that was your last system and maybe even how far the distance is you covered.
Of course if your ship is fast enough you just pass by without effect.

I didn't know that, my FOCS only goes so far. Thanks for the heads-up.

But the main problem with such a change is that this is totally not accessible to AI.

Which actually is a(nother) good reason not to go overboard with field effects.