Combat ability is going to be MUCH more involved that it was in BOTF -there are new ratings such as maneouverability, weapon refire, (Weapons need time to recharge so the second round of firing is always less powerful than the first; the third round is back to normal attack power and so on) weapons range, and weapon type. (Phasers, Pulse Phasers, Disruptors, Photons, Quantums...)

Something that Dafedz never got round to doing was the weapon arcs. This was something that I *think* was in the ancient TWAAO thread, (Things We All Agree On, the original BOTF2 design document in the now-deleted game ideas forum) but hasn't been much discussed.

I would be for having weapon arcs in the game, because it would make combat much more realistic, would avoid graphical glitches such as your phasers firing through your own ship, and would allow for additional advantages and weaknesses. For example, Federation ships have an advantage in Phaser firing arcs, whilst Klingon ships focus as much firepower forwards as possible to cause maximum possible damage during alpha strikes - but if you get behind them they're toast.

We can discuss things like this once Dafedz gets back - perhaps we could even arrange a discussion on MSN. That would be easier than waiting for people to reply on the forums. We can sort that out when Dafedz is back though.

Predefined weapons arcs = a lot more data to define. I think it would be better to just specify a set of hardpoints on the models with flags specifying whether it can be a source for a torpedo, phaser, or both. Then some quick 3D math to determine which hardpoint a given shot should fire from (i.e. the one which has the most direct line of sight to the target). Combat is just one component of the game, and there's no reason for it to be as in-depth and detail-oriented as, say, Sarfleet Command.

HMm...how would that accomodate front-firepower heavy ships?..Like Klingons and Romulans?

Defining points should be easy enough, but should tehy be vectors?
Then have a 90° automatic fire arc for each of them or maby a smaller one for some specific weapons.

So when a ship wants to fire a phaser it makes a check to see which weapon hardpoint with a pahser "flag" is the closest to teh target and is within that 90° (actually 180° if you look at both sides of a vector) cone...

be easier to do a scan between ships and closet vertice is the one used as the fireing point.

That would work on fed ships given their coverage, also on cardassian, but what for klingon and romulan ships?

If 2 ships stand side by side, then the klingons wing disruptor in the BOP will be the closes fire point to another ship next to it, but it can't fire in a 90° arc
Or should I say, shouldn't...

I have loaded some bases in for the Dominion from ModelsPlease.

shipyard I (small)


Starbase II



Other bases of his crash my MilkShape import. They will have to wait for his return. It does look like we have all we will need for Outposts and Starbases if these can be made to work.

fascinating..

I have done some repair work on the mesh and a quick re texture job on the Dominion Colonyship I. It had been online as a Federation ship. It looked like a funky old Colonyship to me so here it is for now.

yep

looks like the liberator at the back

Looks kinda like a big-ass spider to me. GET OUT OF THE WAY, IT'S GONNA BITE YOU@#!

As it is, it's too recognizable to those who know Okazaki's Star Fleet Museum as the Wasp. However, a kitbash of nacelles -- and perhaps the pylons -- and it'll look specially designed... You could even just shorten the pylons to about half, increase the diameter of the nacelles to compensate then shorten the necells a bit and call it done....

Just a suggestion. Feel free to ignore it.

I like what you've done with it and where it's going.

All good suggestions. I will do that. All the models can always be made better. And the nacelles more along the lines of Dominion on top of all that.

I have done some repair work on the mesh for the Federation Cruiser V (intrepid.) This is it for now.







It is still the USS MOE. I will try to rename other Federation ships for our members --- like the USS Zeleni.... As with ships like the Enterprise we can reuse the name tech level after tech level.

hm, look at that one: http://banshees.merknet.com/graphics/antares/antares.html



I personally like the Antares, it fits rather nicely into kirk era so if anyone wants to pick up the model (free download), go ahead.

I have emailed the author artist with and invitation to visit and join our collective. When there is time I will see if the file types used are something I can convert to 3DS.

I was able to convert the model. It was about three times our limit for a mesh so it had to be hacked down to this.



There is still some work that could improve it's mesh and detail by texturing. This is it for now. I put it in as an early Federation Colonyship option.

The unusual cargo section could definitely work as a colonisation module. Good choice.

I've finished my student placement now (:cry:) so i've got two weeks of (Almost) free time. I'll be working on the shiplist...and the random events...and the new techs for BOTE...scratch that, i'm busy for the next two weeks!

I can see nowhere the inscription USS ZELENI

-good job Ken with poly reduction looks really nice!

You deserve recognition

Nice. I really like the Antares class, and I can't think of a better name .

Ok, i've done a mini-update of the shiplist. There's still tons i've got to do but I have some errands to run so i'll finish off the shiplist later. I'll add in a new section for extra ships as well. With a bit of luck i'll be able to move the post to where it should be...

Kenneth, several of the ships you have posted aren't listed with a creating author - so until you tell me who made them, you're apparently the author.

Check the list of updates, and your uber post with all of the ships a few pages back.

There is also a mini pedantic problem with the Excelsior. The ship listed as the Excelsior V1 is actually the Excelsior class Enterprise-B refit - so technically it should be the V2. The V2 is actually the V1. Does that make sense?

If the images are named the wrong way round, so might the models. Could you check them for me?

I put the file for model credits in with the upload to SharePoint. This seam to be the standard for most models downloads. I guess we could just say see the readme for credits if known. Some have more than one author.

The Federation Cruiser IV Excelsior has one slot on the shiplist. The two models are, as you know, intended to be options for that one slot. I will turn around the version number to be chronological correct. (Though only one would make the cut for the shiplist slot should these models ever make it into a game and the game uses the current list.)

A Credits file will help me out for when I add an in-game credits screen. I want to make sure all the contributors are mentioned .

That is something I can do. It would save you time for programming. I will do an alphabetical list for credit. It would be easier though to let the specific model have the file for credit. I do not want to track each model and bash by authors.

I have upgraded the Dominion Colonyship I based on your suggestions. This is it for now.





Makes me want to play the Dominion, I mean Killer Clown Empire.

fits perfectly

btw. looky here: http://startrekmeshes.com/

someone has to download this amazing stuff before it gets offline again somehow !

Yes, Dominion ship looks good.... maybe adding few pipes or circuit panels for connecting the old and the new part of the ship to have the appearance of a single body.

Check out Malv page Ken... Romulan Shrike Class is missin in our shiplist

also check this>

http://www.staryards.com/Downloads/Ship ... om_TNG.htm

Both these guys have been around for ages. They're probably not going anywhere soon.

'course, now that I've said that....

Not a fan of this, its a kitbash and we shouldnt really do kitbashes as they never look nice or work. Just my opinion. As this model is a dadelous (sp) front, a sonar wings, and a dominion back end. Just looks wrong.