Gaming VoidHawk WIP - ex. Tide of War

[Loru]

As for weapons it has 8 AA twin linked rapid fire plasma guns, 4 twin linked plasma cannons and and heavy plasma cannons.

Actually it's an escort carrier that will be usually acomapnied by 2 cruisers and 4 frigates. As for flanks it can engage targets all around with at least one main gun and one medium turret.

Hangar is pressurized by atmospheric force fields (think Star Trek or Star Wars) - those 3 neons around hangar entrance.

For this side of conflict there will also be main battle cruiser (~450 meters long) with hangar decks (think slightly smaller Battlestar class) which will be main ship of the line.

 

[N_Molson]

Will we see nice blue-ish "spalsh" effects when something hits the forcefield ?

 

[jedidia]

ship of the line

I'm nitpicking, I know, but that terminology makes me itch every time. I can understand the use of cruisers, destroyer aso for the familiarity, especially in a scenario that is basically world war 2 in space (which is what almost all spaceshooters are, although most seem to have misconceptions about what a destroyer is), but "ship of the line" just makes no sense

 

[Loru]

Will we see nice blue-ish "spalsh" effects when something hits the forcefield ?

Probably yes

I'm nitpicking, I know, but that terminology makes me itch every time. I can understand the use of cruisers, destroyer aso for the familiarity, especially in a scenario that is basically world war 2 in space (which is what almost all spaceshooters are, although most seem to have misconceptions about what a destroyer is), but "ship of the line" just makes no sense

I've read ProjectRHO ~3 times and many articles from TvTropes and I'm well aware that terminology can make some people cringe. Term "ship of the line" won't be used in game however I'm sticking to naval equivalents. They're easy to understand in this context as most players are familliar with Star Wars and Star Trek.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

You haven't happened to have read the Honor Harrington series have you? The form of space combat in the Honorverse uses Ships of the Wall/Wall of Battle. And deploy in such a manner that the "shields" overlap one another.

Anyway, space combat being what it is(?), 2D thinking won't work (or shouldn't anyway). One of the reasons I liked Homeworld so much was that I could sneak around the enemy to bring death from above, below and both sides.

What you've got so far looks mighty intriguing. Would that Battle Carrier serve in the same role as the U.S. Attack Carriers? (Shangri La, Forrestal, et al.)

 

[Loru]

I've read almost all books from Honorverse. Don't worry - battles will be 3D.

As for detailed unit description you'll have to wait ~12 hours until I get home and check it in notes.

---------- Post added 04-01-15 at 08:07 AM ---------- Previous post was 03-31-15 at 11:48 AM ----------

All WIP so some things may (and propably will) change. Not all craft are listed.

Solar Federation ship types.

1 - Fighters

- Kestrel - fast and agile light fighter armed with 2 plasma guns and 2 light missile launchers (6 missiles total). Roughly F-16 A equivalent

- Space Superiority Fighter (no name yet) - as fast as Kestrel but bit less agile. Armed with 2 rapid fire plasma guns and and 2 missile launchers (8 missiles total). Roughly F-15

- Strike Fighter/Bomber - bit slower than two above but with more powerfull shields. Armed with 2 rapid fire plasma cannons, 2 beam weapons (for capital ship systems damage) and 2 heavy missile launcher (12 total) and automatice rear defense turret.

All Solar Federation fighters are capable of atmospheric and space flight as well as performing short FTL jumps.

2 - Capital Ships

- Frigate - Smallest in the fleet at 150 meters. Armed with 2 twin linked plasma cannon turrets and 6 twin linked rapid fire AA plasma guns. Mostly used as escort for bigger ships.

- Escort Carrier - 243 meter long carrier capable of carrying 12 fighters and 2 shuttles (seen above in the thread). Armed with 8 AA twin linked rapid fire plasma guns, 4 twin linked plasma cannons and and 2 heavy plasma cannons.

- Cruiser - similar in size to escort carrier but with more powerfull shields. 12 AA twin linked rapid fire plasma guns, 8 twin linked plasma cannons and and 2 heavy plasma cannons.

- Batlle Carrier - Heavilly shielded and armed carrier with 40 fighter capacity (no weapons determined yet). Used as fleet command ship.

3 - Support

- Orion Shuttle - General purpose military shuttle. With different armed and unarmed variations like Medevac, Troop transport, Boarding craft, Customs Enforcer, Assault Missile Boat.

 

[Loru]

Some work on hull plating:

---------- Post added at 04:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:47 PM ----------

One more:

 

[Loru]

Today's sketch: federation assault figter

---------- Post added at 06:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:37 PM ----------

After some more playing with the model I think this design will serve better as superiority fighter (F-15 equivalent):

 

[Loru]

Unwrapped and added lightmap to it. now I need texture and name.

---------- Post added at 09:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:31 PM ----------

...and Engine test:

 

[Loru]

Started working on models for second faction (Syndicate)

Here's 144.25 meters Strike Frigate concept (lacks AA turrets yet and main turrets need some work)

---------- Post added at 11:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 AM ----------

And 80 meters small cargo ship capable of hauling 18 000 cubic meters.

 

[Loru]

Fighters emerging from escort carrier

 

[fsci123]

Looks really cool... Do the fighter shoot out at a given velocity and direction or do they accelerate at spawn?


I know you mentioned in OP but is there a reason you didn't add orbiter like physics. It would be really cool to see a video game with long distance combat and realistic vessels and stuff.

 

[Loru]

Looks really cool... Do the fighter shoot out at a given velocity and direction or do they accelerate at spawn?

They're spawned pointing out of the hangar doors then leave under their own power.

I know you mentioned in OP but is there a reason you didn't add orbiter like physics. It would be really cool to see a video game with long distance combat and realistic vessels and stuff.

Since it's our first stand alone project (except not released Woo's Flappy bird clone) we're sticking to "Star Wars" physics. Designing full newtonian mechanics is easy but you'd need extensive sets of intercept autopilots, ECM and ECCM modelling, which would probably moved game closer to tactical command rather than space shooter.

 

[fsci123]

Have you thought of using drones or smart missiles in the game...things that shoot out of carrier at high velocity and fire weapons at multiple objects before doing the kamikaze.

 

[N_Molson]

Have you thought of using drones or smart missiles in the game...things that shoot out of carrier at high velocity and fire weapons at multiple objects before doing the kamikaze.

I remember the "Piraña" from Freespace 2, it was a nasty supression weapon that fired as a big missle then launched a swarm of small agile homing ones in a sphere pattern. Bombers and light cruisers were commonly using such weapons to provide themselves a cover against fighters.

 

[Loru]

And the shape of Solar Federation:

Blue line points to the Center of Milky Way.

It includes Sol, Alpha Centauri A, 61 Cygni A & B, Tau Ceti, Epsilon Indi, Groombridge 1618 (Gliese 380), Lalande 21185, Procyon, 61 Virginis, Gliese 1, Lacaille 8760 (AX Microscopii) and Beta Hydri.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tYOtqb2XQw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tYOtqb2XQw[/ame]

 

[fsci123]

And the shape of Solar Federation:

Blue line points to the Center of Milky Way.

It includes Sol, Alpha Centauri A, 61 Cygni A & B, Tau Ceti, Epsilon Indi, Groombridge 1618 (Gliese 380), Lalande 21185, Procyon, 61 Virginis, Gliese 1, Lacaille 8760 (AX Microscopii) and Beta Hydri.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tYOtqb2XQw

Are those the final colors? Perhaps you should make seem like they are glowing with star colors.

 

[Loru]

Nope - those aren't final colors. First I need to implement all the stars in right positions in 3ds max (converting Right Ascension, Declination and distance into XYZ coordinates). Then we port model into unity and apply proper shader so they'll look like stars.

 

[Loru]

Omicron Syndicate Strike Frigate

 

[Loru]

Got burst of inspiration today and made good part of syndicate fighter.

Inspirations: OH-6 Cayuse and Alien head.

Role: Light Fighter
Armament: 2 plasma cannons and 4 missile tubes.