Hello and thank you for taking an interest in this subject, these ideas and concepts are from a group of people on the general forums i hope you enjoy some of what we have come up with. Thanks to myself, Faceshindu, Dazednconfused, Bluerodian, Greysix, Goretzu and many others. Disclosure these are purly concept ideas found across the server and mainly my own compiled into one place and nothing todo with the secret space project that is in the works even if we wish it were.

 

 

Space Flight and Combat - This is the type of combat system we see this system falling into and working correctly with, http://youtu.be/Lt-Jk3TmodY and yes that is hero engine which the swtor engine is and the JTL space combat system seen here

 

Allow for the onrails space missions to be accessed via flying in open space and portal type effect and stay within the game as a mini game, allow for multiplayer ships to go on and have the stations and turrets as mentioned below to work within with the on rails game.

 

Space enviroment - Open space zones from fleet's being starter areas and unknown regions being top lvl Pilot zones. Asteroid fields for space mining and smuggler outposts. The smuggler/hutt/pirate outposts not actual walk on stations just drop off and pick up stations for jobs and selling of comercial items like ores, spice and slaves.

 

Dynamic events bassed on faction within space of dreadnaught or pirate attacks when getting into enemy zones of space. And zone bands spread through the galaxys which are None faction allined like the den where you take the chance to pass through it or decide to go around it.

 

Possibly guild bases built into asteroids, like Talon Karrde's

 

Space exploration - A field of war effect on the maps within unknown regions of space. The ability to find hyperspace start points within known regions of space via some skill and upon getting deep into new areas of unknown space and clearing the fog of war to then find exit/entry hyperspace routes to newly found areas within unknown space.

 

Planets be it small or big for dynamic zones that people can drop onto for codex entrys and very hidden planets for the infinate empire datacron type cubes related to space gameplay. Planets to be unlocked via open exploration and none use of hyperspace routes before unlock.

 

Ships - New ships and parts to be unlocked or reverse engineered via cybertech ship parts section. Found via space quests, abandonded ships found within space and infinate empire lost planets and stations found within unknown regions of space.

 

 

Ship Stable - Maximum ships to be stored has to be set, something like a max of 5-7 ships total, Large ships can be used by companions without your char being with them for the reclemation of ships to space docks, doing this would remove the large ship and companions from use on the timer set by the game for towing the ship back to a station.

 

The way you select a ship is to go into a main spaceport dock of your class, you call for a transport to take you to your selected ship or call a companion to take away your class ship and bring your selected ship into dock for you to work on or use.

 

3 primary types fo ships to be found or attained-

 

Small fighter - small single person/ 2 person fighters, Low shields, high manouverability, single front facing weapon and or top/rear turret, flare counter measures and hard to hit due to size and speed.

 

Frigate - Medium size ships, A mix of same size and a little larger then normal player ships, multi turret design for upto 2 extra gunners, and place in cockpit for 1 extra person to control ships shields, missile reloads, counter measures, ships repair during flight and combat. Places able to be manned by companions when players arnt available.

 

Mining vessel - bigger then frigates, slow moving high armour 1 extra manned turret, manned by upto 3 people, pilot controls all ships shields, no missiles but more counter measures ( multiple emps and probe missiles ), grappling hook / tow line (which can be manned by a person and in pvp or pve used as a hold and drag mechanic, can do kenetic damage) and large cargo pay area and ore processing facilitys on the ship so ore can be refined without the need for a station todo it for you. Mining vessels can also be modified into slave transporters for smuggling.

 

The reason why mining ships have a max of 3 working the ship is due to the 4th would be either processing ore or reloading probes and emp bombs that they can make during combat at the manufacturing facilitys on the mining ship.

 

Space lvls and companion use - A seperate space leveling system, a talent tree with 3 branches, healing, tank and dps. the trees dictate what you are the strongest with during space making it so players ground class does not define there space class. Tobe max level pilot you must gain all skills from all trees.

 

Companions can gain space related skills for use within control of stations upon the ship, gained via the ships droid attained through the legacy system, Not as powerful as players and about equal in strength to companions skills based on the ground.

 

Possible tie to ground, guild members of people in space when grouped can call for help on the ground via droid drops or flyby bombing runs when taking on world boss's or open world pvp.

 

Space mission types.

 

Smuggling - hutt, smuggler or pirate outposts spread in known and unknown regions that certain things cost different amounts, so dependant on how hard it was to get to another station that wanted what another station has it can bring higher prices, if you die in space and dont jetison the cargo you lose it, if you jetison then you can get it back but you lose some.

 

No hyperspace routes to be used when carrying cargo and dependant on what your carrying different organizations could go after you to stop you, like if you carrying slaves then both factions will go after you so if your imp reps go for you and if your rep imps go for you, if its spice pirates try to stop you etc.

 

detatch the name of smuggler and think just smuggling, it isnt class specific and just the action of smuggling. Also the fact that you can lose credits as well as earn them balances out the style of event that your doing as it has risk involved with great rewards.

 

Also with the ability to gain different ships also allows for bigger cargo holds or smaller fast v good fighters, so a lone player can do it but in hard to reach zones a group of players could band together lets say one has a frigate and the rest have small fighters, the fighters protect the frigate and the frigate protects the fighters, the frigate carrys the cargo and you split the profits between the team.

 

This also opens up space pvp, either faction based or like the den none factioned but grouped, When smuggling other groups of players can attack and try to steal cargo from people smuggling if they have been flagged up by npcs as smuggling cargo with a 5 min timer on the flag.

 

The more that you smuggle and the more prevelant your known by the authorities for smuggling then higher the chance that npcs will try a stop and search and flag.

 

Player/npc bountys. - for player bounties it could be tied into mutual reward, if someone is a privateer allow them to have the choice to be flagged, the longer they survive and the more attacks they repel the more cash or item rewards they get. Also could make it none faction based. Find and eliminate X NPC who has been spotted on the fringes of X region. Destroy him before he gets a chance to send off a warning beacon.

 

If its random bountys based on your level it would be very hard to exploit, only the people tracking the bounty being able to attack them would sort that i think. And something like a max of 5 live bounty missions at a time. People and npcs mixed to remove the offline syndrome.

 

The top 5 bounty hunters and bounty evaders are to be ranked per server and either a carbonized statue or normal statue on a the fleets.

 

Convoy Missions - Then you could also have escort missions... Defend the convoy. Mission rewards are based on how many ships survive. And that could expand from single ship to multi ship, and if they did the ships idea it could be something like 16 small fighters or 4 frigates doing it. sort of like a space flashpoint or operation. Could even use the templates for the attack the stations with multiple ships attacking it and attacking the defendor ships.

 

Space Flash points and operations. - operations on the ground influenced by operations in space. Lets say for example you have an 8 man group dropped off by the 8 man space group in a space station or dreadnaught.

 

The space teams job is to knock out shield gens and stop the waves of reinforcments, the ground teams job is to knock out power gens to stop the turrets and blow the ships up before they can launch to attack the space peeps.

 

The ground team attacks the boss's on the ship and the boss's run away. they get in a ship and they go outside and the space team take them out, the loot is dropped for the ground guys on escape and the space guys get the loot on ship death.

 

After final boss the space guys pick up the ground guys and escape the zone.

 

Reclemation. - Your in space and you see what looks like an abandonded ship. You go upto it and select 3 companions to guard the ship. you then set off with another companion or other players. You go through the ship have to solve puzzles to turn off traps, unlock doors etc on a timer.

 

 

There could be mobs on the ship and once all traps are down and mobs cleared or enslaved you can claim salvage rights on it. you can chose to bring a bigger ship in to tow it back to a station to fix and keep or sell off, break down for parts or materials with the 3 companions you previously selected to protect the ship to pilot and maintaine it on its journey with the companions unavailable for 5 mins to 1 hour 30 mins.

 

If you have the right space level and skills/money you can repair the full ship and keep it for yourself and pimp it up

 

Space mining, - the materials gained from it are used for space crafting and anything for ships no longer uses ground materials, Mining ships can attain huge quantititys of materials but can suffer from losses due to pirates and possibly other players of the enemy faction trying to raid them, due to the size of cargo holds no player ship bar another mining ship could carry as much materials as the mining ship so a miner will never loose all the materials.

 

Also some kind of send companion to drop of materials at a cargo hold or space station for storage could be an option for miners.

 

Space espionage -. Fly your ship carefully so as not to be detected by fleet sensors. Sneak up to the fleet and plant listening devices, bombs.

 

Piracy, you go into the other factions trade routes to disrupt them, You then send the supplys off to the bases that need them the most like belsavis resistance or balmora.

 

That could influence pvp zones in open space so the more supplys you send to specific zones means either imps or reps have the most factioned npc forces in the zone. Like a cap an hold on a 2 hour timer or something that effects buffs in the space zone.

 

When the pvp zone event starts then the stored goods etc sets out who has the greatest defenses or offensive npcs for the battle. Could even be a space station and who ever wins keeps the station for the next 2 hours, on the station it gives the best prices for goods to smuggle, something along ship parts, ore refining prices etc.

 

the background for doing it could be to stop reinforcements getting out of the spacedock that you have set traps on or that the stations wouldnt even recieve the message cos you blocked there reciever and you get a heads up where reinforcements are coming from cos you have set up a listening post.

 

The idea of piracy sets out the other side of supplying forces to join you in the battle to take control of the station or defend it when the event starts.

 

I dont see a reason to not give people loot and rewards for doing that part of it even if they dont actually get involved with the pvp/pve event as they have still done there part to help the pvp/pve event. And if there is more then one pvp/pve station then the false clues could send reinforcements to the wrong station or an ambush.

 

And that could be tied to space miners, they will be the only ones with a big enough ship and the power not to mention a grappling hook and tow line, to tow asteroids of that size once mined into space routes. That could set an ambush for other players or npcs

.

Edited July 21, 2012 by Shingara

Ship Customization - When reclaiming ships and breaking it down for parts, you can attain new gun mounts and body panels, these can be applied to your ship via a station/class dock workshop. These alter the outside looks of your ship and also what guns can be equiped onto it and also the armour type upon your ship.

 

Rare finds on ships you have reclaimed can also give you items to repaint your ship in either a base colour or multiple colours of something like camoflage. Guild Crests can also be applied to ships via station and charge. Class ships can only have recolour and guild crest.

 

Space pvp types - ( The number of people in a space battle is the number of ships as multi person ships can be used)

 

Last man standing, as simple as suggested, no pre made multi ship, you play solo no teams unless you are 4 people on one ship. You load in and the last ship alive wins.

 

Team deathmatch - same as last man standing but teams of 4v4 and 8v8

 

Assault the station - 8 v 8, one team defends a station, turrets can be destroyed, teams members can get into station turrets from there ship, the attacking team has to destroy the turrets and turrets do x3 the damage of ships but have blind spots and need to be defended by ships in there blind spot. When one team takes down the turrets or runs out of time the teams swap and go again.

 

Hold and cap - 4 points in space, 8 v 8 + 16 v 16. Simple as it sounds, each team start at opposite sides of the map and try to hold the points in space. 1st team to knock the other teams points to zero wins.

 

Semi PVP - Space race - The lighter your ship the faster you fly and turn, circuit in space and you have to go around it, 1st to cross the line wins. Can shoot at others to knock them off the track and slow them but cannot destroy other ships. EMP's have a 3 second stun.

 

New Weapon Types - ( missiles are now replenished and mags only say max cap held within mag)

 

Missiles - 4 types of missiles,Proton, Incendry (dot is not effected by shields), Heat seeking, Fire by wire ( only people on stations and turrets can use fire by wire )

 

Probes - Probe can set false signatures, make players and npcs think that ships are in a different place to where they are. Also some probes can be fired like missiles, they can jam missile locks and reverse stearing on ships when fired at them. Probes replace missiles so only missiles OR probes can be equiped.

 

EMP Bombs - drop and forget weapons, can only be used on mining ships. When ships get within a set radius of the bomb the emp bomb disables ships for 5 seconds and can also do damage on critical hit. Effects friendly targets also.

 

Thank you for reading it all if you got this far, Main source of ideas from me and others within this thread. http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=429947&page=40

 

Feedback and ideas are welcome, feel free to say how it could be made a better concept or ideas you think we have missed totaly.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Shingara

There should be no space Talent trees along the lines of dps, healing or tank.

 

Hopefully space is changed to a twitch based system, we're skill and to an extent gear comes into play.

They should remake the space combat entirely!

They should make it like the games: Star war Rogue Squadron. You can fly around as much as you want, and you have several different space ships. When they do this they got a lot more content available.

 

A game with the Star Wars theme has so much potential and they could also add in space races and something like podraces. You can also think of more possibilities that can broaden the edges of this game which can be mind-blowing with the right ideas and right executions.

There should be no space Talent trees along the lines of dps, healing or tank.

 

Hopefully space is changed to a twitch based system, we're skill and to an extent gear comes into play.

 

The reason for trees is for multi ship combat and multi station use, the trees explained in the post are not solid state trees like we see in the ground game.

 

Think of trees that work as spirals, one skill has multi points you can put into it and sub skills branch from it, from those skills you can select different skills from another tree of skills to add onto the skills you own.

 

So for example if you prefer smaller agile ships like the small fighter ships explained you would pick a piloting skill that increases your agility and speed in corners, this skill in turn would increase your turret turn rate whilst in other peoples ship turrets and rate of fire.

 

People who want to use the frigate ships would pick that piloting skill to put points into. That would increase your shield regen and ship repair, inturn when your on another persons ship station you can transfer those skills as a passive bonus to the role your taking whilst healing and regening ship health and shields of the ship your stationed on.

 

People who want to use mining ships would drop points into that piloting skill, the skill increases armour of ships, cargo payload size and recharge time of counter measures. When stationed on someones ship that bonus carries to the ship your on and adds a passive bonus to counter measure recharge time and missle lock timers and reload times and armour to the ship.

 

And in essence you get enough points to max out every tree and every skill, the difference is only what you start out with for what your wanting todo, the bonus's apply to the ships your in dependant on what station your on or if you are in a turret. When you have every skill and talent filled you become a master privateer or pilot and can then attain the best ships through the reclemation missions explained above.

 

And this topic and concepts are totally based on a twicth based system seen with dog fighting in mind, and the strengths and weakness of larger and smaller crafts bring to the table.

Edited April 26, 2012 by Shingara

You'd almost be better off along the swg system. As you level up choose if you want to unlock new offensive weapons, new engines, new abilities or new ships. But in the end you still got everything, the order you took them optimized how fast/easy you leveled.

Shingara you rock, I think you got almost all of our ideas down from the other thread.

We understand Bioware are planning on redo'ing space combat, and adding capital ship battles.

 

Looking purely at control systems, I would recommend the JtL style system for the smaller ships - fighters/frigates/miners/etc, and something akin to STO's space combat for the capital ships. Or maybe even something RTS-like.

 

I love the idea of having boarding actions. Two groups of 4 players (an 8-man operation) with one group in fighters, and the other 4 loaded onto a transport, possibly a player ship.

 

Stage one would be breaking a hole through a fighter screen protecting a capital ship so the transport ship could board it.

 

After that, you have a ground team and a space team working together to achieve their ultimate goal - the destruction or capture of the enemy capital ship.

I dont think we should expect all the ideas to be implemented straight away. Theres going to be expansions.

What i think is most important at the moment is space exploration.

Like when Luke flew from Hoth to Dagobah.

The problem i see is that how can you have a sandbox-esque space system but a theme park ground system?

Any solutions to this problem?

I dont think we should expect all the ideas to be implemented straight away. Theres going to be expansions.

What i think is most important at the moment is space exploration.

Like when Luke flew from Hoth to Dagobah.

The problem i see is that how can you have a sandbox-esque space system but a theme park ground system?

Any solutions to this problem?

 

I don't see that as being a problem at all. The ground side to the game can appeal to all those who enjoy themepark MMOs, and the space side of the game can appeal to those of us who enjoy sandbox MMOs, and the entire game will appeal to those who like both.

 

Hell, the game needs more exploration anyways. Why not in space since they have already done the ground of the planets.

 

Also, I'd like to see a small space social zone orbiting each planet, and free flight around the fleet.

I would agree that although there is a lot of exploration on the ground, i havent really found any spots that theres no mobs thats purely just there for the beauty of exploration. Finding a nice spot with an amazing view or a random hut to set down in for the night.

 

I hope they add space stations or ships that are just there for social reasons. This is where i think player created stations and ships will come into play. You can either choose to turn your station into a trading post or a war station. The same with capitol ships. Did anyone ever play Zelda Wind Waker when you would randomly see a trading ship out in the ocean. Something like that but on a much much larger scale. But maybe im just spit balling

Edited April 27, 2012 by FaceShindu

I hope they add space stations or ships that are just there for social reasons. This is where i think player created stations and ships will come into play. You can either choose to turn your station into a trading post or a war station. The same with capitol ships. Did anyone ever play Zelda Wind Waker when you would randomly see a trading ship out in the ocean. Something like that but on a much much larger scale. But maybe im just spit balling

 

This is a good idea. It would make the galaxy feel a lot more alive.

Being able to look on the galaxy map to see the locations of player ships and stations would be great. Stations should probably be stationary but moving guilds capitol ships would be awesome. You have to request permission to bored and you can block certain players or guild from entering. Would almost create sub factions. Guild that your friendly with could group up into fleets and raid on imp/pubs capitol ships. ITS A TRAP would have a whole new meaning! And it would give another reason for guilds to stick together. I dont mean guilds full of alts but active guilds should have the better ships. Edited April 27, 2012 by FaceShindu

You'd almost be better off along the swg system. As you level up choose if you want to unlock new offensive weapons, new engines, new abilities or new ships. But in the end you still got everything, the order you took them optimized how fast/easy you leveled.

 

That is exactly what we set out if you look, the skills and abilities you chose as you go up improve the desired ships you wish to learn 1st and then as time goes on you attain skills linked to other ships that dont have a major effect or no effect on the ship type you use but improve your abilities when in other ships.

 

And once you have all the skills they pass down to your companions so that when you have them all your companions have all the skills required to perform the tow back to dock on reclaimed ships. The skills that you learn in the order sets out what ships you can reclaim to keep so that only when your a master pilot you can get the best ships as they require you and your companions to pilot them.

 

And at the same time you can still reclaim ships for parts or keeping in the branch that you have set into whilst you level As this is a key part of it when it comes to companions, the skills you learn dont just effect you but effect your companions as when no players are available they inherit some of the learned skills based on there land skills to be used in ship stations and turrets when your piloting ships.

Edited April 27, 2012 by Shingara

Here's another space activity...Piracy!!!

 

Basically, you and your mates get together and go and pick on Rep/Imp trade routes. Obviously the greater share of your haul goes back to your faction for the war effort (to stop people abusing it to become very rich quickly), but you keep your cut.

Here's another space activity...Piracy!!!

 

Basically, you and your mates get together and go and pick on Rep/Imp trade routes. Obviously the greater share of your haul goes back to your faction for the war effort (to stop people abusing it to become very rich quickly), but you keep your cut.

 

I think that could fall under espionage, you go into the other factions trade routes to disrupt them, You then send the supplys off to the bases that need them the most like belsavis resistance or balmora.

 

That could influence pvp zones in open space so the more supplys you send to specific zones means either imps or reps have the most factioned npc forces in the zone. Like a cap an hold on a 2 hour timer or something that effects buffs in the space zone.

 

When the pvp zone event starts then the stored goods etc sets out who has the greatest defenses or offensive npcs for the battle. Could even be a space station and who ever wins keeps the station for the next 2 hours, on the station it gives the best prices for goods to smuggle, something along ship parts, ore refining prices etc.

 

The wall of crazy has nothing on us

Edited April 27, 2012 by Shingara

Hmmm, no. When I suggested Space Espionage, I was thinking more sneaky sneaky stuff, not going in all guns blazing and making off with as much loot as possible.

 

For espionage, I was more thinking along the lines of sneaking up to a Republic fleet and planting homing beacons, so your Intel networks constantly know where they are. Or, planting clues and false sensor readings to lure a fleet into a trap. That sort of thing.

Hmmm, no. When I suggested Space Espionage, I was thinking more sneaky sneaky stuff, not going in all guns blazing and making off with as much loot as possible.

 

For espionage, I was more thinking along the lines of sneaking up to a Republic fleet and planting homing beacons, so your Intel networks constantly know where they are. Or, planting clues and false sensor readings to lure a fleet into a trap. That sort of thing.

 

I mean as in the stance that espionage is tied to a space pvp/pve zone on a timer, what you do in those missions be it sneaky of which i think sacking trade routes could be in that has an extra purpose to it with benefits to who claims it for those 2 hours.

 

Like your previous idea, the background for doing it could be to stop reinforcements getting out of the spacedock that you have set traps on or that the stations wouldnt even recieve the message cos you blocked there reciever and you get a heads up where reinforcements are coming from cos you have set up a listening post.

 

The idea of piracy sets out the other side of supplying forces to join you in the battle to take control of the station or defend it when the event starts.

 

I dont see a reason to not give people loot and rewards for doing that part of it even if they dont actually get involved with the pvp/pve event as they have still done there part to help the pvp/pve event. And if there is more then one pvp/pve station then the false clues could send reinforcements to the wrong station or an ambush.

Edited April 27, 2012 by Shingara

I mean as in the stance that espionage is tied to a space pvp/pve zone on a timer, what you do in those missions be it sneaky of which i think sacking trade routes could be in that has an extra purpose to it with benefits to who claims it for those 2 hours.

 

Like your previous idea, the background for doing it could be to stop reinforcements getting out of the spacedock that you have set traps on or that the stations wouldnt even recieve the message cos you blocked there reciever and you get a heads up where reinforcements are coming from cos you have set up a listening post.

 

The idea of piracy sets out the other side of supplying forces to join you in the battle to take control of the station or defend it when the event starts.

 

I dont see a reason to not give people loot and rewards for doing that part of it even if they dont actually get involved with the pvp/pve event as they have still done there part to help the pvp/pve event. And if there is more then one pvp/pve station then the false clues could send reinforcements to the wrong station or an ambush.

 

I see what you've done. You are mixing everything up together, where I was considering single actions. You've gone for the big picture, where I was looking at the little bits that make up said picture

 

Edit: Another little bit of the picture that your comment on reinforcements made me think of. Asteroid hauling. Use an overly large rock to block a hyperspace route. That'll either stop reinforcements travelling along that route (they will drop into normal space when they reach the rock) or it could be used to drop transport ships out of hyperspace for an ambush.

Edited April 27, 2012 by dazednconfuzed

I see what you've done. You are mixing everything up together, where I was considering single actions. You've gone for the big picture, where I was looking at the little bits that make up said picture

 

Edit: Another little bit of the picture that your comment on reinforcements made me think of. Asteroid hauling. Use an overly large rock to block a hyperspace route. That'll either stop reinforcements travelling along that route (they will drop into normal space when they reach the rock) or it could be used to drop transport ships out of hyperspace for an ambush.

 

And that could be tied to space miners, they will be the only ones with a big enough ship and the power not to mention a grappling hook and tow line, to tow asteroids of that size once mined into space routes. That could set an ambush for other players or npcs. Which in turn is how piracy could be done.

Edited April 27, 2012 by Shingara

Edit: Another little bit of the picture that your comment on reinforcements made me think of. Asteroid hauling. Use an overly large rock to block a hyperspace route. That'll either stop reinforcements travelling along that route (they will drop into normal space when they reach the rock) or it could be used to drop transport ships out of hyperspace for an ambush.

 

Who left that asteroid there! *gets out his D5 and moves it to the hyperspace curb* Damn kids:jawa_mad:

Who left that asteroid there! *gets out his D5 and moves it to the hyperspace curb* Damn kids:jawa_mad:

LoL just made me spit my coffee out

Who left that asteroid there! *gets out his D5 and moves it to the hyperspace curb* Damn kids:jawa_mad:

 

*Space Jawas rush over and start cleaning your windscreen*

 

Utinni!!!

But in all seriousness, Space Jawas need the credit's. Support your local Space Jawas.

 

One thing i need i think will need to be fixed before any of this can happen is server population. The pop my my server is decent but i know many are a lot worse. Without high populations introducing more social hubs and space activity will bring down the population everywhere else.

But in all seriousness, Space Jawas need the credit's. Support your local Space Jawas.

 

One thing i need i think will need to be fixed before any of this can happen is server population. The pop my my server is decent but i know many are a lot worse. Without high populations introducing more social hubs and space activity will bring down the population everywhere else.

 

Well i can see server migrations being in effect well before any space update and doing something along these lines will bring alot of people to the game anyhows.

 

PS dazed added your idea to the 1st post, can you check its right ?. Its turning into a major wall of text, thank god i set a 2nd post lol

Edited April 27, 2012 by Shingara