News Another sneak peek at Horizons progress (Base Raid)

[Duckfather]

So if the Corvette is that nimble in a g-field, what does an Eagle flyover look like? Can't wait to see the smaller ships zooming over head. They will probably be moving so fast, they will be fiery blurs in the sky

Well, an Eagle flying over at 400m/s would equate to 1440Km/h, blink and you'd miss it

 

[Fosdyke]

Great footage once again Thks FD

 

[jabokai]

Will we have this kind of gameplay in solo mode, with NPC wingmen?

 

[Zplintz]

Gosh! Semi-time (again)

 

[Ziljan]

I think you overestimate the importance of their original comment regarding that. It'd kill the big ships if you couldn't viable use them in planetary flight like that. I have always been very skeptical of the idea, I want neither kind of ship to dominate, not space = big ships rule, planet = small ships rule.

Actually I wasn't thinking of dominance, I was just thinking it would be interesting if we had variety: eg if large ships really felt large in gravity wells, and small ship flight was more of a nimble dance. I suspect this would lead to all the ships being useful on planets. Large ships can always hold their ground vs small ships with turret and tankines - in space or on a planet. I seriously doubt that will ever change. But it would be a refreshing if there was one part of the game where small ships could really compete and contribute.

I am still hoping that it will be harder for larger ships to change their altitude quickly, so that small ships can have a role of dive bombing bigger ships and bases, etc. Or using gravity assists to escape bigger ships by playing chicken with the planets surface.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Will we have this kind of gameplay in solo mode, with NPC wingmen?

Could we have NPC wingmen and human players all in one giant wing for this?

I would weep tears of man joy to experience a CZ style ruck on the ground, the air, in orbit etc.

 

[Viajero]

I was talking about types of content. For example, interdiction+attacking traders, that exists both for piracy and powerplay-undermining. Transporting stuff, that exists both as trading and powerplay-propaganda-delivery. The underlying gameplay is in large parts the same, it takes place in the same locations, using the same tools, but for different reasons.

So some ground bases would be PP-related, of course. Attacking them as an unpledged CMDR would net you nothing but the ire of the defenders and a big fat rep arrow down somewhere. But there would also be pirate bases to wipe out. Small trading hubs or scientific bases to rob of any valuables. Military outposts that become targets in war between minor factions. All still the same underlying principle, and everyone has a way to experience the same type of gameplay.

Precisely, yes. That is also my guess.

 

[Fosdyke]

Could we have NPC wingmen and human players all in one giant wing for this?

I would weep tears of man joy to experience a CZ style ruck on the ground, the air, in orbit etc.

NPC Wingmen/crew members should be definitely a great addition to that kind of action on planet surface. Hope so..

 

[who?]

Actually I wasn't thinking of dominance, I was just thinking it would be interesting if we had variety: eg if large ships really felt large in gravity wells, and small ship flight was more of a nimble dance. I suspect this would lead to all the ships being useful on planets. Large ships can always hold their ground vs small ships with turret and tankines - in space or on a planet. I seriously doubt that will ever change. But it would be a refreshing if there was one part of the game where small ships could really compete and contribute.

I am still hoping that it will be harder for larger ships to change their altitude quickly, so that small ships can have a role of dive bombing bigger ships and bases, etc. Or using gravity assists to escape bigger ships by playing chicken with the planets surface.

In-gravity-well handling opens up a new kind of balancing. Something like the FAS is great in space combat, but with its huge mass it might be very sluggish closer to the surface.

 

[Viajero]

NPC Wingmen/crew members should be definitely a great addition to that kind of action on planet surface. Hope so..

*Mod hat off

Well, FDEV has already hinted at AI controlling other ships with reference to the carrier based fighters announcement at EGX (weather AI is controlling your launched fighters, or controlling your main ship if you are in a fighter), so my guess is that the code and logic for this should not be too far away...

Sarah Jane anyone?

 

[bitstorm]

This moon:

That's just a bit less than Earth gravity, almost exactly 8 m/s/s compared to Earth's 9.8.

Unless I've calculated it totally wrong. =p

Kinda think it would be nice to have a surface gravity stat somewhere, either on the system map or in the buggy (given the thrusters have to be aware and compensate).

 

[Mephane]

I am still hoping that it will be harder for larger ships to change their altitude quickly, so that small ships can have a role of dive bombing bigger ships and bases, etc. Or using gravity assists to escape bigger ships by playing chicken with the planets surface.

This is a very interesting idea which could make for very fun gameplay. So a large ship wouldn't really suffer in its speed or agility compared to space, but have to work harder to climb higher (and can't recover as swiftly from steep dive, but needs to pull up much earlier if not to smash into the ground). Whereas a light ship could climb high quickly and use that to gain extra speed (FD: do ships gain speed beyond their normal capabilities when diving?) on an attack run. It would also be interesting if kinetic projectile damage would increase with its speed relative to the target. Bullets do indeed inherit the speed of the firing ship (in addition to their muzzle velocity), so a Viper dive-bombing with a pair of medium cannons could, in this model, do more damage than its cannons would do under normal circumstances.

 

[majogl]

Here is this week’s quick-and-dirty unedited video capture from the Planetary Landings update for Horizons (using the same dev machines as before) as we begin a raid on a surface base, using two SRVs and a ship. Still quite a few elements need work which I won’t list here, but you can see there's been good progress since last week:

https://youtu.be/AaV3FP5HJ48

Less play'n more releasi'n

 

[[VR] Deggial]

Btw, are we going to get a display of local gravity in Horizons? Preferrably both in the system map and in the HUD when on a planet.

I was wondering this, too. Would be indeed a very worthwhile addition. Maybe also a note in the system screen?

Sure, you can somehow guess the gravity by size comparison (in relation to earth). But an explicit datum would be very convenient.

Edit:
Not to forget, of course: Awesome peek! Sweetens the weekend - and makes passing the time till launch harder and harder.

 

[Belisarius]

This looks great ...
makes one wish to have a time machine in order to travel into the future, post Horizons Release ...
and grab a copy of Horizons in order to play it

 

[tempusfugit84]

in the words of Keerrash ............... Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

 

[Ziljan]

(FD: do ships gain speed beyond their normal capabilities when diving?) on an attack run. It would also be interesting if kinetic projectile damage would increase with its speed relative to the target. Bullets do indeed inherit the speed of the firing ship (in addition to their muzzle velocity), so a Viper dive-bombing with a pair of medium cannons could, in this model, do more damage than its cannons would do under normal circumstances.

This is exactly what I'm hoping will come true, and that the game will ultimately support this kind of deeper and tactical gameplay. It would be amazing if the "Sky" flight physics was as complex and skill dependent as the SRV driving physics so clearly already is. Man I can't wait to get into one of those little buggies

 

[Iskariot]

I am much, much more interested to know if there is ANY content for explorers, or whether it is all pewpew. All the PR hype is on pew, pew and pew.

I agree completely.
It would be great if they added diverse gameplay for different play styles.
But I think that the fact that we can't leave our buggies yet will also limit the options for now.
Content for explorers is mandatory though. FD knows this I think.
I also hope they will add great planetary mining mechanics.
And stuff to scavenge.

 

[wstephenson]

Re: gravity indicator: yes please! Mass and radius are the important factors.

Dive attacks: with a maximum weapon range of only 3000m and diving at 400ms^-1 at the target in gravity, you would want to be pretty sure of your ability to pull up, or else find out what dps pranging a 100 tonne starship into the target would do.

 

[Viajero]

This is exactly what I'm hoping will come true, and that the game will ultimately support this kind of deeper and tactical gameplay. It would be amazing if the "Sky" flight physics was as complex and skill dependent as the SRV driving physics so clearly already is. Man I can't wait to get into one of those little buggies

With a 1:1 realistic detailed terrain I much rather FDEV focused on ground combat systems so t get the maximum out of surface activity (lots that could potentially be used from modern armour based warfare), although wouldnt say no to your proposal!