Proposal Discussion Explosions and Shrapnel

[Madayar]

Greetings,

I've been thinking about something since I started testing the game for myself. It mostly ends with me in pieces (and occasionally with others).

The explosions however could use some spicing up in my opinion. There's no air in space (but there's an air-'n-space museum), both the fireballs and the shrapnel should spread much faster over a much wider area. I believe there's no reason to be conservative here - ramp it up. As an example how to do so, I can suggest the Mythbuster's experiment of "firing a gun in a vacuum" slow-motion video to start off. The explosion gets thinner on the inside, but spreads WAY larger.

Also, shrapnel should cause damage. I was rather surprised when I was nearly directly behind the Anaconda and managed to blow it up, only to escape unharmed despite low shields. An explosion would send tens of thousands of pieces into space, partly with very high velocity. Being in the direct vincinity or trying to fly thothough a debris field should be relatable to flying through a dust ring of a planet (which said Anaconda did in one of my tries...yeah...was a fun quick resolve of the mission!). Of course for game programming reasons you can't track all the little pieces until they hit a counterforce, but maybe there should be an area around any ship, the size depending on the ship's type (and loadout, the stronger the core etc.), maybe with layers, where damage should be dealt when it explodes.

 

[Gibbonici]

Yeah this would be good, along with the sound of small debris clattering against your ship and a burst of sensor interference.

I also like the idea of engine wash effects, either damage or push-back or both. IIRC X-Wing vs TIE Fighter had that.

 

[Winterwalker]

+1 to the idea of having to take evasive action of a rapidly expanding kill.

There's a middle line obviously as, in reality, in vacuum, the shrapnel field would continue to expand forever (perhaps causing shooting stars in atmospheres as they burn up). This would obviously be extremely difficult to model but I personally like your idea of localised effects.

 

[OldGrumpyGit]

Like the idea, but noob question (sorry!) - if you have a squad take out, say a cutter at relatively close range (if that's possible?!), would they get 'escape time' before final destruction, for example? Perhaps a ship warning of 'Explosion Imminent' meaning you should hit the burners and get the heck out of there?

Love the idea of sensor interference as well, and the engine wash!

 

[Togg]

I do realize that currently we have none of this in game, but that hasn't stopped me from acting as if it is (i'm secretly hoping they slip it into the game with no warning) I try to maintain a "SAFE" distance from ships i'm shooting and as they start to blow up, I bank and pull and thrust away to safety.

a secret feature add like that would cause Hilarity for a day or so.

 

[Madayar]

Evasive Action, Sensor Interference

I must say, what stellar ideas (no pun intended).

A big, fat "WARNING! INSTABILITY DETECTED!" across the screen and I bet most people would try an "Airplane 2" level of course correction. Especially if explosion debris would play haywire with your sensors and your shields nearly immediately go to 0.

A feature like that would not only add realism, but another spike in adrenaline within close combat situations.

 

[Rog]

Yep, definitely agree that proximity to explosions should cause damage, and that a light clattering of debris hits should be heard hitting your ship too.

Would be great if the impacts were heard slightly later depending on your distance to the kaboom too. Small details matter!

 

[Retrac100]

Sounds good, we want that "just managing to escape the exploding Death Star scene with the fireball nearly engulfing us but phew we made it" adrenaline rush..

 

[Iskariot]

I am all for it. Good idea.

 

[Komemiute]

+1 All good ideas here...

 

[OldGrumpyGit]

I must say, what stellar ideas (no pun intended).

A big, fat "WARNING! INSTABILITY DETECTED!" across the screen and I bet most people would try an "Airplane 2" level of course correction. Especially if explosion debris would play haywire with your sensors and your shields nearly immediately go to 0.

A feature like that would not only add realism, but another spike in adrenaline within close combat situations.

Handbrake turns in space? Sounds fun

But yep, I think it would build the tension / excitement a little, and if a bigger ship goes down the debris wouldn't be exactly the size of snowflakes either, so you better be able to run AND manoeuvre

 

[Hellhawk666]

Greetings,

I've been thinking about something since I started testing the game for myself. It mostly ends with me in pieces (and occasionally with others).

The explosions however could use some spicing up in my opinion. There's no air in space (but there's an air-'n-space museum), both the fireballs and the shrapnel should spread much faster over a much wider area. I believe there's no reason to be conservative here - ramp it up. As an example how to do so, I can suggest the Mythbuster's experiment of "firing a gun in a vacuum" slow-motion video to start off. The explosion gets thinner on the inside, but spreads WAY larger.

Also, shrapnel should cause damage. I was rather surprised when I was nearly directly behind the Anaconda and managed to blow it up, only to escape unharmed despite low shields. An explosion would send tens of thousands of pieces into space, partly with very high velocity. Being in the direct vincinity or trying to fly thothough a debris field should be relatable to flying through a dust ring of a planet (which said Anaconda did in one of my tries...yeah...was a fun quick resolve of the mission!). Of course for game programming reasons you can't track all the little pieces until they hit a counterforce, but maybe there should be an area around any ship, the size depending on the ship's type (and loadout, the stronger the core etc.), maybe with layers, where damage should be dealt when it explodes.

Good suggestions. +1

 

[Madayar]

Checklist Conclusion

Greetings,

So, to summarize:

* Explosions should be larger (and more spectacular), as should be the debris, since space has no air resistance

* Explosions and debris should have an layered area around them where objects such as ships take damage of various amounts, depending on the exploding ship's size and loadout

* A cockpit warning with acoustic signal should be triggered by the bord computer to warn no more than three seconds before an imminent explosion when your ship's within the damage area

* Explosion debris should send your sensors haywire for a short amount of time

* Explosion debris should make a sound when it hits your shield and/or hull, like the clattering of a thousand stones on tungsten plates