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Stars and Solar Panals
http://forum.starsonata.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=14441		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Caelestis [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:00 am ]
Post subject:  Stars and Solar Panals
Currently Stars and Solar panals are being looked at for a few balancing issues. Overall, we feel that some suns are far too weak, while others are too powerful. To explain:

Every sun in the game has a variable known as the 'Charge Multiplier'. The base amount of electricity gained by a solar panal is directally modified by this variable. Therefore we can give some stars a very strong effect on solar panals, some a very weak effect and even some a negative effect. Currently, the difference in this variable between various classes of suns is extremely large as you will see with the example values given.

Dark Sun: -0.33
White Dwarf : 0.006
M-Class : 0.004
Normal: 1.00
G-Class: 3.00
F-Class: 5.00
Red Giant: 2000

All of these values were taken from a randomly generated universe and are an average of the Charge Multiplier values for each class of sun. As you can see, there is a very large range. Also, you can see that on most stars, Solar Panals are next to useless, where as on some they are broken. We would like Solar Panals to charge much close to their actual amount then they currently do, so here is what we are planning.

First, we would like to keep the Charge Multiplier under 5 for all stars. Yes, this will be a very big decrease in the amount charged by Red Giants, but the ability to get anywhere between 10,000 to 20,000 Charge off a Red Giant with one solar panal is a problem. Doing this will make near infinate electricity setups much more cumbersome, and that is something that will have to be dealt with by players. If you want the same charge off a sun that you currently get with these setups, you will be forced to allocate more hull to solar panals.

We would also then like to make sure that no sun has a Charge Multiplier lower than one-half, with the exception of Dark Suns. This means that solar panals will receive a very nice boost when compared to charging with them now. It will mean that nearly any sun will give a charge that can be noticed.

Finally, I am working on a set of Dark Sun solar chargers. These will drain your energy near normal Stars, but can be charged with Dark Stars. We will modify the charge multiplier of Dark Suns to be in a range opposite that of the other stars, so you can expect at least one-half charge from an Anti-Panal, with a maximum of five times the charge amount.

This change will add another level of strategic depth to using Solar Chargers, as well as correct a very obvious problem with them being far too good in some circumstances. It will also make them more useful overall, and hopefully more people will make use of them for more varied situations, not just infinate electricity setups. Please post your feedback as it is appreciated.

Caelestis
Author:  Retyu [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:02 am ]
Post subject: 
I think that solar pannels need overall at least a 1.3 bonus. They're good thoguh, like the anti charger idea.
Author:  IAmMe2 [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stars and Solar Panals
Good idea, but you might also want to look at increasing the RANGE of the increase... Right now, most suns other than red giants and dark suns don't seem to ever charge outside about a 100-150 distance... Half the time you need to actually be on the sun taking damage to get the charge... My recommendations...

Dark Sun: -0.33x (100-300 radius)
White Dwarf : 0.5x (100-200 radius)
M-Class : 0.85x (200-500 radius)
Normal: 1.00x (50-150 radius)
G-Class: 2.50x (200-500 radius)
F-Class: 4.00x (400-1000 radius)
Red Giant: 5.00x (2000-5000 radius)

Also, I think that making it so that certain rarer solar panels don't drain your energy around blue suns would be a good idea... Sorta like having the added advantage of energy leak protection... Even increase the overall effectiveness of the higher tech DG drop panels, and decreasing the effect of the mid-high tech store bought panels.

I'd say the Solar Intakes should have energy leak protection, as well as any of the DG drop ones tech 17 and above...
Author:  Bluejayek [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:15 am ]
Post subject: 
This sounds like a good idea. Many people will hate it, but dark sun chargers would be cool. However, maybe it would be possible to make the dark suns charge sheilds rather then nergy? Just to make more strategy and stuff.
Author:  Gurjster [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:33 am ]
Post subject: 
Hmm dont really see anything to fault here, good ideas, but then again Im not really a solar panel guy unless deploying some big heavy perma drones.
Author:  BAM5992 [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:16 am ]
Post subject: 
dam cael, 2 good updates in one day DAM SEXEH!

god work, I like it
Author:  plasmite [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:23 am ]
Post subject: 
it would be nice, but ya. increase the range. its kinda pointless to have a cumbersome solar-charged ship if you need an ethereal laser to do any real damage....
Author:  comp112 [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 9:38 am ]
Post subject: 
couldnt some1 try to combine panels??? lke use the anti-panel with a standard? dont know how they culd do it but ya.
Author:  Calypso [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:45 am ]
Post subject: 
Hmm, I think if someone used a Dark Sun panal and a regular sun panal, they'd cancel eachother out?

Anyway, sounds good! I'm looking forward to fighting stealthily near dark suns! I agree with Cyphe though, could range be looked at a bit?

Calypso
Author:  The Voomy One [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:55 am ]
Post subject: 
Sounds great to me. My first thought was, just like Cyphe, that the range should be increased. You shouldnt have to stay close to a sun to get a charge, even at a pretty large distance you should get atleast some charge.
Author:  Takuhi [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 4:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
Err...Panal isnt a word. It's spelt Panel.

Other than the fact that both Cael and Caly cant spell, it's not a bad idea. Although it means low level players are going to have to work a lot harder to level, many lowbie's go around a red sun with panels so they can power level easily. The fact you've taken the ability to kite away allready means its going to be even harder for lower levels.

If you put things into perspective, this is probably going to effect level 50 and lowers more than the high level players. So maybe try and counteract this with something? Like having special lowbie solar panels which have a level limit. So for example there is a mission chain where you get the Specialised Solar Panel which then cant be used after level 50 or whatever.
Author:  Enji [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 4:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
I think the range of the suns should be increased... If you cannot at least move a bit around the suns while fighting, I think only droners can really use them...

Well again I will whine, but that is something that will NOT help slaves... If I am not mistaken, slaves are unable to equip / unequip items, so using solar pannels with them is impossible: if we equip a dark solar pannel, the slave will lose elec near bright suns, and the other way around with normal pannels. Obviously, equiping both would be retarded :P
Author:  IAmMe2 [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
Takuhi wrote:
Err...Panal isnt a word. It's spelt Panel.

Other than the fact that both Cael and Caly cant spell, it's not a bad idea. Although it means low level players are going to have to work a lot harder to level, many lowbie's go around a red sun with panels so they can power level easily. The fact you've taken the ability to kite away allready means its going to be even harder for lower levels.


Red giants will still give 20 per 2 seconds per solar panel... For a newbie thats nice... A couple will allow them to power pretty much anything in a red giant gal... I think they just won't be able to count on a size 2 item giving them unlimited elec...


I don't like the idea about the lowbie panel though... I'm against all level restrictions in this game in all forms...
Author:  Madferret [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
Takuhi puts the anal into Panal :lol:

Range should definatly be improved but also I'd like to see some kind of range of the panel itself. You could then have low chargers with long ranges (collecters) and high chargers with short ranges (boosters) and varying amounts of each.
Author:  IAmMe2 [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
Madferret wrote:
Takuhi puts the anal into Panal :lol:

Range should definatly be improved but also I'd like to see some kind of range of the panel itself. You could then have low chargers with long ranges (collecters) and high chargers with short ranges (boosters) and varying amounts of each.


I was thinking about that too... Good idea.
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