FTL Complex Mod

[oxycontiin]

First off, I'd like to say that this game is amazing. I love it. And from that love, I see all kinds of potential in every corner of this game. Due to it's relative simplicity when compared to games involving advanced graphical techniques and such, I'd say it's likely that this game should be easy to modify and extend with user-based content, but I have not checked so I could be wrong. Assuming that it is possible and not overly complicated, I've started composing a list of all the ideas I have for a more complex version of this game. None of these are fleshed out so some, most or all could totally suck, they're just ideas. However, I'm sure other fans will share my general vision for the mod, which is for a more detailed game world with a longer playthrough and rpg elements similar to Eve Online. I'd love to see your ideas as well! Have a look at my list below and hopefully that should give you an idea of the direction we're going and then contribute a list of all your own desires for the game, I know you have some! Here are mine:



accuracy rating (based on ship and environment stats as well as target stats)(aiming at a large room is more likely to hit than aiming at a small room)

shots that miss have a chance to hit an unintended target

docking stations or hubs randomly along the way, super shopping centre (maybe find two over the course of the game in civilian sectors)

purchasable crew members with pre-leveled skills (later in the game, crew start with skills)

can pay to train existing crew at the hub shopping centres

power source is a damagable room on the ship

weapon classes, including main(antiship), secondary(antidrone) or tertiary(antipersonnel, inside the ship)

enemy drones can be targeted

chasing enemy fleet is slowed significantly (essential to a longer game)

side missions are more prevalent (longer game allows for more interesting side missions)

sector worlds are significantly larger and you can travel to previous sectors

weapons are upgradeable and customizable(to slightly increase speed, # of shots, etc. different mk. guns still exist)

increased ship customization, player selects room(pay more to install the teleporter in a four man room)

alliances between governments and races more prevalent (encounter more friendlies in the world, again a longer game would be necessary to make sense of these relationships)

good/bad options (save cargo ship/attack cargo ship)(these relationships are dynamic and change based on player decisions)(pros and cons to either decision)

cloaking system less stupid, more for navigation (not that it isn't cool already, but it's not exactly realistic. imagine more something used while in orbit to avoid detection or to throw off accuracy during the fight, but it lasts for a long period of time or until disabled)

tractor beam (ship distance could affect accuracy. also no teleporter required if you can pull the ship in and board it)

multi ship battles (2+) (this is just a must have. imagine huge multi ship battles. obviously some heavy balancing would be required here)

multiple ship classes (massive, big, medium, small, all with their own pros and cons)

crew members selectable with function keys (just like weapons selectable with num keys)

crew size limit based on size of ship (ship class holds approporiate crew)

spacesuit for crew-based hull repair (make a jump and find nothing there? why not take a risk and send out a crew member to make some hull repairs)

no more camera subsystem. new scanner subsystem
-scanners work on player ship to provide system analyses and hull status
-without fully operational scanners, hull status readings become questionable
-work on enemy ship to find targetable systems (systems aren't obvious for enemies to target)
-similar builds of ship can be referenced for targeting (blueprints)
-can be upgraded for better function in all these areas

damagable communications subsystem with room(enemy ships cant surrender with damaged communications)

damagable navigations room (cannot jump accurately without fully functioning navigations room)

these subsystems can be manned to help prevent damage during battle and make repairs quicker

navigation is more complex:
-travel between sectors (can go to any neighbouring sector, not only forward) (this is the sector selection phase)
-select beacon within sector (this is the sector map phase)
-select to orbit any planet or star within beacon (this is the end of the main game phase where the player stops next to a planet or star)
-select to land if planet (based on info from navigations) (this option would be available after the player chooses to enter orbit around a terrestrial planet)

ftl travel leaves signatures on map, other ships can be followed (all characters and ships are persistent)

upgrading engine/thruster:
-remove buying power slots
-simply upgrade parts to provide bonuses (sometimes extra power slots)
-new engines can be purchased and installed with unique power limits

upgrade power supply (uranium, thorium, HOH for small fast ships, artificial sun for biggest ships):
-each psu has base power output and fuel
-upgrades can increase output, efficiency, stability, can be weaponized
-psu can be manned for significant increases to attributes

upgrade hull:
-heat shield
-ion shield
-generic hp boost
-evade boost
-ability to keep in oxygen
-decreased hull breach chance

enemies can jump in and out of current location (cloak important here)

slight increase to weapon speed (increase pace of game)

drones can man systems

individual mannable weapon systems (laser turrets) for bigger ships

systems can take two or more crew to fully man for bigger ships

upgrade medbay:
-can heal battle wounds significantly faster
-can heal diseases or viruses
-can send nanobos to heal anywhere in the ship slowly (engi ability)
-can resuscitate downed crew after battle (takes a while for recovery)

ability to wait or pass time instead of travel

That's everything I've thought of so far. Your turn.

[0evil_overlord0]

Most of this is currently completely impossible. However, you should check out FTL overdrive. When that's finished this would be possible. I honestly prefer FTL as it is, but this is perfect for a large mod.

[oxycontiin]

I should throw in a fix for selecting doors instead of people. thats annoying as shit. also if a mod sees this could you move this thread over to mods? I actually had no idea there was a discussion area for mods in the forum and that seems like a more appropriate place for this.

[alextfish]

This sounds more like suggestions for a sequel. I'd like to see a sequel with the things you suggest, but more or less any three of them would be enough to make it no longer FTL 1 but a different game entirely.

One of the few suggestions in this list that it's possible to achieve with the current modding capabilities is the potential for more multi-stage quests. I loved the three- or four-part quests to unlock the Stealth, Rock, and Secret ships; I'd love it even more if there were a whole bunch more quests with three, four, or five parts.

That's something that would be fairly easy to create just by editing the events XML files, adding events, and possibly a couple of augments representing items that you need to carry from one place to another.