[Ship Randomizer] The Randtrel v1.3.0

[Russian Rockman]

When you said crystal drones I suddenly had the idea for crystal AP, golem like, drones. But then I realized you can't make on-board drones. Oh well... But there are a few people that have made Crystal Drones in the past. Mostly for custom crystal ships, I'm surprised Captain's Edition doesn't have any Crystal Drones after all this time. I believe the original Infinite Space also had Crystal Drones. You may have to do a bit of hunting.

About the Mantis ship, it would be interesting to see a non-boarding variant. Something that can really change those ships up too is the randomization of the crew. Without a couple Mantises you may have a challenge. A boarding drone variant would be very interesting. The many stun weapons of CE allow for several different variants, but I'm not sure about vanilla, that is a hard one.


For the Crystal Ship I have several hull images you could use. RAD-82 kindly made them for me, a long time ago, when I asked him.
http://imgur.com/a/d4BJ9#0

Here's a link to RAD-82's Resonance mod, you should also check out his Crystal Cataclysm mod. It may give you some ideas for Crystal ships.
http://www.ftlgame.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=23581

I would love to see an amethyst ship, emerald, diamond, yellow diamond, sapphire, etc...


And for the Federation ship, randomizing the artillery provides a lot of ways to make that ship unique, there are plenty of artillery weapons in Captain's Edition that could be used on those ships. (Perhaps they'll be put to good use then, since they're still sooorta... broken ) But you should stick to ones that make sense on the Federation Cruiser, for example the Engi Ion Pulse and Slug Stunner would not really make sense. However, a swarm missile flak, laser artillery, plasma fire flak, or any other type of "beam" artillery would make sense.

[Sleeper Service]

I'll might look into making some crystal drones if I find the time. I never made these cause they would barely appear in-game, but with the Randravis (?) they might actually gain some relevance.

/Edit:

Not entirely final yet, but the drones on the edge of the image will eventually be part of CE. I can mail you the details.

Another thing you could do is randomizing the weapon blueprint for the Crystal Vengeance aug (while also adjusting the aug description). This way the augment could have various different effects. There are some limits to what tags this aug weapon can actually use so you might have to do some testing.

However, a swarm missile flak, laser artillery, plasma fire flak, or any other type of "beam" artillery would make sense.

One thing to consider there is that the current artillery graphics are all configured for being mounted on exactly the ship they where made fore. Possible Fed artillery would have to be adjusted accordingly.

[Russian Rockman]

For the artillery graphics, they really aren't needed, at least for the Federation cruiser. The beam and flak artilleries could use the existing animation if you wanted, and a laser artillery. Could just be mounted in the middle.

I'm not sure about changing the Crystal Vengeance augments percent chance. I don't think it's necessary.

[Sleeper Service]

I'm not sure about changing the Crystal Vengeance augments percent chance. I don't think it's necessary.

I was more thinking about randomizing the weapon blueprint it draws its damage/special effect chances from.

[Russian Rockman]

I'm not sure about changing the Crystal Vengeance augments percent chance. I don't think it's necessary.

I was more thinking about randomizing the weapon blueprint it draws its damage/special effect chances from.

Oh, I see. You could give Crystal_1 a fire chance, or more damage, etc... That still doesn't seem to make a huge difference though.

[rannl]

Great comments all around All kinds of interesting ideas.

The crystal ship will get nice content with crystal drones and a random crystal vengence.
The fed ship will get a random arti weapon, maybe even in vanilla (which only has 2 options).

I'm working on the Randa Monster, got some really nice hull recolors and quite a few layouts ready. A new release will be ready in a few days.

Any chance some of you have any comments on the actual asset pools ? Also, how are the random ships looking ?

[Russian Rockman]

Any chance some of you have any comments on the actual asset pools ? Also, how are the random ships looking ?

As far as the hull images go, the only ship I am not a fan of is the bright yellow kestrel. It seems like the colors are a bit off and it looks a bit unrealistic, and unpractical.

I would also submit this cloaking image to use with the red-tail patterned ships. In vanilla the Red-Tails lines didn't match its cloaking image because it was using the same one as the kestrel.



As far as the random asset pool goes for the Randa Monster (love that name ) I love all the ideas you came up with, I don;t really have much to add because that ship is very particular... You could make an Engi Revolt variant with only engies, maybe? And for weapons you could stick to stun ions and bombs or nothing for vanilla, and for CE you have lots of light laser options along with mines and stun weapons. I like the boarding drone variant a lot. Thats all I've got...

[rannl]

Thanks for the cloaking image RR, it'll be included in the next release and you'll be credited, of course.
I'll also change the bright yellow kestral image.

The Randa Monster was a bit tricky, but I'm almost done with it. Hopefully later today I'll release v0.9 with it.

[Russian Rockman]

Thanks for the cloaking image RR, it'll be included in the next release and you'll be credited, of course.
I'll also change the bright yellow kestral image.

The Randa Monster was a bit tricky, but I'm almost done with it. Hopefully later today I'll release v0.9 with it.

Although I did make that image, slowriderxcorps was the first one to make a separate cloaking image for the Kestrel B. All I did is add a bit more glow. I'm happy with my current place in your credits right now as "Guy who makes comments and stuff."

I like the darker yellow kestrel that you have on the OP, but the brighter one was just too much for me. Thanks for changing it. Perhaps you could turn that one into a Shiny! gold version, just change the saturation a bit maybe?

[rannl]

V0.9 is out, with the Randa Monster. Added pools representing the B configuration, and partial C configuration (the lockdown and stun bombs were not added to the weapon pools, they feel underpowered to me).
Also added a "remote boarding" build - no teleporter, slightly stronger weapons, and a boarding drone.

Please comment and share your thoughts and impressions.

I'll do the Randprey next (cool sounding name ), I like the concept of a random arti weapon.

Changelog 0.9:
* Added a randomized mantis cruiser, with assets based on B and (semi) C as well.
* Recolored the bright yellow kestral hull.
* Added cloaking images with the kestral 2 stripes (thanks to RR).