Subset Games Forum

Thanks for the unofficial update. Hopefully it gets added to the OP soon. Love the mod, thanks again.

spudcosmic wrote:I want to thank you guys for updating my mod for me, and do you mind if I use your updated version as the official? Because you did give it a nice cloak image and gibs. I have yet to figure out how to really work paint.net, if someone could tell me how they made the cloak image, that would be great.

Awww... It's nothing really dude, I just saw that this ship was WIP by the fact it had no cloak/gibs, I was bored, so I decide to finish it! Feel 100% welcome to use this as the 'finished' result, as that was the reason I started making it, and it would have been a little bit of a waste of time and potential, if it hadn't ended-up posted publicly.
As for the cloak image; I use a program called GIMP (strange name I know...) that not only is free, but it has LOADS of tutorials for nearly everything! If you decide to download that over paint.net, I have found a VERY extensive tutorial on 'How to make a ship in FTL', which contains the exact method of how I made the cloak near the bottom of the page, here.

I hope you enjoy your new ship, as it was very fun to make
- 4DaDiamonds

P.S For the download link, just use this dropbox url: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/137 ... ruiser.ftl
Then if I make edits to the ship (Better gibs, graphics, ect...), it should automatically allow people to download the newest copy, rather than you having to get the newest version off of me.

While we're at it, couldn't everyone that helped to create it, state that their work is GPL/BSD or CC licensed? This way, everyone who want to use this in any other mod (with proper credits for authors, OFC), wouldn't have to repeat those nice and elegant, but boring questions like "can I use this for..."

Also, just as thing for considering, I still think that engi med nanobots are a little too far-fetched for standard fed medical cruiser lore-wise and little OP, too. Especially, with medbay lvl2 of such size - remember, medbots heal and reduced rate, but relatively to medbay power level. So, at lvl2 medbay you laugh at general boarders, and for cost of 45 scrap you can upgrade to med 3, which means you can repel 4x mantis boarding party without even moving your finger (or your crew to medbay - they heal on their own fast enough).

Sure, I can mod it out myself off the ship for my own use (which I did already), but I think it would be much more interesting as a whole, without being so OP against boarders. Not to mention, that it's extremely fun to fly this ship into CE's quarantine sectors with lvl3 medbay, and having nanobots discourage (if not for laughing at mantises) from upgrading medbay to max, which seems natural for flying hospital.

/Estel

// Edit

4DaDiamonds, hey, tutorials on how to create cloak images in GIMP are a great idea! I'm interested in it too, I suxx at graphics (Even despite being GIMP user since dawns of time... Yea, I know there are millions tutorials, but the time limitations...), and would very much like to educate myself more in that particular area of expertise

Estel wrote:Also, just as thing for considering, I still think that engi med nanobots are a little too far-fetched for standard fed medical cruiser lore-wise and little OP, too. Especially, with medbay lvl2 of such size - remember, medbots heal and reduced rate, but relatively to medbay power level. So, at lvl2 medbay you laugh at general boarders, and for cost of 45 scrap you can upgrade to med 3, which means you can repel 4x mantis boarding party without even moving your finger (or your crew to medbay - they heal on their own fast enough).

After some thought, I agree with Estel that the medbay lv2/medi bots are a bit OP for a ship's starting equipment, as a balance to this, the next update will either remove the medi-bots, or keep them and remove 1 level from the medbay. This will then help the ship to be more balanced against boarders, because at the moment, they aren't too much of a threat.
It might also be important to state that 1 level of the oxygen has been removed, as I think that it was completely unnecessary for it to have 2 power bars in the first place, and it plays no part in the 'lore' or 'combat effectiveness' of the ship.

Estel wrote:4DaDiamonds, hey, tutorials on how to create cloak images in GIMP are a great idea! I'm interested in it too, I suxx at graphics (Even despite being GIMP user since dawns of time... Yea, I know there are millions tutorials, but the time limitations...), and would very much like to educate myself more in that particular area of expertise

Just to say, even though it sounded like I made the website on 'How to make a ship in FTL', it was simply a typo, and I only FOUND IT. However Estel, there is a link to it in my previous post; simply click the link and it will take you the website.

Remember to please tell me which of the two options of the future of the medbay you would prefer, as either way, one of them will end-up occurring.
- 4DaDiamonds

4DaDiamonds wrote:After some thought, I agree with Estel that the medbay lv2/medi bots are a bit OP for a ship's starting equipment, as a balance to this, the next update will either remove the medi-bots, or keep them and remove 1 level from the medbay.

While lvl1 of medbay would work too, it's still very cheap to get lvl2/3 and combo it with nano-bots. For vanilla engi ship, it was balanced by the fact that engi's aren't particularly effective at repelling boarders, so it was rather saving their life, than making them OP. Which can't be said about our humans. Generally, I think that with medbay of such size, high lvl of healing is enough to make it really tough cookie for boarders, so my "vote" goes for removing bot dispersal and keeping medbay lvl2.

On a side note, there is very fun quest in Captain's Edition, that allows to get engi med bot dispersal - doing it with this ship could be considered a personal achievement and getting "legit" OP Having such feat from start robs us from a sense of achievement, if we get into it

4DaDiamonds wrote:It might also be important to state that 1 level of the oxygen has been removed, as I think that it was completely unnecessary for it to have 2 power bars in the first place, and it plays no part in the 'lore' or 'combat effectiveness' of the ship.

Absolutely agree that it wasn't affecting combat effectiveness of this ship (a much), so i don't have much against it... But, actually, lore-wise it was sensible to have it lvl2. Remember, it is med cruiser designed to stay at back of Fed fleets during battles - considering how (bad) major fleet encounters can turn for Federation and how ruthless rebels are, I think those ships faced direct shots in the hull more than once, even being medical units at back. Having only basic Life Support system could have tragic consequences if it's hit by a stray shot, for patients (that, most likely, are already seriously wounded). Lore-wise, of course, not in actual gameplay.

Side-note: One of things I really like about that ship, is that instead of usual combat-ready systems, it have many things that are perfectly sensible lore-wise - like advanced Life Support or Medbay - but (initially) suck at "mechanical combat", leaving player to deal with that It require some serious effort to turn it into modified "surprise" heavy assault craft, but gives much satisfaction.

BTW, - again in Captain's Edition - there are some blue events for having lvl2 or 3 life support, that *perfectly* fit the lore of running a Medical Cruiser or medevac.

Cheers,
/Estel

// Edit

Ah, now I get it. I'm familiar with that page from your link - due to typo, I thought that you've created another, different one Thanks, anyway!

Estel wrote:Absolutely agree that it wasn't affecting combat effectiveness of this ship (a much), so i don't have much against it... But, actually, lore-wise it was sensible to have it lvl2. Remember, it is med cruiser designed to stay at back of Fed fleets during battles - considering how (bad) major fleet encounters can turn for Federation and how ruthless rebels are, I think those ships faced direct shots in the hull more than once, even being medical units at back. Having only basic Life Support system could have tragic consequences if it's hit by a stray shot, for patients (that, most likely, are already seriously wounded). Lore-wise, of course, not in actual gameplay.

Side-note: One of things I really like about that ship, is that instead of usual combat-ready systems, it have many things that are perfectly sensible lore-wise - like advanced Life Support or Medbay - but (initially) suck at "mechanical combat", leaving player to deal with that It require some serious effort to turn it into modified "surprise" heavy assault craft, but gives much satisfaction.

BTW, - again in Captain's Edition - there are some blue events for having lvl2 or 3 life support, that *perfectly* fit the lore of running a Medical Cruiser or medevac

Ok, thanks again Estel; I never really took Captain's Edition into account and I will add the 2nd levelof oxygen back in again as well as keeping the lv 2 medbay but removing the medi-bot dispersal, due to it being 'Life Support' instead of plain 'ol oxygen in the mod Captain's Edition. Also, I now see how this would fit in with the lore of the ship, due to Captain's Edition's Life Support being critical for a ship of this purpose, it only seems fitting to have the blue options that they grant, available from the start.

- 4DaDiamonds

// Edit

Just loaded up this mod alongside CE; and got absolutely wrecked It seems that every ship you fight has either a lv 2 medbay, or are an auto-ship meaning that they are impossible to kill.

THIS SHIP NEEDS SOME KIND OF OFFENSIVE WEAPON THAT STILL FITS WITH THE LORE!!

Like bombs...?
Improved teleport...?

4DaDiamonds wrote:Ok, thanks again Estel

I'm glad my old fart's rambling was actually useful, instead of hindrance You know, we old people tend to be whiny

4DaDiamonds wrote:Just loaded up this mod alongside CE; and got absolutely wrecked It seems that every ship you fight has either a lv 2 medbay, or are an auto-ship meaning that they are impossible to kill.

THIS SHIP NEEDS SOME KIND OF OFFENSIVE WEAPON THAT STILL FITS WITH THE LORE!!

Nah, you just got unlucky Same problem applies to vanilla Mantis B, (which start with only two crew members!) but it tends to find it's way to actually win, even on hardest difficulty level.

I think they key for player is to upgrade teleport to lvl 2 ASAP - this way, you can teleport your crew to no-oxygen rooms of auto-satellites and break their components, teleporting back before your "commando" dies, then healing, rinsing, and repeating. Buying or getting any random laser/rocket/mine/whatever for "last shot" to blow enemy ships without losing crewmember is crucial, too.

Otherwise, you just need to avoid nebulas like worst doom and run from fights with sparse satellites that may appear in clear space.

But, as said, I don't think it needs any adjustment for the ship - I find it have even easier start than Mantis B, due to lvl2 medbay. And, like Mantis B, Medical Cruiser tends to become very powerful in later game, if you just have that bit of luck to get what you need at sector 1 or 2. Otherwise, no much loss, as you're blown apart early (It reminds me of my first playthroughs with Mantis B, ages ago - 7 games in row where I never left sector 1, then, 8th game was a win with absolute record in points - almost 8000 - enemy ships killed, beacons visited, etc. And no, I haven't found Holy Grail in the first sector - just some lame stuff to keep me alive a little longer, 'till i upgraded as required and started to blow the sh*t out of rebels).

/Estel

// Edit

If you still want to give it some weapons, though, I think that Ion Stunner (AE) or any basic Ion gun (for non-ae) fits the lore. You know, to repel stray fighters that break the lines from pounding our Med Cruiser, before "big guys" from Fed fleet take care of them. And to subdue traumatized patients (or, in case of CE, zombified ones from quarantined sectors ).

As for mechanic, it would allow to disable certain systems (medbay) for boarders, as soon as they're able to damage shields. They should be in most cases, while enemy runs to medbay. Bombs would help greatly in that task, but I think they should be obtained by player during playthrough.

Sure, using Ion guns as medbay-disabling aid for boarders require some inventive thinking from player, but I guess interesting ships are exactly for that. If we want to just blow them up "holy way", we have Redtail (Kestrel B) for that

There seems to be a small graphical glitch in the ship graphic. Its small but very annoying. In between the two huge engines is 2 small looking engines, it seems that you cut to much off when making the ship and pieces are missing. If you need me to circle it in paint or explain further let me know. Its of minor concern but its still annoying lol. Also I agree that the nano-bots should be removed, and the ship should be outfitted with some kind of offensive weapon. A small support laser perhaps or a drone.

You realize that with real offensive weapon- even basic laser - it would be OP as compared to Mantis B?

Just a few of my thoughts regarding current discussions:

Med bot dispersal: I put it in there because the engies are allied with the federation, so I figured they could easily outfit their ship with engi tech. It's a way to stabilize patients that were brought aboard quickly and it could have other medical purposes like dispersing medicine to specific parts of the body quickly. I also put it in there because it has a lot of medical blue events in quarantine and civilian sectors. My favorite being the one where there's a diseased colony and with a level two medbay and the Med bot dispersal you can prepare a cure and disperse it instantly, saving the entire colony in a matter of minuets. I can understand why it would be overpowered versus boarders, so that's why I gave it no doors. If you think about it, if there's boarders, you have to take time to eliminate the boarding threat which takes more time and leaves you more vulnerable to damage. I think removing one bar of medbay or the dispersal would be fine, but mostly I think it'd be a shame lose a large portion of the medical related blue events.

lvl 2 oxygen: Estel really summed up what I have to say about this, but there are many reasons why I put this in there. I kind of just felt oxygen was a bit of a neglected system and needed some attention, but is also very nicely fits with the lore, because a medical ship needs some pretty advanced life support, and also needs to account for things like supplemental oxygen. Blue event wise, there are a few events in CE that require level 3 oxygen, and I felt by making it level 2 it would be something you actually considered, because seriously, who upgrades their oxygen to level 3 in any other ship?

Offensive weapons: I too feel it has a hard time early game without offensive weapons, and could really use one to start out with! My only problem was finding out what would be a lore friendly weapon to put on this ship. I'm pretty sure a small bomb (Or a large bomb with CE) would be acceptable. It would make disabling those pesky medbays easy, but still leave you running from AI ships. I think it's better to be unable to take out AI's early too, because of the increased scrap reward from boarding, and the plethora of blue options this ship has (Take this ship into CE quarantine sectors!). Lore wise maybe a small bomb would be handy for light long range support, or possibly controlled detonations aboard friendly federation ships to help deal with rebel boarders. It could even be used to suppress and enforce quarantined civilians.

Oh, and I'm also thinking of a "B" version of this ship, which instead of a mobile hospital, it is basically an advanced clone factory. Supporting the federation fleet by using the newfangled cloning technology to clone any dead federation crew members and mass teleport them back to their ships with its experimental oversized teleporter (6 man teleporter). Any thoughts?