[SHIP][AE] The Black Shard v1.2.1

[foveros]

Estel: Thanks a lot for writing all that, I really appreciate it! Your suggestions are really good. About the balance issues, I don't think that the fact that the crystal launcher pierces all shields is op since it does no hull damage... until you take into account the fact that you can bring their shields down pretty easily and pummel them to death with your other weapons. I am planning to remove one weapon slot in the next version to make this strategy less viable.

The slug repair gel is there mainly for flavor since it's not like breaches are a problem for your crew. Maybe I should lessen the percentage of shots blocked by the rock armor though.

I especially like the idea of having your ship being chased by those who found the log, although I think it would make more sense if the rebels found it and diverted considerable forces to its destruction. I doubt it would A first step would be to rewrite the rebel pursuit/rebel random encounters/last sector events to reflect that. Converting all events is a little unlikely without someone to help me write them though, since it would take a huge amount of time.

If I make a CE version I will consider adding a holographic crew generator.Bringing echoes of defeated enemies "online" with enough time (read: an empty beacon) makes a lot of sense. The problem with CE is that some enemy ships, including the flagship, use holographic crew which wouldn't make sense when used in conjuction with my mod. This probably could be fixed though.

I am glad you like the ship's lore . I loved the idea of an eldritch artifact coming in contact with a ship and taking control of it, as well as the space horror vibe it has. It's origins are up to the player to decide, although it is supposed to be related to the crystal race. Maybe I will add some events in the crystal sector to shed some light on it.

[Estel]

I don't think that the fact that the crystal launcher pierces all shields is op since it does no hull damage... until you take into account the fact that you can bring their shields down pretty easily and pummel them to death with your other weapons.

Exactly Although, your idea of removing one weapon slot could fix that to some extent - I think it need testing in practice, afterwards.

The slug repair gel is there mainly for flavor since it's not like breaches are a problem for your crew. Maybe I should lessen the percentage of shots blocked by the rock armor though.

Keep in mind that lessening it will also lessen the chance of deflecting damage for rock ships in rock sector. Also, if you ever consider releasing version for CE, it would characterize your ship as rock vessel, creating some funny events. In this light, renamed slug gel makes more sense, even apart from flavor of self-sealing ship - it would allow to do many "sinister" things, like attacking civilians, and breaking truces (those are traits of slugs - via slug gel - in CE. Rocks can pirate only, Mantis pirate and take slaves).

If you would add to it a renamed mantis pheromones (which would be lore-friendly, as it would make echoes run creepy fast, making them look even more unearthly things), it would allow to take slaves, too. To convert them into echoes, of course Hoever, three-augment limit kicks here, so if you would like to add renamed CEsque holo generator, you need to drop something.

Anyway, for me, the main part of compatibility with CE (apart from awesome content, alltogether) is the really nice working CE Infinite, which would work great with lore of this ship, without making gameplay boring (too easy/challengeless). I don't see much problem with holo crew on other ship - WE are the Echoes, they're just plain old holo avatars Similarity in appearance is completely accidental

I especially like the idea of having your ship being chased by those who found the log, although I think it would make more sense if the rebels found it and diverted considerable forces to its destruction.

Yea, that would work too. Especially for a starter (although, the same problem with them addressing you as Fed ship on the run would persist - so if it's reb or Fed chasing it boils down to the use of graphic - thus pushing events of Shard after Federation-rebel war, or during it - as events are doomed to look strange on initial releases, anyway)

I am glad you like the ship's lore . I loved the idea of an eldritch artifact coming in contact with a ship and taking control of it, as well as the space horror vibe it has. It's origins are up to the player to decide, although it is supposed to be related to the crystal race. Maybe I will add some events in the crystal sector to shed some light on it.

Thats some good idea, too Personally, I would make it older and of-mysterious-origins even for crystals, but would attribute them a "deed" of experimenting with the device and "awakening" it, which contributed to it being already somehow accustomed with assimilating our technology. But I leave it up to the author, of course

/Estel