1.0 Basic Gameplay Overhaul
This simply includes the standard set of changes which have already appeared in several minimods, some of which are:
-planetary defense overhaul, tactically meaningful static defenses
-increased mavity wells to provide bigger playground and maneuvering area for fleets as well as to make it more difficult to "turtle up" a sector
2.0 Gameplay Additions
2.1 Tactical Modes
A new set of abilities available to all ships, aiming at providing more interactive experience for those armchair admirals who like to get their hands dirty. The basic idea is to provide every combat-capable ship with a set of three "performance modes":
-aggressive mode where weapon damage is increased but defenses and speed are decreased
-defensive mode where shields and armor get a boost but weapons and engines suffer for it
-maneuvering mode where ship speed and handling is increased at the expense of defense and offense
All modes would be toggleable, and if none are selected the ships reverts to its default characteristics.
While adding these abilities would be relatively easy, making the AI use them properly is another matter, which will have to wait until more is known about the modability of the AI; if possible, for example, one use AI would have for these modes is to go on the defensive if at a slight disadvantage, instead of running.
2.2 New tactical gadgets
Mines! One-shot floating space boobytraps just waiting for some luckless fleet to lumber their way into them. Several flavours available, from straight-up damage devices to more insidious types - like the ones which drop your shields or annul your antimatter supply.
Electronic warfare ships - highly specialized units capable of inflicting several types of woes upon an enemy fleet, not the least of which is their phase destabilization generator which prevents phasing in a certain radius for a certain amount of time. Unfortunately it tends to eat up antimatter reserves like a space hog.
Outposts - deployable defense and reconaissance platforms, the main use of which would be to fortify uninhabited sectors, such as space around gas giants, asteroid belts and nebulas, even stars. There would be several types of them, all of which would require a substantial amount of supply to run; they are meant to be placed at key positions, not spammed.
Titan-class ships. Several times the size of current capitals, while their firepower would be considerable, their main use would be deployment of outposts and support. Combat-wise, a Titan is a formidable force, worth several capital ships, but prohibitively expensive to make and supply. Every race would get one, and each would have a distinctive weakness as to make it unviable to spam them or deploy them without escort.
3.0 Better graphics
Mainly weapon, shield and explosion effects. Especially explosions. Not disturbingly big or bright affairs, but more immersive. The aim is to make shield hit effect far more visible than it is now, as well as make destruction feel like something had just blown up, not like popcorn-in-space. Some progress has already been made, with explosions now engulfing small ships (and hiding their sudden dissapearance) and bright shrapnel and particles streaming away into the cold depths of sp... I'll post a screenshot or two later on.
4.0 A new race
Name to be decided yet, this race would have a distinctively different gameplay, based around modular approach to ship roles. Their ships would be fewer and more expensive, but accordingly stronger. The role of many of their ships would be modular, based on a complementing OR/OR system; for example the basic scoutship, in addition to the standard role of, well, scout would also with some research be transformed into an useful tactical tool with the ability to launch a small plasmid drone which would tag a target and slowly drain their antimatter OR it could switch to transferring its antimatter supply to a friendly ship or structure. Needless to say, the race and its abilities would be carefully balanced with the other three factions.
The race itself is based on an organic theme, with custom made models, sounds and effects. Undoubtedly, this is the biggest, most time consuming part of the project.
This much for now. Some of the stuff listed here was already made, some is in the making and some are pure ideas, dependant to whether it is actually possible to mod them in or not. Hopefully I'll be able to effect 100% of intended changes, but as always, time will tell!
