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[10ebbor10]

I'm not sure , but it appeared to me that the generator was actually a total for the processor capabilities. It would be strange to have it as total energy, as a processor heavyship could be run on one, but a laser heavyship, which requires less serverside, would need more energy.

[Sting_Auer]

Hopefully it will be single-shard as seen in EvE Online and Shores of Hazeron. It wouldn't be worth it if it wasn't.

[Shadowlord]

SoH actually seems to work quite well. Large empires rise and fall quite rapidly.

And sometimes "Large empires rise and say 'man, fuck this shit' and quit the game."

I for one would be far more likely to play 0x10c - and I expect most people would be more likely to give it a try - if it were free or fairly low priced, with officially supported (not emulated) player-run servers, and that the subscription-based (or f2p) MMO-esque 'multiverse' run by Mojang was not the only way to play multiplayer. Some of the information out there seems to indicate this might be how it'll be, but it's not really certain.

If it's not possible to try it on a free server, that'll cut out a lot of people who would otherwise consider subscribing, but who wanted to see what the gameplay was like first (and potentially try it with friends).

[LoSboccacc]

this sound awesome, for as much as I am a competitive jerk, I still prefer a relaxed, collaborative but challenging PvE anytime.

[Seraphim342]

The generator limit is basically to prevent one-man death stars, essentially.  There's also a tentative limit of 3 DCPUs per ship as well, according to Notch, for server resources.  Apparently you'll be able to find and use better generators/etc, though, so there's some upward scalability on a per-player basis. 

[Matz05]

Yeah, not offering a player-server option where such an option is possible would be unethical. It is basicly an outright statement of "Someday, when you least expect it, I'm going to shut down the server and render your game useless. Also, grind. You're paying me by the hour, after all!"
I'm pretty sure at least some communities would be able to get the resources to host servers.
Still, if BOTH options are offered, I might just get a multiverse subscription anyway. Big server farm, big galaxy, infinite noobs to pwn con interact with.

Oh, one thought.
Tracking and avoidance.
First-degree targeting:
The obvious 'point-and-shoot' turret/etc. targetting would bring the weapon to bear at the target's current position, firing when the target falls within the sights. This can be dodged (assuming non-hitscan weapons) simply by maintaining enough relative velocity in a direction other than straight towards or away from them. (ie, keep moving, circlestrafe, etc.)

Second-degree targeting:
Some so-called "advanced" systems will use the previous scheme operating on a virtual target placed using the distance to real target and relative velocity of real target, along with the speed of the projectile. This is 'lead', and will allow you to actually hit a moving target, at least some of the time. These systems are probably pretty simple to make (though they require at least two "pings" of a target's location, assuming they are only fed position data, meaning a tiny lockon delay), but can be defeated by accellerating. Remember that trick in some old games where you can shake left and right and the enemies will fire at two points beside you? That's what this looks like.
Our "dodging" systems should be prepared for at least this level of targeting, and fast-reaction weapons like point-defence systems should probably use this.

Third-degree targeting:
This system will require a lot more calculation, as well as at least three sensor refreshes per step, to implement; but will probably be able to hit anything out there fairly regularly. Basically, this one adjusts "lead" assuming constant acceleration from ping one through ping three until the point where the shot lands. This should be able to accurately hit anything without a changing engine throttle.
To dodge this, one needs to change acceleration over time.
This is probably enough for main weapons, but for rediculously-long-ranged stuff, more might actually help.

There is better: You can extend this to infinity, but the math (and CPU hogging, execution time, needed sensor readings...) gets pretty rediculous and the countermeasures ever-more precice and time-consuming.
Fourth-degree targeting can be countered by varying how fast you change the accelerator setting. Fifth-degree targeting can be countered by changing the rate of doing that...


This problem is reversed for missiles/evasive computers. Our basic anti-countermeasures missile should probably zigzag, spiral, or sine-curve to avoid hits. No computer is necessary for this, a simple timer (if those are implemented somehow) should suffice.
Up left down right repeat! Left Right repeat! Left coast right coast repeat!


Also, while I don't know much about ship customization in this game, what do we think of modularization? Setting up some semi-standardized missile bays, hardpoints, docking clamps, etc. to be pulled out of the database when designing a new ship?
Cons:
Security concerns (enemies can learn a little about one ship from examining a different one)
Bulk/bloat (not shaving off things because they are required to meet standards)

Pros:
Ease of upgrade (If I develop a new kind of "HABuster Mk IV" tailormade anticountermeasures missile, it fits in all the standards-compliant launchers already.)
Ease of repair (You can ask for a part and get what you meant the first time)
Fleet familiarity ("Hmm... Matz05 is using a Balista heavy cannon. I know it's for long-range use against larger targets, so I'm going to pick off those drones swarming him and let him deal with the mothership")

[Sting_Auer]

Personally, I would probably use almost entirely standardized ships, and they would all be turtles. Fewer ships, but they're very powerful and can take a lot of beating.

Target leading and whatnot would definitely be used, and anti-missile chaff would be used. Confusing the missiles' tracking systems would be more than enough to stop it, unless they're being laser-guided or something (which chaff could still mitigate to some degree).

Shotgunning our garbage out of mass drivers would make decent anti-missile defenses as well.

As for resources, I will probably use automated miners and freighters using batteries, assuming batteries can store a significant amount of power. Leave the tedium to the AI and have the players take part in the more important stuff.

[Idranel]

Incase you havent noticed, but paying for a server that simulates 100 million star systems simultaneously is kinda expensive. You try to make a game that big and not charge for subscription.

Shores of Hazeron for one and you missed the point.
Charging monthly fees for game that is only lets say 10 player coop, sucks monkey ballz really bad.

That only works, because the majority of the people who try it leave within 1-2 weeks and Haxus is willing to spend quite a lot of money into his hobby project each month.
In its current state it seems like shores requires atleast one physical server for every 2-3 players and gets quite laggy when players meet in the same scene. But thats probably because its implemented inefficiently.
Then again... out of those "100 million star systems" only a few thousand have to be actively simulated at any given time.

SoH actually seems to work quite well. Large empires rise and fall quite rapidly.

And sometimes "Large empires rise and say 'man, fuck this shit' and quit the game."

QFT, too lazy to explain the problems with SoH
Btw large empires dont have any incentive to fight each other. Sooner or later they'll find a diplomatic solution and save everyone time by bypassing frustrating and crappy gameplay.

[Imofexios]

Amen!

[Sting_Auer]

Any idea if there will be solar panels to generate power? Maybe mini-generators that would only be useful on small ships using a really weak computer?

[Rose]

Considering that they make you pay for generators as an indirect way to pay for the DCPU emulation, unlikely.

[DJ]

Can you freeload if you fly a ship without any computers?

[10ebbor10]

Your ship needs to be computer controlled, I'm afraid.

Besides, they're charging on energy use, not on CPU use, which is a little bit silly.

[Rose]

CPU requires a fixed amount of power, so they can regulate it like that.

[DJ]

What, they think I can't regulate thrusters manually?

Now that I think of it, I could also use a couple of treadmills to eliminate the generators too