fork Idea pile

Advanced sensors

• Additional sensors as a powered ship system
  • Does not replace existing sensor functionality; most existing ships should not have this
• High power draw forces Engineering decisions
  • Extend long-range scan range with additional power; degrade on underpowered/damage state
  • Reduce scan difficulty/autoscan speed with additional power; flicker objects on scanners on underpowered/damage state
  • Draw additional power during active scan; encourage more efficient player input
• Detailed signal sensors
  • Detect ships not only by visibility/reflectivity but also by emissions (heat, electrical, gravitational)
  • Reveal ship energy consumption and system activity
  • Warp/jump signatures, track origin and destination of recent non-impulse movement

Enables:

• Stealth gameplay
  • Visual cloaking/visible by signal only with significant energy draw
  • Signal cloaking/impervious to homing trackers only with significant energy draw
  • Silent running; intentionally underpowering to reduce signal footprint
• Electronic warfare options
  • Flares/signal decoys
  • Missile hacking (maybe worth pursuing regardless)
  • IFF spoofing
  • Beam/missile lock avoidance
  • Nebula and planets as natural homing/beam lock avoidance
  • Signal jammers that mask radar/signals within range (portable nebula)
• EWACS ships
  • Ship types with many advanced sensors and extra-long sensor range to rapidly scan/hack many targets at once, but few/no weapons and shields; powerful tactically but high-value target and vulnerable in combat (Hawkeyes/Sentries/Sentinels)
  • Scanning screen, can be used to offload multiple simultaneous scans so Science can focus on tracking/painting targets

Multiple probe types

• Probes with non-scanning functions
  • Short-range warp/jump/sensor jammers
  • Decoy probes (same radar trace and signal profile as the parent ship)
  • Detonator probes (modify mine behavior so that these are the only probe type that will set off mines)
  • Beacons (position appears on all same-faction Relay, like broadcasting a waypoint)
  • Camera probe (linkable to main screen)
• More restrictive lifetime rules (noted in new probes tab of ship database)
• Engineering? Relay? Science? reconfigures the next probe to be launched into a non-scan type
• Try to avoid enabling imbalancing probe spamming
  • Heavy time cost, similar to recalibrating shields
  • Heavy energy cost
  • Consumes a probe to reconfigure, so launching a non-scan probe effectively costs 2 probes
  • Only one probe at a time is reconfigured; reverts back to scan, no launching 2+ at a time (stations can batch convert?)

Enables:

• More electronic warfare mechanics
  • ... or imbalances the game with spamming overpowered probes?
• "Fixing" mechanical exploit of setting off mines with scan probes by enabling it at a cost
• New wacky AI behaviors (CPU ships that can launch decoys, jammers, minebusters)

Configurable ambient sounds

• SFX on certain actions and states
  • Temperature, power, damage alerts on Eng/DamCon/Power
  • Hull creaking, reactor instability, impulse noise on damage states
  • Failure sounds upon systems hitting negative damage states
  • Tube loading, beam arming sounds
• UI audible feedback/chirps
  • New unknown sensor contact (how to track?)
  • When heat or damage reaches threshold points (>80% heat, 0 heat; shields/system/hull damaged to <50%)
  • When being scanned, targeted, hailed
• Must be toggleable on stations, and probably default to off
  • Potentially inappropriate for multi-screen in-person games
  • Potentially disruptive to online games using non-PTT voice chat
  • For accessibility, VISUAL ALTERNATIVES/SUBTITLES ARE A MUST
• Ideally played local to the station and responsive to local state, without requiring network sync

Enables:

• Diegetic bridge ambiance without requiring DMX; no contrived, repetitive track required
• Feedback that aids grokking station function and improving efficiency
  • ... or does it add to what makes a station overwhelming to newcomers?

Scriptable sounds and music

• Scripting functions to play sounds on:
  • Main screen only (implemented as PlayerSpaceship::playSoundOnMainScreen(), but not exposed to scripting)
  • Specific stations (using CMD_CLIENT_PLAY_SOUND)
  • All stations (using CMD_CLIENT_PLAY_SOUND)
  • GM station (not implemented)
  • Spectator/Top Down stations (not implemented)
• Disable or control threat estimation
• Play/stop music tracks
• Likely requires having sound/music installed locally; bundle with scenarios that require them

Enables:

• More options for scenario writers to signal plot or ambiance
• Audio feedback for custom functions
• Signal scripted or GM-controlled game events

Beam damage variety

• Beams that can do any type of damage
  • EM beams for dropping shields and damaging targeted systems faster
  • Kinetic "beams"/railguns for damaging hulls faster
• Current burst beams vs. sustained DoT beams (i.e. phasers) vs. discrete beam projectiles (i.e. HVLI but energy/heat capacity instead of fixed amount of ammo)
• Beam slots that can be swapped between types, similar to tubes
  • Maybe only swappable when docked?

Enables:

• Anti-shield and anti-hull specialists that can/must work together

Scriptable utility beam

https://github.com/oznogon/EmptyEpsilon/tree/utility-beam

• Non-damage beams
  • Nanorepair beams (hull repair)
  • Energy transfer/refueling or shield-boost beams
    • Increased regenerative efficiency by synchronizing beam freq with the target's shields
    • Finally, a way ships can help stations after an attack
  • Tractor/repulsor beams (pull/push ships and objects; networking difficulties, physics engine has little concept of relative mass)
  • Scanning beams (alternative to Science for scanning on fighters/single-pilot craft)
  • Mining beams (repair hull, generate cargo for docking bay, etc.)
  • Grav beams (black hole behaviors)
  • EW beams (radar masking, warp/jump jamming)
• Custom damage beams
  • Beams that damage only specific ships, entities, or systems
  • DoT beams; damage that persists after a hit
  • Point-defense beams (destroy missiles, asteroids, mines)
• Situationally, whatever else a scenario author wants
  • Facilitate faction capture
  • Establish secure comms
  • Auto-hack a target
• Use Beam Weapons ship system or have own ship system?

Enables:

• Support ships
  • Functional tugs
  • Field repair ships
  • Long-range refueling ships
  • Mine-clearing ships
  • New support AI behaviors
• Add IFF/scanning options for small craft and fighters, where the full functionality and cognitive load of Science doesn't make sense
• Add new offensive options
• Add unique ship/scenario/time-limited weapons
• Add defensive options not already supported by beam weapons
• Add EW options

Derelict ships

• Intact ship whose reactor hits -100% and stays there for 30 seconds loses its crew but isn't destroyed
  • When disabled, all systems drop to -100% damage and all energy is dumped
  • Hack the ship to capture it for the player's faction

Enables:

• Meaningful piracy; capture ships and their cargo
• Any ship can be a player ship
  • Requires that any ship becomes capable of being a player ship; need default generic ship layouts and attributes for templates without them
• Emergent skeleton crew escort missions
  • PlayerSpaceship:transferPlayersToShip() allows transferring a player crew to another ship
  • ... or make it an AI ship that follows basic orders and autorepairs itself
• Escape pods?

Implement boarding parties

• Would require each ship to have a compliment of marines to use in boarding parties, who could also be lost as a result of damage to the ship (ala losing DamCon teams).

Implement compartment decompression as an element of hull damage

• Prevents DamCon teams from transiting the space until hull repaired

Player-controlled Space Stations

• Stationary dock-target "ship" with: 1
  • One Relay station + inventory/fleet management features
    • Maybe can be done purely through scripting and Relay custom functions?
  • Multiple advanced sensors to aid scanning
  • Ability to broadcast waypoints
  • Ability to resupply, repair, re-energize, re-crew docked ships 1
    • Limited stocks of supplies
    • Stocks are replenished by visiting freighters
    • Can craft new ships from freighter materials
  • Reliance on probes for long-range sensing 1
  • Limited inventory of support ships to dispatch
    • Fighters
    • Supply drops
    • Jumpship carriers
    • Minelayers
• Can reward Reputation to players
• Can deploy (and hop into?) new player ships

Enables:

• More player-to-player comms
• Command-and-control gameplay
  • Station commander can focus on big picture and suggest/order player ship captains
  • Fleet management of CPU ships
• Alternative to single-pilot station for single-player/loose-wheel gameplay 1
  • Easier/less overwhelming onboarding role to help orient new players (depending on the scenario) 1

Internal docking bay controls

https://github.com/oznogon/EmptyEpsilon/tree/docking-bay

• Add role-defined berths that limit and control internal docking
  • Launch/dock ships in Hangar berths
    • If no free Hangars, no docking
    • Scramble button to launch all Hangars
    • Relay accepting/denying docking requests
    • Can compel nearby ships to initiate docking (or tractor/utility beam?)
  • Repair ships in Repair berths (at high carrier energy cost)
  • Transfer energy between carrier and berthed ship (limited rate, with a significant waste cost) in Energy berths
  • Transfer weapons and probes between carrier and berthed ship in Supply berths (at a time cost)
    • Create supply drops in empty Supply berths
  • Store ships in Storage berths
    • Store arbitrary scriptable cargo in Storage berths
  • Situationally, whatever else a scenario author wants (scriptable berths/callbacks/custom functions)
• Transfer ships between berths (at a time cost)
• Add a cargo/docking bay ship system (power, coolant, damage)? Increase time delays, reduce rates if impaired; can't move or launch berths if unpowered/damaged

Enables:

• Resource management
• Fewer scripting-side cargo UI hacks
• Further carrier specialization than jump/warp or armaments (capacity, many support options vs. fast scramble, tunable repair/resupply rates)
• Fewer "Relay is boring" complaints

AI drones

• Launch and command AIController-by-default ships that can be overridden and manually controlled by another ship
  • Associated with a specific ship
  • Relay of parent ship can open comms without delay
  • Relay of parent ship can control/direct them like AI ships on GM screen?
• Weak reactor; own power supply, quickly drained
• No coolant, no damcon; carrier ship must cool/fix them (auto or docking bay)
• Attack (beam, small missiles/mines), support (can repair/resupply other ships by docking), recon (shares radar with parent ship like a probe)
• Control range limited to LRR and radar visibility (except recon)
• Can be taken over by other factions/captains if hacked?
• Shuts down? Self-destructs? when parent ship is destroyed
• Drone control has ship system (power, coolant, damage)? Range modified by capacity? Drones lose control if disabled?

Enables:

• Fewer "Relay is boring" complaints
• More functionality for player carriers/space stations

Rethink hacking mini-games and/or network operations console

• If keyboard present/with OSK and localization support, add typing, word-guess games
  • Correctly type suggested text (CLI hacking simulator)
  • Solve three Wordles
  • RSTLNE phrase guess/Hangman
• Modularize games; allow toggling specific games
• Allow scriptable hacking interactions
• Notify when your ship is being hacked and allow you to actively counter
• Add heat? energy? cost to hacking attempts; potentially overpowered with minigame mastery

Main screen camera position/angle

• Set position and angle of the main screen camera
  • In ship template
  • Via script?
  • Using keyboard shortcuts (already implemented in cinematic view)

Enables:

• Further cosmetic differentiation between ships
• Better support for bigger ships
• Fewer dead-on-flat views in first-person view
• Main Screen Officer

Zoomable camera

• Use existing FoV support to zoom main screen
  • Allow/auto-zoom on target lock view?
• Reusable on cinematic camera

Enables:

• "Magnify!"
• Better view of distant ships
  • Disable callsigns if radar-obscured

Improved cinematic camera controller

• FPS-style controls with faster movement speed and smoother camera movement
• Touch controls
• Camera is a selectable/movable entity on GM or Spectator views
  • Only live-update camera position if Spectator view is on the server
• Multiple, switchable cameras? Multicam view/multiple viewports?
  • Combine Top Down with cinematic? Make Top Down a camera preset in cinematic?
• Better/fixed target handling
  • Multiple angles that keep both ships in view Can reuse main screen target view
  • Auto-switching based on ship state
  • Don't cut away when target explodes, that's the best part

Enables:

• Better spectator experience

Probe camera

• Put camera in probe

Enables:

• Get visual from probe view

More main screens

• Master Systems Display
  • Daid: The main screen extremely limited info is very much intentional
  • DamCon (ship schematic, DamCon crews, hull/shield/power)
  • Current velocity and heading
  • System heat/power/damage status bars
  • Missile load/capacity, read-only tube state
  • Beam state (small short-range radar?)
  • Probe count
  • Scriptable custom info? (current mission cargo, current orders)
• Ships Log on main screen
• Probe View on main screen
• Alert state change (flash "RED ALERT")

Enables:

• Main Screen Officer
• Online over-the-shoulder for Science and Relay

Mission data report

• Post-scenario statistics report
  • Elapsed time
  • Energy consumed (total, last 5 min, last 10 min)
  • Total beams fired, missiles fired, ships hacked, hails sent/received, kill count
    • Can clients track how damage specific ships did to enemies? Should the server track/store this?
    • By ship, faction, and total?
    • Kill leaderboard?
  • DamCon crew death count
  • Scriptable custom info?
• Can also be shown on GM station?
• Dump content to file?

Enables:

• Post-scenario high-fiving
• Easier reporting on scenario results
• Memento mori
  • Burials for our comrades in DamCon lost to the vacuum
  • Reminder that death can come for us all at any time
  • War is hell on us all and space is unforgiving
• Make up for game-state data recording

Voice-less control

• Deliver menu-driven commands to stations
• Captain selects from
  • ( Helm ),
    • ( set a course to )
      • ( heading ) ( 2 ) ( 5 ) ( 0 )
      • ( bearing ) ( 9 ) ( 0 ) degrees ( starboard )
    • ( ahead/reverse )
      • ( full impulse )
      • ( warp factor ) ( 2 )
    • ( full stop )
    • ( engage jump drive ) ( 3 ) ( 0 ) mark ( 5 ) U jump
  • ( Weapons ),
    • ( target ) ( selection from list of named objects within short-range radar range )
    • ( load ) tube ( 1 ) with ( selection from list of valid missiles for the tube )
    • ( fire tube ) ( 1 )
    • ( raise ) shields
    • ( set beam frequency ) to ( 4 ) ( 6 ) ( 0 )
    • ( calibrate shields ) to ( 4 ) ( 6 ) ( 0 )
  • ( Science ),
    • ( scan ) ( ship ) ( selection from list of unscanned objects within long-range etc. )
  • ( Engineering ),
    • ( more power to ) ( selection from list of ship systems )
    • ( more coolant to ) ( selection from list of ship systems )
  • ( Relay ),
    • ( launch probe to sector ) ( A ) ( 5 )
    • ( hail ) ( selection from list of named ships/stations )
    • ( hack ) ( selection from list of hostile ships )
  • ( Main screen ),
    • ( show )
      • ( selection from list of angles )
      • ( selection of radar views )
      • ( communications )
  • ( All hands ),
    • ( good/bad ) job
    • ( brace for impact )
    • ( it has been a pleasure serving as your captain )
• Orders relayed to the relevant station via text-to-speech (TTS), voiced lines, and/or as a text banner

Enables:

• Accessibility for language/hearing/sight
  • TTS speaks orders for players with limited vision/literacy
  • TTS can leverage translations to allow captains with no mic or who can't speak the crew's language
• Potential for AI crew who follow these basic, direct, limited orders
  • Decomposing basic orders to a lexicon means they can be issued, scripted
  • TTS/voiced responses to the captain?
  • No advantage over a human crew — suitable to fill in if a station is unexpectedly vacated due to connection issues, for example

Prometheus server metrics

https://github.com/oznogon/EmptyEpsilon/tree/prometheus-metrics

https://github.com/oznogon/SeriousProton/tree/prometheus-metrics

Example Grafana dashboard in EmptyEpsilon/www/grafana-dashboard.json

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Completed

Mission clock

• Display on Relay and Main

Enables:

• Aligning log entries with mission state
• Tracking mission objectives
• Replace/enhance scenario-specific timers currently implemented in scripts?

Theming with proper inheritance

• Apply themes with inheritance: default baseline, only changes defined in child themes, lowest-level precedence
• Top-level section theme properties overridden by dot-enumerated subsections

Enables:

• Font- or color-only themes
• Style property nesting and addressing; no more loading nested style sections (i.e. button.front) separately from the parent section (i.e. button)