So... we're back to the mines idea. Cuz bouys are pretty much like mines.Deus Siddis wrote:I think this would be a good thing to implement regardless of intra-system FTL method. Spawn the stations that are not orbiting planets or wormholes on the path directly between them. It seems a lot more deliberate and helps space feel less barren.klauss wrote: That was the idea of buoys. Furthermore, trade lanes would have checkpoints (armed buoys) that would act both as safe harbor and choke point, and possibly interesting mission targets as well. The AP (or standard route from A to B) would take you across a series of strategically placed (but far-apart) buoys.
Aside from the AP and AI improvements that would be required, we need the actual models.
The implementation I believe would be simply adding a special kind of station that is a buoy (ie: navpoint="true" on the system xml). Then AI and AP would try to navigate from navpoint to navpoint (each navpoint would have a reference to the connected navpoints that you can travel to/from). In essence, a graph.
The buoy station itself would be a grouping of station-keeping sub-units much like turrets. A new kind of AI role would be needed to make them station-keeping (I'd like them to be able to drift if collided with, but have them AP-themselves back into formation).
Checkpoint buoys would be hardened (shielded, strong weapons), while simple buoys would be softer (debris-clearing and pd-like weapons only).
Buoys would also have a small SPEC interdiction field, slightly larger than their size would mean, but smaller than a station's, in order to protect itself and travelers from accidental collisions.
They would also have scanners and attack contraband-carrying ships. We really need to effectively make contraband illegal