I find it interesting that there is no speed aspect to the game.

This seems necessary. There are many players here who enjoy the game but being pacifists, do not want to battle. In nature, this is dealt with often through speed.

An excellent defensive measure for those who dont want to fight, is to be able to get out of Dodge City fast! Avoid the fight. Run Forrest Run!!!

I propose a section on a ship called Engines or Thrust Generators or something like that. Also, an new research tree centered on that aspect which would gradually increase ship speed and acceleration. The research tree could even branch. One branch for acceleration, and another for top speed. This would encourage research specialization.

Basically, a ship with advanced acceleration systems would be really hard to hit. This would make slow moving behemoths really juicy targets. Size would create inertia, slowing the ship. Think of the difference between the Millenium Falcon vs an Imperial Battle Cruiser. Big guns are heavy. Mass inertia is a law of physics. Large masses can eventually go fast, but they cannot turn or stop quickly. High level players with huge ships would be slower. So would lower level players with low tech components.

This may also create a strategy delimma big heavy guns like on a battleship vs acceleration and/or top speed.

Impulse power
Improved Impulse
Accelerators
Ion Accelerators
Warp engines
Warp 2 engines
Warp 3 engines
etc..

this is already the concept behind defense. i.e. Spacial Thrusters, Microwarp Nacelle, Motion Compensator, Manuevering Thrusters, Autopilot Console.

Yes but I do not think he means it an a way that it would increase defence but would rather another stat altogether. This stat could possibly make it so that ships sometimes run away after so many hits depending on speed difference, or makes it so that there is a chance of shots completely missing.

I could see this happening in the future quite easily once we get through some of the more popular suggestions as remaking the way battles work and adding new ship parts seems to be somewhat low on priority as they are trying to make new npcs and improve that area. Adding new coded equations for the speed difference between players would be the only challenge since the developers also have to consider keeping the game up to opropriate opperating speeds. It might also be hard for some of the mid level players like me because we would have to go through researching a whole entire tech branch again just to get what we need thus making it so when we get to higher levels our other systems are not as high as they would be. On a whole however I do agree that this should be implemented but should be implemented during a system dowtime with an announcement so that people will now what is going on.

correct.

this is already incorporated in defense though, the idea is that the higher your defense the harder it is to hit you thusly making it so that only parts of the lazorz hit you not the full brunt. When you take 0 damage (which does happen) the idea is that you dodged all of your opponents attacks. When you have no defense the idea is that your just standing still and thusly every lazorz is hitting you at full strength.

Due to there being no concept of area in GL ( AKA you can guard a planet, but be invading someone else's planet at the same time. you cant run away you can only cloak. Now if the battle system were to be completely revamped this could be added. but if it stays anyway the same it cant be.

I guess it is the way that I am percieving how defense is parlayed in the game.

To me, it incorporates manuever, deflection, and rotation. Battle is still joined, but defensive systems make one harder to hit DURING battle.

I am proposing something more in line with defender DISENGAGEMENT from battle. You find someone, attack them, and then they bugger off on you before you get more hits on them. Battle finished. Opportunity lost.

I'm thinking of the pacifists in the game. People with no kills and hundreds of deaths. Something that gives them a sporting chance. Not like shooting cows in a field.

Well this again goes back the whole "your everywhere and nowhere" thing I was talking about earlier. it is impossible to run away in this game, if someone found you once they can find you again in 2 min.

well heres the thing. if someone has an alert out on you your name is posted as a link in their window. they take as many shots as they want at you disabling you as long as you are listed. this leads to harrassment and abuse.

people can also find you in the battle window if you are in their level range. and they have more scanning power than your cloaking.

but what if the speed stat that i think was being suggested was a passive ability that may possibly activate on every attack where your opponent "wins" an attack against you. (because you wouldnt run from a fight you could win.) and only on fights that other people instigate. Running away on accident if yer an attacker could be VERY annoying.

running would then cause you to disappear from their battle screen and grey you out on their alert window.

i think thats what he was suggesting.

Ahhh, well the only way I could see the being implemented as that without their being abuse is for the modules to be considered cannons. That way you would be forced sacrifice offensive capabilities for defensive ones.