Skip the following if you don't want/need the background.
After about five hundred conversations with higher ranks/large ships annoyed that they're paying a crapton of credits each day for a negligible increase in stats and a much larger damage cap, I wrote up a suggestion for keeping ship modules relevant. Before I'd even posted it, Noirpa told me it was a terrifically stupid idea, and that the best solution would be to keep game mechanics intact and simply introduce modules with minimum deck requirements that do really cool, unique things. At the time, I disagreed with him: after all, no matter how cool a new mod is, it's not going to make a Lazuli Mind Controller any more useful.

But now? Now I agree with him. The idea was too complicated, and worse, it suggested changes to game mechanics without really offering that much positive change for LSBs. So I stole Noirpa's concept and fleshed it out!
Start reading below if you don't want/need the background:

DECK DEPENDENT SHIP MODS

Goal here is simple:

• Do nothing to to take away from the inherent economic and defensive advantages of the SSB and MSB ship builds. These are very real, worthwhile, and rewarding styles for many players and should remain unaffected.
• Provide an advantage to players who are/want to be LSB ship builds that is not attainable by other ship classes -- if you want these modules you have to have a certain number of decks. Said advantages play to their strengths (Base killing, planet munching) while keeping their vulnerabilities intact or even exacerbated them (massive cost, vulnerability in dogfights, etc...)

So, uh, here's a suggested mission chain:

Big Things

Orbital Construction
Unlock requirements: Rank 500
“You have made great progress, and are proving yourself one of the more valuable ships in the [your race] fleet. Now that you have secured several planets, perhaps it is time to further enhance the production and construction capabilities of your safest colonies.

Mission Requirements: 450 Energy + 25 Complex Tech Parts, 10 rounds, 10 completions.
Mission Risks: none
Text: You [begin/continue to] work on plans for an orbital production facility.
Mission Rewards: 360 Experience, Orbital Production Network (on completion). Use on an owned planet. Cost: 500 energy. Permanent effect: increases planetary production by 3%, population by 20%, and attack by 12%. Can only be used on a planet unscanned by any other player that has not been attacked in the last 3 months. SPECIAL: if planet is abandoned, the OPN effect is lost as if it were a structure.
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Next Mission...

Fight-er Flight
Unlock requirements: Rank 600, 2500 decks
Congratulations. Welcome to spacedock 938. We are ready to refit your vessel with Fighter Bay capabilities when you are. Due your ship’s unique configuration, the bay must be specifically designed for you. It will be a complex and delicate process, requiring expensive materials and services. We hope this construction doesn’t attract unwanted attention from our enemies, as you will be vulnerable during the process.

Mission Requirements: 400 Energy + 100 CTP + 500 Kurenite, 60 rounds to complete.
Mission Risks: (small) Chance that you will be blockaded in Spacedock by a Stryll Brigand (appears on BT, you cannot continue mission, attack or disable enemy targets until it is disabled by legionmates [alerted] or bribed off)
Text: You top scientists and engineers [continue to] assist in the development of a Fighter Bay for your ship.
Mission Rewards: 300 Experience, Fighter Bay Blueprints on completion (once used, allows the construction of a Fighter Bay on your ship from the Defense/Shields tab).

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Next Mission…

Troop Pod Comes from the Sky
Unlock Requirements: Rank 700, 3,000 decks.

In most cases the, best planets you discover cannot simply be colonized, but must be liberated by your forces. Tighter coordination and discipline with ground units will make planetary invasions easier and less expensive; in lucky instances, you may even be able to achieve a diplomatic victory, resulting in fewer lives lost.

“Sounds good. What do I have to do?”

“Unfortunately, the person most qualified to train your crew and equip [your IGN] with a CIC upgrade is rather… occupied at the moment.

“Occupied? What do you mean? Who are you talking about?”

“I am talking about Admiral Gerfod herself, and what I mean is her fleet is currently tracking down all members of the Ors’u Bai cult who fled after the Space Elevator Bombing on Tevlir IV.

“Oh yes, that was a rather embarrassing security lapse as I recall.”

“And costly. But she is cleaning up the mess. And if you are willing to assist in bringing the cult members to justice, we could arrange a training and design session with your vessel much sooner. What do you say?”

“Sign me up!”

Mission Requirements: 200 Energy + 1 Cult Wreckage (dropped via Cult Ship, Uncommon, Standard NPC, Matched), 100 completions.
Mission Risks: none.
Text: You meet with the admiral to discuss your progress in eradicating the Ors’u Bai cult.
Mission Rewards: 150 Experience, Troop Pod blueprints on completion (once used, allows the construction of a Troop Pod on your ship from the Weapons tab).

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Next Mission…

Shore Leave
Unlock requirements: Rank 800, 3500 Decks
“Research has shown that regular relaxation and escape from monotonous daily tasks helps to maximize productivity. Can you remember the last time your crew had a vacation? Select members of your crew are hereby granted 75 full-day group passes at the Samac Resort and Spa to be used at your discretion. While there, I urge you to observe the facilities and replicate as many of its amenities as you can aboard your vessel. Please be delicate in selecting recipients for your day passes: Samac has only recently resumed diplomatic relations with the [your race] government, and tensions are still high.

Mission Requirements: 500 Energy 75 rounds, 1 completion.
Mission Risks: (small) Members of your crew [random: 50% chance each] are arrested for unwittingly offending sacred local customs and traditions -- the spa is closed to your ship for 8 hours (or until you pay a substantial CR fine)/ are arrested for intoxication and disorderly conduct -- the spa is closed to your ship for 4 hours (or until you pay a less substantial CR fine).
Text: Several of your crewmembers enjoy the sites and activities of the Samac Spa and Resort as you observe the facilities.
Mission Rewards: 350 Experience, Holofun SuperCenter Blueprints upon completion (allows the construction of a Holofun SuperCenter on your ship from the Devices tab)..

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Next Mission…

Through the Reactor Core.
Unlock requirements: Rank 850, 4000 Decks
“Galaxy Destroyers and other capital ships are incredibly expensive to maintain, inefficient, and vulnerable to attack from smaller, more maneuverable vessels. However, their larger frames have the advantage of being able to house stem-to-stern energy conduits that, with proper engineering, can be converted to accommodate fantastically powerful weapons.

Mission Requirements: 500 Energy + 100 ctp, 100 rounds, 1 completion.
Mission Risks: (very small) “A crewmember perishes in a construction accident while upgrading your ship -1 Engineer”
Text: You [begin/continue] overhauling your ship’s energy transfer systems.
Mission Rewards: 380 Experience, Core Cannon Blueprints on completion (allows the construction of a Core Cannon on your ship from the Weapons tab).

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Next Mission…

Star Stitcher
Unlock requirements: Rank 900, 5000 Decks
“Your scientists already provide valuable research, but with all the unique resources and vantage points available to you through your travels, it is a shame not to provide them with the most powerful and up to date facilities possible. We think the best option for your vessel is to emulate the Unusually Sized Research Utility Platforms of the ancient Tryvoid -- the organic predecessors of the Vygoid. While their platforms are often preyed upon by raiders due to their lack of speed and passive nature, such a research platform mounted on your ship would provide no easy target. If you can gain their confidence, they may be willing to offer advice to us in construction and design.

“How do I gain their confidence?”

“I don’t know. Don’t disable or raid their platforms for starters. Most sentient beings don’t appreciate that. Just be creative.”

“I’m not creative.”

“In that case, let me suggest a technology swap. Help upgrade their platforms’ defensive capabilities so they don’t have to fly scared and fully cloaked at all times. Perhaps they will reciprocate. Or if trade is not in your nature, just ransack them like everybody else. It’s not like we have any treaties with them. Do I have to hold your hand through every briefing?

“Yes, I would like it if you held my hand, sir.”

“Get out of here.”

Mission Requirements: 100 Energy +1 Trygoid Favor OR 1 Trygoid Platform Wreckage (Acquired from Trygoid Research Platform), 120 rounds, 1 completion.
Task Notes: Upgrade the defense systems of a Trygoid Research Platform (Uncommon NPC, Standard). Cost 400 energy + 50 ctp, from “Actions Tab,” receive 1 Trygoid Favor -- OR -- Disable the Trygoid Platform, receive 1 Trygoid Platform Wreckage. Favor counts as 2 steps toward completion, Wreckage counts as the normal 1.
Mission Risks: none
Text: You assist the Trygoid in upgrading their research platforms’ defensive capabilities -- OR -- You examine the wreckage of the Trygoid Research Platform
Mission Rewards: 80 Experience, Research Platform Blueprints on completion (allows the construction of an Observation Research Platform on your ship from the Energy tab).

--

Next Mission…

Plausibly Deniable
Unlock requirements: Rank 1000, 6000 Decks, 5000 Scan, 4000 Cloak
“The Mylarai government denies it. They even deny it to their own citizens, but we know for a fact that they are conducting illegal mining operations on uncolonized planets throughout the galaxy. Destroying delicate ecosystems, ransacking archeological treasures, breaking virtually every known law of first contact with indigenous people. We have to put a stop to it. We also know that they are refining their minerals somewhere in deep space and are introducing minerals of far higher quality into the market than what they are taking in. This should not be possible. We, uh, well we would like to know how they are doing that, too…

“So what you’re saying is: privately, you’re after the kurenite, publicly you want this mission to be about law and order, saving planets, and the poor-and-downtrodden but honorable people of… some unaffiliated world?”

“Well, it’s not like I want to see the extinction of any species or the destruction of ancient relics. But this is about the Galactic Economy! These Mylarai dealings are making it entirely to unstable. Do you want to see another Drannik Recession?

“OK, OK, point taken. Nobody wants that. What do you need me to do?”

“Catch a Mylarai Foldship in the act unsanctioned mining on an uncolonized planet. Anything capable of producing a lot of minerals should be considered, but you’ll probably have better luck staying away from colder, wetter worlds. Track the ship, and before it folds, hack it for its destination coordinates without being detected. We should be able to piece together the location of its fathership from the information you glean. We will loan you a Proxfuzia 03 LandScanner for the duration of this mission. Older technology, dirty, but linked with your scanners, it should prove quite effective at detecting Foldships -- in this case, being nearsighted isn’t all bad: they won’t suspect us of using something so quaint against them.”

Mission Requirements: 200 Energy + Fathership Coordinate Data, 15 rounds, 1 completion.
Task Notes: Receive Landscanner at start of mission. Automatically removed from inventory upon completion. Size: 11, Energy: - 100, scan: -200. Scrap: NA, Upkeep: 2 CR, Repair: 2,000 CR. Ability: Topographical Survey. Used on unoccupied planets. Cost: 25 energy, 1 XTS-9, cooldown: 10 seconds.

Base chance of detecting a Foldship:

• Gas, Plasma: NO CHANCE
• Oceanic, Icy: 1%
• Barren, Toxic: 3%
• Desert, Volcanic, Demon: 4%
• All others types: 2%
• Modifiers to your chance:
• Any mining availability lower than “rich” decreases your odds
• Any mining availability higher than “rich” increases your odds
• Explorer profession doubles your odds

Once a planet has been scanned for Foldships, you cannot try it again for 1 hour.

Once a Foldship is discovered, it will appear on your BT for 5 minutes. You must then hack it (100 energy). If you succeed, you will receive Fathership Coordinate Data, which allows you to make progress in your mission. If you fail your hack, you get nothing and must allow the Foldship to expire from your BT.

Mission Risks: None.
Text: You [begin/continue] piecing together the coordinates of the illegal mining operation.
Mission Rewards: 150 Experience, Battle with Mylarai Fathership, which drops Incorporated Refinery Blueprints on completion (allows the construction of an Incorporated Refinery on your ship from the Hull tab).



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I don't think these ideas are OP, think they offer a very real choice in style to players, and would definitely use the modules myself if I ever intended to add the decks. That said, I would of course be concerned about any mission chain that caters to only certain playstyles.

I agree that SSB gives too much advantage under the current mechanics (Which I'm quite happy with ). I like your idea, Gives LSB more advantages while not hurting SSB or MSB.

I like it all =) +1

+1 for me.

I like making different ship builds different advantages. SSBs obviously have the advantage of smaller damage cap, so it would be nice to see some love for the larger ships :p

Definitely liking this. As an LSB, it's always annoyed me how small the bonuses being provided are, and yet my damage cap is ever-increasing. My arty production can only cover so much cap increase over time. Mahoosive mods are something I would definitely like to see in the game. And more missions, build-tab items, and options are always a bonus.

+1 from me.

-1 to: Virutal shore leave, I think that this 6% bonus to crew attack, would just make ships able to hit even harder on bases and planets, even quicker.
-1 to the base attack bonus of the core cannon, Im against any % bonus to bases, attack, or invasion from a chain restricted to one play style

the rest of the idea though, +1

And I'm against any one play style that drastically reduces the damage you take from all opponents, makes you far more efficient in PVP, and allows you to free up several mining planet slots in favor of artifact worlds!

I kid, I kid.

But I don't think any play style should be able to have it both ways. Players should be forced to make a choice, and the choice shouldn't be: "Do I want to be efficient, deadly, and an uber-pain in the butt for other ships to take down in the PVP arena? Or do I want to be exorbitantly expensive and far easier to target by other ships?"

Because that's not really a choice (well, it is, it's just not a very good one).

To me, it seems like a good trade off for increased cost and PVP vulnerability would be the ability to better do the things you would expect larger ships to do: kill bases, conquer worlds, and dish out major damage (as well as have more amenities for crew and "exploration/science vessel" stuff going on).

Now there: that is a real choice with real consequences. No doubt, some completists would add even more decks to get all of these mods -- ships with 8k plus decks (!) -- adding several hundred to their cap, as well as a hefty increase in upkeep. But they'd also get some sort of tangible reward for their playstyle (which is legitimate, even if it is not my own), just as the SSB and MSB crowd receive.

That being said, I am totally open to the suggestion that some of these ideas are overpowered. In fact, I actually do think the core cannon should be tweeked and nerfed a bit (see changes to cap and cost). A "Super Dramatic Massive Attack" cannon would be awesome, but as written, any coordinated attack would make guarding Exotica impossible, and low-ranking ships would die in a single shot from its blast (everybody deserves a chance to get away!)

I like all the above ideas. I do think the occasional single shot vaporizing a smaller opponent is more realistic and more interesting too. Sure, it changes the dynamic of certain parts of the game quite a bit, but in my opinion that is a good thing. Change motivates growth.

Thank you for reading and commenting.

Maybe if it was capped at 15% total hull for normal shots while a critical hit grants the full amount of damage regardless of cap? That would mean the little guys would face the possibility of being vaporized, but it's still not a sure thing?

I consider myself an MSB (3306 decks), and I think your goals are admirable.


I would be able to get one, and bigger ships would be able to get two (possibly three or four). The attack and defense are not particularly impressive compared to the deck space for my (MSB) purposes, and while the abilities interest me, I am not sure I would go up to 5k decks for twice the usage. On the other hand, I can see a LSB with three being really interesting to fight with/against.


I would be able to get one, and bigger ships would be able to get two or maybe three (assuming they have been adding the decks to take advantage of these new "LSB modules," since 9k decks sounds like a lot to me). A price reduction on invasions and a chance to not burn energy against population sounds great. I should note that presupposing the ability could be used on alerted planets, SSBs could still benefit from Besiege/Pacify, although they would be reliant on the generosity of their LSB legionmates (I am not sure if that was intended in the design).

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I could not get one of these, and three of them would require over 10k decks. I am close enough to 3500 decks that I would consider adding decks to get one. A 6% bonus, particularly with energy, might be overpowered and/or not be the best idea for actionable suggestion. For example, I am imagine using Virtual Shore Leave just before ranking and then burning through the extra energy is the opposite of what Dan wants. On the other hand, this is the first module to make me really think "Hmm, maybe I could add some decks."


Ooh boy, a super cannon. I would not be able to get one at my current decks, but some ships might be able to get a couple. On so many levels, this module is awesome. Can you imagine if you were one of the toughest ships guarding Exotica, and five people decided to Krionite then Core Blast you? Alternatively, a lower ranked ship holding off several stronger ships with KVT spam suddenly dead due to a Core Blast. The strong emotional reaction might be enough to make me add decks again. Not to mention the shields being valued more and that the use of Core Blast would add a tactical edge that I feel Galaxy Legion lacks. Again, something that might actually make me consider adding decks. Oh, when you say capped at 15% of your total hull, do you mean the ship with the module equipped (which is what I am currently assuming) or the target, because in the first case, the cap might not make much of a difference and in the second case, 15% might be too low in my opinion.


I could not get one. I do not think most ships will push to 15k decks for awhile, even with this suggestion being implemented, so maybe two of these modules at most? I do not think I would add the decks for this module, but Antimatter torpedoes and the Halc Puncher could cause so much rage as well as add tactical/strategic advantages that I might not be able to ignore this module. I would have to consider if abandoning the defensive advantage of the MSB would be worth being able to stock up on powerful ship killers, because I really do not mind getting disabled (the main advantage of the S/MSB), I might abandon the MSB altogether in hopes of stockpiling superweapons.


Again, I could not currently get any, and I doubt any ship would have more than two (and even two might be pushing it). I have sufficient credits and do not need much EM, but this module is a nice response to the comments on needing more EM.


Alright, so closing comments. I loved most of your fluff. You seem to be creative in both fluff and game design. I know little of programming and have no idea how easy or hard these suggestions would be to implement, but the intent is excellent and the overall ideas are great. Like I noted above, I am a MSB, and if this idea was implemented, I would probably add some decks and possibly abandon the MSB completely. S/MSBs would still be great for those who did not like to be disabled or wanted to be defensive, and the Core Blast and Antimater Torpedoes would be great for aggressive players who barely cares about getting disabled. I can imagine the Halc Puncher would get tons of complaints from the passive crowd but be a huge boon for offensive players.

That was not intended, but it is an interesting twist. The interactions with other players and teamwork is one of my favorite aspects of this game, so it sounds cool. But if the ability can be shared in such a way, maybe it would be better nerfed a bit?

After ICBLF's comment, I changed it to a cap of 15% of your enemy's total hull, with no cap for critical hits -- so basically a very powerful shot or an utterly devastating (possibly vaporizing) shot...

The mere idea of circumventing Halcs enrages some people so much, I'm surprised you are the first to have mentioned this. Even with the "war criminal" alert, if it were to be implemented at all, I think it would have to be the "rare" drop.

Thanks for the response and the compliment! The concept is Noirpa's, I just kind of ran with it.

+1 to this, I really like these modules!

Lets look at it this way, the core blast iis the way of the lsb saying, yeah: like that damage cap of yours means anything to me. Its the way that the playingfeiled for pvp is evened out a bit. Theres no way in hell a ssb can take out another ssb say if there on exotica. Howeve a co-ordinated core blast from several lsb can take out even the most determined ssb defender. This is how lsb gains its boon.

I dont see why lsbs should get a bonus for base attack or invasion attack because they are actualy better off, albiet very slightly, due to more weapons installed: than ssbs. So theres realy no benifit in base battles or invasions in being ssb and therefore I dont think the lsb should get a % buff there/

maybe some number tweaks and such but overall a great concept that adds a ton of depth.
i might have to use my ship bot stack if anything like this comes out.

If somebody is actively defending and spamming nanos/cages/kris, it is still going to be very difficult to perfectly time a strike, and it is still going to be easier for an SSB to resist, since even fully debuffed they are taking less damage from conventional fire.

Furthermore, with a 90 minute cooldown between blasts (you can re-guard Exotica in only 60 minutes) and an ucageable, weak-as-a-kitten state occurring right after firing a core blast, I think the Exotica threat and "PVP Equalizing" factors aren't that huge. Not to say it wouldn't change the flavor a bit, of course, but it's not like people are going to be running around just blasting everything in front of them to smithereens. It's only once ever 90 minutes, for what is (most likely) only 15% of somebody's total hull. I'd have to be *pretty sure* the other person is offline if I were to use this, as I wouldn't want to count down from 60 praying they don't repair/retaliate/send me mocking comms while I'm a sitting duck.

TBH, I think its more practical use is against bases, which brings me here...

Just going to have to agree to disagree on that point. The attack benefit for LSBs against bases really is marginal compared to the attack gained from arti, and I'd imagine they have to repair a whole lot more, too. And from personal experience, I can say this: while I'm far from being an LSB myself, I used to keep a set of researched cannons and 4 somewhat upgraded Korteth blasters in my cargo for drawn out base battles. Just to try to squeeze as much extra damage in per shot as possible. And ya know what? By the time I reached 40k attack or so, the difference gained from the extra module attack became negligible enough to make them a net negative due to upkeep and the cost of repairing.

Maybe others disagree, but this is kind of how I see it:

• SSB Flavor = ultra low cost killing machine. Best dogfighting (PVP) ship out there by far. Highly vulnerable to hacking, but otherwise, you really don't want to mess with 'em.
• MSB Flavor = versatile, with many of the advantages of SSB, less expensive to run than LSB (assuming they aren't constantly swapping Quasi Blasters or something crazy), able to scan respectably. Probably the best "all around" ship in the game if you don't mind swappage.
• LSB Flavor = (or at least it should =) ultra expensive, more vulnerable to PVP and arti attacks, inefficient (chock full of barely useful modules), but also the definite "undisputed heavyweight champion" when it comes to base busting/planet killing.

maybe add that the core blast cant take them lower than 10% hull and that due to the immense energy expenditure cannons require 15-30 seconds to come back online (cant attack for 15-30 seconds)
requires more coordination if trying to blow someone away off exotica.

Not being able to use such a magnificent weapon for a killshot takes away too much drama, IMO. Having weapons systems go completely offline for 15-30 seconds after use, though... gotta say that's kinda cool, and definitely would require even more coordination

maybe getting hit applies some sort of overcharge to ships shielding making further cannon use less effective?
so its not just 7 guys going 3-2-1 click dead

All round excellent ideas.

I keep reading and re-reading and overall just think it's all really good, open to tweaks for sure, but concepts and general rewards are well thought out and pretty close to spot on. Nothing too OP and nothing too lame.

Good stuff!

I do like this though I have a couple of thoughts against it as well
namely the cost requirements for some of the missions
and the upkeep / build cost requirements for some of the modules, but thats me

It is actually kind of close to something I had been drafting, which was ship maneuvers - for example broadside -, though this is likely easier coded, and thus faster / more likly to turn around if implemented.