Legacy TC Status Thread

So now the release date is pushed back 6 more years? =P

Even if it were, it would still be released before you finish Star Devastation.

Maybe Star Devastation 3, but the current Star Devastation I hope to release by end of October.

Still here. Currently working on the UI for Legacy. This includes sprucing up the desktop-size images I've made so they might actually be worthy of gracing a desktop. No action scenes, unfortunately, just the same multi-views. However, they will look nicer.

Keep up the good work Maaaaaaaan! pats on the back

Thanks 1purevengeance1.

In other news, I've come up with a new name for Darthkev (the character) as well as a working backstory for him and Kronos. First, Darthkev's new name is Vekthrad. Basically Darthkev backwards with the 't' and 'h' switched. But I've come up with an origin for this odd name within Legacy lore, too, as the backstory explains.

Vekthrad and Kronos' Backstory said:

There was a program to create super-soldiers that was eventually canceled due to bugs they couldn't work out. The idea was to clone a normal soldier after training, and then enhance that clone during the process while copying over the memories of the original template soldier to keep the training. Further training would then be given to the clone so they could get used to their new abilities. Testing showed this method to be a failure. Most templates grew sick and died soon after and the clones rarely got the abilities they were supposed to, and often were even less capable than their templates. The few that did survive the procedure had mental defects that left them feeling like broken individuals and unfit for combat.

However, while the projects were abandoned, the technology wasn't. A minor crime family known as The Syndicate managed to steal plans for the procedure and began using it to torture some victims they deemed as requiring "special treatment." Francis Kovacich was one such individual. When a group of Syndicate thugs pulled Francis into an alley and attempted to mug him, Francis managed to fight them off, killing several and forcing the others to run. One of the thugs killed that day was the son of The Syndicate's kingpin. Francis was marked and soon kidnapped. The kingpin then ordered Francis be given the cloning treatment.

Miraculously, Francis turned out to be a perfect candidate for the treatment and the procedure was a success. The original remained alive and a clone was created with extraordinary abilities (limited transmutation). In a fit of rage, both decimated the entire complex and brought The Syndicate to its knees in a single day. The family hasn't been heard from since.

The usual side effects were still present, however. Francis' personality was split in two. He kept mainly the emotional and artistic tendencies of his personality while the clone took the analytical and problem-solving portions. Realizing that neither of them was still completely Francis, both opted to don new names. The original took on the name of Vekthrad, a mythological character from Onli lore who exiled himself for crimes he committed for the greater good; while his goals were worthy, his methods were not. The clone chose Kronos after the Greek titan of time, for with his analytical mind, the passage of time became extremely clear to him. Over time both have redeveloped the missing elements of their now distinct personalities to an extent, but will never get back to the original Francis. This has left Vekthrad feeling like a broken individual, and he hates all criminals with a passion for making him this way. Thus the reasoning behind his actions against pirates.

The Onli mythological "Tale of Vekthrad" goes like this (keep in mind the Onli are amphibious and their homeworld has only one continent): In the Onli's equivalent of Earth's Dark Ages, there were five kingdoms, one larger than the others. The others also surrounded the larger kingdom. Each kingdom had one thing they did very well, and through trade each prospered from the others' abilities. The northern kingdom, residing next to a mountain range rich with metals, was adept at metalworking and blacksmithing. They made all sorts of equipment, weapons, and armour. The southern kingdom lived among large forests of kelp which they farmed for food and for making traps with which to catch fish. The western kingdom was built upon land inside a huge forest. They made a great number of wooden furniture, boats, wagons, and others. The eastern kingdom had large tracts of land they farmed for cotton and textiles. The scholars of the land flocked there for the books they had and the knowledge within. The central kingdom, however, was home to a great number of veterans from wars long past. Its specialty was in training soldiers.

The central kingdom eventually got greedy and trained an army with which to take the other kingdoms. They bided their time, trading for the other kingdoms' goods to reinforce their army. Then they struck. The other kingdoms fell quickly and lived under the central kingdom's thumb. All the while the central kingdom grew fat and rich on the backs of the other kingdoms, and the others began to accept this. After a century of rule, one Onli grew tired of the central kingdom and decided to speak out. He hailed from the eastern kingdom and his name was Vekthrad. The central kingdom at first tried to silence him, but when it became apparent Vekthrad's own people ignored his protests, the central kingdom left him alone. Vekthrad traveled to the other smaller kingdoms attempting again and again the get people to rise up against the central kingdom, but again and again he failed.

Finally, Vekthrad hatched a plan. It was a terrible plan that could destroy his soul, but he saw it as his only option. He began to commit a massive crime spree, even going so far as rape and murder, and did it all under the banner of the central kingdom. Now, when Vekthrad spoke up about the central kingdom's so-called crimes, people listened. He urged the smaller kingdoms to follow him in defiance of the central kingdom, and follow they did. The central kingdom fell within a week. With the balance restored for the time being, Vekthrad revealed it was he who was behind the crime spree. He insisted he did it for the good of the people, for they would not rise up otherwise. And then he banished himself from the land for his crimes, despite his final goal in perpetrating them.

In Legacy's current day, Vekthrad the Legend is thought of as something of a hero, despite the evils he committed. However, the human who took his name is viewed with a measure of distrust from the Onli. After all, when you name yourself after a great criminal, who knows what you might be up to?

Also, other surviving candidates from the original super-soldier experiments are still alive, as well. Some will be encountered through the course of the game. Most will be villains due in part to the mental defects, though some (like Vekthrad and Kronos) have managed to hold onto humanity and put their abilities to use helping others. In all of these cases, however, the original is dead and only the clone remains.

Behold, my newest holiday-themed avatar. I call it 'Ghost Ship'.

<----

Hi DarthKev,
I've been through as much of this thread as possible. You've done a heap of work for this, well done. The ships are awesome.

I'm currently developing a space exploration game engine based on the EV engine. I was curious to find out if you'd be interested using your resources to create this or another scenario in my engine?

thanks
nil

Hmm, interesting prospect. I'll have to think on it. I'll PM you once I have.

@darthkev, on 04 November 2012 - 02:54 AM, said in Legacy TC Status Thread:

Hmm, interesting prospect. I'll have to think on it. I'll PM you once I have.

Cheers, take your time. Still a lot of development to go.

There fixed.

Work is slow. I did some balance testing and found missiles were too overpowered. So I tweaked them. I then reorganized the entire weapons resource list to make future editing a little easier. Also still trying to decide on exactly how I want fighter bays to work. I'm considering removing Schooners and Interdictors from the list of ships that can be carried as they are simply too powerful for their size. Alternatively, I may just tone down their strength. I've also decided to revamp the various escape pod variants, but still working on the exact details of each one.

So I've removed Schooners and Interdictors from the list of carried ships. I've also removed shuttles; too weak to do any good. This called for a revamping of the three Flight Deck sizes. Instead of granting access to heavier ships, each Flight Deck size grants a certain number of bays for ships.

Small gives players one bay. Medium Flight Decks grant two bays, meaning two of one ship class or one each of two different ship classes. Large Flight Decks grant three bays. Through this, gone are the days of filling your ship with launch bays and swarming the enemy with buzzing mosquito fighters coming from all angles.

Also, even if you have a ship large enough to qualify for a Flight Deck, you still need to free up space for it, and they're anything but light. I'm hoping to make launch bays something a ship needs to be built for, rather than a simple aftermarket addition. It's not as simple as cutting a hole in your ship. Of course, this doesn't mean you can buy a carrier and then sell off the Flight Deck for huge amounts of weapon and upgrade space. Flight Decks are integral and once installed cannot be removed.

I've also made changes to how ammo for missiles is stored. Your maximum ammo count is now determined by how many launchers you have, and in many cases a single unit of ammo actually fires multiple projectiles before running out. This also means players can't buy a ship designed for long-range combat (of which there are more than a few) and simply sell off the ordnance for tons of extra space. The launchers are all that takes up space now, since they determine how much ammo can be carried.

Lastly, escape pods. I think I'm going to simplify the whole thing. First, you have your basic escape pod. Minuscule, seats one, etc. It functions as you'd expect the escape pod to. Second, you have legitimate Captain's Yachts. One class for each main faction. These ships don't require a Flight Deck to carry as you cannot use them as a weapon. All they do is allow you to escape your burning wreck of a ship and attempt a getaway. They'll be unarmed but fast, though with limited Fluxdrives. Each one will also have different strengths and weaknesses, so picking the right one for you isn't as simple as which one you think is prettiest.

I've been doing more work! And not just coding! I've been rendering ships and have thus far completed half of file 1 in a series of 7. Another file is also completely finished, but I may have to redo it for various reasons. I may not redo it, however, for other reasons.

I've also reached a crossroads in my rendering. Civy ships are fine as are right now, but I can't decide whether or not to adorn military ships with faction emblems. EVN had such emblems, though EVC/O did not. Anyone have a preference or opinion toward one or the other?

I now have two ship files finished. Here's the one I just recently finished.

You might notice the Navy ships don't appear to have emblems. I've decided to omit them for now. I don't have the skill or software to add them on as textures and Sketchup makes it too difficult to add as an additional piece.

So now I just need to finish the other five ship files and then make the large shipyard images.

Cool! Is the Anaconda is some kind of carrier?

No, the Anaconda is the Star Navy's destroyer class and thus the smallest of their warships. The Basilisk is their carrier with the Python filling in the middle ground as a battleship.

Nice.

i like the ships a lot, but i must admit i am a bit partial to their names.

Partial in what way?