Boomerstation Battletech-style Mech Overhaul

# Boomerstation Battletech-style Mech Overhaul ###### tags: `In Development` `White Sands` * Mechs require three basic components: * Chassis * Engine * Equipment * Mechs have two basic fitting resources: * Powergrid * Tonnage * Mechs come in four basic classes * Assault * Heavy * Medium * Light * Chassis… * ...Are printed in eight individual pieces * Head * Center Torso * Left Torso * Right Torso * Left Leg * Takes manipulators as parts to determine tonnage bonuses * Right Leg * Takes manipulators as parts to determine tonnage bonuses * Left Arm * Right Arm * ....Determine limb structural health * ....Have armor placed onto them before they are attached, determining the armor value * ...Determine the tonnage capacity for that section * Three different tiers of Chassis * Titanium Steel = Titanium + Iron * Plastanium Fibrous = Plasma + Titanium + Iron * Crystalline Hexaferrum = Bluespace Crystals + Titanium + Iron * Engines… * Are the heart of the Mech * Type of plasma fusion reactor. * Engine type determines power grid resource amount * Determines base speed as well * Each class of mech has its own engine type * Should be limited to 1-2 for each mech class * Should be a component that takes parts * Cell - Gives -10%, -5%, +5%, +10% Power Grid per level * Capacitor - Gives -10%, -5%, +5%, +10% Top Speed per level * Micro Laser - Gives -10%, -5%, +5%, +10% Fuel Efficiency * Mechs are NOT powered by straight energy/electricity * Instead use equal parts plasma sheets and oxygen gas. * Equipment * Weapons * Three main types: * Ballistic * Energy * Missiles * Reuse some existing weapon types from base mechs (?) * Weapons use powergrid and tonnage * Energy weapons use more powergrid, generate more heat * Ballistic weapons generate less heat, use more tonnage * Missiles use more tonnage and powergrid, but generate no heat * Utilities * Standard shit like DNA lock (?), rename, etc all come standard * Some way to remotely remove DNA lock/locally hack the DNA lock would be great. * Heat sinks increase dissipation of heat but require tonnage * Auxiliary power plant increases powergrid at the cost of tonnage and heat * Tools like mining drills still apply, although just take tonnage. * Movement/Use * Mechs move with a throttle instead of direct WASD * W = Throttle up * S = Throttle down * Reverse at 1/3 max speed * Limited cone of vision to the front of the mech * Offset vision with ability to torso-twist 90deg left and right * Weapon Controls * Borg-style icon tray with weapons * Group each weapon by type by default * Two modes of fire * Group * Fires all weapons in the category * Chain * Rotates through each weapon type * Weapons can be grouped manually using UI * Can only fire in cone of vision, meaning if you can see it you can shoot it * Build Interface * Loadout screen similar to MechWarrior Mercenaries, but simplified * “Try before you buy” * Lets roboticists plan out their builds before investing material. * Simulates all parts of the loadout in a drag and drop interface for equipment, dropdowns for chassis/armor/class/powerplant * Should warn when a loadout is over capacity in a given category (powergrid, tonnage, heat generation etc) * Note: TGUI makes this _reasonably_ easy but this could potentially be the most difficult part of the rework * Roadmap of development * New Mech type addition * Keeps existing mechs in place * New Base Object * Single class (light) of mech * Single Power Plant type * Focus on getting core mechanics working * Heat * Assembly * Movement * Two examples of each weapon type * Port existing weapons * Adds the ability to print new “MechLab” and “MechFabber” boards for making new mech loadouts and printing parts * MechLab as computer board, MechFabber as machine board * Not mapped in this phase, must be created manually * Simple Hyperink-Only UI with limited functionality * Existing Mech Parity * Adds support for existing mech equipment in new system * Replicates features like DNA Lock etc from existing mechs * First iteration of MechLab full interface * Focuses on… * Drag/drop UI for equipment * Printing in fabber of current loadout * Persistent/synced console for all users looking at it * Backend support for * Any export to copy/paste format of mech loadouts * Simulation of powerplant/tonnage/heat * Statistics display * Adds medium/heavy classes * Adds chassis component material variants * Adds medium/heavy powerplants * Phasing out old mechs * Remove older mechs from: * Maps * Bounties * Maps in MechLab and MechFabber machines/consoles to robotics bays * Adds any remaining equipment not already provided in parity * Adds armor variants for mech chassis parts * Adds Assault mech class + powerplant * Adds variant power plants for each mech class * Adds weapons until there are 3 weapons of every type with a niche * Full replacement * Any final features not included in roadmap are completed here * Polish, balance, feedback response * not bugfixes, as those should happen continuously * Full removal of old mechs from codebase.