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Damage model

Hello,
we would like to ask something about damage model and repair unit features.
Usually the damage model in RTS games that try to simulate the real world are based on explosive power, kinetic energy, warhead type, with a mixed collection of correction factors, but at the end the hit points are just compared with the armour points of the targeted object to define the level of damage.
We think that another interesting factor to analyse is the angle of impact and the relation with the damage of specific instrumentations: in example, a sea skimmer that hit a naval unit on the front very likely does not damage the propeller, but the station present in the front of the boat.
To simplify the matter we could consider every unit splitted in four parts: front, port, starboard and rear, distributing the objects present in these compartments, then should be simply determining the damage suffered by a hit comparing as usual the hit point with armour power but damaging first the object present in the compartment hit and then distributing the remaining damage points to the other sections.
About repair feature: how to determine and set the time to repair, if repair is possible?
It is another interesting issue, but I do not want to engage you too much, so I postpone this matter to another post, after seeing how do you plan to manage the damage model.
Thanks in advance for attention.
 
Sertore,

As of now, we have a simple hitpoint based damage model. Also, ships have components that can be damaged, and hits can cause fires that lead to additional damage.

We do not have repairs of unit damage, however components that are damaged (weapons, sensors, aircraft hangar and runways) will be repaired after a (long) time. As for repairs of ships, etc, the timeframe of the missions you are playing is simply too short to tow a ship to a repair facility and conduct repairs, so we left it out.

For aircraft, a damage model is mostly moot anyway :)

We may revise and make the damage model more comprehensive later. Thank you for your suggestions.
 
JanH said:
Sertore,

As of now, we have a simple hitpoint based damage model. Also, ships have components that can be damaged, and hits can cause fires that lead to additional damage.

We may revise and make the damage model more comprehensive later. Thank you for your suggestions.
Click to expand...

I like that fire does additionnal damage, this is really realistic and was missing from another game I play, SH4.

What about the sinking mechanics ? in SH4 we (the community) managed to mod very realistic sinking mechanics taking into account the floodrate of a ship according to where the damage occured (one or more compartments breached) and how fast the ship was going (a gaping hole near the bow at high speed would make for a faster flooding etc..)

also : missile damage shouldn't sink a ship that easily contrary to what a torpedo would achieve as the missile would hit above the waterline

what do you intend to model in Naval War : Arctic Circle ?

regards

keltos
 
Right now, sinking is simply what happens when a water based unit has zero hitpoints. The unit then disappears as a logical entity in the game, and the pyrotechnics and visuals is just for effect, really. We have no specific plans for variation in sinking based on damage, but on the actual weapon that kills it (ie torpedo vs missile). We'll see what we come up with; it is for a later stage in the development process, really.
 
JanH said:
Oil rigs are likely, yes. There are also civilian units like civilian ships and airliners.
Click to expand...
This is great to read. I hope they are targetable by mistake or can blow you cover to make things interesting (A civilian captain would certainly also report enemy ships spotted if there is a conflict going on).

It would also be really cool if it was possible to use them to your advantage to confuse enemies. For example sending a squadron of airplanes to tail a civilian airliner going in the right direction would make them almost invisible to radar (yes there will be a radar-ecco but its an identified civilian airliner). Only way to know for sure is to send your own squad for inspection.

Interesting tactics and more room for sneakyness!
 
User installations

Hello Jan,
thanks for your reply.
The simple hitpoint based damage model is really a pity for a complex and interesting game like your one: I really hope in further enhancements or, at least, in a complete and balanced formula to calculate hitpoints and armour relationship.
About civilian units, could be interesting if you can provide also the same installations with a sort of weapons, to simulate kidnapped buildings: in example, an armed oil-rig, maybe with shoulder missiles or sensor capability, could simulate special forces actions, letting more real and interesting user scenarios (and letting the modders able to simply add new scenarios to your original campaigns :p).
 
Looking at the game, Dangerous Waters, I wonder if you'd consider implementing "stations" and "departments" aboard ships, potentially multiplayer-controllable or AI delegated. It sounds like a cool idea, being able to get involved at a lower level of command aboard a ship aswell as entire ship and fleet command :)
 
General Baker said:
Looking at the game, Dangerous Waters, I wonder if you'd consider implementing "stations" and "departments" aboard ships, potentially multiplayer-controllable or AI delegated. It sounds like a cool idea, being able to get involved at a lower level of command aboard a ship aswell as entire ship and fleet command :)
Click to expand...
Hello General Baker,
unfortunately Jan already reply in another thread, and we cannot have expectation from stations interior point of view:

A bridge view, etc, would of course be spectacular, but it would require us to expend substantial resources on modelling the ships' inner structures, not to mention researching all that information. Your control of units in this RTS is a "God's eye view", as is normal in the genre.

Is it correct, Jan?
 
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I meant more the functionality than the actual modelling and graphics - e.g allowing different users to control different elements or systems on the same ship, or delegating those systems to the AI.

But fair enough, I can see what you mean Jan :)
 
Sound features

Hello,
what about the sound features for your game?
Is any background music expected? If yes, will the theme change following the ingame actions (i.e. changing the music from normal to hard in case of attack)?
And about sound effects? Do you plan to support high level hardware (5 channels or surround systems)?
Thanks for attention.
 
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