(Feature Idea) Possibly changing How FTL Works
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So my idea is that instead of the Battlestar Galactica style instant blink out and reappear, you have the FTL drive open a dimensional portal, travel much "faster" although without increasing speed in the engine. Just make the points closer (like how the minecraft nether works) for a more Warhammer style travel method. Still gets you there much faster than not using it. Makes FTL more interesting.
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There've been a few threads on this kind of topic, and while I certainly support changing FTL up it may be helpful to sell this a bit more, perhaps expound on how things would function and what it adds/removes from the game, or explain ideas for how to handle the inevitable oddities.
For example, this would probably allow interdiction to be part of the gameplay, allowing people to pull each other out of FTL either to attack them, or to create a precision FTL to normal-speed transition when this type of FTL replacing the jump-drive renders dropping back to normal speed at a precise location exceptionally difficult. Any other changes to gameplay you can think of that this would create?
Also, it may be important to consider answers to certain questions:
-What happens if your path in FTL passes through a solid object?
-What happens if you drop out of FTL (intentionally or not) inside a solid object?
-What happens if you ram in to another ship while both are moving at FTL?
-What happens if a solid object obstructs your transit to or from FTL?
There've been a few threads on this kind of topic, and while I certainly support changing FTL up it may be helpful to sell this a bit more, perhaps expound on how things would function and what it adds/removes from the game, or explain ideas for how to handle the inevitable oddities.
For example, this would probably allow interdiction to be part of the gameplay, allowing people to pull each other out of FTL either to attack them, or to create a precision FTL to normal-speed transition when this type of FTL replacing the jump-drive renders dropping back to normal speed at a precise location exceptionally difficult. Any other changes to gameplay you can think of that this would create?
Also, it may be important to consider answers to certain questions:
-What happens if your path in FTL passes through a solid object?
-What happens if you drop out of FTL (intentionally or not) inside a solid object?
-What happens if you ram in to another ship while both are moving at FTL?
-What happens if a solid object obstructs your transit to or from FTL?
So you wouldn't actually need to slow down necessarily, I'm talking about decreasing the distance in the pocket dimension. If there are 2 ships within the "warp" I'd say keep physics as normal. Appearing inside a planet or asteroid? Certain death unless the asteroid is small enough that it gets annihilated. If your path in FTL passes through a solid object? Nothing
So you wouldn't actually need to slow down necessarily, I'm talking about decreasing the distance in the pocket dimension. If there are 2 ships within the "warp" I'd say keep physics as normal. Appearing inside a planet or asteroid? Certain death unless the asteroid is small enough that it gets annihilated. If your path in FTL passes through a solid object? Nothing
I'd also make it so that without some kind of navigation instrument you'd get lost
I'd also make it so that without some kind of navigation instrument you'd get lost
If I imagine - how it could work?
1) The ship (generator) creates a rift in space-time, a wormhole? Does it remain open at both ends for the entire duration of the transition?
2) The ship (generator) creates a rift in space-time, a space-time bubble?
In both cases, we can assume that the route of a ship traveling in FTL mode, let's call it hyperspace, has nothing to do with the geometry of "normal space-time." Hyperspace is "empty," or the route has properties such that it bypasses or ignores material objects.
The problem of collision with a material object can be solved by a simple rule - a rift can only be created in an environment with a sufficiently low gravitational field and sufficiently low density (high vacuum) in normal space at both ends of the route. If the gravitational field is stronger than a certain limit, the entry point will not be created - and the exit point will not be created, or it will be shifted in a "random" direction to the nearest place where an exit point can be created. If an exit point cannot be created, an entry point will not be created either. The consequences can vary - up to a catastrophic "rebound" scenario, where the energy used to create the rift rebounds as an energy strike against the ship.
Combat in hyperspace - IMHO impossible, each ship has its own channel or bubble and moves along its own trajectory. Moreover, by definition, the channel bypasses or ignores material objects.
Navigation device – yes, there should be.
I imagine it like this: normal space is like a paper map crumpled into a ball – and movement in FTL mode through hyperspace is like piercing the crumpled map with a needle so that the rubber thread connects the entry and exit points. Controlling the direction of the needle's movement is complicated – and it should be done before the rift is created.
To get the right idea – the needle moves on the "back" side of the map, which has the "normal universe" drawn on the front.
The needle may also pierce the map in the wrong place – but this cannot be determined until you reach the exit point.
If I imagine - how it could work?
1) The ship (generator) creates a rift in space-time, a wormhole? Does it remain open at both ends for the entire duration of the transition?
2) The ship (generator) creates a rift in space-time, a space-time bubble?
In both cases, we can assume that the route of a ship traveling in FTL mode, let's call it hyperspace, has nothing to do with the geometry of "normal space-time." Hyperspace is "empty," or the route has properties such that it bypasses or ignores material objects.
The problem of collision with a material object can be solved by a simple rule - a rift can only be created in an environment with a sufficiently low gravitational field and sufficiently low density (high vacuum) in normal space at both ends of the route. If the gravitational field is stronger than a certain limit, the entry point will not be created - and the exit point will not be created, or it will be shifted in a "random" direction to the nearest place where an exit point can be created. If an exit point cannot be created, an entry point will not be created either. The consequences can vary - up to a catastrophic "rebound" scenario, where the energy used to create the rift rebounds as an energy strike against the ship.
Combat in hyperspace - IMHO impossible, each ship has its own channel or bubble and moves along its own trajectory. Moreover, by definition, the channel bypasses or ignores material objects.
Navigation device – yes, there should be.
I imagine it like this: normal space is like a paper map crumpled into a ball – and movement in FTL mode through hyperspace is like piercing the crumpled map with a needle so that the rubber thread connects the entry and exit points. Controlling the direction of the needle's movement is complicated – and it should be done before the rift is created.
To get the right idea – the needle moves on the "back" side of the map, which has the "normal universe" drawn on the front.
The needle may also pierce the map in the wrong place – but this cannot be determined until you reach the exit point.
I know how wormholes work, I'm not advocating for a wormhole but have the other dimension be "smaller" this doesn't have to be visually represented or anything or even said but let's say it could work like this.
For every let's say 1 mile you go in this other space, it's 10 miles outside. Whenever you've traveled the proper distance and navigated properly. You open a portal to exit this dimension to return to real space.
I know how wormholes work, I'm not advocating for a wormhole but have the other dimension be "smaller" this doesn't have to be visually represented or anything or even said but let's say it could work like this.
For every let's say 1 mile you go in this other space, it's 10 miles outside. Whenever you've traveled the proper distance and navigated properly. You open a portal to exit this dimension to return to real space.
It would also make things move faster without increasing any speeds un the game engine, or being the straight up BSG teleport we have now.
It would also make things move faster without increasing any speeds un the game engine, or being the straight up BSG teleport we have now.
Like in Babylon 5
Like in Babylon 5
Another way to create wormholes/rifts could be to build structures that keep the wormhole permanently open. I imagine a ring like in "The Expanse," but smaller. It would require a lot of energy (and possibly a special resource) to open the hole, but then it would last as long as the structure remains intact.
This would create a gameplay loop where you have to fly the route the first time, but future travel would be fast.
This suggestion could also be implemented in addition to spontaneously creating a rift.
Another way to create wormholes/rifts could be to build structures that keep the wormhole permanently open. I imagine a ring like in "The Expanse," but smaller. It would require a lot of energy (and possibly a special resource) to open the hole, but then it would last as long as the structure remains intact.
This would create a gameplay loop where you have to fly the route the first time, but future travel would be fast.
This suggestion could also be implemented in addition to spontaneously creating a rift.
Keep in mind that SE game universes are relatively very small. So some ideas don't make practical sense in SE game worlds.
I'm currently playing No Man's Sky. I quite like some of the ideas and solutions in the game ( some other not so much).
If were combined certain solutions from the "game world" of SE and NSM (NSM sometimes resembles a voxel world), or perhaps even solutions for ship construction from the game "Shipbreaker: Hard Space," a rather interesting mixture could be created.
Keep in mind that SE game universes are relatively very small. So some ideas don't make practical sense in SE game worlds.
I'm currently playing No Man's Sky. I quite like some of the ideas and solutions in the game ( some other not so much).
If were combined certain solutions from the "game world" of SE and NSM (NSM sometimes resembles a voxel world), or perhaps even solutions for ship construction from the game "Shipbreaker: Hard Space," a rather interesting mixture could be created.
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