Per wrote:Huh. I do not see why you feel the need to resort with that kind of tone. It is simply a technical question, I am not doubting your ... whatever.
What, you haven't drunk the Kool-aid yet?
The main point is, yes, it IS possible, and despite the misinformation that was given, it could be done.
Quite funny, a malcontent telling someone who works with the code their opinion on what can & can't be done. :rolleyes:
The only real (playability) issue is that the current maps are just too small for 'real' naval battle conditions, but with another patch, that limitation doesn't apply. Just need to fix the editor to be able to make much bigger maps, and of course, people to make said maps.
Some of the technical issues was explained by psychopompos.
I personally feel that naval units would not be well accomodated in warzone at all, apart from being hard to implement, they would be basically useless in the campaign, and their usefulness would be trivial even in an MP game, they also do not fit the overall atmosphere of the game.
if the hover propulsion exists there should also exist naval propulsion imho
And naval propulsion should come first, then when you research hover propulsion... it will become quite useless (unless it's particulary good in stats). Also we would need to create some more water-based maps.
First, we could give VTOLs limited fuel (only be able to fly a certain distance before they have to turn back). This amount could be upgraded with research, and the amount of fuel used could be based on VTOL design.
Second, we could make a similar system for Hovercraft. Make it so that it requires fuel as well. (I might be going a teensy little bit overboard here). We would (maybe) need to make a propulsion type that requires no fuel, but is a defenseless little bugger that could be used as a fuel-depot style ship.
This would give Hovercrafts and VTOLs a lower purpose, and so allow Naval Technology to have a more-than-completly-useless use.
You would have to have several types of naval technology: Weapons to attack other enemies, Weapons to attack VTOLS, weapons to attack ground-based units, system turrets...
Also, we would have to remember the docks, factories, refuel depots (maybe), sea defences and possibly...
Sea mines. Any takers?
The maps would have to be increased in size due to the use of Naval technology, however, maybe we could have two different game modes, eg, Minimum and Full, allowing use of naval technology.
But one more thing...the use in campaign (no use whatsoever). Why not redesign the campaign? Add a few missions and a whole new campaign structure.
OK, I've gone completly overboard here. But this is probably all the info the developers would need to implement naval technology (I wish they would do it, myself, I always loved naval combat on AoE.)
*EDIT: I'm pretty sure I've covered my bases, however, I may have missed something.
Basic naval propulsion added in commit r5691. There are no graphics, techs or anything associated with it yet, so to test it you will have to utilize the 'give all' (to design it) and ctrl+o (to place it) cheats.
Ah... quick point. why not make the 'naval' units a hover style derivative propulsion - they move really fast, and work excellent on water, but they move very slowly on land.
This would solve the whole problem of units that must me built on water and so on.
Plus, having an amphib style propulsion that moves like wheels on land, but not very effective hover on water woould be nice
EDIT: One more thing, why not implement Wing-In-Ground (WIG) Effect vehicles? I managed to do this in 1.10 with the WZCK - I used the 'Propellor' Propulsion. Each body had the VTOL Wings, but the turrets were mounted on top like a regular tank, and yet for some reason, only VTOL weapons or System turrets could be used. Plus, in order for balancing issues, this WIG Propulsion could be able to go over water, and so on, not be able to move over cliffs; basically moving lightning fast over all terrain (These i actually observed in 1.10) - However, make the propulsion Very Expensive, and very weak, so these WIG Vehicles could be used for scouts or light skirmishers, but in any kind of protracted firefight they would simply be swatted from the (Veeeeery Low) sky.
BUT. A WIG Transport vehicle would be invaluable on the large open desert maps - although they cant be exposed to enemy fire, they would be incredibly useful in moving re-inforcements from the home base to the front line.
BTW, if someone can help me by replying to my Modding post elsewhere on the forums, i *might* be able to try do this.
In short: WIG Scouts and WIG Transports would make sense as a high tech (T2? T3?) addition to the world's arsenal in the year 2100 - Just look at the Russian 'Caspian Sea Monsters' during the Cold War.
REDAC Aerospace: Proving that aircraft and terrain don't mix since 2005
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My first idea was to simply allow the construction of naval units if the factory lies adjacent to water, and then just drop the naval unit into the water instead of right outside the factory gates.