Localized Subsim Damage – Exists!

One of the items on my if-we-only-had-the-source wish list was localized damage for subsystems.

I just realized that we already have it. I was looking at the collision hull for the old destroyer. It does not cover the turrets. Yet firing directly on the turrets does damage them. They take extra damage, above and beyond the subsystem damage.

So I just realized that if we turn all subsystem damage off (in flux.ini) – we still get destroyable subsystems. But all the subsystems would need a physical model, like a turret.

I bring this up, because when you guys/gals are building models, you might consider breaking them into chunks that correspond to the subsystems. Then a ship could be “assembled” into its full shape. Pieces would be blown off as the subsims were destroyed.

It would be too much work to go back and change all prior models, but new ones might not be any more difficult to create this new way – and it would give your ships something rather unique. And it requires no extra code or anything.

For the first time it might be possible to shoot a ship in the engines to disable it. (right now hitting a ship in the engines blows off the weapons, then the shields, then other low priority items, engines tend to go last).

I guess a bit more testing would be needed to make sure that all subsystems can have physical avatars. And if those need to stick out past the collision hull.

Just an idea to kick around.

-Gtrout