- Joined
- Nov 12, 2019
- Messages
- 576
I imagine shields needing multiple components with which to operate. A system based off of a consumable resource. Perhaps each mineable material could be used, or any that respond to EM fields, and so on. Anyway, the first part of the shield system would be the particle generator. The generator takes the raw resource and creates a particulate that can be used by the next part. The emitter. The Shield emitter is an emitter that emits the particulate. To completely encompass a ship, one of these would be needed for every 20*20 plane the builder would want covered by the shield.
Then comes the items that bend the particulate around the ship. We’ll call them formers. The more of these, the closer the shield is to the hull (down to half a meter), and the denser the particulate can become in that area.
YOLOL can be used to set the density, and replenishment rate of the particulate.
Storage of the resource would take up space, the resource costing ship mass. Running the particle generator, emitters, and formers takes power. So much power.
Effects of an endo crossing a shield could be temporary paralysis, damage to contact parts, etc.
Impacts cause spikes in power needs as the formers need to draw more energy to reform the shield. Multiple impacts can push away the particulate in an area, leaving the hull exposed. More formers, using more power, can mitigate that effect to a point. Though not entirely mitigate it. No need for perfect shields.
Formers and emitters must be on the exterior of the ship, with line of sight to the shields field.
Formers set the distance of the shield from the hull, and its density. More power and more formers mean closer shields with greater density. Emitters replenish the shields particulates. More emitters, more particles with which to work with. They too take power to operate.
Fomers and emitters need each other. No formers, and emitters are sending their resource out into space. No emitters and the formers are wasting power.
I am not proposing some HP sponge, nor a perfect shield. Bleedthrough is a must. How much bleed through is determined by the system. Like thrusters, continued operation uses power and a resource. Where this resource(s) comes from and how it interacts with the system is best left to the devs. I also didn't think of this as something that should be viable on fighters, bombers, and the like.
The idea is to give meaningful engineering decisions to designing a ships defenses. There should be pro's and cons to shields and armor versus each other, and a mix should certainly be viable. I'm also interested in how the armor meta will form up alone, and this is to throw an idea out while they're in the brainstorming or designing phase.
Then comes the items that bend the particulate around the ship. We’ll call them formers. The more of these, the closer the shield is to the hull (down to half a meter), and the denser the particulate can become in that area.
YOLOL can be used to set the density, and replenishment rate of the particulate.
Storage of the resource would take up space, the resource costing ship mass. Running the particle generator, emitters, and formers takes power. So much power.
Effects of an endo crossing a shield could be temporary paralysis, damage to contact parts, etc.
Impacts cause spikes in power needs as the formers need to draw more energy to reform the shield. Multiple impacts can push away the particulate in an area, leaving the hull exposed. More formers, using more power, can mitigate that effect to a point. Though not entirely mitigate it. No need for perfect shields.
Formers and emitters must be on the exterior of the ship, with line of sight to the shields field.
Formers set the distance of the shield from the hull, and its density. More power and more formers mean closer shields with greater density. Emitters replenish the shields particulates. More emitters, more particles with which to work with. They too take power to operate.
Fomers and emitters need each other. No formers, and emitters are sending their resource out into space. No emitters and the formers are wasting power.
I am not proposing some HP sponge, nor a perfect shield. Bleedthrough is a must. How much bleed through is determined by the system. Like thrusters, continued operation uses power and a resource. Where this resource(s) comes from and how it interacts with the system is best left to the devs. I also didn't think of this as something that should be viable on fighters, bombers, and the like.
The idea is to give meaningful engineering decisions to designing a ships defenses. There should be pro's and cons to shields and armor versus each other, and a mix should certainly be viable. I'm also interested in how the armor meta will form up alone, and this is to throw an idea out while they're in the brainstorming or designing phase.
. Dang, i am even more excited now to start experimenting with ship parts and designs... 
