endless-sky
Hai scan opacity and holographic amenity outfits
Content (Artwork / Missions / Jobs)
Summary
Scan opacity outfits based on Hai holographic technology. The left one is a holographic amenity from the Fettered Hai. It can be misused to confuse scanners. The right one is a purpose-built scanner-confusing outfit from the True Hai. Both outfits use a combination of multispectral holograms, textured force fields, and phase array speakers. They can fool sight, sound, touch, and remote scanners; but not taste or smell.
Scan opacity works like this:
const double outfitsSize = target->baseAttributes.Get("outfit space")
+ target->attributes.Get("outfit scan opacity");
const double cargoSize = target->attributes.Get("cargo space")
+ target->attributes.Get("cargo scan opacity");
The scanning algorithm treats scan opacity as extra cargo space for the purposes of deciding the scanning rate. These outfits trick scanners into thinking you have extra cargo space (and extra cargo) using what are essentially sensor ghosts. It won't fool the scanners forever, but it may trick them long enough for you to escape.
Unfettered have designed their outfit so you can trade 30% of your cargo bay to triple your scan time.
These will be used in Unfettered illegal cargo missions eventually. Presently, it is difficult for the player to smuggle in Hai space in the early game due to excellent Hai scanners. With these outfits, you'll be able to do it after a significant monetary investment.
Save File
- Go to Hai-home for the left outfit: Aimet Taepip.txt
- Go to Darkcloak for the right outfit: Unordered Sigh~3015-08-21 at darkcloak.txt
- Go to Makerplace and you should see neither outfit: Unordered Sigh~3015-08-18 at makerplace.txt
Artwork Checklist
- [x] I updated the copyright attributions, or decline to claim copyright of any assets produced or modified
- [x] I created a PR to the endless-sky-assets repo with the necessary image, blend, and texture assets: https://github.com/endless-sky/endless-sky-assets/pull/165
- [x] I created a PR to the endless-sky-high-dpi repo with the
@2xversions of these art assets: https://github.com/endless-sky/endless-sky-high-dpi/pull/385
The assets for this are gigantic. I need to trim them down before I can post them to endless-sky-assets. Smaller textures, simpler meshes, and remove orphaned data. Might be a week or two.
These seem reasonable from the balance side. The variety they add to anti-scan gameplay is a definite positive; it's good to give the choice between the current scan interference, or something like this that synergises well with the mobility of the smaller ships most people would associate with smuggling.
I'm not sure I balanced the two outfits against each other well.
The holovid zone has a lot more requirements for the same total amount of scan opacity. It's an amenity, but that's not a big deal.
The only substantive advantage is that it gives you outfit scan opacity. That lets you hide nerve gas. The Phantom Pallets only hide illegal cargo.
Providing both types of scan opacity is a nontrivial advantage, though. The phantom pallet provides 15 cargo scan opacity in 1 cargo space, the holovid zone provides 7.5 cargo scan opacity and 7.5 outfit scan opacity per outfit space - so, arguably the same total 15 per space. Plus, the Holovid Zone has the additional advantage that it's not illegal in itself, which is also a positive (being an outfit, the phantom pallet doesn't actually protect itself from scans, so it's at risk of being picked up and leading to a fine if you're too reliant on it). To be honest, I'd have said the Holovid Zone was the better of the two, with the phantom pallet being more of a niche thing for when you don't have the outfit space to share (which does handily guarantee it a niche even if the larger, oufit-space-requiring Holovid Zone is better on paper).
Plus, the Holovid Zone has the additional advantage that it's not illegal in itself, which is also a positive (being an outfit, the phantom pallet doesn't actually protect itself from scans, so it's at risk of being picked up and leading to a fine if you're too reliant on it). To be honest, I'd have said the Holovid Zone was the better of the two, with the phantom pallet being more of a niche thing for when you don't have the outfit space to share (which does handily guarantee it a niche even if the larger, oufit-space-requiring Holovid Zone is better on paper).
I'd like them to be about equal.
Also, I'm not sure it makes sense for the Phantom Pallet to be illegal when the Interference Plating isn't.
@Quantumshark - I removed the illegal 12000 and invented a new description. How do the outfits compare now, balance wise?
@Quantumshark - I removed the
illegal 12000and invented a new description. How do the outfits compare now, balance wise?
In practice, I imagine they'll be used for different purposes - if you only want to protect your cargo from scans, and thus don't care about outfits scan opacity, a cargo expansion full of phantom pallets is still a better use of outfit space than a holovid zone. Conversely, if you're only interested in protecting your outfits from scans, only the holovid zone does that at all. The phantom pallet does also have the advantage that it's easier to fit an outfit that requires one cargo space into most builds than to fit one that requires 20 outfit space, and the modularity of smaller outfits is an inherent advantage, hence it generally coming with tradeoffs in theoretical efficiency. Given that the two outfits do different things, obviously having them both be as good as each other in all circumstances blatantly isn't on the table. But there are clear circumstances in which you'd want to use each of them, so I'd say they're well balanced against each other.
From people's comments, I'm satisfied with the lore, balance, and art.
I don't like my outfit descriptions at all. They feel sub-par compared to many others. I'm not sure how to improve them.
Would it make sense to have these as unlockables for HR / the Unfettered campaign respectively? The theme behind the Hai tech the player can immediately access seems to be essentially human+, that is it pretty much plays like better versions of human technology (as is appropriate). Things like the Ion Cannon are the exception, and the Shield Beetle is reputation gated, so I think it would fit better with Hai themes for outfits that unlock entirely new capabilities to be a reward unlocked later on (which is honestly my opinion with the optical jammers too).
Would it make sense to have these as unlockables for HR / the Unfettered campaign respectively?
No. Nothing in those campaigns would change the availability of holographic outfits. And, the Unfettered need to smuggle supplies will not change either.
The theme behind the Hai tech the player can immediately access seems to be essentially human+, that is it pretty much plays like better versions of human technology (as is appropriate). Things like the Ion Cannon are the exception, and the Shield Beetle is reputation gated, so I think it would fit better with Hai themes for outfits that unlock entirely new capabilities to be a reward unlocked later on (which is honestly my opinion with the optical jammers too).
Incorrect. The player has access to holographic missile-jamming outfits immediately. Now they have access to holographic scanner-confusing outfits. Holograms are an exception.
reputation gated
Why would the Hai reputation-gate a commonly-available entertainment device?
I think Azure's referring to Shield Beetles (which was only available on Hai-home and that's reputation-gated), not the holographic devices.
I think Azure's referring to Shield Beetles (which was only available on Hai-home and that's reputation-gated), not the holographic devices.
Sorry, I was unclear. That was not a rhetorical question
I'm okay with reputation-gating the Holovid Zone if someone can give me a good lore justification for that.
I'm okay with reputation-gating the Holovid Zone if someone can give me a good lore justification for that.
The Hai authorities know it can be abused to avoid scanners. They won't make it illegal as it has an intended use, but they aren't just going to give it to anyone and everyone who shows up at an outfitter.
No. Nothing in those campaigns would change the availability of holographic outfits. And, the Unfettered need to smuggle supplies will not change either.
Given their dual use as a smuggling tool, I can see restrictions on their sale being reasonable until the player earns the trust of the Hai government. Even if it's something like only being available on Hai home, like the Shield Beetle.
Incorrect. The player has access to holographic missile-jamming outfits immediately.
Which is why I said it's my opinion.
While there are a few things I'd like to get into with the model designs, I'm not entirely convinced behind the lore of these outfits existing.
Holograms are purely visual light; they are projected over other objects. So, from a visual perspective, you could say that the holograms are blocking the interior of a ship's cargo for someone to see in person. However, it doesn't make sense that a hologram inside of a ship is blocking a scanning device from seeing the internals of a ship. Since it's pure light and projection, it wouldn't do anything to stop a scanner from reading a ship's interior. If there's some type of interference in the scanning, then it's no longer a hologram; interference in scanning comes from sensor/radar interference, not a visual light, so it being purely hologram/derivative of a hologram does not make sense.
Since it's pure light and projection, it wouldn't do anything to stop a scanner from reading a ship's interior. If there's some type of interference in the scanning, then it's no longer a hologram; interference in scanning comes from sensor/radar interference, not a visual light, so it being purely hologram/derivative of a hologram does not make sense.
There are textured forcefields and speakers. A forcefield would reflect radar or sonar in the same way as a solid object. Any form of passive light or pressure monitoring would be fooled by light or sound.
What it does not fool are your nose and taste buds. A "scanner" able to taste or smell would figure it out.
However, it doesn't make sense that a hologram inside of a ship is blocking a scanning device from seeing the internals of a ship
On the contrary. It doesn't make sense that a scanner would be able to see the inside of a ship at all. Any active scanning mechanism would be stopped by shields or hull. Passive scanning mechanisms rely on emitted radiation of some sort (sound, light, matter, etc.) Contraband would be packed in a way that it would not emit anything. Your ship's hull would block incoming solar radiation and outgoing light from the packages.
Endless Sky scanners don't make sense. They can't exist. Their lore basis is "Just stop asking questions. We have scanners." They fall under the "gameplay over realism" category of Endless Sky design.
Also, point of note: These outfits do not prevent scans from succeeding. That's scan interference. Scan opacity merely slows down the scan. Those forcefield+hologram sensor ghosts only buy you a few seconds. If they were foolproof, we'd have lore problems. If they're slightly flawed, it works.
I missed half of Azure's comment because I was zombie-walking from the digestive system evacuation room back to bed.
I think it would fit better with Hai themes for outfits that unlock entirely new capabilities to be a reward unlocked later on (which is honestly my opinion with the optical jammers too).
To decide if it makes sense to give it early on, you must ponder the motivations of the Hai factions.
- Does the faction benefit from giving this technology out early?
- Does it harm them?
- Should it be scarce?
Let's look at the four:
Fettered missile jammers: Makes sense. They want human ships to survive Unfettered raids. That's why we can get their best anti-missile immediately. Holographic technology is common to the Hai, and these are on many ships, so it's clearly not scarce.
Unfettered missile jammers: Grey area. The only benefit is bribe and sale profits. It hurts their raids by making ships more durable. Is it scarce? I don't know the Unfettered lore well enough to know the scarcity.
Fettered scan opacity: Makes sense if they trust you. This is a common technology designed primarily as a luxury amenity that many Hai enjoy. Few Hai or humans would want to use it to hide anything. Unfettered Phantom Pallets are better at hiding cargo, and almost nobody in Hai space carries illegal outfits. So long as you're not a crazy pirate with nerve gas, the outfit is harmless.
Unfettered scan opacity: Makes sense. They want you to smuggle cargo for them, and they get profits from bribes and sales. There is no way it could hurt them. It's a simple modification of a common Hai technology.
This is my opinion:
- Fettered missile jammers = available immediately
- Unfettered missile jammers = Unfettered trust you first
- Fettered scan opacity = reputation locked
- Unfettered scan opacity = easily available, accompanied by early-game smuggling jobs.
Having an always available, illegal, not as good outfit in Unfettered space and a slightly better, legal one available in Hai space with a reputation lock makes the most sense to me. I think having "slightly different technology at roughly the same level as non-remnant humanity" is also fine, especially as this would only be sold by the Unfettered, and that is probably where I would put the Unfettered version, when compared to interference plating.
They compliment the interference plating well, but it is hard to say how well balanced they are. The mechanics are completely different.
My intent is for interference plating and the phantom pallets to be comparable in tech level, but different. Interference plating uses advanced materials in clever ways. Phantom pallets use holograms and force fields in clever ways. Equal but different.
available, illegal, not as good outfit
It's not illegal anymore. I changed the lore so it is a novel application of a commonly-available technology. It is described as "borderline-illegal." Making the Phantom Pallet illegal, but not the Interference Plating, makes no sense.
Oops, my bad. In that case I'm not sure, so I'm not going to review either way. I have updated my review. Thanks for the correction.
Oops, my bad. In that case I'm not sure, so I'm not going to review either way. I have updated my review. Thanks for the correction.
It is hard to balance outfits that use a new scanner-blocking dynamic against old ones. This is especially true when scanners aren't quite working, and we haven't balanced Hai scanners against human scanners. Lots of unknowns. Time shall tell.
To decide if it makes sense to give it early on, you must ponder the motivations of the Hai factions.
Does the faction benefit from giving this technology out early? Does it harm them? Should it be scarce?
To be honest this kind of makes me think only the Unfettered version is really necessary. It seems like you're trying to have the Hai holodeck outfit be a kind of Luxury Accomodations equivalent (with the attribute it provides) that also gives some added benefits. However, the Quantum Keystone already fills that niche, and I'm not sure it's really necessary for the Hai to sell an outfit that makes smuggling easier in the first place. This would make a lot more sense if it was just an Unfettered reward imo, and would further give them a unique technology that isn't too powerful yet is very useful to players going for a more pirate-like playstyle.
However, the Quantum Keystone already fills that niche
The Quantum Keystone isn't a luxury amenity. It isn't an extra service your ship provides that may be useful to a mission.
Holovid Zones I envision for many new missions. For example, scientists need the holovid zone to visualize data while their "3 tons of special scanners" scan a system. A group of rich people partying want a holovid zone during their tour of planets X, Y, and Z. Transport thirteen diplomats having real-time teleconferences. Bring some officials into your holovid zone to trick them into thinking you have a novel gadget that you don't.
It is a genuinely new amenity with possibilities of its own.
However, the Quantum Keystone already fills that niche
The Quantum Keystone isn't a luxury amenity. It isn't an extra service your ship provides that may be useful to a mission.
The description of the Quantum Keystone is as follows:
This chunk of rock from the mountains on the Hai homeworld is apparently nothing more than a good luck charm, but the Hai have decorated their ships with them since the height of their empire. More superstitious Hai claim that the stones somehow reduce the nausea induced by hyperspace jumps by making travel between star systems easier, and many wealthy Hai refuse to book passage on a ship without one.
(emphasis mine)
However, I do think that the point about the Holovid Zone providing other uses besides the Hai version of "luxury accommodations" is valid. The quantum keystone can still be required for that type of mission, and then the holovid zone can be used for different missions unrelated to "transport X wealthy passengers."
However, I do think that the point about the Holovid Zone providing other uses besides the Hai version of "luxury accommodations" is valid. The quantum keystone can still be required for that type of mission, and then the holovid zone can be used for different missions unrelated to "transport X wealthy passengers."
Note that the Holovid Zone provides "holographic entertainment" 1. This allows other outfits to provide the same amenity. For example, another species could have their own outfit that takes less space but isn't able to fool scanners. Either way, missions that want holographic entertainment can check for that.
My design was:
- Fettered version: primary purpose is a holographic entertainment amenity for missions. Captains can misuse it.
- Unfettered version: Smuggling tool, plain and simple.
The Quantum Keystone isn't a luxury amenity. It isn't an extra service your ship provides that may be useful to a mission.
The Quantum Keystone attribute is checked for luxury missions in Hai space, as a direct analogue to how Luxury Accomodations work in human space. Another outfit and attribute that does essentially the same thing is redundant, at least in Hai space. And while the dual use with regards to smuggling is interesting, I think the Unfettered version already fills that niche and acts as a more interesting reward on its own vs just being a tweaked version of another outfit.
Another outfit and attribute that does essentially the same thing
It doesn't do the same thing. That's the whole point. It provides a specific set of abilities that are needed for some missions. Visualization, simulation, conferencing. These are not things you can get from Luxury Accommodations.
The two outfits will not always overlap. This isn't an extra outfit needed for Hai luxury missions. It has broader use than luxury.
The flaw here is my choice of wording. It shouldn't be holographic entertainment it should be holographic simulation.
Fair enough. It might be a good idea to have some examples of how the holodeck might be used for missions in game, to help lessen any confusion there, since right now it reads like a Hai version of the Luxury Accommodations.
@UnorderedSigh can you put the blends on the right repo plz, if you have them?
