Increasing Ship Length?

[Popo]

Alright, it was discussed in the last Factory Voice Call and was again brought up in the one today. Long and short, here's the topic:

Should we increase the maximum ship length?​

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And if we do,​

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What limits, rules, and guidelines should we include?​

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I figure that we could tentatively bump the limit to 2,500m or 3,000m maximum length for a Super Star Destroyer (2,000-2,500m) class and a Star Dreadnought/Dreadnought (2,500m-3,000m) class. Limits would be much slower speed, a definitive dev thread (maybe even 2-3 threads), limit of maybe one or two per Major Faction, etc.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas?

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

I’m against it strongly. As it is we have an issue with creeping sizes and so many ships people never use anyway. Personally I think 2000m is a good limit for regular ships. Sure have event ships be larger, but they’re earned and unique.
There would need to be an outstandingly good reason to increase the limit, not ‘because we can’.

 

[Ayden Cater]

I would say such an increase would be fine with the following provisions.

One 2,000+ meter ship per major faction [Previous Event ships are exempt from this] that have been continuously active for at least six months
Two dev threads of considerable length; 50+ posts
One of the two threads must have PC opponents with the risk of damaging (New dev thread of 20+ posts) or destroying (New dev thread of 50+ posts salvaging and rebuilding) the ship.
Ultimate size is determined by the overall length and quality of the posts, starting at X length, all the way up to Y length.

Between all the previous event ships, we have a good scale indicating a ship's power from a 2,000 meter perspective, all the way up to 5,000. Given that these are Event ships, a ship of equal size wouldn't be as powerful. Maybe not. That's more of a secondary discussion.

Is all this a bit tedious? Yes. It's supposed to be. These would be flagships, ships designed to show a faction's power and status. They would be immense undertakings and would carry a number of risks in making them. I think the potential is there for stories and exciting sabotage.

@Popo @Tamara

 

[Popo]

I'm against anything over 3,000 meters at this time. Simply because I think that'd be going far too fast. I can see [member="Tamara"]'s argument and can agree with a lot of it, but we're slowly getting to that size. We're already allowing civilian space stations up to 3,000 meters if I remember right. Hell, we could probably test the waters and see how the board does with a temporary test rule on a 3,000 meter cap on civilian ships for a bit. See how it goes and then decide to bump military ships or not afterwards.

[member="Ayden Cater"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Considering that most of the factions already have event flagships they're not using anyway...I don't really see the point.

 

[Popo]

[member="Tamara"]

True. I was figuring making them civvie only for a test run because corporations would definitely use them, even if it's just one. Hell, I've been wanting to do a 2km or longer luxury liner since I showed up XD

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Civilian ships I have no problem with, so long as people don't try and sneak around the ban by building liners and then refitting them with guns afterwards.

 

[Popo]

[member="Tamara"]
Well, that's why you have us trusty Starship Judges

*Quietly tosses luxury liner refit plans in a nearby fireplace*

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

[member="Popo"]
I'm watching you, Hutt....

 

[Arage Bao]

Alright, here is the thing. The restriction on ship lengths was made with an IC-perspective, we just came out of an age of darkness. Tech wasn't that evolved yet, so people didn't have a way to build ships like they could.

This is no longer the case, or more accurately nobody RPs it that way.

Time has passed, and the technological progress has grown.

Besides, if we remove the restriction on the ship lengths all together... -everyone- can make a 3000m ship. Meaning, nobody will have an unfair disadvantage.

 

[Domino]

I can see increasing personal ship length which was also raised (I still like my idea of company tier x 1oom +1oom) but I'm iffy on raising the actual 2,ooom limit. As a ship judge I see a lot of sub intentions that basically boil down to 'it's a class possibility so I want it for the fleet' and now I'm thinking that increasing the limit would only cause more work for judges while devaluing existing ships over the limit or future event ships. Increasing the length of future reward ships would only compound the devaluing of the current 'fleet queens.' And looking at the benefits... So someone can kick out something with higher numbers than what they have that adds no real rp value other than a bigger stick?

 

[Ayden Cater]

Well, much like how Command ships are limited to Minor Production, anything about 2,000 would get slapped with a Limited Production restriction. Basically keeps the number of ships that could be made to something countable on two hands.