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Ship Asplode!

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Ship Asplode!

Look at all the pretty lights.

from Sins Forums
I can't recall if this particular question was addressed before, so I'm asking again, especially since the graphics continue to change and evolve.

The question is: What are the explosions like?
To be absolutely precise: How big is the boom?

Now, I realise this is a somewhat superficial issue... and not exactly in good taste to ask of hardworking game devs. It's akin to asking a girl what her bust size is. However, I have really sound reasons for asking.

The recent "Nexus 2" tech-demo video that's floating around drove home for me how strong an impression superficial details like that can make in a promotional video, even on relatively discerning and intelligent gamers (ehrm, *cough*). It's hard to look at footage like that and not think "Hey that's cool!" Grabbing attention is really the first step in promotion, right? So. Big boom = good for promotion.

So I have to ask! The boom... how big is it? How does it vary with ship size and type? Do anti-matter reserves affect the explosion size? How would you compare the explosions to other, similar games? What about surface buildings and orbital structures?

And while we're at it, we might as well throw in everyone's opinions on big explosions as well... since they'll inevitably end up being voiced anyways.
18,190 views 32 replies
Reply #26 from Sins Forums Top
I saw in the trailer a ship being struck with beams on its Port side and as such it listed to starboard, so hopefully certain things will exert force of a ship causing it to move.

As for the submarine discussion, I remember they were testing a DSRV off the coast of Portsmouth once, at the time it was unmanned for obvious reasons but it was still pressurized. Long story short, there was a weakness in the hull and as the sub descended to critical depth that portion of the hull was blasted inwards and the water flooded in with such force it blew the rest of the craft outwards. All of which happened in a fraction of a second, and debris was scattered across nearly 20 sq.meters of seabed (for a craft that size at that depth, that is quite a lot).
Reply #27 from Sins Forums Top
I think the size of the explosions should be determined by what weapons the ship is carrying..nuke=big fiery ball explosion. Well maybe that wont work because fire cant exist in space. But who cares! Big explosions always good.
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Reply #28 from Sins Forums Top
fires cant exist, true enough. but explosions can!
makes me think that TNT and nitroglycerine are ready for a comeback.

well, truthfully the effect would be diminished way too quickly to be of real effect unless its a AP round.
Reply #29 from Sins Forums Top
I agree with Servius Vivo, there should be a different type of explosion based on whats onboard the vessel. Also there should be a debris effect like in O.R.B and in Nexus. In ORB the ships broke apart into smaller chunks that were propelled away from the blast point and could impact into a ship causing a certain amount of damage depending on the size of the debris. In Nexus the explosion shockwave caused some ships to be damaged if they were too close and most of the time that damage was severe if their shields were down or had lower power. This would add a bit more depth to each fight since you want to destroy the ship, but in so doing you dont want to be in the blast radius that results.
Reply #30 from Sins Forums Top
I like the idea of a pseudo combination of the two.
besides, screw the lack of realism in space pressure-waves, I just want to stare at awesome stuff! ! !
Reply #31 from Sins Forums Top
The damage idea is kind of lame. I've had to experience a complete mission failure in Nexus just because my ships were too close when something went boom. In Homeworld, your fighters would explode and your frigates go down to half health when a mothership was obliterated.

It is just not fun.
Reply #32 from Sins Forums Top
it forces you to adapt, if you dont thats what happens.