This post is for suggestions on how to enable Dark Faction DLC features for custom scenarios to use them. Please feel free to add your own suggestions on how you would like to use these new mechanics in your own scenarios or servers! Faction Spreading: These suggestions are to help custom scenarios make use of the faction spread mechanic that the Dark Faction uses. For example a server could set up The Legacy to start spreading after two weeks, giving players time to build up forces. A custom scenario could allow Zirax and Polaris to spread slowly over time, but only up to a maximum amount. Add a parameter for controlling the maximum number of systems that can be occupied at one time. This would be helpful because you might not want the hostile faction to completely take over the entire galaxy in a scenario. Add a configurable delay, so the hostile faction would not start spreading until after X amount of game time has passed. Add a way to configure some factions to be able to resist against the spread of the hostile faction, essentially making it so taking over systems occupied by a configured list of NPC factions takes longer the closer to the center of their territory that it is. For example a faction like the Zirax would probably put up a fight against the spread of the Dark Faction, whereas a faction like Colonists or Pirates would put up less of a fight, if any at all. Add a way to have multiple factions spreading, this can allow for "dynamic" faction spreading of some factions. Each faction should have their own settings, so they can be configured on a per faction basis. Add an initial number of systems for a faction to control at game start. For example it could be set up so that The Legacy already control all systems inside of their faction territory when the game starts. Add a way to start the faction spread manually, either through an in-game action such as completing a specific mission, or by a server setting. This would allow for something such as a mission to "release the dark faction" before it would start spreading. NPCs: These suggestions are to help custom scenarios make use of the new NPC mechanics. Allow cloaking for more types of NPCs. It's a really cool feature, and it would be amazing to see it added to some Zirax soldiers for example. Allow NPCs to use personal energy shields. Give it similar settings to the energy shield on the sword, with a cooldown and maximum duration. This would give NPCs some more tools to use in combat to spice things up. Items: These suggestions are to help custom scenarios make use of the new item and weapon mechanics. Add energy shields to armor boosters and/or player armor. The tech is already there for giving a player an energy shield, if it was added as an armor booster or part of armor it could be configured to automatically recharge over time. It could work just like ship shields, with the same parameters and settings essentially. This would allow scenarios to add player shields without having to attach it to a weapon item that the player has to right click. Add energy shields to consumables (if it's not possible already). This would allow you to make things like temporary shield emitters you can use to give a one time shield. Other: These are misc suggestions Allow volumetric fog to be configured on a playfield basis for space playfields, allowing for randomized settings such as probability, color range, etc. The volumetric fog looks great, but in Dark Faction is tied to systems occupied by the invading faction and can't be used for generic playfield decoration. By allowing it to have configurable randomized settings, it would allow for some really cool and varied playfield fog effects. I have done something similar to this in my scenario by using custom unity assets to make space fog, but the volumetric fog can look much better.
1.) I think other factions should help attack the Dark Pillars from the Dark Faction. I mean the other factions just sit there twiddle there thumbs waiting for you to do all the work. I think if be more immersive and fun if other factions can team up with you and help fight the Dark Faction. 2.) A option to select the infection rate on the Dark Faction would be nice. Slow, Medium or Fast speed. I feel by the time you got everything needed to fight them they already took over 3/4's of the Galaxy. And you have to go to every single planet in every single solar system to destroy a Dark Pillar. It gets time consuming if your trying to stop them from taking the last bit of Solar Systems. 3.) Be nice if the Dark Faction came in different colors with the space fog. Redish Pink is hard on the eyes. 4.) What would be cool if on Dark Factions home world they have a Super Pillar in Orbit and needs a very heavily armed CV to take it out like a Tier 7-8 CV. Destroying this will end the Dark Faction entirely saving the galaxy. The Super Pillar will be the control hub, the hive mind or brains for the Dark Faction Itself. This could be a neat idea to implement.
