This installment of our dev journal series we take a look at the updated TEC Sova carrier.
Prior to the war, strikecraft had proven to be an effective countermeasure to pirate incursions around planetary systems. After the arrival of the Vasari Exodus Fleet, the necessity for a mobile platform for strikecraft quickly became a necessity.
With the need to project power and secure territory more important than ever, the updated Sova-class has been overhauled into a true mobile war machine. True to form, the Sova-class is capable of deploying up to seven squadrons of strikecraft against enemy forces. Additionally, this ability has been bolstered by vastly increased internal manufacturing facilities that allow the Sova to quickly replace destroyed strikecraft; and can even augment local construction projects. These upgraded internal factories are even capable of producing corvette-class ships, giving the Sova the power to deploy units deep inside unknown territory.
Despite all of its inherent offensive potential, the Sova-class also is equipped with an impressive array of defensive weapons. Foremost of these are the Sova’s nine point-defense autocannons and its ability to deploy a dedicated point-defense weapon pod. These updates ensure that no missile or strikecraft will assault a Sova carrier easily.
Deploy Point Defenses: Leveraging the internal factories on the Sova, it’s able to instantly deploy a pre-built point-defense pod. While incapable of lateral movement, this pod is equipped with both two point-defense autocannons and a long-range missile system.
Mass Production: An update to the original Sova ability, the enhanced manufacturing in the Year 35 ship allows the Sova to augment local construction within a friendly gravity well.
Mobile Corvette Factory: Perhaps the biggest update to the Sova is its capability to build corvette-class ships. This allows the Sova to deploy Scouts far from regular ship factories and to construct Shriken gunships for quick-strike operations.
Rapid Manufacturing: Another update to the original Sova, this optional upgrade shifts the internal strikecraft factories into overtime, greatly increasing replenishment time. Additionally, some of this increased manufacturing capacity is applied to other friendly strikecraft factories in the gravity well.
Sins II: Dev Journal 11 - The TEC Rebel Ragnarov Titan
Sins II: Dev Journal 10 - The Vasari Kultorask Titan
Sins II: Dev Journal 9 - The Ankylon Titan
Sins II: Dev Journal 8 - An RTS with a Changing Map
Sins II: Dev Journal 7 - The Argonev Starbase
Sins II: Dev Journal 6 - The Dunov Battlecruiser
Sins II: Dev Journal 5 - The Sova Carrier
Sins II: Dev Journal 4 - The Marza Dreadnought
Sins II: Dev Journal 3 - The Akkan-Class Battlecruiser
Sins II: Dev Journal 2 - Exploring the Kol-class Battleship
Welcome to Sins of a Solar Empire II: Dev Journal 1
Nice!
Question regarding graphics/visuals, can you somehow remove the specular highlight on parts of the model, that is in shadow? I mean the parts of the model on the first picture around the mobile corvette factory and the back of the ship behind it look not right. Lot of the lit egdes on the paneling in places, where it should not be IMO. It takes away from otherwise very pretty graphics. If its something only solvable by something like raytracing, how about that?
I cannot - that's generated by the materials in use and the light sources in the game. Though I'm not 100% sure what you're referring to? Any bright lit parts are windows.
Not windows. I mean bright lines in the highlighted area.
Pretty sure that's due to the ambient light coming off the skybox.
I quite like this design; it feels a bit more like a carrier compared to the original Sova model, although I do like them both. Also, the ability to make corvettes on campaign sounds extremely neat. I haven't messed with the test build in a while, I might have to make time this weekend to try this out.
This is one of my favourite new models in sins2. I have not fully explored it though. Waiting for the next update.
Hey Timmaigh, we're actually tracking this bug interesting visual difference as well. It should eventually get fixed, it's just lower on the priority list right now. It's a Fresnel effect issue.
Looking great, I always enjoy reading about what goes into the design.
And it looks really great, I love this overhaul the most out of the TEC caps. It still completely captures the previous game's and ship's vibe, but fully upgraded.
It also plays as the best capital ship so far. Not just balance-wise (as that's of course bound to change), but it really functions as a one-ship army with the PD and ability to create corvettes.
Yeah, it totally does. Takes the strategy of take and hold to a new level!
It now just needs a formation that will create a perimeter around it so it xan do it’s work. Like a real carrier group.
How would we stop enemy ships and force them to stay out of range of the carrier? Without special late game abilities the only method I know of is destroying the enemy.
Thanks! I did not want to be nit-picker, the game is really pretty, and obviously it has no bearing on me enjoying playing it, but i am the kind of person, who cares for aesthetics, and this kinda stood out to me.
Anyway, since i am already on it and have your ear , i noticed few other things, that maybe are still just WIP (in which case consider this irrelevant), but some of the stuff has rather low res texturing for my liking - the research lab, the colony ship and the turret thingy come to mind. The turret is actually rather weak model as well, IMO it actually looks worse than its Sins 1 version. Compared to capital ships, which are all flawless in model quality and texturing, all of these look kinda not up to par.
Speaking of Starbase, i think its bump/normal texture its bit too aggressive, the paneling esepcially is too pronounced under certain angles. So is the metallic reflection/shine of the surface, it can be literally white, i think the reflection map could use toning down.
I agree with the folks who are rooting for a grimier look for the TEC ships.
I have finally learned the glory of the Sova corvette spam.
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