since we can't have an arena for aetherships I was wondering if we can loan the technique similar to real life battle games with 'blue guns'

it work work like the following:

commander uses a command
pilot training on
this activates blue gun mode, the vessel will nolonger use damaging blasts but instead will do something like the real life equivelant of throwing a ping pong ball against the hull of a carrier.

all modules work like normally in combat, only the damage is simulated.

indications:
-------------
the prompt will now show something like T or TRAIN to indicate it's not in operative status

on similated destruction of the ship it will report something in the terms of 'Simulation parameters show destruction, simulation ended. ' the pilot will still have to manually turn of simulation to prevent accidental live firing
addtional skills:
------------------
empath:
grid modules real - shows non simulated state of the vessel (as will ship look)

pilot:
pilot training on - makes turrets non damaging and activates simulation mode
pilot training off - returns ship to normal function

We should either get this or an "aethership arena" where ships can be docked and then transferred into a fake aetherspace like the arena where real aether combat can take place. Since this would be an arena, boarding someone's ship and performing hand-to-hand combat would still be fine, while this is still impossible in the "blue gun" scenario. Nevertheless, we need a way to practice aethership combat without incurring costly experience costs.

I like the idea of practice mode rather then a practice area - it has better flavor, and it sounds easier to code. To give it a more magical-organic flavor would be nice, though - 'simulation mode' sounds too sci-fi.

Estarra already mentioned we will not be getting an aethership Arena, it should also be noted that in the simulation mode is still a significant danger of astral creatures moving in. I find this has a certain feel to it that an arena can not have. It gives a more army feel and can be interrupted by hostiles. As for boarding, if you board my ship you'll find it very boring unless you manage to get a ramp into the command chair or grid.


It's obviously only a working word to relate too. Although simulation mode really isn't sci-fi sounding

I'm resigned to not getting any Arena, but I do like the variety of safeties people are proposing. Nice!