Modding Question - How does this Trek component work?

[DavidG]

Can someone tell me how it is that the component below will be damaged before anyother component?

Name := Structural Integrity Field I
Description := A specialized energy field that helps the structural integrity of a ship.
Pic Num := 1197
Tonnage Space Taken := 0
Tonnage Structure := 50
Cost Minerals := 55
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 0
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base\Sat\WeapPlat\Drone
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := One Per Vehicle
General Group := Ship Construction
Family := 1020
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := Ship Construction
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Number of Abilities := 1
Ability 1 Type := Star - Unstable
Ability 1 Descr := Is damaged before any other components on a ship.
Ability 1 Val 1 := 0
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

[ October 05, 2003, 11:42: Message edited by: DavidG ]

[DavidG]

Yea they look the same but buckytube stuff doesn't claim to the damaged before other components. does the Structural Field really work like that?

[Phoenix-D]

I'm guessing that the Star-Unstable is actually supposed to be the Armor ability, and/or someone forgot to remove the description.

[DavidG]

Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
I'm guessing that the Star-Unstable is actually supposed to be the Armor ability, and/or someone forgot to remove the description.

Well I know SJ in P&N and others use that ability (wich of course does nothing) just so they can get a description to appear for the component.

[Phoenix-D]

Right, but it's also used as an "AI flag" to allow the AI designer to use the component.

[Suicide Junkie]

If most of the components are around 5-10 in hitpoints (size doesn't matter at all), then the SIF there will be hit first, quite often.
More often than it would for a simple hitpoint lottery type scheme.

[ October 05, 2003, 17:23: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

[Fyron]

The SIF used to have the Armor ability, but that was removed in the latest STM patch. Instead, a dummy ability was added so that the AI could be made to design ships properly. However, AT apparently forgot to change/remove that ability description. It is not always hit before other components, though it has a greater chance to be.

[Arkcon]

Sounds like Treknobabble for the same effect that P&N buckytube gel armor provides. Basically, some ship hit points that don't take up any kt of space. Pretty meager defence, since you can only have one. Unless you can increase it's size with mounts for larger ships.

[ October 05, 2003, 12:27: Message edited by: Arkcon ]