Blueprints #7 - The Abilities

Hello everyone! Welcome back to Blueprints, where I explain some of the design decisions of Aerostrike. In this issue, I will explain the various ship abilities in Aerostrike.

Abilities in Aerostrike come in the form of ship and weapon modules that can alter the flow of a battle. The most basic example is Protective Shields. Unlike regular energy shields, these darker Protective Shields cannot be destroyed by conventional weaponry. As such, they work quite well as barriers, protecting the user from incoming fire. However, only the part covered by the shield is protected. Originally during development, they were actually destructible, but it made them ineffective against the more dangerous enemies. They were later modified to have a limited charge, which drains as they are used, and recharges upon shutdown.

Another ability is the Boost Thrusters. This one behaves very differently between the player and the AI. The player's thrusters double the maximum speed of the Aerostrike, at the cost of only being able to move towards the cursor. While its uses in combat are debatable, it makes for an excelent escape and repositioning tool. On the other hand, the AI's Boost Thrusters simply increase their speed while reducing their turning capacity. Enemies that have these Boost Thrusters use them offensively, as they are equipped with close-range weapons. There is one exception that uses it for repositioning, and it is exclusive to Rebel Ops for now.

The final set of abilities in Aerostrike are the Rocket and Missile modules. These alter how secondary weapons behave. The Aerostrike has access to a Manual Detonation module that forces rockets to explode or implode mid-air. Explosions deal heavy damage in a very large area and destroy projectiles, while Implosions suck in nearby enemies and projectiles, causing them to collide with one-another. Both of them work great against large groups of enemies. Enemies, on the other hand, have Seeker Missiles that will chase their target around. It requires an expert pilot to avoid a barrage of Seeker Missiles, making them ideal for duels and ambushes.

With this, I've covered most of the design behind the enemies of Aerostrike. However, what about the main ship of the game, the Aerostrike itself? What makes it so special? Join me next issue to find out. Stay safe, Pilots!