Saucers

There are several types of saucer. They have differing behaviour, colours and sizes. In 'safe' mode some are less agressive.

• 'Mothership' (light green):
  • A single, large, 'Mothership' is created.
  • Periodically it spawns other saucers.
  • It will try to avoid you.
  • The first Mothership, and all it's spawn, are created in 'safe mode'. This gived beginers a chance of learning to fly without too much opposition.
  • If destroyed a random time latter a replacement is generated. This is in 'normal mode'.
  • Score a large numer of points. So worth hunting.
• 'Static' (light green). Doesn't move.
• 'Wanderer' (light blue). Wanders about aimlessly.
• Aren't too dangerous and they block up the 'maximum number of saucers' 'slots'.
• 'Shooter' (pink):
  • Moves to a loation near the ship.
  • Fires missiles in random directions.
  • Occasionally re-locates.
  • Occasionally explodes for no good reason.
• 'Hunter' (dark green). Like a 'Shooter' but fires bursts of targeted missiles.
• 'Rammer' (red):
  • Tries to collide with ship.
  • Best countered by...
    • Fly past it at high speed.
    • Turn 180 degrees
    • It will now be in your sights and trying to catch up.
    • Slow down and when it gets close enough kill it.
• 'Pirate' (dark blue (difficult to see ... it's deliberate!)):
  • Steals Minerals and runs away.
  • Gradually consumes the Minerals it has stolen.

Todo: Make above list into a table including colours and loot values.

Saucer pilots aren't great 'navigators'. Even in 'safe' mode they occasionally collide with things.

All types tend to 'wobble about' while 'seeking' their target location. Makes them difficult to hit. Probably held up with bits of string ... just like 'real' saucers.

Loot

When a saucer is destroyed it sometimes leaves "loot" ("Goods" or "Minerals") behind. The value of the loot is dependant on the type of saucer.

Loot can be picked up and traded as normal.

If a saucer is destroyed at long range the loot may be difficult to see. But it is visible on radar.

Due to their wide travels saucers carry random loot. There may be items that are exotic for the current system.