ACDropship

From Data Realms Wiki

ACDropShip
A Dropship with open doors using its tractor beam to abduct an actor for return while in flight, stabilized by its engines and retro thrusters to hover above the terrain.
Class Information
Class Name:	ACDropShip
Parent:	Actor
Limbs:	2 engines, 2 retro thrusters, 2 doors
Abilities:
Automatically Stabilized Flying, Cargo Drop/Abduction, Scuttle, Orbital return.
Infobox Template: ActorClass

ACDropShips are a subclass of actors that are ships that deploy cargo by dropping it. Their name is an amalgam of Actor, Craft, and Drop Ship.

ACDropships have 2 engines that are used for primary thrust and stabilization. The two stabilize by emitting more or less based on the tilt of the craft. When Up is pressed, both engines thrust more. When Down is pressed, both engines thrust less. With Right is pressed, both engines tilt clockwise and increase power, not affecting lift significantly, but adding rightward thrust. Left is the opposite of right. When one engine is destroyed, stabilization is almost always lost, resulting in a spinning plummet as the remaining engine still thrusts, ending in gibbing, either due to impact or auto-scuttling.

To support in stabilization, ACDropShips also have retro thrusters, which actually defy the lift force, but greatly help in keeping the ship stable. While a dropship can be made without retro thrusters, it will likely roll over and lose balance when attempting much horizontal movement. Their help in stabilization can even make a single engine dropship possible, if used right.

Being a type of craft, ACDropShips can hold actors and devices in their inventory, and can eject them and board them through exits. The exit opening for dropships is visually represented by two attachable doors rotating apart to open. These doors can be used as armor for the bottom of the craft, and their loss has no functional detriment. The exits, when open and not still dropping, have 'tractor beams' of variable length, width, and power, that can pull actors and devices in to the exit. They are visually represented by dotted yellow lines, with dots moving inward. If the dots are still moving outward, that is a sign that cargo is still being dropped. DropShips are considered more reliable for delivering cargo to rugged terrain because they do not land. If a soldier is dropped from too high it can still die from the fall. They also have a slight tendancy to drop actors ontop of each other.

Crafts can be flown above the top of the level to be returned to TradeStar Midas, selling the for the value of them and their contents, which is affected by health. This combined with the tractor beam makes for an efficiant gold farming tactic. Crafts also generally gib into a lethal mess of falling debris, killing occupants and actors below. Crafts also have a scuttling ability, accessibly through the pie menu, which self destructs them. When a craft senses that it is as good as dead, it automatically scuttles. This sense is currently flawed, as it may self destruct simply by hovering in the air.

For an example of an ACDropship, click here.