V-TECHNOLOGY
DESIGNER NOTES
V-Technology or Variable-Technology can be thought of as Experimental Offshoots on the way to X-Technology. This means that, in game terms, while V-Technology can be wildly different with many tactical applications, it should never exceed X-Technology in totality.
The primary characteristic that defines V-Technology is that it affects the same weapon/device differently. For example, one empire might develop V-Technology for a Photon Torpedo that functions differently than another empire that has also developed V-Technology for a Photon Torpedo. In this way, V-Technology is Empire Specific.
Another defining attribute of V-Technology is that it affects not just a single weapon/device, but every system on that ship. Phasers, Batteries, Laboratories, Warp Engines, Impulse, Shields, Damage Control, and More might all be improved at the same time in various ways by the installation of V-Technology. Typically, V-Technology Ships (or V-Ships) are built from the ground up so that the V-Technology is integrated into every component seamlessly. It would be highly unusual to attempt to upgrade a standard ship to V-Technology (although this has happened on rare occasions).
V-Technology also functions differently on different Ship Classes. For example, V-Technology on a Destroyer might function differently than V-Technology on a Heavy Cruiser, even with the same weapons/devices within the same empire.
As stated earlier, V-Technology will constantly be compared against X-Technology for Game Balance Reasons. The goal is to create a multitude of minor but significant improvements to existing technology in order for new tactics to emerge during gameplay. This will result in V-Technology feeling eerily familiar to standard play and yet strangely different. V-Technology also has the feel of X-Technology, but is not quite up to that unified and ubiquitous standard.
V-Technology is, therefore, an exciting new realm of tactical possibilities for the SFB Player to explore.
