A lot of science fiction movies, novels, and games have some kind of kinetic energy shielding tech. Most sci-fi fans really like this concept so why not put this in Starbound? Concept: Personal Kinetic Energy Barrier An item that, when activated, gives the player a shield from projectile attacks. When hit by projectiles the damage is applied to your energy instead of health. When your energy reaches 0 the shield shuts off. Higher level shields could reduce the amount of damage done to the energy shield while lower level shields multiply the damage to provide appropriate scaling. The shield may be manually shut off by the player by using the item again. Alternatives: Same concept with small differences The shield could be a tech. The player could be unable to fire projectiles while using the shield. The shield could prevent melee damage as well with additional damage to energy. The shield could have a set amount of health and be a stationary item (would no longer require energy). Energy does not regenerate while the shield is in use. Standard shield now apply energy shields while blocking (allows for scaling of standard shields to make some more powerful than others). The shield may not allow the player to move while active.
I think shields should be a tech. Starting with one could bring a whole load of balance issues to the early game on top of everything that it's already experienceing. But, I like the basic idea. Couple of points I want to add though: energy shields are hands free, so the idea that they would cost energy to maintain, but keep you with both your hands free to attack would be very beneficial a deployable energy shield could cost energy to set up but doesn't lock your energy bar down like the first one does. gives you a kinda wall to hide behind and shoot from but there should definitely be some kind of energy shield/shields. it's a sci-fi game! it's got to have one.
I love the idea of deployable shields, I'm a massive fan of defensive playstyles and enjoy engineer like characters. I think the Robotics class in Global Agenda did it best, you had use of a deployable dome shield, deployable wall shield, rocket/laser turrets, health regen/energy regen stations (energy regen stations would repair turrets/shields automatically as well as regenerating player energy). Personally, I'd love to see all of these features in Starbound, though if I had to choose just one it'd definitely be shields, ideally both dome and wall variants. I think any of the above would have to be tech as they would have to cost you other potential key skills and be protected against hotswapping in as additional tactics. I think shields would be better having a set amount of health based on player max energy but not linked to it, otherwise energy cost of shield maintenance would pretty much render guns useless and a shield is then only useful as an escape mechanism. Friendly player attacks should be able to go through the shield, with hostile range attacks blocked, however hostile melee and players themselves should be able to pass through the shield. I think you could even expand the use of tech to include a host of potential skills allowing complete scope for freeform customisation. I realise it's a lot to have to balance but I definitely think the pros outweigh the cons. Other potential tech could include: Stone Skin - Temporary defense boost and/or health boost and/or regeneration with huge movement speed reduction. Glass Hammer - Damage and/or crit buff at the expense of firing speed and/or health/energy regen and/or players defense rating/crit weakness I could go on but I'm sure you get the idea. Anyway, rambling aside, deployable shields (my preferred mechanics above), deployable health/energy beacons, deployable turrets, in that order. Oh and one last thing, a repair function on my matter manipulator that drains energy to repair damaged blocks (and deployable tech items).
I think that it should be a tech, but it would be available from an early level, and after a, say, five second delay not taking damage, it would begin to regen energy. Of course, upgrades would be a must. I had ideas about tech upgrades... http://community.playstarbound.com/index.php?threads/upgrading-tech.60313/
I think it should be an item that is able to be set down, but also carried and used. However, setting it down to use as an environmental shield should require wiring. When carried and used, it would take the backpack slot. It would be passive in this state, reacting only when an appropriate attack was being made. This would cost energy, more depending on the strength of the attack versus the defense of the shield. So a level 10 monster attack would deplete a level 1 shield in 1 hit (maybe with a cool popping effect and recharge time) but that first hit would be absorbed. Of course, now you are left with no energy in the gaze of a hungry beast. ....
My friend had a great idea about the shield bar being a separate bar, that recharges using your energy.
