[MMc] Module Design

I've been working on the programmatic design for the elements of the ship. Modules consist of up to seven hexagonal Features, themselves arranged in a hexagonal shape. Features have no variable state beyond their identification (i.e., they are enumerated values). Modules are randomly instantiated into the universe and are indivisible once instantiated. They can be damaged and torn/ejected/blasted from ships (and repaired), but can't be fragmented.

A module generates a mask for itself that is used for rendering borders and other effects. Because modules are rendered in computer-display style, it is appropriate that damaged modules use the mask to render "television static" noise patterns over themselves, as if the signal were breaking down.

Features are represented by icons.  There is a generic, useless Feature (let's call it CORRIDOR) that dilutes the value of a Module.  Some compound Features, such as ARMORED_THRUSTER, disproportionally enhance the value of the Module containing them.

Weapons can only target border tiles in a ship, so there is an advantage to packing them tightly and using armor on the periphery (this is intentionally analogous to walls in RTS games).

Some features have area effects, such as SHIELD and CLOAK generators.  One must use multiple instances to cover a large ship.

It is raining quite hard. Several motorists do not understand correct etiquite/legally required maneuvers at crosswalks, such as pausing their headlong rush to a damp collision-induced grave long enough to admit a pedestrian to cross, much less not drenching said pedestrian as they hurtle past unminding and, quite likely, unconscious in any higher-order neural sense. Nonetheless, I reached lab without (new) physical injury.