It would probably take some time to implement, and considerable effort to learn, but I feel like this game (or at least certain ships in the game) could benefit from the ability to place single turrets of different types on the mounts across the ship.
Firing groups would be as follows:
Primary: left click
Secondary: right click
Tertiary: middle click
Missile: K
And of course players can re-map the firing buttons as they see fit.
Firing groups could be set for up to 3 different groups, and each turret on the ship could be assigned to any of the available firing groups.
For example, if you had an LRF with four beam turrets and two coil mortars, you could assign the beam turrets to group 1, the coil mortars to group 2, and all turrets to group 3. That way only beam turrets fire when you press primary fire, coils on secondary, and then they all fire on tertiary.
Of course you could mix and match them to your liking, to make the best use of the new system.
Like on an interceptor you could have one shrapnel cannon and one plasma gun, and have groups set for 1-plasma, 2-shrapnel, 3-both.
For initial implementation, all turret items that every player has would need to be multiplied by the amount of turrets that it’s corresponding ship has. For instance every “Plasma gun” would be split in to 2 items. Every “assault railgun” would be split in to 4 items. And every “beam cannon” would be split in to 4 items.
All stats for the items should stay the same, with the exception of overheating for single-barrel firing weapons like the Flux phaser or the coil mortar. Those types of weapons would maintain the same RoF, but would overheat up to 4 times as fast depending on the number of installed turrets.
All destroyer primary weapons would be unaffected by this entire change, as there are too many hardpoints.
Crafting weapons would require 1/2 or 1/4 the materials depending on the ship type, or just yield 2-4 times as many weapon items.
Weapons found in space would be dropped as single turrets. With the implementation of this system, not having an weapon in a hardpoint would simply leave it empty, instead of replacing it with the “base” gun of the ship. If a ship does not fit ANY weapons in any hardpoints, then it will be given the “base” weapons. This means that players will be able to go in to battle with as few as 1 turret equipped.
Firing radiuses would also need to be adjusted for frigates. Possibly widened or at least made within LoS of the physical turrets.
The range indicator would be a simple adaptation as well. You could either have multiple leads on the target, or you could simply have one lead that has numbers or colored ticks around it to indicate which firing groups are in range.
New weapons could be added to make use of this system that have an alternative use other than dealing damage. Maybe rare pirate or alien turrets could drop in open space, and pilots could craft unique turrets that project a shield using energy, or repair ships at very close range, or deploy small objects in space.
Some new single-turret items that could be added with the new system:
Name: Grapple Cannon
Type: Primary Weapon for fighters
Max turrets: 1
Damage: very low kinetic
RoF: very low
Range: medium-low
Projectile speed: high
Tooltip: Fires a short range grappling hook at the crosshairs. If it hits an object or enemy, they are pulled towards the user at 150m/s for 4 seconds or until LoS is broken.
Name: Flash Cannon
Type: Primary Weapon for interceptors
Max turrets: 1
Damage: very high EM
RoF: medium-low
Range: 150m
Projectile speed: Instant
Tooltip: Releases a high-energy pulse that deals high damage at an incredibly low range.
Name: Nanoparticle launcher
Type: Primary Weapon for Engineers
Max turrets: 2
Damage: medium Thermal
RoF: 60rpm
Range: medium
Projectile speed: medium-high
Tooltip: Fires a cannister of nanoparticles that breaks open when it hits, releasing a cloud that repairs ally hulls for 2 seconds.
Name: Dimensional Force
Type: Primary Weapon
Max turrets: 1
Damage: low kinetic
RoF: low
Range: 250m
Projectile speed: instant
Tooltip: Folds space in front of the ship, teleporting any enemy caught in the field towards the crosshairs by 3,000m.
Name: Orbital Deterrant
Type: Primary Weapon for frigates
Max turrets: 1
Damage: high thermal
RoF: 60rpm
Range: 500m
Tooltip: Deploys a drone 500m in the direction of the crosshairs that emits a pulse that damages the nearest enemy to it within 750m.
Name: Pirate Blaster
Type: Primary Weapon
Max turrets: 4
Damage: high thermal
RoF: medium-low
Range: medium
Projectile speed: high
Tooltip: Fires bright pink plasma charges that scorch the target over time, dealing extra damage and reducing resistance to damage at the same time.
Name: Pirate Rocket Pod
Type: Primary Weapon
Max turrets: 2
Damage: medium thermal
RoF: medium
Range: medium-high
Projectile speed: high
Trigger radius: 50m
Blast radius: 150m
Tooltip: Fires unguided thermal rockets that deal damage in a small radius.
Name: Alien weapon
Type: Primary Weapon
Max turrets: 1
Damage: high EM
RoF: low
Range: medium-high
Projectile sleed: low
Tooltip: This alien emitter sends out globs of green plasma that slowly track your locked target over a considerable distance and explode on contact.
Name: Combat Flare Launcher
Type: Multipurpose Primary Weapon
Max turrets: 1
Damage: low thermal
RoF: 60rpm
Range: medium
Projectile speed: medium to low (slows as it flies)
Tooltip: Launches large flares at the crosshairs that draw missiles to the target if hit, while burning them for 3 seconds.
Name: ‘Tent’ Shield Projector
Type: Multipurpose Primary Weapon
Max turrets: 1
Damage: low EM
RoF: very low
Range: 750m
Projectile speed: high
Tooltip: Launches an energy capsule that detonates on contact. Upon detonation, fixes a stationary pentagonal shield in space facing the direction it was fired. Shield has a radius of 250m and lasts for 20 seconds. If installed on a frigate, it can place up to 4 shields in space instead of just 1.