New hit track weapons

Suggestions Balance
1

I made a word file containing all info there. I had to convert it into .rar since i wasnt allowed to upload the document just like that.

 

Heres the abstract of the document:

“High ping players suffer from aiming issues while using projectile weapons (specially at close quarter combats), because aim assist is a partial solution. SC has a few amount of “hit track weapons” (lasers), which are prefered by this players since they don’t have the ping issues they have with projectile weapons. Problem is that hit track weapons are very limited and often they are the only option to choose, and also the only damage they deal is thermal (a popular resistance value) along with the support weaponry like missiles/active mods (pulsar, torpedo, mines, plasma web, doomsday, etc) that suit this players (guided or auto-aimed) also deal thermal dmg: a problem for damage type variety and build options. This suggestion attends to increase the supply of hit track weapons in a balanced way, so players can choose different weapon mechanics while still being able to perform well at competent scenarios.”

 

EDIT: i did not think of “Booster circuit” ammunition (increases projectile speed by 20%), but now that i do, i think the effect should be changed (specifically for this weapons only) to 15% increase to minimum and maximum weapon range. Another option is to increase overheat time by 25% but shared cooler already does that by a much higher amount, so fist option looks better.
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UPDATE:
 

I reworked the frigate artwork for the frigate weapon, ending up with 2 [main] options. They are far from perfect and each one is different so dont be so hard xD
 

  1. This picture shows both options (raw draws), each one with a number

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  1. Option 1

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  1. Option 2 (unfinished)

95scgx.jpg

 

  1. Side view (of option 2)

e9gpac.jpg

 

  1. Top view from option 2 (this is the most accurate one)

jrzm13.jpg

[Hit track weapons.rar](< base_url >/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=10260)

2

looking foward for feedback, suggestions, ideas, etc.

3

You know that i’ve already seen this, let’s wait for opinions of other guys on forums. 

4

Lasers are the easiest way to hit target almost instantly (in physics terms) but yes, you can also make a weapon that shoot gamma rays (travel with light speed) or something like solar wind (proton beam?) and deal EM dmg. Maybe some remote gravity anomaly generator can do kinetic dmg. Still I like that idea (especially on frigs). Also a little AoE dmg would be nice.

edit. Great design of first gun in this “article”.

5

In my opinion, I hate lasers so bad. Sometimes you just have to aim right in the center so you can hit. Maybe I don’t use them correctly? :confused:

6

Lasers are very precise weapons. It might be not easy to hit target as small as couple pixels. :wink:

7

Lasers are the easiest way to hit target almost instantly (in physics terms) but yes, you can also make a weapon that shoot gamma rays (travel with light speed) or something like solar wind (proton beam?) and deal EM dmg. Maybe some remote gravity anomaly generator can do kinetic dmg. Still I like that idea (especially on frigs). Also a little AoE dmg would be nice.

edit. Great design of first gun in this “article”.

 The idea of gamma rays/proton beams sounds amazing (perfect for the lore). I prefered going for EM since i couldnt figure out any sense on instantaneous dmg from kinetic. Gravity anomaly sounds ok, but i prefer the idea of blue/purple beams (something like the shock rifle from UT3)…not sure if a gravity gun would have something like that, or a visual effect at all.

I also considered AoE damage, but for balancing issues i discarted it. Maybe 5-15m explotion radious/beam thick could be a possibility (consider that fighter missiles have 80m explotion radious just like flux phaser), but the fact that its a hit track weapon (no travel time) its a feature that combined with AoE dmg could have similar effects of aim assist: that would be really umbalanced, hit track weapons should never have aim assist.

I appreciate your feedback a lot :slight_smile: if you have any other thoughts ill be glad to hear them.

EDIT: i forgot to say, its very likely that ill be reworking the frig model; it was the first one and the perspective draw definately did not work out as intened…now ive learned a few things, so if i have time ill improve it.

 

In my opinion, I hate lasers so bad. Sometimes you just have to aim right in the center so you can hit. Maybe I don’t use them correctly? :confused:

Lasers dont have aim assistance, i suggest using zoom for targets that are further than 2km

8

You know that i’ve already seen this, let’s wait for opinions of other guys on forums. 

Yup, diffusion is an important matter :slight_smile:

9

 …not sure if a gravity gun would have something like that, or a visual effect at all.

High gravity can distort light. Also you will need some sort of energy projector to create anomaly in targeted point and transfer energy of that value could be visible (like optic fibre?).

aSH7z1O.jpg

edit. It should be possible do speed up small object to some percent of light speed (in distance measuring in kilometers difference won’t be visible).

10

I’ve already put in some input into this (that’s how you decided on the damage type), but here’s a bit more from me:

 

In the old days of Star Conflict, we could change what type of ammo was equipped by the weapons in the middle of battle. Each weapon could carry two different types of ammo, and a pilot would simply press a key to switch to the other type of ammo.

I’m not saying to bring that all back or anything like that, but it would be cool to see how Pulse Lasers can switch ammo to become EM lasers or something of the sort.

 

Also, I potentially see a problem with putting the frigate weapon on an LRF. Since it is basically a crit-built weapon that is hitscan, I can see a Mauler critbuilding this and EM cloaking into the middle of an interceptor dogfight and wreaking havoc. The range is low, but I surmise that people will be able to increase it significantly to the point where it would become an interceptor deathbeam. It doesn’t do as much DPS relative to Beam Cannons, but it may have the ability to melt interceptors built right.

 

Maybe some crit damage reduction on the frigate weapon would be best. The balance on that weapon will have to be very finely tuned or else it will mean a death sentence to inties.

11

You know that i’ve already seen this, let’s wait for opinions of other guys on forums. 

my opinion is that ammo damage types should come back in the form of weapon modules. For therm weapons you could have “lightning capacitors” or “punch system”, for kinetic you could have “heap munition” or “taser rounds” and for em you could have “Heat Emitter” or “hard light emitter”, and maybe some system that would have a chance on every shot to change damage type to a random type at an expense of damage or firing time, for lasers “rainbow capacitor” for kinetic “mixed load” and for em “multispectral caster”. All of this of course un-changeable in battle but would let you mix it up with your preferred weapon.  In general I feel like all active and passive modules in game could use some slots for player end customization.

Additionally, it would be nice if overheat instead reduced turning speed of turrets and damage of weapons instead of shutting them off.

12

In my opinion, I hate lasers so bad. Sometimes you just have to aim right in the center so you can hit. Maybe I don’t use them correctly? :confused:

I’ll pm you the secret laser jutsus for higher accuracy.

13

Hard light sounds a bit more like kinetic damage to me than EM.

EDIT: Check out the Hard Light Rifle from the Halo Universe as my line of reasoning:

http://www.halopedia.org/Z-250_Directed_Energy_Engagement_Weapon

14

I’ve already put in some input into this (that’s how you decided on the damage type), but here’s a bit more from me:

 

In the old days of Star Conflict, we could change what type of ammo was equipped by the weapons in the middle of battle. Each weapon could carry two different types of ammo, and a pilot would simply press a key to switch to the other type of ammo.

I’m not saying to bring that all back or anything like that, but it would be cool to see how Pulse Lasers can switch ammo to become EM lasers or something of the sort.

 

Also, I potentially see a problem with putting the frigate weapon on an LRF. Since it is basically a crit-built weapon that is hitscan, I can see a Mauler critbuilding this and EM cloaking into the middle of an interceptor dogfight and wreaking havoc. The range is low, but I surmise that people will be able to increase it significantly to the point where it would become an interceptor deathbeam. It doesn’t do as much DPS relative to Beam Cannons, but it may have the ability to melt interceptors built right.

 

Maybe some crit damage reduction on the frigate weapon would be best. The balance on that weapon will have to be very finely tuned or else it will mean a death sentence to inties.

Pulse lasers would definately be cooler with the possibility of dealing EM (or even kinetic dmg).

Comparing stats with mass driver (under same conditions), dps is almost the same, and range is slightly shorter than MD, so on a first look dps seems adecuated for interceptors (MD is great for interceptors due to high proj speed and aim assist). Of course the best way of knowing if the weapon requires buff/nerf/no change is through testing…being a staggered hit-track weapon it seems that it should work better against interceptors than lasers (gradual dmg), but i suggest gathering empirical data to prove this. As i described in the document, i imagine the new weapons having a similar fire effect than positron, but a lot more thicker, this along with a decent fire rate should make cloacked LRFs more or less vissible (positrons would definately win on stealth for this case).

About the last point (crit dmg), i based on most EM weapons characteristics (5% crit chance and 75% crit dmg base), this makes the frigate weapon to have higher dps vs MD with crit builds, but lower dps excluding crits; this means that LRFs that will prefer going for 4-6km range will have to sacrifice the critical output advantage. Frigates with few or non CPU slots/crit synergy bonus will also miss the opportunity to make a strong crit build, but may have the option to go for supernova (this ammo should work like curved reflector for these weapons), specially for adaptive builds, getting a decent DPS output. Any way i agree with being very carefull on establishing the stats. Personally i tried to be as most carefull as possible, and even that i would love being able to use these guns, i did my best to make them balanced.

Thanks for the feedback, i would like seing whats the opinion of other players about this (balance, possible issues that could make the weapons OP, alternatives, etc).

15

my opinion is that ammo damage types should come back in the form of weapon modules. For therm weapons you could have “lightning capacitors” or “punch system”, for kinetic you could have “heap munition” or “taser rounds” and for em you could have “Heat Emitter” or “hard light emitter”, and maybe some system that would have a chance on every shot to change damage type to a random type at an expense of damage or firing time, for lasers “rainbow capacitor” for kinetic “mixed load” and for em “multispectral caster”. All of this of course un-changeable in battle but would let you mix it up with your preferred weapon.  In general I feel like all active and passive modules in game could use some slots for player end customization.

I did not had the opportunity to play back in those days, so i couldnt tell you if its a good idea or not. Seems great to offer variety for dmg type combinations (which i would definately like), but i dont know what would be the impact into the game balance…ill leave this matter for players who have experienced this.

16

I did not had the opportunity to play back in those days, so i couldnt tell you if its a good idea or not. Seems great to offer variety for dmg type combinations (which i would definately like), but i dont know what would be the impact into the game balance…ill leave this matter for players who have experienced this.

it kind of disadvantaged guardships to be able to switch them in game, and made em super op as it was able to do both shield weakness and hull weakness type damage while the others were kin/thermal and thermal/em.

But you know, some days I just kinda wish my ion emitters shot lighting.  I think it would be okay if it was something you changed in garage and changed the color of your weapon to match and maybe a few other characteristics.

with performance customizations aside, with the technology to change equipment graphics via a slotting system, they could start adding cosmetics space cowboy style. Like for example an adaptive shield that sparkles when active, or  wings that activate when you use engine overdrive, or a diffusion shield in the shape of a flaming skull.

17

But you know, some days I just kinda wish my ion emitters shot lighting.  I think it would be okay if it was something you changed in garage and changed the color of your weapon to match and maybe a few other characteristics.

with performance customizations aside, with the technology to change equipment graphics via a slotting system, they could start adding cosmetics space cowboy style. Like for example an adaptive shield that sparkles when active, or  wings that activate when you use engine overdrive, or a diffusion shield in the shape of a flaming skull.

sounds like diablo 3 skill runes (each rune makes the skill have a different effect/color). It would be cool too to see some effects/changes with some modules, like adaptives casting an effect when active, some hull additions with a galv/armor plated hull, etc.

18

sounds like diablo 3 skill runes (each rune makes the skill have a different effect/color). It would be cool too to see some effects/changes with some modules, like adaptives casting an effect when active, some hull additions with a galv/armor plated hull, etc.

it’s a pretty good approach to trying to make money because people love to be unique. Especially westerners, everybody around here is brought up to believe they are unique and special winners and this makes a good marketing platform for  cosmetics.  The only real issue is if you care about your long time players you need to introduce it slowly so that while they may find it uncomfortable it is not enough of a shock to make them quit.

19

I like this whole post I do hope that the devs take a serious look at it, my thoughts on this subject are as follows. Instead of making new weapons we can incorporate the old ammo switch buttons back, and if we do switch our ammo mid fight our lasers would have to change color according to the ammo used. This approach I think would be more simple to implement.

20

I like this whole post I do hope that the devs take a serious look at it, my thoughts on this subject are as follows. Instead of making new weapons we can incorporate the old ammo switch buttons back, and if we do switch our ammo mid fight our lasers would have to change color according to the ammo used. This approach I think would be more simple to implement.

thx :stuck_out_tongue: ammo switch in game seems a serious balance specially against guards. The possibility to set up different dmg types for the same weapon while in hangar only its not a bad option. Any way im more concerned about allowing similar mechanics to hit track weapons (so high ping players can have a reliable weapon) and not just a dmg type (hit track weapons are only lasers: they are only usefull if you manage to keep the beam on target, since its gradual). What ever the case is, any cosideration over this post should impact positively over SC.