– Ion here could do with a change. I’m thinking a thermal damage coil mortal for fighters but there are a few pilots who would swear by the Ion, Astraal is one of them IIRC … dunno why lol –
Not using Ions xd
Tho in the right hands it is one of the deadliest things (heat management).
I mainly use Gauss or Singularity on fighters, RFP or the ‘mashotgun’ on intys and Coils on frigates. Though i would love to see stab rails back on my frigates, but don’t want to lose them from fighters either.
Sometimes i switch weapons for diversity only, screw the weapon kill contracts.
As for weapons diversity, Heavy Plasma and Railgun had their place in the game. They were decent and different enough for variety.
Multiple types of missiles was a good way to go as well, it added a slight bit of different management and tactics, now you just spew them out like a happy trigger freak with no skill.
As for other types, we can look all the way to lots of other games, be those shooters, space sims, RTS etc etc. Theres plenty to get inspiration from.
Tho in the right hands it is one of the deadliest things (heat management).
I mainly use Gauss or Singularity on fighters, RFP or the ‘mashotgun’ on intys and Coils on frigates. Though i would love to see stab rails back on my frigates, but don’t want to lose them from fighters either.
Sometimes i switch weapons for diversity only, screw the weapon kill contracts.
As for weapons diversity, Heavy Plasma and Railgun had their place in the game. They were decent and different enough for variety.
Multiple types of missiles was a good way to go as well, it added a slight bit of different management and tactics, now you just spew them out like a happy trigger freak with no skill.
As for other types, we can look all the way to lots of other games, be those shooters, space sims, RTS etc etc. Theres plenty to get inspiration from.
Only bots turn it into the most deadly weapon with their 100% accuracy against interceptors etc.
Okay guys, here me out here… what if we push for an even more radical shakeup of the weapons? I mean not just dividing them by ship type (Inty, Fighter, Recon) but by ship type as well?
Examples:
Recons have the option of taking longer-ranged, but low DPS guns or point-blank high DPS guns.
ECM, being all about “electronic” warfare, primarily use EM weapons, with few / no thermal or kinetic options.
Gunships can be built as either “Carronades” (short ranged, hugely powerful guns) or as Frigate Hunters (longer ranged, powerful guns, but slow RoF and/or projectile speed that makes them hard to use vs more agile ships).
Commands, being primarily about support than direct combat, have weaker weapons than other Fighters.
“Long Range” Frigates can be refitted into “Destroyers” with short-range, powerful guns. This gives them the highest DPS out of any ship using main weapons, but their low survivability makes engaging dangerous.
Guards, intended to be in the thick of the fight, only have short- and mid-range guns. Alternatively, Guards could have a weapon that changes damage type to match its Phase Shield! However, it takes a large damage penalty for a few seconds after you switch damage types (to prevent abuse).
That’s going too far, IMHO. Class divisions are excusable if there is enough choice. I’m on the side of the classes not having enough choice. Dividing them by type would be a nightmare.