(A) way to control turrets without brainkilling

[jijiji]

The problem is that turrets can't to attack multiple targets you want. Look at the picture:

If you choose target on the right, left turrets can't attack! If you choose target on the left, right turrets can't fire! You know, it's impossible to play with more than 1 group of turrets!

I think it should to be fixed!

Would be great to see any ability to make turrets attack targets you want.

I can suggest different ways how to do it:

Spoiler: Suggestions

Here is 2 groups of suggestions: about groupping and about targeting.
Suggestions about grouping turrets:

The first suggestion: turret control computer.

Look at this thread (currently dead).

Short description: add a turret computer block to controll ONE group of turrets.
Advantages:

1. Ability to make groups of turrets

Disadvantages:

1. Some players don't want new block

The second suggestion: turret groups.

Description: add a "turret configuration" window (may be in "ship-structure-rail or ship-structure-turrets"). You will be able to make turret groups (for example, left and right turrets). It may be something like creating a fleet.
Advantages:

1. Ability to make groups of turrets

Disadvantages:

1. Amount of turret groups is not limited
2. Some players want new block

Suggestions about choosing target:

The first suggestion: simple.

Description: If player activate turrets group while have a target, turrets will accept this target. If player activate group without target, turrets will attack any enemy. If player deactivate group, turrets will be disabled.
Advantages:

1. Ability to control turrets
2. Easier suggestion to implement

Disadvantages:

1. Group can have only one target

The second suggestion: basic multitargeting.

Description: The same as the first suggestion, but player can choose multiple targets using special hotkey.
Advantages:

1. Ability to control turrets
2. Group can have multiple targets

Disadvantages:

1. Harder to implement cause need to add ability to choose different targets
2. Hard to control groups while you have a lot of enemies around

The third suggestion: advanced multitargeting.

Description: Just the same as the second suggestion. But:

• Player won't be able to have different targets.
• Player will be able to choose "sorted targets" (main targets) for controlled ship. They're displayed on top and can be choosed by mouse.
  
• Player will be able to add/remove sorted targets to/from turret groups.

For example, you have about 15 enemy ships around you. You have 2 turret groups: anti-capital and anti-frigate. Your actions:

1. Choose 1-2 capital ships, 3-5 frigates as "sorted targets".
2. Choose capital ship and activate anti-capital turrets.
3. Choose 3 frigates and activate anti-frigate turrets.
4. If you need to change target, do it.
5. If you don't need to attack special target, clear selection and activate turrets.

Advantages:

1. Ability to control turrets
2. Group can have multiple targets
3. Easy to control while you're visualizing your targets

Disadvantages:

1. Hardest to implement. A lot of work

May be edited

You can say what do you think about this. Also you can suggest! But if you're agree with it, don't keep silence and help to promote it!

 

[Jeryia]

I agree that this is an issue that should be looked at at some point,
Though I've always thought it would be good for turrets to have a priority list instead. So right now turrets have the following target options: players, missiles, selected, and any.
What I would suggest with those is the ability for the turrets to have those in a priority list. So I would set a turret to selected, any. This would make a turret first target anything I am targeting(if it can shoot at it), then go after anything else it can shoot at. This would allow for fun combinations like, having your cannon turrets shoot down missiles until it's within range of the attackers, or point defense turrets that will shoot at players, when there are no missiles to target.

My suggestion would be simpler, though yours would offer more direct control over how your turrets function.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[jijiji]

I agree that this is an issue that should be looked at at some point,
Though I've always thought it would be good for turrets to have a priority list instead. So right now turrets have the following target options: players, missiles, selected, and any.
What I would suggest with those is the ability for the turrets to have those in a priority list. So I would set a turret to selected, any. This would make a turret first target anything I am targeting(if it can shoot at it), then go after anything else it can shoot at. This would allow for fun combinations like, having your cannon turrets shoot down missiles until it's within range of the attackers, or point defense turrets that will shoot at players, when there are no missiles to target.

My suggestion would be simpler, though yours would offer more direct control over how your turrets function.

Just my 2 cents.

Here is already different suggestions about priority list. Would be great soo see both suggestions implemented. If you need, I can send you a link

 

[Jeryia]

I guess my point was more,
Wouldn't that fix what you want solved in a simpler fashion?

 

[Xskyth]

the only thing i would add:
when one group finishes/ kills their target, the revert to an 'attack any' state, instead of waiting for the next player inputted target

 

[Edymnion]

Given that the devs said the next patch is going to be focused on bugs and playability, and that they seemed to be quite actively recently in threads about AI, its a fairly safe bet that they are currently working on some kind of AI revamp.

 

[jijiji]

I guess my point was more,
Wouldn't that fix what you want solved in a simpler fashion?

It's a bit different things. We are talking about manual turret control here. AI suggestions are a little bit different things. If you want to help (us) to improve AI, visit it's threads. Of cource priority list is needed for AI, but let's talk about this in another threads.

the only thing i would add:
when one group finishes/ kills their target, the revert to an 'attack any' state, instead of waiting for the next player inputted target

Yeah! Agree. Good idea, but Jeryia and some people have already suggested just the same. I think it must be configurable, because some players may want it to be disabled.

Given that the devs said the next patch is going to be focused on bugs and playability, and that they seemed to be quite actively recently in threads about AI, its a fairly safe bet that they are currently working on some kind of AI revamp.

I am waiting for new update. What do you think about manual turret control?

 

[Edymnion]

I am waiting for new update. What do you think about manual turret control?

I think I have dozens of turrets on my larger ships, and I'm usually going up against a dozen or more targets at the same time. Manual control over all turrets would be very cumbersome and distracting.

I would much rather have some kind of way of controlling a priority list for the turrets and letting the AI control them.

 

[jijiji]

I think I have dozens of turrets on my larger ships, and I'm usually going up against a dozen or more targets at the same time. Manual control over all turrets would be very cumbersome and distracting.

I would much rather have some kind of way of controlling a priority list for the turrets and letting the AI control them.

I don't suggest to make it necessarily. Of course player will choose what he want. It will be just an additional feature. Because sometimes you need to choose target independently of priority list. It's most actual in mass pvp.

Priority lists are needed. But manual turret control would be great in addition to it. Both suggestions are awesome as I think.

 

[Theats]

Couldn't you theoretically roll your ship 90 degrees?

To a degree, I feel like spaceflight should account for 'knowing your ship', and designing individual turrets to target missiles, vs selected targets, etc.. Ship design and ship piloting go hand in hand. Roll the ship 90 degrees and go blazing down the middle!

We shouldn't expect ships to necessarily play out and always look like naval battles on the same plane of space.

 

[jijiji]

Couldn't you theoretically roll your ship 90 degrees?

To a degree, I feel like spaceflight should account for 'knowing your ship', and designing individual turrets to target missiles, vs selected targets, etc.. Ship design and ship piloting go hand in hand. Roll the ship 90 degrees and go blazing down the middle!

We shouldn't expect ships to necessarily play out and always look like naval battles on the same plane of space.

Turning of ship will not help here. My ship has 2 turret lines on left and right sides. At one time can shoot only 3/4 of them. My suggestion will allow 1/4 to focus on another target

 

[Theats]

I most certainly agree that different turret banks should be able to acquire seperate targets, perhaps function as 'fleets' but docked to a ship? This functionality would also work with 'squadrons'. Maybe it is planned for capital ships?

Given the functionality currently allowed, I think it may be better to have main turrets on the top and bottom of a ship so as to be able to acquire and shoot at the same target.

I see what you're saying. I am only saying it'd be sweet to have some Mellennial Falcon type flying going on.

 

[jijiji]

I most certainly agree that different turret banks should be able to acquire seperate targets, perhaps function as 'fleets' but docked to a ship? This functionality would also work with 'squadrons'. Maybe it is planned for capital ships?

Given the functionality currently allowed, I think it may be better to have main turrets on the top and bottom of a ship so as to be able to acquire and shoot at the same target.

I see what you're saying. I am only saying it'd be sweet to have some Mellennial Falcon type flying going on.

Placing turrets in a way to hit one target is what I am doing now. But I really prefer linear ships against front-armed ships. Linear ships have some advantages and disadvantages. I just want to make them to be useful. So if this suggestion will be implemented, you will forget some troubles about turret control.

 

[Theats]

I need a better tutorial on turret design, honestly.

But just because turrets are on the top and bottom doesn't mean they have to be at the front of the ship. Or the back.

 

[jijiji]

I need a better tutorial on turret design, honestly.

But just because turrets are on the top and bottom doesn't mean they have to be at the front of the ship. Or the back.

Turrets on top and bottom just the same as on left and right sides. I just mean making them able to fire forward