AUX System "Spliter"

[Bladeriker]

I was goofing off and came up with an Idea for a possible new secondary system. The concept is based off of multiple warhead missiles and cluster missiles.

The concept it to have a single missile split into four smaller missiles after firing. Not like the M+M we have as that simply multiplies the number of missiles fired and then targets the closet heat source. But more of a function of M+B or M+P that the missile is lock on and fires one missile which after a sec of two breaks up into 4 smaller missiles quartering the original damage. (This would be at 100% effect of course).

For cannons it could allow for faster shotgun type cannon systems as it would allow for C+C combos and give a spiting effect. which would cut damage per shot but increase the amount of Projectiles thrown out much like a flak weapon.

Not sure how to apply it to beams without it looking like B+M.

same issue with Pules.

 

[jayman38]

Personally, I think this should be the replacement behavior for Missile slave effect that has been wanted, in order to simply eliminate both friendly fire behavior and little-used shotgun behavior.

Nevertheless, to more fully flesh out this idea, here are some ideas of my own:
1. Missile splits at 100m outside the bounding box of the entity it is firing from. (Since there appears to be always 4 missiles, maybe the % effect can reduce the "arming" distance outside the bounding box at which the missile splits.)
2. If the missile is intercepted before it splits, no damage is done. (No point-blank missile fire.)
3. When split, each individual missile continues at the same speed, and "fires" out from the source missile at 90 degrees. The combined vector creates a missile that arcs out at 45 degrees from the main missile, and gradually returns to an attack vector (direct intercept).
4. On the spit, the main missile disappears, completely replaced by all the "secondary" missiles. Maybe add a little zero-damage explosion or pulse visual effect just for fun.

For cannons, I think this effect could be a grenade-launcher effect: When the initial shell hits and does its damage, it spends half the damage on the hit, and splits the other half among four "shrapnel" cannon shots that fire out from the impact point, perpendicular to the firing arc. (This limits the number of cannon shells that have to be rendered and calculated, while placing them closer to the target.)

For Beams, maybe do the same as the cannons above, but 45 degrees offset. (Diagonal vectors instead of cardinal vectors, or vice-versa.)

For Pulse, maybe make it a flak cannon, where the pulse fires a beam or cannon shot with half damage (as if it were a beam or cannon weapon), and whatever the beam hits, ignites a pulse effect at the point of impact with the other half of the damage.

 

[Lukwan]

I myself like the plasma-ball & trigger-beam mini-game in UT. Right click to launch a slow plasma-ball...wait till it is close to target, then left-click it with a beam to detonate AOE damage. It is a total skill shot with risk/reward (risk remaining stationary for better aim).

This would be a great model for a Flack weapon in SM.

 

[Lecic]

I don't really see a reason for something like this when you could just make a weapon with multiple outputs. It's not like the end result is any different.

 

[jstenholt]

I don't really see a reason for something like this when you could just make a weapon with multiple outputs. It's not like the end result is any different.

I too see zero reason for this to exist, and want to make sure OP knows this is basically possible as is, and has been for like, three years.

 

[HolyCookie]

"I prefer, the weapon you only need to fire once"

 

[Bladeriker]

I too see zero reason for this to exist, and want to make sure OP knows this is basically possible as is, and has been for like, three years.

The concept is based around a single lock on missile that is launched and after a set distance/duration splits into four smaller missiles. This is not a fire and forget system like the current M+M setup (Which was little to no utility in fleet operations), nor is it a simple missile system with no slaves attached without tracking (Dumb Fire Rocket). For the purposes of Missiles this would be a lock on missile system. There are similarities, but they are not the same.

For cannons there are several possible ways for this to function:

1. Similar to the current C+M system, but with less projectiles and more range.
2. Used as Frag projectile that hits and then fires off several smaller projectile in a 360 sphere. Ideal for punching into hull and dealing damage deeper than a standard M+B+E/M+B+P. (Good addition Jayman38)
   
3. Forward shape charge, in which upon impact the projectile splits and fires into the hole left by the primary shot. Think point blank Shotgun blast.

As for setting duration/distance of the split, using the number of blocks in the system would determine when the split would happen. Example: System has a maximum range of 6km and a 10% Slave, the split would happen at 300 meters. Thus 100% would split at 3Km.