Shield Mechanics

[12yanogden]

Background:
I am aiming to determine how many shield-rechargers and shield capacitors it takes to repel an Isanth class pirate fighter. I'm looking for an exact amount so I can minimize shield requirements on my smaller ships and calculate the same requirements for my larger ships. This is very exciting work! Here's my thinking so far:

• An Isanth class pirate fighter uses 136 damage beam modules to attack, without any slaves or effects. Since each module produces 75 d/sec, the Isanth class pirate fighter is capable of dealing 10200 d/sec to their target.
• A shield capacitor block can hold 250 s at one time. Therefore, a minimum of 41 shield capacitors (10200/250 and rounded up) would be required to withstand an attack from an Isanth class pirate fighter. This is assuming that he capacitors would be practically drained and filled every second.
• A shield-recharger block produces 25 s/sec. This means that a minimum of 417 shield-recharger blocks would be required ((10200 from damage + 205 from upkeep)/25 and rounded up).
• A target with less than 417 shield-recharger blocks would have a limited life. The example I'll use is a target with 200 shield-recharger blocks, less than half of the requirement. It's shields should last about 1.9 seconds before they are completely drained.

My Questions:
Upon testing the latter, a target with 200 shield-recharger blocks (equipped with the 41 shield-capacitor blocks, a sizable reactor, and everything else) was able to withstand the constant blasts from the 136 damage beam modules. In my latest test, shield charge varied between 99%-100% and lasted for 168 seconds. That is to say, the shields will drop to 0% when the game saves. I've reproduced the same results dozens of times using less shield-rechargers, and many more shield-rechargers for that matter.

Why do the shields last so much longer than expected? What numbers am I missing? How should I be thinking about this differently?

Why do the shields suddenly fail when the game saves? Is there a way to fix this issue?

 

[Jeryia]

I wonder if it's due to damage types. There is Heat, Kinetic, and Em. Each damage type has a different effect on shields/hull. Based on a few different metrics including chambers.

Beam for example is: 16.6% kinetic, 50% heat, and 33.3% EM (I believe, the numbers it shows is .5 Kinetic, 1.5 heat, and 1EM, which I assumed must break down into percentages, this may not be accurate)

According to the config shields take 1.2 damage from EM, 0 from heat and 0 from kinetic. I'm not sure if this means that shields take no damage from kinetic, and heat, or if this means that shields only take extra damage from EM. Your testing would suggest that it's the former. Perhaps try again and see if your numbers match up with (weapon damage) /3 * 1.2?

I haven't done any weapon testing since the new weapon update, so I'm mostly trying to point you in the right direction, as I don't know for sure myself.

 

[12yanogden]

Perhaps try again and see if your numbers match up with (weapon damage) /3 * 1.2?

Thanks! That certainly helps address my first question. Looks like those numbers do match up, which is a start. The number of shield-rechargers that would be required is a little lower than what is reality. Of course, the formula you suggested implies that kinetic and heat deal no damage to the shields at all. Where did you find that EM's damage should be multiplied by 1.2? Perhaps there's more info there about how much damage heat and kinetic deal to shields. Anyone have thoughts on the second question? Because even if I answer the first, my shields will mean nothing once the game saves.

 

[Malum Phasma]

Understand that I do not know the answer, I am just throwing out pure theory based on my own observations of the game. (i.e. guessing)

I think it has to do with how the game is set up to save in chunks and that there really can be no "main shield" type block with this info. Shield capacity and recharge rates appear calculated on the fly, since the total number of shield blocks can span across chunks, the game doesn't and can't know shield stats until the entire entity is spawned in.

Even if total shield recharge and capacitance were controlled or stored by a central block, 1 you can never be sure it is the first part of the entity loaded and 2 would add more calculations with lag potential.

I ASS=U=ME that the way it is now allows for easier (calculation wise) adding and subtracting (and thus changing) of shield blocks not only for building, but actually for battle/damage purposes to allow for the least amount of calculations on an entity.

Of course I could be wrong.