Weapon direction should depend of module direction instead of computer direction

[matheod]

Hello,

Currently, if we shoot with a weapon (for exemple with an activator block), it shoot in the same direction than the computer. It would be better to use the module direction, allowing to shoot at multiple direction (with multiple module) with the same computer.

Currently if we want to do that we have to use multiple computers and use logic system which take some place.

Thanks !
[DOUBLEPOST=1431807489,1431806967][/DOUBLEPOST]This bring up a question :

If adjacent module have multiple direction, use the direction of the selected module.

OR

If adjacent modules are facing in different directions then they should count as different modules.

?

 

[Planr]

Using computer direction makes it much easier to change the direction the weapon fires in. So I root for that.

 

[aceface]

I think it should be with the modules. its more realistic, and its is a lot more obvious if you are placing the wrong way round vs placing stuff the wrong way round with computer and not noticing it and have to relink everything.

 

[Planr]

I think it should be with the modules. its more realistic, and its is a lot more obvious if you are placing the wrong way round vs placing stuff the wrong way round with computer and not noticing it and have to relink everything.

Realism is not always good, especially so in this circumstance. What you're saying you want is that, if people want to change the direction a large weapon setup fires in, they have to go and change the direction of all the blocks. That's a huge pain the butt, especially the bigger the weapon array gets. How about arrays that are waffle-style or have hidden internal arrays that cannot be seen? What you're asking for is people to spend a much larger amount of time working on what can easily be a very simple and short task. For people who /really/ love to spend all their time building, that's fine, but most people just want to be able to play the game, explore, and fight.

It's a negative impact on gameplay experience if you make it harder to do an easy task for no justifiable reason, and in this case "realism" is not a justified reason (may I mind you StarMade is quite far from a realistic space experience).

 

[FullMetalFox]

This means that if people want to change the direction a large weapon setup fires in, they have to go and change the direction of all the blocks. That's a huge pain the butt the bigger the weapon array gets.

Just make the "Output Modules" count, not the other block in the group

 

[Planr]

Just make the "Output Modules" count, not the other block in the group

You could just as easily change the direction the weapon computer faces, so no change is really necessary. The only issue with flipping the weapon's firing direction via the computer block is an aesthetic one, but since most people already hide their weapon blocks behind hull blocks, it's no big deal.

 

[FullMetalFox]

I personally would like to have the orientation of each weapon groups output module dictate the direction that group fires at, simply for Missile Batteries firing left and right at the same time.

 

[Planr]

I personally would like to have the orientation of each weapon groups output module dictate the direction that group fires at, simply for Missile Batteries firing left and right at the same time.

Hm, I do suppose that is one advantage of having it that way; you could have one weapon setup fire in multiple different directions.

 

[aceface]

yeah like metal fox said, just make it so that the block that has got the output depends on direction, that'll make it less tedious for you.

 

[Viridis00]

I'd much rather have it be dependent on the output module's face and only the output module's face. That way it's very easy to change, you can have your other modules in other directions for aesthetic purposes, and the computer can be place in whatever direction. Mufti-directional firing sounds fairly useless in terms of practicality, but sure why not if can be done? Maybe someone out there wants to make their ships firing in every direction like those huge bosses in shoot-em ups do.

 

[zigyzigy]

This topic has been discussed a bunch of times ...

It is really not that hard to have a ship firing in multiple directions simultaneously with the game as it is, just use logic.

A second way to do this is to set up turrets that have the 'fire at my target' function selected and then only allow the turret to point in the direction you want it to fire.

If you are worried about aesthetics then simply use 1 extra block and don't put the weapon computer on your bridge.

The issue with having the weapon fire based on the direction of the module is that it makes the installation of weapons too tedious on some larger ship designs.

With all of this said I still would like the flexibility of choice, The easiest way to do this I think is to enable players to toggle between having the computer set the direction of fire vs the modules.

 

[ResonKinetic]

just have both so everyone gets what they waaant

 

[matheod]

Of course, the rease that I want weapons to fire with the same direction as the module is to allow to shoot at multiple direction at the same time (and also because it's realistic).

It's seems that people who want that the direction is selected by the computer module want that to allow to quickly change direction. So maybe there should be a button to make all module face the same direction than the computer.

 

[Cryptex]

Most people will mass link weapons to a weapons computer with shift-v, so it's far simpler to change the orientation of the single weapons computer and then relink that way, rather than change the orientation of all of the modules. This being the case, changing it so that the primary module determines the direction of firing wouldn't practically be any different than how the system is already designed. It would actually be counter-productive as it is another block you have to pay attention to in your building process, thus increasing the amount of work.

 

[Keptick]

Having weapons fire in the direction of the output block's orientation, no matter the orientation of the rest of the array, would probably be the best way to go from a gameplay perspective. You don't need to change every block in the array for a direction change and single weapons that fire in more than one direction are possible.

 

[Edymnion]

Mufti-directional firing sounds fairly useless in terms of practicality

Actually there is a very good reason to do this, mechanically. If you have multiple missile arrays, then your missiles will all hit at the same time as well. This causes overlap of their blast radius and pretty much wastes subsequent shots if the first one blows out a big enough hole.

If you have arrays facing in different directions, then the travel times for those missiles will be different, and hence the impacts will be staggered as well. Which makes it much easier to drill with.

 

[Lecic]

Besides making lock on missiles even more powerful, I don't really see a reason for this. No support. I'd prefer to keep it with the computer, please.