Weapon discussion thread

[Commodore]

There are a few glaring issues I am coming across, like laser + anything except cannon being useless vs moving targets, as you can't stay on a block long enough to trigger damage. Laser + pulse is the worst. I've made some pretty cool shotgun systems in singleplayer, firing hundreds of colored missiles/cannons at a time. Once scaled up and put in multiplayer they would be lag monsters though.

 

[Omni]

I'm pretty sure how the HP system will work is

1. Remembering the blocks on a ship that were destroyed by weapon's fire, so they can be replaced by astrotechno beams.
2. Blocks will still be able to be destroyed, but the core will no longer be important, so a ship dies when enough HP is lost.

However, these are just my suspicions, and I have no actual proof of this. Could Calbiri or schema or Omni get in here and give us a few ideas on what Schema is thinking of making the HP system like?

Huh? Sorry, I didn't really read the thread, just kinda got dragged in here by the notification. Probably not my place to give details on what will or won't be in the system, better to ask Calbiri.

As far as weapons and HP and all that goes, I'll be mostly responsible for making weapons hit things in a REALLY satisfying manner with explosions and rich feedback. And more explosions and effects and things. And explosions. I really want to add more explosions and satisfying hit effects, because StarMade is sorely lacking in unnecessary special effects and explosions. And I am an EXPERT in unnecessary but awesome special effects. Like explosions. (Which are far less exciting in space, nearly non-existent and silent (and thus should be optional when possible for those who like more hardcore sci-fi) but... Rule of Cool. Explosions.) Can't give a timeframe on when effects will be better implemented, but after that I'll make sure they're very epic. Very epic. (Though as a reminder, they are moddable if the default effects are not to your taste.)

(Also, if you'd like to see such explosions sooner, you'd have to bug schema. However, bear in mind that this would distract from other development that is likely more important. Perhaps better to trust his development priorities.)


Err, what were we talking about again? Right, back to work. Let me know if you need any more explo- answers or information.

(Trivia: Not counting the use of the word in this final trivia comment, in this post I use the word "explosions" eight and a half times.)

 

[PseudoGold]

I preferred the old system for shield regen. Only getting a regen on a tick is very annoying. The old system was much more effective honestly.

 

[Keptick]

I tried using the Anti-matter cannon and the damage stayed the same. How would the damage on the laser look different? The only difference is the laser should shoot a longer distance. I'll test that after writing this message.

keptick If the fighters are very determined to try and take down the capital ship and if it is properly piloted the capital ship will be able to eventually maneuver into position to start taking out the fighters. It does this by moving forward at max speed and eventually turning itself (while doing its best to maintain its velocity) to face the fighters. In practice though the two ships will usually ignore each other.

[edit]: Just tested it with 5 (combined) laser master and 5 laser slave against a 5 (combined) laser master with no slave and they both said 25 dmg/tick while the laser with a slave had much greater range.

Well, that's just a shitty tactic abusing the fact that speed is capped. There's absolutely no counter to that, no matter what you're flying.

 

[Omni]

Well, that's just a shitty tactic abusing the fact that speed is capped. There's absolutely no counter to that no matter what you're flying.

Never been a fan of the speed cap or the way speed/maneuverability is handled in general. I have proposed a different way of handling it in the past.

 

[Keptick]

Omni yep.

By the way, did you mention explosions? Because I've been tinkering with explosive explosives as of late and the explosive produced explosion is somewhat a somewhat explosive punch. I really think that an explosive revamp is needed for all the graphi-splosion involved in the game. Right now it looks like low explosive party crackers...

Ps: that was 8 and a half too

 

[Alpha_Squad]

This is simply the nature of combat, using every advantage you have at your disposal. Which is why I brought up the topic that the biggest capital ship is empirically the best and what changes are needed to fix that in the first place.

 

[Omni]

Omni yep.

By the way, did you mention explosions? Because I've been tinkering with explosive explosives as of late and the explosive produced explosion is somewhat a somewhat explosive punch. I really think that an explosive revamp is needed for all the graphi-splosion involved in the game. Right now it looks like low explosive party crackers...

Ps: that was 8 and a half too

Actually, I specifically was using the word "explosions" with no variations (such as explosive, explosives or explosion) and my half of "explosions" is half of the word down to the letter, as it is a ten letter word and I only used the first five letters. (explo)

It's the subtle, quiet finesse which makes all the difference. People may not realize the precision/flare used or not bother to look closely enough, but the quiet mastery of the nuances in one's spoken and written rhetoric does wonders and can shift the world. It is something I practice with passion and both in the most serious of circumstances and the most casual or seemingly unimportant. This matter and concept resonates within my heart, and is part of who I am.


So yeah, to stop sounding like a patronizing elitist jerk, *high fives keptick* I approve. :D And yeah, the graphi-splosion connected with the actual explosions just really doesn't get across the punch or strength. And besides, even if you're not doing any extra damage or being any more effective, it's always more satisfying when it really looks like you hit 'em hard. It's a lot easier to still feel satisfied after losing a fight if you caused a hell of a lot of epic explosions in the process that left a couple noticeable dents, no matter how little actual damage the explosions did.

 

[Daffor]

Sometimes I miss that special feeling you get from setting off high explosives.

Explosions, YAY!

I meant to say something related to the topic, but meh, EXPLOSIONS!

 

[Keptick]

Omni (serious post ahead).

I think that increasing the maximum graphical projectile size would go a long way into making the game more immersive, especially in the case of bigger ships. This is especially the case with beams (I don't think that their size increases at all).

Basically, one could recreate the deathstar beam of uber doom but it would only fire a minuscule tricle. And as far as I'm concerned the beams in sm don't generate a super fine gravity field to slice things so there really is no reason for them to stay with an extremely small diameter at larger sizes.

 

[RedDragonflyxx]

As far as weapons and HP and all that goes, I'll be mostly responsible for making weapons hit things in a REALLY satisfying manner with explosions and rich feedback. And more explosions and effects and things. And explosions. I really want to add more explosions and satisfying hit effects, because StarMade is sorely lacking in unnecessary special effects and explosions. And I am an EXPERT in unnecessary but awesome special effects. Like explosions.

Hello Michael Bay

I think that I'll start using missiles exclusively. Since my plans to make railgun type weapons (super fast projectiles) won't work because of the very low speed cap.... At least missiles can have a tracking ability, despite being stuck at 1km range if I opt for that option

What combos have you found to be effective, I've been having a hard time making a good missile platform with the 4 types I added.

 

[Keptick]

Hello Michael Bay

What combos have you found to be effective, I've been having a hard time making a good missile platform with the 4 types I added.

The swarms are super fun (my favorite). Tbh I like all the missile combos.

 

[Keptick]

It's all about tactics, how you use your weapons in conjunction with other weapon combos. Some of them are really devastating.

 

[Rhyssia]

I've actually had a lot of fun with AMC : Beam : 100% Punch Through paired with AMC : AMC : 50% EMP

Who I wouldn't kill for that ability to... AMC : Beam : 25% EMP : 25% Ion

 

[Keptick]

Did anyone try out the new pulse beams? What's the range? What's the combo? Is it awesome? (same questions for the overdrive effect, any stats?)

 

[Viridis00]

Did anyone try out the new pulse beams? What's the range? What's the combo? Is it awesome? (same questions for the overdrive effect, any stats?)

I just tried out the regular beams with no combos. I absolutely love it. They work more like Star Trek phasers now. Fire at constant damage, and then go into a recharge phase. A massive improvement if you ask me.

 

[Rhyssia]

Did anyone try out the new pulse beams? What's the range? What's the combo? Is it awesome? (same questions for the overdrive effect, any stats?)

2 banks of 10 beam masters with 1:1 Beam Slave. Just blew through 75K of shields...

Energy use, was *almost* non existent. (<3K?)

 

[Keptick]

2 banks of 10 beam masters with 1:1 Beam Slave. Just blew through 75K of shields...

Energy use, was *almost* non existent. (<3K?)

Dayum, are you saying that the dps is higher than other weapons?

 

[Rhyssia]

20 Beams, with 20 Beam Slaves in 2 banks (40 block total, two 20s) can tear through 100K of shields.

Damage is burst with slow cool down. or aprox 2500 damage per block in the setup. with a ~35 second cool down so the DPS is about... 2855/s


-edit-
My bad I was using Beam, Damage Pulse. >.<

-edit 2-
so a 300 block count Beam : Pulse : 100% Overdrive
Blew through 2 mil shields like it was a joke ~125K energy use

 

[Keptick]

20 Beams, with 20 Beam Slaves in 2 banks (40 block total, two 20s) can tear through 100K of shields.

Damage is burst with slow cool down. or aprox 2500 damage per block in the setup. with a ~35 second cool down so the DPS is about... 2855/s


-edit-
My bad I was using Beam, Damage Pulse. >.<

Oh, I thought that it was much higher. This must still have taken quite some time (like one minute?) to do.