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Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Simulator Enhancements (03/13/24)

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Author Topic: Problem with PD / Assault Flux Distinction  (Read 9209 times)

Alex

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Re: Problem with PD / Assault Flux Distinction
« Reply #30 on: September 28, 2013, 02:38:35 PM »

well... my point is that if we're not supposed to have to fiddle with our fleet to feel like we're playing optimally, why are we supposed to fiddle with our ships' turrets? (i do see the slippery slope to this, ofc, why do we do anything at all? Why can't we just let the game play itself?)

Guess what I'm saying is, controlling when to fire PD and when not to isn't fun (IMO, ofc, but that's why I modded my PD weapons to be PD only and use vs fighters), a simple AI (not sure how simple it is) can make that a lot better...

Well, the idea behind not fiddling with the fleet is precisely so that you can devote that time to controlling your flagship. Binding a group's autofire to a single key makes a qualitative difference in how easy it is to use, though, so if you haven't tried it, I'd definitely recommend it.

Come to think of it, guess the only thing I do have problem with is the burst PD's... The rest of them do their jobs pretty well.... (goes to personal mod, removes PD only and use vs fighter from everything save for charge based PD) Guess that's the way I'm gonna be playing until the fire first charge thing happens (or not happens, either way)

Yeah, I'll at least give that a shot. It's a nice compromise where it's not trying to be too smart (to the point where it might not fire at all when you want it it - which is much worse than firing when it shouldn't, since you can always control the latter.)

Another thing would be their target priority among missiles, they don't seem to see a annihilator rocket as less threatening than an atropos or a harpoon.

That'd definitely be a bit much. Next thihg you know, it's firing at a flamed-out Harpoon that won't hit you (while an Annihlator barrage is coming in), and there you go, more problems :)

Anyway, I'm definitely not saying that the way things work now is ideal. I just think that adding more smarts to autofire could very easily create more problems than it solves. It's a fine line between not doing anything that's 100% bad in every situation while still being something that the player feels like they have direct control over - which means there should pretty much never be a case where it's not firing if it could be.
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PCCL

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Re: Problem with PD / Assault Flux Distinction
« Reply #31 on: September 28, 2013, 03:06:41 PM »

right, fair enough...

but can the player be equipped to control that more effectively? Maybe a target angle that can be set somehow in relative to the ship where the PD will concentrate? So we can go ALL BATTERIES FOCUS FORWARD FIREPOWER and such according to the situation?

Ah I don't know.... Guess that's why I'm not designing games :P
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mmm.... tartiflette

Axiom

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Re: Problem with PD / Assault Flux Distinction
« Reply #32 on: September 28, 2013, 03:13:00 PM »

An interesting conversation.

Personally I can agree that a smarter AI for non-player controlled ships (friend and foe) is a good idea.

Mind you, my play style is more along the lines of "Jump in the biggest ship you can buy and fly straight at anything smaller than you, while screaming obscenities and firing ... well... everything." ;D
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Megas

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Re: Problem with PD / Assault Flux Distinction
« Reply #33 on: September 28, 2013, 03:40:55 PM »

Occasionally, I use energy PD weapons on a big ship for the assault role.  For instance, Odyssey with beams x12 against a frigate or a critically damaged destroyer or cruiser.  I do this either to avoid building up flux with heavier flux hungry weapons or to save charges for autopulse lasers.
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