Alex, I know you're tight lipped on spoilers, but can you describe at least one of the new colony boosting items?
Hmm. Well, one of them has "cryoarithmetic" in the name
.... how about making starless systems a bit dim/dark? Maybe with [REDACTED] creeping around?
They are darker already! Just not to the point where stuff would be super hard to see.
The weapon type stuff sounds like fun. I have a hard time thinking up weapons I'd actually want to straddle slot types (the closest I can think of is some kind of energy-missile or rocket-gun weapon), but knowing it's something I can do now fills me with glee.
I assume this is a decision that's linked to all the REDACTED special weapons you've been showing off?
... maybe.
So after seeing the IR Pulse Laser flux cost reduction (and the general buff to energy weapons) i was thinking that maybe we hit the point were we can actually make Pulse Laser (Medium Size) a 1.0 flux/damage weapon.
As long Kinetic Damage is as good as it is right now it shouldn't affect the balance as much. Maybe you would switch out a HE Weapon for Pulse Laser(if you only face low armor targes).
Or does this cause energy weapons to become too efficient as a general purpose weapon? (as they get a -10% flux cost reduction [elite] AND a damage buff for short ranges / high flux levels skill)
It might, but also I think the Pulse Laser is pretty good as-is - it's solid DPS and loadouts using it have a much easier time being flux-neutral on high-tech ships, which have generally better flux stats than ships using ballistics. Some of the help it's getting, actually, is from the new Breach missile existing.
The energy weapons skill might turn out to be too good overall, but we'll see
Oh god yes please, let Wolf actually be capable of firing something and not overfluxing in 2 seconds.
This is more of a Wolf thing - it has pretty poor dissipation, and trying to balance a medium energy weapon around this would be a mistake. That said, with the new autofire management AI changes, it can easily handle a Pulse Laser without running into any flux problems due to using it.
Ah, bugger. I guess my first 0.95a campaign whill have me feel extra painful for all those empty small mounts where a nice 1OP PD weapon could fit
Fair enough - but I'll just say that I don't see "having a 1 OP weapon that defaults into every empty small slot" as a good thing design-wise.