Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Alex]

Blog post here.

[Inventor Raccoon]

A very clever way to have mines without just littering them around the battlefield, if I do say so myself.

[Cycerin]

Very exciting stuff as always. I can imagine how this cranks up the ohsh*tfactor of the biggest station battles by an order of magnitude, not to mention how cool the new Doom is.

Now that the Doom's old shipsystem is available, you have the potential to stick it on an elusive frigate and create The Most Hated Ship...

[Tufted Titmouse]

About time Mines became a thing, Was wondering when you were gonna implement them in combat

[Alex]

A very clever way to have mines without just littering them around the battlefield, if I do say so myself.

Now that the Doom's old shipsystem is available, you have the potential to stick it on an elusive frigate and create The Most Hated Ship...

Hah, yeah. I almost stuck it on the Afflictor but that's common enough that it would be super annoying. Plus it's just a phase-feeling system, with the "you couldn't do anything about it, sorry" factor. Might be ok on some very rare frigate, though.

(This reminds me: while I was at it, swapped the Afflictor and the Harbinger's ship systems.)

About time Mines became a thing, Was wondering when you were gonna implement them in combat

Yeah, just needed the right opportunity.

[intrinsic_parity]

I'm actually going to miss the doom ship system (although I'm very excited to mess around with the new system). I found that it was very useful for catching elusive frigates and destroyers which is something that other cruisers struggle with. I would usually put kinetics in the universal slots and 2x heavy blasters with reapers in the missile slots. It was very dependent on other ships to distract while it put out damage, but boy could it put out a lot of damage. In the end I found that the aurora could do most of the same things for less supply cost but I still enjoyed the ship. I'd like to see that system on a rare high firepower destroyer actually, it's very good at dealing with fast frigates and would be a good alternative to fighters in that role. We also don't have very many high tech destroyers.

[Alex]

Ah, interesting. With mine strike, it can do some zoning vs lighter ships, but of course it's not the same. Aside from that, though, I think the loadout you mention would still perform extremely well - while the mines *can* replace strike weapons (doing 2000 HE damage each, with 5 mines being deployable in about ~2.5 seconds - they don't necessarily make strike weapons on it obsolete.

I'd like to see that system on a rare high firepower destroyer actually, it's very good at dealing with fast frigates and would be a good alternative to fighters in that role. We also don't have very many high tech destroyers.

Oh, hmm, that's a good idea. It being a destroyer would help take care of it being too common.

Dammit Alex, you spoil us. And you're a tease.

Sorry not sorry

Super excited to play with this system's code, and with mines - also, dedicated minesweeping vessels and systems. I see we've potentially got the code to make missiles spin; gonna be fun to use that for grenade launchers and smoke dischargers.

Not sure what you mean by minesweeping - probably not in the traditional sense, right? Since mines aren't limited and you can't ever permanently secure an area.

As far as missiles spinning: you can already do that! There's nothing new there code-wise; all the mine AI does is 1) give a command to TURN_RIGHT and 2) use a combination of strafe left/right/accel/decel to head towards its target, depending on what its facing is. Alternatively, it could control the velocity and angular velocity directly.

[Cycerin]

I'd like to see that system on a rare high firepower destroyer actually, it's very good at dealing with fast frigates and would be a good alternative to fighters in that role. We also don't have very many high tech destroyers.

Highly supportive of the addition of another high-tech destroyer, the Medusa is... well, it's the Medusa.

Could even make one that skirts the mid-high tech aesthetic with other weirdos such as the Odyssey.

[Thaago]

Mines! Cool! Does the Star Fortress have a similar AI as the Doom and teleport mines in front of incoming fighters, or is it more random?

(This reminds me: while I was at it, swapped the Afflictor and the Harbinger's ship systems.)

AHAHAHAHA!!!

* cough *

On the one hand this is a good call as the less mobile ship has the more 'solo' ability. On the other, the Harbinger is going to be an even more powerful assassination engine. I approve!

[Alex]

I'm thinking about good minesweeping gear right now, so nothing super finished; just wondering if I can think of specialist built-ins or ship systems that would be handy for countermining, weak area damage, etc. Still very unformed thoughts.

Ah, gotcha. EMP does quite well, so something along those lines would probably be viable. Mine hitpoints are pretty high - 500 I think? - so low damage wouldn't necessarily do it. They're relatively large and slow/immobile, so they need decent HP to ever score hits.

Mines! Cool! Does the Star Fortress have a similar AI as the Doom and teleport mines in front of incoming fighters, or is it more random?

It's random and it also doesn't have the "teleporting" animation. Conceptually, it's a pre-laid minefield, where the Doom is straight up teleporting these out of its cargo hold.

On the one hand this is a good call as the less mobile ship has the more 'solo' ability. On the other, the Harbinger is going to be an even more powerful assassination engine. I approve!

It's more about nerfing the Afflictor. I feel like this might also be a nerf to the Harbinger - at least to its energy-based loadouts - but would have to see how it plays out.

[Arkiuz]

I can't wait to fire a missile and have it spread mines along its flight path.

Welcome to Hell, ya damn pirates.

[Megas]

It's more about nerfing the Afflictor. I feel like this might also be a nerf to the Harbinger - at least to its energy-based loadouts - but would have to see how it

I do not like the Amplify Damage knockoff special on Harbinger.  My favorite burst energy loadouts on it do not mix well it.  I shoot a once or twice, then I need to vent, and that ends the amp curse.  Giving how expensive Harbinger is, I much rather use two Sunders over one Harbinger.

Quantum Disruptor would probably make Harbinger great (like Afflictor is now) and worth its cost.  I would probably make Harbinger a Reaper boat with that like current Afflictor.  All I use current Afflictor for is anti-capital when I have not yet found a capital.

Current Afflictor is a demonic spider.  I fear it more than other phase ships, and it is the only phase ship I use.  Trading Quantum Disruptor for Amplify Damage will certainly make it less dangerous... or maybe not.  Now I probably use AM blaster spam instead of Reaper spam for a burst attack.  Come to think of it, Amplify Damage will probably work better with Afflictor (with four AM blasters) than current Harbinger (two or three mining/heavy blasters or phase lance).

[Techhead]

Tangent:

Spoiler

I'd like to see that system on a rare high firepower destroyer actually, it's very good at dealing with fast frigates and would be a good alternative to fighters in that role. We also don't have very many high tech destroyers.

Highly supportive of the addition of another high-tech destroyer, the Medusa is... well, it's the Medusa.

Could even make one that skirts the mid-high tech aesthetic with other weirdos such as the Odyssey.

Interdictor Array might possibly even be an appropriate system for the Medusa, given the namesake. I always kinda thought the Medusa's system didn't quite fit its weapon layout. Phase Skimmer feels to me like it wants to be on a ship with forward-focused firepower.

[close]

Mines! Cool! Does the Star Fortress have a similar AI as the Doom and teleport mines in front of incoming fighters, or is it more random?

It's random and it also doesn't have the "teleporting" animation. Conceptually, it's a pre-laid minefield, where the Doom is straight up teleporting these out of its cargo hold.

I could see the arguments for not laying minefields in your own orbit among shipping lanes, but I guess "pre-laid" also technically covers "spit them out an hour before the enemy ships showed up".

[Megas]

I do not want Interdictor on Medusa.  Keep the skimmer on it (unless it gets a better mobility system).

[MajorTheRed]

Talk about IA behavior make me think about one of the current problem with it (IMHO): the shyness problem of IA in general, with station in particular, and and lack of with carriers. I was wondering if an overhaul of IA is in your list. As stations combat will be more present, and most importantly you will be subject to defend it this time, how is the IA doing so far? In my games, I'm often exasperated by Condor engaging enemy at point blank range, frigate unable to maintain pressure another one even if it outrange its adversary, and even cruisers which get picked at distance by battlestation because they don't want to cross the distance.