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[Kesh]

Sooo... Is there a time that we can expect the next release??? Really really excited for this!

[FooF]

Good post!

I'll echo some of the earlier comments that the new weapon effects give off a totally different vibe than current. Some of the mod weapons tend to be over-the-top in order to distinguish themselves but these effects are interesting without being obtrusive.

I've said it before but these GIFs showcase a more "arcane" side of SS that what we're used to. It's always felt like hard sci-fi but these new weapons appear almost magical. Obligatory "sufficiently advanced technology" quote here, but the visuals would fit just as well in a Diablo game. Learning what the heck is sporting these weapons, or why they're in the Sector at all should be fun.

Regarding balancing these kind of weapons:

If these kind of weapons are indeed "super" weapons in the same vein as the Knights Templar, their OP and flux cost were prohibitively expensive on anything on non-Templar ships. I don't know if these new weapons are "native" to a new kind of enemy type but if they are, an inherent hull mod on those ships that give some sort of OP/Flux reduction could be in order. That way you balance around player-use but the endgame ships in question are just flat-out better with them. That probably ups the difficulty some but we're talking endgame, right?

If you can answer, it would appear to me that most of these weapons do more than just damage. Many of them have a side-effect (or perhaps even the primary effect is some kind of disruption). Are you hoping that traditional strategies won't work against these kind of weapons (forcing the player to learn/adapt) or do you think it would be "unfun" for a player to get to the endgame and then everything they've learned/built up until that point sort of gets nullified? (Of course, the player would probably get introduced to the new weapons in controlled doses throughout the game so it doesn't come completely out of left field, but you get my point...)

[Alex]

I've said it before but these GIFs showcase a more "arcane" side of SS that what we're used to. It's always felt like hard sci-fi but these new weapons appear almost magical. Obligatory "sufficiently advanced technology" quote here, but the visuals would fit just as well in a Diablo game. Learning what the heck is sporting these weapons, or why they're in the Sector at all should be fun.

<insert dire hints here>

I'll just say, yeah, this is very much intended, and (as I've probably said already) I'm glad these come across like that.

If these kind of weapons are indeed "super" weapons in the same vein as the Knights Templar, their OP and flux cost were prohibitively expensive on anything on non-Templar ships. I don't know if these new weapons are "native" to a new kind of enemy type but if they are, an inherent hull mod on those ships that give some sort of OP/Flux reduction could be in order. That way you balance around player-use but the endgame ships in question are just flat-out better with them. That probably ups the difficulty some but we're talking endgame, right?

Speaking purely hypothetically, ahem: equivalently, said hull could just have more OP and better baseline flux stats. Alternatively, a hullmod like that could instead boost damage - making the weapons only overpowered while on that kind of hull. But, again, I'm not sure that's actually necessary. For many of these, the damage throughput increases are fairly modest, and the thing that make them special are other properties, even if they're not always particularly major ones. It could be something as simple as effectively filling a role that other existing weapons don't.

If you can answer, it would appear to me that most of these weapons do more than just damage. Many of them have a side-effect (or perhaps even the primary effect is some kind of disruption). Are you hoping that traditional strategies won't work against these kind of weapons (forcing the player to learn/adapt) or do you think it would be "unfun" for a player to get to the endgame and then everything they've learned/built up until that point sort of gets nullified? (Of course, the player would probably get introduced to the new weapons in controlled doses throughout the game so it doesn't come completely out of left field, but you get my point...)

They've all got something special, but I wouldn't say it's disruption focused, and traditional strategies still work. A lot of this is about pushing specialization farther, or making something effective at a given job in a way that regular weapons aren't - but it's still the same tactical role. Or about breaking some kind of "rule" that regular weapon designs adhere to. Or pushing some stats to extremes, but not in a "just always more damage" way - but rather in a way that gives some tactical play.

For all that, I'm fairly certain the player's first encounter with these weapons will not go well, and there are surprises beyond that as well

[SonnaBanana]

Carriers will no longer be favored, normal ships now have [REDACTED] specials to use.
Well, ships with large energy mounts.

[Madao]

Very cool post! I'm loving those visual effects, I hope they mesh well with the existing effects and weapons. So you like playing some Brigador then? I'm playing it heaps at the moment, really good stuff..

[Amoebka]

Mixed feelings, to be honest. Some of these look really over the top and super distracting. I mean, those trails on torpedos are wider than most cruisers.

Really love the ice-themed ones. That smaller one with the Hound, especially. Just the right amount of cosmetic effects for me. And hey, it looks like it might be a medium energy weapon that doesn't feel miserable to use, so that's new! 

And those purple wisp things, too. Look eery.

[arwan]

those weapon effects are like porn. and i cant wait to see them in game.

a lot of them make me think of a dense gravity field implosion. so you end up with that dark center that fades away as the super dense gravity well dissipates. and some of the others, the red torpedoes in particular, made me feel like the weapon was coming at the ship from "subspace" with the cloud effect being a tear in the fabric between normal space and subspace. which in my mind anyway, made me feel like that projectile would be quite sturdy vs most point defense weapons.

most if not all of these weapons also made me feel like the enemy ships fielding them come from a separate pocket of space. AKA they live in subspace and are invading normal space.

all in all 11/10 excited for the future.

[Megas]

If these kind of weapons are indeed "super" weapons in the same vein as the Knights Templar, their OP and flux cost were prohibitively expensive on anything on non-Templar ships. I don't know if these new weapons are "native" to a new kind of enemy type but if they are, an inherent hull mod on those ships that give some sort of OP/Flux reduction could be in order. That way you balance around player-use but the endgame ships in question are just flat-out better with them. That probably ups the difficulty some but we're talking endgame, right?

Even with Templar weapons' raised costs for non-Templar hulls, they were overpowered enough that they were so very much worth it.  Paragon with Templar weapons became so overpowered it might as well be an honorary Templar ship itself.  Then there were the Clarent missiles and Smiter wings that drastically uplifted junk ships (at the time) into killer platforms.  Despite repeated nerfs, Sentinnea was the miracle medium energy weapon (with 800 range and homing) that put all other standard medium energy weapons to shame, unless the ship could not afford windup of any kind.

I would not be surprised if the new weapons became the Remnants' standard weapons and replaced the human weapons they use today.  That is, Remnants become a full blown mod faction like Templars in all but name.

It only raises difficulty when you first encounter them.  After you crush some of them and loot their toys, everything becomes easier.  This can be seen now with Sparks for carriers.  It is why I consider Templars a god mod, after player loots enough weapons.

[Grievous69]

It only raises difficulty when you first encounter them.  After you crush some of them and loot their toys, everything becomes easier.

Then just make them mad at you for using they toys, easy.

[Schwartz]

Or give these new arcane weapons a breakdown mechanic. After every combat there's a X percent dice roll chance that one of those weapons will simply disintegrate due to not fully understood technology.

Yes, after having played with Knights Templar for many versions, I can agree that pushing the power envelope only ever goes one way. If a weapon is a usable upgrade, even with high flux and OP requirements, that just means that every single Paragon from now on will boast an array of these weapons and other slots will be left empty. Don't forget that leaving alien weaponry strictly to NPCs is always an option as well.

At any rate, I love those visuals. They're a bit over the top but if they suit the theme...

[Cyan Leader]

There is no need to worry about weapons being overpowered if we are introduced to more powerful enemies later on. Let's not forget that this is a single player game, so the player becoming overpowered against lowered leveled enemies, ie. low tech/mid tech, isn't a bad thing. I really hope that Starsector introduces late game crisis events that can shake up the entire playing field. Like Terraria's "hard mode".

[Schwartz]

But if that does happen and only 'Faction X' will still be a threat in late game, then that limits the playing field and variety of late game challenges considerably. Why do we have pirate death fleets and faction death fleets right now? They can't be just a placeholder. For long-term play (assuming there is going to be long-term play), challenges and threats should be varied. What you're suggesting is an end boss, boom, you win the game. That's completely contrary to the spirit of SS up to this point, which is to want to keep playing and shape the sector.

In the current versions, the sector powers-that-be are surprisingly weak against pirate swarms, and already we're seeing that it hurts variety. I keep picking up my latest game and putting it back down because I realize if I want to keep NPC planets from de-civilizing, I have to play catch with raid after raid of the same types of enemies. There needs to be more equilibrium, even with overpowered alien wizards in the mix.

[Megas]

@ Grievous69:  They were already hostile to begin with.  For example, Remnants are hostile by default.  You fight them, get some Sparks, and now your carriers are stronger.

The problem with having overpowered toys from the boss faction is that only said boss faction may remain the only possible threat in terms of combat.  Everything else dies faster.  (Of course, that may be irrelevant on the campaign.  Pirates are the weakest faction in combat, but the most powerful juggernaut in the campaign layer.)

Raising player to the boss faction level removes combat-viable opponents.

keep picking up my latest game and putting it back down because I realize if I want to keep NPC planets from de-civilizing, I have to play catch with raid after raid of the same types of enemies.

Part of the babysitting problem, if I want to save ungrateful and treacherous core worlds.

[Grievous69]

Just how strong do you think these weapons will be? Everyone's acting like it will completely nullify any challenge in game and like you're gonna have those weapons on every ship you own. I get that the effects really sell the ''overpowered technology'' look but we don't know the actual numbers. Besides, even Alex said they won't be that absurdly strong. Otherwise it wouldn't be available to the player ever. I can already tell the real threat will be the ships having those weapons, not so much the weapons themselves. Also most of these weapons don't seem great vs fighters, so maybe a different strat from Paragon spam could prove to be more efficient.

[Megas]

If the enemy ships will be stronger because of those weapons, then it stands to reason that the weapons will be overpowered somehow.  Sure, they could turn out to be intimidating but sub-optimal stuff worse than the best human wepaons.  In terms of ships, maybe something like Legion14, which I do not care to use unless I am dying for a hull that can use Hammer Barrage effectively.

Otherwise it wouldn't be available to the player ever. I can already tell the real threat will be the ships having those weapons

Sounds like either Radiant, which some player could get as a wingman, or Guardian, which is a boss that is one-and-done before player resumes the babysitting routine and fight more ordinary and recurring enemies.  Probably not exactly those ships, but new knockoffs.