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Author Topic: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks  (Read 4998 times)

NikolaiLev

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This is yet another one of my microsuggestions, and I suppose I apologize for that.  I just tried out the Frag Bomb Bay, and I see a lot of potential for it as a PD weapon.  It's almost like a small flak weapon, I like it a lot.

But I can see why it isn't used on any vanilla ships.  The AI lets loose all the bombs at the sight of a single missile salvo.  So, if time can be spent on it, I'd like the AI to intelligently know how many bombs it needs to throw out before it considers those missiles "probably taken care of" so it doesn't waste the entire magazine.

But let's not waste a thread.  Feel free to post any autofiring quirks you've found here!  I can think of another one - tactical lasers start autofiring at where a ship's shields would be, but if they're not up they're not actually hitting anything and are wasting flux.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2012, 03:02:32 PM by NikolaiLev »
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Alex

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2012, 03:12:01 PM »

Yeah, fair point about the frag bombs. In my mind, neither frag bombs, nor the cluster bombs are really "done". They're kind of in there, but I never got them to a point where I was happy with them. Consider them a peek at a potential feature, rather than a fully implemented one :)

Re: tac lasers - this is true, and a specific case of the firing AI not taking exact ship bounds into account. It'd probably be better if it did, but I'm uncertain as to whether it's practical performance-wise. Worth a try at some point, though.
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KDR_11k

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #2 on: May 30, 2012, 01:35:37 PM »

I think the bomb bays are currently simply like the fighter bomb bays, i.e. with ammo counts that would require resupplying at a carrier. regenerating ammo would seem like a fair thing but then you got the inevitable questions about why a launcher for hard matter projectiles can regenerate ammo.
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aquatictoaster

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2012, 01:43:58 AM »

It's the space future that's why!
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NikolaiLev

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2012, 07:52:00 PM »

It might make sense that the ship has more bombs in storage, but not prepared in the bomb bay's magazine.  Where do bombs come from between battles, after all?

We could do this via time (10-20s to reload a magazine).  We could also make it so your reserves aren't replenished unless you're at zero flux, so you can't have an infinite stream of bombs just because you're a frigate.  Either bombs could be replenished one by one, or you need to get to 0 and wait the entire time for the magazine to come back.  I'd say the lattermost case makes the most sense.

I'd like Strike Frigates, specifically bomb-wielding ones to be more viable.  Strike Lashers only ever make use of torpedoes; why not bombs too?  Perhaps this functionality would only be enabled if Expanded Magazines or taken, or perhaps this would be a separate hull mod in itself.
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KDR_11k

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2012, 07:54:32 AM »

I know they reload them from storage but why would bomb bays be able to reload and other weapons not?
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cp252

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2012, 09:51:14 AM »

While putting bomb bays on Lashers is hilarious, it's difficult and takes skill for a reason. Ever seen a frigate IRL with a bomb bay? I don't want to deal with that from the AI thanks.
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NikolaiLev

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2012, 12:28:59 PM »

I know they reload them from storage but why would bomb bays be able to reload and other weapons not?

Depends.  If done by a hullmod, all weapons with ammo counts would get this.  If not, then it would be merely for gameplay balance.

I wasn't under the impression we were going for full-out realism in this game.
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hadesian

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2012, 05:17:28 AM »

While putting bomb bays on Lashers is hilarious, it's difficult and takes skill for a reason. Ever seen a frigate IRL with a bomb bay? I don't want to deal with that from the AI thanks.
A cluster bomb flashers kills close to everything it hits. Controllable super bomber much?
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KDR_11k

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2012, 01:43:55 PM »

Ever seen a frigate IRL with a bomb bay?

I've never seen a frigate with rocket engines either.
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Upgradecap

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2012, 01:55:56 PM »

Ever seen a frigate IRL with a bomb bay?

I've never seen a frigate with rocket engines either.

Never seen a frigate fly in outer space either. And I've never seen a frigate being able to support full crew requirements and produce it's own oxygen supply in outer space either. :)

BUT i have seen a frigate with bomb-bays in IRL. The bomb-bays where then called torpedoes, since a RL bomb-bay can only be fitted to an aircraft. :)
« Last Edit: June 02, 2012, 01:57:36 PM by Upgradecap »
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cp252

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2012, 07:55:13 PM »

Torpedo bays have a Starfarer equivalent, they're called torpedos. Rocket engines have an equivalent, they're called engines. And the air recycling has an equivalent, it's called treatment of seawater to make drinking water.  :P
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KDR_11k

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #12 on: June 03, 2012, 08:58:52 AM »

Torpedoes are self-propelled, bombs are inertia guided. Depth charges may be the sea equivalent to a bomb bay though.
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Brainbread

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Re: Frag Bomb Bay Autofiring Logic and Other Autofiring Quirks
« Reply #13 on: September 17, 2012, 02:41:57 PM »

Yeah, fair point about the frag bombs. In my mind, neither frag bombs, nor the cluster bombs are really "done". They're kind of in there, but I never got them to a point where I was happy with them. Consider them a peek at a potential feature, rather than a fully implemented one :)

Re: tac lasers - this is true, and a specific case of the firing AI not taking exact ship bounds into account. It'd probably be better if it did, but I'm uncertain as to whether it's practical performance-wise. Worth a try at some point, though.

Just gonna rez this for a bit. Frag Bombs don't "Despawn" after a certain range (it seems), and ships fire them at targets as soon as they can see the target, even if it has no chance in hell of hitting the target.

If you want to have fun though, they get a lot of use when they have extreme amounts of ammo (1000+), as the ships, such as lashers, will start firing them, pop their system and spam them out more. And even if they are not doing damage, it scares the hell out of the AI who will slow down, break ranks and panic over it.

So it may be inneffective, but they are fun in that sense.

I also suggest doing this with the "Parrot" from Starfarer+, as it has I think 18 or so small ballistic slots. There is a point where your game will lag out and crash though,.
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