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[CrashToDesktop]

I like beam weapon because they are instant.  The AI will never miss with them, even with green crew.  Makes it a helluva lot more efficient than other weapons if you count how many shots actually make it to the target.

[TJJ]

Here's an idea we've not had yet.

Shield destabilization

- Beams destabilize the shield at their impact point, reducing the shield's efficiency in the vicinity of the beam impact.
- The magnitude (and radius) of the effect would be an additional attribute of beam weapons, so would be independent of their damage values.
- The effect would stack, so multiple beams hitting in the same vicinity could have a dramatic effect upon the shield's flux/damage factor.
- Other weapons striking the same location would benefit from the locally reduced shield efficiency.
- The effect would be displayed to the player by discolouring the shield; my suggestion would be to discolour towards red to indicate weakened (less efficient) areas of the shield.

Thus far it's probably the most complex idea to implement, but just think of all the new weapon, ship & fleet design synergies it'd make possible.

[firstattak1]

I really don't see the problem. Beam weapons are made to be constant low flux weapons, not shield disablers (thats what stuff like the needler is for). Yes they could use a buff, a really small one, but probobly nothing against shields, maybe against actual health/armor?

I've always liked beams, especially Phase, and they do really well on my Doom setup i use, the gravities are my main sourse of damage after i take down sheilds and take down....well everything else with the Ion.

Spoiler

Dual Needler, Dual Ions, Dual Proximity Charges, Gravity Beams, PD's

[close]

[Gaizokubanou]

Check out the following thread for more recent and different suggestion to buff beam that have Alex and bunch of others (including me) very very very interested, but also have some strong opposition as well.

http://fractalsoftworks.com/forum/index.php?topic=5201.0

[Iscariot]

  In a game about killing enemy ships and not scaring them off or goading them into retreating beams have little use.

Wait what? Since when was area denial useless?

More to the point, beam weapons are a LOT better than I last remembered them. The burst PD class of weapons in particular are actually pretty viable ship to ship weapons in addition to being probably the best PD around at this point.

[Reshy]

I'm talking about non-Burst PD.  PD lasers are the only beams I actually use because they travel fast and deal a burst of damage (even if it isn't hard flux).  I'm more referring to solid beams.

[Thaago]

I think beams are fine - and I also think people would be more impressed by them if fighters were better. I'm balance testing a group of new midline fighters for a mod, and man beams tear them up!

Off topic: Iscariot! Welcome back

[Iscariot]

Fighters DO feel a little weak right now. My beloved Thunders are CONSIDERABLY weaker than I remembered them, they're pretty much worth it for just the raw speed now.

[CrashToDesktop]

Now that the Ion Cannon has the possibility to completely disable a ship, the Thunders are even more useful versus unshielded, venting, or overloaded ships.

[Aegis]

I really like beams as they are, being able to supply continuous, nearly unavoidable pressure to enemies within range.

[Pendragon]

I really like beams as they are, being able to supply continuous, nearly unavoidable pressure to enemies within range.

Same, I actually tend to favor beam weapons almost exclusively as I prefer the high flux capacity and dissapation rate of late epoch ships which have very few ballistic mounts. With lasers weapons you might not have the same ability to just smash through enemies like you get with the heavy ballistic weapons but like Aegis said lasers are not about that, they're about continuous pressure on an enemy that eventually overwhelms them. If anything I find them slightly more powerful than their ballistic cousins but that's just because they favor my play style.