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[Tartiflette]

I concur wholeheartedly! That or even better: a popup warning in the launcher when Starsector's version is different than the mod's "gameVersion" in the mod_info.json. (and if we could have that for mods dependencies too I would be so happy!)

[SafariJohn]

Displaying the version number on the launcher would be nice as well.

[Alex]

Hmm, yeah. Maybe I'll just replace the -RCX with something more distinct.

(Fair point re: popups etc, too - it's just more UI work than I want to jump into right now. Not that it's particularly hard, but I'm half thinking about rewriting the launcher at some point, and that makes me less eager to put effort into incremental improvements.)

[Megas]

Balance:

• Gauss Cannon: increased flux cost (from 800 to 1200)
• Storm Needler: increased flux cost (from 50 to 75)

Played around with those weapons recently and it is certainly noticeable.

If I use Gauss Cannon, I intend to snipe-and-kite enemies until they die, and the extra flux generation is just an annoyance.  DPS is low enough that if I want to kill things quickly, there are better alternatives.  I must admit Gauss is great at overloading shields of AI ships like Antimatter Blaster.

Storm Needler went from the one heavy kinetic to rule them all to something that cannot be fired for long without lots of dissipation.  Dominator needs Flux Dynamics 10 for 60 vents to use storm needler without the need to vent so much (and Storm Needler cannot be vent spammed), but doing so eats so much OP that I always sacrifice something (usually Pilums) to support effective Storm Needler use - enough that I prefer other configurations.  Onslaught can definitely use it with 100 vents, and maybe so with less.  Conquest is squishy enough that 800 range is not quite enough, and I go for longer ranged weaponry instead.

Now, if player needs a kinetic in a heavy mount, but cannot afford or support Storm Needler (and does not care to snipe with Gauss), Mark IX autocannon is an option; not a great option, but usable.

[Wyvern]

It's interesting what the flux changes have done.

Previously the Storm Needler was a go-to weapon - comparatively short-ranged, but worthwhile as a large mount machine-gun equivalent, and was something I tried to mount at least one of whenever I was setting up an Onslaught or Conquest.  Meanwhile, the Mjolnir was something you could only rarely justify using.

Now I prefer Mjolnirs; they've got the same efficiency as the new Storm Needler, much better anti-armor performance, and much longer range.

Gauss Cannons, by contrast, now fit into the same category that I think the Tachyon Lance ought to: great for keeping up long range pressure, but too flux-intensive to let them keep running if something gets in range of the rest of your guns.  I use them, but it's a constant dance to decide when they should be firing and when they should be not firing.  (TL *would* fit into the same category if, say, you doubled its damage output and flux generation...)
I actually wish I could replace the Onslaught's TPCs with Gauss Cannons; their old advantage of infinite ammo is gone, and they're significantly less accurate than regular hardpoint weapons were, back when the Onslaught had regular hardpoints up front.

[Megas]

Mjolnir, with reduced flux cost, is good, but I am not sure if it is much better than HAG.

Storm Needler has become the new old-style Mjolnir; that is, costs too much flux to be worth mounting.

[Alex]

Cool - this is good news, then, sounds like the result is that there are more viable options for the large ballistics slot. In particular happy about the Gauss Cannon's flux cost working out as a balancing factor, was concerned about that one. Still wonder whether outfitting a Conquest with those and kiting capital ships to death with no risk is a thing, although I suppose 1-1 capital ship duels don't actually come up much at all.

[Megas]

* Hellbore is not too easy to use, but it is cheap and very effective.  Before unlimited ammo, I always picked Hellbore over HAG due to cheaper OP cost and more ammo.  Now, it is merely saving OP.  Hellbore also has the advantage of being found in open market.

* HAG is a bit more flux efficient than Hellbore and is faster (and easier to use).  Basically, if you have OP to spare, use this (or Mjolnir).  If not, Hellbore.

* Mark IX autocannon still kind of stinks (low DPS and bad accuracy), but depending on other available weapons, there may be no better choice.  Also available in open market.

* Mjolnir is a good all-rounder.  Good against everything, good accuracy, does EMP.  Costs enough OP (and flux) that it may not be better than HE weapons.  If I do not use Gauss on Conquest, I will probably use this.

* Gauss Cannon is your sniper weapon for your Dominator or Conquest.  Enough said.

* Storm Needler is very powerful if your ship has the dissipation to support it.  Dominator and Onslaught do not without Flux Dynamics 10.  Conquest might do it with 50 vents.  For those that need double max vents, you will always sacrifice something to get double vents and all Storm Needlers.

[Cerus]

Peak performance pretends to be a solution to the kiting problem, getting worse with this latest major release. It mostly just seems like it makes up for the lack of long term planning for the AI's fleet. Examining my playstyles with and without it, I've found that it significantly detracts from my enjoyment of combat, but that may be primarily because of the unsatisfying, arbitrary nature of the timer, and the RNG involved in the effects.

Liking the changes to ballistic weapons, love the polish and little additions to the interface and such.

[Megas]

Still wonder whether outfitting a Conquest with those and kiting capital ships to death with no risk is a thing, although I suppose 1-1 capital ship duels don't actually come up much at all.

It is because Conquest will die if it tries to outgun a battleship (barring huge skill difference between ships).  If I wanted to outgun things with a capital, I would use an Onslaught or Paragon.  Before 0.65.2, I did not use Conquest at all in the campaign because it was merely an inferior Onslaught.  Now with long range beams and unlimited ballistic ammo, Conquest can be configured to play to its strengths.

What threatens Conquest more is a horde of smaller ships, and lots of missiles.  Even when I can kite with Gauss and beams, I made stupid mistakes with my shielding and failed to block some enemy missiles.

[Histidine]

I never actually used Storm Needler even before the patch. The DPS is awesome, but I don't want to spend 28 OP on an 800 range large weapon with Crippling Overspecialisation.

For breaking shields, I always found Mark IX AC to be adequate while costing only 18 OP.

[Megas]

I never actually used Storm Needler even before the patch. The DPS is awesome, but I don't want to spend 28 OP on an 800 range large weapon with Crippling Overspecialisation.

For breaking shields, I always found Mark IX AC to be adequate while costing only 18 OP.

I wished plasma cannon and tachyon lance were as cheap.  Both of them cost more and too much OP for what they do.  Plus, plasma cannon only has 700 range.  Heavy blaster is still competitive with plasma cannon for non-Apogee ships for much less OP (plasma cannon passthrough helps, but not enough), and tachyon lance is too underpowered.  Tachyon lance is fun, but not when I need to give up killing power and so much OP.

Storm needler was very good before, a true all-purpose weapon.  With such high DPS, it was good anti-armor despite half damage, and it utterly destroyed shields.  Now, it is basically a Conquest weapon (only it has enough dissipation with 50 vents), if you do not mind the risk of getting outgunned by an enemy capital.  Other ships, without double max vents, need to vent so much that DPS suffers too much, enough that you are better off mounting Mjolnir or other heavy weapon.

For anti-shield on Dominator or Onslaught, I prefer Light/Heavy Needlers or Mjolnir.  If I get Flux Dynamics 10, I may consider Storm Needler for Onslaught.

[TJJ]

The problem I find with Storm Needler is that it's *too* accurate.
When targeting fast moving, or small targets, the lack of spread makes the weapon terrible in the hands of the auto-targeting.

[Megas]

The problem I find with Storm Needler is that it's *too* accurate.

I love Storm Needler's perfect accuracy.  It helps focus on one point on armor and obliterates it, and it makes sniping from further away easier.  Similarly, I sometimes prefer Railgun over Light Needler or even Arbalest/Heavy Autocannon due to accuracy.  (Although I usually do not use Railgun over medium ballistics because Railgun is not too common.)

[orost]

I think what is missing is not lower flux cost on the Needler, but a midline battleship with ballistic slots and decent flux stats that can make use of high-tech weapons. There's a big hole in between the ultra-high-tech Paragon and very-low-tech Onslaught.