Opinions for Weapons Mod

PsychoTechFreak · #1 March 27th, 2001, 06:56 PM

A few days ago, I have searched the weapons report tables for the most powerful weapons, so I created an XLsheet to compare them. This sheet contains every weapon (normal mount, latest Version) except the unique weapons like PDF, tractor beam and so on, because nothing is compare-able with them. At the very right end of the table I put a relative range damage, which is Range damage divided by reload time divided by weapon size. I was a bit surprised about the results: Anti-Proton Beams and for small weapons: small electric discharge seem to be first choice. Maybe someone wants to make other comparisons than me (size/reload time), so I have attached the XLsheet, it's w/o macros. Hope this helps to balance your weapon mods.

Daynarr · #2 March 27th, 2001, 09:59 PM

Here is my components.txt file. I would post the changes here by there is just too many of them.

Almost all weapons have been changed (except for DUCs and PPBs and some other misc weapons).

I believe you will find it most interesting.

Oh yeah, there are some new components here as well, like small phased shields, 10 levels of standard armor and new type of missiles.

[This message has been edited by Daynarr (edited 27 March 2001).]

Lerchey · #3 March 27th, 2001, 10:10 PM

Hi All,

I also was disappointed with the WMGs in SE IV. I am playing a game where I'm experimenting with them now. What I did was to increase the damage somewhat, increased the range by +2 per level (thus WMG II gets +2 range, and WMG III gets +4 range), and to ensure that there were some drawbacks to compensate for the damage bonuses I put in, I changed the rate of fire to 2 for the I, 3 for the II, and to 4 for the III. I also changed the amount of supply used per shot, doubleing it for the II and tripling it for the III.

I know it's a lot of changes, but in battle, they *act* like artillery in my game. The WMG III in a large weapon mount is just sick, but it has a very long reload time and eats a lot of supply (unless you have quantum reactors, of course).

It's possible that I overkilled them, but OTOH, they feel like a Star Blazers weapon instead of a big, dumb, slow, meson bLaster.

John

Lerchey · #4 March 27th, 2001, 10:11 PM

As long as we're discussing weapons... are ripper beams good for ANYTHING other than leading to WMGs? I've seen Eee dreadnaughts loaded with them, and they ALWAYS get creamed, even using Strategic Combat.

Have any of you found an effective way to use them?

John

Kemplarian · #5 March 27th, 2001, 10:14 PM

Nifty stuff, guys. I like some of the things that you are doing Daynarr, and some of it isn't that far from what I've been working on. I've been mixing around some armor and shield ideas too (which makes balancing everything even harder, but it's fun anyway). I've made it so that phasic shields are only one level behind regular shields as the research goes on, which keeps it from being an all or nothing decision on whether or not to go with Phasic shields in general. This also means that PPB could be useful or useless at any time--it just depends on what fleets your enemy is using. I don't like using intelligence to undermine my foes directly (it's too crass). I prefer to figure out what they're working on and then providing a good counter against it.

Has anyone out there already done some major work with ground force technology? At some point that would be really cool to get into, especially if Aaron has the time to make a more robust system for ground combat--I realize that there are many higher priorities, so I'm not in a rush.

Daynarr · #6 March 27th, 2001, 10:37 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Lerchey:
As long as we're discussing weapons... are ripper beams good for ANYTHING other than leading to WMGs? I've seen Eee dreadnaughts loaded with them, and they ALWAYS get creamed, even using Strategic Combat.

Have any of you found an effective way to use them?

John

Well, I have moded RPBs slightly so now they have 5 range. The other characteristics are:
- 20 KT size (like meson bLaster)
- 50 Damage at all ranges (more then DUC)
- 1 turn reload rate (fast firing weapon)

I did find it very useful. Actually I was thinking of giving Reapers, Incinerators and WMGs a different weapon family number so that I don't have to search for Reapers and Incinerators in the design screen when I get to WMGs. The only trouble is that I would have to change design files for AI as well.

[This message has been edited by Daynarr (edited 27 March 2001).]

Suicide Junkie · #7 March 27th, 2001, 10:38 PM

With normal damage & really short range, ripper beams should be one of the mose efficient weapons in the game (damage/mass/reload)
With proper orders (point blank range) and fast ships (to close to range) they should be able to do decently in battle.
With some other distraction ships, the ripper escorts should be able to get in and kill.

In SE3, they were a defensive weapon only, since the defender got to move Last, and could get close enough to use the rippers (or run away and avoid rippers) before the firing stage. Attackers could only get in ripper range of objects with 0 or 1 movement.

For SE4, they should be extremely damaging, to compensate for their short range.