Forums » Suggestions
Grid Cycling
This suggestion is about power cells offering "blocks" of grid power. These "grid blocks" would function similarly to configuring and switching weapon slots in other FPS games. Players would be able to link certain weapons to certain grid blocks and would have to switch to a grid block to use the weapons or scanners attached to it.
For example, a power cell could offer two grid blocks, each with a grid power of 15. A heavy ship could then equip 2 blasters amounting to 12 grid on one block and two flares and one more blaster amounting to 14 grid on the other block. If the pilot were then using the grid block with the two blasters, they would not be able to use the weapons linked to the second grid block and would have to cycle to that one. Grid cycling would take anywhere from two to five seconds and would leave the ship defenseless for that brief period of time.
Other things could, of course, be linked to grid blocks. For example, a ship could have one grid block equipped with a bevy of scanners and such to turn it into an AWAC while other grid blocks would have various defensive weapons. Or one grid block could have repair weapons.
This is not an arbitrary suggestion. A system like grid cycling could open up many more strategic options, allow implementation of more powerful weapons for use by heavier ships without making them useless through regular grid restrictions, and make such ships require more skills to fly rather than being labeled as "lol spam." As well as all this, it has the potential for allowing easier and more agreeable solutions to the group combat ship role balancing issue. Grid cycling would provide a wider role for heavy and medium ships in group combat since they would have more powerful weapons to choose from for every scenario, but it would not make much difference in a 1v1 where there is often only one scenario and the other fighter has full attention on the heavy/medium in case they decide to grid cycle. It also allows for an interesting weapon heckling-type strategy for fighters with addon scanners, which would be able to read information about grid block selections.
For example, a power cell could offer two grid blocks, each with a grid power of 15. A heavy ship could then equip 2 blasters amounting to 12 grid on one block and two flares and one more blaster amounting to 14 grid on the other block. If the pilot were then using the grid block with the two blasters, they would not be able to use the weapons linked to the second grid block and would have to cycle to that one. Grid cycling would take anywhere from two to five seconds and would leave the ship defenseless for that brief period of time.
Other things could, of course, be linked to grid blocks. For example, a ship could have one grid block equipped with a bevy of scanners and such to turn it into an AWAC while other grid blocks would have various defensive weapons. Or one grid block could have repair weapons.
This is not an arbitrary suggestion. A system like grid cycling could open up many more strategic options, allow implementation of more powerful weapons for use by heavier ships without making them useless through regular grid restrictions, and make such ships require more skills to fly rather than being labeled as "lol spam." As well as all this, it has the potential for allowing easier and more agreeable solutions to the group combat ship role balancing issue. Grid cycling would provide a wider role for heavy and medium ships in group combat since they would have more powerful weapons to choose from for every scenario, but it would not make much difference in a 1v1 where there is often only one scenario and the other fighter has full attention on the heavy/medium in case they decide to grid cycle. It also allows for an interesting weapon heckling-type strategy for fighters with addon scanners, which would be able to read information about grid block selections.
+1
+1
+1, as long as there is a delay/consequence for cycling (otherwise plugins/binds could be written to bypass grid completely).
as long as there is a delay/consequence for cycling
Yes, that is the whole point.
Grid cycling would take anywhere from two to five seconds and would leave the ship defenseless for that brief period of time.
Yes, that is the whole point.
Grid cycling would take anywhere from two to five seconds and would leave the ship defenseless for that brief period of time.
+1
+1
This, and the whole grid concept is unnecessarily complicated. The grid system just punishes rag drivers.
The grid system just punishes rag drivers.
How would you propose preventing players from loading their ships with multiple extremely powerful weapons? Can you imagine a skilled player in a ship such as a Valk with three widowmakers, or 3 guass3s for botting? Grid, or some restrainment, is necessary to prevent overuse of such weapons.
How would you propose preventing players from loading their ships with multiple extremely powerful weapons? Can you imagine a skilled player in a ship such as a Valk with three widowmakers, or 3 guass3s for botting? Grid, or some restrainment, is necessary to prevent overuse of such weapons.
I would rather see grid power tied to the batts with a massive price and weight increase for more grid , capacity or generation.
Grid power * Capacity * Generation Rate
Grid power would become the maximum discharge rate of the batt.
Special "lightweight" batts could also be brought in for premium prices as well....
Money and weight would become the restraints instead.
Grid power * Capacity * Generation Rate
Grid power would become the maximum discharge rate of the batt.
Special "lightweight" batts could also be brought in for premium prices as well....
Money and weight would become the restraints instead.
Money is arbitrary when considering combat balance, which should be considered first. Weight will just end up being a nerf.
This is a combat balance suggestion, and it's not just as simple as giving ships with large ports more grid power. Something like grid cycling would add another dimension to piloting heavy and medium ships aside from the regular spam that has bored most vets, and at the same time it would greatly affect their roles in group combat without unbalancing 1v1 combat.
Grid power would become the maximum discharge rate of the batt.
-what?
This is a combat balance suggestion, and it's not just as simple as giving ships with large ports more grid power. Something like grid cycling would add another dimension to piloting heavy and medium ships aside from the regular spam that has bored most vets, and at the same time it would greatly affect their roles in group combat without unbalancing 1v1 combat.
Grid power would become the maximum discharge rate of the batt.
-what?