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Question on boost

Jan 23, 2009 Apex link
This is a question for the devs about their philosophy on the boost in VO.

When I started playing the game 5(6?) years ago, the only hiccup on the "feel" of the ships in VO was the boost. I was always a little confused as to why the boost would halt the attitude of the ship.

As a veteran, it still bothers me that I can't turn my ship while boosting. I understand that you want there to be some kind of setback for increasing your speed so drastically, but I'm curious about why you think it needs to stop entirely.

Right now boosting away from your opponent makes you nearly invulnerable in some ways because your rate of acceleration is so great that a pursuer can't keep up or fire on them reliably. The only way to hit a fleeing target is to match their speed close enough by boosting your self (requiring a perfect initial aim) or by landing an eyeball lead-shot (very hard).

Handling of the ships in VO feels really good overall, with the exception of boosting.

Why not allow restricted turning while boosting?
Jan 23, 2009 LeberMac link
Hi Apex!

And

I agree wholeheartedly.
Jan 23, 2009 Lord~spidey link
light fast ships should be able to tuen at least 30 degrees/sec and heavier moth/taur should turn at about ~10deg per second
actually i think it sould be based on the drain the ship has, more drain, better turn while boosting.
Jan 23, 2009 Whistler link
I would think that boosting while turning would make one even harder to hit. With boost the way it is, at least you know what the trajectory will be.
Jan 23, 2009 Apex link
I disagree, whistler.

I would agree with you if only your opponent were able to turn while boosting, but you can turn while boosting too, which means you can boost behind the target and adjust your aim while doing so, allowing you to land some shots at high speed.

right now you can't land shots reliably because you'd need a perfect initial heading to get the shot.
Jan 24, 2009 yodaofborg link
What Apex is saying is somewhat true, if a target boosts away from me, I sometimes have a hard job hitting them until they warp/jump, as it's hard enough keeping up with them, but having to stop turboing to correct my aim makes it even harder.

Although I'm not sure if being able to turn while under turbo would solve this, as a turboing, turning moth might be even harder to hit, no matter how fast I can turn.
Jan 24, 2009 Daare link
Stutter your boost.
Jan 24, 2009 raybondo link
Being able to turn while turboing would make one even harder to hit. The idea was that there's some unidirectional boosters in the back of the ship. Turning while going that fast would tear the ship and the pilot apart due to inertial stresses. There's a reason dragsters only go straight. (also there needs to be some disadvantage to turboing for gameplay reasons).
Jan 24, 2009 Infinitis link
I agree with raybondo on keeping ship in course while going on turbo.

The REAL problem is in something different was addressed several times. It is the small real difference between acceleration and maximal speed of bigger ships and pure interceptors. Chased ship usually has to fly only some 1000 - 2000 meter to be able to jump out. It is too small distance to take advantage of actual little acceleration / max speed diff. Moreover, chaser has often to stop and turn first, etc.

If this difference was bigger, it would solve this problem naturally because chasing player have more time to turbo in, correct course, turbo in again, shoot ...

I saw Incarnate telling he will try to make the differences bigger in some thread. If he will, the problem is solved IMHO.
Jan 24, 2009 iry link
Let the high drain interceptors be able to turn (slowly) in turbo?

Ships like rev c, corvus vult, ibg, and svg