I read Shape's post on the Hive positron blaster and his suggestion that they do something special. This seems like a good idea to me. Even the cliche things of the scifi genre, like EMP, would add a variety and a passive, non-damaging quality to weapons. So far, the only weapon with a non-damaging side ffect are rockets, and the explosion which tosses you around hurts you. Oh, and concussion mines. Those are the only truly passive weapon.

So, just post ideas, even wild stuff.

*Some kind of shot that shuts off somebodys turbo...
*A double weapon system - one weapon that 'tags' a ship, and the companion weapon - maybe a laser or mass driver that homes in on the target.
*Pattern fire weapons - like a shot that spirals out... or makes a wide shockwave (like a sonic gun or something), or breaks apart, or spins.
*Boomerang-type weapon... a peice of metal that flies out from your ships, goes to a certain distance, and then comes back.
*Defense shield - not really a weapon, in the conventional sense.... but a bunch of energy or something else flying around your ship, hitting anything getting in its orbital path.
*Long range high-speed interceptor missile.
*Huge beam cannons - probably more for capitol ships... but could be adapted for smaller fighters. Something that charges up and sends a strong pulse along a line.

Well I recently mentioned developing a weapon that increases target mass. I think we eventually settled on a gun that uses Aquean Ore cargo widgets as ammo (ie. ice). The deal is it shoots 'water' pellets at the enemy ship, which do not damage it per se, but stick to the hull and freeze, increasing the overall mass of the ship. This would reduce mobility and thrust for the enemy, while at the same time increasing your own (as you deplete the ice).

... Where it was quickly knocked back because you can't create mass out of nowhere: you'd have to be carrying the ammo to begin with, weighing you down a stackload before you can start offloading some onto your opponent. Reduce the ammo mass, and the weapon becomes ineffective.

i dunno, a heavy ship could cripple a lighter ship...

Idea: A short-range weapon that, when activated, creates supercharged electricity around the user's ship, severely damaging anything within 40m or so. The effect could be little lightning bolts jumping around the area, and the ship would have a yellow glow. When someone comes in range, the little bolts converge into bigger ones and strike the enemy ship.

what about a weapon that causes a short range hyper-jump. so you acticate the weapopn, let it charge and then when you release your ship jumps a distance strate ahead based on the amount of time the weapon charged. (it would need a shorter jump animation than the curent one, but oh well)

slime73: An on-board Lightning Mine?

Homing Beacon: Small device fired at a target. Sends telemery information to the controler of the beacon every time the target jumps or docks. Can be removed by technicians at staions, but only if the target player realizes its there and clicks a button somewhere on the station interface (I dunno, reinstate the repair tab again?)

Fly-by-Wire Missle: Guided missle that the owner guides and controls when fired. Controler is vaunerable during useage.

Sensor Suite: Shows wireframe of target in addition to health bar & designation. Also allows more detailed info (ie specific cargo, armament) on the 'get target info' interface.

Tractor beam/Grappling Cable: Pulls stuff to you, or you to it if the target is massive enough.

Chaff: Distracts guided missles

Signal Jammer: When activated, disrupts outgoing long-range transissions in a sector. Also, Strike Forces will not follow you unless they are already hot on your tail.

Computer Virus: Illeagal w/o permit. Cripples low-level bots (Collectors, Transports). High Level Bots, the Sedina hive, and trader NPC's are unaffected.

Scrmabler: Dev-only weapon. When used on a Guide, forces them to speak in pig-latin for 10 minutes. =P

Fusion Cutter: Illeagal w/o permit. Range of 25 meters. Does some hull damage, and forces target to spew cargo while still in flight.

Decoy: Illeagal w/o permit. Mine deviously crafted to look like a crate of cargo (random veriety). Impossible to distinguish from the genuine article, even on radar and the info screen.

Flak: Long-range Artillary Shell that detonates into dozens of popcorn and gatling rounds after it either reaches its maximum range, or comes in close enough proximity to another craft.

EMP weapons are cliched? news to me...

FCG/EMP devices are highly effective methods for doign what they do - disabling electronic circutry without destroying things. As such it will always have a place in tactical warfare.

TC: kind of, but you could only use it for a few seconds at a time, and you would have to get really close to the target.

Visitor wins at teh internet.