Forums » Suggestions
QD\'s weapon idea #65536
There are a lot of ideas for new weapons in this forum, and I understand that it must be a nightmare for the dev team to filter through them and separate the balanced ideas from the \"WANT PLANETDESTROYER 5k!!1\" ideas, but I still think that the weapons selection could be expanded without losing it\'s balance.
Today\'s idea plagarizes slightly from the X-universe. I used to play X2 (The Threat) quite a bit when it came out and I wished at the time they could do an online version (maybe they have now, I never thought to check).
The weapon in question - the phased shockwave generator - was favoured by large transport ships (and some corvette / battleship class ones too) and gave them an edge to compensate for their reduced maneuverability.
The premise is simple - when fired, the weapon generates a phased shockwave (I\'m sorry, I couldn\'t resist...) of energy which travels at a moderate rate away from the ship it is equipped to. This wave expands as it travels (imagine ripples in water) resulting in a large circular energy field which fades as it reaches its maximum size. As it expands, the energy within the field is dispersed throughout, meaning that the larger the field gets, the less punch it gives. Therefore, the closer you are to the ship, the more damage is dealt, but the further from the ship, the more likely you are to be hit.
My vision of this weapon for Vendetta is a primarily defensive Large Port energy weapon which can be fired in short bursts (possibly quite energy consuming) and having a maximum range of 200 - 300m. Apart from damaging enemy ships in range, it would also detonate any ordinance caught in the field, making it a very useful \'electronic countermeasure\' substitute for missiles and rockets.
Of course, the skill of using the weapon would be in the timing of its use. Fire early and the field would disperse before the missile / rocket is within range, fire late and your chances of hitting the incoming object are significantly reduced.
Thoughts?
Today\'s idea plagarizes slightly from the X-universe. I used to play X2 (The Threat) quite a bit when it came out and I wished at the time they could do an online version (maybe they have now, I never thought to check).
The weapon in question - the phased shockwave generator - was favoured by large transport ships (and some corvette / battleship class ones too) and gave them an edge to compensate for their reduced maneuverability.
The premise is simple - when fired, the weapon generates a phased shockwave (I\'m sorry, I couldn\'t resist...) of energy which travels at a moderate rate away from the ship it is equipped to. This wave expands as it travels (imagine ripples in water) resulting in a large circular energy field which fades as it reaches its maximum size. As it expands, the energy within the field is dispersed throughout, meaning that the larger the field gets, the less punch it gives. Therefore, the closer you are to the ship, the more damage is dealt, but the further from the ship, the more likely you are to be hit.
My vision of this weapon for Vendetta is a primarily defensive Large Port energy weapon which can be fired in short bursts (possibly quite energy consuming) and having a maximum range of 200 - 300m. Apart from damaging enemy ships in range, it would also detonate any ordinance caught in the field, making it a very useful \'electronic countermeasure\' substitute for missiles and rockets.
Of course, the skill of using the weapon would be in the timing of its use. Fire early and the field would disperse before the missile / rocket is within range, fire late and your chances of hitting the incoming object are significantly reduced.
Thoughts?
Would this weapon be instant? Or how fast would the wave travel, rather?
Anyways, if it were instant it seems like, for implementation's sake, it'd be about as easy as making an instantly exploding mine to which the user is exempt from the effects.
Hmmm... so, basically, a gravitic wave generator. I'm not sure if you mean this wave is spherical in shape or actually circular (i.e. two-dimensional).
I do not think this should be able to detonate any and all ordnance in its radius, perhaps there should be an inner zone where this effect takes place. 200-300m is just too much, in my opinion.
Will it impart an impulse to ships?
I do not think this should be able to detonate any and all ordnance in its radius, perhaps there should be an inner zone where this effect takes place. 200-300m is just too much, in my opinion.
Will it impart an impulse to ships?
An expanding sphere generator? I guess it could work...
But, as tosh said, there are factors to consider. In addition to what he suggests, I would wonder how such a field would work on a very large, irregular vessel, such as a capital ship. Perhaps its a little extreme an example, but personally I feel that such a weapon would work most admirably on such a scale. But a single, spherical explosion would simply look odd on an HAC, as well as grant highly irregular coverage. This could be solved with multiple 'explosions' (rationalized with multiple emitters) strategically placed along the vessel, or, perhaps, simply a usage of an expanding form of the shield model.
On anything smaller than a Behemoth, I would imagine that an ESG would be fairly weak, given the power restrictions on the reactors of smaller craft, but a larger ship would have a larger power-source, and would therefore discharge a stronger field (although a larger ship would necessitate a larger field anyway, requiring even more power).
But, as tosh said, there are factors to consider. In addition to what he suggests, I would wonder how such a field would work on a very large, irregular vessel, such as a capital ship. Perhaps its a little extreme an example, but personally I feel that such a weapon would work most admirably on such a scale. But a single, spherical explosion would simply look odd on an HAC, as well as grant highly irregular coverage. This could be solved with multiple 'explosions' (rationalized with multiple emitters) strategically placed along the vessel, or, perhaps, simply a usage of an expanding form of the shield model.
On anything smaller than a Behemoth, I would imagine that an ESG would be fairly weak, given the power restrictions on the reactors of smaller craft, but a larger ship would have a larger power-source, and would therefore discharge a stronger field (although a larger ship would necessitate a larger field anyway, requiring even more power).
200-300m is WAY too far for a weapon of this type. Im willing to bet you cant hit me at all with most energy weapon fire at 300m and very little at 200. If it was limited to say 60m, then it could be a cool weapon, but the problem with a weapon that generates an expanding field is that it is basically undodgeable (Unless some type of visible/audible warning goes off say one and a half to two seconds prior to firing) and that can seriously unbalance play if someone can backroll out to 290m and just keep hitting fire, hitting you.
Maybe as a capship gun, but on a fighter/trade ship? no wai!
If it required both large ports then only the moth and the taur could carry it. Also if it was kinda heavy. Might add some balance. That would keep it out of the hand of atlas jocks and even a rev. Probably would require relatively high levels, both combat and trading.
Not been able to get back on here for a while, so apologies for unintentional bumpage.
@SuperMegaMynt - Not instant, by any stretch of the imagination. Each shockwave would last maybe 5 seconds so would travel from weapon port to maximum distance in that time.
@Toshiro - More of an arc than spherical. The idea being that at close range it is devastatingly powerful, but at maximum distance very weak, as the overall energy is spread over a large area. The concept of this is to allow large, sluggish ships (i.e. Moth) the ability to still damage aggressors and protect against guided missiles. However, owing to the weapons nature it would involve some skill to use (for starters you would still have to face your target). And yes, impulse would be imparted, the amount of inertia decreasing in the same way as damage.
@vIsitor - again, I envisioned more of a directional arc than a sphere.
@Tramshed - if the max distance of the weapon was set to 300m and you were 290m away, then yes you would be hit every time if you were caught in the wave\'s area. However, following the rules above (i.e. damage decreases as the field expands), then sitting at a constant 290m should be a reasonably safe bet. For the sake of discussion, lets assume that at 0m distance, the wave is 1m sq and does 1000 damage. As it travels it expands but loses energy. Therefore, at 150m the wave is 100m sq and does 500 damage, and at 300m the wave is 250m sq and does 100 damage. It would take a long time to destroy even the weakest ship if they were sat on the edge of the wave\'s range, and could easily take out a moth provided they didn\'t get too close. The benefit to the moth pilot is that if Griefer5000 decides to swarm or kamikaze, he simply waits until the swarm/ship gets nice and close and unleashes his salvo of death.
@Capt. Waffles - good idea, but then given the limitations of the weapon (as I hope I\'ve helped clairify above) the only major threat IMHO is from a hog armed with this. Kamikaze machine. Maybe twin large port is correct, but definitely high level and expensive.
@SuperMegaMynt - Not instant, by any stretch of the imagination. Each shockwave would last maybe 5 seconds so would travel from weapon port to maximum distance in that time.
@Toshiro - More of an arc than spherical. The idea being that at close range it is devastatingly powerful, but at maximum distance very weak, as the overall energy is spread over a large area. The concept of this is to allow large, sluggish ships (i.e. Moth) the ability to still damage aggressors and protect against guided missiles. However, owing to the weapons nature it would involve some skill to use (for starters you would still have to face your target). And yes, impulse would be imparted, the amount of inertia decreasing in the same way as damage.
@vIsitor - again, I envisioned more of a directional arc than a sphere.
@Tramshed - if the max distance of the weapon was set to 300m and you were 290m away, then yes you would be hit every time if you were caught in the wave\'s area. However, following the rules above (i.e. damage decreases as the field expands), then sitting at a constant 290m should be a reasonably safe bet. For the sake of discussion, lets assume that at 0m distance, the wave is 1m sq and does 1000 damage. As it travels it expands but loses energy. Therefore, at 150m the wave is 100m sq and does 500 damage, and at 300m the wave is 250m sq and does 100 damage. It would take a long time to destroy even the weakest ship if they were sat on the edge of the wave\'s range, and could easily take out a moth provided they didn\'t get too close. The benefit to the moth pilot is that if Griefer5000 decides to swarm or kamikaze, he simply waits until the swarm/ship gets nice and close and unleashes his salvo of death.
@Capt. Waffles - good idea, but then given the limitations of the weapon (as I hope I\'ve helped clairify above) the only major threat IMHO is from a hog armed with this. Kamikaze machine. Maybe twin large port is correct, but definitely high level and expensive.