I think it would be really cool if we could have phaser weapons (like in Star Trek) in VO. The phaser maybe could work like a mining beam. If the distance is over 400m (?) then the phaser won't fire. It should also have excellent auto-targeting like the Gatling turret and follow the target and keep "hitting" it as long as it's in the "auto-targeting zone". The max firing time for the phaser should be 2-3s and have a delay of 1-2s. The damage for the phaser maybe could be 1 for every millisecond and drain 0,5 energy per millisecond?

1dmg/ms is really brutal from a CPU cycles perspective. Since it's a continuous beam, the server would have to be.constantly monitoring it. If there was any kind of indicator for the weapon, like for the mining beam, then that would likely add a similar level of over head to the client.

I do like the idea, though. For such a continous beam weapon, the longer the range the worse the auto-aim should be. Rather than only letting it fire for a period of time, the weapon should heat up.

Honestly, the last thing we need is a weapon which completely eliminates the need to aim. If my reading of your OP is correct, then as long as you're in the (large by your suggestion) "cone" of the auto aim, you would be hit.... making this thing virtually un-dodgeable. Gat turrets have a large auto aim cone because they are massively inaccurate and relatively slow to "track". THis means that if you can out manuever the bolt (based on its speed) you can easily dodge a gat. This weapon, if it acted as a mining beam, wouldn't have any of those handicaps. It's speed isn't given, and as per the description of "like a mining beam" would be near instantaneous. If you want lasers (assuming this isn't just trolling in the first place) at least try to keep them somewhat balanced, i.e. little to no targeting but continuous, low damage firing.

Im unsure if the poster is aware of the cone involved with excellent auto targeting, as long time prom pilot (thus well versed with AGT use) its nearly the same size as your visual field in that range, so if someone was just in front of you... you'd hit.

Honestly, the last thing we need is a weapon which completely eliminates the need to aim.

Seragyn, +1

+1 to a beam weapon, but make it capship related.

EDITED, changed my opinion:

Make only HAC and Teradons have Capital Large Phasers Beams. Tridents get a Capital Small Phaser Beam. Connies get none!

Make it the capship's main weapon against other capship, with a fixed aim aligned with ship. To aim, steer ship.

Make it drain a lot of power per second active, and it only "reloads capacitors from reactor" when completely empty. So, you can do many small/short shots, or a long one, until it uses all stored energy. Only when depleted it reloads slowly, like 20sec to complete.
it leaves the ship powerless and adrift for a while after firing, i.e., no other turret or gun fires, no steering.

Beam battle in FS2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niuCCGVMYrI&feature=related

But I prefer something closer to Yamato's Wave Motion Gun:


http://io9.com/5778109/10-most-awesome-ultimate-weapons

Strongly disagree. Remove the ability to dodge a weapon and you remove the skill element that VO is completely reliant upon.

Remove the auto targeting and it could be feasible.

I could see a beam weapon with no autoaim, short range and *very* high energy drain being fun. Imagine a 100 meter lightsaber on the front of your ship.

Otherwise -1.

I could see a beam weapon with no autoaim, short range and *very* high energy drain being fun. Imagine a 100 meter lightsaber on the front of your ship.

http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/15587#196761

VO: where all your ideas have already been suggested and ignored -- due to grossly insufficient development resources -- way back when VO's graphics were at least on par with a graphing calculator's capabilities.

I realize now that 1dmg/ms is to much and that it would be boring with an un-dodgeable weapon but if it don't have some kind of "auto-follow" it wouldn't be a phaser.

Maybe it can be designed so it have short range like 300m and and do little damage to armor but great damage against shields? It should also drain a lot of energy or maybe have a energy buffer.

which is exactly why we don't want phasers

There's already beam weapons. Jump in to a Training sector for a live fire demonstration. From what I've heard from vet players, HAC's used to have them and it was terrible because you didnt stand a chance of dodging it at all.

I can confirm what ARF said; the HAC used to have beam weapons which basically made it a floating sphere of death. It took away probably the most critical gameplay element: dodging. It was interesting in theory but un-fun in practice.

I've heard the training sectors have these, but I haven't bothered jumping back into one to find out, because experiencing beam weapons a few times in alpha was enough. It's very similar to being within range of a lightning mine, and we already have those.

+1 to pseudo mining beams that deplete shield recharge rates!