So, Xangi Xi is pretty useless compared to the other factions. I think they need to be beefed up a bit. Kinda sad a robotics company makes septic tanks cause they can't to anything else.
Anyways, they specialize in robotics, right? They should have a a gun that shoots microscopic robots that slowly tear apart a ship. I'm not going to get into the stats though, just the idea. It would be a small port.
And maybe a large port gun that shoots bigger robots? Like those buzz droids from Star Wars? You could kill those "buzz droids" by hitting an asteroid or having your buddy shoot it off for you.

What do you think?

Buzz droids from XX sounds like fun

I guess they would do x amount of damage per second for x number of seconds
Could be interupted by close explosions and repair nanites....

Hmm, I suppose we are lacking in the damage-over-time department.

+1

I think x damage per second indefinitely might be more interesting than x damage per second for x seconds. Could force a fleeing enemy to dock at a station to get the drones off, or have a friend come repair them, instead of allowing them to sit in an empty sector until the pursuers get bored and leave.

+1

Useless? They have the best selection of decent gear at low standing levels out of all of the greyspace factions.

Neat idea though. Why not also have them ripped off by collisions. Might make some practical use out of crashing into asteroids. :)

+1 for buzz droids

+1

@tarenty
I was thinking that for nanite launchers or whatever you'd have x amount of damage/second per x amount of time, while buzz droids just keep going till you ram them off.

I thought people wanted there to be less incentives for people to run away? This suggestion would do the opposite of that.

For the record, meridian, it's not actually such a bad thing that people run away, it's that they do it in the valkryie which is the most effective interceptor and combat ship in the game. If there were other ships that could catch them effectively, then running retreat fights would be a lot more interesting.

The problem is: There's no way to make an effective interceptor that is not also an effective escape ship.

Perhaps if these things screwed up your turbo or sapped energy or something, that might make people unable to run?

@meridian
The thing about having guns that damage over time, is that it would actually slow traders or pirates down by forcing them to port.
So yeah, they'd run away, but they'd run to a station

lol, and say docking with a player cappie had a chance to infect the capship with said vicious nanites. Space Transmitted Diseases...

Did someone say Vicious Nanite?!

Hey guys, if you don't mind, could you stick to the original idea? Thanks. Just don't want it to get all over the place :P

@ARF "The problem is: There's no way to make an effective interceptor that is not also an effective escape ship."

Well, the whole point of speed in combat is that the fastest craft has the ability to engage and disengage at will, allowing for hit-and-run tactics.

I think that the main problem in VO is that the most effective interceptor is also an incredibly capable fighting ship. It's like a fast destroyer with the firepower of a battleship. In a way, the design choice by GS to put the itani and serco nation ships at the very extremes of small and large but still give both ridiculous (relative to size) armor (valk) or agility (prom) makes the variability of crafts and battle techniques a lot less than if there were stronger tradeoffs of armour, firepower, and agility. My noobish 2 cents :-)

@Snake: sorry, couldn't help myself :-)

"The problem is: There's no way to make an effective interceptor that is not also an effective escape ship."

Which is fine, but not an excuse to give the Itani interceptors that function well above every body else. Buff the damn serco vulture drain already!

+1 mini robots eating ships

-1 to sercos whining about valks

shut the fuck up about the valkyrie, this is not the thread for it.

@Kierky/Bottom Feeders
Thanks guys