Forums » Suggestions
Thoughts on the PCB...
Thoughts on the PCB...
People build and use capital ships for all kinds of reasons but they mostly break down into three basic types: Hauling, battling, and pirating. Pilots don’t neatly fall into just one type, some use their cap ships for two or even all three use cases.
Each type wants different things. The hauler wants to haul without being stopped. The pirate wants to be able to reliably stop the hauler and take their stuff. The battler wants to fight other battlers.
In my mind the age of the cap ships in VO breaks down to two eras: Before and after the PCB was introduced. Before, I can remember trade guilds organizing trident FFA competitions, trident races, etc, and I’d see ten in a sector doing whatever. I organized a trident race, and the day before the race, the PCB was introduced. Everyone dropped out of the race. Things changed. I’m not saying that the PCB was a bad idea, I’m just saying that things changed.
The problem was that without the PCB it took a lot of work to stop a trident. I understand why the PCB was introduced. I was a little worried later when the PCB turret version was introduced, but that didn’t seem to imbalance things significantly, probably because cap ships are relatively slow.
In general haulers want less PCB, pirates want more.
The battlers use PCBs too, though the PCB’s existence is not necessary. War is more about controlling territory than getting individual kills, so whether a cap ship is destroyed or forced to retire from the field has nearly the same effect. So for battlers the PCB is okay, too much PCB power might cut down the quantity of battles because an outnumbered pilot might not engage.
The more delicate balancing act is really between the haulers and pirates. Currently, two skilled pirates without a cap ship can destroy a poor to medium skilled hauler using the small port PCB available now. If one of them has a cap ship with a PCB turret, it’s almost easy. Understandably the pirates desire is to make the currently available targets more vulnerable. I think the real problem the pirates have is a lack of targets.
I think adding a large port PCB or significantly extending the range would make it too powerful. I don’t want to have more cap ships never visiting grey.
People build and use capital ships for all kinds of reasons but they mostly break down into three basic types: Hauling, battling, and pirating. Pilots don’t neatly fall into just one type, some use their cap ships for two or even all three use cases.
Each type wants different things. The hauler wants to haul without being stopped. The pirate wants to be able to reliably stop the hauler and take their stuff. The battler wants to fight other battlers.
In my mind the age of the cap ships in VO breaks down to two eras: Before and after the PCB was introduced. Before, I can remember trade guilds organizing trident FFA competitions, trident races, etc, and I’d see ten in a sector doing whatever. I organized a trident race, and the day before the race, the PCB was introduced. Everyone dropped out of the race. Things changed. I’m not saying that the PCB was a bad idea, I’m just saying that things changed.
The problem was that without the PCB it took a lot of work to stop a trident. I understand why the PCB was introduced. I was a little worried later when the PCB turret version was introduced, but that didn’t seem to imbalance things significantly, probably because cap ships are relatively slow.
In general haulers want less PCB, pirates want more.
The battlers use PCBs too, though the PCB’s existence is not necessary. War is more about controlling territory than getting individual kills, so whether a cap ship is destroyed or forced to retire from the field has nearly the same effect. So for battlers the PCB is okay, too much PCB power might cut down the quantity of battles because an outnumbered pilot might not engage.
The more delicate balancing act is really between the haulers and pirates. Currently, two skilled pirates without a cap ship can destroy a poor to medium skilled hauler using the small port PCB available now. If one of them has a cap ship with a PCB turret, it’s almost easy. Understandably the pirates desire is to make the currently available targets more vulnerable. I think the real problem the pirates have is a lack of targets.
I think adding a large port PCB or significantly extending the range would make it too powerful. I don’t want to have more cap ships never visiting grey.
-1
PCB the PCBers before they PCB you.
The PCB seems about right. It has just the right check/balances. There are some ways it excels and some ways it fails.
"In general haulers want less PCB, pirates want more."
In general, haulers don't want pirates. You knew it was "Vendetta" when you logged in.
PCB the PCBers before they PCB you.
The PCB seems about right. It has just the right check/balances. There are some ways it excels and some ways it fails.
"In general haulers want less PCB, pirates want more."
In general, haulers don't want pirates. You knew it was "Vendetta" when you logged in.
I didn't actually suggest any change. Maybe this should be moved to general?
"The more delicate balancing act is really between the haulers and pirates. Currently, two skilled pirates without a cap ship can destroy a poor to medium skilled hauler using the small port PCB available now. If one of them has a cap ship with a PCB turret, it’s almost easy. Understandably the pirates desire is to make the currently available targets more vulnerable. I think the real problem the pirates have is a lack of targets." - csgno1
Well w/o addressing a bunch of other issues. Capital ships are indeed freighters (haulers) and with the joys of a huge cargo hold come the risks of dying easily to a roaming gang. Get an escort. Get friends. Get that PCB off the ship.
Just the tip of the iceberg that is the elephant in the room of capital vs sub capital combat.
Well w/o addressing a bunch of other issues. Capital ships are indeed freighters (haulers) and with the joys of a huge cargo hold come the risks of dying easily to a roaming gang. Get an escort. Get friends. Get that PCB off the ship.
Just the tip of the iceberg that is the elephant in the room of capital vs sub capital combat.
I'm not unsympathetic to your plight. If something like my Supplemental Super Capacitor suggestion got implemented, you would gain a little pcb protection.