Okay, it's great that we have a heavy weapon available at level 0, so we can gain heavy weapons experience... but imho the stingray launcher is a little too powerful to be available to a complete newb. The yellowjacket launcher was okay because it's pretty much a nerf gun against anything but collector bots, but the stingray launcher is a real force to be reckoned with, even in PvP.

If anything, why not have the Basic Gatling Cannon available at level 0? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Stingray Launcher far more deadly than Basic Gatling, and Yellowjackets as well for that matter? Then why do yellowjackets and basic gatling require a higher license level than stingrays?

I would recommend either having Basic Gatling purchaseable at level 0 or a "Dumbed down" version of Jackhammers (with less damage and slower refire) but not the Stingray Launcher.

What are your thoughts/opinions on this?

I did some more thinking/testing on this, and I realized another thing that bothered me:

The Yellowjacket launcher becomes available at heavy weapons level 1, but using it grants light weapons experience. Why would you need a heavy weapons license to use a weapon that gets you light weapons xp? The same goes for the sunflare launcher at heavy weapons level 7.

I can understand having a heavy weapon that fit into a small port, but that weapon should also give heavy weapon xp.

I think the weapon experiences have been sped up intentionally to help test the game. Perhaps another full reset is planned at the time of final release. Anyway, I have to say that I disagree with the "deadliness" of the Stringray and Yellowjacket missiles. I hate to say it but they both suck. They'll maybe hit their targets only 40% of the time because they've got contact-only (or very little prox) detonation. It got to the point where I simply had to sneak up to bots and had to fire them in dumb mode (without locking on). Even then it was hard as hell (sometimes it appeared to go right THROUGH the ship model of the bot).

I'd also like to add that the tracking has some pretty severe issues that I have to assume are bugs. I've posted in the bug forum on how the things seem to actively avoid enemies..

http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/2/6237

Ya, the L0 ML is way over powered, im using it at 4/3/2/1... last night i bought a rag for fun, and equiped 2 of them in the large ports, and 3 small MLs in the small ports... and completly destryed in PvP... overpowered... but meh

If you work out the DPS on the missiles they are about 1/2 of energy cannons of comparable lvl's, they get there usefulness via their hit rate, which, even though they miss ocasionally, is still higher than most people's hit ratio on their cannons :)

I agree with the xp though, if it needs a heavy licence to operate, it would be nice if it got you heavy licence xp, since it can be quite hard to get it when starting out (although i supoose they have now added the lvl 0 stuff to relieve that problem sonewhat) :-)

scazza I suggest you get somebody against you who knows how to dodge. Considering your setup is an easy kill for all us oldtimers :D

just a heads up :D

and yes stingrays suck, im so waiting for a gatling that has no frigging need to be reloaded with ammo so expesnive that if I buy 2 I could have bought a new filled rack. Not to mention that I can sell an empty rack for 350+ and buy it anew for 400+ filled completely. Even if I shot one it would be more economical to sell it and buy a new one.

You know what would be awesome? If heavy weapons level 2 actually did something. Using the stingray like a jackhammer to kill bots is annoying, hard and going to be a pain in the ass for the 50-odd Artemis kills I need for the next heavy weapons license. Maybe give us a basic gatling cannon or some other weak non-ammo based heavy weapon at lvl2? So that we can advance? A bit?

well first 2 levels do nothing for the heavy weaponslot unless you go and shop in odia and pay exurbant prices :D

They're not terribly exorbitant; about 20-40 minutes of trading in a Wraith can get you enough money to outfit a Ragnarok with their stuff, including a battery.

first off, rays seem to be way more accurate if you are spiraling clockwise when you fire (don't know why but it works for me)

second, stingray isn't as powerful as the stats suggest

third, we realy do need a energy based heavy weap at low level

Perhaps giving stingrays, fireflies, and yellowjackets a small (10m) proximity detonation radius would solve the problem.