First new weapon for WS being coded

LarkinVB · Post by **LarkinVB** » Wed Nov 07, 2001 8:32 pm

The first new weapon of WS will be the E.M. Pulser. Yes, another one for the energy department which is on my wish list for a very long time. There is even a factory help text entry in v1.4.

Its effect will be dependant on the location and slot being hit and can be from none to engine shutdown. I'm sure we will get it balanced.

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Wed Nov 07, 2001 9:54 pm

An army of recon's armed with em pulsers and power axes might be an interesting combo.

LarkinVB · Post by **LarkinVB** » Wed Nov 07, 2001 10:03 pm

Originally posted by Eric Petersen:
An army of recon's armed with em pulsers and power axes might be an interesting combo.

Shudder .... If you think about the neural bridge causing the jock to get damage if hit by the E.M.P. ... so only mediums and bigger can be affected on a cockpit hit ..... shudder ....

It will be the small mans gun, effective against biggies which have all their slots full of nice electronical equiment.

Lyhrrus · Post by **Lyhrrus** » Wed Nov 07, 2001 10:28 pm

Geh, them cockroaches keep on gettin' bigger 'n bigger Marge...

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 12:19 am

I am for adding anything to the game that causes Mind numbing fear in pilots. As long as its balanced.

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 12:22 am

One last item: When the emp + power axe laden recon's are finally crushed by their enemy. Self Destruct?

jmikkone · Post by **jmikkone** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 12:35 am

Any possibility to have an option to create teams that can be backed up before trying them out in the battlefield? If we're to see yet another hazard looming in the horizon that threatens our nearest and dearest jocks we've nurtured all the way up to veteran status and up, losing him/her/it just like that doesn't really sound like much fun to me.

Currently this game is like playing Diablo II with Hardcore characters.. Okay for those that do no 'fall in love' with their characters, but I couldn't imagine playing it just like that..

Lyhrrus · Post by **Lyhrrus** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 2:29 am

copy team file, save in another directory

*technically cheating* I suppose... but who's counting?

jmikkone · Post by **jmikkone** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 3:14 am

Lyh, I'm already backing up my team files just in case, but since it's a bit awkward, why not make it an option inside TOS itself?

I know, I know, you're supposed to lose sometimes as well.. But I just can't imagine having to spend several extra hours just to replace a fallen jock. It resembles real life, yes, but to keep a game enjoyable you must lift some of the burdens. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

Tournament teams do not offer the same enjoyment since you don't see any advancement there..

LarkinVB · Post by **LarkinVB** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 3:53 am

Youre more of a AD&D player, are you Jukka ?
Your elite jock should be like a 14th level fighter with 120hp were a meager longsword does 1-8 damage. I was thrilled as an AD&D player when I encountered another rolplaying game called Midgard were your character had life points ( around 12 ) which never changed regardless of level. It made every fight a worthy combat cause non-exsistance was only one critical hit away.

I love games were each fight can be dangerous. Why don't you just retrieve the team for 500000$ ?

Marga · Post by **Marga** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 6:12 am

There is even a factory help text entry in v1.4.

Call it "precognition" <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

jmikkone · Post by **jmikkone** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 8:28 am

Larkin,

Pretty good guess with the AD&D thing.. You could say that I'm kinda used to somehow always 'magically' keeping the players alive, just because my players weren't at all enthusiastic about losing their characters they had worked on for weeks. But yes, it sort of makes the game retarded after a while since the players learn quickly to expect that nothing can really kill them for good. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

firestorm · Post by **firestorm** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 10:49 am

ever played a rougelike? yes you can back up a save file, but in most rougelikes (there are exceptions -- i.e. ZAngband, Nethack etc -- but these usually have it an option) when you die it's kaplut. i've worked for a week on a single char in adom, gotten him around lvl 13 (low by standards, high for me tho...), then walked around the wrong corner. unless you're saving & backing it up every other step it's pretty hard to keep guys alive.
i love the thrill factor, that your next move could be your favorite char's last.

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 5:46 pm

Originally posted by Larkin [Vicious Byte]:

Shudder .... If you think about the neural bridge causing the jock to get damage if hit by the E.M.P. ... so only mediums and bigger can be affected on a cockpit hit ..... shudder ....

It will be the small mans gun, effective against biggies which have all their slots full of nice electronical equiment.

Nice touch, the neural bridge thing. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
What about the other effects, what did you decide for?
I don't think swarms will be that much of a problem, as long as the effects are not permanent. And they are not that unbalanced.

LarkinVB · Post by **LarkinVB** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 6:01 pm

At the moment I added most of the effects you did propose. The weapon might be a bit on the light side with only one slot and 3t weight. You can pack pretty much of them into one titan. Since engine shutdown is possible and the engine can be a big thing/ easy to hit I might add a certain protections against E.M.P.s which is type dependant. Engine A will be less likly to be shutdown the Engine 3. The reason is that more expensive devices are better shielded against those waves.

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 6:24 pm

The specs I proposed were based on the factory's description of the weapon, and they were practically maxed out for each characteristic's level. Range could still be lowered to 11. Good range is nice, for it to work against swarms.
The effects were not that overwhelming either, so I left it as was. An engine shutdown is not too critical anyway, it'll stop the titan, which was something a lot of people wanted. Toggling on power-dependant systems can be accomplished in weapon-reloads. But better engines having better shielding is good.

PrinceCorrin · Post by **PrinceCorrin** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 9:03 pm

*Foop* Folder's on fire <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

The Folder, the folder, the folder's on fire.

We didn't start the fire (wait yes I did) It was always burnin since the worlds been turnin

heheh

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 9:29 pm

Originally posted by THE Iceman:

Nice touch, the neural bridge thing. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
What about the other effects, what did you decide for?
I don't think swarms will be that much of a problem, as long as the effects are not permanent. And they are not that unbalanced.

Thus the Power axe addition. The emp alone is not enough.

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 9:41 pm

Yep, but the EMP has a range of 11+, so it can be used by heavier titans to stop swarms from afar. I mean that stop literally, turning swarms into waves, which can be handled somewhat better.
Now, as to being used by swarms, yes, it can bring down locks, shields, ECMs, scans, movement, but perhaps the BRG is still better to be used with the PXs. Maybe the EMP should have a min range, so as to not be abusive with CC (which I'm not sure it will be)?

About lighter titans packing a bunch of these weapons, the heat limitation is still in place. 15C for each discharge won't let you fire too many of these. Power limitations will also work against multi-EMP - I thought about raising power consumption to 30 or more like the big weapons, that's 15+ secs reload instead of 13, but it should only be done if absolutely necessary. The cost is also pretty high. And the accuracy of the weapon could probably be the balancing factor, as it'll influence the chances for effects to happen (if it is implemented the same way NBs are).
You can also have a power requirement for firing the weapon, like the GC, but a lot higher, like 3, so you'd have to be standing still to fire it, and one at a time. Just a thought.

LarkinVB · Post by **LarkinVB** » Fri Nov 09, 2001 1:43 pm

The accuracy will not be treated like the neutron blaster. The balancing factor is that you can hit slots which have nothing to affect or are pretty resistant like high class engines. Other effects are minor like switching off the E.C.M.