PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

Noticed that lots of times, after a ship with regular shields has taken a few hits by my PPBs, the combat "hit" shows the shield picture around the ship as if the shields absorbed a PPB hit. That can't be, can it? If not, then does anyone know what's going on?

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

IIRC, the shields should still flare up, but the PP beam will ignore them and cause an explosion on the hull.

It may also be that your opponent has mixed phased and regular shields. Once the normal shield generators are destroyed, then the Phased shields will start blocking your beams.

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

IIRC, it never happens more than once per ship. No matter how many shields it has. And since I can see what is on the enemy ship, I've been careful to note that there are no phased shields. And, IIRC, doesn't matter what size the shields are or if there is more than one. It just seems to do it ONCE per ship during combat replay.

Maybe I should make notes the next time... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

The PPB may trigger the shields, but that doesn't mean it is being blocked by them. Plus, aren't there explosions when components are destroyed even when the shields are shown?

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">For one, why does it only show the shield flare picture only once (though the shield may be, say, 225 strength)? Does the flare just mean that I killed the shield generator component?

As to explosions, I don't remember offhand. Seems like there is the usual sound of a hit but not the picture of a hit.

Again, I'll have to take notes next time.

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

Replays are quite inaccurate on the graphics side.

It may be that you see the shield effect only when the shields get weakened. (This would be the shot after a generator is destroyed)

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Replays inaccurate? That's certainly nice to know... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif )

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

The only things that are guaranteed in replays are the movements of objects, and the death of objects.

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

No, the replay is accurate. It is just the graphical displays of weapons hitting the ships that is innacurate (the shield effects, explosions, etc.; actual beams and such hitting and missing are IIRC accurate).

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

Yeah, I noticed in the latest patch, when Capital Ship Missiles hit a shielded ship, there is no shield animation, and the small exoplosion animation is drawn on the ship. Review of the ship intactical combat confirms that everything is working correctly -- sheilds have lost points, no damage to the hull -- it is just drawn wrong.

Oh well, the current patch fixes more things wrong with the game than these little animation bugs, so I guess it's OK.

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

AFAIK, there is no graphic effects in combat replay when seakers hit target, except the final destruction of course. Seakers just disappear in replay.

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

I've noticed that when direct fire and PD weapons hit shielded fighters, the small explosion animation plays when the shot doesn't destroy a fighter, but when one finally does get blown up, the shield animation plays... go figure http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

fighter's shields dont get sapped down or destroyed - untill Last kT of the fighter is destroyed its shield 'operate'.

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yeah, you never see it at all replay. I meant in tactical, sometimes the shield animation is a little off the mark on what's happening -- just like Slynky saw withe the PPB.

Happens quite a lot actually, always with a special weapon that does damage -- ppb or that temporal shield and armor skipping weapon. It never (?) happens with APB, WMG, engine destroyer, subverter, etc.

This problem seemed to come and go as different patches were released.

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

shiels count as hitpoints on units.

Re: PPB -vs- Standard Shield (question)
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Shields may count as hitpoints on units, but PPB hits on normal shielded units must recalculate the hitpoints to exclude shields. Just watch PPBs take out multiple fighters per hit against Shield 3. That is why it sometimes takes multiple PDC hits to take out a fighter with Shield 3.

I believe that unit stacks carry over damage to the next unit in the stack. If the next hit is not a PPB, it will include the shield in the check to see if the items is destroyed. Unless they keep a counter of the shield strength of the 'top' unit separate from the the damage accumulator. It would be interesting to see if you stored up 60 carryover damage on a fighter stack, if the next PPB hit took out something like 5 or 6 of the buggers. I do not believe any damage carryover (units or ships) ever remembers what type of hit the damage carried over from. It always gets added straight to the new hit, as far as I know.