[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by orev_saara:
[QB]I'm in the process of creating my own personal mod, and a thought struck me Last night: Why weapon platforms?

Because it's easier to build a reactor and weapons system on the ground than in space.

They really make no sense. For projectile guns and missile launchers, you have all of that gravity to overcome. Launching a missile out of orbit uses tremendous amounts of fuel.

SE4 starts at a technology level at the very least a few centuries removed from us. Planetary launches are a non-issue for every species, and their ships routinely travel at speeds far faster than anything we can manage today. Missiles would have no problems leaving the atmosphere on as much fuel as can drive a ship from Earth to Mercury in a week.

As for energy weapons, you have atmosphere to get through, which would degrade just about anything, espacially those projectile guns.

Once again you've misjudged the technology level. Your basic energy weapon in SE4 is capable of killing every single person on Earth today in a single combat. That cannot be more than five days by the timing system used in the game. That's a massive amount of energy, and such a weapon would not be affected a great deal by atmospheres.

[quote]A depleted uranium cannon firing from ground, through atmosphere, and escaping orbit? Ludicrous. Not really impossible, but far costlier than putting a similar launcher in orbit beforehand.

The whole concept of planetary weapon platforms is somewhat fanciful, but they can have a huge impact on SE games, especially if you allow any WP range extending mounts. If anything, there should be WP range-decreasing mounts. Maybe someone else already said all of this.

It's a science fiction game with warp points, usable organic based ships, and faster than light travel. I think that weapons mounted on planets are the least fanciful part of the game. Weapon platforms have increased ranges because theyare useless otherwise. Further, planetary weapons have a basis in science fiction, just watch The Empire Strikes Back.