I would disagree strongly that doing something is always better than doing nothing. If the fix is worse then the problem, is different better then?
All it will take to get the stock PPB changed is for someone to convince Malfador that it's a problem I think, and one that can be fixed relativly painlessly.
I am not totally convinced that PPB's are so radically out of whack as many of you. And I definetly DISAGREE with reducing their power. I think they should be an option as a primary weapon, not relegated to secondary weapon status, as reducing their damage or ROF would do, as someone pointed out previously. There are already too few realistic choices for primary direct fire weapons in the stock game. Reducing that numebr by one is the wrong way to go IMHO.
Changing the research cost some would be a reasonable modification. If all you change is the level cost some you can effect a serious change in the research balance without requiring a rework of any AI research files. Although some AI that are heavily geared towards PPB's will probably want to change some or they will get so tied up researching them at the upper levels that they will be dificent in other areas.
Baron's idea to increase the size of the component is also a good one. Making them 40Kt with the current damage levels and range would still allow their use as a primary weapon, without allowing so many of them to be crammed on a ship.
However changing either of these or both is going to make the Meson BLaster that much more attractive. Already I am seeing as many or more of them in games than I am PPB's. I guess they are next on the balance hit list.
Anyway, if we want to get this changed we should try to reach a consensus on what the new settings should be. Therefore I suggest we adopt the 40Kt per component size as suggested earlier in the thread, AND raise the tech level cost to 10000. (EDIT: I said 15K here at first, but as soon as I said it I realized that's too much. Rollo's right. 10K, if it needs changed at all.)
If this seems acceptable to the majority someone should put it in an email and send it to Malfador.
Agree/Disagree?
Geoschmo
[ May 28, 2002, 22:17: Message edited by: geoschmo ]