Damage Calculation

[tbontob]

Could someone help me by giving me an in-depth explanation how damage is determined?

Just to get it started...

1) We add all the attack percentages.

2) We deduct all the defense percentages.

3) We deduct a percentage (IIRC, it is 10%) for each sector away from the target (if it is a beam weapon).

The above may be unclear, fuzzy and possibly incorrect. In all likelihood, I probably missed some things.

So, is there anyone out there who has a a clear understanding of damage calculation. And has the time and the energy to explain it to me?

And possibly to the other readers of this thread.

[Fyron]

Those attack and damage modifiers only affect the chance to hit the target. Once the weapon hits, it always does the same damage (at each range). Unfortunately, there is no variable damage.

[Phoenix-D]

Here's the sequence as far as I can tell. This is all stock SE4, some of this can be modded. This also applies ONLY to direct-fire weapons; seekers are different.

1) We add all the attack percentages.

2) We deduct all the defense percentages.

3) We deduct 10% for each square of range

4) The chance to hit is capped at 99% or 1% (i.e. 130% hit chance is dropped to 99%, 0% hit chance is upped to 1%)

5) Religious talisman, if any, sets the ship's hit chance to 100%

6) Hit check, hit or miss time..

7) if hit: damage. For normal weapons, Shields are hit first, then components with the Armor ability.

From there you're on your own..it's fairly simple up to this point but damage is weird and complicated.

Phoenix-D

[tbontob]

Thanks Phoenix-D for the excellent starting point.

I am wondering if we can make a list of factors which affect the attack and defense bonuses in a standard SE4 game.

ATTACK BONUSES:
Racial characteristic (aggressiveness)
Combat Sensors
Weapon attack bonus (for example 70% for PDC's)

DEFENCE BONUSES:
Racial characteristic (defensiveness)
ECM
[Edit] Weapon defense bonus (ie 50% for drones)

SPECIAL CASE
Religious talisman sets the bonus at 100%

The above are just what comes to mind...there must be more!

[ November 16, 2002, 02:04: Message edited by: tbontob ]

[Phoenix-D]

"SPECIAL CASE
Religious talisman sets the bonus at 100%"

Err..this isn't how it works. What the talisman does is set the *chance to hit* to 100%. Typo?

ATTACK BONUSES:
Racial characteristic (aggressiveness)
Combat Sensors
Weapon attack bonus (for example 70% for PDC's)
Cultral trait: space combat
Ship Experience level
Fleet Experience level
Chassis bonus (ex: fighters get a 50% bonus)

DEFENCE BONUSES:
Racial characteristic (defensiveness)
ECM
Cultral trait: space combat
Ship Experience level
Fleet Experience level
Scattering Armor
Stealth Armor
Chassis bonus (fighters get a 40%? bonus)

Phoenix-D

[ November 16, 2002, 02:18: Message edited by: Phoenix-D ]

[tbontob]

Hmmm, maybe I am missing something here.

I thought the attack and defense bonuses are used to determine the probability of a hit. And that the talisman just sets it at 100%.

In other words, the talisman is totally unaffected by the values of the attack and defense bonus as it is locks the probability of a hit at 100%

Would this be an accurate assessment?