Point Def. too tough against missiles-change it.

[Cranex]

I'd like to play a game using Missiles on
my ships instead of the same old thing,
Shields/Beams/Combat Sensors/ECM. This combo
can take out a Missile 5 equipped equally sized ship easily. In my opinion, the numbers on the point defence weapons should be decreased so they do less damage against missiles.
Also, on the main screen when you look at a system with for ex, 5 planets, several different enemy ships, (just a lot of things cluttering up the view, time and time again I have to strain to find the planet I want. I know it has a border around it. Why can't the border pulse or flicker. And why can't the planets spin slowly. Neat oooo
I LOVE THIS GAME!! It just need tweaking.
========================================
I read all your thoughts (as of March 27), and boy, am I impressed! Good ideas guys (and girls) BTW, any girls play SE4?
[This message has been edited by Cranex (edited 26 March 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Cranex (edited 27 March 2001).]

[Baal]

I agree completely. Even a PCD I can take down hordes of missiles. I was thinking though that we could change the hit points on the missiles so that they can withstand more PDC punishment. It would take more hits to kill a missile. And have the hit points progressively increase with the tech levels.

If PDCs act the same with missiles as they do with fighters they will try to take out one missile and then move on to the next. So that while not all the missiles get through, at least some are getting through.

In my opinion this is not unbalanced as PDCs also increase in damage dealt with each level. This moddification would definitely make Seekers a viable weapon in the late game.

Just my 2 cents.

[Suicide Junkie]

Try adding a new string of components:

Mini-missiles. They would be say 10Kt, do 1/5 th the damage, and be otherwise equivalent to CSMs

Thus, you can overload PDCs with volume, while still having a reasonable damage factor.

[Deathstalker]

MiniMissiles is a great idea, just don't try adding them as a CompEnhancement mount. It seems the damage is hardcoded, I added the mount that is 1/2 size, 1/2damage and +2 range, adding cost for the range advantage and it seemed to work fine, till I looked at the damage it was doing. The missiles said 30 points of damage but were really doing 60. I don't know if this would be the same for newly created componants. And yes, trying to modd the mount for more damage dosn't work either. But on a second note this could work just as well, just use the mount for 1/2 size, add more cost and then it could overwhelm the pd cannons, and as a mount the AI would use is as well (just change the ship size restrictions for mounts, and leave out normal mounts.) Or maybe its just 3am and I am babbling and need sleep.

------------------
"The Empress took your name away," said Chance.
Owen smiled coldly. "It wasn't hers to take. I'm a Deathstalker until I die. And we never forget a slight or an enemy." -Owen Deathstalker.

[Possum]

death stalker, suicide_junkie, you guys got some great ideas there!

[Griffin]

I think the extra speed missiles are getting will help with this issue, will generally mean that PDC only get one shot off at missiles rather than the average two they get now.

[Arralen]

Dunno where the problem is, really - have blown up lots 'n lots of AI ships using missiles .. no matter if the AI ships have PD or not

I wonder how you're using the missiles .. shooting all of them at one ship at once should really help .. especially if you move your ships away from the enemy .. the AI never knows if to fire allguns at the missles or get at least some shots at your distant ships

And concerning upping the missile damage resistance - the CSM1 has resistance of 30, while the PD1 only deals 25 damage, so it needs 2 shots to take down the missile already ?!

As it was said, the higher speed will shurely help, too, and if this isn't enough, just make the range of all missiles (don't forget plasma, shards and these bio-thingies) +2.

While this seems counter-intuitive at first, it would have a big effect on combat .. it will make the enemies beam weapons utterly useless .. so while you'll score few hits, he won't get any !!

A.

PS: I forgot - o.c. you could always use more than one missile component on a ship, but you already thought about that, don't you ?

[This message has been edited by Arralen (edited 26 March 2001).]

[Nitram Draw]

I use a lot of AAA destroyers and cruisers. Each usually has between 12-20 PD weapons. Very few missles or fighters get through in a fleet with 2-3 of these attached.
One problem with missles is the rate of fire. Firing every 2-3 turns makes it easier for the PD weapons to do their work. As Arralen points out the key to attacking with missles is to overwhelm the defenses. Perhaps a lighter damaged/shorter range missle with a rate of fire of 1 would help balance it out.

[DirectorTsaarx]

As of patch 1.27 or 1.30, the hit points for seekers DO increase for higher tech levels. (Especially for Plasma Torps).

I think they also tweaked supply usage for seekers...

[Baron Munchausen]

The simplest way to make the missile/pdc situation more balanced is to remove the built-in BONUS to hit from the PDC. They have a 50 percent modifier in the components.txt files, so as things are now they are at 100 percent to hit at full range of five. Remove the 50 percent bonus and they are only 50 percent likely to hit at full range. Unless you have Combat Sensors, and then the CS bonus is added to your PDC just as it is to other weapons. So, you'll actually see pdc MISS once in a while. Amazing! Now that's realism. I also wish MM would add some way to modify the 'ecm' value of seekers so you can have better protected missiles at higher techs but this is a start. Another good change would be if missiles could actually MISS themselves once in a while. Missiles and mines need a real 'to hit' chance instead of this infallible damage.