Hyper-Arty Ideas

posted on May 21st, 2010, 10:21 pm

Just thought it'd be best to lay down some requests on a new thread, as it isn't about balancing per say

Hyperspace Artillery gains two firing modes (to be more interesting and balanced in all situations):

Mode 1 (Bombardment Mode):

Fires a massive burst at the target location with the current range and radius. Deals double damage to structures. (absolutely the same as the current firing mode).

Has a 10 second cooldown, and deals nearly no damage to vessels other than battleships as others are too small to get damaged by the relativistic effects of the particles (this is changed).

Mode 2 (Scattershot Mode):

Volleys several quicker bursts of damage specifically designed to do cause damage to enemy morale. Has current cooldown.

Fires 5 small bursts in quick succession that impact in random locations (but within the large area that you selected). Each of these bursts has a chance to deal high damage to up to *blank number* of ships due to direct hits.

Deals a small amount of damage directly to the hull to all units in the area of effect (that is percentage based so as not to impact destroyers more than battleships etc) and shorts out some of the sensors for a short time. The ability is only 2/3 to half the range of the first firing mode.

posted on May 21st, 2010, 10:33 pm

If either of these ideas were implemented, I would never use the Hyperspace artillery ever again. I build it so I can have an Ubergun that kills pesky little cloaked units I can't find and helps take down shields of defending vessels (this is against AI, I haven't played online yet.)

posted on May 21st, 2010, 11:40 pm

If this was implemented, you could still use it for that.

posted on May 21st, 2010, 11:47 pm

Nice improves! I think the hyperspace arty should be more like the special on the veteran dread. Damage those players who like to turtle. Maybe it should do more damage based on range though.

[Nebula_Class_Ftw]

posted on May 22nd, 2010, 12:18 am

Last edited by Nebula_Class_Ftw on May 22nd, 2010, 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

If this was implemented, you could still use it for that.

Did you read his post?

"Has a 10 second cooldown, and deals nearly no damage to vessels other than battleships as others are too small to get damaged by the relativistic effects of the particles (this is changed)."

Nearly no damage except to battleships? No way I'm going to build some huge cannon just to hit a few battleships (doubtful even that very many battleships would be so close together.) The AoE-style is much better for taking out tightly-packed destroyers and cruisers. I build fleets to take out battleships.


"Volleys several quicker bursts of damage specifically designed to do cause damage to enemy morale. Has current cooldown."

Morale? What use is degrading enemy morale? I'm not going to build a huge gun just to make the enemy ships fire slightly less. Unless you can make them retreat and decomission themselves while they display huge glowing letters spelling out "I'm a coward" (btw that would be ), I'd rather actually destroy them.

posted on May 22nd, 2010, 1:00 am

Mode 2 (Scattershot Mode):

Volleys several quicker bursts of damage specifically designed to do cause damage to enemy morale. Has current cooldown.

Fires 5 small bursts in quick succession that impact in random locations (but within the large area that you selected). Each of these bursts has a chance to deal high damage to up to *blank number* of ships due to direct hits.

Deals a small amount of damage directly to the hull to all units in the area of effect (that is percentage based so as not to impact destroyers more than battleships etc) and shorts out some of the sensors for a short time. The ability is only 2/3 to half the range of the first firing mode.

If you read the statement underneath morale it does a lot more. Though yes, the idea is not to completely obliterate cruisers and destroyers as a one-hit wonder, but rather to be a part of your fleet.   . I guess it's similar to making Plasma Coil not 2 hit kill battleships (like it could in PR --> 3.0.6)

posted on May 22nd, 2010, 7:45 am

interesting, i never pay attention to the hyper arty as its practically useless as far as i could tell.

posted on May 22nd, 2010, 8:54 am

Does "as far as I could tell." actually mean "I get killed by AI:Normal before I can build it?"

Hot-key it, and wait.  If laying-waste to huge blocks of space is practically useless to you, Its probably a sad sight to see what you consider useful.  (Spam Rush)

Though, I do have a question about damaging morale?  Wouldn't that type of shot do the exact opposite?  What goes through your mind when some punk is blasting you with one of those?  "GG?" Or, should circumstances permit, "REVENGE!"  Actually, maybe it is a good intimidator.

I do like the concept of different configurations versus ships or structures.  Reminds me of the SC siege tank.

[Nebula_Class_Ftw]

posted on May 22nd, 2010, 4:43 pm

Last edited by Nebula_Class_Ftw on May 22nd, 2010, 4:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

"Deals a small amount of damage directly to the hull to all units in the area of effect (that is percentage based so as not to impact destroyers more than battleships etc) and shorts out some of the sensors for a short time. The ability is only 2/3 to half the range of the first firing mode."

I'm not interested in a small amount of damage. I also don't like the damage scaling so that destroyers get impacted as much (which I take to mean hull % based on your sentence) as battleships. I would just send a bunch of war frigates instead (they actually kill destroyers.)

As far as direct hull damage: sure that's good, but the rest of my fleet would do shield damage, making the hull damage only useful if I have such a big fleet I can easily take down shields, but then why would I use hyper-artillery if I have such a good fleet?

Sensor shorting-out might be nice for getting my fleet into the enemy base undetected by the enemy fleet I just made blind, but I really would just rather kill the enemy fleet since its sensors will come back online and it still has engines.

posted on May 22nd, 2010, 5:56 pm

hm.. it's an interesting idea...


but if this is to balace the hyper arty it's best; so that dominion can only build 1 and not 2 as pure tech, ( give it some sort of a bonus ) because 1 is fair game, fleets can survived just shield damage, 2  fleets are destroyed if they don't move...

posted on May 22nd, 2010, 6:21 pm

yep some interessting ideas we want to make the hyperspace ari more fun to use in the future patches too

posted on May 22nd, 2010, 6:34 pm

Actually I founf it a very nice counter to the mass build of small ships which is common practice in online play.

posted on May 24th, 2010, 7:36 am

I'm not interested in a small amount of damage. I also don't like the damage scaling so that destroyers get impacted as much (which I take to mean hull % based on your sentence) as battleships. I would just send a bunch of war frigates instead (they actually kill destroyers.)

  One problem right now in online play is that an Arty (or god forbid two) can effectively wipe out an entire fleet of small ships before the enemy can react.  You may enjoy that idea, but it's extremely frustrating in game because you simply cannot react fast enough to move them. 

  1 Click wonders are no fun .

As far as direct hull damage: sure that's good, but the rest of my fleet would do shield damage, making the hull damage only useful if I have such a big fleet I can easily take down shields, but then why would I use hyper-artillery if I have such a good fleet?

  Because hull damage can also affect the subs, am I wrong?


  Dom, I like the ideas a lot.  Glad you followed up on it .  I'd love to see the HPA become something less than a 1 click pwn.

posted on May 24th, 2010, 8:26 am

I wouldn't mind seeing the HPA get a firing mode kinda like the stock Jaq'eng (or however you spell it...klingon suicide ship) weapon.  Just...softer.  Not instantly vaping whole bases, but still pulping anything that sat it's ass directly in front of the main cannon.

Maybe overloading shields and engines for 10 seconds, and nothing else.  (Yes, that's horrifying, but if you sit in front of a HPA and let it drop a slow-moving wave of destruction on your whole clustered fleet, you deserve it when the bugships blow up your defiants.)

posted on May 24th, 2010, 9:33 am

Everyone who fought against Jan in the recent replay (and everyone who has watched it, for that matter) should have a sense of exactly what the hyperspace artillery is already capable of in skilled hands, and that's not even touching on its most basic siege use.  If you can accurately predict where your opponent's fleet will be and make enough contact to force defense micro-ing on his part, you have at least ten seconds where you can - as yandonman puts it - "get away with murder" by inflicting massive losses without putting your expensive artillery in danger.  If you have him fully engaged, you could even send them unaccompanied on a moon raid and still expect your Arty's to come home in one piece

I just don't see what benefit an overhaul would really give it, considering the above.