Starbase targetting and damage

posted on September 5th, 2011, 1:41 pm

Can we get the starbase to target a single vessel, atm it spreads its damage out between multiple targets which is fine for weaker ships but agaisnt battleships ect its useless so could the starbase be changed so that it can do both if you order it too and to switch targets like you can with a ship.

I also miss the old torpedo drone that the martok starbase used to fire, i remember that being far more effective than the current mass micro torps.

posted on September 5th, 2011, 3:49 pm

it would be genious if the starbase or turrets would behave as normal, but IF you decide to klick an enemy vessel by hand, it should concentrate fire on this specific vessel.

posted on September 5th, 2011, 5:25 pm

Since FO 3.1.0, it was intended for stationary weapons to auto-target only.
Klick-picking targets with turrets was very powerful (with multiple turrets or single torp-turrets) and since those stations are automated, it made sense to change it. Right now the auto-targeting is rather awful, because the priorities are rather dumb  and because every ship or station in range will usually target all the same closing enemy, however this'll be changed too.

[Tyler]

posted on September 5th, 2011, 5:31 pm

Last edited by Tyler on September 5th, 2011, 5:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Giving the Klingon Starbase a real Torp I wouldn't argue with, it just seems kinda silly for the Starbase of all things to pick the 'weak, but big numbers' weapon. After all, this is a Klingon Starbase not a Zerg Starbase.

I wouldn't mind if the Starbase's first (weakest) weapon could be controlled, but the ones got through upgrades auto-target. Since a Starbase is not automated.

posted on September 5th, 2011, 5:56 pm

Giving the Klingon Starbase a real Torp I wouldn't argue with, it's kinda silly for the Starbase of all things to pick the 'weak, but big numbers' weapon. This is a Klingon Starbase, after all.

I wouldn't mind if the Starbase's first (weakest) weapon could be controlled, but the ones got through upgrades auto-target. Since a Starbase is not automated.

about the micro torps, seeing as the micro torp is so common now, i think that the micro torp is just a better torp. obviously each one does less damage, but maybe they can be fired in far higher numbers, resulting in more dps. or the launchers are easier to maintain, or the torps are cheaper etc. im sure reasons can be found why micro torps are better. maybe a couple could be added to the tooltip. so that fo canon has that micro torps are the natural progression of klink photon tech. i like their torps being different from fed torps.

about starbase targeting, i wouldnt think it would kill balance too much if starbases could be player controlled. they are expensive and rare, most players only use their starting base. and the starting base should provide a serious threat to the enemy. its rare you actually have to get rid of a starbase, as most players quit when they are weakened sufficiently.

currently a nasty tactic is to place a monsoon/ambassador next to a starbase and make the starbase do very little damage. the ambassador is free and the monsoons is very close to free being so cheap. it makes the threat of a starbase practically nothing as the fleet can move in while mons/ambas tank. the starbase has very little ability to guard mining against that sort of raid. there are other ways to get similar results, but these require expensive ships, such as spheres for regen or cehlaers for hdsg. such expensive ships deserve nice features.

[MrXT]

posted on September 5th, 2011, 6:06 pm

Last edited by MrXT on September 5th, 2011, 6:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

about the micro torps, seeing as the micro torp is so common now, i think that the micro torp is just a better torp. obviously each one does less damage, but maybe they can be fired in far higher numbers, resulting in more dps. or the launchers are easier to maintain, or the torps are cheaper etc. im sure reasons can be found why micro torps are better. maybe a couple could be added to the tooltip. so that fo canon has that micro torps are the natural progression of klink photon tech. i like their torps being different from fed torps.

about starbase targeting, i wouldnt think it would kill balance too much if starbases could be player controlled. they are expensive and rare, most players only use their starting base. and the starting base should provide a serious threat to the enemy. its rare you actually have to get rid of a starbase, as most players quit when they are weakened sufficiently.

currently a nasty tactic is to place a monsoon/ambassador next to a starbase and make the starbase do very little damage. the ambassador is free and the monsoons is very close to free being so cheap. it makes the threat of a starbase practically nothing as the fleet can move in while mons/ambas tank. the starbase has very little ability to guard mining against that sort of raid. there are other ways to get similar results, but these require expensive ships, such as spheres for regen or cehlaers for hdsg. such expensive ships deserve nice features.

Thats not true about the micro torps, you can stay in range far longer than you can before.

I agree with what tyler said it makes no sense for a huge starbase to have its main weapon as a micro torp,even for balance it doesnt make sense. Ion torps or torp drones and heavy disruptors make far more sense.

When a couple of ships get in range that starbase might as well be firing a potato gun because it spreads those micro torps between them....useless.

If you need it to make sense, well a starbase can have an industrial replicator making those huge torpedo drones and the base is massive so they can be stored.

posted on September 5th, 2011, 6:14 pm

Thats not true about the micro torps, you can stay in range far longer than you can before.

I agree with what tyler said it makes no sense for a huge starbase to have its main weapon as a micro torp,even for balance it doesnt make sense. Ion torps or torp drones and heavy disruptors make far more sense.

When a couple of ships get in range that starbase might as well be firing a potato gun because it spreads those micro torps between them....useless.

If you need it to make sense, well a starbase can have an industrial replicator making those huge torpedo drones and the base is massive so they can be stored.

i was talking in general about micro torps, not specifically the starbase.

i think micro torps are satisfactory as a choice for starbase. but i agree an ion torp would be better visually. i just love the ion torp as a big gun.

about the spreading damage, i agree, the starting weapon shouldnt spread damage, as the starbase cant even scare off a small raiding fleet of small ships. maybe an upgrade could spread damage (like fed quantums), maybe klink pulses could spread damage. the main purpose of the starbase being armed is protecting the starting moons, the starbase's range would be the 1 place that the enemy would really fear fighting. but of course is stationary. but by spreading damage the klink starbase doesnt serve that purpose very well. on popular maps the starbase doesnt even cover the main base moons, so raiding is still possible, its only when advanced knowledge of a raid is coming, that you put the miners near the starbase. i think that strategy should be stronger, ie the starbase should do a good job covering the ships that are near it.

a story reason i can think of that martok's base has micro torps is that he is the enemy of taqroja who loves small raiding ships. so he would want his starbase to fire many torps to take them down.

posted on September 5th, 2011, 6:22 pm

i was talking in general about micro torps, not specifically the starbase.
i think micro torps are satisfactory as a choice for starbase. but i agree an ion torp would be better visually. i just love the ion torp as a big gun.

Well, it has the Ion Torp for the final weapon upgrade. Don't really get to see it that often, though.

posted on September 5th, 2011, 6:35 pm

Well, it has the Ion Torp for the final weapon upgrade. Don't really get to see it that often, though.

indeed, i would make that marty's starting gun. and the micro torps be his final upgrade.

posted on September 5th, 2011, 10:16 pm

Ok, but at least stations with personal on them should be able to choose another target by clicking it. Automated stations do what they want, I am ok with that

[A2_Tiger]

posted on September 6th, 2011, 10:21 am

Last edited by A2_Tiger on September 6th, 2011, 10:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

I have to say that starbases are week as shit!

Armada 2 star base would 1 shot a scout and  4 shot an advanced ship

currently a scout can take 4-5ish hits from a starbase, this is not cool. yes you can upgrade your starbase but apart from defeance there is no real point. bring back manual tagerting like in armada 2.

also you need to fix the tech tree, if you lose your tech station you should also lose any specials that have been reserched.

[Anonymous]

posted on September 6th, 2011, 10:30 am

Last edited by Anonymous on September 6th, 2011, 10:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

I have to say that starbases are week as shit!

Armada 2 star base would 1 shot a scout and  4 shot an advanced ship

currently a scout can take 4-5ish hits from a starbase, this is not cool. yes you can upgrade your starbase but apart from defeance there is no real point. bring back manual tagerting like in armada 2.

also you need to fix the tech tree, if you lose your tech station you should also lose any specials that have been reserched.

the vanilla base was strong, but big ships were dirt cheap. battleships werent expensive, and were easily replaced.

i think the taqroja starting base is about as strong as i'd want a starbase to be. its important that a fleet of ships can get rid of starbases. we saw the starbase in ds7 valiant was attacked by not too many ships, so its likely this type of base isnt the strongest they have. these bases should be much weaker than ds9. ds9 was a huge strategic point.

currently im happy with the level of protection given by taqqy's base. if you get time to put your miners next to it, then the enemy will have to think twice about going after them (unless they are feds). otherwise by the time they have a fleet worthy of taking out any starbase, they have already beaten you.

about the specials, i disagree. imagine you research hyperimpulse and give all your sabres the new tech and training needed. then you lose your science, the captains arent gonna just turn off the hyper impulse engines. if someone gives you a gift then gets killed by a drunk driver, you dont lose the gift.

posted on September 6th, 2011, 6:34 pm

your talking canon but lets be honest here thats a bit of a contradiction.

posted on September 6th, 2011, 6:46 pm

your talking canon but lets be honest here thats a bit of a contradiction.

i take your point on this, but i highlight that my main point was that the station could be strong as ships were cheap. that really sums up why fleetops cant have a station so powerful.

posted on September 7th, 2011, 6:56 am

Split damage was actually done due to balancing reasons, and at the moment, it seems unlikely that this will change. I can however imagine some specal treatment for starbases. Will see what i can do for you