Weapons

[Ravana]

[Zaimat]

[Ravana]

Thanks for changing it, but strangely enough Zaimat, they've gone again. I suppose access to the ship archive several days on the trot was a bit too much to ask for.

So fighters will actually be useful. We may not have to build a "conventional" flotilla, but it seems it would benefit us if we do. That'll make a change from the norm in and of itself.

[RobHuntingdon]

I'm just happy fighters will be useful against fighters. In Rebellion you had the option to use lots of fighters or lots of anti-starfighter platforms. In MOO3 there was no option, fighters just killed you.

This should be quite cool.
_________________
Robert, the Earl of Huntingdon

Tarry here, my merry men, whilst I seek what adventure await in yonder greenwood; but look thou listen for my call, for I will blow my horn if I become hard-pressed.

Adapted from Sterling, pg. 45

[Therlun]

i actually liked the fighter implementation in moo3.

they were strong if you had few or no weapons to handle them, but only a real threat in great numbers if you did have such weapons.

and the graphical presentation was IMO very.... atmospheric!
it was fun to watch the little swarmers circle around your ships which fired at them....
much more fun then the so called fighters in moo2. but the whole battle-system in moo2 is IMO a nightmare.

from balancing i would like a "homeworld" approach....

[RobHuntingdon]

Oh don't get me wrong, I liked the look. But last time I played PD was still broken. So at the time, there was no defense against fighters -- especially against the swarms that you usually would encounter... or bring...
_________________
Robert, the Earl of Huntingdon

Tarry here, my merry men, whilst I seek what adventure await in yonder greenwood; but look thou listen for my call, for I will blow my horn if I become hard-pressed.

Adapted from Sterling, pg. 45

[Zaimat]

How is it balanced in Homeworld? I have not had an opportunity to play the new one.

I think there were a lot of problems with MOO2 combat. Static combat, both sides lining up, etc... Still I find the combat system itself was a lot of fun specially in the beginning and middle of the game where each side is limited in number of ships and technology. In the end it tended to lose the fun because in most cases it was a foregone conclusion.

As for fighters I think a group of fighters should be very dangerous to a lonely cruiser, unless the fighter weapons could not penetrate the cruiser armor etc. I think of a hornet's nest vs. 1 person. Sure 1 or even 10 stings may not kill you but 20-40 in one area will most likely do the job. Not to mention the cost much higher.
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Horizon - Lead Designer

[RobHuntingdon]

Well, I'm not sure about homeworld but in SW Rebellion it's somewhat similar. You bring in a single imperial star destroyer with no escorts and try to take on 12 wings of x-wings, you will end up running for your life or you will die.

But if you brought along an ASP (anti-starfighter platform) ship or two, a second ISD and some gravity wells to prevent the rebels from running, and both ISDs are full of tie defender wings, you might take some dammage and probably will lose a fighter wing or two but the x-wings will get cremated.
_________________
Robert, the Earl of Huntingdon

Tarry here, my merry men, whilst I seek what adventure await in yonder greenwood; but look thou listen for my call, for I will blow my horn if I become hard-pressed.

Adapted from Sterling, pg. 45

[Sim-Mania]

While we're discussing fleets and ships, in most games you research a precession of ship classes - destoryer, corvette, cruiser, battleship e.c.t. So I was wondering in Horizon, by the later stages of the game, will our fleets consist of only Interstella class warships, fitted out as carriers, long range attck, or short range attack vessels. Becuase even though your older cruisers maybe fitted with the latest weapons (As Zamit has said, each ship will be ugraded with the latest systems each time it docks), an armada of battleships will beat an armada of cruisers any day.

[Ravana]

[RobHuntingdon]

Well, unless I'm grossly misinterpreting what was said so far, it sounds like you will need those smaller ships for their support roles even when you have the larger capital ships... or at least some of them. A class similar to a miniature battleship might not be important in late game because you have better, 'real' battleships now, but the destroyers and cruisers will remain important to screen/guard your really important ships from the enemy.
_________________
Robert, the Earl of Huntingdon

Tarry here, my merry men, whilst I seek what adventure await in yonder greenwood; but look thou listen for my call, for I will blow my horn if I become hard-pressed.

Adapted from Sterling, pg. 45

[Sim-Mania]

[Ravana]

[Sim-Mania]

Lab Ships, Somehow I have missed that discussion, could you elaborate on what role lab ships play in Horizon.

[Ravana]

It's an old SFB term for what is essentially a survey or scout ship. The actual unit inside the ship is called a lab. Primarily, they were intended for exploration, but in a pinch, they could be used for fleet engagements, and often were.

I think this was first mentioned under a ship's modules reply somewhere...

[Zaimat]

[Sim-Mania]

Zamite Wrote: