Straightforward proposal: make smartbombs scriptable to change their range and damage. Unscripted smartbombs would behave exactly as they do now, but introduced with the change would be two smartbomb scripts: one that increases their range while decreasing their damage, one that increases their damage while decreasing their range. Both scripts would increase cap usage, just as long and short range ammo (for cap-using turrets) do relative to “standard” ammo.
Range/damage penalties/bonuses would be TBD, but I feel like the penalties would have to be harsher than they are for traditional turret ammo given the AoE nature of smartbombs.
This would be a pretty straightforward change and could introduce some interesting new tactics (especially now that we finally have ships with smartbomb bonuses), and all smartbomb sizes/types would use the same scripts so there wouldn’t be a huge proliferation of new script types.
I think it sounds like a good idea, though whether or not it is implemented I still move for a name change to “dumb bombs”.
With scripts? You honestly can’t think of a reason? Howabout any and all times you are within the shorter range already, and want to increase your smartbomb damage? With a script like that, it’d be like having blasters except you’d swap ammo faster and you could hit multiple targets at once including drones, and you could fire while jammed. The drawback would be these blasters cost a lot more capacitor and have lower single-target DPS.
To be fair if used in a red giant which increases range and damage reducing the range wouldn’t get penalized as much because of the effects bonus, and the damage would get a double bonus, allowing you to do a lot of damage at decent range.
Well, for one thing, the more exclusions you put on an area effect, the greater the server load. I could see smartbombs smart enough to not damage your own drones or your own fleetmates being used to play wicked TiDi/timer games. Imagine 100 ships, all with drones out, in tight formation, with multiple smartombs running. Even with current mechanics, that would cause a lot of lag (albeit not for long as said fleet would quickly blow itself up). But with a few hundred smartbombs needing to do AoE exclusion checks against a hundred ships and hundreds of drones every few seconds for an extended period of time? Ouch.
Also, ever hear of pipebombs? The only reason they’re remotely balanced is because the ships involved need to tank each other. Take that away and any fleet composition that has utility highs available could potentially become a pipebombing fleet. No bueno.
Also, say goodbye to missile damage in large fleet fights because every fleet could pretty much firewall itself.
Shall I go on?
Smartbombs are already plenty powerful. I just wanted to give them a bit more flexibility, not make them more powerful.
The exclusion thing is silly. There are better ways to code for that than just checking every single drone in the space every pulse. It’s really no worse than current.
People already use bombs in close formation, even with drones as it’s not that hard to set some sentries outside of the bomb range (I mean, the most ferocious bomb is only something like 18k). Worst impact this has is a slight leveling of resists back to pvp norms as they no longer have to adjust their tank for whatever bomb they are using. This would have negligible effect on pipe bombing or firewalling—that stuff already happens with only minor adjustments from standard fits.
Even easier… just actually make them smart. If your safety toggle is green it only effects hostile targets and targets that won’t get you concorded. If it’s toggled to red, it hits everything. They already do relatively low DPS to each target and ,unless the ship is designed for their use, they use a lot of resources.
I am for the charges to increase dps at range and vice versa. Basic level needs to remain thd same but the adjustment is great idea. Would make a BS bomber possible counter for untanked interceptors if you really get position correct.
