We are in the middle of the module tiericide, and sooner or later we will get to the turrets too. I was thinking, what if we would change how the attributes of the turrets are distributed?
Turrets have 3 main attributes: damage, range and tracking. But damage and tracking is always linked. My idea is to make one turret excel in one attribute, while having “average” stats on the other two.
Let me try with an example.
There are 3 kind of hybrid blasters: electron, ion and neutron. My idea basically to make them completely different. Let’s say electron blasters would have the highest damage, ion blasters the longest range and neutron blasters the best tracking. This wouldn’t make any of them superior, the choice of weapon would be a bit more difficult than “the strongest that fits”. All other turret groups would get the same specialization treatment. Another important thing: I’m only thinking about the subcapital turrets right now.
The T2 versions could improve on one of the secondary attributes. For short range turrets, damage specialized gets more range, range gets more tracking and tracking gets more damage. As for the long range turrets, the secondary attributes would cycle the opposite way.
In addition, medium and large groups would receive a fourth turret. We already have a lot of turrets with “double” in their name, I thought this could become literal. The turret with the longest range becomes a double version with the size change. It keeps the range and tracking stat, but the increased ammo size would double it’s damage. I choose the range specialized because this way both the damage and the range would be inferior to any other in the same size, but they would be perfect against targets that are smaller than the ship the turrets are fitted on. (We already have something similar in the form of the rapid launchers, though those are designed for high burst damage.)
I don’t know if a “quadruple small turret” for large ships would be useful or not, but the option is there.
Also, no, this idea is horrible. We have meta weapons that already cover that. Your idea about electron, ion, and neutron blasters is completely stupid because they are already set apart due to fitting and damage multipliers.
Just no. Omg, this is one of the worst ideas I’ve ever seen on the forums. Holy crap.
Because some variants would be useless. Blasters with more range are going to almost worthless next to one with more tracking. And not every turret sub-type has three variants (artillery).
Current system where turret sub-types are chosen based on cpu/grid needs seems fine. I can choose gankier set-ups at the cost of tank or utility. And i think any desire for extra range/tracking can be achieved well enough with a ‘scoped’ ‘precise’ version plus weapon upgrade mods/rigs.
Tl:dr
No need.
I want them to rebalance/overhaul ammo at the same time they do turrets (especially projectile). But that’ll do.
And a hard no to ‘multi-small guns’. Just give a tracking boost to electrons/dual 425 autos/gattling lasers and/or choose a ‘precise’ variant.
I think your fundamental conceit here is flawed. Tracking and Damage aren’t directly related and equally valuable because while your damage can be reduced by tracking it can never be increased beyond its maximum by it, and there are other ways to increase damage application.
For example a Vindicator isn’t just a ridiculous Blaster Boat because it has very high damage, it’s because it has super-Webs that mean tracking almost doesn’t matter for it. It has no reason to take a trade-off of Damage for more Tracking, and very little reason to trade Damage for Optimal Range either.
That same trade off is going to hold true for most ships that don’t have ridiculous webs as well. There are so many ways to improve damage application that going for tracking just doesn’t make sense unless it’s a ridiculous tracking increase, and then you’ve just made larger guns kinda OP against smaller ships.
