can't find a light cruiser that speaks to me.

Started by loudent, March 31, 2015, 12:16:06 AM

loudent

I've flown to more than a dozen different planets of varying tech levels and I simply can't find a light that speaks to me. I prefer beam weapons and a combat ship (I have a few transport hulls tucked away in different systems for when I want to mine/trade) and I swore I saw one somewhere but I think I imagined it. Wish there was a list of light cruiser hulls that I could peruse online to know If I should bother to keep looking or just bee line to heavy cruiser.

Silberspeer

So, you can't find it or the one you wish to have doesn't exist?

loudent

#2
Quote from: Silberspeer on March 31, 2015, 02:35:47 AM
So, you can't find it or the one you wish to have doesn't exist?

EDIT: Ok, I feel silly. Finally made my way to the Wiki and there is, indeed, a list of all the ships. Carry on, nothing to see here :)
EDIT2: And the Wiki actually has detailed modding instructions for making my own hull. So now I can simply design my own. Just have to make sure cost and power are balanced with other light cruisers

I don't know. Which is why I was hoping for a list somewhere online. I've hopped to dozens of stations and haven't found one (at least at the point I was looking but it seems the hulls available change either over time on when you save and reload) so it's very possible that one doesn't exist but it seems a bit of an oversight to not have a light cruiser that doesn't use energy weapons as it's main offense. I guess the point of this post was for someone to say: "It's there, keep looking" or "It's not there"

loudent

So just a follow up. After realizing there was no light cruiser that I was into, I went to the wiki and started with the crab and swapped out the weapons to something more my style. All in all, in about 30 minutes of light reading and editing some xml files I had My Marauder Light cruiser (I didn't have to do any 3d modeling since I used existing assets)

So, thanks for making this game moddable and thanks for writing the wiki to make it painless (well, relatively :))

Silberspeer

Quote from: loudent on March 31, 2015, 10:25:53 PM
So just a follow up. After realizing there was no light cruiser that I was into, I went to the wiki and started with the crab and swapped out the weapons to something more my style. All in all, in about 30 minutes of light reading and editing some xml files I had My Marauder Light cruiser (I didn't have to do any 3d modeling since I used existing assets)

So, thanks for making this game moddable and thanks for writing the wiki to make it painless (well, relatively :))

Well, that's a good start, I suppose! :) Soon we'll have a Brand New Loudent Fleet Pack mod?  ;D

It is very important to deliver other players the information, that our modding is easy to learn. Thank you!

Vulpes

I think that tier 3 is really missing an energy-based fighter ship, with Avalanche Mk2 being forced to serve until DeathBringer. While "mod it in" is certainly an answer, it would be great to get something official.

loudent

Quote from: Vulpes on April 01, 2015, 01:45:45 PM
I think that tier 3 is really missing an energy-based fighter ship, with Avalanche Mk2 being forced to serve until DeathBringer. While "mod it in" is certainly an answer, it would be great to get something official.

Actually, prior to my mod, I found the boomerang to be a better "forced to serve" option. It lacks a tier2 laser but the Avalanche tier 2 is fixed forward while the boomerang has 3 tier 1 tracking lasers a single fixed ballistics point (also tier 1). Providing arguably better damage output

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While "mod it in" is certainly an answer, it would be great to get something official.

As someone who has spent some time in a small team doing (in my case)  amateur game development, I kind of get how it is: You build a system that allow fairly easy addition of new whatevers (in this case, ships). You build a base set needed to move forward with the game and put a note in to create more when you have the time and move on.

Having the community add assets like these allows them to work on things that have a higher priority. Also, If you keep one eye on how they balanced their ships based on tier when designing ships, there's nothing stopping them from rolling the new hulls into the main game.

I do, however, agree that official is better than mod.

Vulpes

There is a quite powerful Tier2 beam weapon (don't remember the name, but it costs 14,000), that shoots out a wide beam that persists for a few seconds (kinda like basic laser but wider) which actually works great on an avalanche since its fairly maneuverable. I prefer manual control, but i use automatic for avalanche, which also negates the "negative" of being fixed.

My whole goal is to go on long missions into enemy territory and none of the "ammo" based options are effective for 2 reasons:

1. to unlock consumables that recharge them you have to spend a good deal of points down the engineering tree
2. every single one uses at least 2 separate systems (ballistic/rocket) that require entirely different point investment so you can never fully spec down a single path.

I currently have a mostly pimped out avalanche 2 and it should actually let me hold out until deathbringer, it would be nice to get an option to get out of an avalanche that i've been in for last 20 levels :)

loudent

Quote from: Vulpes on April 01, 2015, 03:41:49 PM
My whole goal is to go on long missions into enemy territory and none of the "ammo" based options are effective for 2 reasons:
1. to unlock consumables that recharge them you have to spend a good deal of points down the engineering tree
2. every single one uses at least 2 separate systems (ballistic/rocket) that require entirely different point investment so you can never fully spec down a single path.

Those are solid points. Personally I like to have a mix of energy and ballistic weapons (primarily energy) because
1) In long fights with multiple opponents your shields and lasers are both drawing on energy which can, eventually deplete it. The Ballistic weapons provide something to shoot when your energy is low.
2) ballistic weapons have a really long range. I can often snipe enemies before they're even showing on screen

I've also found that fuel becomes a bigger issue with a lot of energy weapons (although I don't, yet, have the biggest fuel tank)
However, each person has their preferences.

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I currently have a mostly pimped out avalanche 2 and it should actually let me hold out until deathbringer, it would be nice to get an option to get out of an avalanche that i've been in for last 20 levels :)

Heck, in 15 minutes one could Make an Avalanche Mk3 which would could be a light cruiser and identical to the Mk2 in every way except tier 2 energy on the rotating mounts. Just up the hull price to match the other light cruisers and you're good to go.