Well, my loyal small band of merry Gunners, that time has arrived. That time when forking over 1,000,000 credits for AI just to shoot them down, that time where you never got invited to the cool kid's parties... it has gone. Now, we shall have fun as gunners, as Adum intended!

As promised, a little later than expected, so apologies:

New Missiles

Note: All types come in three sizes, varying their tech level, and their sizes range from 1 to 16.

• Flare: +VIS debuff
• Disruptor: -SHIELDCHARGE debuff
• Entanglement: -SPEED debuff
• Disintegrator: -RESIST_ALL debuff
• Bunkerbuster Torpedo: Capital only mining damage + push effect
• Burst: AOE mining damage
• Interference: -RADAR AOE debuff **Needs Testing please**
• Decoy Torpedo: No weapon, but large shields with ++hostility mods
• MIRV Torpedo: splits into x3, x4 or x5 smaller warheads
• Vortex Torpedo: creates a -push effect centred on target
• Gatling Platform: Capital only stationary platform that fires x10 missiles in sequence
• Lancer Missile: Long range only that uses heat ray + AOE heat explosion

All will be on test, in Ordnance Command, Lyceum.

Bugs:

• MIRVs currently don't self-destruct if tractored away from AI, thus spawning infinite missiles. Will be fixed before going anywhere near live server. Fixed.
• Splash damage doesn't impart tweaks (-radar in particular) ~ unknown if fixable at this time. Not fixable.
• Decoys aggro? Do they build it correctly?

Stuff that needs feedback:

• Speed of missiles, esp vrs players - in particular the -tweak ones. Can it track + outrun a SD?
• Likewise: radar strength ~ are the new missiles able to find anyone?
• General damage feed-back
• Whatever else you can think of

Other ninja-type buffs / changes:

• Shield strength across the board increased
• Radar strength across the board increased
• Kinetic missiles slight speed reduction (will penalise AI more than players)
• AP missiles slight speed increase

Production / Factories

Factory mechanics are worked out: since gunners are already an expensive class (1 mil for 25 missiles you burn through in minutes) the new missiles are made somewhat differently.

(Kinetic or AP Crate, I, II, II) * (1 or 2 or 3) + Nuclear Waste = New missile Crate.

e.g.



To cut down on BPs, factories etc, new missile crates will only come in 1 type / missile, giving 8, 12, 15, 20 or 25 missiles, depending on type. So, you'll need the first tier of crate production to produce them, but no other expense or cost. Building the new factories will be a one off cost, and will reflect that.

First.

Ugh. Now I'm forced to choose between playing SS or ME3.

Guess I'll be spending my weekend in test.

FUCK yes! I guess ill use my Gunner for the first time in 2 years lol. Thanks for the chance. Where will we find the stuff to test out when the test server is updated?

Thank you I'm resubbing right now. Anyways, KMWs on gunner? Ew. So far no gunner with KMWs could hurt mine.

http://www.starsonata.info/builds.php?m ... up&ID=1506

By baby will wreck you.

When I've worked out the kinks (we're on rough mechanics draft atm) I'll put everything in Ordnance / Lyceum, for free.


The best bit is that this is all working on local nicely, and there's not too much balancing. I'll have to crank out some factories etc, but otherwise it's smooth sailing (the tough bit was getting the hard stuff like MIRVs done).


Oh... forgot:

• Missiles will be getting smaller, however some of the new ones will fill that hull gap, and be quite large

Will we be seeing any changes to the actual Gunner skills this weekend?

Got a problem? Xii couldn't kill me, so I doubt you'll even poke me.

However, the new missiles might force me to change my gunner's setup eww

Skill changes will take a little longer, as they require both code and extensive balancing. So far, the idea that gunners will MF x2 at around ~10 rather than 20 has been getting favourable press.

The missiles have multiple damage types:

• Debuff types are generally energy based, but do negligible damage anyhow
• Blast (AOE) are mining
• Melting (-Resistance) are radiation, but reduce all resistances
• MIRVs are physical, although this is likely to be changed / balanced
• Capital Slugs are physical
• Plasma Storms are heat, with fire parasites
• Capital Bombers have whatever weapons we put on them

Sorry, but no skill changes this weekend. Don't be disappointed! Be happy, change is coming!

The only qualm I would have about MF'ing more than 2 is hull. I already have to Aug offensively while FC's can just throw on Caly+'s yet only carry 1 weapon. If the devs are going to have MF 2 at level 10, please give Gunner more hull or limit MF to 2 somehow.

Good one. My gunner has 2.5k/2.5k hull and has no fucking room to scoop anything, and this effects my shm's aug setup.

Erm, no, not when I use lincins, cuz I can't use both lincins and mining weps at the same time.

...
You know that look when a kid gets their first present on christmas....
Times that by.... over 9000....
Someone will have to strap me down before I start braking stuff out of pure excitment....
A change of pants will also be needed....

AEM.... you.... you are my beloved dev.... I shall hold you close to my heart from this day on...