Combat Idea

[Harry Krishna]

I don't know if this is even do-able, but it's a thought I had....

One of the things that people complain about in the current version of the game is gang-banging. Since the combat code makes all ships fire at once, it makes the outcome of fleet battles weighted in favor of the larger fleet.

The new version of the combat code which Curufir devised (based on Spock's original design I think) made each ship fire on a single random ship in a fleet battle and this helped even the odds a bit, so that smaller fleets had more of a chance. For that, I always liked it.

So here's an idea: In ship to ship combat, the fleet doesn't fire en masse along with the triggering player. The trigger fires only on the ship he targets. The defender returns fire at a random ship (not always the attacker) if there are more than one in sector.

This would alter the dynamic of fleet battles. They would potentially last longer, and the outcome might not always be in favor of the greater fleet.

Consider different situations:

1 vs 1
combat would be basically the same

2+ vs 1
the single ship's escape/survival would depend on the attackers firing quickly and hitting individually.

2+ vs 2+
Battle would be harder to predict, would potentially last longer, and the outcome would depend more on who targets who. You would see multiple attackers targeting the same ship, sometimes getting the "Your target is already dead" message, having to CS and pick another target. Since the defender doesn't always return fire on the attacker, it's not just a big 1v1 fest.

This type of combat wouldn't apply to non-moving targets like planets and ports.

[LotuS]

My first reaction is, why not stop ganging? but that wont work. The idea is kinda cool but I dont think its practical. if anything is wrong with combat I think its the cap, but who knows.

Its cool but I dont think we need it.

[Anx-]

I agree with lotus. Combat is fine how it is. The only thing I think needs changed is the random acc. As of right now experience really doesnt help anything in fights. As an example a few nights ago I lvl 42 FU attack lvl 20 BR with 2xVap and PPL. Two shots later I am in drones FFS! lol Before than in 200k DC I am 2 shot by lvl 18 DEV. Seems hard to believe ppl 1/10th ur exp can all hit shot after shot while the larger hits for 300-400.

Im not sure I agree with removing the cap though. With that gone alliances can just sit in the open in birds and pwn anyone who doesnt bring 30 more ships to fight em. Sems unbalenced that way.

[RCK]

Requires Discussion - Think it could warrant a 'possible' be more interaction in a fleet fight scenario.

[seldum]

The biggest problem with this is off-line fleets an example would be if this was in place currently TITS fleet would have been wiped out last night with very limited casualties from blackfortress as they would have just had to all target the triggers first and then have nothing but sitting ducks unable to return fire together.

How I would like to see this work is if you have less than say 6 ships on either side, fleet fire and fleet return fire is disabled making combat 1v1 only. This could allow a 3 man team to take on 5-6 enemies and have a slight chance, would also return some skill into combat that has been removed by hotkeys

[JettJackson]

Agree Seldum also this would make landing on 70s as a fleet much less useful.

[RCK]

GreyDeath, Page and myself discussed this in depth yesterday afternoon. To shorten the description above.

This change would remove Fleet combat from the attack and replace it with more player vs player interaction. For instance 1vs1 would be the same as it currently is. The change begins when you have 2+. When there are 2 or more players IS, the attack will have to choose which player they wish to attack. When they fire, they will ONLY fire at the person they selected. This carries on for all combat involving more players on each team.

However, we are not 100% of the return fire scenario, this would either be return fire on the attacker OR the defender would fire back at a random enemy IS. Both methods would require testing to determine the most balanced solution.

[seldum]

landing on anything but in fed would not happen any more. At least currently with a landed fleet and 2-3 triggers online you will hopefully take some of the enemy with you before being destroyed with the new system the triggers go first and then you go down the list until the rest of the sitting duck fleet is wiped out as an attacker it would be very hard and take a big screwup to lose any ships. With out the fleet returning fire together there would be no point in fleet parking. Lets face it the game is not active enough where 2 alliances get 10+ ships online at the same time. SO if you want people to build / park on planets you need to adapt your thinking on this and consider a suggestion like I presented or keep it the way it is currently with fleet firing together.

[Kard]

1v1 combat only, just wouldnt work. It takes all the safetey out of parking anywhere but fed.

One idea ive tossed around in my head for years, but would be a massive change to the game:

Make each ship have its own delays. Trade ships would have the slowest delays. moving, trading, unoing, would take a PT for argument sake, 750ms, an ACV 700ms, and PSF has 800ms delays. Hunting ships would be the fastest, with a Jugernaught having 300ms delays, ITAC would have 325ms delays, and carapace would have 250ms delays. Top racials and anything big, would have medium delays. EOS would have 500ms delay, MS would have 575ms delays, TAC would have 475ms delays.

This would definatly bring dynamic to fleeting and combat. The decisions you make would have to be very calculated, and factor in your ship, the enemy ship, not just defence and weapon setup and exp, but now factor in will he get that 5th trigger before me, or do i need to uno now then re attack knowing that if he attacks twice while i uno, i can then fire twice before he clicks CS>delay>Examine UNO>delay>buy shields.

If these are too fast, we could try out slow games, which would be far more newbie friendly, where delays are 2x normal. So you would have time to get shot, see the damage you did and he did, and make a calculated decision because you had 1500ms before his delay and your delay was up.

Im not in anyway proposing this idea. It was just something ive been kicking around in my head for like a decade, and thought it might bring something to the discussion, because making everything 1v1 combat is not the answer.

[RCK]

1vs 1 was how it was done in SM, with success it seems. (least to a point).

1vs1 brings strategy, now i can take 5 of my ships, enter a fleet with 10, my fleet targets the op leader, while your 10 target the the 5 of us. Now you have a fleet with no op leader (while they reship), i can then do the same kind of thing with other targets.

means you actually use strategy for a defence, and the biggest alliance doesnt always win.