ECM Special Effects

[mossfoot]

A thought: ECMs drain a fair bit of power from the energy banks, presumably generating a powerful enough field that will overload standard missiles or some such.

What if there was some kind of visible effect around the ship when this was used? A soft glow (in fiction, a side effect on the shields)? Little lightning crackling around the hull or in a sphere around the ship?

[Zireael]

I like the idea.

[mossfoot]

Of course the same would apply to your ship (so you'd see some kind of effect out the screen) but in a furball it might even have very minor use because maybe someone else fired a missile that somebody ECMed, and you'd see which ship it was that did it, and if you were thinking about getting them in your sights, you might think twice before using a missile on them (or want to make them a priority in case the other ships didn't have ECM).

[mossfoot]

I like the idea.

I'd like to think I've had a few good ones.

Shame there aren't more programmers around to make some happen, like Pimp My Ride ... though it seems like maybe cim's idea (https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16750 ) would take that up concept and crank it up to 11!

[Paradox]

Would be especially cool as an expanding sphere. Like the special effects they do in movies for an EMP pulse or an expanding concussion wave.

[mossfoot]

Would be especially cool as an expanding sphere. Like the special effects they do in movies for an EMP pulse or an expanding concussion wave.

One that starts off bright but fades quickly as it expands?

[cim]

One that starts off bright but fades quickly as it expands?

So a bit like the Q-mine sphere, but faster expansion and longer range to match the ECM pulse behaviour?

Oh, and less destructive, of course.

[mossfoot]

One that starts off bright but fades quickly as it expands?

So a bit like the Q-mine sphere, but faster expansion and longer range to match the ECM pulse behaviour?

Oh, and less destructive, of course.

That had come to mind, but that would be distracting, wouldn't it? I'm thinking it would work best if it was limited to an effect immediately around the ship.

[Paradox]

Not as big as a q-bomb, but yes, the bright blip and then fast fade as it raced outward from the ship.

Another thought, why are missiles destroyed? What if their navigation was knocked out? What if they took off in a random direction? Or occasionally re-locked onto a different target?

[mossfoot]

Not as big as a q-bomb, but yes, the bright blip and then fast fade as it raced outward from the ship.

Another thought, why are missiles destroyed? What if their navigation was knocked out? What if they took off in a random direction? Or occasionally re-locked onto a different target?

Cute, but messy. Could end up having ECM pinball as the missle is batted around by different ships

[Paradox]

Not as big as a q-bomb, but yes, the bright blip and then fast fade as it raced outward from the ship.

Another thought, why are missiles destroyed? What if their navigation was knocked out? What if they took off in a random direction? Or occasionally re-locked onto a different target?

Cute, but messy. Could end up having ECM pinball as the missle is batted around by different ships

LOL! Hot potatoe!, but not if it's like a 1 out of 4 or 5 or even 10 occurrence. It would sure make ships scramble! };]