Plasma Cannons

[Cholmondely]

Just came across this statement in our wiki:

http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Twin_Plasma_Cannon

Twin Plasma Cannon

Some say this is an outdated technology as plasma travels at sub-light speed, and current laser systems are more powerful.

Plasma projectors are compact and easily cooled, but suffer from slow cycle rates and are resistant to upscaling in size. Plasma projector technology is still used extensively by the Navy in turretted anti-fighter defence systems.

And then at the bottom of the page:

Notes
Need verification of behaviour in Overview.

Any chance of some verification or correction by those who know? ... And are these only twins?

[Nite Owl]

Code: Select all

	/* next item was a test item, no longer supported */
//	(
//		2, 2000, "Twin Plasma Cannon",
//		"EQ_WEAPON_TWIN_PLASMA_CANNON",
//		"Basic cannon delivering charged plasma bursts at sublight speed."
//	),

From the default Oolite v1.90 equipment.plist which on Windows can be found somewhere similar to:
C:\Games\Oolite\oolite.app\Resources\Config

[Cody]

If that's the weapon I think it is, I once had one fitted on a Constrictor in place of the fore laser.
Once you'd learnt to use it ('twas like the railgun, only slower, if memory serves), it was lethal.

[Cmdr James]

Any chance of some verification or correction by those who know? ... And are these only twins?

What exactly is your question?

I believe there are at least 2 things named plasma cannon in the game. One is the turret, which is a single rather than double and does more or less what you would expect rotating around and shooting at whateer is currently targetted (in my view it should auto engage close targets rather than focus on whatevers targetted, but thats another matter). Note that it is clever enough to lead the target so assuming straight and level flight it is likely to hit its target despite slowish flight of plasma. The other, as previously commented in this thread by Nite Owl is an experiemntal alternative to lasers (the twin cannon) which is now removed.

[Cholmondely]

Gentlemen,

thank you.

With your comments I've been able to dig up enough stuff (mostly from Cim) to fill out the page

http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Twin_Plasma_Cannon