Oolite Bulletins

But with the side lasers, you have to aim the crosshairs more than a little off-center to hit at ranges under 4 km.

Commander McLane wrote:

In your classic Cobra III you always had to aim slightly above your target. It has never worked other than that for a single day.

So I assume that indeed all of us who are playing this game for a couple of years have not only learned, but absolutely internalized to compensate for it, most likely completely subconsciously at that.

True enough, and I will concede that I was so proud of myself when I figured it out! I went on one hell of a killing spree, until some Vipers took offence to this and set me straight... But I always had to remember to aim higher, rather than it being an automatic reaction.

I don't know as I'd agree with it being unconscious. I've noticed that some ships shoot and fly different, but never really analysed it. I mean, different ships should feel like they handle and shoot a little different, shouldn't they?

When I tried a Krait, I think I recall the "flickering cross" effect and just sort of assumed as a player that it was how lasers look on a Krait. No big thing, pro or con, just a difference. Kind of like how with some ships the hull may obstruct part of the field of view and others don't, it's just part of what makes them different.

Ganelon wrote:

Kind of like how with some ships the hull may obstruct part of the field of view and others don't

that is one thing that I really like about some ships, it is almost like you are actually in the cockpit. I deliberatly made my xeikils view poit slightly further back so you could see its huge front engines.

Commander McLane wrote:

And before you ask: no, there is no such thing as laser cooling boosters, and there won't be in the future.

Why not? Maybe make them only purchasable on the black market (at stupidly high prices, of course) and/or after the completion of a highly perilous GalCop inspired Black Ops mission?

On a similar vein, I keep seeing the odd reference (on Wiki pages and in Fiction) to switching between Fore and Aft Lasers, using one while letting the other one cool down, but in Oolte all your mounted lasers are connected to a single (laser temp) gauge, so letting one laser run hot puts them all out of action. If there are a separate temp gauges for each laser that would make space combat tactics a lot more interesting.

Switch from one laser to another, and the laser temperature drops straight away... try it.

El Viejo wrote:

Switch from one laser to another, and the laser temperature drops straight away... try it.

Ah-ha! I'd never realised before that the gaming engine actually does keep track of each laser's temperature separately. I was probably rather, um, occupied during combat to otherwise notice...

Ad_Astra wrote:

El Viejo wrote:

Switch from one laser to another, and the laser temperature drops straight away... try it.

Ah-ha! I'd never realised before that the gaming engine actually does keep track of each laser's temperature separately. I was probably rather, um, occupied during combat to otherwise notice...

It's a matter of not cluttering the HUD. You only get the relevant temp gauge displayed (the one connected to the view and laser you currently use).

What about turrets? Is it possible to have lasers that are always aiming at the target ship? I've never tried to make a ship with a turret, but it might work.

RyanHoots wrote:

What about turrets? Is it possible to have lasers that are always aiming at the target ship? I've never tried to make a ship with a turret, but it might work.

Turreted lasers are a no-no.

DaddyHoggy wrote:

Turreted lasers are a no-no.

What about them is a problem? To be honest, I can't think of anything, except it might destroy the game by not requiring you to aim...

RyanHoots wrote:

DaddyHoggy wrote:

Turreted lasers are a no-no.

What about them is a problem? To be honest, I can't think of anything, except it might destroy the game by not requiring you to aim...

You answered your own question, I think.

Smivs wrote:

RyanHoots wrote:

DaddyHoggy wrote:

Turreted lasers are a no-no.

What about them is a problem? To be honest, I can't think of anything, except it might destroy the game by not requiring you to aim...

You answered your own question, I think.

I actually got the answer as I was writing the question.

The answer is two-fold.

1) With turreted lasers what would the point in playing be? Fly along in a straight line while your turret mounted mil lasers zap everything within 25km.

2) The game isn't (shouldn't be) player centric with the exception of the (soon to be removed) E-bomb and the (likely to be removed) Torus Drive, core equipment is available to players and NPCs alike - so how would you like to try and fight an Rogue frigate + escorts armed with turreted lasers? (or pretty much any ship)

Wouldn't be much of a game at that point I think...

DaddyHoggy wrote:

The answer is two-fold.

1) With turreted lasers what would the point in playing be? Fly along in a straight line while your turret mounted mil lasers zap everything within 25km.

2) The game isn't (shouldn't be) player centric with the exception of the (soon to be removed) E-bomb and the (likely to be removed) Torus Drive, core equipment is available to players and NPCs alike - so how would you like to try and fight an Rogue frigate + escorts armed with turreted lasers? (or pretty much any ship)

Wouldn't be much of a game at that point I think...

Just like laser cooling boosters. If only the player has turrets, the game's way too easy. If NPCs have them, it's too way too hard. The only answer is nobody gets them. I see.