Oolite Bulletins

alright, now for the first idea, ignore me if it's just me being a rubbish shot, but :
given the crosshairs have massive gaps in them, i'm getting a bit frustrated and getting a long-range pirate blasting me, he's in my sights and ID'd but my lasers aren't hitting him (and overheating!). anyways, got me thinking about accuracy and wondered if it should increase as you go up the rankings. given the higher ranks should mean you're a more kick-ar$e fighter, how about this : in the centre of the crosshairs is a "hit area" (invisible to the player, obviously) and if the ship is in it, you hit it when you fire, no question (or maybe 75%, just for gameplay). when you're Harmless, this Hit Area could be say 2pixels wide (i'm just throwing that out, make ideas yourself) to simulate often-missing, crap aims. as you get better in rank, that Hit area goes to 4pix, 6 pix etc, so there's more chance of a definite hit, simulating your increasing expertise.

coolant - dunno bout an energy-linked idea as discussed in the links on the FAQ, but how about : you can fit (one only!) a liquid nitrogen capsule that when triggered would cool the guns to zero immediately. so, it's good but you gotta decide when to use it, and you've only got that option once in a fight, have to buy a new one when (if!) you make it back to the station.

Killer Wolf wrote:

alright, now for the first idea, ignore me if it's just me being a rubbish shot, but :
given the crosshairs have massive gaps in them, i'm getting a bit frustrated and getting a long-range pirate blasting me, he's in my sights and ID'd but my lasers aren't hitting him (and overheating!). anyways, got me thinking about accuracy and wondered if it should increase as you go up the rankings. given the higher ranks should mean you're a more kick-ar$e fighter, how about this : in the centre of the crosshairs is a "hit area" (invisible to the player, obviously) and if the ship is in it, you hit it when you fire, no question (or maybe 75%, just for gameplay). when you're Harmless, this Hit Area could be say 2pixels wide (i'm just throwing that out, make ideas yourself) to simulate often-missing, crap aims. as you get better in rank, that Hit area goes to 4pix, 6 pix etc, so there's more chance of a definite hit, simulating your increasing expertise.

There is the new HUD by Commander Wyvern, with it's handy-dandy gunsight modification that adds a contrast patch between the reticules as well as a red-dot for precision targeting within the patch. See it (and DL it) here

Killer Wolf wrote:

coolant - dunno bout an energy-linked idea as discussed in the links on the FAQ, but how about : you can fit (one only!) a liquid nitrogen capsule that when triggered would cool the guns to zero immediately. so, it's good but you gotta decide when to use it, and you've only got that option once in a fight, have to buy a new one when (if!) you make it back to the station.

Ah, the oft-requested article, the discussion continues again. It's true that Beam and Military lasers cook up fast, and there have been many suggestions and requests for coolants, but as yet there has been no developments on this front. I have personally come around to the stand point that they are not necessary. If you are careful with your shots, and using fine corrections in your lining-up on your target, you should be able to kill even Sidewinders coming dead at you/away from you from >20k. I have, and I don't consider myself a great shot. It's close up you have to be careful, since you can correct for maneouvres easily at long range, but you have milliseconds to respond to a jink or turn at <5k. In this case, I line up, pour on a liberal dose of 'whoop-ass', cool off, then repeat.

Captain Hesperus
"The only ass that gets 'whooped' in my experience is mine."

link gone for the milspec?? OOsat says nowt found...

Killer Wolf wrote:

link gone for the milspec?? OOsat says nowt found...

I don't think that Oosat has been updated since Commander W released that HUD. It'll probably appear the next time an update is done.

Yeah, oosat don't get updated often. BTW, version 2 of Milspec HUD has been released, which updates the sight enhancement to a large, round three-stage contrast lens.

Thank you, Capt'n H, for the plug.

I find the crosshairs on the Kleptohud pretty adequate for precision tageting. If you have a front and rear military laser and use them properly, there is no need for coolers. There should be some things money can't buy.

Pff, must be my puter then, cos there's times when i have ships dead centre in the crosshairs, bout 5-10k away. and i'm not hitting them. if i was, the temp increase wouldn't matter, but when i'm not, it does.

anyways, compromise :

instead of coolants, why not introduce an Weapons Energy Unit? we have a general Extra Entergy Unit that (i think) just increases recharge rate, but what if you could but a unit that would increase your weapon_energy by 15% or whatever?

Killer Wolf wrote:

Pff, must be my puter then, cos there's times when i have ships dead centre in the crosshairs, bout 5-10k away. and i'm not hitting them. if i was, the temp increase wouldn't matter, but when i'm not, it does.

anyways, compromise :

instead of coolants, why not introduce an Weapons Energy Unit? we have a general Extra Entergy Unit that (i think) just increases recharge rate, but what if you could but a unit that would increase your weapon_energy by 15% or whatever?

Improving lasers affects the game balance badly. They are just good enough and other existing weapons are good more than enough.

ArkanoiD wrote:

Killer Wolf wrote:

Pff, must be my puter then, cos there's times when i have ships dead centre in the crosshairs, bout 5-10k away. and i'm not hitting them. if i was, the temp increase wouldn't matter, but when i'm not, it does.

anyways, compromise :

instead of coolants, why not introduce an Weapons Energy Unit? we have a general Extra Entergy Unit that (i think) just increases recharge rate, but what if you could but a unit that would increase your weapon_energy by 15% or whatever?

Improving lasers affects the game balance badly. They are just good enough and other existing weapons are good more than enough.

And quite besides that, any equipment a player can have, NPC's can have too. It's not quite as fun when a Renegade Asp MkII is tearing off your ships aft with a 115% power level Mili-laser. This is another reason why Oolite is more challenging than Elite, the NPC's have the same pick of equipment as the players, not just a basic fit.

Captain Hesperus
"It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings...... Rus! get into the galley and shut the chef up!"