Oolite Bulletins

A comment by Killer Wolf in the "Possible idea for laser cooling" thread led to this concept. Briefly, I feel that Energy Bombs detract from the essential dogfighting nature of the game and give players a "get out of jail free" card (a card which, I confess, I am not too proud, or skilled, not to have to play from time to time myself). I acknowledge that there are times when we all take on more than we can chew and that some sort of emergency device is desirable, but the Energy Bomb is maybe too crude and too devastating.

I'd like to suggest a different device that didn't damage ships -- just scrambled their circuits for (X) seconds, i.e. turned their AIs to mush (off?) for a short while, allowing the player to make a run for it, manouevre for an attack run, etc. A short-term circuit-scrambler which for now I'll call an Ion Bomb.

I don't know how this would work if NPCs had access to it; perhaps player control would simply be suspended for a short period of time, or suffered random changes to pitch, roll and velocity for ten seconds, maybe, or even five (perhaps another upgrade would be to have hardened circuits, which when installed would eliminate the effects of the Ion Bomb). An Ion Bomb blast would need to be signalled somehow, perhaps via a distinctive sound so that affected players knew their game hadn't crashed.

This wouldn't necessarily replace the Energy Bomb: those who wished to use EBs could continue to do so. But it would give those like me a chance to test our self-discipline in NOT carrying an EB, whilst still allowing us a get-out when we over-reach ourselves. And for other, less pernickity players, it could offer a (cheaper? lower-tech?) alternative to the sledgehammer of the EB. It might even offer some new strategies, and/or options for mission OXPs: "intercept and apprehend" rather than "search and destroy".

While I don’t have a particularly great interest in fiddling with the weapons systems at the moment, I have considered a simpler approach: disable the energy bomb completely in normal (non-strict) play, and leave the Q-bomb as the emergency weapon.

Ahruman wrote:

While I don’t have a particularly great interest in fiddling with the weapons systems at the moment, I have considered a simpler approach: disable the energy bomb completely in normal (non-strict) play, and leave the Q-bomb as the emergency weapon.

That's an idea... I'll give it a go and see if it diminishes the guilt pangs (or turns me into so much plasma, whichever comes first).

I actually prefer the Q-bomb to the energy bomb - energy bomb seems unfair with its instant no-warning devastation effect, whereas the Q-bomb at least gives a visible sphere of influence.

Does Q-bomb just destroy anything in the sphere of influence, or just inflict damage? If the former, might be better to have Energy Bomb replaced by a "lower power Q-bomb" which inflicts damage rather than instant destruction. Maybe remove the cascade effect as well.

The E-bomb inflicts 1,000 points of damage (or there abouts) to everything in range. A Cobra III has 350 points. Even the fearsome tiger or Imperial Courier only have 500! Some ships can survive an e-bomb though if their energy is high enough (eg the Behemoth). The q-mine destroys everything (even a station with energy 50,000 and recharge of 100), except the main station but (I think) this is because it is hardwired to be indestructable.

can the e-bomb be made to use the q-bomb mechanic? instead of instant boom, use the sphere of destruction from the q-bomb-different color sphere maybe?

Indeed the e-bomb is a get out of jail free card as is the cloak many would argue. I do carry an e-bomb but it's a last resort device when I've got three or more renagades with weapons locked on. It would be better to re-price the e-bomb 900credits is cheap for it's power, finance gains (cargo escapes the e-bomb) and fuel gains (because unlike the q-mine you don't have to run like hell from the detonation point). The q-mine weighs in at 2,500 credits, which can be profitable when blowing up say two thargoid carriers. A pirate mother ship (if ever created) could also pay a big big bounty!

not that i have room for it. i have four fuel tanks in my cobra... do a lot of boosting ;D

nijineko wrote:

not that i have room for it. i have four fuel tanks in my cobra... do a lot of boosting ;D

Fuel tanks! Of course! Why didn't I think of that? Cheap, simple, keeps the skill level up: just boost away from most problem situations, even after a near-7 light-year jump... and avoids the kind of Energy bomb-related embarrassment that makes me feel so awkward:

Moray Medical Boat: Help! Help!
Me: To the rescue! Ha ha!
FX: zip zip zap zap crunch crunch crunch
Me: Ooo bugger (hits E-bomb)
FX: fa-groink BOOM
Me: Sorry... sorry... (scoops cargo shamefacedly)

At least with enough fuel for boosting I can dive in, get the bad guys' attention and zip out, hopefully trailing those pirates who have boosters of their own and are stupid enough to leave the pack...

right when i run out of fuel seems to be when the offenders and fugitives really notice me, unless i came in shooting. so having that extra bit helps, especially when chasing down a fergy or bwing. doesn't help that some pirates are riding ships twice as fast as you are! ^^

learning the spiral roll can help your rear sheilds as well in those "strategic withdrawl" situations. i've never used an ebomb, actually. i accidently used a qmine, 3 actually. when i bought a fuel tank, the list bumped over by one and i would up purchasing 3 qmines instead of 3 more fuel tanks! i'd wondered where my money went!

i discovered this fact when i was trying to use the fueltank to refuel outside of a station with several ships in the vicinity. i happened to boost out of the area, somehow before being enveloped by the spheres of destruction, as i didn't even realize what had happened, until i by chance glanced back. i think it was because of the sudden spurt of odd messages decrying me a villian. sure enough when i checked my status, i was suddenly in one fell swoop a fugitive. whoops!!! *^^*

fortunately i saved before launching from the station, and hadn't saved yet, so i just reloaded the game. and sold those qmines back for my missing money! and bought real fuel tanks this time! ^^

nijineko wrote:

right when i run out of fuel seems to be when the offenders and fugitives really notice me, unless i came in shooting. so having that extra bit helps, especially when chasing down a fergy or bwing. doesn't help that some pirates are riding ships twice as fast as you are! ^^

learning the spiral roll can help your rear sheilds as well in those "strategic withdrawl" situations. i've never used an ebomb, actually. i accidently used a qmine, 3 actually. when i bought a fuel tank, the list bumped over by one and i would up purchasing 3 qmines instead of 3 more fuel tanks! i'd wondered where my money went!

i discovered this fact when i was trying to use the fueltank to refuel outside of a station with several ships in the vicinity. i happened to boost out of the area, somehow before being enveloped by the spheres of destruction, as i didn't even realize what had happened, until i by chance glanced back. i think it was because of the sudden spurt of odd messages decrying me a villian. sure enough when i checked my status, i was suddenly in one fell swoop a fugitive. whoops!!! *^^*

fortunately i saved before launching from the station, and hadn't saved yet, so i just reloaded the game. and sold those qmines back for my missing money! and bought real fuel tanks this time! ^^

Hmmm... some sort of safety catch would seem to be in order. It's a wonder these kind of accidents don't happen more frequently.

Just had quite a good experience: tooling along, minding my own business, I get jumped by not one but two posses of pirates. I zapped a couple but then their chums were all over me so I hightailed it out in a cloud of witch-fuel. I trundled along for a bit, unwilling to hit the torus drive before my shields were back up... then found my courage rising along with the shield levels and went back for another go. Lo and behold the two pirate packs were slugging it out with each other, with one Offender Python squawking for help. So I helped... and I helped... and then I helped myself.

Incidentally, is there a good way to cycle through the pylon-mounted equipment? Extra fuel tanks are all very well but there are moments when offering someone a hardhead up the nose is so much more satisfactory!

i think i did it once by accident, but i don't recall how i did. maybe the 'y' key? for cycling between multiple missles? (better check the help docs on that, i might have the wrong key.) =D

LittleBear wrote:

The E-bomb inflicts 1,000 points of damage (or there abouts) to everything in range. A Cobra III has 350 points. Even the fearsome tiger or Imperial Courier only have 500! Some ships can survive an e-bomb

i´m pretty sure the Commodore 64 version E bomb didn´t have that kind of power, A Thargoid Warship has 600 energy units, yet i clearly recall that the E bomb was not able to destroy it, unless had it been damaged by laser fire first...

I think The E bomb damage has to be revised down to say 400, to me that seems like a more plauseble damage ability as if memory serves me right, it is only able to destroy smaller craft...

Cheers Frame...

nijineko wrote:

i think i did it once by accident, but i don't recall how i did. maybe the 'y' key? for cycling between multiple missles? (better check the help docs on that, i might have the wrong key.) =D

Right enough, it's the "y" key! Cheers!

woot! spotty recall comes through! ^^