01-16-2020, 06:24 PM
When Bomber EMP and Energy Cannons were created around 2009, it was because SNAC, which was able to kill snubs with a single hit, combined with the fighter guns bombers could mount at the time, made bombers too good compared to fighters.
Now, SNAC no longer deals full instakill damage to fighters thanks to a flhook plugin.
Since then many people complain regularly that bombers are useless against fighters, and about "rock scissor paper" balancing, which makes choice of ship decide the outcome of fights, rather than skill or other tactics. It's a constant source of anger for many people. Anger at the mod, at players, and at devs.
The SNAC instakill was removed because it was a "seal clubbing tool", which enabled skilled players to "farm" inexperienced players extremely easily, which had the negative effects of:
I therefore urge devs to balance bomber and fighter guns so that both classes become more versatile than they currently are, in a way that doesn't cause the problems described above:
Now, SNAC no longer deals full instakill damage to fighters thanks to a flhook plugin.
Since then many people complain regularly that bombers are useless against fighters, and about "rock scissor paper" balancing, which makes choice of ship decide the outcome of fights, rather than skill or other tactics. It's a constant source of anger for many people. Anger at the mod, at players, and at devs.
The SNAC instakill was removed because it was a "seal clubbing tool", which enabled skilled players to "farm" inexperienced players extremely easily, which had the negative effects of:
- Ruining the experience for new people
- Driving them even more towards flying cap ships which cant be instakilled, but which causes a bunch of other problems aka "capspam"
- Driving them even more towards flying cap ships which cant be instakilled, but which causes a bunch of other problems aka "capspam"
I therefore urge devs to balance bomber and fighter guns so that both classes become more versatile than they currently are, in a way that doesn't cause the problems described above:
1. Increase bomber EMP+Energy gun velocity to 550 or even 600. This should make them able to hit fighters more. It also has the positive side effect of making aiming and hitting larger ships easier at a distance especially for new players, thereby making it more attractive to fly (and thereby learn to properly fly) snubs. You could even make snac velocity slightly higher, for the same reason.
2. Increase fighter gun ranges to 800 (same as bomber emp+energy guns), so they become more useful against slow larger ships like caps and transports to also make fighters more versatile and attractive, and thereby keep them competitive towards bombers.
3. Give fighters a torpedo that isn't as good as the bomber nova torp, but decent, (preferably in an aux slot or second CD slot because having to choose between CD and torpedo is again rock-scissor-paper balancing) for the same reason.
(not sure about last idea but: Since balance magic exists, also make minirazor do more damage to caps than snubs?)
2. Increase fighter gun ranges to 800 (same as bomber emp+energy guns), so they become more useful against slow larger ships like caps and transports to also make fighters more versatile and attractive, and thereby keep them competitive towards bombers.
3. Give fighters a torpedo that isn't as good as the bomber nova torp, but decent, (preferably in an aux slot or second CD slot because having to choose between CD and torpedo is again rock-scissor-paper balancing) for the same reason.
(not sure about last idea but: Since balance magic exists, also make minirazor do more damage to caps than snubs?)