Patch When? Discovery 5.2 Edition: Blog #1

[Haste]

Discovery 5.2 Dev Diary #1- Shields and You

---

As we approach the release of Discovery Freelancer 5.2, it's time to dive into some of the balance changes coming with it. This first blog post — assuming we can squeeze in a few more before its launch this Saturday — will focus on shields, which are receiving significant updates in 5.2.

---

Overview

The three main shield types — Graviton, Molecular, and Positron — have historically been more of a cosmetic choice. In some cases, if you're piloting a smaller ship, there's a slight advantage to picking the right shield for the enemies you encounter, but generally, shield types haven't played a large role for a while now. That's all changing in 5.2. One of the major gameplay balance features we're introducing is shield boosting, which we hope will bring more "active" defensive play into the mix.

Before we get into how each shield type is changing, let's quickly break down what shield boosting is.

---

Shield Boosting

Shield boosting temporarily reinforces a ship's shields, reducing incoming damage by a percentage. It's activated by simply using shield batteries. The duration of the boost depends on how many batteries you consume — each one adds a fraction of a second to the boost's time. Note: there's a minimum and maximum duration to these boosts. Using a single shield battery to tank a Heavy Mortar hit isn't an option, though using a few dozen is.

Shield boosting is usually more effective when your shields are partially depleted rather than completely down. Timing your boosts properly can provide a major tactical advantage, letting you squeeze more value out of your shield batteries.

Now, let's look at how the different shield types are changing with 5.2, along with new features unique to Molecular and Positron shields.

---

Shield Types

Graviton

Graviton shields offer the most straightforward option — they're simple but effective. These shields have the highest recharge rate of the three types and provide the highest damage reduction — 75% — during a boost. While they may not come with any flashy features, their reliability and efficiency make them a strong choice.

Molecular

Thanks to some new FLHook developments, explosions can now also be given weapon types. This has allowed us to make Molecular shields resilient to explosive weapons: they take 50% less damage from all mines, including environmental hazards like minefields and gas pockets, and 10% less damage from other explosives, such as missiles and capital ship flaks. This makes Molecular shields particularly useful for smaller ships like Fighters and Gunboats, which often have to face opponents' mines.

Additionally, Molecular shields boast the highest capacity of any shield type, providing a substantial buffer. However, this comes at a cost: they have the slowest recharge rate. When boosted, Molecular shields last longer than Graviton shields, but only offer 65% damage reduction.

Positron

Positron shields bring a new dynamic to combat. While they have the smallest capacity and slightly less recharge than Graviton shields, their boosts come with a unique feature. During a shield boost, any damage absorbed by the shield is stored. If the shield holds for the entire boost duration, it triggers a powerful explosion with a large blast radius, dealing a multiplier of the damage taken split between hull and shield, with a large emphasis on shield damage.

Positron shields also provide the longest boost duration per battery, though their damage reduction is the lowest at 50%.

Positron Shield Discharge

---

Conclusion (I stole this title from Antonio's blog for 5.1 don't overthink it.)

As we've also bumped up the base amount of shield restored by a shield battery from 120 to 180, expect shield batteries to be a much more valuable resource going forward. No longer do they have to stand in the shadow of the mighty nanobot. To keep the largest ships with the strongest shields in check, we have done some rescaling of battery counts, however, as it's nice to get to shoot a Battlecruiser's hull once in a while.

We’ll be closely monitoring how these changes impact gameplay once the update is live and the community gets its hands on it. It's unlikely we aced all our changes, so player feedback is more than welcome so we can tune as needed.

[Spectre]

Personally would have preferred if gun types got a touch up. Still, changes seem interesting, but field testing will be the decider.

Main two questions I'd probably have from all of this are:
1. Will environmental effects be dumbed down this update as well? As it stands, regardless of distance, shield-type, or ship class, environmental hazards insta-kill shields. If they aren't being dumbed down, will molecular shields just receive a special resistance against these hazards altogether?

2. Will these effect descriptions be added to in-game infocards for each shield, so as to not force people to comb the forums in a month or two to figure out exactly what's going on with their shield?

Cheers.

---

#BringBackTheCommonwealth

=CR=-----IN|G
----
A plurality is not a majority, and a majority is not everybody.

---

Spec's RP Consortium
V-3X | CV-Montu | Fort Murray
Unum pro Omnibus, Omnes pro Uno

Your signature grew too big, I helped downscale it. ~Vex
Your adjustment grew too big, I helped downscale it. ~Spectre

[Haste]

Personally would have preferred if gun types got a touch up. Still, changes seem interesting, but field testing will be the decider.

Gun types versus shield types are inherently very rock / paper / scissors-like, with an extremely large dose of RNG. Sure, we could give more identity to Plasmas and then make the resistance against Plasmas on Molecular shields more significant, but how do you know ahead of time what you'll be shot by when you undock (in an average game session)? You kind of don't, especially if you're not logging in reaction to an already-assembled enemy force. It just feels bad if you're the unlucky bastard taking more damage for no good reason, rather than being fun for the user.

1. Will environmental effects be dumbed down this update as well? As it stands, regardless of distance, shield-type, or ship class, environmental hazards insta-kill shields. If they aren't being dumbed down, will molecular shields just receive a special resistance against these hazards altogether?

Not right now. The fact that Molecular also impacts hazards is more of a fun little tidbit than a real balance mechanic, currently. I wouldn't mind it becoming a bit more relevant, though I doubt we want to see people drive straight through Alaska's mine fields just because they have a Molecular, so we'll see where it goes.

2. Will these effect descriptions be added to in-game infocards for each shield, so as to not force people to comb the forums in a month or two to figure out exactly what's going on with their shield?

(Yes.)

---

[BobMacaroni]

So shield batteries will not regenerate shields anymore, only boost them?

Does this mean shields are overall weaker in terms of Regen and capacity (since this seems to be a large improvement in terms of shield capabilities) or does it all add up around the same it is now?

How did positrons turn up in testing? It seems like it could be a very "make it or break it" scenario, depending on just how strong the bursts are. I take it they can be mounted on all classes?

[The_Godslayer]

I predict this to be a great change for capships and a terrible change for snubfights.

---

I'll do something about my superiority complex when I cease to be superior.

"Whatever happened to catchin' a good old-fashioned passionate ass-whoopin and gettin' your shoes, coat, and your hat tooken?"

[Aingar]

So shield batteries will not regenerate shields anymore, only boost them?

They do both.

---

[Haste]

So shield batteries will not regenerate shields anymore, only boost them?

They do both. As written at the very end of the post, they're actually better at good old shield restoration than before (120 hp -> 180 hp restored per battery).

Does this mean shields are overall weaker in terms of Regen and capacity (since this seems to be a large improvement in terms of shield capabilities) or does it all add up around the same it is now?

There's some balance work done on shields so stats will differ depending on the class, but the recharge values on Gravitons are generally the same as on live, Moleculars and Positrons are lower. Bomber and Freighter shields recharge faster than on live, Gunboat shields got a fairly comprehensive balance pass and all shield classes now have "appropriate" rebuild power draw.

How did positrons turn up in testing? It seems like it could be a very "make it or break it" scenario, depending on just how strong the bursts are. I take it they can be mounted on all classes?

They can be mounted on all classes, and they're definitely the biggest wildcard of the three types. They have great potential and enable admittedly fairly degenerate things (self-damage counts too, I'll just point that out). If any shield type turns out to be an outlier in performance it'll be Positrons, though, yes, but that's what followup patches are for.

---

[HUMPHRESS]

Positron shields bring a new dynamic to combat. While they have the smallest capacity and slightly less recharge than Graviton shields, their boosts come with a unique feature. During a shield boost, any damage absorbed by the shield is stored. If the shield holds for the entire boost duration, it triggers a powerful explosion with a large blast radius, dealing a multiplier of the damage taken split between hull and shield, with a large emphasis on shield damage.

So, how much damage are we talking here? If a dreadnought positron goes off, does it just nuke all the snubs in the local zip-code?
I do really like the changes, I am all for adding more interesting and unique elements to discovery, and I think this has nuts potential for new code-shields too. I do really like having more control over loadouts too, it feels like there is less chance of monogamous loadouts that way, and fights have the potential to be more interesting and involved.

---

[Nika]

This sounds awesome. Despite being just an average grunt myself I will definitely be looking into trying all three shield types and messing around with the boost features. Cool that batteries will be more valid than ever as a panic button and have extra utility to them.

Looking forward to getting to try the juicy changes, fingers crossed all goes as planned with the release.

[Weapon]

Does the positron discharge affect all ships, only ones that dealt damage? only hostiles? Can we choose when to fire the discharge, or does it happen automatically?

A friendly cap suddenly popping off a positron discharge and mercing all friendly snubs in the blast radius would be hilarious but probably not desirable.