Range Extention Module

[tiny dirge]

I think a module that extends the range of weapons would solve various issues in combat, and make large ships cooler to fight.

 Currently, smaller ships can easily stay far away from similarly sized targets (compared to their size) and still fire all weapons. On the other hand large ships have to be practically on top of each other just to shoot most of their weapons (See image). This would give more space between larger ships, for other ships to fight in between and just make large ship combat  look better.

 Large ships can be eternally kitted by tiny laser ships, so a module gives more range would stop things like that from happening.

 To prevent small ships from just slapping on these modules, make them large, expensive, heavy, power hungry, and use a lot of CP, to the point where it's only worth having on 1mil+ ships. Maybe even make it explode upon destruction! The buff it would give is small (say 10-20% range increase for the first one) and you could add more, but at diminishing returns.

 I currently have two ideas on how it could work:
      Extend range on *all* weapons on a ship
      Only extend range of weapons *adjacent* to the module

[north hornet]

That kinda reminds me of old kroom forge that was a 2x2 part around 8k that buffed range by 15% or so

It only had a limited buff range

[tiny dirge]

I was not aware krooms forge had that, even though I used it all the time

[zenith wren]

This would be great, especially for huge ships - since currently you can actually have a ship so long that the front is out of range of the back. I would definitely say that it should only buff directly adjacent parts, since that would prevent spamming a huge core of the buff components.

[noble pendant]

and it has a part that buffed all the range extenders which its self could be boosted, making a sort of network

[pseudo estuary]

there is a game called reassembly, a space ship builder too where one of the factions focuses on extendable weapons/ range extenders. i think that could be a cool idea like that yeah

[warm tartan]

We have some ideas we're kicking around for range-extending parts.

[north hornet]

🥳

[zenith wren]

Awesome!

[noble pendant]

i'd like to see one that can buff the range of other ships specifically for the station defense platforms

[warm tartan]

We are specifically thinking of defense platforms and stations for this.

There are basically two different problems that I'd like to solve:

1. Large ships fight awkwardly close to each other when using cannons/lasers.
2. Defense platforms and stations can be easily outranged because they can't move.
   I think there will probably be different solutions for these two problems.

[noble pendant]

i think it might be cool if large ship's range boost was in a way where it'd be less effective against smaller ships, so you might want unboosted weapons as a defense instead of all high ranged, and to give smaller ships some use

[north hornet]

I think there will probably be different solutions for these two problems.
Kinda a necessity tbh, we wouldn't want a bigger kite to solve all stations fights by kiting 🥲

[opal spoke]

first problem is the reason why nearly all cannons/laser based ships are rammers :D

I solved this problem on my ship by making a grabbing mechanism and 2 TB, so there would be no problems with range if you quite literally bite enemy

[drifting hatch]

def keeping an eye out for this!

[blissful mulch]

???????

That’s sorta true for cannons but absolutely NOT lasers lmao

[north hornet]

Laser BEAM emitter iguss

[blissful mulch]

Still, there exist ion kites

Apotheosis is one such large ship example

[north hornet]

The exepction not the rule?

[noble pendant]

idea: range extender that boosted weapon range only if the ship is traveling in the same direction that it's pointed/firing in

[north hornet]

That is called momentum darling

[noble pendant]

i know, i mean to where you get far more significant range boosts

[blissful mulch]

Eh, maybe alex doesn’t have good knowledge of built ins idk

[noble pendant]

kites couldnt use it due to not being able to range boost while moving backwards while something more like a space fighter that did strafing runs could

i also realize that idea would buff spinners if they placed the weapons to face the direction of spin lol

[north hornet]

eh kites will benefits from it

[noble pendant]

how? the only way i see is on the initial strike and then its not gonna do anything afterwards im pretty sure

[north hornet]

Take this, with forward boosters and you get the perfect hit and run ship that cannot be caught

[north hornet]

It's gonna retreat xD

[noble pendant]

boosting forwards is going to make your ship move towards your target, and if the target chases it while its still moving forwards it could get far closer than intended

which is the balance idea here, to use it you have to close distance

[north hornet]

I do not see how you cannot just stop boosting at more than 600 range?

You will still hit with your buff

[noble pendant]

your ship still has to slow down and change direction, even then kiting like that would probably have very low dps

any shield could easily outregen it

[north hornet]

I.E. You fire and stop at 700m, hit and reverse job done

[noble pendant]

while reversing it is super likely your firerate would be decreased immensely due to not being able to fire till you can go forwards again

[north hornet]

I thought you misstyped outrun for "outregen"

[noble pendant]

lol

[north hornet]

I don't understands how your mind work, it definitively work with that little firepower.

Especially when you have like two ships so it can aim for the rear

[noble pendant]

if the ship is chasing you im pretty sure it'd lead back to the normal old kiting situation

[sweet nacelle]

hi

[noble pendant]

also i thought about it for a bit and came up with this:

• only works if your ship significantly goes forwards for an extended period of time, 3+ seconds?
• also boosts damage
• boost scales with speed with heavy diminishing returns
• also the module is heavy

[sweet nacelle]

Here's my ideas for both as separate parts:

Large ships:

• 6x6 Hunk of metal (see: Bridge's high amount of 'Wall mass" and some sort of sensor array-like configuration, takes 8 crew to operate and gives a passive range buff in either a medium radius, or global with a less than 1 exponent (i think 0.5 would make sense the most sense) buff combination rules

the radius one might limit larger designs due to how many you can stack
the global one might not be that interesting

Defense Platforms:

• 2x3 module, buffs in a small radius fowards (like a MRT but its a 4x4 box area at the end)
  Very Heavy, Buff ramps up/only activates if under a certain velocity for a second or two
  base 50% range, maybe doesn't stack?

[sweet nacelle]

i think is kinda unintuitive? unsure

[zinc storm]

Hmm I like the large ship idea that would also work for stations, but the size and limited radius of the platform idea doesn't seem too good, since you'd need to rework existing designs entirely and make them bigger

[zinc storm]

Also this makes me extremely happy

[zinc storm]

One idea I had was turning it into a cr setting that makes it consume a lot more power but that's not the best as it can totally be used by kiters too

A small but heavy and power hungry part that buffs stuff in a small radius around it with every part present decreasing the buff might work I think

Adding onto that the slow speed requirement definitely removes kiters out of the equation

But the size should be really small to not ruin existing platforms, I'm thinking 2x1

Maybe it needs to be next to a cr

[noble pendant]

yeah, i think there could be a far smaller part (1x2?) that boost weapon range but only the large 6x6 booster was nearby and not moving