Close range and non-existant hit registry

[Loc_n_lol]

Ok, so I can't be the only one who has noticed this but there seems to be a problem...

Basically it's impossible to get a hit on an enemy fighter if you're closer than about 300m. You can both be facing each other, engines stopped, firing full auto dead center on a target that fills your entire reticle, and neither ship is getting hit.

Now that's a bit of a problem because if I believe the tooltip, all laser weapons are at their best when working within 500m, but in practice it's almost impossible to use them within that range, and far more practical to fight in the 1000-3000m range.

This can't just be evasion and tracking penalties, because the weapons are supposed to have higher than 100% base accuracy in that range. But that is actually meaningless and the tooltip should really read 0% accuracy.

 

So what's the deal with this bullsith ?

[RahzZalinto]

Actually, when in that situation I almost always kill the other player. I forget what part it is, but I have some kinda range sensor that says it increases my close range as well.....I think that's why... though I don't fully understand it Edited December 18, 2013 by RahzZalinto

[Tiron_Raptor]

I've seen some evidence that suggested that GSF's lead reticules have the same problems JTL's did during beta: they don't account for latency.

 

During JTL's beta they had, like GSF, perfectly accurate lead reticules. But because they didn't account for latency at all, the actual point you had to shoot was slightly in FRONT of the reticule. It was only particularly noticeable in close-range, tight turning engagements (in which your target would invariably be rotated up on their wing and turning by pitching up towards you).

 

In that circumstance, it led to the client-side simulated 'lasers' apparently hitting the target, and the client simulating a hit on their shields, visually and aurally, but no damage being dealt. I came to realize after awhile that there was a SECOND 'hit' sound that only played if you actually did damage, and in these tight turning engagements with hits for no damage, that sound wasn't playing.

 

That allowed me to eventually find the actual aim point, just in front of the lead reticule, and start taking out targets in these types of engagements.

 

Evidently I was the ONLY one that figured it out, because I found myself going into situations where a dozen or more people were camping an enemy spawn, and I'd get the kill every time.

 

Eventually they started complaining about ships being invulnerable on top and bottom, and there was a huge thread and a lot of complaining...which I got sick of and explained what was happening.

 

Maybe a week later they changed the lead reticule to merely indicate direction, with you having to find the exact aim point somewhere between it and the ship yourself.

 

I think GSF has a similar problem, only it just looks like misses, and I've yet to find where to aim to score hits in close-range, tight turning engagements.

 

I suppose it could also be that the 500/525m 'close' range on energy weapons is a sort of minimum, and that accuracy decreases rapidly after that...it would explain why I've gotten so many misses when me and my target were both STOPPED at extreme close range.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Tiron_Raptor

[Lymain]

I've only noticed this issue when the range finder says that I'm 0m away. I'm guessing blasters just don't work at 0m range (like the close range is 100-500m).

[RCSlyman]

Pro-tip: If you're aiming dead center of the reticule and the numbers aren't flying, and you are at a dead stop, adjust slightly above the target. If you're moving (turn war), aim slightly between the center of the reticule and the target. You'll start to see numbers.

[Phantasym]

I have noticed this problem as well, especially when I get in behind someone and am so close that they fill up almost half of my firing arc, probably under 300m range where my light lasers should destroy them and they don't do anything and don't have evasion up as that has a visual affect that is easily seen at that range.

 

I will have to try some of the tips for aiming at other locations that people posted here, The game definitely has a problem with very short range though. I would like to see the short range increment for all lasers moved from 500m to 1000m

 

I think bioware also sometimes judges 0 meters too soon, you see that even in the ground game where you can have a bunch of different people at 0 meters but on opposite sides of a boss etc

[Ramalina]

Depending on how detailed the ship and combat coding is, another possibility is that at very close range you start getting issues with parallax throwing off aim points.

[Cashal]

Ever Notice that the detailed weapon descriptions give listing of accuracy for Max range. . . Mid range. . Then "Close Range". . which is 500 meters.

 

<500 meters your accuracy starts to drop dramatically the closer you get to 0.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Cashal