Ask me anything / Training

[nyghtrunner]

Question: is the speed debuff from the Tier 5 Ion railgun cumulative? ie, first shot knocks speed to 50%, while second shot halves it again to 25%.

Not directly, no. The debuffs from hitting with Ion (or other people's ions) don't stack, it just refreshes the timer with each hit.

 

However, with that said, there are other slow/interdiction abilities that will stack* with Ion Rail. So in the case that someone gets hit with an Interdiction Mine, and then gets hit with an Ion Rail, those 2 debuffs reduce their speed/turning to pretty much 0% until the debuff time runs out for one or the other.

 

I forget the exact list of what stacks* with what, but there are definitely debuffs that slow that will stack*.

 

*Technically, they are not truly "stacking", they are just different debuffs doing similar things, amounting to an additive effect.

Edited June 1, 2016 by nyghtrunner

[Danalon]

There are two types of "speed debuffs": interdiction effects and snares. One group stacks with the other, but effects of the same group don't stack.

 

I'm not entirely sure about all effects but those come to my mind:

Interdiction effects:

Interdiction Drone

Interdiction Drive

Interdiction Mine

Snare effects:

Seismic Mine slow upgrade

Ion Rail slow upgrade

 

There are other effects (sab probe and ion missile I think), but I'm not sure in which group they belong.

 

Also worth knowing: Those effects stack additive. This means if you get hit by a 55% effect of one group and a 45% effect of the other group your ship will stop immediately and the only way to move will be maneuvers.

Edited June 1, 2016 by Danalon

[Drakkolich]

The easiest way to figure out which slows stack is once set slows both movement and turning and the other set only slows movement. You can have one of each debuff on you at the same time.

 

If a slow effect from the same category hits you the newest debuff will override the older one. (Even if the newer one is an inferior slow)

[BenduKundalini]

Sorry for not replying earlier, but I never know what time I'm going to play, so didn't want to make arrangements and then not show up. I downloaded Open Broadcaster, need to try it now.

 

Meanwhile would you recommend LLC or LC on a Nova? LC has better range and accuracy but if the smaller arc is going to get in the way...

 

Also, I feel like a moron, but I know degrees where there are 360 degrees on the perimeter of a circle. Say, from "noon" to "6 o'clock", you have 180°. But I have no idea how you use degrees relative to a point's distance to center within a circle... as this seems to be the case here

Edited June 3, 2016 by BenduKundalini

[Danalon]

Also, I feel like a moron, but I know degrees where there are 360 degrees on the perimeter of a circle. Say, from "noon" to "6 o'clock", you have 180°. But I have no idea how you use degrees relative to a point's distance to center within a circle... as this seems to be the case here

 

You misinterpreted it. Imagine a sphere around your ship, and the firing arc is a cone-like cutout of X degrees.

 

I've never cared much about the numbers, because it's impossible to take influence on the tracking penalty other than trying to center a target as good as possible.

[BenduKundalini]

You misinterpreted it. Imagine a sphere around your ship, and the firing arc is a cone-like cutout of X degrees.

Well sorry but that's not helping... I have no idea what you're talking about. I mean those are angular degrees. but 10° angular degrees near the center or on the perimeter is still 10°...

 

What I have understood so far is that tracking penalty applies as soon you're farther from the center of the circle. I don't get where degrees play a part in that...

Edited June 3, 2016 by BenduKundalini

[Danalon]

Well sorry but that's not helping... I have no idea what you're talking about. I mean those are angular degrees. but 10° angular degrees near the center or on the perimeter is still 10°...

 

What I have understood so far is that tracking penalty applies as soon you're farther from the center of the circle. I don't get where degrees play a part in that...

 

Let's get some help from wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spherical_sector#/media/File:Kugel-sektor.png

 

M is the position of your ship (facing upwards in the picture).

The blue shape is your firing arc.

The blue circle with radius a is the circle you see in game.

r is the range of your weapon.

The angle between the thick blue lines at M (in the picture it's 90°) is the angle of your firing arc.

 

For tracking penalty it doesn't matter how close your target is - as you said 10° are 10°, no matter how close. The distance to your target directly affects accuracy - the closer, the higher the chance to hit.

 

It's really not that important. The only thing you need to know: keep the lead indicator of your target as close to the center of your screen as possible. Or, in other words, the closer the lead indicator is to the edge of the circle on your screen, the less likely you are to hit it.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Danalon

[BenduKundalini]

Let's get some help from wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spherical_sector#/media/File:Kugel-sektor.png

 

M is the position of your ship (facing upwards in the picture).

The blue shape is your firing arc.

The blue circle with radius a is the circle you see in game.

r is the range of your weapon.

The angle between the thick blue lines at M (in the picture it's 90°) is the angle of your firing arc.

 

For tracking penalty it doesn't matter how close your target is - as you said 10° are 10°, no matter how close. The distance to your target directly affects accuracy - the closer, the higher the chance to hit.

 

It's really not that important. The only thing you need to know: keep the lead indicator of your target as close to the center of your screen as possible. Or, in other words, the closer the lead indicator is to the edge of the circle on your screen, the less likely you are to hit it.

 

Hey, thanks. Very helpful! Apart from neing less of a noob in a videogame I'll be less geometry illiterate lol

 

I got the global idea sure but I hate not to understand how something works/doesn't work.

[Drakkolich]

Sorry for not replying earlier, but I never know what time I'm going to play, so didn't want to make arrangements and then not show up. I downloaded Open Broadcaster, need to try it now.

 

Meanwhile would you recommend LLC or LC on a Nova? LC has better range and accuracy but if the smaller arc is going to get in the way...

 

Also, I feel like a moron, but I know degrees where there are 360 degrees on the perimeter of a circle. Say, from "noon" to "6 o'clock", you have 180°. But I have no idea how you use degrees relative to a point's distance to center within a circle... as this seems to be the case here

 

I tend to use Laser Canon on a Novadive because I find they synergize better with Rocket pods.

 

When you're looking at your screen you have a circle. (your firing arc)

 

If your firing arc says it's 20 degrees, that means from the left side of the circle to the right equals 20 degrees, 10 degrees from the middile to the edge.

 

That means when your cursor is between the middle of the circle and the edge for every 10% you are away from the middle you will incur one instance of the tracking penalty.

 

Lets keep the example going.

 

If your cursor is 50% away from the middle of your firing arc towards the edge, you will incur 5 instances of tracking penalty.

 

If you're using a Railgun that means you lost 5% accuracy per instance of tracking penalty.

 

That means being 50% of the way between the middle and edge of the firing arc would give you -25% accuracy.

 

 

I know that was a lot of explaining but I hope you now understand the degrees in regards to tracking penalty.

[BenduKundalini]

I tend to use Laser Canon on a Novadive because I find they synergize better with Rocket pods.

 

When you're looking at your screen you have a circle. (your firing arc)

 

If your firing arc says it's 20 degrees, that means from the left side of the circle to the right equals 20 degrees, 10 degrees from the middile to the edge.

 

That means when your cursor is between the middle of the circle and the edge for every 10% you are away from the middle you will incur one instance of the tracking penalty.

 

Lets keep the example going.

 

If your cursor is 50% away from the middle of your firing arc towards the edge, you will incur 5 instances of tracking penalty.

 

If you're using a Railgun that means you lost 5% accuracy per instance of tracking penalty.

 

That means being 50% of the way between the middle and edge of the firing arc would give you -25% accuracy.

 

 

I know that was a lot of explaining but I hope you now understand the degrees in regards to tracking penalty.

 

Easy to understand when explained so well! Also Danalon's graph worked wonders.

Thanks much!

 

Also for advice on the LC. I was thinking it made more sense but afraid to derp it... I'll miss my suppressive fire but hey.

Edited June 4, 2016 by BenduKundalini

[Danalon]

I tend to use Laser Canon on a Novadive because I find they synergize better with Rocket pods.

 

When you're looking at your screen you have a circle. (your firing arc)

 

If your firing arc says it's 20 degrees, that means from the left side of the circle to the right equals 20 degrees, 10 degrees from the middile to the edge.

 

That means when your cursor is between the middle of the circle and the edge for every 10% you are away from the middle you will incur one instance of the tracking penalty.

 

Lets keep the example going.

 

If your cursor is 50% away from the middle of your firing arc towards the edge, you will incur 5 instances of tracking penalty.

 

If you're using a Railgun that means you lost 5% accuracy per instance of tracking penalty.

 

That means being 50% of the way between the middle and edge of the firing arc would give you -25% accuracy.

 

 

I know that was a lot of explaining but I hope you now understand the degrees in regards to tracking penalty.

 

Just now reading this and I had a thought occuring.

 

Does the game even regard the firing arc as a spherical sector with the ship in the center or does it just check wether or not a target is inside the circle?

Similar question: is the firing arc determined by ships position or by cameras position?

Another one: Is tracking penalty determined by position of the ships or by the position of the mouse?

 

My current hypothesis is: The game checks if the target (actually it's lead indicator) is inside the circle and then determines distance, angle and LoS by the position ad facing of the attacker compared tot he position of the target.

 

I think a year ago or so I tested if LoS is determined by ship position or camera position and if I remember correctly it was ship position. However I neither made screenshots/videos nor notes, so my memory can be false.

 

(Edited)

Edited June 4, 2016 by Danalon

[Storm-Cutter]

Hihi.

 

I started a new pilot a while ago, and having mastered the BB, sting and Imperium, I thought I might give the Bloodmark a go.

 

I've not mastered it yet, but don't want to spend req on something I shouldn't . - A pilot I was flying with yesterday suggested that I was flying too aggressively - though we were up against stiff pub opposition at the time -

And I respect this pilot a lot.

Any advice on playing the T3 scout effectively while leveling it up....? Do's and don'ts etc. .....THX.

 

(I mainly fly scouts, Though I give the others a trip out on occasions. I rarely fly GS, coz in a GS I'm rubbish!)

 

cheers.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Storm-Cutter

[Greezt]

What does "flying too agressively" mean?

 

The best pilots I know are the ones that push forwards in TDM and pressure offnodes in Dom.

[Storm-Cutter]

Aggressive: Straying too close to the enemy, and a bit of dogfighting rather than use my CDs and evasion/l LoS to aid the rest of the team....for example.

 

IIRC 3 dom matches. - 1 of each dom map.

 

Though TBH we had a few no-shows on our side so 3-4 of us were trying to turn a whitewash into a respectable 2nd place!

Edited June 6, 2016 by Storm-Cutter

[Ramalina]

There are good builds, standard ones really, listed in the Stasiepedia which also has links to Drakolich's ship builds thread.

 

Mostly though, it's a matter of whether you want to unlock the real power of a T3 (Tensor Field at the start of a Domination match), or to build a scout that is weaker than the other two for dogfighting but might be fun in a game where the other team is getting crushed and you want things to be at least a bit more challenging.

 

A fairly standard tensor build would be

 

Laser Cannons

Thermite Torpedo or EMP Missile (user preference)

Tensor Field

Power Dive

Repair Drone

Sensor: user preference

Large Reactor

Lightweight Armor

Capacitor: user preference.

 

In a coordinated team setting you would arrange with another T3 scout pilot so that the two of you have different tier 5 upgrades on Tensor Field.

 

 

A "for fun" dogfighting build would be about the same, but take your choice of cannon, your choice of missile, and use Distortion Field for the shield and Targeting Telemetry for the system.

 

 

For more serious dogfighting or gunship suppression one would generally prefer a T1 or T2 scout instead.

 

 

Re: Flying style

 

In Dom you can be as aggressive as you want as long as you're doing something that contributes to your team getting or keeping control of satellites. Die 15 times in a match and that's a mere 15 points out of 1000 for the other team. The issue is that your team is down a player while you respawn and fly back to the battle. So if taking high risk actions, make sure that they have a reasonable chance of working and a big payoff if they work. In that case a death can be worth the respawn delay.

 

Things like dropping a repair drone (and announcing it in chat, including the rough location) where your team's bombers can use it or where supporting gunships can use it, using EMP missile or Thermite to make life hard for enemy bombers, or harassing gunships are all potentially useful in Domination. Tensor to switch team pressure from one sat to another is also potentially very valuable, but requires an uncommonly high degree of teamwork and communication to be effective.

 

 

In TDM the T3 isn't going to be an offensive powerhouse, so a lot more of it comes down to making sure you don't get killed more times than the number of kills you make. Again dropping repair drones where allies can heal up is good, and if you know where the Damage Overcharge spawn points are a well timed tensor can help both deny them to the enemy team and give you enough firepower to dogfight or hunt gunships effectively, though it doesn't make you as bursty as a T1 or T2 so a little more care is still called for (you could well still loose a head to head joust for example).

 

Finally, if the goal is winning the match rather than earning requisition on the ship, don't be afraid to switch to a different ship instead of the T3 scout.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Ramalina

[Greezt]

Here's how I use my T3.

 

I primarily fly it in Dom matches, so I have it set up with tensor and repair drones. For copilot, RI for survivability as well as team utility. For secondaries, EMPs - much easier to land, good team utility, and give you a slightly better shot at killing a CP bomber.

 

For primaries, I used to run LC for range and overall quality, but lately I've swapped to LLC. The reasoning is that since I'm fighting on a node anyway, LLC offer slightly better tracking, much higher dps, and around the same DPSh and accuracy (in the range I use them).

 

I usually tensor, reach a node, plant my drone somewhere safe, and start kiting around the node. If I can, I finish off stragglers, EMP if possible and needed, and generally hold out until someone finishes me off - and then I usually swap ships.

 

For TDM, I wouldn't recommend the T3 - since it's at best a T1 without good secondaries or thrusters. However, here's a build I used when flying it in TDM (Myralli's build).

 

For shields, distortion field - self explanatory.

For primaries, LC - range and accuracy.

For secondaries, thermites - You might land them on a bomber (or, if you're really lucky, even a gunship/scout), and the other options are useless for TDM anyway.

For system, combat command - TT is better for dps, but facing any T1/2 with TT/BO, you'll be inferior with your secondaries. CC is more of a team utility, and it gives you wingman while leaving your copilot ability free.

For copilot, suppression.

 

The idea is that you can fly around taking potshots at enemy ships, but once per minute you can joust an enemy scout/gunship head on. With suppression, you're almost guaranteed a kill, since most people don't even notice that they're suppressed. This should leave him in your face for enough time to kill him. Even if he runs away, he's still mostly useless for the duration of the debuff.

[Drakkolich]

Hihi.

 

I started a new pilot a while ago, and having mastered the BB, sting and Imperium, I thought I might give the Bloodmark a go.

 

I've not mastered it yet, but don't want to spend req on something I shouldn't . - A pilot I was flying with yesterday suggested that I was flying too aggressively - though we were up against stiff pub opposition at the time -

And I respect this pilot a lot.

Any advice on playing the T3 scout effectively while leveling it up....? Do's and don'ts etc. .....THX.

 

(I mainly fly scouts, Though I give the others a trip out on occasions. I rarely fly GS, coz in a GS I'm rubbish!)

 

cheers.

 

 

There's already been some great answers to your question so I definitely suggest you go read Ramalina's and Greezt's responses if you haven't.

 

I've leveled a few Bloodmarks/Spearpoints now and honestly it's one of those ships I only use to have fun in. From that perspective I say go nuts and really have fun with it. I ran Ion missile from stock to mastered on one of them and I had a great time. That missile hits so hard and the snare on it is hilarious, this is all if you actually manage to hit it and is nowhere near ideal. I love the feel of Light laser cannon even though I know it's inferior so most of my Bloodmark/Spearpoint builds end up taking it because I can finally just have fun and play that.

 

 

If you're planing on only playing that ship ever and not just for fun games and you still want to win then I'd have to just suggest the build in my ship builds. It's style is pretty easy, find Bombers out in the open and kill them with Thermite and Lightlasers, give your teammates Tensor as often as possible. If you're playing with Bomber allies and they die turn back to your own spawn and give them Tensor. You'd be very weak to enemy Scouts and Gunships of equal skill, so you'd have to out pilot the hell out of people to do well.

 

 

I wasn't really sure how to answer this so I hope I did ok? Once you pick a build maybe let me know and I can help you come with playing strategies?

[Storm-Cutter]

Thanks, I'll fill in this post as soon as I get back in game. sometime today I hope. Can't always rely on brain cells to remember every detail.

T3 was only to try something a bit different, a support ship rather than frontline fighter.

- I usually let the T3 out of the hangar if we're well on the way to victory, (or heavy defeat ) but not if it's a close run thing. I'm probably a lot more valuable in my T1 and 2 - and have bomber /Imperium support if we suddenly need extra sat defence.

- I always appreciate the advice. Cheers.

 

EDIT: Still not mastered by a long way, but building req slowly....spending the first few 1000s on a few upgrades that lift it from stock paper-thin to at least slightly useful. I tend to bolt on anything that seems helpful at the start, then as the req pool grows start swapping out bits and pieces and deciding where I want to go with it. - Though TBH I usually go for speed/evasion builds, as it suits an early-cap / hit-and-run play-style that I prefer.

 

Laser Cannon

Ion missile

Tensor to Buff turn-rate and speed

Interdiction

Light Armour

Capacitor not yet started.

Regen reactor.

 

please feel free to rip it to shreds, call me really rude names and such, and steer me to the straight and narrow. - Cheers.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Storm-Cutter

[RickDagles]

LLC with the tier 4 (right side) upgrade, range capacitor, and wingman is actually pretty awesome at killing stuff that's flying around nodes. Try to just tap the button rather than holding it down. It's still nowhere near as strong as BLC, but it's a lot of fun.

 

IMO there are very few circumstances where it's worth staying in a T3 scout after tensoring. But as a whole it's still more useful than any of the Strikes and probably the T3 bomber as well. It's a good "fun ship" to have on your bar because it can also help you win games, sometimes.

[Storm-Cutter]

Updated post #743 with where the first few 1000s of req went.

[Drakkolich]

Thanks, I'll fill in this post as soon as I get back in game. sometime today I hope. Can't always rely on brain cells to remember every detail.

T3 was only to try something a bit different, a support ship rather than frontline fighter.

- I usually let the T3 out of the hangar if we're well on the way to victory, (or heavy defeat ) but not if it's a close run thing. I'm probably a lot more valuable in my T1 and 2 - and have bomber /Imperium support if we suddenly need extra sat defence.

- I always appreciate the advice. Cheers.

 

EDIT: Still not mastered by a long way, but building req slowly....spending the first few 1000s on a few upgrades that lift it from stock paper-thin to at least slightly useful. I tend to bolt on anything that seems helpful at the start, then as the req pool grows start swapping out bits and pieces and deciding where I want to go with it. - Though TBH I usually go for speed/evasion builds, as it suits an early-cap / hit-and-run play-style that I prefer.

 

Laser Cannon

Ion missile

Tensor to Buff turn-rate and speed

Interdiction

Light Armour

Capacitor not yet started.

Regen reactor.

 

please feel free to rip it to shreds, call me really rude names and such, and steer me to the straight and narrow. - Cheers.

 

If you do plan on using Ion Missile I suggest really having some fun and using Light laser cannon. Since you'll be shredding their shields with the missile might aswell get up close and finish them with one of the most fun lasers in the game.

 

If you're the only Tensor on your team and not coordinating with anyone the regeneration upgrade is way more useful then the speed one, particularly to friendly Bombers.

 

Definitely drop Interdiction drive you absolutely want either Power dive (The more competitive option) or Snap Turn (The I never get to play with this and it's wierd but kind of fun option).

 

For your Capacitor definitely run Damage or Frequency whichever you prefer, don't use Range as you want your missile to land before you start firing lasers anyways.

 

Large reactor is almost always the better choice, even in this paper thin ship you still want to be able to survive as much burst damage as possible to maybe get away by using Tensor or an engine maneuver.

 

 

Looks like a really cool for fun build, I definitely suggest getting the slow on Ion missile, especially if you do swap to Light lasers. If you do land the missile them being slow with no shields is incredibly fun to chase down with those lasers.

 

 

I hope that was enough advice/tearing apart of your build. Keep us updated on if your enjoying it!

[MaximilianPower]

Definitely drop Interdiction drive you absolutely want either Power dive (The more competitive option) or Snap Turn (The I never get to play with this and it's wierd but kind of fun option).

 

I use interdiction drive now and then on the T3. It is definitely sub-optimal (hard to stay alive with no missile break) but it's a lot of fun...the speed burst along with tensor is nuts, and dropping it around contested nodes is good for lulz too. Generally I don't expect to survive for very long without PDie, but it's pretty entertaining to mess around with. While I wouldn't use interdiction drive on a Spearpoint in serious matches, it's amusing in roflstomp games.

[Danalon]

I use interdiction drive now and then on the T3. It is definitely sub-optimal (hard to stay alive with no missile break) but it's a lot of fun...the speed burst along with tensor is nuts, and dropping it around contested nodes is good for lulz too. Generally I don't expect to survive for very long without PDie, but it's pretty entertaining to mess around with. While I wouldn't use interdiction drive on a Spearpoint in serious matches, it's amusing in roflstomp games.

 

I didn't play the T3 scout much, but I tried Interdiction drive in combination with Tensor Field. It's possible to use both cooldowns, capture a satellite before an enemy arrives, wait for reinforcements and then suicide - instead of pulling Tensor Field and suiciding instantly. I didn't test it often and I can't tell how it performs against an enemy team with Tensor boost, but I'm certain it works against groups without a Tensor T3.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Danalon

[merovejec]

I think the only way to actually one-shot a strike is a slug railgun by a gunship with damage overcharge. However, depending on your construction, even that might not be enough and it has to be a critical hit too.

If it "was done pretty often" then it's more likely you got focused by more than one gunship or a scout with cooldowns (or DO, or both) killed you. A scout with DO needs less than a second to kill a Strike, which might feel like you got one-shotted. There is no DO on domination type maps, so if it happened there too, you certainly didn't get one-shotted.

 

You should know that strike fighters are the weakest class currently, because they lack several things other ships have. Strikes are slower and have lower evasion, lower speed, and less engines than scouts, which makes strikes easy targets. Strikes don't have the range of gunships and they also lack the standing power of bombers.

 

Thanks for the reply. As for me im just doing GSF to get all achievments for it, so just need one more upgrade and ill move on to a scout then next. It have a system of swaping ships during the matches so i get the achievment for playing all ships 100 times etc. But the hardest parts are the Ship Mastery.

[Danalon]

Thanks for the reply. As for me im just doing GSF to get all achievments for it, so just need one more upgrade and ill move on to a scout then next. It have a system of swaping ships during the matches so i get the achievment for playing all ships 100 times etc. But the hardest parts are the Ship Mastery.

 

Ship mastery achievements only require time, they're not hard to get. I don't know how far you have progressed into mastering all ships, so I'll just recommend unlocking all ships before you use any of the ship requisition tokens you get for the quests. Each ship you already purchased will get requisition from a token, resulting in over 10k requisition for a daily token, if you have unlocked all ships.