Proton torpedo balancing

[Strathkin]

I'm short on time now, but tomorrow I'll do a short walkthrough video for you on one of my starguards, and try to get it posted and linked for you to take a look at.

 

I appreciate the Help! As I said, rarely if ever notice even minimal Lag. Yet my Torpedoes in GSF almost NEVER engage a LOCK-ON, despite having read the Tutorial right thru originally months ago.

 

Turned on Detailed Tooltips under Star Fighter in Preferences, as suggested by you in Galactic Star Fighter Forum. I'll see if that gives more details! Strange they turn that OFF by default. Now I see the firing Arc's of the Torpedoes, along with far more!

 

I also have the following ships:

Strike Fighter: FT-8, FT-7B;

Scout: Nova Dive, Sprearpoint;

Bomber: Sledgehammer, Warcarrier;

Gunship: SGS-41B.

 

The FT-7B I find is a bit luckier with Thermite Torp's, and those fully upgraded. Yet I think I've only fired and hit ONCE with them at moderate range 7,000 - 8,000; so nothing to brag about. Perhaps the reason I have better success at <4,000m is because they likely to be closest and target automatically! So learning how to FIRE Torpedoes is IMPORTANT especially at 5,000 - 10,000m; to then give closer range Energy Weapons. Though, they forget to mention one key aspect 1-2 of you guys did--see below.

 

The exception if the FT-8, cause it has two Primary's you can change. So go Heavy, then up close switch to Rapid-fire!

 

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

https://i.imgur.com/3Basfxl.png

https://i.imgur.com/z3Y95YG.png

 

I decided to recheck the tutorial, and perhaps found where my CONFUSION comes! Now I think it's the part where they identify how to target with Secondary Weapons! I always TRIED targeting Torp's by holding right-mouse while in my 'sights' as described; yet confused why LOCK-ON never ENGAGES. It never specifically identified they required to be targeted first, so I thought LOCK-ON would ENGAGE just having them in my Reticle or 'Scope' circle. As a result I mostly used targeting with Primary Weapons, cause of the Leading indicator it provides; doesn't benefit Missile / Torps.

 

*sigh*

Edited December 7, 2021 by Strathkin

[Ramalina]

 

I decided to recheck the tutorial, and perhaps found where my CONFUSION comes! Now I think it's the part where they identify how to target with Secondary Weapons! I always TRIED targeting Torp's by holding right-mouse while in my 'sights' as described; yet confused why LOCK-ON never ENGAGES. It never specifically identified they required to be targeted first, so I thought LOCK-ON would ENGAGE just having them in my Reticle or 'Scope' circle. As a result I mostly used targeting with Primary Weapons, cause of the Leading indicator it provides; doesn't benefit Missile / Torps.

 

*sigh*

 

This was almost certainly your problem. You can't start a missile or torp lock unless a ship is your actively selected target.

 

I 'll still do the walkthrough, but 99 percent chance that's what was the cause.

[Ramalina]

Here you go:

 

.

[Strathkin]

I realize it was my bad, yet I thought right-click would switch target if they in the reticle or scope.

 

I'm now using E mostly as that enables that. Still I watch your video, and thanks for putting it together.

[SeCKSEgai]

Superb answer, Ramalina.

 

I often run protons on my T1F but I rarely expect them to do much. They are easy to avoid, unless you launch one at someone you just saw use their engine break. Otherwise, I'm actually surprised when they actually land. I don't carry them for the damage, I carry them for the threat of the damage. As Drakolich mentioned, the consequences of being hit by a proton torpedo have to be large for the threat to be relevant. I could carry concussion missiles and get higher DPS out of my missiles, but I like being able to threaten people at 11.5km when needed and some people actually keep track of what you use, thus losing the threatening part of them. Most importantly, living across the globe also means actually getting a missile lock isn't as simple, the system seems to suffer greatly from above average latencies so I don't use missiles much.

 

Similarly, I rarely get hit by protons, unless there's several people locking missiles at me at the same time and I misjudge the threat, or I use my engine ability in the open and someone takes advantage of the opportunity. They do force me to fly defensively, so they have an effect.. they just rarely deal actual damage.

 

Your competition must not be very good if protorps are that little a threat.

 

I have a whole archive of screen shots that could show just how much the dynamic changed. While it has led to a lot fewer gunship bomberballs and bomber spam, it's also made it a lot easier for lesser skilled players to net kills. The problem with that is twofold.

 

Now that new players are even easier to kill, they're not only having to deal with the long time vets and aces but virtually anyone who learned how to lock a protorp. The players who learn to rely on protorps for kills rarely bother to learn further. Basics like aiming and general evasive maneuvers are lost on most.

 

The problem that arises is these players end up making for both poor teammates and weak competition. Now that engagements can start so far out, its even less intuitive for these newer players to understand what they're doing wrong.

[ForfiniteStories]

Hello. Is this Hacker's Pizza Delivery? I would like to order an extra large protorperoni with 12 slices. Edited December 24, 2021 by ForfiniteStories

[philwil]

I realize it was my bad, yet I thought right-click would switch target if they in the reticle or scope.

 

I'm now using E mostly as that enables that. Still I watch your video, and thanks for putting it together.

 

If you use TAB, it targets the next closest enemy. If you press it again, it goes to the next furthest. And so on.

 

I use E if i am going after a target in the distance. Say, a gunship. Or, if a bomber is being foolish and running around like they are a strike and out in the open.

 

I usually TAB around the targets, and if I see a gunship, go after it first. I dislike being shot in the back from 15k, lol

[Urthal]

Your competition must not be very good if protorps are that little a threat.

 

I haven't flown much in the past few months, did a few matches this week and the skill level on Star Forge seems to have improved significantly. Small sample, I know, but even matches late at night have been pretty good.

[SeCKSEgai]

I haven't flown much in the past few months, did a few matches this week and the skill level on Star Forge seems to have improved significantly. Small sample, I know, but even matches late at night have been pretty good.

 

Flying less tends to be the norm for all of us these days