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Rocket launcher ideas

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:25 pm
by Rotacak
I have one idea for new weapon for funserver. It is rocket launcher, but I have problems with balancing. It need to be different than lucifer cannon, but everything what will be faster and what will do more damage, it will be overpowered.

I had some ideas like:
- only one rocket (but you still can spam it if you will sit on armoury)
- only few rockets and very long reload (you can still spam with armoury)
- less damage than luci, but faster (faster yes, but that damage ... it should be ultimate weapon)
- make it like turret without autoaiming (probably hard and uselles)

Anyone have some better ideas how to make it usefull and no overpovered?

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 8:36 pm
by Lancer
Hey rotacak!
I don't play on the fun server, but on the 1.2 server.

Balancing is always an issue, but you can do a few things with the rocket launcher of today, and possible in the future:

Rocket launchers nowadays are very fast reloadable, accurate and powerfull.
Rocket Launchers in the future will have even better auto-aim, power and accuracy.

The luci cannon is already a very strong weapon (2 full hit will kill a tyrant).

I think you should make it a slow reloadable weapon, start it with 1 in the tube, 2 reloads.
Give a 5 a 7.5% hit boost of the luci cannon, but the firerate -30 50% off the luci cannon.

This will give a nice balance, as it hits a little harder, but is somewhat slower then the already overpowered luci.

Credits cost for a luci is 600, make it 1000-1200 for the launcher.

Still doesn't count with the Armory, as you just can spam reload it!

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 9:36 pm
by Quarko
I think I'd like it being 100% grenade damage with same explosion radius (yes, huge radius), you can hold maximum 2-4 rockets at once and EACH ammo costs 100-200 creds to reload. Firing speed should be the same as of fully-charged luci (4-5 secs between shots). Projectile speed also same as of luci. The weapon itself should cost 400 creds I think (so using it as suicidal nade would be really expensive and useless). It shouldnt be very expensive as it has limited tactical value.

This way:
1) Cant spam it, uses lots of credits for each shot.
2) Big reload rate and small amount of rockets makes it impossible to be used without support from the team.
3) Huge tactical value for destroying enemy base while being supported by teammates.
4) Useless for firing at ANY aliens unless they are camping at base. Luci can be dodged easily - rocket can be too.
5) The more rockets you buy - the bigger risk that you loose lots of credits while being killed by rant (if you dont have support from your team).

Generally it can be considered an improved grenade. Same uses but better (because flying, and can carry several rockets at once). Drawbacks - no real weapon avialable, so you can't go out by yourself.

Seems pretty balanced to me.

Re: Rocket launcher ideas

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 9:46 pm
by grmg.pl
Rotacak wrote: I had some ideas like:
- only one rocket (but you still can spam it if you will sit on armoury)
- only few rockets and very long reload (you can still spam with armoury)
- less damage than luci, but faster (faster yes, but that damage ... it should be ultimate weapon)
- make it like turret without autoaiming (probably hard and uselles)

Anyone have some better ideas how to make it usefull and no overpovered?

- Area denial weapon like MRLS. Trem-wise: Like shotgun with certain area at certain distance, with "random" spread. One rocket or many smaller ones.

- Like barbs from advgoon - the projectile follows a ballistic path not a straight line. Notice that this would allow to fire without line of sight.


Balancing ideas:

- Contrary to real world - make the projectile slow so it can be avoided.
- Do not allow it for battlesuit.
- Make the player slower while using.
- Make it cost more than 1000 to prevent spamming.
- Ammunition costs credits.
- Warmup time - press fire and the rocket flies out after (ie.)2 second.
- Can only fire when locked on, so it requires the player to keep crosshair on target for some time before firing.
- If it is possible, make the firing of the projectile generate an exhaust flame or sth behind the wielder. The exhaust flame would do damage to structures and players so no sitting on arm.
- Make the projectile powerful, but also make it destroyable or interceptable. Like luciball it hits whatever it touches.

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 6:23 am
by Loki
Do it somehow, and ppl will be happy :) nice idea but ye, that wpn will be overpowered.

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 9:07 am
by Iltavuo
Yeah, if it doesn't require too much work, just making it and testing with players will show you what needs changing with it. Maybe make it do more damage against structures than against living aliens?

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:33 am
by Rotacak
Iltavuo wrote:Yeah, if it doesn't require too much work, just making it and testing with players will show you what needs changing with it. Maybe make it do more damage against structures than against living aliens?
Actually it does require some work, because othervise it will be only next luci cannon with different look. It need to be somewhat special for different use than luci.

I like:
- slow reload
- slower player when using (or when you just have it)
- warmup
- exhaust flame damage (but this will not prevent spamming, it cant damage his owner)

Rocket speed must be faster than luci, atleast similar like luci on 1.2, for nice fly effect.

Ammo buying can be complicated and too drastic, that can make that weapon underused. Also big damage to structures like grenade can be overpowered, with grenade you hardly hit something directly, but with this allways.

Rocket launcher should have maybe similar damage like lucicannon, but need something special - maybe big splash radius (twice like luci, but smaller damage). On impact it will cause very big explosion, maybe big smoke and spawn rocks (just effect), but we can't kill whole alien base just by few rockets :) But again - big splash damage mean that you can shoot in alien base and you will smash all dretches.

Antispamming can be done by activating rocket launcher only on unpowered areas.

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:57 am
by Nod_Nod_Nod
Rotacak - great idea - Knockback!!!! It will make it harder to aim, but this weapon doesnt need aim. It can have knockback powerfull as tesla. Just One SWOOSH to back. :P

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 2:49 pm
by loldretch
Rotacak wrote:It need to be somewhat special for different use than luci.
Yeah, i roger that.

I like slow reload (10-20 seconds for example) and quick powerful rockets, but if humans will build just forward armory, they will easy win.

If rocket speed will be high, need to make small damage, but it will be another pulse rifle.

Also i liked rocket feature from Nexuis shooter (afaik now it called Xonotic). http://youtube.com/watch?v=ypJmjf81-74 - see after 0:42. (early rocket detonation)

Also i would like seeking rockets or rockets controlled by aiming.

Anoter suggestions - rockets causes small damage (or no damage), but freezes or slows aliens or make aliens poisoned or blind. It can be funny - non-damage weapon, maybe healing weapon (but healing rockets with splash heal too overpowered).

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 2:53 pm
by loldretch
maybe many types of rockets - chemical, microbiological, etc rockets with different effects and different costs

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:16 am
by Castyo
rota i've a damn idea.
That rocket launcher can be overpowered by a guy with a ckit.
I try to explain it better.
The guy with rocket launcher if fire standard make 100 damage (for example).
If a builder with ckit is near it the damage become 150 (ckit earn extra energy).
If there is 2 builder become 200.
With 3 250 (is the max) and can pwn an overmind with 1 shot.
Mind i don't use drugs :lol: :lol: :lol:

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:08 am
by Redemption
just a suggestion but what about random misfires? like you shoot it and it goes slightly left rather then right to your cross hair?

like say i want to aim at a rant at the other end of the kaji side star hotel map, and i fire but it goes left a bit and misses.

it'd hurt the rant but not kill it, and it would be random so it's a 50/50 chance of hitting the target.

once again, just an idea.

oh 1 question: why another weapon? o.O keep it on hold until it becomes unbalanced again.

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:23 am
by Rotacak
Nod_Nod_Nod: knockback can be good, but also it can help to dodge, when you attack, shoot and it will put you back.

loldretch: different rockets are interesing, but too complicated for buying. Healing weapon is crazy :)
But early rocket detonation is interesing idea.

Castyo: but its hard to explain this in game to player. How he will discover this function? It need some builder count indicator and different rocket collor + smoke. But there is no logic for being boosted by builders.

Redemption: well, we probably need to add it and then balance (someone already said this). Andy why to add new weapon? For more fun.

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:11 pm
by Castyo
Hi rota!
Ckit can fix building "giving energy".
Is easy to explain simple make a video with the new stuff and charge on youtube/post on trem forum.
Some script can be taked by existent script in game.
I think that superocket can be really fun.
You Can add nuke rocket (like basi poison).
3 builders add more teamwork to game imho.
Cost for rocketlauncher can be 1500.
Can add a version nuked of it, less power cost 1200.
Single shot.
Fire same as mass driver (but less speed, like lucifer).
a nice thing can be secondary fire.
Man can hit enemy with rocked like an hax :lol:

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:30 pm
by Iltavuo
Possibly make it a single-use rocket launcher, like some in real life. Used like the grenade and the medkit, doesn't block other weapons: it's carried in the back. Firing it would take some time, maybe 1-3 seconds to avoid it being spammed. During the firing the human kneels down, aims and fires. Maybe make the rocket's burner cause damage to anyone who's behind the launcher.