Grid Sage Forums

Cogmind => Ideas => Topic started by: TheJournier on October 22, 2017, 03:13:32 AM

Title: Volley Order Matters
Post by: TheJournier on October 22, 2017, 03:13:32 AM
So I notice in the game there's a recoil penalty with kinetic guns, I find it funny that the order of the volley doesn't matter but in the game order determines which shoots first. I.e.

A. Ass. Rifle
B. Med. Laser gun

when you fire a volley the assault gun clearly shoots first, then med. laser gun. or vice versa. Kinetics should have recoil penalties for what fires after and not what shoots first. This could add an element to bot design. For example.
A. Ass. Rifle -0%
B. Ass. Rifle -2%
C. Ass. Rifle -4%

or
A. Ass. Rifle -0%                             A. Ass. Rifle - 0%
B. Beam Cannon -2%       VS.          B. Ass. Rifle - 2%
C. Beam Cannon -0%                      C. Beam Cannon - 4%
D. Ass. Rifle --0%                           D. Beam Cannon - 0%
Title: Re: Volley Order Matters
Post by: Kyzrati on October 22, 2017, 04:57:12 AM
Volley order used to matter (because sure that's more realistic), but that feature was changed as it forces extra micromanagement of weapons based on non-obvious variables, adding unnecessary complexity to the system while also interfering with the automated part sorting.

Technically there are already some other variables that might cause a desire to manually assign weapon order (hence the option in the config file to block weapon autosorting), though they're somewhat less important. Adding more variables to that equation would make manual weapon sorting almost required for even just semi-optimal play.

(And welcome to the forums!)
Title: Re: Volley Order Matters
Post by: Shadowfury333 on October 22, 2017, 11:48:58 AM
Technically there are already some other variables that might cause a desire to manually assign weapon order (hence the option in the config file to block weapon autosorting), though they're somewhat less important. Adding more variables to that equation would make manual weapon sorting almost required for even just semi-optimal play.

Are those variables just "I think my EM weapon will kill this Grunt, I should make it go first so that my Kinetic will then have free reign on the enemies behind them", or "I should cannon first to break this wall before firing anything else", or "This grenade should clear most things, leaving the assault rifles to deal with stragglers" (kindof, though granted auto-re-targeting is melee only AFAIK), or are there other things to be concerned about?
Title: Re: Volley Order Matters
Post by: zxc on October 22, 2017, 05:32:05 PM
You'd probably want the weapon with higher salvage value to be the one hitting first in order to maximise what you gain from the enemy. Other than that, not much of an effect. Firing regular weapons in a volley with explosive launchers often is a waste of time considering how much more powerful the launchers are.
Title: Re: Volley Order Matters
Post by: DDarkray on October 22, 2017, 10:32:51 PM
Another situation is when you're fighting at a narrow corridor, using penetrating weapons first will yield the best result because you'll be dealing more overall damage this way.
Title: Re: Volley Order Matters
Post by: Kyzrati on October 23, 2017, 03:53:13 AM
You'd probably want the weapon with higher salvage value to be the one hitting first in order to maximise what you gain from the enemy.
This is the main consideration I was thinking of. In fact, that's why I later switched around the weapon ordering in the game's data files so that EM weapons fire first ;) (they used to be last)

Technically there is also the cannon vs. gun situation, but I decided to keep damage types paired instead of prioritizing that.
Title: Re: Volley Order Matters
Post by: TheJournier on October 23, 2017, 05:24:21 AM
You'd probably want the weapon with higher salvage value to be the one hitting first in order to maximise what you gain from the enemy. Other than that, not much of an effect. Firing regular weapons in a volley with explosive launchers often is a waste of time considering how much more powerful the launchers are.

Haha yeah. That's until you discover emp launcher, love those suckers. The do the whole crowd control with out destroying walls and such forcing loads of neutral bots to get in your way.

Didn't think of that, whole putting penetrating weapons first or beam weapons. I actually cut back on volleys unless I'm conered (I use wheels and kite walkers with kinetics/and longer ranged beam guns). Can't quite do that with defenders though.

Title: Re: Volley Order Matters
Post by: Kyzrati on October 23, 2017, 05:31:21 AM
Haha yeah. That's until you discover emp launcher, love those suckers.
Now those can definitely be stacked :P. My winning Beta 3 run a couple days ago had a segment where I was firing three of the most powerful EM launchers in the game every volley. Very satisfying.