Hello Commander Johnny Spaceboots!
I still believe there's nothing wrong (and many things right) about limited skill-based potions in a game that has at its core the chance for uneven encounters. As long as they do not become ultra-path of least resistance, they will not remove or replace skill. So sorry, they're not going yet
On the other hand, I would definitely like to see more zing/depth/entertainment to the various roles, including bounty hunting - it's in the list.
Then can we at the very least expect modules which will allow us to counter shield cells, either via disabling them, reducing their effectiveness, making them backfire (overcharge, damaging hull and taking down shields or something...)? Or some way to counter shield cells without a special module, which could lead to the problem of releasing snakes to take care of a rat problem? Also, I fail to see how shield cells help with uneven encounters. Any ship that is geared for combat will have tons of shield potions. The only way that SCBs could close the gap is if you were attacking a non-combat loaded bigger ship, like a trading Anaconda or something. In fact, it makes encounters even more uneven, since a trading cobra with 6 scbs could be interdicted by a python with 50 scbs and would realistically have zero chance of winning, even if for the most part they were able to outmaneuver the python. Bigger ships can fit more shield cell banks. A lot more.
Because right now, they upset the balance that was achieved in the alpha and beta 1. Shields were essentially multiplied, potentially dozens of times, in strength with the introduction of shield cells in (I think?) Beta 2, reducing the significance of hull, and by extension making making all hull based weaponry such as cannons obsolete, as well as reducing the importance of sustained damage weapons, while making high burst anti-shield weapons the only choice if you want the chance to fight against shield cells. To exacerbate this problem even further, weapons have steadily had their damage reduced further and further. I was fine with the alpha and beta 1 TTK, even if it is what some people may consider a bit long. I felt like it was in a sweetspot.
But now, with players who are kitted primarily for combat, TTK has practically been multiplied several times. With the now multiplied TTK, I find battles that were formally exciting and unpredictable have turned tedious. Before, the difference between fighting a skilled pilot and a reckless one was reflected not only in the result, but in the time to get that result. A reckless, clumsy pilot could be dispatched of in a matter of 30 seconds to a minute, while a fight with a skilled pilot could easily take 5-10 minutes. But now, regardless of skill-level, I find that fights have deteriorated to where even a terrible player can easily waste 10-15 minutes of my time, and what was formally a battle of wits and maneuvering has now turned into a battle of attrition.
So with that said, I sincerely hope that players can again have a wide variety of viable outfitting choices, and that with proper use of skill, that a player can effectively counter shield cells. Perhaps by making it so that taking damage while using a shield cell cancels the recharge or does something else significant, so that players have to either put distance between them and their enemies or be good enough at maneuvering to stay out of their arc of fire.
Glad to here that bounty hunting will be getting some work done on them.
