1: Reduce the power curve of Upgrades. Right now a rough estimate of the power between Grade 1 and Grade 5 is Triple damage. This makes Tier 1 weapons feel underpowered in the players hands, and makes most enemies in the game non-threatening. I would increase the base damage of all weapons by 2x and then each grade only increases damage by another ~25% more. Ultimately we end up in the same place, but the difference between a G1 weapon's damage and a G5's weapon's damage is 2:3 instead of 1:3.
2: Kinetics Underperform because the resistance of shields against them is too high, and their base damage is too low. I don't know what the base resistance of shields against Kinetics is, but it should be reduced. I get the idea that you want "Lasers for Shields, Bullets for Bodies" but this has failed to create a compelling combat environment both from the Player's offensive status, and the AI's defensive status. Kinetic weapons in the AI's hands pose virtually no threat, because they will just never get through your shields.
3: Lasers (slightly) underperform against Armor. Reduce the Thermal Resistance of Armors. Lasers suffer, in general, much less than kinetics for multiple reasons. In my opinion, Kinetic weapons should be more dangerous per-shot than Lasers, because of the skill gap involved in leading targets.
Ultimately I think we need to get rid of the idea of needing to change weapons to kill the SAME target. If FD is married to this idea of really heavy resistances, they should do it on a by-target basis. Just arbitrary example: Humans are a little resistant to everything, but all weapons are effective. Guardian Constructs have powerful shields and weak armor, making Thermal weapons ideal, and Thargoids resist thermal weaponry, but are vulnerable to Kinetic.
2: Kinetics Underperform because the resistance of shields against them is too high, and their base damage is too low. I don't know what the base resistance of shields against Kinetics is, but it should be reduced. I get the idea that you want "Lasers for Shields, Bullets for Bodies" but this has failed to create a compelling combat environment both from the Player's offensive status, and the AI's defensive status. Kinetic weapons in the AI's hands pose virtually no threat, because they will just never get through your shields.
3: Lasers (slightly) underperform against Armor. Reduce the Thermal Resistance of Armors. Lasers suffer, in general, much less than kinetics for multiple reasons. In my opinion, Kinetic weapons should be more dangerous per-shot than Lasers, because of the skill gap involved in leading targets.
Ultimately I think we need to get rid of the idea of needing to change weapons to kill the SAME target. If FD is married to this idea of really heavy resistances, they should do it on a by-target basis. Just arbitrary example: Humans are a little resistant to everything, but all weapons are effective. Guardian Constructs have powerful shields and weak armor, making Thermal weapons ideal, and Thargoids resist thermal weaponry, but are vulnerable to Kinetic.
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