Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Q&A - Weapons

[khalismur]

Here is a question: What kind of damage can the weapon of a human on foot, which should weigh 5~20kg do against a ship, that is designed to tank fire from other ships, whose weapons are several thousand kilograms each?

It was stated that "players [can] throw grenades at ships an[d] expect to deal significant damage if it's unshielded". Maybe to small ships without any decent armor plating I hope.
Let's take the smallest comparable ship-class weapon to compare to let's say a human rocket or grenade launcher:

• 1B Dumb fire: weighs 2000kg. Assuming half of it is the weapon itself and the other half is ammo, we have 1000kg/24 missiles ~= 42kg per missile.
• Handheld rocket / grenade launcher should be no heavier than 30kg. Assuming 20% of that is the weapon itself and a single rocket is the rest, we'd have 24kg in that rocket.

Based on these assumptions, the hand weapons should be at the most half as powerful as a single class 1B missile. Of course there are some heavy assumptions here, but they are also somewhat on the conservative side. What kind of damage can that weapon really do to a ship??

 

[Cmdr. Numa]

It's game vs. realism here. That same grenade that can hurt an unshielded ship might not even one-hit kill a person, certainly not an SRV. Reason ? Balance. Fdev are trying the impossible, creating an environment where everyone can deal significant damage to everyone. Realism would dictate that a person on foot can diddly-squat against ships unless either boarding a ground vehicle or fixed gun emplacement. Realism would also dictate that the person on foot would be instantly incineracted by ship weapons unless protected b a vehicle or fixed gun emplacement.

I don't like what FD are doing here at all.

 

[khalismur]

It's game vs. realism here. That same grenade that can hurt an unshielded ship might not even one-hit kill a person, certainly not an SRV. Reason ? Balance. Fdev are trying the impossible, creating an environment where everyone can deal significant damage to everyone. Realism would dictate that a person on foot can diddly-squat against ships unless either boarding a ground vehicle or fixed gun emplacement. Realism would also dictate that the person on foot would be instantly incineracted by ship weapons unless protected b a vehicle or fixed gun emplacement.

I don't like what FD are doing here at all.

You are right. It's a shame they went this route. Player vs ship combat is dumb and balancing it kills immersion and realism. The root of the problem is adding a semi-generic FPS game to a space sim

 

[Dionizio]

It's game vs. realism here. That same grenade that can hurt an unshielded ship might not even one-hit kill a person, certainly not an SRV. Reason ? Balance. Fdev are trying the impossible, creating an environment where everyone can deal significant damage to everyone. Realism would dictate that a person on foot can diddly-squat against ships unless either boarding a ground vehicle or fixed gun emplacement. Realism would also dictate that the person on foot would be instantly incineracted by ship weapons unless protected b a vehicle or fixed gun emplacement.

I don't like what FD are doing here at all.

this balance sux for this game, no one will like it

 

[aRJay]

Here is a question: What kind of damage can the weapon of a human on foot, which should weigh 5~20kg do against a ship, that is designed to tank fire from other ships, whose weapons are several thousand kilograms each?

It was stated that "players [can] throw grenades at ships an[d] expect to deal significant damage if it's unshielded". Maybe to small ships without any decent armor plating I hope.
Let's take the smallest comparable ship-class weapon to compare to let's say a human rocket or grenade launcher:

• 1B Dumb fire: weighs 2000kg. Assuming half of it is the weapon itself and the other half is ammo, we have 1000kg/24 missiles ~= 42kg per missile.
• Handheld rocket / grenade launcher should be no heavier than 30kg. Assuming 20% of that is the weapon itself and a single rocket is the rest, we'd have 24kg in that rocket.

Based on these assumptions, the hand weapons should be at the most half as powerful as a single class 1B missile. Of course there are some heavy assumptions here, but they are also somewhat on the conservative side. What kind of damage can that weapon really do to a ship??

Depends on the ship but an unshielded stock Eagle is going to be destroyed in 2-4 shots, an unshielded stock T10 will take more about 3000, the other variable is how much damage is significant?

 

[khalismur]

Depends on the ship but an unshielded stock Eagle is going to be destroyed in 2-4 shots, an unshielded stock T10 will take more about 3000, the other variable is how much damage is significant?

Right, who doesn't fly an unshielded Eagle without any hull reinforcements to be able to die in 2~4 missiles

 

[RisingPhoenics]

I hope there is an option for NO legs, I don't want those either!

You need to wait until they add chainsaws and wheelchairs into the game first

 

[LKx]

About damaging ships, looks like a troop alone would have trouble even with an srv, so i think taking down a ship will be more a group effort:

• Individual troops will struggle with SRV, but 3 - 6 troops can take it out pretty swiftly if it's poorly placed / static etc.

Source: https://old.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/kf8gwv/road_to_odyssey_lead_designer_qa_notes/

 

[aRJay]

About damaging ships, looks like a troop alone would have trouble even with an srv, so i think taking down a ship will be more a group effort:


Source: https://old.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/kf8gwv/road_to_odyssey_lead_designer_qa_notes/

A troop is about 15 people isn't it?

 

[dudeguy4952]

when is the ETA for oddysey?

 

[Adamaira]

when is the ETA for oddysey?

I'm Speculating here but my feeling is Alpha will drop after the in game phased event to do with the galactic summit completes in just over a couple of weeks time. The Full release probably won't be until at least July/August.

 

[Ian Skippy]

What marvelous ganking possibilities.

Yes, everything that does any kind of damage to anything under any kind of cirumstances offers 'marvelous ganking possibilities'. Of course, this particular marvelous possibility is slightly undermined by the 'auto-hide ship from gankers until I am done here' button everyone has.

But yeah. Marvelous.

 

[varonica]

What do you imagine the missions are going to be if not fps maps.. with objectives out of the classic fps map possibilities. Can you think of anything that hasn't been done before? The novelty of elite being you can walk off in infinite directions i guess.

I hope they add some sort of hand operated ground salvage. That would be a needed extra ontop of fps combat. Just wow, there are so many games that offer shooting with lasers, and have been doing it for decades.

Well, given that all we've seen is some unreal tournament like maps, i hope your dreams come true max. I would say our, but we've only seen combat.

PS. Hey you stop stop by dd and remind everyone of what we're getting because at the moment the forums just think its a dodgy fps.

There was a comment in one of the Q&A's about combat "zones" and you would only be in danger of attack if you entered a combat "zone". This doesn't sound like maps, more like the combat zones around hostile bases, so it's quite possible that combat friendly areas will be surrounded by the same sort of warning barrier we currently come across in SRV's when entering a base that's part of a mission.

 

[CMDR Karrde Sun]

There was a comment in one of the Q&A's about combat "zones" and you would only be in danger of attack if you entered a combat "zone". This doesn't sound like maps, more like the combat zones around hostile bases, so it's quite possible that combat friendly areas will be surrounded by the same sort of warning barrier we currently come across in SRV's when entering a base that's part of a mission.

Yeah fair enough. Id still say that the inside of a zone or bubble of zones is still considered a map for practical combat purposes. That's what non proc gen fps do.. exactly the same thing, except normal fps == invisible wall, elite == landing planet. Same thing.

 

[varonica]

Yeah fair enough. Id still say that the inside of a zone or bubble of zones is still considered a map for practical combat purposes. That's what non proc gen fps do.. exactly the same thing, except normal fps == invisible wall, elite == landing planet. Same thing.

They could certainly be considered combat "maps" yes, but not in the traditional FPS type way where you load the map and that's your entire play area for that session. I suppose it would be possible to leave one of the "zones", travel around it safely and re-enter from the opposite side to get to distant targets. It should be interesting to see exactly what we get when Odyssey comes into Alpha testing.

 

[CMDR Karrde Sun]

They could certainly be considered combat "maps" yes, but not in the traditional FPS type way where you load the map and that's your entire play area for that session. I suppose it would be possible to leave one of the "zones", travel around it safely and re-enter from the opposite side to get to distant targets. It should be interesting to see exactly what we get when Odyssey comes into Alpha testing.

Yeah going in and out of them could add a twist sure. Definitely well only know in the alpha. It's fun to speculate though. Especially because of the enhancements to the space experience from station interiors etc. Is the real good stuff for me anyway.

 

[Gleitfrosch]

Others can pick up weapons I drop.

So it is possible to gift someone a weapon or will it disappear from his inventory when I log out?

 

[Qualityoflife]

Will the "who can stand in the afterburners the longest be a thing"?

Can I surf a ship with EMP grenades/ electric whip causing it to fall out the sky, like Peter dinklage wrangling a 747?

Stealth sabotage (other commander ships) to tip future scales?
"Imagine it commander dingus flips me the birdie but doesn't know Pryor I attached small seismic charges in 4 locations on that ASP explorer, and deservedly so owning that"!

Unique diversified gun designs that don't look like cosplay mass effect?

No ordinary dollar general run of the mill ordinance, I want each gun to be flashy, powerful, distinct and to the point! >hey pal reality is over here<

Gunsmith?

Body location damage?

Suit location damage?

"Slung carry style" instead of that division recon creed cry knockoff! And that sniper rifle is too big! Get creative!?!

 

[Nightflyer]

It's game vs. realism here. That same grenade that can hurt an unshielded ship might not even one-hit kill a person, certainly not an SRV. Reason ? Balance. Fdev are trying the impossible, creating an environment where everyone can deal significant damage to everyone. Realism would dictate that a person on foot can diddly-squat against ships unless either boarding a ground vehicle or fixed gun emplacement. Realism would also dictate that the person on foot would be instantly incineracted by ship weapons unless protected b a vehicle or fixed gun emplacement.

I don't like what FD are doing here at all.

Like in Real life it Depends on the circumstances, a few Divers could take out a Battleship while is not moving with the right charge.

And a single Soldier can take out a Tank that was made to withstand massive damage, multiple ways.....
So isn't that easy to say it's not realistic.

 

[_bryan]

Like in Real life it Depends on the circumstances, a few Divers could take out a Battleship while is not moving with the right charge.

And a single Soldier can take out a Tank that was made to withstand massive damage, multiple ways.....
So isn't that easy to say it's not realistic.

I don't know for gaming, but I read a story that in South America a sf sniper team took out a drug lord with a 50 cal sniper rifle. IIRC there was almost nothing left of the top of the car.