How do they know?

[aRJay]

Before I start I will point out that I know my failings as both a human being and a pilot in ED so no need to go on about how I should switch to hair shirts and fixed weapons and no FA.

So in my ship set up I am a great fan of turrets but I have noticed that from time to time they just stop shooting, now sometimes it is because the target is obscured by an orbiting iceberg or a clinically insane police officer who is trying to get into hand gun range of the target if not actually board it. But most often when it happens the target is going to explode shortly, but how do they know?

I will point out that the attacking NPC ships don't seem to be able to see the future as clearly and are usually still firing.

Oh! and if it is that they can see into the future is there anyway I can get them to pick my lottery numbers?

 

[Lheim]

Before I start I will point out that I know my failings as both a human being and a pilot in ED so no need to go on about how I should switch to hair shirts and fixed weapons and no FA.

So in my ship set up I am a great fan of turrets but I have noticed that from time to time they just stop shooting, now sometimes it is because the target is obscured by an orbiting iceberg or a clinically insane police officer who is trying to get into hand gun range of the target if not actually board it. But most often when it happens the target is going to explode shortly, but how do they know?

I will point out that the attacking NPC ships don't seem to be able to see the future as clearly and are usually still firing.

Oh! and if it is that they can see into the future is there anyway I can get them to pick my lottery numbers?

Turrets don't have a 360 degree spherical firing arc; their firing arc is limited by the placement of the hard point on the ship.

In other words, if your weapon is on the belly of your ship, it can't fire through your hull to hit something above you.

And vice versa etc.

Also, you sure you have weps capacitor?

 

[sqzbox1]

I'm sure OP knows that. If he is a fan of turrets then he could hardly NOT know. It is an interesting point you raise OP - are you sure about that? Might be worth a definitive test. Set something up, making sure that all conditions for firing are met and stay met right until the end. Capture it so that it can be analysed. You might find that your experience has just been a perception and not actually true. But if it IS true then that is fascinating indeed and I am sure FD would love to see it as surely it is a bug.

Although, I suppose you could argue that the turrets are somehow hooked into your sensors and know when the enemy's hull is down to zero just as you would if you were shooting manually. I mean, I don't continue shooting once they are at zero. I like to conserve energy in a battle.

 

[aRJay]

I suspect you are right, I tend to get very tunnel visioned when in combat so tend to be unaware of the targets stats.

Note to self next combat try to find enemies stats.

 

[anikaiful]

IDK what's the cause, but some ships keep firing "long after" your own weapons fall silent - just to turn into a fireball some seconds later. It's been like that forever. A last ditch effort in taking you down with them to join the glorious fire together?

 

[aRJay]

I am painfully aware of the sub optimal placement of some of the hardpoints on my ship, first few times the turrets stopped firing I glanced at my power distro then opened up with my gimballed gun before the target blew up.

 

[Cmdr Zach]

Just checking, it's not because you changed fire group is it? Afaik they only fire if they are in the active fire group.

 

[cmdr_Havalok]

Although, I suppose you could argue that the turrets are somehow hooked into your sensors and know when the enemy's hull is down to zero just as you would if you were shooting manually. I mean, I don't continue shooting once they are at zero. I like to conserve energy in a battle.

Certainly the turrets are tied to the ship's sensors, otherwise they would just fire randomly into space and would not be very helpful.

 

[aRJay]

Just checking, it's not because you changed fire group is it? Afaik they only fire if they are in the active fire group.

No, in fact I can't remember the first time I deliberately changed fire group and have only done it accidentally a couple of times leaving dock (X52 Pro switch T1 up to cycle fire group down to cycle landing gear).