Sensors and gimbal tracking... Bug or intended?

[Falcon_D]

That was not the case. The gimbals stay centered in my case.

I've had this problem as well. No chaff, target still locked and target still within the cone for gimbal tracking. But the gimbals suddenly loose lock and center themselves. I then have to use them like fixed weapons, until they start tracking again.
This happens mainly when I fly my Python with gimballed multis. The problem is not so pronounced on my Vette or Cutter. Got bad enough that I just switched to fixed and turrets.

Also I though jitter does not break lock. But simply means that your rounds are thrown off your aim point a bit.

Have fun, fly safe. o7

P.S.: Always thought it was something wrong with my Potato so never posted a big report.

 

[ExoForce]

Forgive me slight noob off-topic:

Yesterday in some threat USSs, security ships were yellow on contacts and radar and never green. Why??? Powerplay feature?

 

[Morbad]

Popping a heat sink drops their temps that much?

A single heatsink can remove more heat than the heat capacity (to 100% heat) of any vessel in the game.

Assuming you haven't tagged a foe with the emissive effect, this also reduces their heat signature, and below a certain threshold of heat sig vs. distance, your sensors will lose the ability to resolve the target.

It's pretty much always been this way. NPCs just use heatsinks more reliably now.

 

[CMDR ANCALAGON]

If this is the same behavior that I've seen, I am not sure if it is a bug, but is most certainly not due to a heat sink being deployed.

It isn't heat sink because I am able to retarget them immediately. When the NPCs deploy heat sinks, they cannot be targeted for an extended period, and I usually chase them around and try to hit them with beams to heat them back up. This behavior is pretty much identical to what would happen if I selected some other target or just deselected them. They don't go dark or disappear. They simply aren't selected as a target anymore.

I've wondered if I wasn't actually inadvertantly deselecting them, but it has happened without me hitting any buttons.

If a target were to quickly toggle Silent Running on and then off again, would that cause an enemy to lose target lock?

 

[Agony_Aunt]

I've noticed Pythons in Haz Rez just love popping heat sinks.

 

[Truesilver]

For an explanation of how heat signatures work, please see my post No.12 on the first page.

Once those factors are taken into account, as ever it's difficult to comment on individual cases without video. In my experience, the most common cause of losing lock on an NPC that has not used a heat sink is that I've just inadvertently destroyed its drives, causing an immediate massive reduction in its heat signature. Viper III's are the worst.

Emissive is the solution.

 

[Old Duck]

If it's an NPC then probably it's popping up a heatsink which will cause you to lose tracking. I personally haven't experienced the issues you talk about

Does this work in reverse? Will popping a heat sink cause an NPC to lose tracking, or are NPCs not coded with the same "weaknesses" us human CMDRs must deal with?

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Anybody ever try to cargo scoop an Ejected Heatsink? More importantly, anyone ever do it successfully?
I've tried once or twice, but they always disappear before I can actually get close enough to try.

I'm sure they'd prove useless, but it's just one of those things, ya know?

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Does this work in reverse? Will popping a heat sink cause an NPC to lose tracking, or are NPCs not coded with the same "weaknesses" us human CMDRs must deal with?

Yes, it works, just not for long.
My preferred method is to boost, kick FA-Off, then drop a sink and flip around to face my aggressor so I'm ready to unload upon them once my temperature rises enough for them to reacquire targeting. Has bought me time enough to get my shields back up more than once, especially if combined with pop a SCB along with it.

 

[Kaocraft]

Forgive me slight noob off-topic:

Yesterday in some threat USSs, security ships were yellow on contacts and radar and never green. Why??? Powerplay feature?

Security ships will be green if you are viewed favorably by their faction. If you haven't built up a positive reputation with them then they will be "neutral" and show up yellow on radar.

 

[ExoForce]

Thanks. Never noticed/payed attention before.