Shock Cannon - Can we get a reload cost balance pass?

[Chaparral]

Just unlocked shock cannons, and I have to admit, I like them when coupled with a thermal vent beam.

But the reload synthesis costs... truly unpleasant.

Can we get a more accessible raw-material focused synthesis recipe for the basic ammo reload?

I don't mind keeping the premium reload costs in the painful range.

But the basic reload - OUCH!

Thanks!

 

[Ozram]

Synth for those is nuts, eh? Yeah I’d either like reduced mat requirements or a slightly larger pool to begin with.

 

[Guest 161958]

Shock cannon is already a burst powerful weapon, with the limitation on synthesis and ammo it is balanced. They will probably be engineerable in the future tho.


Always trying to get around limitations huh, you creepy power creepers?

[video=youtube_share;hFDcoX7s6rE]https://youtu.be/hFDcoX7s6rE[/video]

 

[Ozram]

Shock cannon is already a burst powerful weapon, with the limitation on synthesis and ammo it is balanced. They will probably be engineerable in the future tho.


Always trying to get around limitations huh, you creepy power creepers?

It’s not balanced at all and besides you forgot the other factors. The more burst damage you do (when rapid firing) the hotter and less accurate it gets. That’s fine and part of balancing but right now there are too many downsides to the upside. You’re still better off with plasmas or frags that, btw, can be engineered. Not only all that, but it’s crazy grind to get any of the shock cannon variants. Each type is a mind numbing grind.

 

[Guest 161958]

It’s not balanced at all and besides you forgot the other factors. The more burst damage you do (when rapid firing) the hotter and less accurate it gets. That’s fine and part of balancing but right now there are too many downsides to the upside. You’re still better off with plasmas or frags that, btw, can be engineered. Not only all that, but it’s crazy grind to get any of the shock cannon variants. Each type is a mind numbing grind.

I am pretty sure it was made with engineering in mind that is why it has limitations. As I said, it will probably become engineerable in the future. Also, accuracy is determined by skill, if you fire slower jitter/heat is not that bad and dps is still pretty high.

And don't even get started with the grind excuse. Most mats are easily obtainable and the commodities are a breeze. It even tells you where they sell it.

 

[Ozram]

I am pretty sure it was made with engineering in mind that is why it has limitations. As I said, it will probably become engineerable in the future. Also, accuracy is determined by skill, if you fire slower jitter/heat is not that bad and dps is still pretty high.

And don't even get started with the grind excuse. Most mats are easily obtainable and the commodities are a breeze. It even tells you where they sell it.

I’m pretty sure I’ve tested it exhaustively. Also, FD are not the sharpest when it comes to balance. Hence thread. Sounds to me like you haven’t gotten them or tested them yourself. I gather that because I have and your experience seems to come from... elsewhere.

 

[Guest 161958]

I’m pretty sure I’ve tested it exhaustively. Also, FD are not the sharpest when it comes to balance. Hence thread. Sounds to me like you haven’t gotten them or tested them yourself. I gather that because I have and your experience seems to come from... elsewhere.

How many times do people have to do the same mistake? Belittling assuming other people's lack of knowledge and experience does not work.

I have been using 5 fixed shock cannons class 2 and class 3 on Krait MKII since the ship was released. Won pvp fights in it because it has massive alpha strike potential in good hands. DPS is insane and you still can synthesize ammo. At a premium price which is sacrosanct for a premium weapon.

 

[Ozram]

How many times do people have to do the same mistake? Belittling assuming other people's lack of knowledge and experience does not work.

I have been using 5 fixed shock cannons class 2 and class 3 on Krait MKII since the ship was released. Won pvp fights in it because it has massive alpha strike potential in good hands. DPS is insane and you still can synthesize ammo. At a premium price which is sacrosanct for a premium weapon.

If that’s the case, you have my apologies. I’ve tested shock cannons for a while now as have many of my friends and our experiences all round have been polar opposites to yours. Would you care to share a vid? I’m now curious as to these results. My tests have been done all with the size 2 fixed shock cannons. I wonder if the size 3s are more balanced. I’m using VR now so haven’t managed to set up a way to record yet but here are some of my early tests:

Spoiler

[video=youtube_share;srQCCxInqPI]https://youtu.be/srQCCxInqPI[/video]

Spoiler

[video=youtube_share;I4WmMGBw4VI]https://youtu.be/I4WmMGBw4VI[/video]

Spoiler

[video=youtube_share;aldpwxA2qXw]https://youtu.be/aldpwxA2qXw[/video]

 

[Guest 161958]

If that’s the case, you have my apologies. I’ve tested shock cannons for a while now as have many of my friends and our experiences all round have been polar opposites to yours. Would you care to share a vid? I’m now curious as to these results. My tests have been done all with the size 2 fixed shock cannons. I wonder if the size 3s are more balanced. I’m using VR now so haven’t managed to set up a way to record yet but here are some of my early tests:

Yes same here, I am in VR.

On the Krait one barrage of 3 fixed shock cannons is a force of nature, especially because the hardpoints are so close to each other and you do not miss. I have changed my krait loadout so I cannot give you proof, try it out it's fun!

Of course three enginereed frag cannons are more effective, but I guess the shock cannons will be engineerable in the foreseeable future. If not, well yes it needs balance.

 

[Chaparral]

I agree that shock cannons are wonderful with discipline and an appropriate build.

NO other weapon has the same savage reload penalty for basic pve. The reload penalty is a weird detractor. I doubt anyone will be carrying around manufactured components for reload purposes - which means this thing will force players to exit the field if it is equipped. So no CZs, No RZs, No Scenarios. Is it a conscious choice to bar a weapon from game segments? Seems either short-sighted or "we can't figure out how to balance this thing so we just don't want players to use it".

 

[Guest 161958]

I agree that shock cannons are wonderful with discipline and an appropriate build.

NO other weapon has the same savage reload penalty for basic pve. The reload penalty is a weird detractor. I doubt anyone will be carrying around manufactured components for reload purposes - which means this thing will force players to exit the field if it is equipped. So no CZs, No RZs, No Scenarios. Is it a conscious choice to bar a weapon from game segments? Seems either short-sighted or "we can't figure out how to balance this thing so we just don't want players to use it".

Well, judging from the ammo clip size the reload seems fine to me.

You are probably confusing reload with synthesis.

I think this weapon was meant primarily for PVP, but I suppose if they do not make them engineerable making their ammo resynthesizable with easier to acquire mats would be nice.

 

[Braandlin]

Yet another "I want more!" thread masquerading as a "This needs balancing Thread"

Now if these 'balancing' threads were genuinely balancing then half of them would be to make aspects of the game harder.

 

[BradHann]

Shock Cannon is the sexiest weapon in the game - the archetypical 'pew pew' blaster gun of all good (and plenty of not-so-good) sci fi. If only I could actually hit anything with it...

Note: it's because I suck at combat, not because of jitter.

 

[Ozram]

Yet another "I want more!" thread masquerading as a "This needs balancing Thread"

Now if these 'balancing' threads were genuinely balancing then half of them would be to make aspects of the game harder.

Another one of these “I don’t want you to voice your opinion” posts mascarading as “voice of reason”. Now if they were actually interested in the topic they’d have addressed the op instead of making a blanket statement which misses the point entirely.

 

[Braandlin]

Another one of these “I don’t want you to voice your opinion” posts mascarading as “voice of reason”. Now if they were actually interested in the topic they’d have addressed the op instead of making a blanket statement which misses the point entirely.

At no point have i suggested you cannot voice an opinion. Nor have i suggested i am the voice of reason.

What I have said and stand by, is that all this thread is is a request to make something easier compared to something else.
Maybe we should make the other things harder. that will have the same relative effect.

The constant requests for ships to do more and make things easier is in my opinion wrong. Your view may differ.

 

[Guest 161958]

At no point have i suggested you cannot voice an opinion. Nor have i suggested i am the voice of reason.

What I have said and stand by, is that all this thread is is a request to make something easier compared to something else.
Maybe we should make the other things harder. that will have the same relative effect.

The constant requests for ships to do more and make things easier is in my opinion wrong. Your view may differ.

Hey Braandlin, power creep sadly is real and damaging the game and I understand your point.

With shock cannons it is actually more about putting it in line with the dps and viability of a frag cannon imo, so I think, if thought well, a modification is not going to unbalance them towards a win button.

On making other things harder you have my complete agreement. Hell I discovered you can cool down with an fsd on near the corona of a star. We are gods not breakable machine pilots.

 

[Stigbob]

The shock cannons a great weapon already, you can nail a corvettes hull in a couple of passes with a pair of them if you hold your fire till the last second and go trigger crazy once up close. You can also do the same thing to spike damage and drop shields just as they pop a cell. Use fixed to avoid any issues with accuracy loss from rapid fire but still gain the damage stack.

Great for assassinations.

 

[Ozram]

At no point have i suggested you cannot voice an opinion. Nor have i suggested i am the voice of reason.

What I have said and stand by, is that all this thread is is a request to make something easier compared to something else.
Maybe we should make the other things harder. that will have the same relative effect.

The constant requests for ships to do more and make things easier is in my opinion wrong. Your view may differ.

Yeah you missed the point entirely. The thread is about bringing something in line with other elements of the game so that it’s use becomes more viable and commonplace. It has nothing to do with asking for things to be easy. Nothing at all. Did you even read the OP?

 

[Ozram]

The shock cannons a great weapon already, you can nail a corvettes hull in a couple of passes with a pair of them if you hold your fire till the last second and go trigger crazy once up close. You can also do the same thing to spike damage and drop shields just as they pop a cell. Use fixed to avoid any issues with accuracy loss from rapid fire but still gain the damage stack.

Great for assassinations.

What size and configuration are you using? I found that with four fixed mediums I did not have enough to threaten shields on any ships without burning through most of my ammo. Against player ships, forget it. The damage to hull is nice though. My only gripe was that ammo could be a tad higher, or synth materials slightly less restrictive. It didn’t feel like a reasonable option alongside frags or plasmas or multicannons, all of which can be modded to great effect. Perhaps if it could be engineered, but I’ve not heard any official word on that.

 

[Chaparral]

Well, judging from the ammo clip size the reload seems fine to me.

You are probably confusing reload with synthesis.

I think this weapon was meant primarily for PVP, but I suppose if they do not make them engineerable making their ammo resynthesizable with easier to acquire mats would be nice.

I apologize for my lack of clarity. Yes, the reload synthesis cost is the issue. Brutal - and inconsistent with other weapons.