Target lead calculation on fixed weapons.

[cyberus]

I wonder if someone ( maybe developers related to) could explain me something.

I get it with lasers ( simply point and shoot insta hit)
Turreted and gimbailed weapons pretty understandable as well... since those have automatic calculation.

But what I totally can't figur out is this:

When you put fixed weapons like canons, multies or pa..... each of its class has own muzzle speed when fired... and it even becomes worse when ship has multiple classes of weapons like ( small/med/large ) so basically you have 3 difrent projectiles velocities .... but there is only one circle lead on target.

How do system calculate lead on target in this case? I simply can't logically see that all those differences in projectile velocities will lead to an successful hit. So basically only one weapon type will hit and others miss.

So do anyone have some more info on it?

 

[MadDogMurdock]

You'd struggle to aim at 3 or 4 different points at the same time.

 

[Bob Lighthouse]

None of that is taken for granted.
You may miss, have poor convergence etc.
You may even have mis-aligned reticles on your hud.

 

[cyberus]

You'd struggle to aim at 3 or 4 different points at the same time.

I understand that... but the question remain: how system calculate lead circle ? Does it takes in consideration weapon with lowest velocity projectile? Of with highest ? Or it take all 3 different types of speed from projectiles and calculate average speed of all 3?

Because if it only first or second then system is flawed.. simply because only one type of weapon will succefully hit and others miss. ( if we not taking in consideration point blank 500m and less)

 

[Alexander the Grape]

I understand that... but the question remain: how system calculate lead circle ? Does it takes in consideration weapon with lowest velocity projectile? Of with highest ? Or it take all 3 different types of speed from projectiles and calculate average speed of all 3?

Because if it only first or second then system is flawed.. simply because only one type of weapon will succefully hit and others miss. ( if we not taking in consideration point blank 500m and less)

The system calculates a different reticule for each different weapon velocity, and then "Merges" any that are close enough. You can see this by equipping a slow and fast weapon (say a PA and a Multicannon). When moving laterally relative to target, you'll see too reticules, but as you slow they'll get closer until they "merge" into one.

 

[cyberus]

The system calculates a different reticule for each different weapon velocity, and then "Merges" any that are close enough. You can see this by equipping a slow and fast weapon (say a PA and a Multicannon). When moving laterally relative to target, you'll see too reticules, but as you slow they'll get closer until they "merge" into one.

Tnx to reply... I have to look closer in that case.

 

[seanguzzi]

Fixed weapons with different projectile velocities will have separate targeting reticles, if they are on the same fire group & enabled.

And yes the reticles are all the same shape, size & color, so there may not be an easy way to group different/fixed weapons like that, unless you can get the shot speed very close between weapons.

That is what I have experienced, messing around with different engineering effects on PAs.

 

[cyberus]

Fixed weapons with different projectile velocities will have separate targeting reticles, if they are on the same fire group & enabled.

And yes the reticles are all the same shape, size & color, so there may not be an easy way to group different/fixed weapons like that, unless you can get the shot speed very close between weapons.

That is what I have experienced, messing around with different engineering effects on PAs.

That is exactly what I was thinking off... but let's be honest... the only viable upgrade on PA is efficiency upgrade... to keep your heat low.

That leave us with slow velocity ( 825 ) if I remember right .... so merging any other weapon in group will lead to higher projectile velocity vs PA. Sad but true.

 

[Alexander the Grape]

That is exactly what I was thinking off... but let's be honest... the only viable upgrade on PA is efficiency upgrade... to keep your heat low.

That leave us with slow velocity ( 825 ) if I remember right .... so merging any other weapon in group will lead to higher projectile velocity vs PA. Sad but true.

FYI, you can get -30% heat or more as secondary effects for Focused and Long Range Plasmas, making them a great option if you get lucky

 

[NascentChemist]

You only get a single circle lead when the different calculations are similar enough.

Over a relatively short distance, a multi cannon round and a cannon shell will hit at approximately the same time and place. At that point you get a single lead. If you slow down, target accelerates, or the distance grows, the lead will split.

When using fixed weapons, the pilot has to keep track of which lead is which. The slower weapons are usually farther away from the target than faster weapons.

 

[cyberus]

FYI, you can get -30% heat or more as secondary effects for Focused and Long Range Plasmas, making them a great option if you get lucky

Tnx to pointing out.... have not been in engineers yet so far.

To all other commanders reply .... tnx as well to your explanations.... really appreciate

 

[Poseidal]

You actually get multiple circles if the velocity difference means the circles don't overlap.

If you have trailing targeting, each weapon gets it's own reticule separately.

That is exactly what I was thinking off... but let's be honest... the only viable upgrade on PA is efficiency upgrade... to keep your heat low.

That leave us with slow velocity ( 825 ) if I remember right .... so merging any other weapon in group will lead to higher projectile velocity vs PA. Sad but true.

You can use velocity increasing mods if your other weapons are cool enough. Focus/Long Range PA + OC Cannon is a relatively common combo.

 

[Aashenfox]

I never encountered this problem until I went to fight a thargoid and it's a huge one. I have two hardpoints with missiles and 2 with MCs, very different speeds. Two targeting reticles, WHICH IS WHICH?? At least make them different bloody colours, mercy! For the simple minds who might think that I haven't worked out that the slower of the weapons is on the outer reticle, and the faster on the inner, yeh, that's great when you're flying straight and level. When you're flying backwards and up and down, and round and round, they swap positions regularly. The only solution is to switch fire group, whcih si something all my other ships are DESIGNED not to have to do very often. Grrr. Minor gripe, but really needs sorting, well pointed out OP.

You actually get multiple circles if the velocity difference means the circles don't overlap.

If you have trailing targeting, each weapon gets it's own reticule separately.



You can use velocity increasing mods if your other weapons are cool enough. Focus/Long Range PA + OC Cannon is a relatively common combo.

Can't engineer AX weapons which are the only ones that give me this issue. But even if you could, there's no way to SLOW MCs, and no way to speed up missiles (unless there is? I'm not a big missile user).

 

[Poseidal]

Smart rounds slow projectile velocity on MC, although not much.

For missiles, it's another matter though: IIRC Missiles don't follow the same rules as projectile weapons. They have a set velocity and don't inherit momentum from your ship, so are pretty much impossible to sync fire with basically anything, even if you could type in the projectile speed you want.