The Shield discussion thread

Do you think Shield Cells are:

  • Good the way they are in 1.03

    Votes: 62 20.3%
  • Ok but should be limited to 1 bank per ship

    Votes: 93 30.5%
  • Ok but Limit to 1 bank per ship and only a few cells (4?)

    Votes: 66 21.6%
  • Broken Mechanic - Should be removed from game

    Votes: 68 22.3%
  • Other : please leave comment

    Votes: 16 5.2%

  • Total voters
    305
A class shields are stronger and lighter. How much stronger? That's a good question.

The designers have said that at some point they want to provide more meaningful info in the outfitting screen.
 
I think you mean edshipyard.com

unless you are looking for a wooden boat to transport rare goods across the vast ocean of inky darkness. (Actually that sounds cool)

Ah yes, you are of course right, shouldn't trust my sieve like brain, although that was an interesting site!
 
Shield Generator max hull mass oddity

If the Ships hull mass exceeds the max hull mass off a module, you can't fit it, right? But why is it possible for a Lakon Type-9 Heavy to fit a Class 5 and Class 6 Shield Generator? The stock hull mass (with full cargo) of a Lakon Type-9 Heavy is 1560 and is fitted with a Class 6 Shield (max hull mass 1350). Thats already too low. How is it even possible to equip a Class 5 Shield Generator? Im confused.
 
methinks you are confusing max HULL MASS with max LADEN MASS. Cargo doesnt count toward the hull-mass that the shield is rated for, however, modules do.
 
methinks you are confusing max HULL MASS with max LADEN MASS. Cargo doesnt count toward the hull-mass that the shield is rated for, however, modules do.
Actually, one of the devs has said it doesn't take modules into account either. Just the base hull mass of the ship. If that's at or below the optimal mass of the shield, you get the intended shield strength (or better). If the ship's base hull mass is larger than the maximum shield mass, you can't equip it.
 
Only hull mass counts.
Modules and cargo do NOT.
For example I can fit a class 3 shield (max 413T) on my Clipper (hull mass 400T). Yet it weights about 600T with its modules.

Modules do matter for thrusters, though.
 
The hull mass metric is sort-of a standin for ship volume. The actual mass of the ship loaded isn't important, only the empty mass.
 
An interesting side note is that somewhere in the DDA's it was mentioned that starting with ships the size of a Cobra, you'd have multiple shield generators. The Cobra would have two separate shield generators powering two 180 degree hemispheres of coverage, fore and aft. You could then rotate a depleted shield away from the enemy in combat, favoring the stronger shield.

Larger ships like the Anaconda would have even more separate generators and shield bubbles. There was even mention of a tactic for small ships to fly "under" the shield bubbles of the larger ships and attack the hull directly.

None of that made it into the game, but maybe the devs are still thinking about it for the future.

Yeah, you would need a co-pilot for something like that to be workable, which would be great along with him controlling turrets, but it's not implemented yet and would be somewhat unbalanced for people who just want to play alone, though they could just fly smaller faster combat ships...
 
No, you have to bind each one in a fire group. If you use the bound button it triggers all of them at the same time.

And the Cobra was intended to be able to run two generators as well as the bigger ships. But im not sure if its still gonna happen because people just kinda quit talking/expecting it.

You actually don't have to bind them to a fire group. You can disable one in your modules panel and when the first one runs out just re-enable it. That way you can have them both work from the one key bind and not have to have an extra fire group to cycle through, although you do have to pick your moment for a nifty shuffle through your modules:D
 
Last edited:
Python vs Clipper shield recharge time [video]

EDIT: forgot that shield recharge time depends on overall shield 'points'. Must not do test at 3 a.m. next time. Nothing to see here then :p



Just a little test:

[video=youtube;0Z9WhrjaGtI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z9WhrjaGtI[/video]

Python needs twice as much time to get its shields up.
According to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Xq2fmxhjfNiwtR2fBR1MAZrwEcjFudSuSjTOLwfcqlM/pubhtml after the nerf it will be 403 vs 306 in shield strength.

Given the time difference in rebuilding shields and speed/agility nerf Python pilot can just say goodbye to his ship after losing shields.

If FD sticks with announced balance changes they should compensate with shield recharge time.

And I tell you, after the 1.1 most Python pilots will switch to Clipper, continue to own people with them and we will get Clipper nerf, next one would be a Cobra :D


NOTE: I don't own a Python.

Bonus - Python is not that big ship, yet it will fly like a brick.

Screenshot_0051b.jpg
 
Last edited:
If I am correct recharge time depends on shield capacity and PD(not sure).
D7 Clipper shield is 252 and A6 Python 602 so your video just confirms that double recharge time as it should be. If base shield on Python will be reduced the time will be shorter as well.
 
Wow, thanks for the info!

Fed drop ship is terrible, his shield is bad and is too fat.

yeah, the dropship is gonna need at least 2 large hardpoints instead of all those mediums, and a class 7 shield for anyone to ever consider it good. it handles like crap compared to the clipper, too, but that might just be the clipper's mass bugs causing it to fly like icarus.
 
yeah, the dropship is gonna need at least 2 large hardpoints instead of all those mediums, and a class 7 shield for anyone to ever consider it good. it handles like crap compared to the clipper, too, but that might just be the clipper's mass bugs causing it to fly like icarus.
The Dropship, like the Orca, needs the passenger mechanics to be added to the game.
 
Back
Top Bottom