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General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: Solatar on August 13, 2008, 01:34:13 pm

Title: The Rockeye
Post by: Solatar on August 13, 2008, 01:34:13 pm
Well, we just had a nice long thread that turned into a discussion of the different Freespace 2 primaries, so why not extend it to secondaries...

My question: Does anybody use the Rockeye? The only heatseakers I've found effective are the MX-50's against unshielded Anubis fighters...
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Rodo on August 13, 2008, 01:39:18 pm
Only in the first mission in the nebula I use the rockeye, ah that makes me remember again! any of you could save the Discovery in that mission?
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: lostllama on August 13, 2008, 01:42:29 pm
I don't think I've ever changed my loadout to include them if they're not selected by default. I think they can be of some use against turrets on certain ships - no need for a lock, and as such flak throwing off the seeker head thing isn't an issue, just launch freely.

Of all missles you start out with early in the FS2 campaign though, personally it's only the tempest that I've purposely loaded up on during the later missions (dumbfires can be devastating when you're in the right place at the right time). So I suppose I tend to ignore rockeyes on the whole.

Edit: Oh yeah, forgot about nebula combat, they come in useful there too.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Galemp on August 13, 2008, 01:43:28 pm
They're too big and too weak to be of any use, sadly. If I can choose between Rockeyes and Tempests, it's always going to be Tempests.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: lostllama on August 13, 2008, 01:45:35 pm
Lag pursuit = easily avoided. :no:
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Grizzly on August 13, 2008, 01:52:12 pm
Quote
The Rockeye

... Sucks
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: lostllama on August 13, 2008, 01:53:26 pm
When I first played FS2, the sound they make upon launch almost made me cringe.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Droid803 on August 13, 2008, 02:02:50 pm
They're so weak and miss so easily, you can have 100x the destructive power taking just tempests.
So, no. I've never used rockeyes, and never will. They're a waste of time even if they're included by default and its a scramble mission. Too much effort to even press the fire secondary button.

Verdict: Worthless.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Akalabeth Angel on August 13, 2008, 02:45:29 pm
I don't mind them, though it usually takes 6 or so to even do anything. I like to include them in scramble missions, force the player to use them! hahahaha.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Mars on August 13, 2008, 02:46:02 pm
In the second mission with the Iceni, it's useful to take out the AAA beam of the Leviathan, but that's about it.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Excalibur on August 13, 2008, 06:20:39 pm
They're actually the best missile to use when it comes to ` + W... ;)

But without that, they are only usefull for luring enemies or taking out turrets of weak ships, due to its 1900m range or whatever it has. It's further than the Harpoon or Hornet, but its damage and homing sucks, so Tempests only are best for anything after when you're forced to use them.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Rodo on August 13, 2008, 10:17:11 pm
I don't mind them, though it usually takes 6 or so to even do anything. I like to include them in scramble missions, force the player to use them! hahahaha.

So mean!

It would be far more mean to give you a herc full of rockeye's and subach + akethon  and ask to destroy a full wing of NTF lokis and after that shivan dragons ^^

ohh damn! sounds like a challenge! who is up to it?? Ill make the mission and we'll see who get's it done faster XD
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Droid803 on August 13, 2008, 10:25:39 pm
No, its meaner to spawn you in a shield-less Anubis armed with only VLL's and have you take on a wave of General-AI Erinyes armed with duak Kaysers.

Fun. Really increases your evasion skillsjust to stay alive. Good practice.

But yeah, I basically wouldn't expect anything to come out of launching an entire bank of rockeyes. So I just don't bother even when I'm given them in scramble.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: IceFire on August 13, 2008, 10:45:34 pm
The Rockeye was a mean customer in the FS2 demo but by the time it got to FS2 retail it wasn't the same.  Never used it if I didn't have to.  Same with the MX-50...that was only useful at the start.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Mars on August 13, 2008, 10:53:55 pm
The Rockeye was mean in the demo because the Tornado sucked so bad.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Herra Tohtori on August 13, 2008, 10:58:58 pm
Rockeyes have one very good purpose - knocking out sentry guns or small turrets from a distance. Or stealing capital ship kills.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 14, 2008, 12:25:59 am
I don't use the Rockeye in retail FS2 because it's not very useful and takes up too much space. Even Tempests are better.

However, I find myself using it more than I use the Tornado in the demo version, probably because the Tornado is nerfed there, and the Rockeyes are much smaller.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Mars on August 14, 2008, 12:30:12 am
Tempests are the single most destructive missile in the game other than bombs.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: CP5670 on August 14, 2008, 12:32:44 am
I never use Rockeyes in singleplayer, but take them every time in online TvT games. They have a good range and a large volley of them is difficult to shake off. They're probably the best all-purpose missile in those games.

Their biggest problem is the amount of space each one takes up, and you run out of them very fast considering how little damage each one does. This is less of an issue in TvT though, since you respawn all the time and keep getting fresh new loads of them.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 14, 2008, 12:33:08 am
Tempests are the single most destructive missile in the game other than bombs.

:nod: :yes:

Unfortunately, you don't get Tempests in the demo, only a stronger Rockeye and a weaker Tornado.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Mars on August 14, 2008, 12:37:55 am
I find it curious that in the demo, the two missiles were more balanced, but both were somewhat useless.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Droid803 on August 14, 2008, 12:48:29 am
Well, I like the Tornado.
Its a pimped Hornet.

I don't like the rockeye. I can't tell the difference between it at the mx-50.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 14, 2008, 12:57:26 am
Well, I like the Tornado.
Its a pimped Hornet.

I don't like the rockeye. I can't tell the difference between it at the mx-50.

Doesn't the MX-50 launch in swarms?
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Droid803 on August 14, 2008, 01:06:49 am
That's the MX-52, a capital ship missile system...or did I get confused?
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 14, 2008, 01:40:08 am
I shall check...
/me loads the FS Wiki.

Nope, you've got it correct; the MX-52 is the swarm missile. MX-50 is the FS1 Rockeye. :nod:
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: colecampbell666 on August 14, 2008, 09:55:10 am
I use the Rockeye in dogfight missions in MP.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: castor on August 14, 2008, 01:20:05 pm
Yea, they are good for distracting the opponent for a bit, if nothing else.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: colecampbell666 on August 14, 2008, 01:33:49 pm
No, I load a Sekhmet with Rockeyes and Morning Stars, and fire off about 10 Rockeyes at about 2000m (if they're coming at me). I make it hard to maneuver with my 4 MSes, and generally they get splashed.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 14, 2008, 07:52:47 pm
Yea, they are good for distracting the opponent for a bit, if nothing else.

You mean the beep sound accompanied by a missile that's homing in onto you? :drevil:
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: castor on August 15, 2008, 01:15:40 pm
That, and even though the payload is small, you need to make some effort to avoid them, ruining your primary aim/missile lock attempts.
Title: Re: The Rockeye
Post by: eliex on August 16, 2008, 03:12:36 am
Rockeyes are good for nothing in more advanced missions as you have to constantly call in a support ship. The reloading may be quick - but on medium difficulty one harpoon is all in takes to kill you.
(Opinion comes from playing non-canon campaigns.)