[StratComm]

How does the AI prioritize its weapon selection anyway?  Maybe there's a way to milk that for the desired functionality without having to mess with any code.  Oh, and good call, Bob

[Goober5000]

Originally posted by aldo_14
Can't we add a 'beam-protect-small' type flag that protects only against beams mounted as primary weapons?

StratComm's right; that'd be just as hard, but coming at the problem from the wrong angle.

Originally posted by StratComm
How does the AI prioritize its weapon selection anyway?  Maybe there's a way to milk that for the desired functionality without having to mess with any code.

That's exactly where the code needs to be changed.  And as phreak pointed out on Mantis, it's a bit of a mess.

As I've said many times before, if you're not a coder, don't assume anything about the code or about how much work a given feature is.  You'll more than likely look like an idiot and annoy us in the process.

(The "you" is a generic you to the entire forum, not anyone in particular.)

[Galemp]

Strat: I figured. I just came from there too, and the last thing I wanted was for that hostility to spill out of that thread.

Bob: That won't stop the enemy from targeting fighters, though, which is the problem. And it would be even more ridiculous if mere fighter shields could stand up to a beam when collapsed molybdenum armor couldn't.

[StratComm]

Originally posted by Goober5000
That's exactly where the code needs to be changed.  And as phreak pointed out on Mantis, it's a bit of a mess.

I know, that's why I wanted to know exactly what the priority is right now.  If it's "no priority" then that's fine and my theory is useless.  But if ships choose what to use based on its damage against shields or whatever, then my thoughts were that making the weapon worthless against whatever they select on would make it a low priority and the AI would use more appropriate weapons when they were available.  And I'd look myself if I could get CVS to work.

And I actually do understand a lot more about the coding aspect of this than most people give me credit for.  I just don't have the source in front of me to look at and I sure am not going to browse through CVS in html mode.

[Wanderer]

I really can not understand why people are against the beam turrets in bombers (i mean the forward facing turret). It is a fix that at least partially solves this problem and can very easily be dubbed as bombers having a gunner that controls the main weapons (quite common even today even with strike aircrafts). Additional bonus is that you could even use slashing beams with them

[StratComm]

But then they aren't under AI control, or at least not directly.  And AI fighters without primaries tend to do odd things.

[Wanderer]

I rather meant that beam bombers main weapon (i.e. the beam) could be in fully AI (the gunner) controlled turret. Pilot would still have the rest of the weapons, like few primaries and secondaries in his 'command'. Mainly like stuff needed to disable the target or to disarm the target or even to defend itself.  Nothing too heavy ofcourse.

Take a modern F-15 (strike version) or other similar aircraft (like Tornado or russian's SU-27s strike version), if i have understood correctly the sensors/weapons officer (AI) controls the LGBs (atleast their targetting) and stuff like that while the pilot controls among other weapons the AAMs (secondaries) and what ever gatling/autocannon (primaries) they have on the aircraft (ok, he should atleast also control the release of the LGBs, but that is not the issue).

Like what SadisticSid said about Inferno's beam bombers (if i understood what he ment)

[WMCoolmon]

What I would like to see (which in no way means it's going to get implemented, unless someone else likes the idea)...

1) Beams aren't totally accurate. They randomly fire slightly up, down, left, right, etc. So the only reliable way you'll hit a fighter with an anti-cap beam is at close range. This would be settable on a per-weapon basis.

2) "Get the hell out of the way" AI support. Instead of simply sitting there, the AI reacts to things like beam cannons powering up to fire straight at them. This would also be handy for the Inferno mission.

3) Reprioritization for beam primaries. They're used if a ship is in immediate danger of being destroyed, and hasn't been ordered to attack its target too strongly.

4) Splash damage realization. The AI understands that if it fires a beam that's five meters wide, and there's a friendly ship inside that five meter diameter, it'll get hit.

[Luigi30]

Mmm, slashing beam bombers. I'll have to try that next time I hack my Colossus II (Fenris with 1478072482 BFReds) mission.