[Deadly in a Shadow]

Or not moving at all, for some bizzare reason I've had more AAA beams miss me that way than frantically trying to jinx in all directions.

If you're presenting the beam no change of bearing it does sometimes do this.

After so many years, we haven't figured out why or how beams aim? Dang, beams are really mysterious and scary things.

Of course, FS Beamz used by terrans were originally "invented" by shivans. If I remember right....

[badpenguin]

After so many years, we haven't figured out why or how beams aim? Dang, beams are really mysterious and scary things.

ROFL!

[Commander Zane]

Simple, beams aim by +Miss Factor and in the case of slashing beams, the target ship's model octants.

[NGTM-1R]

I'm sure we can get The_E or someone else familiar with the code in here to explain in stultifying detail how AAAs aim, but...

[swamper123]

Or not moving at all, for some bizzare reason I've had more AAA beams miss me that way than frantically trying to jinx in all directions.

If you're presenting the beam no change of bearing it does sometimes do this.

After so many years, we haven't figured out why or how beams aim? Dang, beams are really mysterious and scary things.

Of course, FS Beamz used by terrans were originally "invented" by shivans. If I remember right....

For me the most scariest beam are from War in Heaven 

[Droid803]

Regardless of how the beam targeting works, it has a degree of randomness to it associated with its miss factor, thus I doubt you could find a way to make sure it actually misses, short of being outside of target range or fov, since the beam connects instantly.

[QuantumDelta]

What he said^

Beams cannot be 'dodged'.
Nothing you do will make a difference short of moving out of it's range or FoV.
Zane explained it best.

[Asteroth]

I think that is poor gameplay design. The player, should he be good enough, should always be able to avoid damage. Merely staying out of their FoF can many times not be a practical solution, depending on the objectives and the ship's turret postionings. Why would anyone have a survival mode in a game where the time you survive is completely independent of your skill?

[General Battuta]

I actually think it's one of the best gameplay decisions V made in FS2.

[Commander Zane]

I think that is poor gameplay design. The player, should he be good enough, should always be able to avoid damage. Merely staying out of their FoF can many times not be a practical solution, depending on the objectives and the ship's turret postionings. Why would anyone have a survival mode in a game where the time you survive is completely independent of your skill?

You can't really avoid something that cannot be predicted and is a hitscanning weapon unless you give it absolutely no chance to reach you, or if it's already being fired in which you just steer away from it.

[Droid803]

I think its a great design.
It makes certain zones risk zones (that are actually dangerous).

[Spoon]

I personally gonna have to disagree there. I'm totally okay with unavoidable *shield* damage by beams, but not when they piercing shields. Unavoidable hull damage is imho just frustrating.
Bad design imo. Especially because its really hard to tell which part of a capital ship is safe to approach unless you are a veteran player and know all the turret placements on a capital ship.
So unless you have a perfect approach (and don't accidently drift into the fov while dogfighting something else) you are going to pray you don't get hit with unavoidable&unrepairable hull damage.

[QuantumDelta]

problem is non-shield penetrating beams are kinda lulzy.. :<

[Spoon]

problem is non-shield penetrating beams are kinda lulzy.. :<

Your face is kinda lulzy

and with that I mean to say, explain further. Because I don't see what in particular is lulzy about non-shield penetrating beams

[Talon 1024]

problem is non-shield penetrating beams are kinda lulzy.. :<

IMHO, the game would be more balanced if AAA beams wouldn't penetrate shields.

Or, heck, if beams pierce shields, why shouldn't missiles pierce shields? I wish they could be configurable like that.

[Spoon]

Give a missile the "pierce shields" flag and they will.

[Droid803]

If beams and missiles pierce shields, why not primaries too.
Wait, screw shields!

[Marcov]

The only real way for you to get rid of those AAA beams is to strafe it with (preferably) Maxims and Trebuchets from afar. Akhetons are pretty useless as it requires you to come close, and if you do, you'll get hammered by all those annoying flak and blobs and (if there are) fighters.

[NGTM-1R]

The only real way for you to get rid of those AAA beams is to strafe it with (preferably) Maxims and Trebuchets from afar. Akhetons are pretty useless as it requires you to come close, and if you do, you'll get hammered by all those annoying flak and blobs and (if there are) fighters.

Wingmen are essential. It gives the beams someone to shoot at so you can pop up and waste it.

[QuantumDelta]

Fury and I tested shields absorbing beams in Blue Planet, with his AI.
Although it made capships slightly more dangerous when you were in flak range (because shields drained faster), for the most part, it made beams ineffectual, and far less scary.