Beta 2.0.3 and 2.0.4 feedback

[Gameswalker]

This is after playing both 2.0.3 and 2.0.4.

 

Testing was done freeform with expert level difficulty and 60% enemy damage. Breakage of ship blocks was set at 15%. and a second game at all damage can break a block.

• The AI legendary subsystem (VI) has a flaw that makes its primary use (fighters) unusable.
  • These fighters do not dodge and it turns out that the primary way for fighters to stay alive is by dodging. The fighter losses when using this device are ~100x greater than using real pilots.  I've had 5 squadrons wiped out in one encounter easily (and a second time just to test the theory) compared to using 3 squadrons with real pilots in several battles suffering zero losses. This is all in Xanion space near the barrier.
• Fighters
  • The 2.0.4 costs to build fighters are fine
  • The fighter ability to get to the target is very good making these a good weapon system.
  • Fighter losses are perhaps a bit low. I would reduce dodging a bit more.
• Enemy attacks on Stations not in current player sector
  • Automated weapons from stations do not damage/destroy enemy forces. Tested by letting a station with Naonite weapons on auto fight Iron level enemies. The enemies never died even after an hour or so. Moved focus to the station which then destroyed the pirates in a minute.
  • With setting blocks break at setting 0%, enemy attacks on off screen stations broke internal blocks (such as crew quarters that were fully internal). Enemy fire power in the 5-10k DPS range was breaking blocks inside the station that had 40 million hit points. Even when reacting quickly and setting focus to the station's sector the block breakage was done (the station was at full hit points).
    • This same station when the player is present will not suffer any block breakage to internals. Even if the enemy fires at it for extended periods of time.  
    • Off screen damage (to your forces when you aren't in that sector) seems to use a random damage hit algorithm instead of actual physics of shooting at the target or there is a bug in the off sector damage code.
      • If it is coded in this simple way I would override the block breakage code so that off sector player targets don't lose blocks until at least 20% damage has been done to them even if the player has set the block breakage lower. This would prevent the strange behavior I observed
• The reduced enemy shield strength helps reduce the time required to kill pirates while working towards the barrier. This is before building any turrets and just using weapon drops to fight with.
• Enemy ships that are attempting to jump away due to damage should have to reset their jump time if they are knocked off course (being rammed or hit by heavy weapons)
• Being able to have a more prominent targeting cursor  would be nice. The small white one gets lost in weapons many times for me.
• Having a setting to have select closest target (and other targeting keybinds) ignore torpedos and fighters would be nice. That's what point defense cannons are for. I just what to select the closest enemy ship.
• Detected systems (green and yellow) quality of life improvement. Not really a beta issue but would improve the game
  • Once a mass has been detected it remains detected forever. That way there is no need to manually mark each of these which takes player time up.
  • Reduce the green/yellow fade out to only become dimmer and never fade out entirely.  That way you can always see the green yellow dots (which I use for navigation).

Edited August 29, 2021 by Gameswalker
A couple of more additions.

[Pino]

I agree with all points (especially last 3) except the first. Legendary VI replaces pilots (and gunners) with AI and the dodges are lost. It's a drawback that makes sense and it doesn't make it's primary use unusable in all circumstances. The artifact is still very useful in all the carriers that have non combat figherts, ex. mining or salvaging carriers.