Cannon lockout at high speeds

Radikal · Post by **Radikal** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 7:20 pm

I understand the gameplay option of not being able to fire cannons when forward speed is high, but why are they locked out when reverse speed is high?

P.S. this applies to version 1.0248 as I have not installed 1.0278 yet

Post by **Vice** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 8:03 pm

Velocity offset and accuracy are the factors in the system's final decision to fire or not. Any speed that exceeds what the inertial compensators can adjust for (so fired shots precisely strike the point the gunsight aims at when the pilot pulls the trigger) shuts down the particle cannons. Currently, that inertial speed limit is around just over 5K forward or reverse. So in short, when it can fire precisely relative to current velocity, it will fire. When it can't, it won't.

Post by **Marvin** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 8:05 pm

Why go faster than about 2100 ... nothing will close on you at that speed? Unless you're in combat with another player ... is that why?

Radikal · Post by **Radikal** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 10:15 pm

From post: 187507, Topic: tid=12621, author=Marvin wrote:Why go faster than about 2100 ... nothing will close on you at that speed? Unless you're in combat with another player ... is that why?

That would be why.

You can fire sideways at high speeds, but not behind you. I just thought that was odd.

DeathTech · Post by **DeathTech** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 11:43 am

Doesn't that also mean you can fire backwards at high speed?
I mean shooting backwards shouldn't affect as much as sideways.

Radikal · Post by **Radikal** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 3:36 pm

From post: 187562, Topic: tid=12621, author=DeathTech wrote:Doesn't that also mean you can fire backwards at high speed?
I mean shooting backwards shouldn't affect as much as sideways.

You can not fire at high reverse speeds, which is why I commented.
This means you can not fire at a following player while trying to evade them.

Post by **DaveK** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 7:35 pm

The reason you can't fire backwards at high speeds is that the particles themselves leave the cannon at a certain velocity. If you could fire at higher speeds an external observer (including your target) would see the particle fire moving backwards! The ships AI stops you wasting your energy. The only time the AI would be wrong is is the pursuing craft are close enough to run into your cannon fire. The AI is quite simple (mainly target 'leading' prediction) and so doesn't try to calculate the probability of a running into your rounds before they reach the limit of their range. The TechyGuide explains the reason particle cannon have an effective range.

For example: you are travelling at -5000; your particle 'rounds' are fired at 4000; the target would see your particle rounds moving away from them at -1000

If you'd like to actually see the effect happening then fire your particle cannon as you jump - you overtake your particle 'rounds'; Modern jet fighters are able to overtake their cannon rounds after firing them, and if they then slow down they can shoot themselves down. Strange but (very very) true - and (if you survive), as a pilot reported, very very embarrassing.

Post by **Vice** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 8:27 pm

The particle cannon system does include physics compensators/offsets to try and place your shots precisely (forward) at where your gunsight is aiming the moment you pull the trigger, rather than miss the mark completely because of how your ship is moving and imparting motion offsets to the shots you fire. However, that system does have its limits and once you reach a particular forward/reverse velocity that exceeds what it is capable of compensating for, as Dave says, the system will shut off the particle cannons. The same is not the case with beam weapons since they travel at the speed of light, so those continue to operate at pretty much any speed.

matchbox2022 · Post by **matchbox2022** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 3:11 am

I can see where reality might be odd for this one, but to avoid too much game complication it makes some sense, and keeps fights a little more natural

DeathTech · Post by **DeathTech** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 1:24 pm

The point is for it to simulate reality as close as possible, I like the face that this is a thing.

Radikal · Post by **Radikal** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 5:43 pm

You can not hit your ship with your weapon fire while moving in reverse and firing in front of you, not sure what DaveK is saying.

I'm a little worried that avionics can not figure that it does not have to compensate (even when you turn targetting computer off).

Ah well, it is only a small gameplay issue. Still a good game.

Post by **DaveK** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 6:56 pm

From post: 187614, Topic: tid=12621, author=Radikal wrote:You can not hit your ship with your weapon fire while moving in reverse and firing in front of you, not sure what DaveK is saying.

I'm a little worried that avionics can not figure that it does not have to compensate (even when you turn targetting computer off).

Ah well, it is only a small gameplay issue. Still a good game.

I was talking about today with modern fighters that can actually overtake their weapons fire in some circumstances

Radikal · Post by **Radikal** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 3:14 pm

From post: 187617, Topic: tid=12621, author=DaveK wrote:I was talking about today with modern fighters that can actually overtake their weapons fire in some circumstances

Yes, that is the big drawback to chemically propelled ammunition.