[Ripper Invisible Target Lock (RITL)]

the best solution I can think is that normally you have to manually aim unless you can write a script that acts like tab targeting for turrets.

 

thing is with "tab targeting" being the only way of fighting in DU instead of simulated projectiles thats not exactly possible

[Stargates: Functionality?]

what i wonder is if there are "person" sized jumpgates?

gates where no ship fits through but only small personal craft and pedestians.

[Ripper Invisible Target Lock (RITL)]

It is a case of... well.. have you tried EVE?

 

I dunno about you, but eve's combat is quite... well boring and that is an example on Tab targeting combat. It works well for larger ships, sure... but for smaller ships and fighters would a more direct aim and skill element be more interesting and effective.

 

Besides, trust me... if it has tab-targeting for ALL ships, the game will loose a fair group of players.

 

and eve has no concept of limited firing arcs for weapons, you cannot evade fire by moving to some other point in space except for getting out of range or the angular velocity mechanics.

 

if your fighter has only forward firing weapons your enemy can still evade your fire by getting away from your front.

regardless of automatic targetting.

[Modular Weapon Type?]

im also strongly in favour of generally modular or at least changeable/modifyable weapons.

 

ideally we'd have something similar to from the depths where the weaponry is built from blocks as well and is dependent on how one builds it

hopefully with the position of elements influencing the characteristics of the weaponry instead/on top of FTD's "connect it all up in any way" which is mostly volume dependent.

 

for things too small (or maybe instead of the block based model) something like my buddy Flatfingers describes in these two blog entries

 

http://flatfingers-theory.blogspot.co.at/2009/03/engineering-crafting-modes-in-star-trek.html

http://flatfingers-theory.blogspot.co.at/2009/03/engineering-crafting-modes-in-star-trek_26.html

 

((ignore the star trek theme, its just the part mechanics im thinking off))

 

could be used.

with weaponry (and general equipment) being built out of a couple of elements which the player can tweak and swap out to build a better/different version of the equipment.

 

flatfingers modular approach would (in contrast to the FTD approach) also remove weaponry from the ship itself and make it independent modules one can mount and swap out if desired

[Ripper Invisible Target Lock (RITL)]

We need a sort of more interactive combat experience, with aiming and such, with dog fighting and with broadside combat and fire. this is very important in the grand scheme of things.

 

and how does "tab targetting" prevent dogfighting and broadside combat?

how does it prevent "interactive" combat?

 

with all thats done is that the turrets automatically turn to face your target you still have to get close to your target, turn your ship to face your guns in its general direction and pull the trigger.

 

if a fighter manages to stay out of your weapons possible targetting cone or out of your range he still evades your fire.

 

if that corvette manages to stay in your ships dead spot he can hack at you with impunity

 

all thats removed is the part where you have to manually put your cursor on the target

 

 

how does that make combat less interactive?