[X3TC] PBG/PBE - banish, change, don't touch?

[Killjaeden]

Well there are a few threads discussing if PBG/PBE are balanced and if AI-ships use them too frequently. I'd like to know what the majority thinks of it - so here it is...

Maybe you could say what you voted and what your experiences regarding PBG/PBE are. I'd also like to know what ship you are flying most of the time (important)

Any misspelling? Forgive me

[yourpowersareweakoldman]

Can I vote for one thing now, and then after I play TC change my vote?! Hehe...

In Theory, there's no difference between Practice and Theory.

In Practice, there is.

HEHE

[Spaceweed Adict]

Dosn't bother me in the slightest what weapons the ships got fitted as he'll never get within firing range of me to use them anyway.

I voted leave well alone.

My Personal ship by the way is the Hyp and the heavy Ordinance she can carry will take down anything that TC can throw at her.
In the right hands ofcourse.

[Killjaeden]

I voted "are used too often by AI - decrease usage ->more variety"

cause if you played X3TC in a fighter a longer time - you'll notice...
And as i stated in various discussion threads - it's boring to watch Racepatrols fighting with Pirates and the only thing you see is PBGclouds, PBEstripes and some FBL in the turrets (Paranid&Pirate most of the time).
Sometimes a green or blue ball or even a ID-beam flashes but that's only the case 5-10% of the time...
More variety amongst fighters regarding weapons and all will be fine again.

Currently flying Mamba Raider/Vanguard/Advanced most of the time in various piratesaves.

In Theory, there's no difference between Practice and Theory.

In Practice, there is.

Well then the Anti-PBE-tactics-thread (including PBG) was a theory vs. practice discussion - you the one who had not died by PBG in TC and me died/annoyed too much in TC^^

[Tenlar Scarflame]

I modded mine, so I guess "tweak them" would be my vote. But I'd also like to see the STANDARD guns used more often (PAC, HEPT, and the like.) because... you know... PBG's and PBE's are supposed to be specialty weapons. That are hard to get a hold of.

Also I'd love to see the PBG and IBL used a LOT less often by race ships. I've hardly ever seen a capital ship mounting PPC's, IC's, or GC's... it's always the IBL, the pirates' rare, dangerous, and fearsome specialty gun.

[Saber15]

AI needs to mount the regular weapons more often.

With pirates, if they can mount PBEs or PBG, they're almost guaranteed to mount them in all weapon slots.

[Poobah]

Frequency of these weapons needs to go down hugely. "Regular" weapons need to be mounted in the majority of cases because that... makes sense?

[Prutz0r]

More diversity. Since most of the m3's mount PBG's, which are impossible to get in such numbers from only a few pirate forges. Don't care about the IBL's, haven't seen much cap to cap battles. Though the xenon P does seem to have to those mounted on every occasion. But P's also have PPC's.

[DaveyP]

I voted for "reduce usage". A while ago, I would have voted for a nerf, but that was before I learnt hot to deal with them.

I do think that it's a bit daft that in a patrol of 4xM3, every single ship is equipped with PBG. Then again, I suppose one could argue that if the pilot can afford to buy an M3, he can afford to equip it. The only question is one of availability. In my game, there's only 1 PBG forge in the universe and I'm not at all convinced that it could supply all the pirates.

Then we come to the race patrols. Where the hell are they getting them?

[SIMON POPPLEWELL]

I don't think they really need altering as there is ways around them. I generally use a Hyperion loaded with various missiles so they never usually get close enough to do me any real damage.

[DaveyP]

I don't think they really need altering as there is ways around them. I generally use a Hyperion loaded with various missiles so they never usually get close enough to do me any real damage.

...... which is all very well if you have a hyperion. If, however, yo're in an M3 ...

[Shadowfront]

Voted "reduce usage>more variety".
Give other lasers a chance, can't repeat it enough!

Current usage frequency is
1- overkill
2- makes no sense in regards of background
3- just boring. Those plasma cones are only fun for so long.

And yeah, for me "u can counter it wit a Hype" doesnt define balance.

[SentinelDiety]

I voted for leaving them alone, because I like that they've finally made me think twice before rushing into a 4 v 1 engagement. I always hated how one fighter (albeit in the hands of a human) can fight endless hordes of 60 fighters at a time and always win. One fighter should need backup with odds like that.

That being said, I'm not at all opposed to the idea of more variety in the spawned ships' weapons.

[mrbadger]

They gave me a nasty shock the first time I encountered them in TC. That made me a lot more careful about what fights I got into.

For that reason alone they should stay. Who needs a safe X'verse?

[Olterin]

I voted for reduced usage.

I was last seen flying a Springblossom, ordering my capital fleet around.


The reason is simply a lack of variety and me going "wtf?" when every police ship starts spewing plasma or shooting the supposedly cutting edge tech PBE. Just ruins the immersion. It'd be fine if pirates mounted all the best, but seriously, every one of their fighters equipped with stuff like that? Come on, there have to be poorer pirates out there who can't afford equipment like that. Right? Right?? As for the military... do they have some super secret weapon forges somewhere that I don't know about?

[Gswine]

Interesting responce to your topic but I have to agree with those that say why make life too easy. That weapon does make you work for the kill.

I do stick to a Hyp but have noticed when using the Cobra that system defence ships using PBG keep blowing my missiles up before they hit the target. Rather than see it as the game machanics working against me it just means I've got to think things through instead of using blanket tactics.

Considering the games leaning towards missile use (All those who wouldn't leave station without a stock of typhoons raise your hand) the weapon makes sense.

[jannix]

I voted for "reduce AI usage". I think it should NOT be nerfed.. both PBG and PBE are pretty well balanced due to their short range. But it is a rare weapon. Every pirate group and his uncle packing PBGs is a bit silly imo. Reducing the frequency of use would give people the joy of dog fighting at knife-length with ships like M4+, which would be fun!

I think the PBE usage by xenon isn't that bad. Xenon might have production facilities specializing in the said weapon (maybe its a risk the player just got to deal with). But the pirate situation could use some tweaking!

[yourpowersareweakoldman]

Considering the games leaning towards missile use (All those who wouldn't leave station without a stock of typhoons raise your hand) the weapon makes sense.

The PBE is good against missiles, but there are many other guns in the game that are effective enough at missile defense without needing to spam these on all ships in the galaxy. PSGs, MDs, Ion Disruptors, IREs.

If an 'uber missile defense weapon' is needed, then one should be created for that purpose only. As follows.

Missile Interception Pulse Laser
Range: 500
Shield Damage: 1
Hull Damage: 15
Speed: 6000
Rate of Fire: High

This weapon would be highly effective at missile interception, but little else. You obviously wouldn't rely on it when large area-effect missiles are fired, but if that's what you're facing, most other lasers won't help either.

Or God-Forbid have some sort of Chaff or Flare countermeasure system...

[Gswine]

@yourpowersareweakoldman.

All those guns are good at missile defence but how many pirates have you encountered with ion distrupters? IREs may be useful in turrets but against swarm missiles will not keep a small or medium fighter from being destroyed from one swarm of typhoons the PSG i cant comment on though its description in the manual comments on its usfulness against missiles as to the MD, missiles have no shields so the immediacy of the ammunition would be a bonus but not conventionly better than PRG, PBE or EBG. The PBG's area effect is quite unique and I was commenting on observing it being very effective against flail missiles and hammer torpedoes. how many weapons have you seen offer a defence against a mass attack of those on NPC's.
This in my eyes shows the PBG has a place in the armoury of NPCs of all types and there is no need to rebalance or diminish the availability of them for any of the races.
Any way if your talking about game realism then I've only seen pirate PBG forges and if they have that advantage why wouldn't they use it? Whats fair about piracy?

[Killjaeden]

Any way if your talking about game realism then I've only seen pirate PBG forges and if they have that advantage why wouldn't they use it? Whats fair about piracy?

What's about race patrols? Do they get their equipment by PBGforgefarming? Would their government allow them to use the weapon that are "droped after every fight" against pirates (lobbyists)?

NPC don't intercept missiles with their frontweapons (only by accident) - only turrets do missiledefense - sometimes.

IREs may be useful in turrets but against swarm missiles will not keep a small or medium fighter from being destroyed from one swarm of typhoons

Since the warheads do 8*30MJ damage if all of them hit they will never survive something like this. If the Missiledefensecommand would work properly only 2-4 warheads would hit em.

how many weapons have you seen offer a defence against a mass attack of those on NPC's.

capships don't mount PBG and they are the only ships that need a defense against hammers. When the AI is poor no weapon but a overpowered mega-area-of-effect weapon will help them.