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Shield Rebalance Idea

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
I remember from one DS9 episode where Weyoun tells Odo about a weak spot in the Jem'Hadar shields that allowed their runabout to destroy the fighter.

That got me thinking, why are our shields equal all the way across? Even the Enterprise had a weak spot in the shields between the nacelles. So what I recommend is the following. (Note: total shield strength is not changing, just where that strength is)

Escort Strong front shields for making attack but weak rear shields
Fore: 150% current strength
Aft: 50% current strength
SB: 100% current strength
Port: 100% current strength

Cruiser Stronger side shields for doing broadsides, front and rear are weak points
Fore: 100% current strength
Aft: 50% current strength
SB: 125% current strength
Port: 125% current strength

Science Science ship remains balanced since it is full of nerds
Fore: 100% current strength
Aft: 100% current strength
SB: 100% current strength
Port: 100% current strength
Post edited by Unknown User on

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  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Escort Strong front shields for making attack but weak rear shields
    Fore: 150% current strength
    Aft: 50% current strength
    SB: 100% current strength
    Port: 100% current strength

    Cruiser Stronger side shields for doing broadsides, front and rear are weak points
    Fore: 100% current strength
    Aft: 50% current strength
    SB: 125% current strength
    Port: 125% current strength


    Ridiculous idea.

    For one thing, cruisers are the tanks. They're meant to be tough to hurt from all angles. The idea of making them as weak in the rear as escorts is laughable, especially when an escort can actually turn to keep its rear shield out of harm's way. A cruiser can turn enough to broadside (with abilities), BUT a good escort captain can stay on a cruiser's tail permanently. A cruiser is meant to be the hedgehog of starships - no matter what angle you approach it from, its defenses are equal and can hit you with an equal level of firepower (which is painfully low compared to escort burst damage).

    Imagine that - an escort with 150% max shield at the front staying on the tail of a cruiser with a permanent 50% max shield in the rear. I'm starting to wonder if you're an escort captain who thinks cruisers are overpowered and wants to nerf them to your advantage. :rolleyes:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Ridiculous idea.

    For one thing, cruisers are the tanks. They're meant to be tough to hurt from all angles. The idea of making them as weak in the rear as escorts is laughable, especially when an escort can actually turn to keep its rear shield out of harm's way. A cruiser can turn enough to broadside (with abilities), BUT a good escort captain can stay on a cruiser's tail permanently. A cruiser is meant to be the hedgehog of starships - no matter what angle you approach it from, its defenses are equal and can hit you with an equal level of firepower (which is painfully low compared to escort burst damage).

    Imagine that - an escort with 150% max shield at the front staying on the tail of a cruiser with a permanent 50% max shield in the rear. I'm starting to wonder if you're an escort captain who thinks cruisers are overpowered and wants to nerf them to your advantage. :rolleyes:

    Actually, I'm purely a cruiser captain. I'm just floating an idea I had.

    Plus, keep in mind that if the Escort fails to destroy the Cruiser, then the Escort then turns it's weak side to the Cruiser for it to start pounding.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Actually, I'm purely a cruiser captain. I'm just floating an idea I had.

    Plus, keep in mind that if the Escort fails to destroy the Cruiser, then the Escort then turns it's weak side to the Cruiser for it to start pounding.

    Do you not know what "kiting" is? An escort can hit and run on a cruiser and keep its rear shields from facing the cruiser at all times if the captain knows what he's doing.

    Here's a better idea for how a cruiser should look:

    Cruiser Stronger side shields for doing broadsides, front and rear are weak points
    Fore: 75% current strength
    Aft:75% current strength
    SB: 125% current strength
    Port: 125% current strength

    Even though I still dislike the whole idea of weakening specific shield arcs on any ship class. We already have each class modifying the level of shield strength it gets, which works well.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    I remember from one DS9 episode where Weyoun tells Odo about a weak spot in the Jem'Hadar shields that allowed their runabout to destroy the fighter.

    That got me thinking, why are our shields equal all the way across? Even the Enterprise had a weak spot in the shields between the nacelles. So what I recommend is the following. (Note: total shield strength is not changing, just where that strength is)

    Escort Strong front shields for making attack but weak rear shields
    Fore: 150% current strength
    Aft: 50% current strength
    SB: 100% current strength
    Port: 100% current strength

    Cruiser Stronger side shields for doing broadsides, front and rear are weak points
    Fore: 100% current strength
    Aft: 50% current strength
    SB: 125% current strength
    Port: 125% current strength

    Science Science ship remains balanced since it is full of nerds
    Fore: 100% current strength
    Aft: 100% current strength
    SB: 100% current strength
    Port: 100% current strength

    I wish Cryptic did something like that with Klingons since the Klingon ships (BoP, Raptor, and the Battlecruisers) have very strong frontal attacks, they should have stronger fore shield and weak aft shields to compensate. This would increase their survivability in head on attacks, but leave them with a vulnerability as well.

    But with other non-Escorts, I think it's best to keep them equally shielded in all shield arcs.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    To be honest, I think escorts are so easily destroyable from any arc as it is would make them even more paper-thin if they had weaker rear shields. Besides, an extra 50% forward shields wouldn't really help in the end.

    An escort captain who sits still with his front arc facing the target at all times is a suicidal captain, and that the only situation I can think of where stronger forward shields might be useful. An escort should be using hit and run tactics, and that requires balanced shields all over since many different arcs will be exposed.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Do you not know what "kiting" is? An escort can hit and run on a cruiser and keep its rear shields from facing the cruiser at all times if the captain knows what he's doing.

    Here's a better idea for how a cruiser should look:

    Cruiser Stronger side shields for doing broadsides, front and rear are weak points
    Fore: 75% current strength
    Aft:75% current strength
    SB: 125% current strength
    Port: 125% current strength

    Even though I still dislike the whole idea of weakening specific shield arcs on any ship class. We already have each class modifying the level of shield strength it gets, which works well.

    The numbers are open to negotiation. ;)

    It could be as little as 10%. But I think more variety in the shields would change the strategy of players. If you are a cruiser with a tractor beam, you are going to want to wait until that Escort passes by before you activate it. If you are an Escort, you are going to want to approach a cruiser from the fore or aft, but that opens you up to their torpedoes.

    There will be some give and take. For every advantage, there will be a disadvantage.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Why does this have to apply for all ships of a certain type?

    It's true that pretty much every Escort has the Dual Heavy Cannons facing forward setup, but, I mean, with my cruiser I have it set up with 3 forward facing cannons + Quantum Torpedo, and 4 Aft Facing turrets; which makes my "broadside" the foreward 180 degree arc. That means I would want my forward shields to be the strongest.

    Why not just make equipable Shield Arrays have higher power for different shield sections? Like a Covariant Assualt Shield, that has 150% to the Forward Shields, with 75% of max to the Port and Starboard shields; or Regenerative Vanguard Shields, with 125% to Port and Starboard shields, and 75% to Fore and Aft, or Resilient Assymetrical (L) Shielding with 125% to the Fore and Port Shields, 100% to the Rear and 50% to the Starboard.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Just occurred to me, instead of making it a standard, perhaps this could give rise to new types of shields and let the player decide.

    Either have Balanced Shields or Shields with a stronger frontal arc / weaker rear arc or Stronger Broadside Arcs.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Or you could get a choice what kind of shield to put in each of the 4 facings...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    makes no sense, shields should be equally distributed because an attack can and will come from any angle.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    I would like different shield types with varied shield distribution like that. I would be happy to put a shield with stronger forward shields on my escort, because I am one of those aforementioned suicidal captains.

    I think the shields should be swappable though, so you could go from a shield with strong forward shields to a shield with stronger port shields if you decided you wanted to change your combat tactics.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Maybe an alternative would be to allow us to direct shield strength beyond what we have now. Right now we can direct shield strength but it only allows us to go up to 100% on that side. Perhaps we should have a way to redirect it so one side can go up to 125% strength at the detriment of the rest of the shields.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    You mean shield reinforcement like in SFC? That could work, perhaps as a new console or perhaps that much needed twist to "Shield Arrays" so people would use them and not Covarients.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Azurian wrote: »
    You mean shield reinforcement like in SFC? That could work, perhaps as a new console or perhaps that much needed twist to "Shield Arrays" so people would use them and not Covarients.

    Maybe. Or perhaps they could add some more shield arrays.
    • Attack Shields: Shields are stronger in the fore than in the aft.
    • Defense Shields: Shields are stronger on the sides than in the fore or aft.
    • Directed Shields: Shields are able to be directed up to 125% in any direction but will reduce remaining shields to compensate.
    • Universal Shields: Shields automatically readjust to normalize strength. Enemies are basically having to fight against the entire shield system, but once shields are down your entire ship is unprotected.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Works for me.
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