New ESF Weapons and Cert Lines - 01/10/2014

The new ESF weapons and cert lines are now on test server. Please note that none of the weapon stats are final and in some cases these weapons are older versions of what is currently on our internal servers. We wanted to release these to test server so that we could start gathering feedback from players on the general direction of this update.


New Nose Cannons

• Each faction has one new nose cannon that fires slower than the default cannon, but each of these new cannons has the most ammunition per magazine of its weapon type.

Existing Tomcat/Photon Missiles

• These now require the attacker to maintain their lock after the rocket has been fired (the attacker must keep pointing at the target). Lock-ons that are not maintained will cause the rocket to lose its tracking behavior and miss by flying upward.
  • Note: The version on test server as of this update has a bug with the maintain-lock functionality, so the rocket is still sometimes hitting when the lock has been lost. We’re working on a fix for this.
• Locked on rockets have had their travel distance reduced. The max distance they will chase targets has been reduced by ~200 meters. Additionally, A2A rockets now have a limit on how far they can turn to chase a target.

Coyote Missiles

• These are light damaging air-to-air heat-seeking missiles. They have a slow velocity when initially fired but will speed up and track air targets that they fly near.
• The Coyote Missiles on test are an older version of the weapon. The version planned to go live will have more rockets per magazine, but less damage per rocket, with the total damage per magazine being near the same as this current test version. We’re releasing this version to test because we’re looking for feedback on the heat-seeking behavior.

Hornet Missiles

• These are wire-guided missiles.
• The version currently on test server has a bug that causes the wire-guided functionality to be lost when swapping to the nose cannon. This will also be fixed.

Air Engagement Radar

• This utility cert line will auto-spot nearby air enemies and clamp the spot icons to the edge of the screen.

Afterburner Fuel Pods

• These now have a cert line that increases the max fuel capacity and fuel regeneration rate.
• Engaging afterburners while in hover mode now has a larger initial fuel cost.

Locked on missiles and the mini-map

• In-flight missiles that are locked on to you will now show on the mini-map.

, getting on to test now!

Sounds like good changes for existing lockons!

Are the hornet missiles supposed to have four shots in a magazine? I'm assuming the answer is no.. because I can kill a sunderer in one volley from render distance.

I like the lockon changes though.

To be honest, I think they should make in double barrel / wing mounted in design, but still remain as a nose gun option. Right now I feel this more of a generic nose gun andlost the refreshing feeling of obtaining a unique weapon.

We're trying to get a quick update together with the fixed Hornet damage. They're on the wrong resist type currently.

Also I really want soe to keep the increase top speed function when equiping fuel tanks. This really give incentvlive to people who want to go fast. Racer 3 doesnt fulfill this need for me at all. Is there a chance tuat this decision be reverted ? If not kay we have the reason behind this decision making ?

please can you put the locust cannons back on the wings?? felt so much cooler!!

Jeez those laser guided missiles are powerful. Well it's not the damage that is the big surprise but rather the ROF. I thought they would be like AV mana turret. Really long time between each shot.

I think they are using the wrong damage type. That is why they are so strong.

Yeah those guided missiles definitely are too powerful. Four of them (1 magazine) destroy a sundy. They're just doing too much damage. Just like a Helebarde with 4 shots in it's magazine, incredible!

Besides that I really like how they're being controlled, working really good! Only the damage needs to be adjusted a bit. Maybe lower the maximum damage but add some damage radius to deal more splash damage on infantry?

The other missiles are quite nice aswell, pretty well balanced because they don't deal that much damage to air and by that offer the chance of nice dogfights where you need some skill!

Holy Crap on a cracker is SOE doing something right?!?!?!?!?
I gotta see this for myself.
Joshua. You may have restored our faith in you.
But lets see where this goes..

Still hating them for the larger initial fuel cost please remove that does nothing but hinder us for no friggin reason, please stop...

Thanks you SOE, thank you. This all looks very promising and its good to see that you have already addressed issues that need to be fixed and voice that. Lots of the frustration with bugs/issues are that we never know if we are heard and you never tell us, please make an effort to continue this because we all appreciate it!

Could you clear up on if you need to just point at the targets, or do you need to also have the missiles equipped?

If its the latter, they will be kinda ****.

Editing cause I completely forgot what the guy wrote sorry... Nvm.

I have not really tried it out in a live A2A dogfight, but with all the lock-ons that will still exist on the ground, Engagement rader does not seem worth giving up flares for. I think it needs more than just auto spotting.

Yep, i think flares should be base line, this would open up much more interesting load outs and help the new players which is one of their goals.

As it currently stands you just can not use anything else than flares.

I really don't like how the locust cannons were turned into a new nose gun...
I loved the idea of having two gatling guns under the wings, and their design was good too.

You. Me. Babies. Nao.