Prevent AI from shooting uselessly

[Ashenai]

If the AI knew how to time its shots then it would make shield recharge speed pretty useless.

Well, it'd still be good against meteors and drones, but yeah I see your point.

[robochibi]

Wouldn't it be a great challenge for more skilled players, if this simple check was added to the AI: is it possible to damage the player ship? If the AI ship has just charged its Burst Laser II, but the player has 3 or more shield points, there's no point in firing the weapon at that moment. I can't imagine this being very hard to implement. Of course it might just be insanely hard and pointless. Do you think it would be a good idea?

NO way this game is hard enough without that..

[Kestral B]

1.) Firing in volleys
2.) Targeting specific systems

If the AI did this, it would put difficulty through the roof in my opinion. These 2 things would bridge the greater part of the gap between what we have now and what it would be like to face off against human opponents in 1-on-1 ship battles. Especially number 2.
Just think about the *sheer number* of ships you've taken down with your Kestrel A simply by shooting a missile at their weapons before they could do the same to you...imagine how you would feel if the AI put you in that situation the same number of times. Missile-->weapons-->repeat-->Game over.

[StarWarsOZ]

1.) Firing in volleys
2.) Targeting specific systems

If the AI did this, it would put difficulty through the roof in my opinion. These 2 things would bridge the greater part of the gap between what we have now and what it would be like to face off against human opponents in 1-on-1 ship battles. Especially number 2.
Just think about the *sheer number* of ships you've taken down with your Kestrel A simply by shooting a missile at their weapons before they could do the same to you...imagine how you would feel if the AI put you in that situation the same number of times. Missile-->weapons-->repeat-->Game over.

Yeah, if the AI actully targeted systems, u would die within the first sector, because they would target weapons all the time, and u would basicly turn out like the ships u fight currently, like Kestral said.

Lets not make this game any harder than it allready is, but if this is added in a 'hardcore mode', then it would be acceptable. Just.

[Icehawk78]

1.) Firing in volleys
2.) Targeting specific systems

If the AI did this, it would put difficulty through the roof in my opinion. These 2 things would bridge the greater part of the gap between what we have now and what it would be like to face off against human opponents in 1-on-1 ship battles. Especially number 2.
Just think about the *sheer number* of ships you've taken down with your Kestrel A simply by shooting a missile at their weapons before they could do the same to you...imagine how you would feel if the AI put you in that situation the same number of times. Missile-->weapons-->repeat-->Game over.

Sounds like fun!

[UberFubarius]

One could, in theory, argue that a background "story" to explain it all away is that the federation ship you're using has advance targeting system that allow you to target subsystems directly. Hence in the end that's how your tiny ship can take down the boss.

[Kestral B]

Honestly, I can imagine a re-working in which your targeting system + scanners and/or knowledge of the enemy ship's schematic were a much more important part of the combat system and the player and enemy alike only had a certain chance (determined by targeting system, what weapon you were using, gunner skill, enemy evasion) of hitting just exactly where they wanted to hit.
It would be a big re-working though. Definitely more an "FTL 2" idea than a "Christmas update" idea.