Forums » Suggestions
Railgun mechanics, ordinance and visual effects
Railguns can operate via different methods depending on the ordinance used and the design specifications necessary to fill the desired role. The current railguns in the game suggest an ordinance which is both projectile and carriage. This allows for high firing efficiency that delivers the most kinetic energy to the projectile, however it limits the versatility of the weapon by requiring a specific type of ordinance - conductive slugs that are limited in function and cannot carry their own chemical potential energies.
Another type of system may have better use in the VO universe, and that would be one by which the ordinance comprised of two seperate elements - the carriage and the projectile. The carriage is the conductive element that makes contact with the rails, converting the magnetic potential energy into kinetic energy and transferring that kinetic energy to the projectile. This allows the projectile to be constructed in any way desired so long as it fits the carriage -- armor-piercing, high-explosive, low-density, DU, you name it. The carriage would seperate and break apart in the transitional phase, shedding most of its own energy once it leaves the accelerator and allowing the projectile to continue unaided on its path to the target.
With this system, you could introduce the ability to purchase different role-specific types of ammunition for the railgun, each with its distinctive pros and cons. Some examples may be:
H-E: slugs that have an explosive charge, dealing more widespread damage with glancing hits than regular rounds, but with a reduced effective range due to mass and composition
A-P: slugs that have improved armor penetration with direct hits, making them useful against large, heavily-armored ships (and great if/when we have component damage for things like the levi or capships)
Tracer/Training: low-density slugs that carry less kinetic energy to the target and fragment on impact to reduce damage - ideal for training or sparring
etc...
visual effects for this system could be altered to show different colors or brightness of projectiles depending on their type, and could include pieces of the carriage that fly off at different angles upon firing, perhaps dealing some minor damage to any targets that are too close.
Oh, and give us an L-port railgun...
Another type of system may have better use in the VO universe, and that would be one by which the ordinance comprised of two seperate elements - the carriage and the projectile. The carriage is the conductive element that makes contact with the rails, converting the magnetic potential energy into kinetic energy and transferring that kinetic energy to the projectile. This allows the projectile to be constructed in any way desired so long as it fits the carriage -- armor-piercing, high-explosive, low-density, DU, you name it. The carriage would seperate and break apart in the transitional phase, shedding most of its own energy once it leaves the accelerator and allowing the projectile to continue unaided on its path to the target.
With this system, you could introduce the ability to purchase different role-specific types of ammunition for the railgun, each with its distinctive pros and cons. Some examples may be:
H-E: slugs that have an explosive charge, dealing more widespread damage with glancing hits than regular rounds, but with a reduced effective range due to mass and composition
A-P: slugs that have improved armor penetration with direct hits, making them useful against large, heavily-armored ships (and great if/when we have component damage for things like the levi or capships)
Tracer/Training: low-density slugs that carry less kinetic energy to the target and fragment on impact to reduce damage - ideal for training or sparring
etc...
visual effects for this system could be altered to show different colors or brightness of projectiles depending on their type, and could include pieces of the carriage that fly off at different angles upon firing, perhaps dealing some minor damage to any targets that are too close.
Oh, and give us an L-port railgun...
[stamp of approval]