5.2.0.9

[Eternal.Journey]

Having tested this out in a few duels and one skirmish I can agree that the mass changes make ships fly more like they're flying though honey than empty space. Got behind a bomber and sat about 300-400m out while pumping out damage. Reliably hit (~60%, give or take) and was quite literally able to sit there and take no damage in return for my efforts. Shield boosting changes meant that my shots punched through his boost before it was cooled down, it just took a few extra moments holding RMB in his direction. Got to shoot a VHF in the same skirmish. Almost the same result, albeit with interruptions. Caps can reliably hit snubs again (at least, true in the case of bombers), even ones that dodge semi well. Not that sure its a bad thing, cause it makes things much easier to hit. But it also means harder to move, meaning newer players who are getting used to controls will also struggle with combat more. They'll take more damage faster, despite being able to hit their opponents more. Probably needs some tweaking.

I know this ain't part of this patch, but it kinda needs bringing up anyway. Several patches ago, bomber guns got mass. Ever since, using bomber tech is just as much a hindrance to a bomber as it is to a Fighter. Sure, the extra thruster helps but it still doesn't mitigate the weight addition. Its depressing that there's no viability to use actual bomber guns on a bomber and this is just being made worse with adding even more mass to bombers (the trade off in mass just isn't worth it. using 4x redeemers and 2x Antimatters/Bomber heavies gives you a whopping 100 extra mass, almost an entire Light Fighter's worth of mass, on top of your already struggling ass). Recommendation: Maybe something akin to the recent 'mining volume changes of certain goods in certain ships' can be done to reduce/remove the mass of Bomber guns on Class 4 (Bomber Class) ships Only? As it stands, only people like me (people who use things for cosmetic reasons) or people who aren't familiar with mass and its effects will use them, and are either deliberately or unintentionally adding yet another hindrance to their combat by using them.

Shield buffs. Not that much different to be protected by nor shoot through, but a free ten percent is more than welcome.

Powercore change is good. Who doesn't like getting extra RMB time?

Shield Boost Nerfs. Having experienced them a few times, they're less like "I'm not doing anything for the next (insert duration)" and more like "Now that ship moves worse, and the shield boost has been reduced, just click anyway". It's no longer a waiting game to wait for the protection to be over. More often than not I can rip right through the shield boost with a couple of passes, before the duration even ends. Feeling like this is more positive than the stopping of shooting to not waste the energy against the shield boost. Works both ways though. Others will do the same.

Swatters have become a faster accelerating, less punchy shredder. Lol.

Batts and Bots. Don't know if its for better or worse that you get less HP return on a snub from nanos (meaning your unchanged snub nano count will cover you for about 16% less total damage taken) and shield batts recharging more so that your anything not Light Fighter snub will have more charge capacity (trade off being shield boosts are now virtually ignorable and just click target anyway now.). Probably an annoying change when coupled with mass. Like. You already eat more shots from being more sluggish. Now you aren't repairing so much as you were before, either.

I'll refrain from commenting on torps for now. Would like to test these more thoroughly. I will however, say this: So far, its looking like torps are back to being for hitting npcs and that's pretty much it. Maybe they're more usable in a group environment, not sure yet.

Its going to be one of those updates where I spose fine tweaking will be a necessity to keep the vets/aces interested and not hinder the newer players. Some things seem like a blessing, while also being a curse.

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