Thought on tractor beam

[Crowbar]

I was think about this for a couple of weeks. The navigation has two main purposes and that is to direct the ship and ping. The secondary ability is broadsides which fits the navigation role well. To me the tractor beam at navigation seems out of place. I would think science would be a better fit for the job and give the science player a bigger role in combat. This will allow the navigator to focus more on the primary and secondary roles and become more decisive. The navigation position will require less of a skill level, but will raise the skill ceiling of a team where more coordination is needed.

[Caboose56]

Agreed

[Red-Rocket]

i always liked tractor on nav, (it use to have its own nav) but in the name of team play...guess so

[Siretu]

Need more input on this before I make a decision.

[Crowbar]

No one seems interested or care where the tractor beam is. I just think it would improve team play by increasing the number of roles on the BC. Moving this to science will make it a more rewarding position.
I was also thinking about an astroid ping with a limited range at this position as well. Maybe this could be a cone shaped ping with a longer distance. The person on science has to point it in a certain direction and the ping will reveal astroids in that cone. It could be like doing research and analysis (Which is science). Then science can use the tractor beam to grab the asteroids and bring them closer to the BC and assist the chompper or miners. Science has the potential of becoming a cool non-combat and combat assisting position.

[DumbMarine]

I used to think this was a good idea, in fact the original science station idea had it. However, both the tractor beam and the science console are kinda meh right now. The tractor beam is super effective at embarrassingly stomping newbies, and not very useful against a competent team. And the science console isn't at a point where it's worth putting someone on it full-time.

If the tractor beam gets moved, one of two things needs to happen: tractor beam gets buffed (and not by increasing the tractor strength), or the science console gets buffed. Otherwise, it will probably end up how it was when the tractor beam was it's own console: unused in 99% of games.

[Tempest]

i disagree the tractor beam is excellent against any skill level, so long as the players on power and navigation can put it to use properly.

As for the suggestion i am for it going to the science console for 2 reasons

1 it makes more sense logically
2 it will require more players on deck to have a fully functioning battle cruiser + will create increased coordination between consoles.


Any change that makes teamwork more involved is a change i support, it raises the skill cap of the map and promotes competition.

[DumbMarine]

The problem with using tractor beam against proper teams is that the ship you tractor can just dock to break the tractor beam. And it is power inefficient to use it against the enemy BC.

You can use it to catch miners that don't know how to turbo away. You can catch wraiths that aren't paying attention if you hunt them down (cause the wraith certainly isn't going to come to you). You can catch corvettes, destroyers, and chompers if they're away from their BC, but they usually won't be. You can use it on these ships while they're next to their BC, but they'll just dock and relaunch immediately, very little is gained here. You can catch minelayers I guess...

I'm not saying it's worthless, but I'd estimate something like 95% of battles would not have the outcome affected by tractor beam. It's something that I generally only use when we're way ahead and I want to freak the other team out. If we went back to having a separate console for tractor beam, I would ask people not to use it in favor of flying more destroyers instead.

It doesn't NEED to be buffed though (though one is welcome). I think it fits in great with science. I just don't think science is worth having a dedicated person on it in combat right now. It has 4 abilities. Power transfer doesn't matter very much in combat, and even if it did the cooldown means you use it once. Purge core plasma matters in combat but I don't want someone sitting on the console not doing anything for 30 seconds to use it. Iron curtain would be useful if hull tanking were in but as it is you get to use it once per combat. Load yamato is almost worth it, but the extra destroyer outdamages the yamato, having someone on it is good if you're going for yamato spam but yamato spam is neither plan A nor plan B.

If science were given something to make it worth manning in combat like nav is, then yeah move the tractor beam down. Until then though, moving it just kinda removes it from the game.

[Tempest]

the trac beam doesnt consume power last test i did o.o it just has a high initial cost, in fact its a power con-server seeing as you can force your enemy to need to put more GW into engines to break the gap (if the nav pilot is boosting as he should)

Havent played in a little while though if trac has changed im incorrect and it does need a buff.

The ability to dock while tractor beamed is very stupid xD

Its useful against destroyers and chompers that are away from their cruiser, but its main purpose is for pursuit and closing the gap in cruiser on cruiser combat. I am unaware of any energy consumption when firing the tractor beam and when keeping it active. Corin and i looked into this a bit ago, tractor beam is very sexy if used by two excellent nav and power players who can work together well enough to make it work.

[DumbMarine]

the trac beam doesnt consume power last test i did o.o

It drains 120 GW per second. It's always had a power cost.