The video tests Star Citizen’s ship armor and weapon penetration, revealing that current systems allow weapons, especially size four ballistics and missiles, to penetrate shields and cause rapid, severe damage to critical components, raising balance concerns. It highlights the need for a more robust and nuanced armor system to better protect ships and improve gameplay, with further testing planned on multi-crew combat scenarios.
In this third part of the Star Citizen Engineering Tech Preview testing, the focus is on evaluating the current state of ship armor and weapon penetration, particularly how different weapons affect ship components. The testing involved various scenarios with friends, using different ships and weapon sizes to observe damage patterns. A key observation was that size four ballistic weapons, such as those on the Wolf, can penetrate shields and inflict significant damage on internal ship components like power plants and quantum drives, sometimes causing critical failures rapidly.
The video demonstrated that shields effectively block laser weapon damage, but once shields are down, even laser weapons can penetrate hulls and damage components directly. Larger laser weapons cause more extensive damage, similar to ballistic weapons. Additionally, the tests revealed that some ships, including the Retaliator, Silence Attack, Gladius, and Ursa Medvac, go into a critical state and eventually explode if their power plants are destroyed. This phenomenon appeared somewhat random and requires further investigation to understand whether it applies to all ships or only specific models.
Another important finding was the impact of torpedoes and missiles, which can penetrate shields and cause explosive damage to components, including those on capital ships. The damage to components from ballistic and missile attacks was found to be alarmingly quick and severe, raising concerns about game balance. For example, even a single hit from a size four ballistic weapon could reduce component health by 15-20%, which seems excessive, especially for larger ships expected to have more robust defenses.
The current armor system, or lack thereof, was criticized for being inadequate. The tests suggest that the existing system allows weapons to penetrate too easily and cause disproportionate damage to components. There is a clear need for a more sophisticated and balanced armor system that better protects ship components, especially for military and industrial-grade parts. Increasing component health and making upgrades more meaningful would improve gameplay and strategic depth, encouraging players to invest in better protection.
In conclusion, while these tests provide valuable insights, they were conducted in controlled environments rather than real combat. The presenter plans to follow up with a fourth part focusing on multi-crew ship combat to further explore how engineering and damage mechanics interact in more dynamic and realistic scenarios. Overall, the video highlights significant issues with the current damage and armor systems in Star Citizen that need addressing to ensure balanced and engaging gameplay.