Why the switch (Torpedoes)

N

Naféasonto

Swabbie
Banned
If I recall when Wing Commander 2 came out you could only use Torpedoes to kill capships. Or capships to kill capships.

Then WC3 you could use anything.

Then WC4 came out, you could use anything.

Then Wc5 came out, and you had to use Torpedoes again.

Why did they change that?
 
This has been asked a lot, but the answer is that the shield and weapon technology is constantly being improved, and we see that in WC's 1, 3, and 4 that weapon technology is ahead of shield technology, while in 2 & 5, shield technology has gotten better than the weapons.
 
mustanger said:
This has been asked a lot, but the answer is that the shield and weapon technology is constantly being improved, and we see that in WC's 1, 3, and 4 that weapon technology is ahead of shield technology, while in 2 & 5, shield technology has gotten better than the weapons.
Click to expand...

That's true. Weapon tech, and the ships that carry them, usually seem to progress faster than anything else when it comes to wars.
 
Here's how it works:

https://www.wcnews.com/agwc.shtml

Q: Why can't some weapons damage enemy captial ships?
A: Because shield and weapon technology keep improving. Here is a list for the fighter-based weapons and if they are effective against capital ships:

Code: 
WC1: ..... Guns: All ....... Missiles: All
WC2: ..... Guns: On Capships Missiles: Torpedoes, Mace
WC3: ..... Guns: All ....... Missiles: All
WC4: ..... Guns: All ....... Missiles: All
WCP/SO: .. Guns: Plasma .... Missiles: Torpedoes
Click to expand...

We should probably inlcude other WC games here, like SWC, Arena, Privateer, Privateer 2, Academy and Armada. :)

There are also gameplay purposes for the changes, of course.
 
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Naféasonto said:
If I recall when Wing Commander 2 came out you could only use Torpedoes to kill capships. Or capships to kill capships.

Then WC3 you could use anything.

Then WC4 came out, you could use anything.

Then Wc5 came out, and you had to use Torpedoes again.

Why did they change that?
Click to expand...

For the "in-universe"-explanation, I have nothing to add.

Gameplay-wise, I think it was made to give the ships more distinction. In WC 3 and 4, I never bothered with bombers and torpedoes.

In WC2 and WCP, as much as I disliked to fly the bombers, they were essential. And bombing runs in bombers are just more exciting to me.
 
Sirs,

If I'm right the original poster was asking why in terms of game dynamics. I think WC1 pushed pretty far in terms of technology as it is, but there may have been a gamer perception that cap. ships were too weak to fit their places in storylines - ie. Halcyon deperately wanted a Ralari killed as "We can't allow that sort of firepower at our backs", but I always laughed at that given the Ralari had difficulty surviving against a pair of Hornets.

Having said that, WC2, in correcting this percieved imbalance, did strip some of the dynamism from combat - ie clearing the fighters first and sitting out of range locking for a torpedo run. I liked the idea of a torpedo run, but it always worked too mechanically for me.

WC3 had both, and finally we had a good balance, well - good enough for me. I just liked the gameplay elements when both were possible - torpedoing a Fralthi II or watching a swarm of fighters eliminate the destroyer in Saga are both very atmospheric.

Just some of my opinions on the evolution of this part of the game engine.

KvK
 
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