Extra/Improved targeting options for turrets

Suicide Neil shared this feedback ago

Submitted

Along with improvements for targeting logic ( see: https://support.keenswh.com/spaceengineers/general/topic/dynamic-turret-mgmt-aka-optimize-turrets-plz ), it would be nice if there was a simple check-box in the turret settings for 'target weapons only' and 'target thrusters only', for example. Right now there are dozens and dozens of options which are rather redundant and completely overlook the few meaningful options that SHOULD be present.

Target weapons, thrusters, enemies ( including wolves and sabaroids ), enemy grids, neutrals ( should be OFF by default ) and meteors are the only options that are needed- anything else is redundant ( such as target missiles, target players, target large grids, target small grids, etc etc- this can all be rolled into 'target enemies'- small grid or large makes no odds, enemies are enemies ). Options for increase or decrease range on each option is also 100% redundant as you can set the targeting range globally for all options in the main turret settings, no need to mess around with dozens of range options for each targeting parameter.

Simplifying the targeting options to clean up the GUI should be a priority at this point in the game, along with cleaning up the GUI and making it more user friendly in general ( search bar for assembler and spawn item menus... ).

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Replies (4)

domingo ●

I don't think removal of targeting options is a good thing. If you want gatling to be in PDC duty, you set it to Target Missiles. Also you want to target Players: those are most dangerous being most unpredictable in addition being quite squishy.

Anyway I think that better than current 'checkbox' system would be an 'target priority list'.

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Suicide Neil ●

Players and missiles = enemies; I see no reason why you would just want to shoot at incoming missiles and ignore the ship firing them, likewise why would you target the ship and ignore the player who might be trying to board your ship or station? It's redundant to have 2 or 3 options that are all the same thing = enemies.

Targeting priority makes sense, though without better turret/targeting logic I think you'll just find turrets focus on one thing ( still ) and ignore the other, lower priority threats.

The reason why I mention redundancy however is simply because of how many options there are in the turret menu when it's added to a hotbar- there's a list long enough to fill your screen & then some. That's not good at all...

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Zooltan ●

I usually set it up so my Missiles target Large ships, my Gatling guns target Large and Small ships, as well as players. I then add Interior Turrets as point-defense with shorter range, only targeting Missiles, Players and Small Ships.

Missile turrets rarely hit players or small ships, so no point in trying.

Gatling Turrets are focused on attacking ships and won't switch to missiles if they already have a different target.

The Interior turrets set to a short range, will not waste time on large targets that they can't really damage, but can instead intercept the missiles and anything else small that gets too close.

So I like having the options. I can design my ship and configure the weapons to fit the ship or situation.

I can't decide whether I would like to be able to specify subsystems or targeting priorities. On one hand, it would make combat much easier, but on the other hand; This game is about designing and engineering solutions. Weapons that automatically target the important parts of the enemy ship, and leaves the rest for you to salvage, seams a bit too easy. I agree that something is missing right now, but I'm not sure this is the solution...

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Aleliabro ●

I think there should be a blacklist/whitelist option like the conveyor sorters have to say what the turrets are allowed or not allowed to target. Also a drop down menu that would say 'Target All At Once' for random attacking or 'Target One-By-One' so that it will target them in order from the top of the list to the bottom.

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Suicide Neil ●

Someone was working on a script that did exactly that- randomised targeting of enemy grids, rather than all the turrets targeting a single block & then moving to the next one ( anything with computers as a component will be targeted IIRC ).

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Suicide Neil ●

BUMP. Turret AI / targeting logic needs improving still they can easily be told to target separate blocks on an enemy grid and this will allow greater damage output and a more realistic & enjoyable battle scenario.

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Suicide Neil ●

Bump- someone has done the job for you, Keen- all you need to do is give him a Mars bar as payment and make this mod vanilla with a few bug-fixes, or add those features to your own limited targeting AI: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1769486689

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