I was reading through missile descriptions, and the special feature of the tempest missile interested me when I saw it. What they're supposed to do is lock onto a new target when the current target is eliminated instead of flying off uselessly into space.
However, once the first target is eliminated, they will head over to the new target and fly around in circles in a pretty cloud of blue trails AROUND the new target.
Is there something I missed?
Tempest missiles not seeming to work properly.
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Tempest missiles not seeming to work properly.
Game played: X3:AP unless otherwise specified
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brownthomasw
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any missile will do that if it misses its first pass. it kind of spirals in until it hits or doesn't hit. tempests because of retargeting were not aimed properly after they retargeted so it'd be like you firing missiles willy nilly which can work but is not as good as you firing to insure it goes straight into an oncoming target.
I suppose sometimes missiles will turn nicely and go straight at the back of a target even if they don't hit right away but others aren't so lucky. Maybe it depends on how sharp of a turn they have to make or changes in the movement of the target. They'll hit a good amount of time. The flails and terran poltergiest are also swarm as well as retargeting so more missiles spinning around your target in circles means more will maybe hit if they feel like it.
I suppose sometimes missiles will turn nicely and go straight at the back of a target even if they don't hit right away but others aren't so lucky. Maybe it depends on how sharp of a turn they have to make or changes in the movement of the target. They'll hit a good amount of time. The flails and terran poltergiest are also swarm as well as retargeting so more missiles spinning around your target in circles means more will maybe hit if they feel like it.
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AgamemnonArgon
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Alan Phipps
- Moderator (English)
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I am not saying that these are the definite reasons in the OP's case, but if you either save and reload while missiles are in flight or just have too many warheads flying at one time, then that looping behaviour is almost a certainty.
I think the save and reload causes a poor target lock or aim-point tracking situation while too many missiles flying degrades collision detection and can even allow them to pass right through targets without detonating.
The issue with warheads that need to retarget may be similar to that of the save/reload behaviour only without needing the actual save/reload step to arrive at it.
@ AgamemnonArgon: I'm unsure that I would want to ram a target with a host of big warheads looping around it!
I think the save and reload causes a poor target lock or aim-point tracking situation while too many missiles flying degrades collision detection and can even allow them to pass right through targets without detonating.
The issue with warheads that need to retarget may be similar to that of the save/reload behaviour only without needing the actual save/reload step to arrive at it.
@ AgamemnonArgon: I'm unsure that I would want to ram a target with a host of big warheads looping around it!
A dog has a master; a cat has domestic staff.
It's weird what happens though, because they're not all necessarily travelling around the target itself. In fact, some of them are travelling in neat little circles and just happen to be near the target, but the center off the circle is offset from the target by a significant amount, like 1 km or so.
I suppose it's been a good thing, though, because the missiles usually work properly against a larger target (such as a Q... Managed to take one out with just the accumulated swarm of tempests. that was cool to watch), and I can just dive in with my aamon and blow up the fighters myself. Let me tell you, a dogfight in the middle of a tempest of tempests is quite the interesting experience.
I suppose it's been a good thing, though, because the missiles usually work properly against a larger target (such as a Q... Managed to take one out with just the accumulated swarm of tempests. that was cool to watch), and I can just dive in with my aamon and blow up the fighters myself. Let me tell you, a dogfight in the middle of a tempest of tempests is quite the interesting experience.
Game played: X3:AP unless otherwise specified
If you think about it, that's exactly what you'd expect to happen--the missile misses the target by a small margin (due to its movement or whatever) and immediately starts turning as hard as it can to try and hit it again, but that just means it keeps turning in a circle with one side being the near miss. What it *should* really do is fly in a straight line for a few seconds before beginning the turn so it stands a better chance of hitting it.IConquer wrote:It's weird what happens though, because they're not all necessarily travelling around the target itself. In fact, some of them are travelling in neat little circles and just happen to be near the target, but the center off the circle is offset from the target by a significant amount, like 1 km or so.
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NUKLEAR-SLUG
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- Joined: Thu, 4. May 06, 13:20
It's a hitbox related glitch.
It's particularly obvious when Tempests targetted at a large ship retarget onto a smaller one. For whatever reason the Tempests still seem to carry over their large-ship targetting logic and will attempt to impact non-existent points on the hull of the small ship, completely miss of course and then attempt to track around for another pass, which is the spiralling around a point you've been seeing.
Your best bet is to try and avoid firing Tempests at large ships, there are better missiles for the job anyway. Save your Tempests for wiping out fighter swarms and if they happen to retarget onto a nearby capital then call it happy coincidence.
It's particularly obvious when Tempests targetted at a large ship retarget onto a smaller one. For whatever reason the Tempests still seem to carry over their large-ship targetting logic and will attempt to impact non-existent points on the hull of the small ship, completely miss of course and then attempt to track around for another pass, which is the spiralling around a point you've been seeing.
Your best bet is to try and avoid firing Tempests at large ships, there are better missiles for the job anyway. Save your Tempests for wiping out fighter swarms and if they happen to retarget onto a nearby capital then call it happy coincidence.