Talk:NPB Neutralizer OXZ
Some points:
- Getting a "kill" using this weapon won't count for most mission OXP's - you will still need to keep firing until the ship is destroyed.
- Every weapon will end up working as an NPB Neutralizer, as long as you have one installed, as the code doesn't check which view is being used and what weapon is installed there.
- Info says you need to be clean, but code doesn't prevent an Offender/Fugitive install.
- Info also says Police have these retro fitted, but there's no code granting it specifically to police ships, and "available_to_NPCs = false;" in the equipment.plist
- Given the uber-ness of this weapon, I'm curious as to why you've rated it "Neutral". I think this should be "Some bias in the players favour/Makes the game a little easier".
phkb
Yes, mostly valid comments (and thanks for making them!)
The first thing by way of response is that Oolite pirate NPCs already have a vastly unfair advantage over the player and most of my OXPs are attempts to balance this core game failing out.
I say 'most', because NPB Neutralizer is NOT one of these! It is no 'uber weapon', requiring, as it does, players to engage in normal combat, to keep an evading opponent in their sights and to fire a sustained burst to disable it. This burst amounts to at least 3 seconds for a weak-shielded and relatively low-energy Transporter, and substantially longer for a higher-energy ship. Thus my 'green' rating. It makes nothing in combat any easier.
Your other points were already on my To Do list for version 1.1. This is merely an initial release - only the basic functional elements implemented. That's the way I work.
First priority is the Clean record - prohibiting installation for Offenders, as included already in Defence Rider Drones (and to be fully fixed for version 1.3).
Because of their existing unfair advantage, NPCs will never be given this piece of equipment! Not that it would necessarily make _their_ life any easier...
This OXP is not intended for those who play missions - which would vastly complicate coding. Anyway, there is nothing to prevent you from 'keeping on firing' until the derelict explodes (you have already collected any bounty and had your score increased).
Most players play with a forward laser. I have never used a Port, Starboard, or Rear one. But I suppose something could be worked out to satisfy those rare eccentrics who put beam weapons on all their facings!
Reval (talk) 17:42, 11 May 2026 (BST)
Theory
"... Neutral Particle Beam weapon that works by accelerating hydrogen atoms to near-light speed and then neutralizing their charge. Upon hitting a target, the high-energy particles penetrate deep into a ship's structure, depositing their energy inside critical systems like electronics and power conduits."
Umm... neither hydrogen molecules or hydrogen atoms have a charge, as far as I know. Hydrogen ions do - either anions (for hydrogen: a proton with two electrons) or cations (for hydrogen: protons on their tod).
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion#Anions_and_cations which talks about hydrogen in particular
- Cholmondeley 10:44, 11 May 2026 (BST)
"Particle Beam Weapons Theory
- Neutral particle beam (NPB) weapons** are directed-energy systems that accelerate subatomic particles, typically hydrogen ions, to near-light speed and neutralize them before firing to prevent deflection by magnetic fields. Unlike lasers that burn surfaces, NPBs penetrate deep into a target’s interior, causing catastrophic damage through **kinetic penetration, thermal superheating, and ionization** that destroys electronics or triggers nuclear fission.
The theoretical mechanics involve three key stages:
- **Acceleration and Neutralization:** Charged particles (like negative hydrogen ions) are accelerated to high energies (100–1000+ MeV) using particle accelerators. Before leaving the device, they pass through a neutralizer cell or gas stripper to remove an electron, creating a beam of electrically neutral atoms. This neutrality allows the beam to travel in a straight line without being deflected by the Earth’s magnetic field.
- **Target Interaction:** Upon impact, the neutral particles capture electrons from the target material, becoming charged ions. This allows them to penetrate deeply into the vehicle’s shell or exterior, depositing their kinetic energy internally.
- **Destructive Effects:** The energy deposition causes **near-instantaneous superheating** of the target material, potentially melting it, igniting fuel supplies, or frying onboard electronics. For nuclear warheads, the particles can induce fission processes and neutron generation, leading to premature detonation or structural failure.
Historically, the U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative explored NPBs as **anti-satellite** and **anti-ballistic missile** weapons capable of intercepting targets in their boost phase. While the Beam Experiments Aboard Rocket (BEAR) project successfully tested a prototype in space in 1989, significant technical hurdles remain, including the need for **lightweight, high-power accelerators** and methods to maintain beam coherence over long distances. Despite recent interest in testing space-based variants, NPBs remain largely in the research stage due to the immense power requirements and engineering challenges involved in miniaturizing the necessary accelerator technology."
(from Brave AI search)
Learning the ins-and-outs of this form of potential space weaponry was in fact the inspiration for attempting to code it as an OXP. Even in embryonic 'version 1.0' form, NPB Neutralizer does what an NPB beam would do.
