Possible issue coming

This is just a heads-up, to be sure that this has been taken care of for the coming combat update; if not, then it probably need to be looked at.

So, first, I noticed over the months that ‘random’ damage comes NOT as an entirely random value, but as a random value depending the max value of the shield fitted.
In other words, the bigger the shield fitted, the bigger the range of ‘random damage’; that is observation having used only the same basic ship so far from the start, with only evolutions of shields and equipment.
As it is, ‘random damage’ adjusting to the actual max shield is not an issue yet, even though it does not make logical sense.

My concern is that if it works in a similar way for combat damage, damage taken will also depend from max shield capacity and will become an issue when repetitive damage occurs in a short period of time.
Damage from combat should depend from weapon stats, ECMs stats, Point Defense stats, and relative skills, shields then absorbing the resulting calculated damage until they fall to 0, at which point the remaining immediate damage is dealt to the hull.
Next hit should still see some shields if they recharge fast enough, and so on.
Whatever happen, shields are a damage absorbing feature, NOT a damage reducing feature (ECMs and Point Defense would be that), and therefore their max value should NOT be taken into account for raw damage (before application to shields and hull).

Note: I am also counting decoys and passive counter-measures like throwing sand in the way of missiles (smarter version of chaff) as ECMs, since those would require computer reaction time is space battles.

I’ll try to address most critical concerns while keeping it spoiler-free.

Not only shield, but in principle you’re right.

Well, random damage shouldn’t become insignificant if player gets a bigger / better ship. Therefore is scales. Logical explanation? Bigger ship / bigger shield bubble → bigger impact area vs. meteor shower or collision with whatever object.

It doesn’t.

Armor. Then hull. That’s how shields currently work - even for random damage. The above scaling is only part of random damage calculation algorithm, not of the general damage applying mechanism.

Agreed :wink:

I agree that random damage should scale up to ship, since risk of collision increases with physical size, for instance.
But if the second part of your answer you did not see that I was referring to the situation happening without any change of ship, therefore that reason would not be applicable.

Otherwise I am satisfied to know that it has been though through for the future combat update, rather than possibly expanded on how it worked so far.