Point-Defense Cannons

[Kodos]

We just had a fun admin-fueled nukies round in which the flavor text announcement mentioned point defense cannons.
Which makes me think that, hey, we should actually have, or at least be able to make, those.

It would help deal with robust pods fucking with escape or otherwise doing drivebys of the station. Could maybe have other uses? Basically I'm imagining some sort of turrets that would either be built into the station as part of the map, or something that can be built and set up somewhere by mechanics or whatever. The turrets would either be AI controlled (as in the AI player controls them) or actual AI (as in, artificial intelligence, like beepsky) and automatically fire on syndiepods (and pods flagged by Sec).

EDIT: Tangentially related; the introduction of these defenses would also be a good incentive to maybe add some more random events or late round antags that come from space. Space monster attacks and suchlike. Things attacking the station itself.

[kyle2143]

Sounds okay to me. Putting a turret or two in space outside areas like the bridge or escape. But I think they should use EMP's or something non-lethal I'm not sure if that bolt-type exists or if EMP's react with pods at all, but I think that would be better than laser or taser turrets which could harm people.

[Frank_Stein]

I've always thought metor events would be a lot more fun if they involved trying to destroy them before they crashed into the station

[Wisecrack34]

I like everything said so far

[Technature]

Having something prevent armory breach on Cog1 when ops have to set their bomb in security would be nice.

[atomic1fire]

I've always thought metor events would be a lot more fun if they involved trying to destroy them before they crashed into the station

If there isn't already one, maybe have the radio give an announcement so that the crew has time to man the artillery (and power it)

Maybe they could just be a manned version of AI's turrets. (although I'm personally a fan of pirate ship cannons myself)

A seat hastily assembled to a control board connected to a gutted AI turret.

[Wisecrack34]

Perhaps the AI could control any turret they wish, maybe multiple at a time but only use stun due to lethal being a manual trigger (Why bother hooking it up to the AI if they're never gonna use it) whilst crew members can sit in a seat and blast away, whilst requiring a large amount of electricity to operate and being slow between shots (Think the anti tank cannons in BF1 but for space and with lasers)

[Kodos]

Considering the massive lag meteor swarms generate, though, wouldn't the guns need to be AI (as in actual AI, not the player. Like the AI's turrets or beepsky) controlled rather than player controlled in order to ever hit anything?
Or maybe it's just my toaster computer that has that problem, but generally speaking when we get a major meteor swarm I get a massive lag spike.

But, yes, the idea was to defend from external threats. Kind of why I like the idea of adding more event NPCs or late-round antags that attack the station from the outside. Space monsters, drone swarms, and so on. Hell, given the flockdrone lore/fluff, such as it is, could even see them somehow working their way onto the station from the outside.