In light of this reply, I’d like to make a weapon propoſal.
I know what you’re thinking: if it ſtarts off with a diſclaimer, it can’t be good.
Here’s how it works:
Projectile:
I’m fine with this beïng changed; I don’t have that high an opiniön of my artiſtic abilities.
Each manuälly-fired volley ſhoots a number of theſe away from the ſhip. Each volley is excruciätingly ſlow to leave the ſhip and then accelerates, like the old ions but worſe, except that as the guns heat up, they move much faſter- at overheat they ſhould feel about as faſt as forks. This tranſition ſhould be ſmooth, not ſtepped like Boron.
Each projectile would do 150 damage, the ſame as ions, although the max manual fire rate would be 7,5 Hz, which is ſlightly higher than moſt weapons. That beïng ſaid, it’s alſo right at the upper limit of moſt players. I think.
At 
0, the volley is compoſed of 1 projectile, aimed ſtraight ahead. “Is this an improvement?”, you ask. Yes, though it’s ſtill ſhit.
At 1, the volley is compoſed of 2 projectiles, one aimed ſtraight ahead, and the other alternately 18° left and 18° right off center.
2: 3 projectiles, one ahead, one 18° to each ſide.
3: 4 projectiles, one ahead, one 18° to each ſide, and one alternating between 36° left and 36° right.
4: 5 projectiles, one ahead, one each ſide at 18°, and one each ſide at 36°.
Get the pattern?
At 10, there are 11 projectiles, evenly ſpaced between 0° and 90° on each side.
But why ſtop there?
The pattern continues until at 19 there are 20 evenly ſpaced projectiles around the ſhip. It’s worth noting that there’s ſtill ſomething of a “gap” between 10 and 20, as the projectiles pointing downwards are uſuälly not terribly uſeful, although with a change in ſtrategy this could alſo change.
Up until this point, this weapon reſembles a cheap knockoff of the ion blaſter, but here’s where it gets fun; the weapon continues to ſtrengthen, as from 20 to 29 the gaps between the forward-facing projectiles are filled with another projectile each (in much the ſame manner as before, ſtarting at the front and alternating volleys left and right when ſymmetry is not poſſible), and by 39, there are 40 projectiles evenly ſpaced around the ſhip at 9° angles.
If the player continues to collect firepower, the volley ſtrength will be gradually doubled again, although it’d require reaching 79 to complete this. I don’t think more power levels are needed, although aſſuming this is done via an algorithm, I don’t ſee why the power levels ſhould ſtop.
The overheat time for manual firing ſhould be 15 ſeconds, which is quite long but ſeems reaſonable in light of the fact that the weapon is weak at low power levels and in many caſes much of the damage is waſted.
The main advantage of this weapon is all-around fire- it doeſn’t matter where you are, you have a fairly good chance of hitting the enemy at any given time. A ſecondary advantage lies in the waves which place the player in the middle: caught by ſurpriſe, pulſating grid, &c, as well as thoſe waves in which the chickens approach from all ſides and in aſteroids.
The main diſadvantages are a ſlow-iſh dps progreſſion, diſtinct lack of damage denſity, no poſſibility for pinpoint targeting, and no way to avoid hitting cowards (unleſs they’re kind enough to ſtay out of the line of fire).
Automatic fire ſhould be like manual, except at a lower firing rate (2 Hz?) and much faſter overheat, which could be uſeful for temperature control.
Alſo, I’m well aware that this’ll require tweaking, but I think that’s beſt done after teſting it for a couple weeks.
It’s worth noting that this probably will require ſome practice to uſe to greateſt effect.