No, the total allowed weapon power gets apportioned between DPS and DPE. As DPE goes up, DPS goes down and vice versa. So if you calculate the total allowed weapon power based on tech level, rarity, etc, and then calculate the DPE based on tech, size, type, etc, then you automatically generate the DPS by taking power/DPE, since power = DPS * DPE. All things being equal, higher DPE is better since you get more damage per energy used, but then of course you get less DPS, so what type of weapons you go for will be a matter of choice and what sorts of augs you want to use.

Larger weapons are less efficient than smaller weapons. It just makes the most sense that way and is that way in real life for the most part, although obviously IRL there is an optimal size where efficiency drops off if you go bigger or smaller. For our purposes, that optimal size is "normal" size, which is based on the total power of the item.

I also think it makes sense to me to modify DPE by damage type. Think about surgical, for example: you are making this beam that is able to dissect your target in such a way that the gear on board is more likely to be salvageable. Of course that it going to be less efficient than just blasting away at it. Mining also is designed to crack things with very high armor and surrounds the target, breaking it up from all sides, so that, too is going to be less efficient. Heat on the other hand, merely has to heat the target up, and once it's hot, the heat will damage the shield for a while until the ship can cool down, etc. Besides, I also think it's more fun this way, and gives better game play when there are wider options to choose from.

Sooo, can I pretty much assume us cap ship gunners are screwed? Or are the capital lasers gonna be different than most? Because their DPE is already kinda pathetic, and they are among the largest useful weapons (noone uses crap like gigo lasers, after all).

Also, I think my SD pax just had a heart attack when it found out about the crazy energy costs that will be added for the rhino weapons, along with the fact that aug stacking will be nerfed.........

I would have to check, but I'm pretty sure the DPE on the cap ship lasers will be higher after the rebalance than they are now, since all lasers and especially high tech ones are getting so much more DPE overall.

I know the test server is barely final but its DPE increased from .33 to .5 so thats all good.

as far as test is concerned, there now should be a setup that can power the T18 ones.

Well... yes... Their elec was changed from 1500 per 2 seconds to 500 per 2 seconds. A Lion Heart could regen enough for 2 with the gunner skills in.
But I know that those stats arent final.

But, if i understood well, most energies are loosing regen, so...

yes they'll be loosing regen, but....

Faranji Power 9 has 500/1.2

It may be lowered to 400/1.2

Capital Armageddon Laser is currently 500 Damage for 1500 elect, or .333 dpe so to speak.

If test is final(and we know it's not), Capital Armageddon Laser would be 500 Damage for 500 elect, or 1.0 dpe

Gunner wield two of these awesome weapons so thats still 1000 elect every 2 seconds to 400 elect every 1.2 seconds.

thats 500 elect usage/1sec to 333.333 elect regen/1sec.

that still means gunners wont be able to fully work off of regen, but...

333.33 * 1.1(engine) + 333.33 * 1.4(Z+) = just under 500 regen /1 second.

now this is just a Z+ on a dreadnought without taking the Gunner Mastery's -elect temp into effect or the fact the Gunner would use some panels to augment elect regen.

If test is final(and it still aint), then Gunners would finally be able to work off of regen.

It is as if you ignored what I posted. I have checked the Capital Lasers on test server. Last I seen they were running with 250 damage per 2 seconds with 0.5 DPE. That means 2 lasers would be using 500 elect per second, easily recoverable by a Lion Heart with zeus+, +40% from Gunner skill, 10% from engine and solar panels.