31 replies to this topic

[Karl Streiger]

HIA = High Instant Alpha

I have read - several times that players a bored to hell to drive the same PPC High Instant Alpha Meta - but they have to to stay competive.

But that means if nobody would drive those builds you would be free to fight the fight you want. The build that you enjoy most.

Maybe you all could stop at a specific time, doing that.
Maybe marked by PGI with another challenge = like dealing 200,000 to 10,00 dmg with nearly every weapon system during 14 days.

So see how the minority of players - reading that forum thinks?


Let the shelling beginn....

Valkyrie is with me - for BattleTech - for Skye

Edited by Karl Streiger, 04 July 2013 - 11:17 PM.

[kundvagn]

There will always be builds that are considered optimal, no matter what the meta is. And there will also always be builds that are useless.

[Karl Streiger]

kundvagn, on 05 July 2013 - 12:50 AM, said:

There will always be builds that are considered optimal, no matter what the meta is. And there will also always be builds that are useless.

Hm I know - that the last question is almost impossible to answer with yes... but it should be that way - dosen't matter if you fight in a Stock Shadow Hawk or in the refit - its the challenge to create a room were both Mechs could exist

[SirSlaughter]

I sometimes drive that stupid 2xAC20 jager when I'm bored to play with my mediums against 8 assault mechs with PPCs. That build is terribly boring to play, but I'm always 700+ damage and 3-4 kills. The skill required with such an alpha is near zero level (unless you are without both hands...).

[BillyM]

I shamefully built a 4ppc Cataphract-1X when the JumpSnipe highlander was in full-force.

I dropped my HBK-4SP, my LL-CataK2, everything else I used to run and only ran the alpha-boat.

I have put it aside in the last few weeks for my HBK again, and am considering selling the 1X so I don't risk the temptation of the easy-kills alpha-build. I hope somehow that maybe if I don't run it, others won't either. ...but I see the same PPC stalker builds in every single game, ripping my mediums to shreds at first sight...

The build needs more downsides, and it needs to happen NEXT PATCH. Everyone else I have introduced to the game has quit from continually screwed balance (ECM, LRM, and now PPC/AC40) and I have to admit I'm getting close.

--billyM

[Deathlike]

My answers suck because the poll options suck.

I'm driving a HIA boat because I can... but it does get boring.

I could stop if I wanted to, but won't because there's no incentive to, outside of being bored of it.

If others stop, it doesn't mean I have to stop. If it's not popular (as in, its not the FOTM), so be it, but until then, it doesn't always control what I want to use.

Just because there might not be a HIA build, doesn't mean all weapons are competitive for play... this is not limited to weapons like MGs, Flamers, and LRMs that won't be entirely viable in higher level play... it's just the natural design of the weapon the lends to whether or not it is usable in higher level play (unless, it is OP for whatever the reason).

Edited by Deathlike, 05 July 2013 - 06:26 AM.

[Takony]

PVP=highest possible direct fire instant damage, preferably with pinpoint accuracy.
We need more weapons capable of it,not less (i.e. buff srm damage).
Vomiting laser rainbows only worked because crap ppc-s and srms' short range and again stalkers. Former brawling meta wasn't more fair or wasn't more balanced, it was simply more exciting and action packed than hill humping, but it still revolved around 55-98 alphas to one component. So poll is meh,people like big guns and big numbers, fairy-tale domain "mixed" builds will be obliterated by specialised builds, all other things being equal. Nerf ppcs it will be dual gauss or 6 large lasers again. Give more choices,not less. Also whiners gonna whine,but MWO _is_ a shooter with all the nice and ugly bits as well,you can't make minmaxing go away.

[Nasty McBadman]

Takony, on 05 July 2013 - 08:49 AM, said:

you can't make minmaxing go away.

That sounds like a challenge.

[keith]

Nasty McBadman, on 06 July 2013 - 11:45 AM, said:

That sounds like a challenge.

if paul takes away min max he is a horrible balance dev. 1 its part of TT. 2 its part of ever online game.

[KhanHeir]

keith, on 06 July 2013 - 02:29 PM, said:

if paul takes away min max he is a horrible balance dev. 1 its part of TT. 2 its part of ever online game.

Implying they didn't pan it out.

Ever notice how most builds cost about 10 million? Lights, mediums, heavies, assaults, 10 million.

[Deathlike]

Only the Hunchback and most Centurion builds (outside of the Cent-D) are relatively affordable for under 10m.

[aniviron]

Been driving a 3xPPC AWS-8Q since closed beta, stock-ish. Switched to a 4xPPC loadout when the refire rate on PPCs was slowed down, that change made it much much better to run more ppcs and shoot them less instead of using less PPCs and shooting them more. It is for sure the easiest build I run, but I only run it when I am frustrated with the matchmaker or want to stomp faces without putting in much effort. Everything else I drive is mixed weapons. I wouldn't say 4xPPC is boring, but maybe that's because I run other things much of the time (though SRMs being completely screwed has reduced the number of viable variants I own by half). There is for sure a place in the game for a ppc awesome, even if it is too good right now.

[BootHands]

If you magically got rid of high alpha builds, the meta would just evolve to find something else that is better than everything else, and people would be QQing about it in a month.

Also, if all the good players stopped driving good builds, I'd be more likely to build HIA, so I could faceroll.

[Donnie Silveray]

Out of principle, I do not ever boat unless the mech was designed to boat. As far as I see, Stalkers aren't designed to boat PPCs. Neither are Cataphracts.

[NRP]

I actually enjoy high alpha sniper builds. People say it's "easy" mode and takes no skill, but that has not been my experience. I find it quite challenging to be effective, to stay alive, and to figure out how to best support my team.

[Accursed Richards]

BootHands, on 07 July 2013 - 12:34 PM, said:

If you magically got rid of high alpha builds, the meta would just evolve to find something else that is better than everything else, and people would be QQing about it in a month.

But in a well-designed system, that margin is quite small, and not to the point where one weapon i easy mode and the other is a noob trap. Ideally, playing a build with LBX's (or whatever) might be slightly better or worse than a PPC build at the high levels of play, but skill is the deciding factor. Checking the forums for the world-beater build of the day isn't skill.

[Mudhutwarrior]

I stay with balanced mechs because I enjoy the play more than the kill. Scores mean nothing to me because i cannot think of a person I know where I would be proud to admit I was high scoring on Mech Warriors. Kinda insta douche flag goes up. I still enjoy women and social functions so maybe thats it.

[Accursed Richards]

Mudhutwarrior, on 08 July 2013 - 12:46 PM, said:

I stay with balanced mechs because I enjoy the play more than the kill. Scores mean nothing to me because i cannot think of a person I know where I would be proud to admit I was high scoring on Mech Warriors. Kinda insta douche flag goes up. I still enjoy women and social functions so maybe thats it.

You have fun when you dip out of cover for a moment, see a flicker from across the map, and then your arms falls off or CT turns red? Good for you. I personally hate the choice between a fun build and one that can contribute to a match, but I am a lesser man who lacks your dazzling social acumen or Adonis-like success with the ladies, so I can only seethe in impotent envy.

[Sephlock]

Accursed Richards, on 08 July 2013 - 04:21 PM, said:

You have fun when you dip out of cover for a moment, see a flicker from across the map, and then your arms falls off or CT turns red? Good for you. I personally hate the choice between a fun build and one that can contribute to a match, but I am a lesser man who lacks your dazzling social acumen or Adonis-like success with the ladies, so I can only seethe in impotent envy.

I couldn't find the appropriate panel (the one just before this one, IIRC), so you'll just have to settle for this.

Edited by Sephlock, 08 July 2013 - 05:29 PM.

[Wintersdark]

Meh, I pilot whatever I find entertaining, and I always do reasonably well. some "HIA" builds but most are not. My two favourite mechs are my heavy metal w/ gauss, 3LL and 2ssrm2's; and my Misery with 3LL and AC20.

Neither are HIA, and I have no trouble facing HIA builds in either.