2 replies to this topic

[HammerSwarm]

Coolant Flush

Coolant flush should be both a chassis upgrade and limited use. If they are intent on adding it to the game then it should come with a trade off. I am neither for nor against it; that is not the purpose of this thread. The purpose of this thread is to suggest an implementation if they are intent on adding it. So please no flaming my thread with, “dude coolant is teh sux, you can suxx0rz on my Yen-Lo-Wang, lawl!!!111oneoneeleven!!!!!”.

Coolant Flush Implementation:

Canon or not (IDC about strict canonicity; this isn’t a turn based table top game; this is a FPS wrapped in mechs)

This should be treated as an upgrade in the same way double heat sinks and artimis IV are. Heat sinks should increase in size by 1, (SHS 1(+1) and DHS 3(+1). Coolant should be stored in coolant pods taking one critical slot, and weighing one ton just like ammo is. Coolant would then be ‘fired’ in the same manner as a weapon expending the coolant pod like ammo dropping the heat by some percentage over 10 seconds as the tank drains through the valves and out into the air through an exhaust port.

Why would this increase the size of heat sinks? Because you would be modifying them to work efficiently with the coolant, they wouldn’t necessarily weigh more but the added coolant tubes would increase the size. This is a design choice to limit the effectiveness of this modification for dumping in a bunch of heat sinks over what is built into the engine. The weight is in the coolant tanks which also take up critical slots and tonnage, making it an active trade off between ammo, weapons, permanent heat sinks, and coolant pods.

Trade offs:

By sacrificing critical slots for enlarged heat sinks and coolant pods you may have to forgo weight saving upgrades such as endo steel or ferro fibrous. You may have to select a different weapons load out to balance this vs. alpha striking. Coolant pods can also explode so it has another detriment compared to passive cooling.

Why this is the best idea:

What this does is ties the upgrade to a single chassis like the DHS upgrade while allowing for coolant pods to be moved around like ammo. It would slow a user down from having modules on each chassis and making coolant pods just some silly add on. It makes the trade off obvious and steep allowing players to consider what they want out of their mech.

Making coolant a consumable module not only makes no sense because modules have no weight and liquid coolant requires some sort of system to use. I don’t just spray liquid coolant on my computer, I have to swap out heat sinks, install a pump, and add coolant.

Just say no to bad physics.

[Shakespeare]

I'm actually not too worried about this one. There has to be SOMETHING to differentiate MC purchases, and it's a tough balance to find. This one seems right on the level of hero mechs, which I don't mind (Let's be honest, only one hero so far has had widespread adoption, and many still consider the 3D better than the Ilya). Moreover, it sounds like such a profound money sink that I say bring it on. I'd rather have two opportunities to dodge an overheat (via C-bill modules) than one big dump anyhow. which is better for prolonged combat? Sounds like a wash, to me. If a brawling mech chooses to use a module slot for one...last...shot.... at their own expense, rather than a fast target module, or cap module or sensor module, let em have it. I doubt I'll be using this, since I don't run a lot of overheat style builds anyhow - except for stalkers, and stalkers usually have just one module slot. So again, let em have it.

No, I'm not worried about coolant, it sounds like they've done the numbers and come up with an effect that is noticeable, and complementary to certain playstyles, but not vital for everyone (unlike $*#Y# ECM!), although I suspect they'll cave and make a 3rd coolant module equal to the MC one eventually. I'd offer my 'no big deal, chill out guys' advice in its own thread, but measured, rational conversation gets drowned out during days like these.

now, artillery strikes? Those I'm worried about. I mean, wtf? Here's hoping they won't stack!

[HammerSwarm]

Shakespeare, on 05 March 2013 - 10:51 AM, said:

No, I'm not worried about coolant, it sounds like they've done the numbers and come up with an effect that is noticeable, and complementary to certain playstyles, but not vital for everyone (unlike $*#Y# ECM!), although I suspect they'll cave and make a 3rd coolant module equal to the MC one eventually. I'd offer my 'no big deal, chill out guys' advice in its own thread, but measured, rational conversation gets drowned out during days like these.

You are aware that the coolant things take up module slots? that you have to choose between things like capture accelerator, advanced sensor and now coolant flushes?