11 replies to this topic

[BigJim]

I posted a version of this in the feedback forum earlier, but on reflection, I think it's more of an open-letter type post, and I would really like to see if the general scout-population agree or disagree with my sentiments.
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To the Devs and anyone who will listen;

The recent change to missiles has been the best thing to happen to the Light-game since this game went Open-Beta.

I've been a full-time scout pilot since early closed, that would be like June last year.
4500+ games since Open Beta, and way more than that during Closed, nearly all in Scouts.

Please take this to heart - I'm not one of those people who moan about nerfing this, or buffing that, as a rule I just keep my head down and work with what we've got at any given time.

That said, since Open beta, the light game has been a joyless experience, and I've stuck with it only because my unit needed scouts.
The dominance of the Raven, with it's combo of ECM and massively powerful Streaks made this so.

Now, finally, with missiles (Streaks and to a lesser extent LRMs) being that bit less powerful, we're finally seeing the Light game open up to allow Jenners, non-ECM Cicadas, Spiders, etc.. being not only good for trolling, but also a competitive option.

Last night in a League match I dropped in a team with 2x Jenners and a non-ECM 'Cada, vs a team that also eschewed ECM Lights.
Just consider - two competitive units (final match of the season so real effort) NOT taking as many ECM-lights as possible. When was the last time you ever heard of that?

All night tonight I've been running random 8-mans, and have seen a real mix of Lights, who have al been able to perform; I've seen, and been on teams who didn't even take a single ECM/Streak light.

It sounds such a little thing, but this is such a radical turn around as to be amazing. It's the first genuine opening-up of options I've seen since Open.


The changes regarding hitboxes and state-rewind prevent Lights being as dominant overall as they used to be, back when a Jenner could 1v8 a whole team in early Closed-Beta; But still for as long as anyone cares to remember, we've had the situation where any scout that isn't a Raven 3L is an utter joke, and the guys in the Ravens aren't enjoying themselves either.

Now that one can withstand a few barrages of Streaks, we're back where the genuinely better pilot wins a given engagement, and the choice of mech reflect more the pilots playstyle and role, rather than just one mech to rule them all.

ECM can now be about stealth, and not about denying or enabling the only weapon worth a damn.



This has been the single best thing to happen to me in the game since it started, and I pray to the mech-gods that this "temporary" measure doesn't suddenly roll back to where Streaks are once again the dominant scout weapon, meaning everyone and his dog has to out-ECM the enemy just to have a chance.

So in conclusion, please, please please - Keep streaks in thier box. Right now they're an effective attrition weapon, that will wear you down over time and are ideal to keep up the pressure on a target, but if they become just a little more powerful than they are right now, they'll go right back to being the only sensible option, the God-Missiles they have been for as long as Open Beta has been in place.

Please don't let that happen.
Much love - a scout who aches to pilot anything but a Raven.. <3

[Chemie]

nerf streaks + HSR + raven leg hitbox = jenners viable again

Edited by Chemie, 26 March 2013 - 03:13 AM.

[Shumabot]

Nerfed SRMs and LRMs brought this game back to being fun. It's poptart town, but if they can nerf that as well this game might finally turn into something that isn't fundamentally broken.

[Phaesphoros]

Unfortunately, the SRM2 does the same amount of damage as SSRM2, but spread out making it completely useless. (Used to mount it on JRs sometimes.)
That said, after mastering JRs a while ago, and trying to avoid any contact with 3Ls -- after the nerf, I don't fear ravens any more. They're still pretty hard to hit, as they have large side torsos; but they don't get me with 2-3 salvos.
*thumbsup*

[Traigus]

I have been having a good time in my lights/meds around my Heavy weekend play.

There has been a bit less ECM.

I actually saw a founders Atlas yesterday!

I have been having a good time in my lights/meds around my Heavy weekend play.

There has been a bit less ECM.

I actually saw a founders Atlas yesterday!

[Tennex]

its pretty nice now. lowers the power level of the ravens.

but they will raise the SRM/sSRM damage eventually.


by then i hope to see ECM nerfs.
ECM isn't even being used for its intended scout/antielectronic role anymore. nowadays its like a stealth system/missile shield in one.

Edited by Tennex, 25 March 2013 - 04:03 PM.

[Silentium]

Was running my Flame all weekend, and just picked up a jagermech. It sounds like I should hop back in the Jenner and get the blood pumping again before I forget my roots.

[hammerreborn]

Streaks just need to go back to hitting 5 points instead of just the CT for everything to be perfect again. Nowadays I end Ravens with a completely exposed ct and barely a scratch everywhere else.

[BigJim]

Tennex, on 25 March 2013 - 04:00 PM, said:

its pretty nice now. lowers the power level of the ravens.

but they will raise the SRM/sSRM damage eventually.


by then i hope to see ECM nerfs.

I sincerely hope you're wrong mate, as that logic is the wrong way round.
ECM never killed anybody, it's annoying, but it's only annoying because of people's over-reliance on homing missiles.

Remove the overwhelming power of those missiles, and you remove much of the need to take ECM. (the ECM variants aren't actually the best examples of their type, as long as you aren't worried about god missiles).

I know from experience running scout lances in league play that the strat when it comes to ECM is simply to out-number the enemy ECM carriers, so that we can use our streaks, and they can't use theirs.
That it. That's all we cared about, and it's been that way for months now. So dry, joyless and miserable.


Remove much of the need for ECM, and you see more variety in mech choices, and everyone enjoys the game more.
The last thing that should happen is to jack Streak damage back up and then try to downgrade ECM, that's just ignoring the problem.

Edited by BigJim, 25 March 2013 - 11:11 PM.

[Corvus Antaka]

I agree. hoping to see LRMS return with more power and less turning/tracking soon to maintain the current gameplay.

[CarpetShark]

I was just about to post something similar.

Thank you, PGI!

I've been dying a lot lately in my Jenners, since the hotfix. I've been one shot by dual AC20s, ripped apart by SRMs, legged and then lasered to death, cored by machine gun fire (!); the list goes on. And it's been wonderful!

I used to die, tediously, to only two things: LRMs and Raven 3Ls suction cupped to my behind. And that was it.

The game has so much variety now! Thanks, guys!

[MaddMaxx]

Quote

I used to die, tediously, to only two things: LRMs and Raven 3Ls suction cupped to my behind.

Well if that don't tell the Tale, not sure what would. lol