Reptilizer, on 09 April 2013 - 05:55 AM, said:
Bad way to single out stuff that needs fixing is
bad for several obvious reasons including forum trolls. I would much prefer a balanced approach
BASED on in game data. Discuss
Forum feedback isn't useless, but it shouldn't be taken as truth, either. There was nothing but LRM boat QQing for weeks even before the splash damage issue. During that time, other weapons were broken; and the LRM QQ drowned it all out. If something is over-powered, it will cause QQ. Under-powered? Much less.
Here is the root problem: there are statistics now that are even visible to PLAYERS, and PGI is completely ignoring that data. They have a big picture view of that data across all players, and can probably produce data on specific mechs, maps, and weapons over a large number of players and drops. They're not doing this.
They can also tell how many hours are played with various weapons equipped. That is a good indicator of whether or not a weapon is useful. If everyone is using Medium Lasers to some extent, they probably don't suck. Almost no-one using MG, Flamer, Small Pulse Laser -- an indicator that these weapons are not very useful. SPL is a filler and there are many other energy-weapon choices with similar ton/slot costs; otherwise there would be massive out-cry about it.
They can also collect data on what weapons produce the most killing blows. Right now, that would be the high point-damage weapons: AC20, Gauss Rifle, PPC, ERPPC. This is not necessarily an indication that the weapons themselves are over-powered, but that concentrated point damage deserves some thought. I think they are problematic, but many players do not agree. It's a complex issue that is hard to understand without a combination of data, player feedback (QQ), and if they decide something should be changed, TESTING.
Currently they are not doing any of these things well. This is a bad sign.
It is also plainly obvious that they are either not listening to the community staff folks that they hire to aggregate player feedback and communicate it to them, or those staff are not doing a good job. I tend to suspect the problem is on the developer end at this point, since some of these issues are obvious with simple arithmetic or trivial queries against the database of player stats.
I still think that integrated in-game VOIP is more important than anything else. Teamwork will change the balance of the game dramatically. It should favor brawlers and reduce some of the silly sniping. It would have nerfed LRM boating if the damage nerf didn't do it first. Being able to communicate with your PUG teammates will hugely change the game, and some of the weapon balance issues that are being cried about now, may not be such a big deal, once you can effectively cooperate in a random drop.
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