64 replies to this topic

[Sephlock]

This is just a preliminary effect. I'm sure they'll be able to spruce things up.

By September.

In addition to fixing all the new bugs.

And all the old ones.

And fixing LRMs.

And the big 3 (MG, Flamer, LBX)

And ECM (properly).

And hopefully avoiding any new bugs (which doesn't look very likely, given the rate of the introduction of new bugs).

[Lorcan Lladd]

I think MGs are more effective at damaging 'Mechs than Arty and Air Strikes are - of course, if asked, I honestly couldn't tell which of these pieces of equipment needs to be buffed the most.

Edited by Lorcan Lladd, 11 April 2013 - 03:27 PM.

[Victor Morson]

Nick Carlile, on 11 April 2013 - 03:24 PM, said:

Hard to debate, PGI should probably take the guy who worked on these to task. It's about the poorest implementation of something I've seen in a game in a while.

They look, to me, like a 24 hour prototype. Like a scripter spent a couple days working on them, and wanted to see if they were going in the direct direction. Yes, it's a beta, but this is an Alpha level feature. It had no business going live yet.

[Selbatrim]

Hey buff advocates. Can you outline how you think Arty/air should work and how you think it will impact game-play?

[Nick Carlile]

Victor Morson, on 11 April 2013 - 03:32 PM, said:

They look, to me, like a 24 hour prototype. Like a scripter spent a couple days working on them, and wanted to see if they were going in the direct direction. Yes, it's a beta, but this is an Alpha level feature. It had no business going live yet.

Alpha may even be an understatement. This is something that should never have even been patched onto an internal testing server.

Under normal circumstances this item doesn't make it off the computer of the guy who developed it. He would be told to go back and fix it before they include the code into the game.

[Victor Morson]

Nick Carlile, on 11 April 2013 - 03:35 PM, said:

Under normal circumstances this item doesn't make it off the computer of the guy who developed it. He would be told to go back and fix it before they include the code into the game.

I've seen farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr worse make it into an alpha build.

Beta's a different story. A live Beta that barely qualifies as beta is even worse. I think we're closer to "Full game awaiting a big expansion pack" right now.

Edited by Victor Morson, 11 April 2013 - 03:40 PM.

[WVAnonymous]

I have been on the receiving end of pink smoke and banging sounds twice. Not exactly "rolling thunder"...

[Nick Carlile]

Victor Morson, on 11 April 2013 - 03:39 PM, said:

I've seen farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr worse make it into an alpha build.

Beta's a different story. A live Beta that barely qualifies as beta is even worse. I think we're closer to "Full game awaiting a big expansion pack" right now.

Guess I should rephrase, not in an alpha build of a game with an IP on the level of Mechwarrior.

[Roadbeer]

Selbatrim, on 11 April 2013 - 03:35 PM, said:

Hey buff advocates. Can you outline how you think Arty/air should work and how you think it will impact game-play?

Well, some damage would be nice... not much, but enough to make it worth the CBill cost. So maybe 50%-75% more... I mean what it costs for GXP, etc. Those pilot skill slots are supposed to be "End Game" level stuff. So, a little punch, I'd be ok with.

[kitazari]

Maybe if you had to call in your aero-fighter first, at which point it would be flying around on the map for around 30 seconds, capable of being shot, and during that time you could give the air-strike order and the fighter would strike and leave? (Would force you to pick the window of use, and then within that window give an almost instant attack.)

The artillery is weak, but aside from damage/amount its implementation makes sense. You order a volley, it takes a few seconds to arrive.

Edited by kitazari, 11 April 2013 - 03:43 PM.

[verybad]

They're not even a money maker. After using them even once, I don't think many people will use them again. There are essentially no effect, sound or grahics wise, the damage is worthless, and they're simply a letdown and boring.

Anyone using them is more likely to be made fun of rather than feared, they're the new NARC in terms of effectiveness.

[Kurayami]

they should scrap em and replace with holy exterminatus.

[Jonathan Paine]

Say the "I dont want skill to influence a good game" players get their wish: really effective artillery and airstrikes. Pay some C-bills or MC. Gain the ability to inflict area damage at a distance at 0 tonnage cost and 0 critical slots.

What happens to MWO? Build moar trenches? Trench warrior online? At least back when LRMs did actual damage, someone had to use tonnage and crits to get the weapon system. And you could shoot the ********.

I might be willing to consider artillery strikes/air strikes if they required a command console + a spotter (possibly using BAP ). If any ***** pilot can call in 2 good strikes...hey, maybe the really ***** ones will target their own team just to grief.

[CarnifexMaximus]

I'm really glad someone started this topic, because I sure as hell was not going to do it myself.

Was arty and air the bigger April fools joke? I have never seen an air strike so I can't comment on them. I have seen a few arty drops. 1/2 the time I see the smoke but I dont ever see the arty drop.

Apparently I got hit by arty in my atlas, I wouldn't have noticed except my buddy on TS3 told me it was so.

I'm all for stronger arty that is dropped by using the command console. Also the barrage is so tightly packed it's almost funny.

I was really looking forward to these support things to add more to the game. Sometimes there's a bit too much WW I in MWO, I was looking forward to fire support changing the gameplay just a bit. On maps like Frozen City where the match just devolves into an ugly battle of attrition.

[Roadbeer]

Jonathan Paine, on 11 April 2013 - 03:50 PM, said:

Say the "I dont want skill to influence a good game" players get their wish: really effective artillery and airstrikes. Pay some C-bills or MC. Gain the ability to inflict area damage at a distance at 0 tonnage cost and 0 critical slots.

What happens to MWO? Build moar trenches? Trench warrior online? At least back when LRMs did actual damage, someone had to use tonnage and crits to get the weapon system. And you could shoot the ********.

I might be willing to consider artillery strikes/air strikes if they required a command console + a spotter (possibly using BAP ). If any ***** pilot can call in 2 good strikes...hey, maybe the really ***** ones will target their own team just to grief.

Don't hold back, share how you really feel.

[verybad]

I just wanted them to add to the fun. Now I feel like a 4 year old on Christmas day opening up an empty box...

"Really...no, where's the gift? Really?

IMO, an Art/Air strike should be about 50 damage spread all over the targets in it's area. There should be ample warning, and lots of LOUD explosions.

The cost is really low either CB or MC, so complaints about that can be ignored. Anyone whining about that...You can earn enough to use them every game just through CB grinding. P2P is a ridiculous response. Anyone can use them, so they're not unbalancing.

Just make them a fun addition, not so incredibly disappointing.

Edited by verybad, 11 April 2013 - 03:58 PM.

[Roadbeer]

verybad, on 11 April 2013 - 03:56 PM, said:

I just wanted them to add to the fun. Now I feel like a 4 year old on Christmas day opening up an empty box...

"Really...no, where's the gift? Really?

I wanted a Red Rider BB gun, and I got this Bunny suit from my aunt that smells of mothballs.

[shabowie]

The worst part of the strikes is the red smoke thing alerting everyone to move. Makes it totally useless against people who aren't morons.

If its going to be that visible and take that long to hit it should be a barrage that continues to land there for some time as a kind of area denial tool or something interesting.

Edited by shabowie, 11 April 2013 - 04:15 PM.

[Roadbeer]

shabowie, on 11 April 2013 - 04:13 PM, said:

The worst part of the strikes is the red smoke thing alerting everyone to move. Makes it totally useless against people who aren't morons.

So, you're saying it can be quite effective.

[Victor Morson]

Selbatrim, on 11 April 2013 - 03:35 PM, said:

Hey buff advocates. Can you outline how you think Arty/air should work and how you think it will impact game-play?

Personally?

Artillery: Moderate blast damage, very random in the hit area, a hit area of at least 1000m by default, a sustained 30 second or so barrage. There should be a long delay between calling it and it's arrival.

Effectively, this would make it an area denial weapon. Throw it on a mountain top of objective point and you make staying inside of the danger zone a serious risk. Blast damage should be enough to put some armor yellow or orange at least: Make it an attractive option to leave the blast area, but not necessarily a fatal one to stay in it and cross your fingers that you avoid a bad hit. The long delay is there to give a team a chance to leave if they move out immediately; again, area denial more than kills/damage.

Airstrikes: For one, I'd like to see a model for the fighter or VTOL. Seriously, this is a Crytek engine game, having missiles and shots come out of thin air looks really silly.

What I'd like for them? A single NPC areospace fighter that enters the map and fires a barrage of shots on a strafing run at any 'mech in the strike area. It'd be great if it had limited health and could be shot down, which again, for something that's AI consists of "go in a straight line, and shoot" I don't feel is asking for the moon.

The less targets in the hit area, the obviously more focused the strafing run would be (Most Aerospace fighters carry similar firepower to 'mechs, but lighter), adding some strategy to it.

The purpose of doing it this way would be to add.. well, a decent airstrike into the game. Bombs are really impressive but I think the firepower of a canon areospace fighter strafing you for a few seconds shouldn't be game breaking, esp. if you could indeed shoot it down.

EDIT: Something like this would be good- A couple PPCs and an LRM10 to pink away at the start of a pass, and an AC/20 to punish you if you don't shoot it down before it completes the pass. Enough damage to be worth taking, not enough to be an I win button.

Edited by Victor Morson, 11 April 2013 - 04:19 PM.