23 replies to this topic

[Corison]

Penderyn, on 21 May 2013 - 12:24 AM, said:

I don't know what you mean when you keep saying 'the game itself' - the art and engine are the game! The idea for the game as a free 2 play online shooter came 'in the winter months of 2011' - so again about a 18 months ago. As far as I can tell, no part of this game, not the plans, not the art, not the engine is much more than 18 months old.

The main difference between are perspectives, is your only considering the final released version of the product as the game. I considered everything that went into the product from day 1 of its start.

For example, many games start their development without a specific engine and the decision on which engine to use (or create) is made much later in the process. I have worked on games that were in development for 2 or 3 years, then settled on (or changed) game engines then released 8 months later. This is especially true when a game uses an outsourced pre-existing engine that is somewhat plug and play. Is that game 8 months old? Not even close, imo that game would be closer to 3-4 years old.

From the sources you have cited, the current released engine/assets are about 18 months old. However you can be sure a lot of work was done prior to that. If you simply look from the start of Piranha’s involvement you’re looking at MWO starting a bit prior to March 2009. How much of that work was kept and went into the final product, and how much of it was tossed out really doesn’t matter as it was all part of the process.

[Koniving]

Darius Deadeye, on 21 May 2013 - 02:49 AM, said:

http://mwomercs.com/...apon-balancing/

Paul Inoye writes (on may 2nd):

Machine Guns
MGs are getting their damage doubled to 0.08/shell.
MG range is going to be 120m and they will fall off to 0 damage at 240m.
MG Spread will remain unchanged for the moment.

Compiling this info for comparison.

Pre-patch...

• Damage is 0.04/shell.
  
• Range is 90 meters, fall off to zero at 120m.
  
• 10 shells (bullets) fired per second, making 0.4 damage/sec.
  
• Crit-slot damage is minimum 0.4/sec, max 1.2/sec (doesn't count as damage to mech, just weapons, heatsinks, etc.)
  
• 6 MGs Jager deals 2.4 damage per second, min 2.4 crit-slot damage/sec, max 7.2 crit-slot damage/sec (rare)

Post-patch

• Damage is 0.08/shell.
  
• Range is 120 meters, fall off to zero at 240m.
  
• 10 shells (bullets) fired per second, making 0.8 damage/sec. (unless firing rate changes)
  
• Crit-slot damage is minimum 0.8/sec, max 2.4/sec (doesn't count as damage to mech, just weapons, heatsinks, etc.)
  
• 6 MGs Jager deals 4.8 damage per second, min 4.8 crit-slot damage/sec, max 14.4 crit-slot damage/sec (rare)

Interesting note: Current engine crit-slot health is 15 (but crit-damage to engines is disabled at the moment).

Most ammo has 10 health. Heatsinks have 10 health. Weapons have between 1 and 10 health.

Currently a 4 MG Spider can destroy an Atlas's AC/20 (counting after armor is gone) in 3 seconds average (sometimes faster). That time will be cut in half.

Edited by Koniving, 21 May 2013 - 08:18 AM.

[Deathlike]

It has been stated before, but worth repeating again: The game isn't generating 10 bullets/sec despite that being the current spec. It's a bit less than that, thus devaluing the actual DPS. This doesn't even factor in the cone of fire that MGs use, unlike other weapons.

[Koniving]

Corison, on 21 May 2013 - 05:43 AM, said:

If you simply look from the start of Piranha’s involvement you’re looking at MWO starting a bit prior to March 2009.

Since you're counting that, it began 2008. More of that went into MWTactics than MWO.

The issue is when you count the stuff abandoned as well, much of that is time lost or wasted, all the single player components, etc as if it's part of this game when it is not then you facilitate more of a bad perspective for others who read it out of context. The reason I don't count that is most people wouldn't either. They look at the game engine and hear "They started this in 2008? This is all they have?" It looks very bad when you put it in that perspective. "Why didn't they fix this sooner?" "Why are my screens trying to find signals still?" "How come my throttle lever is backwards?" "Why did it take them 5+ years to finally think of Host State Rewind?" None of that could be fixed before the engine even existed. Therefore you should count when the development of the engine started when it comes to balancing issues, game issues, bugs, etc.

Deathlike, on 21 May 2013 - 08:22 AM, said:

It has been stated before, but worth repeating again: The game isn't generating 10 bullets/sec despite that being the current spec. It's a bit less than that, thus devaluing the actual DPS. This doesn't even factor in the cone of fire that MGs use, unlike other weapons.

I'm aware. Personally mine actually pumps out 8 to 13 bullets per second in at the last recorded comparison of 5 seconds. But some computers shoot slower. Some may shoot faster.

And you're correct. But stats for missiles don't count the fact that those 1.5 damage per missile SRMs are actually doing upwards of 6 damage per missile still with splash damage. Nor does it count a single PPC's ability to deal double damage if you hit between two body sections (CT/RT you deal 10 damage to both).

Nothing's perfect. But on paper that's what MGs deal.

Edited by Koniving, 21 May 2013 - 08:32 AM.