This thread is great. Sadly, I just found it today, otherwise I'd have loved to be part of the discussion. It is completely in sync with my thinking that convergence is the issue with long-range boating and NOT a heat problem.
As a potentially viable alternative, I personally like this strategy -- please let me know what you think. Bill especially -- I'd love to know your thoughts. I think this "should" be easier for the devs to implement. (Not coming from a programmer.)
Reasoning:
Direct-fire weapons fire in a straight line (duh) originating from a fixed single point of origin. (Let's ignore gravity and wind, etc.)
Issue:
When drawing a line from a single point, even the slightest variation in fire angle can make a difference in where the line extends to. The further out you go from that point, the more "offline" the shot becomes as it continues along its path. So at 100m, it may be 1/2 metre off target. But at 1,000m, that becomes 5m off target. And so on.
Justification:
Mechs aren't perfect. Physical constructs aren't perfect. Sure, the mech has a targeting computer, and it can calculate where to converge all the weapons correctly. BUT, are all of the gears/synchros in place? Have the arms and weapons all been calibrated? Can the computer really tell exactly where the shot is going to go to the exact degree? Probably not.
Solution:
Involve a very slight random number generator effect when multiple weapons are fired simultaneously. Or heck, even add it to when every weapon (except homing weapons) fires.
Rebuke:
Random number generator?!?! Are you kidding me? This is a skill-based FPS-style sim! That will completely trash the game!
Not really. What it will do is make long-range sniping a little less effective. Let's take your typical 5 ERPPC Stalker. At 810m, why would this mech ever NOT shoot at you if they can see you? They have no ammo limit. Heat is an issue, but if they have enough heat sinks (which they will) and some heat-management skills (which they probably will if they're boating PPCs), they won't shutdown or overheat immediately.
The RNG doesn't even have to be huge. I'm talking like
tenths or
hundredths of a degree. Which means if Mr. Stalker walks up to you at 50m and fires at your CT, you get 50 damage to your CT. BUT, at 810m, it might randomly mean the difference of 50 damage spread over your CT, LT and RT. Or maybe not, it's random - just like the gears/cogs/actuators/whetever in the mech.
But, you might argue, at 50m they can still boat effectively. Sure they can! But you would be able to fight back at that range too.
What this
would help to do would be to prevent those shots on Forest Colony from that Stalker that manage to core lights and mediums from a range where you can't even see it. Sure, you'll get tagged hard (still all 50 points damage at 810m), but it's less likely to all hit the same spot and kill you instantly. And it does not effect close-range brawling, as at that range any small percentage aim difference will be almost negligible.
And from 810-1,620m, it makes the damage spread even more likely. Which might force matches on Alpine Peaks to close in a little.
For all of the military snipers on the forums -- doesn't this make some sense? How good are you guys at hitting targets 1.5 km away vs 100m? I'm not saying you can't -- I'm just saying I'm betting it's quite a bit harder.
Thanks for reading.
Edit: typos.
Edited by HighTest, 14 June 2013 - 06:18 AM.