4 replies to this topic

[Phaesphoros]

I conducted a series of tests on testing grounds an in online matches that show that the heat display in the HUD is inconsistent and confusing; but it might be the case that some of the findings are ping-related.

The short version: It's inconsistent between shots, there's a delay before the heat dissipation begins (as opposed to testing grounds), and the heat display doesn't seem to scale right for small/big groups of weapons. Also, there seem to be values below 0% (even though 0% is the lowest displayed value).

The long version in Patch Feedback

As far as I know, this is the formula to determine the heat threshold for DHS:
heat threshold = (30 basic + 10 internal * 2.0 + n external * 1.4) * 1.2 elite efficiency


If you know something about the heat threshold other than or different to what I've mentioned (e.g. official statements), please let me know.

Also, it'd be great if you could share your observations including your ping. Best would be videos, can't make them myself because my FPS is too low in online matches (with MSI Afterburner screen capture).
What exactly happens to the heat display when you fire a high-heat weapon? What happens if you group-fire multiple?

Edited by Phaesphoros, 27 June 2013 - 02:37 PM.

[XphR]

Have you taken into account environmental temperature?

[Phaesphoros]

XphR, on 27 June 2013 - 12:29 PM, said:

Have you taken into account environmental temperature?

In the formula, no. But environmental temperatures cannot explain all the weird things and inconsistencies going on on the heat meter (see full post in Patch Feedback). It would explain why you get less heat increase when you fire the first salvo (as compared to the second salvo), which I already have taken into account as an explanation. But this makes things even more messed up, as this would mean that there are heat levels below 0%.

Edit: An amendment.
If environmental temperatures had an effect on the heat threshold, it should be a constant one while my 'Mech doesn't move. It might be different for different maps or locations (like the volcano/caldera on Caustic). The biggest issue I had during the tests was not that the heat threshold was different from what I expected, but what happened during tests in the same match at the same location (with the same 'Mech and loadout etc).

Edited by Phaesphoros, 27 June 2013 - 01:17 PM.

[XphR]

I can record with MSI and do some fire patterns in a hex ppc stalker. Im assuming from heat neutral I should fire a grouping and then return to heat neutral, fire the same grouping multiple times before returning to neutral? Or are you looking for something different?

[Phaesphoros]

XphR, on 27 June 2013 - 04:46 PM, said:

I can record with MSI and do some fire patterns in a hex ppc stalker. Im assuming from heat neutral I should fire a grouping and then return to heat neutral, fire the same grouping multiple times before returning to neutral? Or are you looking for something different?

I'm looking for the behaviour of the heat display under different circumstances:

• heat increase from small groups of weapons, best to compare with my results: 2 ERPPCs (how big is the increase? what exactly happens on the heat display? immediate effect? build-up?)
  
• heat increase from large groups of weapons, best to compare with my results: 4 ERPPCs
  
• heat spikes after shooting a weapon (fraction of a second)
  
• sub-0% heat percentages on cold maps ('Mech standing still, heat after first shot is much less than expected; see method described below)
  
• begin of heat dissipation after shooting (is it immediate? or delayed by 1-2 seconds?)

On cold maps, my tests seem to suggest that the actual heat is lower than 0%. Therefore a standby heat of 0% is unreliable, and the heat has somehow to be increased to > 0% to get reliable numbers for the heat increase. The method I used was to fire a small (group of) weapon, let it cool back down to 0% and in the moment the heat hit 0% I fired the actual group I wanted to test. This should be accurate within 1% if repeated several times.

A test I conducted:

• AS7-RS with 4 ERPPC, 21 DHS (11 external), 120-130 ping
  
• Don't move
  
• Shoot 1 ERPPC to raise heat if heat display says 0%
  
• When heat comes back to 0% (in the exact moment), perform actual test
  
• Actual test: Shoot either 2 ERPPCs or 4 ERPPCs, observe heat display for the effects described above
  
• Cool down to 0% and repeat testing procedure.