7 replies to this topic

[ValdnadHartagga]

I came up with this in the shower, that wonderful place where all world-rocking thoughts see the light of day.

Lately I've been inspired by rally-modified cars, although this could really go for any vehicle involved in a motorsport. Rally cars are reinforced to handle the stresses of traversing rough terrain at high speed - a well-built one can roll over and still come out relatively okay.

I'm wondering about some of the implications of a 'Mech specifically designed to jump. We'll use the Catapult as an example. Most Catapult variants have Jump Jets built in, and those that don't are often modifications of the base chassis (i.e., Kurita variants). The Catapult is designed from the get-go to be a jumper, and it may be logical to conclude that its legs are built to accommodate the forces of landing from its maximum jump height. Another example is the Highlander, whose fluff even states that its legs were re-engineered specifically to withstand repeated use of the Highlander Burial tactic.

I submit that any 'Mech chassis family that is designed to utilize Jump Jets should be treated as having sufficient structural engineering to warrant reduced fall damage in the legs only, or reduced chances of fall damage, when falling from a height equal to or less than its maximum theoretical jump height based on the game's implementation of Jump Jets.

That means even 'Mechs that don't have Jump Jet slots but are in a line of 'Mechs that do (i.e., Catapult K2), it would have the same reduced fall damage, since it has the same basic chassis structure (no reason not to). Catapults have up to four Jump Jet criticals, so jump height would be based on the height attainable by four Jump Jets for all variants. None of this means that there won't be fall damage, just that there will be less. Nor does this reduce the probability of damage to leg internals from weapons fire, though perhaps this could also lead to damage resistance in collisions (walking into other 'Mechs). This feature would also not affect the internal structure once damaged; the leg internals need to be whole and healthy to gain the bonus, otherwise they are damaged as normal (structure is compromised).

No damage resistance occurs as a result of falls from heights above the maximum jump height. So if you walk a Catapult off the top of a skyscraper, its legs will be damaged like any other 'Mech.

I also propose that Hero 'Mechs mounting more jumpjets than their standard counterparts would have the same damage resistance as them. Heavy Metal, for example, can mount up to five Jump Jets, but standard Highlanders can only mount three. Heavy Metal, under this system, could fall from the standard Highlander's maximum Jump Height but with its extra jumping capacity, it can easily exceed it that capacity and potentially damage itself by landing from too high a jump. If we ever get a Hero 'Mech that mounts Jump Jets to a typically non-jumping chassis, it would have no damage resistance (though perhaps it could be fluffed to have it, but then the P2Whiners come out), so jumping puts the 'Mech at risk of damage.

My proposals to implement fall damage resistance would be the following:
1. As described above, simply reduce the amount of fall damage assigned to a 'Mech that is falling from its maximum jump height or less, across the line for all jump-capable 'Mechs. Hero 'Mechs with jump jet slots exceeding those of their standard counterparts will be held to the standard variants' damage resistance values.

OR

2. Reduce the probability of fall damage assigned to a jump-capable 'Mech falling from its maximum jump height or less.

OR

3. Introduce fall damage resistance as an Elite-level 'Mech Skill to be unlocked on each variant so players have to work for it, keeping the constraints for maximum jump height based on standard chassis. This skill would either reduce the damage itself, or reduce the chances for damage.


In any cases, the likelihood or amount of damage prevented would be relatively low (perhaps 2.5% as with a Basic skill) so it doesn't become a major game factor.

Thoughts?

[Dirus Nigh]

No.

If you do not want to take falling damage then dont burn all your Jump fuel to get air born. Learn to save enough fuel for the landing.

[Flying Blind]

No. Jumping has always been a risky move and carried the possibility of damaging your mech. We can't make piloting skill rolls so we have to do something that allows a skilled pilot to avoid damage. In this way I think PGI hit a home run.

[Skyfaller]

Dirus Nigh, on 08 July 2013 - 03:44 PM, said:

No.

If you do not want to take falling damage then dont burn all your Jump fuel to get air born. Learn to save enough fuel for the landing.

Thats not the problem. There is a glitch with fall damage.

Try this:

Take an assault mech. Run it off a cliff. When it lands it takes no damage.
Do the same in a light mech with JJs. Do not use JJs just jump off. You will take damage when landing.

Both are falling the same distance. Yet one takes damage where the other does not. The one with the most mass (hence inertia) is not taking damage...the one with less mass is.

JJet capable mechs should have built in fall-damage resistance. Its absurd to not build that into a mech DESIGNED to jump.

[Dirus Nigh]

Skyfaller, on 08 July 2013 - 04:39 PM, said:

Thats not the problem. There is a glitch with fall damage.

Try this:

Take an assault mech. Run it off a cliff. When it lands it takes no damage.
Do the same in a light mech with JJs. Do not use JJs just jump off. You will take damage when landing.

Both are falling the same distance. Yet one takes damage where the other does not. The one with the most mass (hence inertia) is not taking damage...the one with less mass is.

JJet capable mechs should have built in fall-damage resistance. Its absurd to not build that into a mech DESIGNED to jump.

Then it's a glitch and it needs to be addressed. Giving a mech with Jump Jets damage reduction is not the solution. Making sure that collision damage due to falling is consistent is.

[Bartholomew bartholomew]

Remember if you give resistance then death from above would become a prefered tactic for ALL jumpers. And only some were designed for it. So the only mechs that should have any fall resistance are those that have been noted to be reinforced and/or built to use that specific tactic.

And if an atlas is falling of the same cliff and not taking damage that needs to be fixed bigtime.

[Redwood Elf]

He's wrong...my Assault mechs take damage when walking off cliffs...every time. Or at least I've never noticed my legs NOT flashing afterward.

[PenitentTangent]

*facepalm*

guys, the fall height varies between the the tonnage of the mechs. Assaults can fall farther because they have a stronger frame than lights.

If you were to scale the mechs then this would happen;

1.) assault mech falls off of cliff and receives 1 damage as a result of the fall. I'm using one because it is more mathable than 0 damage.

2.) Light mech 1/4 the size and scale of the assault mech falls off of the same cliff has four times the proportional distance to increasy in velocity and receive damage to what we are assuming is a support hull that is 1/4 the strength of the Assault mech. the light mech experiences significant strain from the impact of the fall and is damaged. If my faulty math is correct, then the light mech received 16 time more damage at 16 damage per leg.

So, comparing my math with how much I seem to experience in-game it seems as though the fall damage has been reduced somewhat to all mechs.

Please point out any errors in my thinking.