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[Ophidian]

Okay. About the whole jump jet shake thing.

I liked the initial changes to the reticule. I always viewed claims of motion-sickness with some skepticism, but given that I tend to get dizzy just playing an ultra fast light with no JJs, I kept an open mind about it.

Now though, the shake has been reduced to the point that poptarting seems viable again, and I'm left wondering what the point is? Naturally, accommodations must be made to ensure that people don't spew when playing the game, but current games are in danger of becoming nothing but a series of toasters holding static positions endlessly hopping up and down. This is not to the game's best interests.

The obvious solution (to me) is to introduce physics. Basic physics. An object at rest stays at rest, and etc. A mech is a multi ton machine that has limbs that are many times proportionally heavier than a persons. Severe changes in momentum are going to have effects, particularly with heavies and assaults.

I suggest that a mech, when jumping up, should have the reticule (in fact, the entire upper torso) get dragged downwards. And when falling, the torso should get dragged upwards. The heavier the mech is, the more this is noticeable. For light mechs, this should be negligible.

This momentum change can be resisted by the player, but the more weight the mech has, the harder it should be. Poptarting in, for example, a Cataphract shouldn't be entirely impossible, but the player would have to wait for that split second "sweet spot", which should be difficult for all but the most twitchiest of pilots. And maybe if you can pull that off, you deserve to be able to make that shot.

This also has the benefit of discouraging mid-air streak/LRM missile locking, which is irritating to deal with.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Have fun debating.

p.s. Make crouching possible. I can't count how many times I wish my mech was a little bit shorter when the missiles started raining and the only cover available just wasn't tall enough. The complete inability to move until you uncrouch should be a fair trade, right?

[Ewigan]

Poptarting is not viable again.

Simple reason why: The shake might be gone, but the randomness where you shoot while jumping up is still there.
Just try it, your shots will go all over the place.