14 replies to this topic

[Droz]

Simple.

Allow us to set a convergence before match start, in mechlab.

If I want my weapons to converge at 650 meters, because that's my optimal firing range, then all weapons will converge on a single point at 650 meters. If the weapons hit targets before or after, they are going to be off convergence and hit other locations, and generally gets worse the closer or farther from target you are.

Would this be such a bad idea?

[Dimento Graven]

Droz, on 12 August 2013 - 06:57 AM, said:

Simple.

Allow us to set a convergence before match start, in mechlab.

If I want my weapons to converge at 650 meters, because that's my optimal firing range, then all weapons will converge on a single point at 650 meters. If the weapons hit targets before or after, they are going to be off convergence and hit other locations, and generally gets worse the closer or farther from target you are.

Would this be such a bad idea?

I don't like it.

AT MOST, I say slow down the convergence reaction time that the computer makes when you change your target from near to far (there is a reaction time now, but it's 'fairly' quick). If you're sitting still focusing on a single target you should have convergence, if you switch to a target at a significantly different range, convergence needs to be recalculated and reset, slow that down a bit (not sure how much), but that would maintain a more 'natural' feel to the game...

[AnnoyingCat]

so... i can now pin point splat someone with srms?

[Agent 0 Fortune]

AnnoyingCat, on 12 August 2013 - 08:24 AM, said:

so... i can now pin point splat someone with srms?

Of course. however if your convergence is infront of your target, your missiles all collide with each other destroying the batch. But yes, if you set your convergence to 100m and shoot a target at 100m they will all hit the same location. Of course if your target is at 50m, your misisle will be spread out (probably functioning like they do now).

[ztac]

Kind of defeat the point of weapons having different ranges really.

[Droz]

No, it doesn't defeat the purpose of weapon ranges. Ranges are effective ranges for damage purposes in this game. Convergence is the point which that weapon will hit on your crosshairs. The two are completely different.

As for Missiles, both LRM and SRM, and LBX, both of which are 'cluster' weapons, convergence doesn't affect these weapons as it is. Convergence only affects what it affects now.

To elaborate even more, you could set a convergence for each separate weapons. Fighters in WWII did this as well.

Let's use this example.

I have an Atlas with the following weapons:

LRM 15
SRM 6
ERPPC
ERPPC
AC-20

The LRM and SRM have no convergence options as they are Cluster Weapons.

ERPPC have a range of, iirc, 810. AC-20 is 270. In Mechlab, under the mech loadout options, you can get the manual convergence for each of these weapons. Let's say you want the ERPPCs to converge at a distance longer than the AC-20, because you want to soften up at long range and finish off the with AC-20. So, you would set your convergence to something like this:

LRM 15 N/A
SRM 6 N/A
ERPPC 700m
AC-20 230m

Firing off the PPC's if a target is at 700m, and you fire the PPC's, they will converge to same spot as crosshair. If they are at 800m and you fire, the PPC's will converge at 700m, and then begin to separate, likely not hitting the same location aimed at. Same goes for firing at targets closer.

At 230m, the AC-20 is fired, it will hit the location you aim for. at 350m, it will be off crosshair target, as well as at closer than 230m.

ERPPC's fired in close with long Convergence would have a VERY hard time hitting location, and could even miss target due to convergence, as would short range convergence firing long distances.

We complain about convergence, and there are some great options out there, but if we make it more simple, and put it in the hands of the player, then it begins to make more sense.

[Lugh]

Congratulations on the masterful job on explaining how convergence currently works.

[Lyoto Machida]

Lugh, on 12 August 2013 - 09:33 AM, said:

Congratulations on the masterful job on explaining how convergence currently works.

How is he explaining how convergence currently?
Unless I'm missing something, this sounds like a great idea. Let's say you pick your ERPPC convergence to be 800m and your Atlas target is 150m away facing you directly. If you were to aim CT, you'd most likely hit LT and RT since your ERPPCs are set to converge way down range.

Or if you set them to 400m and tried to hit something 1000m out, you'd probably hit that X pattern at 400m and completely miss the target at 1000m on both sides.

With this way, you'd have to pick whether you were setting up your mech for ERPPC sniping (1000m or more convergence) or for more of an all around shot (maybe 600m-800m). This way, ERPPC/PPCs wouldn't be good at all ranges but the player still ultimately decides how they are going to be used.

Or maybe make the convergence you set as the default convergence and have the rate of convergence to the actual reticle slow so essentially the weapons can track/adjust to different ranges but it takes some time to catch up. Maybe have a targeting computer upgrade speed up the rate of convergence also.

Edited by Lyoto Machida, 13 August 2013 - 01:11 AM.

[mike29tw]

it'd be better if i get to choose different weapon converge at different distance.
eg. my dual PPCs converge at 500, while my medium lasers converge at 200m.

it promotes more varied loadout.

[Ralgas]

How do you solve a hgn 732 using 2ppc and a gauss with a 1000m convergence set then? Because the weps are all on the same side of the mech it might as well be pinpont to max range. You penalise chassis with wide harpoints way too much doing it this way

[Typhoon Storm 2142]

I say disable the torso weapons convergence for good! Torso weapons can't move, they have no actuators. They just fire straight. A way to set them in the lab to converge at a specific range is a good idea too. Either works for me. But stop having them move around and converge like they are water pistols! Only weapons in arms that got lower actuators can be allowed to move/converge. There you have it, problem solved. No more pin point accurate alpha strikes. Was that really so hard?

[Syllogy]

Simple fix that's already in the works: De-synchronization of Shots. You will not be able to fire any combination of pinpoint alpha weapons simultaneously, though they will be fired in rapid (slightly random) succession.

Convergence is no longer a topic that holds any water.

Again... this is already the solution that has been selected by the Devs and is being implemented.

Edited by Syllogy, 13 August 2013 - 07:46 AM.

[Dimento Graven]

Syllogy, on 13 August 2013 - 07:46 AM, said:

Simple fix that's already in the works: De-synchronization of Shots. You will not be able to fire any combination of pinpoint alpha weapons simultaneously, though they will be fired in rapid (slightly random) succession.

Convergence is no longer a topic that holds any water.

Again... this is already the solution that has been selected by the Devs and is being implemented.

Ug, AGAIN, the ******* at PGI select the WORST possible solution.

It is the MOST unnatural and disruptive possible of fixes...

[Lyoto Machida]

Syllogy, on 13 August 2013 - 07:46 AM, said:

Simple fix that's already in the works: De-synchronization of Shots. You will not be able to fire any combination of pinpoint alpha weapons simultaneously, though they will be fired in rapid (slightly random) succession.

Convergence is no longer a topic that holds any water.

Again... this is already the solution that has been selected by the Devs and is being implemented.

Dumb idea, just like the ghost heat fix...probably the easier fixes since they can't/don't want to waste time fixing convergence.

[Ralgas]

Lyoto Machida, on 13 August 2013 - 11:44 AM, said:

Dumb idea, just like the ghost heat fix...probably the easier fixes since they can't/don't want to waste time fixing convergence.

They just dont have time to rebuild hit reg from the ground up at this point + they would have to wait till they nail down the bug causing hit reg problems 1st......... Mind you they consider it THE number 1 issue with the game right now so i doubt they're not working at it