Unbound Inferno, on 13 August 2013 - 09:21 PM, said:
I can't provide math, but its not even across the board like we all wish and see for hard armor numbers.
Light mecs are faster and harder to hit, each point of armor holds a higher weight for that fact.
An assault is a slow, lumbering target - and its speed isn't improved. The additional armor holds less weight for them.
Same case for any between. The lightest mechs benefit the most by having more chances to continue to scurry around with less hits landing - while the heavier mechs suffer greater.
While I agree Mediums are too fragile for their size and slower speed, lights are far too tough. Likewise although Heavies balance reasonably well now in most cases the assaults suffer greatly.
Its not an even return for the weight class, it can never be due to speed and accuracy of human error.
I am not aware of any mech that didn't get a clear double armor. Then again, I have not picked apart every mech placed into MWO with it's TT counterpart. So, you could be right, you might be wrong. I am not sure at this time. All I know is (if it is indeed truly double), the math says it isn't an imbalance.
You have a good point. Fast mechs benefit more from their armor, but only if they are moving fast (not to say a slower light can't work well). That is their advantage. However, the OP is saying that fast, light mechs are not surviving well enough and don't benefit from double armor as much as an assault/heavy does.
Agreed about Assaults. They have heavier armor, but are slower. This makes them easier to hit. However, don't forget that (as of current) there is a hard speed cap. Many players are paying and placing in the largest engine into their light mechs, and they aren't really going as fast as they should. (Unless this has changed without my knowledge.) An Assault does not pay for their speed and not benefit fully from it. Your statement here is actually the exact opposite of the OPs point of view. You have good points, but from what I can see and play myself I feel they are fairly well balanced. The Spider (from my playing experience) has a lot of what light mechs should have (minus when they are standing still and not taking damage, which is wrong), survivability. I survive a lot better in my Spider than I can my Jenner. I think some of that is hitbox size. My Spider gets damage splashed all over, spreading it out so my armor takes full effect. My Jenner tends to take damage just to it's CT, nullifying the benefits of even having armor on my side toros.
Mediums feel like they are too large for their tonnage. If you fix the size of them to be closer to a light mech (for the most part), I think you will find many of the medium mechs problems diminishing. The problem is that some Mediums stand almost as tall as the heavies or even assaults. (The Stalker is an exception to the size rule, as most of it's bulk and size is placed more horizontal instead of vertical. He's got large barn sides, but less height. Atlas and Awesome are the other way around, having taller height, but thinner sides. Especially the Awesome. Very thin on the side profile.) Mix that with really great convergence and pin point accuracy... and you got problem.
Their are reasons light mechs are around. If all they did was die really fast, no one would make them and no one would use them. Hovertanks would probably take their place as scouts, being cheaper and able to maintain speed over more terrain types.
I think more problems would be solved with a slower convergence rate (with probably having your reticule turn gold when you have a full convergence on a target) than with any armor/structure tweaks. It doesn't even have to be delayed by much, maybe even a 10-20% delay could make all the difference. Snap shots would become harder, and aimed shots you take your time on lining up would become more rewarding. Might even slow down combat some (and maybe reduce the "twisting to spread damage" tactic that is present here, but never existed in any form of lore I am aware of), forcing people to take their time to aim, holding their shots for a moment before petting go with the trigger. (Fast mechs would greatly benefit and be penalized by such a change. They can't be hit too easily, and they can't hit anyone else too easily. Would be like playing a Spider on TT then. move max speed, jump, dodge a lot of damage but probably not hit anything either.)
(Warning: This post was written when I was very tired, and likely to contain many grammatical errors in it. Sorry.)