19 replies to this topic

[Enderman]

For pure dps and burst damage, UAC5 is the most effective weapon in the game right now, far surpassing any other weapons including AC20 and PPCs.
PPCs still deal more burst damage, but they fall far, far behind in dps.

Many mechs can mount 2 of them, like Highlanders, Cataphracts and Victors, Jagers can mount 3 if I am not mistaken. Two is enough to be able to do devastating damage in short time periods and kill other mechs quickly.

PGI did not implement any solutions to fire them effectively by yourself, so unless you want to destroy your mouse by clicking it to death, we will need a script.

You can fire UAC5s at the same rate as AC5s, and they will never jam, or fire them as fast as possible, so we get a constant stream of bullets until both guns jam. When that happens, you go to cover, wait until they unjam, and repeat the process if you did not kill the target from first try.

Rapidfiring allows to achieve the highest dps in the game at the moment, without overheating, so you can use other weapons at the same time to deal even more damage. Usually it takes 1-3 passes until your guns jam to kill an assault, with just 2 UACs.

So, how to get the proper firing recycle time, without clicking too fast?

The easiest way is to use this AHK script by evilC, which has a good GUI for configuration:
ADHD Fire Control

Configuration

The Fire rate (ms) should be set to 250 ms.You can experiment and set it lower, but at 200 the guns start missing some shots, not registering the command to fire.

The 205ms value was suggested, I will test it later.

In Fire Sequuence you asically write 2 numbers of weapon groups to which you UACs are bound to, separated by comma. Each UAC should have a separate weapon group, I use 5,6 for example.

On the second tab called Bindings, check "Program Mode", check limit to application class, then set the desired Fire key.
Fire key should not be bound to anything in the game, so if it is mapped for weapon group 1 for example, make sure that this weapon group is empty.
After that uncheck "Program Mode", that is it.
Just keep the script open when you play.
When you press and hold the Fire key, the script will automatically fire weapons at proper delay which we set earlier.

DPS

DPS when firing 2 UAC5s at 350ms delay is around 14 (1000ms / 350ms * 5 dmg)

Edited by Enderman, 21 September 2013 - 08:09 AM.

[Punk Oblivion]

I did some testing and it is actually 400 MS before they can double fire, Just FYI. So setting them to like 205 would probably suffice.

I run 3UAC5 at 134 ms

I ran a couple matches with 4UAC5 at 101 MS

[IceLom]

Guide posted with a nerf slated for tomorrow completely changing any advice you just gave +1 to you sir. That's devotion right there making a detailed post for a single day!

[UnlimitedMirror]

I'm going to have to agree with IceLom - this will be patched in less than 12 hours - enjoy the dps while it lasts

[BOWMANGR]

I will never understand why people like to use OP builds to play. Where is the challenge in that?
Do you use cheats and trainers in all your other games too? Do you feel like you are a good player when you stomp someone with your OP build and I'm not just talking about the UAC5 builds, I'm talking about each new meta OP builds?

I'm wondering if we could get a poll going to see how many of the 2PPC+Gauss players are now playing 3xUAC5 builds? Because I have a gut feeling that the migration rate is WAY more than what anyone would imagine...

Just wondering...

[Snowcrow]

I've had some insane matches in my 3 uac/5 ilya these past couple of weeks. I know it's op, but man it's just so fun when they don't jam and you tear through an atlas in seconds.

[Punk Oblivion]

I used the OP build to grind out Cbills and XP on phracts since I bought the ilya on sale and had no other phracts yet.. They reduced Cbills made for matches, which means you need to use the OP builds to keep up earnings.

Edit: once I get elite on my Ilya, it is getting triple LB10-X's

Edited by Punk Oblivion, 16 September 2013 - 11:30 PM.

[Konril]

Enderman, on 16 September 2013 - 12:21 PM, said:

PGI did not implement any solutions to fire them effectively by yourself, so unless you want to destroy your mouse by clicking it to death, we will need a script.

The two optimal modes of firing UACs are:

A) Fire them as fast as possible, so we get a constant stream of bullets until both guns jam. When that happens, you go to cover, wait until they unjam, and repeat the process if you did not kill the target from first try.

b ) Fire them slightly above 1100 ms delay, that way they will never jam. However, this mode is not what we are going to use. Besides, from what I've heard, this will be changed in the next patch to 1500ms, the same rate as the regular AC5s. Need confirmation on it though.

I do agree that "a" is better than "b" with the way Ultra cannons are currently implemented. However I fail to see any need for a macro program to manage fire control unless you want a guaranteed "b."

What works for me is to put all the ultra-5s in the same weapon group, make sure that chain fire is off, and just hold the button down to fire. The default linked fire fires all the weapons on the circuit as fast as they can fire independently of the state of any other weapon on the circuit. Therefore, the fire rate is as fast as it gets. Only difference between that and using a delay macro is that all two or three cannons fire at once instead of making that cool looking machine-gun effect. That cool looking machine-gun effect actually isn't doing any more than looking cool as far as I can tell. So why script?

[Bront]

You realise UAC5 nerf is coming today? They're at the very least adjusting the cool down rate to that of the AC5 (I believe they confirmed it on twitter), hopefully the jam rate increases as well.

At this point, we're just over 4 hours from the nerf. I'd hold off on macros until then.

And yes, currently you're better off just holding the trigger down, waiting till a jam, then taking cover.

Edited by Bront, 17 September 2013 - 04:49 AM.

[Enderman]

Did not realise the patch will be so soon.

Is there a detailed explanation of changes that will be made to UACs?

If they just change the default no-jam rate to 1.5s, that won't have any effect on the double-firing mechanism. I think this is how it should have been in the first place.

However, if they increase the double-fire cooldown, or increase the jam rate, that will have an impact.

You need a macro to alterate between weapons to prevent them both jamming at the same time, and to get a constant stream of bullets - that puts more psychological pressure on the enemy)

Edited by Enderman, 17 September 2013 - 09:28 AM.

[The pessimistic optimist]

God macro are for girly man with no balls.

[Enderman]

Not really, they are for bringing the missing functionality which the devs did not bother to put into the game (like scrollwheel zoom, and which should have been in the game from the alpha stage)

Edited by Enderman, 17 September 2013 - 09:44 AM.

[The pessimistic optimist]

Enderman, on 17 September 2013 - 09:42 AM, said:

Not really, they are for bringing the missing functionality which the devs did not bother to put into the game (like scrollwheel zoom, and which should have been in the game from the alpha stage)

No there for people that want scripts to play the games for them.

[Enderman]

From the patchnotes:

•UAC/5
◦CD changed to 1.5 (same as AC/5)
◦Jam rate increased to 20% (up from 15% but still down from 25%)

The no-jam cooldown increase does not have any effect on rapidfiring the UACs.

However, the jam rate increase will hurt UACs, but they will still be able to deal huge burst damage most of the time.

Since the devs did not touch the double-fire cooldown, the delay we set in the script remains the same.

Edited the 1st post to remove the outdated info about firing with 1100 ms cooldown.

Edited by Enderman, 17 September 2013 - 10:00 AM.

[MoonfireSpam]

Enderman, on 17 September 2013 - 09:42 AM, said:

Not really, they are for bringing the missing functionality which the devs did not bother to put into the game (like scrollwheel zoom, and which should have been in the game from the alpha stage)

In this case it's bypassing an intended mechanic that was "timing shots".

Anyways, point has been argued to death and some people are pro, some against, people tell themselves whatever they need to hear. I have this great script that aims for me, just does what PGI didn't implement.

UAC5 still awesome. ~50% chance to get 3 shots off VS ~60% chance pre patch. What would make it more interesting imo is a jam chance based on how fast the weapon is fired.

Edited by MoonfireSpam, 17 September 2013 - 10:00 AM.

[Sentinel Knight]

After todays patch, you can take this post to grave.

[Punk Oblivion]

Sentinel Knight, on 17 September 2013 - 10:06 AM, said:

After todays patch, you can take this post to grave.

Not really because...

MoonfireSpam, on 17 September 2013 - 09:56 AM, said:

UAC5 still awesome. ~50% chance to get 3 shots off VS ~60% chance pre patch. What would make it more interesting imo is a jam chance based on how fast the weapon is fired.

^This.

Now if you bring a UAC5, you might as well fire it as fast as you can, otherwise you should have saved weight/space/ammo and gone with an AC5. Also this change makes macros look even MORE tempting to rapid fire UAC5's. With the increased jam chance people will want to squeeze every last decimal of DPS out of them.

If they changed to the above plan in quotes, or the other popular idea of burst fire, THEN this thread would be obsolete.

[Punk Oblivion]

hmmm... Well after some testing it looks like they did make a change to the double fire that they didn't put in the patch notes.

Seems that once you fire the weapon, you can fire it again during the first shots cooldown. BUT after the double fire the original shot finishes it's cooldown. So before you could get off about 3 shots in 1.2 seconds, now it's only 2 shots per 1.5 MAX.

Of course you can fire both shots super quick, but then your still waiting 1.2 seconds after those two shots before you can fire again...

UAC5 is now really dumb in it's functionality...

[Enderman]

The script timing should be changed to 350ms now, instead of 250 like before.

2 UACs are a lot less reliable now, jam rate increase is noticeable.

[Hexenhammer]

I ran twin UAC/5s at 1.1rof and 25% jam rate. The 1.1 rate made up for the 25% jam rate. Now at 20% and 1.5 rof I'd rather go with standard AC/5s.

Maybe this is what balancing is. Nerfing things till everything is equally unappealing.