215 replies to this topic

[Voivode]

I run a dual gauss jager and a highlander with 2erppc and a gauss. The highlander took a little more practice, but getting a nice rhythm in it will get me some serious damage.

[East Indy]

I haven't seen a way-too-much-alpha build since. It was basically the stake in meta-Dracula's heart.

[Ahja]

Its worthless! You forgot the category. I think you have forgotten that it was implemented to control players. It has no purpose other than to control and change this into this companys vision of Mechwarrior. Like five or ten other things in this game right now that are dominating game play it dose not belong in Mechwarrior.

[Otto Cannon]

Double gauss op, single is a waste of tonnage on most builds now.

On a side note, it reminds me of the charging psychic pistols at the end of Dune- tempts me to go 'Shaaaaad-ZA!!' every shot.

[Devil Fox]

I gave up on the Guass, I can't use it how I used to in my playstyle and strategy, because of HSR + Ping means that I can take obscene amounts of damage with giving very little back from range. But also affects the close range brawls with it I used to have to perform where even patience and leading were necessary.

In essence I dumped guass off every machine and went to various make-ups of standard autocannons to replace it, and thus far is much more effective because I still have a low heat weapon that I can constantly fire into someone's face to open them. Many a kill to AC's and SRM's when people think charging under my 90m PPC range is smart.

[Bobdolemite]

I havent really given gauss a chance I guess, when I have tried to use it I was wishing for the following:

Longer Hold Time

Better Charge Indicator

No More Splody Barrel

If these wishes were met id probably still be using it. As it stands now, for simplicity id rather lose 5 points of damage per shot and go with an ac10.

Im sure some people still find it useful, but for me at this moment its unnecessary complication has me go for guns that shoot without a charge up IE everything else.

I understood the need to desync gauss and PPC fire for high pinpoint alphas but IMO they should have added a charge up dynamic to PPC not Gauss. IMO Gauss was already balanced by:

Explosive Barrel

High Tonnage

High Slots

Low Ammo Count

Edited by Bobdolemite, 24 September 2013 - 05:00 PM.

[Voivode]

Bobdolemite, on 24 September 2013 - 04:59 PM, said:

I understood the need to desync gauss and PPC fire for high pinpoint alphas but IMO they should have added a charge up dynamic to PPC not Gauss. IMO Gauss was already balanced by:

Explosive Barrel

High Tonnage

High Slots

Low Ammo Count

I have to disagree. Both weapons have their own unique drawbacks now. The PPC runs hot (as it should) and the Gauss has a charge up. The explodey damage was reduced (and might be further tweaked down) and the shot speed was greatly increased. I like them both where they're at. And yes, I use both of them.

Edited by Voivode, 24 September 2013 - 07:38 PM.

[Sybreed]

I'd make this change to the new gauss rifle:

Right now, as some said, it has lost it's effectiveness in counter sniping, as you can't charge the weapon quick enough to hit a poptart and I've found that the "losing charge" mechanic to be quite annoying. The charge-up? I'm fine with it.

If PGI wants to desynchronize gauss and PPCs, I'd recommend this fix:

You still have to charge your Gauss Rifle, BUT, you CAN maintain your charge as long as you can. The big trade off is that the longer you keep the charge, the more heat you build up (yeah, new mechanic, but it doesn't need to be crazy heat build up)

So, you still have the chance to defend yourself against PPC snipers by keeping your Gauss charged until you see a target. The side effect is that you will have built up some heat.

Don't hold the charge for more than 1.5 seconds (like intended) and you don't build up heat. Longer than that, heat build-up.

Would this be a good idea? I think it would be better than losing the charge and recharging it.

[Psikez]

Livewyr, on 24 September 2013 - 12:58 PM, said:

snips
(but no hold breath mechanic lasts only as long as the stabilization...)

Someone never played the wheezing severely asthmatic sniper of planetside 2

I don't think the charge mechanic is a bad thing, maybe some tweaking ja but I see all manner of autocannons floating around and still plenty of folks with gauss as opposed to before where it was gauss gauss and more gauss...or maybe an AC20 if you're insane like me

Edited by Psikez, 24 September 2013 - 08:13 PM.

[StoneMason]

Wisdom

Bobdolemite, on 24 September 2013 - 04:59 PM, said:

I havent really given gauss a chance I guess, when I have tried to use it I was wishing for the following:

Longer Hold Time

Better Charge Indicator

No More Splody Barrel

If these wishes were met id probably still be using it. As it stands now, for simplicity id rather lose 5 points of damage per shot and go with an ac10.

Im sure some people still find it useful, but for me at this moment its unnecessary complication has me go for guns that shoot without a charge up IE everything else.

I understood the need to desync gauss and PPC fire for high pinpoint alphas but IMO they should have added a charge up dynamic to PPC not Gauss. IMO Gauss was already balanced by:

Explosive Barrel

High Tonnage

High Slots

Low Ammo Count

[Bishop Steiner]

[Gaan Cathal]

East Indy, on 24 September 2013 - 01:55 PM, said:

I haven't seen a way-too-much-alpha build since. It was basically the stake in meta-Dracula's heart.

That has far more to do with ERPPC heat than Gauss changes.

[JigglyMoobs]

Alistair Winter, on 24 September 2013 - 01:42 PM, said:

I just decided to do a 20-match test of my double gauss Cataphracts. 10 matches done with the CTF-3D. Average damage is 470 and my KDR so far is 7,67. Got 6 kills in one of the matches. I used to feel like I was exploiting the game with this build, but after reading this thread and seeing how many people think the gauss is a bad weapon, I have a clear conscience

The thing about the double gauss is that enemies only need to make a single mistake before it's all over. Jagermech with XL engine running away from me? Gone. Jenner standing still? Gone. Catapult facing me head-on with that nice, fragile cockpit? Gone. Very few other builds can take advantage of mistakes so quickly and decisively.


Oh, absolutely. I've stopped using it on my Centurions. Not the first time one of PGI's changes has an unintended side-effect, which the fans totally predicted. Less synergy = more boating.

This.

The dual gauss+advanced zoom= stupidly effective. I built a jager right after the patch and it's basically become the mech I used 80% of the time.

Like Alistair I also had a 6 kill game today. The amazing part is that I did only 296 damage. At least 4 of the guys were one shot kills. First 2 kills were a stalker and a Victor, both healthy, and both cockpitted on the first shot within about 5 seconds of one another.

I have 70-120 ping with pretty decent aim honed through years of Counterstrike and Quake. In the hands of somebody with 30 ping and good aim.... *shudders*

PS - like Alistair I've also stopped using it on my other mechs. Gauss now is a niche weapon for the dual Gauss sniper, period.

Edited by JigglyMoobs, 24 September 2013 - 10:27 PM.

[JigglyMoobs]

Sybreed, on 24 September 2013 - 07:50 PM, said:

I'd make this change to the new gauss rifle:

Right now, as some said, it has lost it's effectiveness in counter sniping, as you can't charge the weapon quick enough to hit a poptart and I've found that the "losing charge" mechanic to be quite annoying. The charge-up? I'm fine with it.

I think in a lot of situations this is more a failure of strategy rather than failure of the weapon. Remember your goal in counter sniper is to suppress the sniper. Suppressing is easier than killing, and you don't have to win the dps exchange to do it.

Many times all you have to do is shoot him once to get his attention. Now he's focused on you and not your team mates. What do you do? Stay under cover and shoot at his other team mates! Meanwhile, he's watching for you to pop back up, and that means that he's not effectively shooting your team. If he gets up to mischief again, he's no longer watching you. Time for you to send another shot his way while he's distracted. Even if he is a highlander, how many 30 pt alphas can he take?

So, really, you should think of this as a chess game where you try to get into positions where you can harass him while still getting good shots on his other teammates from safety. This forces him to either lose some of his effectiveness or reposition, exposing himself to fire.

You and him compete to out position each other while supporting your team. At the same time you call out his positions to your teammates so that when the time is right you face off against him together.

Worked pretty well the times I've encountered a sniper on the other team.

Now, if you get suckered into a shot by shot blow by blow exchange with him, neither of you will be doing much good for your team.

[SubXulu]

iHover, on 24 September 2013 - 07:15 AM, said:

They have made it dang near useless. If the where going to add the delay they should have put something on the recital to let you know its "charge" status. Id use ER PCC for sniping before Id bother with it. No delay and no need for ammo.

Exactly!!! ... i have just made a thread about this in the suggestions forum. The 'charged' state needs to be way more obvious without having to look down to the weapons pannel.

http://mwomercs.com/...s-ready-sounds/

[AnarchyBurger]

I do like killing gauss users... its amazingly effective.

[Alistair Winter]

AnarchyBurger, on 25 September 2013 - 04:22 AM, said:

I do like killing gauss users... its amazingly effective.

Gauss users are people too.

Bishop Steiner, on 24 September 2013 - 09:34 PM, said:

Aren't ordinary people adorable?

Not sure if elitist or elitist parody.

[Joseph Mallan]

Otto Cannon, on 24 September 2013 - 03:52 PM, said:

Double gauss op, single is a waste of tonnage on most builds now.

On a side note, it reminds me of the charging psychic pistols at the end of Dune- tempts me to go 'Shaaaaad-ZA!!' every shot.

Make it even more powerful and shout Muad' dib!

It's Bishop... I' take Parody for a 1,000 Wink!

Edited by Joseph Mallan, 25 September 2013 - 04:40 AM.

[Murphy7]

I put "Other", but for me it is working just fine... what had to change mostly was *me* how I went about using the weapon. I had to learn a different rhythm to combat, and I have been able to use it effectively at short and long range, though I like it better at long range.

I chose "Other" because I think there is potential for a pilot module in how the Gauss is used.

Improved Capacitor - holds charge for +(0.5 or whatever sec), Gauss rifle explosion is double damage

-or-

Supercharger - charge up time reduced by (-25%, -50%), with that amount of time added to the Gauss cooldown

So there is no net change in the fire rate, it is just more responsive to the snap shot.

If you notice, I would like to see modules added that aren't just a straight bonus, but could have unique disadvantages to their use that require some decisions about how you will pilot the mech.

[Ashnod]

Alistair Winter, on 24 September 2013 - 12:50 PM, said:

Next to your crosshair, one of the six yellow group indicators will turn green when the weapon is charged.

Thanks.. apparently none of my buddies wanted to mention that to me, should help a bit.

Edited by Ashnod, 25 September 2013 - 06:59 AM.