125 replies to this topic

[InnerSphereNews]

Patch Date and Time - Feb 18 2025 @ 10AM - 1PM PACIFIC

Version Number: TBA

Size: TBA

Please note that due to compression differences Steam patch size may be larger than the standalone client patch size.

Patch Files (Direct Download) - TBA

Greetings MechWarriors!

This month’s update includes the release of the Fire Moth, weapon adjustments, 'mech adjustments, quirk adjustments, bug and map fixes, and more! As always, a 2 week in-game Patch Science Sale will go live shortly after the patch and include all applicable items for testing. 'Mechs in-game and new 'mechs releasing are subject to future balance changes and tuning, so get out there and do the science so we can hear your feedback!

-The MechWarrior Online Team

Fire Moth Mech Pack

It’s finally here! The Fire Moth joins MWO this patch. You can PRE-ORDER a Fire Moth now and remember that you have until April 22nd at 11:00 AM PDT to receive the Early Adopter Rewards. Check below for the mech quirks!

FMT-PRIME

FMT-B

FMT-C

FMT-D

FMT-H

FMT-K

FMT-AL

MISC Changes

• AMS missile destroyed will now reward 40 C-Bills per missile shot down.
• The component destruction explosion for headshots are now bright red. This will give a clear visual indicator if you killed your opponent by headshot.
• For the patch cycle of February Patch to March Patch, conquest will be disabled in Quick Play. The conquest win condition ticket count will be raised from 750 to 2000. This will allow some unique Event Queues to be made involving extreme length conquest matches with drop decks(40 minutes) and other mutators. Once March patch hits conquest will be reverted to 750 tickets again and reactivated for Quick Play. This will also impact private lobbies.
• Wolf Dragoons Booster Pack mechs now use Legendary mech naming formats. Their legendary names are “Clan Flea Whitehead,” “Clan Stalker Jamison,” “Clan Archer Jaime,” and “Clan Nightstar Brubaker.” Their variant IDs have not changed.
• Wolf Dragoons Booster Pack chassis names in the mechlab changed to put Clan after the chassis name. Clan Archer is now Archer Clan to make alphabetically sorting mechs in inventory easier for these new Clan tech variants.
• Group tonnage limits increased. 3 man maximum tonnage increased from 210 to 230. 4 man maximum tonnage increased from 240 to 260.

We wanted to reduce the power and sway groups had in our integrated solo and group queue Quick Play. However what we observed indicated that the agency groups had was not reduced in any meaningful way while the tonnage reductions inhibited the enjoyment of players in groups. We’ve decided to ease back those limitations.

Weapon Changes

Gauss Rifle:

• Reduced cooldown to 4.0s (from 4.25s)

Clan Gauss Rifle:

• Reduced cooldown to 4.5s (from 5.0s)

Clan ER Large Laser:

• Reduced Damage to 10.5 (from 11)
• Reduced Heat to 9.0 (from 9.5)
• Reduced Duration to 1.27 (from 1.35)
• Reduced Cooldown to 4.25 (from 4.75)
• Increased Heat penalty multiplier to 6.25 (from 5.75)

This effectively keeps the damage per second and damage per heat the same with the up front alpha damage reduced. We wanted to reduce their trading and poking power without impacting their total damage output throughout the course of a match. This change is primarily targeted at large clan mechs that can “boat” 6 or more C-ERLLs.

Mech Quirk Changes

A note from Tiyos for the balance changes in this patch:

"For a long time we(myself at Piranha Games and the Cauldron) have been aware of the buff cycle we've had in Mechwarrior: Online that's led to some power creep. We release new mechs and want to make sure they're viable but sometimes we get a little too overzealous. We follow that with buffing mechs in the game to compensate. We then follow that with releasing new mechs and so on, and the pattern compounds for years and years. It's no secret that mechs in Mechwarrior: Online operate at a significantly higher power level than in recent years. While I think some power creep is inevitable the longer a game lives and more content is added, there comes a time when harsh reductions are needed.

We know that nerfs are never anyone's favorites. We all have favorite mechs and we're all attached to them. We're no different. We tried to be as fair and balanced as possible while looking at the most oppressive mechs in quick play and toning them down. None of these changes are meant to completely remove the mech from the range of viability, but rather tone them back towards more acceptable margins with other mechs. There are also plenty of mechs that missed this nerf wave, once the dust settles from this we want to take time to reevaluate and decide what changes need to happen moving forward. There is also a high likelihood of another nerf wave following this one. We don’t want to shake too many different mechs in one patch.

There's also buffs in this patch too, so it's not all doom and gloom!"

Clan Flea

• FLE-16-C
• Added 10% Heat dissipation boost
• Added -20% Missile spread

Commando

• COM-D03
• Reduced Laser duration to -10% (from -30%)

Commando IIC

• COM-IIC
• Reduced LL, RL structure bonus to +12 (from +22)

Kitfox

• KFX-G
• Removed -10% Missile cooldown from SO8
• Removed -10% Energy cooldown from SO8
• Removed -2.5% Missile cooldown from LT, RT
• Added -15% Cooldown in SO8
• Added -5% Laser duration in SO8
• Added -5% Laser duration in RA

Adder

• ADR-W
• Reduced LT, RT Armor bonus to +4 (from +8)

Osiris

• All Variants:
• Removed All current survival boosts
• Added +5 Full body structure bonus

Arctic Wolf

• ACW-1
• Removed All current survival boosts
• Added +5 Full body armor bonus (including boost to rear torsos)

Blackjack

• BJ-1X
• Reduced Laser Heat to -5% (from -10%)

Trebuchet

• TBT-5J
• Reduced STD Laser duration to -40% (from -50%)

We got a little carried away with that one.

Roughneck

• All Variants:
• Removed All current survival boosts
• Added +5 Full Body (all components) Armor bonus
• Added +10 Full Body (all components) Structure bonus
• Added +5 CT Armor bonus (stacks with full body)
• Added +10 CT Structure bonus (stacks with full body)
• Added +5 LT, RT Structure bonus (stacks with full body)

Stalker

• STK-5S
• Removed -5% Laser duration

Supernova

• SNV-A
• Added +1s target decay duration
• SNV-B
• Removed -5% ER Laser heat
• Added -5% Laser heat
• SNV-C
• Added Pulse laser HSL +1

BullShark

• BSK-1
• Reduced Heat to -5% (from -10%)
• BSK-2
• Removed -5% Heat
• BSK-6
• Removed 10% Weapon velocity
• Removed -10% STD AC cooldown

Clan BullShark

• BSK-4
• Removed -10% Energy heat
• BSK-M
• Removed -5% Ballistic heat
• Reduced CT, LA, RA Armor bonus to +15 (from +20)
• Reduced LT, RT Armor bonus to +20 (from +25)

Executioner

• EXE-B-A
• Reduced Ballistic cooldown to -7.5% on LA, RA (from -10%)

Stone Rhino

• SR-1
• Reduced LA, LT, CT, RT, RA Armor bonus to +10 (from +13)
• SR-2
• Reduced LA, LT, CT, RT, RA Armor bonus to +10 (from +13)
• SR-6
• Removed Medium Laser family HSL
• Reduced LT, CT, RT Armor bonus to +10 (from +13)
• SR-K
• Reduced LA, LT, CT, RT, RA Armor bonus to +10 (from +13)
• SR-AK
• Removed -20% Crit chance (receiving)
• Reduced Screen shake reduction to -30% (from -100%)
• Reduced LT, CT, RT Armor bonus to +10 (from +13)

Players have pointed out in the past that this is what feels like the umpteenth Stone Rhino nerf. I feel it needs a special note highlighting two points. The first is how strong the mech must have been upon release for it to warrant all of these nerfs. It was. The second point is that we have been attempting to avoid one of the greatest pitfalls of the old PGI balance style. Changes like the old Clan Small Pulse nerf that take a weapon from strong to entirely unusable in a single patch. Instead of hitting the Stone Rhino in one patch and risk making it unusable, we’re instead tuning it on a patch by patch basis and taking it cautiously. By doing this we avoid ruining the mech for all who own it and enjoy it but rather slowly bring it in line with other 100 ton options.

The Stone Rhino 7 wasn’t forgotten for these changes. With the primary builds on the SR-7 being C-ERLL based, we thought it would be best to see how the mech performs after the C-ERLL refactor before deciding its fate. Expect changes to that mech in the March patch.

Patch Files (Direct Download)

To make the patching process easier for players with limited download caps, we'll be providing direct download links for the patch file(s) that comprise this patch. This will allow you to download the patch file(s) elsewhere, for manual injection into the MWO patcher through a Patch Cache folder.

Aside from allowing you to download the patch file(s) elsewhere, on another connection, there are no additional benefits to performing the patch this way; the patching process itself will be the same.

This direct patch download process will only work for players running the standalone client. It does not apply to players running MWO through Steam.

Patch File(s): - TBA

• Download the above file(s)
• For sake of ease, we recommend creating a dedicated folder for the patch file(s), such as 'MWO Patch Cache'
• You do not need to unzip or unpack the patch file(s)
• Launch the MWO Portal
• Select the three horizontal lines in the top left of the Portal Window
• Choose the 'Specify Patch File Cache' option
• In the field that appears, paste or enter the location in which you saved the patch file(s) and hit OK
• For example, C:\Users\<username>\Documents\MWO Patch Cache
• Click the blue Patch button
• The launcher will now check the Patch Cache folder you defined. If it locates the required patch files, it will unpack and use those files to apply the patch
• Once the patch is complete, launch the game

[Znozoic]

1ST

[Grey Hook]

Thanks for the ongoing care and effort that the PGI team (staff and volunteer) continue to put into this old-but-well-loved game. If the past is any indicator, this thread will be flooded with complaints and none-too-gracious suggestions for future adjustments. If forum replies are the score, you guys just cannot win.
I don't love all the changes in this patch, but I appreciate that the game is a lot bigger than my perspective- I don't think any one player can accurately speak for "everyone" or even "most players", despite their claims to the contrary.
The game is still a lot of fun and it remains totally free to play.
Keep up the good work.

[trans catgirl]

appreciate the insight on why changes were made a lot <3

[LavaDa1shi]

I like that you included the reasoning for some of the changes.

Edited by LavaDa1shi, 13 February 2025 - 03:19 PM.

[Centauri78]

Thank you PGI for continuing to support the game.

Unpopular hot take: I'm perfectly fine with reducing weapon damage and increasing cooldown and heat. DPS and alphas will be lowered, cooling time will be increased, and perhaps player communication and use of tactics will become more prevalent in matches to compensate for these changes.

[LordNothing]

looks like i will be able to cross 2 heroes off my list this patch cycle. 2 more remain. whatever gets me in game is good.

Edited by LordNothing, 13 February 2025 - 03:59 PM.

[-Ramrod-]

As usual more unnecessary nerfs with bs excuses. You're not balancing anything you're taking away peoples fun. You're borderline false advertising. You can whine at me all you want but at the end of the day I represent a massive portion of this community. Whether you agree or not people feel like this. Instead of doing nerfs suggested by the arrogant elites and specially treated streamers and nerds who sit at their computers with calculators how about listening to us commonfolk huh? How about a Cauldron of Tier 3 to 5's solely? And I would looooove a list of Cauldron members. I'm not taking Big Brother at their word, sorry. "We assure you the Cauldron is balanced." Not good enough. List of members. Let's see if you're really telling the truth. Don't want people attacked? You screwed yourself by creating the damn thing. This feels like a friggin' shadow government. This is why people are leaving and have left. Because they are preached at by a nebulous unnamed group of elite tryhards. Complete transparency is required.
I have far more respect for the opinion of a Tier 3-5 because that's the majority of the playerbase. A lot of money comes from that group of people and the more you preach at them the more that will leave or NOT spend anymore money on the game. I know because I've literally known dozens of people who have done this. Attack me all you want. I don't give a damn what a tryhard has to say. You're out of touch and you don't want to listen. And PGI capitulates to you too much. The fact that people like my posts obviously shows there is a section of people that are being ignored.
And don't give me that "Facts and math don't care about your feelings." crap. Yea that's true, obviously. But if a group of people feel a certain way that closes their wallets doesn't it? You may be right but that's not how people FEEL. People are being flamed/harrassed/made fun of/automatically dismissed BY YOU because "Trust us, we know what's right for you." This is a game. And feelings matter more than facts whether you like it or not. It shouldn't but it does. A game like this survives on how people feel. On if they are having FUN or not.
You can explain the nerfs all you want. It will fall on deaf ears. People will lose interest in the mech and not use it altogether and feel like they've wasted money. Which I've read these forums for years...people do feel that way. I'm not saying only capitulate to those feelings. But a better balance needs to be found.
In conclusion people don't want a nebulous unnamed group of people making ALL the decisions. "Trust us, we know what's best for the game." And you know what's best for a game? People having fun. And fun equals money. And money equals a game. Math doesn't save a game. Fun does. And if people aren't having fun. You won't get money. And if you don't get money you won't have a game. And I'm quite sure that is a reason, maybe a small reason, but a reasoning nonetheless for the current layoffs. It may be unspoken. But it's there.

[Vector01]

Wow, just what the Stone Rhinos needed, to get weaker armor. They are already easy targets to farm for damage. Maybe give them a little agility to make up for it?

[Tiy0s]

-Ramrod-, on 13 February 2025 - 03:58 PM, said:

You can whine at me all you want but at the end of the day I represent a massive portion of this community.

I encourage anyone who is unhappy with these changes to voice their displeasure. There's no need for anyone to represent anyone else's voice here.

Are there any specific nerfs you felt were overly problematic or object to? Any specific changes? None of them outright ruined a mech or your ability to play it, rather brought them in line with the norm.

Vector01, on 13 February 2025 - 04:03 PM, said:

Wow, just what the Stone Rhinos needed, to get weaker armor. They are already easy targets to farm for damage. Maybe give them a little agility to make up for it?

I anticipate this to be the last SR change(except for the SR-7)

[Voice of Kerensky]

InnerSphereNews, on 13 February 2025 - 02:47 PM, said:

Group tonnage limits increased. 3 man maximum tonnage increased from 210 to 230. 4 man maximum tonnage increased from 240 to 260.
We wanted to reduce the power and sway groups had in our integrated solo and group queue Quick Play. However what we observed indicated that the agency groups had was not reduced in any meaningful way while the tonnage reductions inhibited the enjoyment of players in groups. We’ve decided to ease back those limitations.

You continue to encourage what kills match balance. For the sake of the minority you sacrifice the majority (this reminds me of something ).
My applause.


P.S. It's a shame about Bullshark. BSK-6 - it was a good mech.

Edited by Voice of Kerensky, 13 February 2025 - 05:21 PM.

[Angelic Evil]

Game desperately needs fixing to matchmaker and now you un-nerf groups so that they can rampage all the easier? People arent going to start coming back till the seal clubbing ends. We need to fix the matchmaker.

Also is it just me or are these nerfs targeted towards some less favorite cauldron user mechs... i see sneaky snek just released a video of nonstop farming in the gausszilla again yet that seems to have mysteriously gone under the radar along with madiics who are now buffed with gauss CD being reduced and group tonnage increased again. Both chassis traditionally extremely strong seeing no changes (and actually indirectly buffed) but some of the mech variants you almost never see in game these days got nerfed...

also why is it stone rhinko ak lost its lower actuators in the shield arms a long while ago yet the stone rhino 6 with its same shield arms has to keep its lower actuators? I dont think anyones going to argue the ak is the stronger variant yet the all energy one gets nerfed slot count. Ynow if we're talking about stone rhinos this patch.

Edited by Angelic Evil, 13 February 2025 - 04:58 PM.

[PiVoR]

Lights buffs and asssult nerfs.. classic

[Valdarion Silarius]

Tiy0s, on 13 February 2025 - 04:06 PM, said:

I encourage anyone who is unhappy with these changes to voice their displeasure. There's no need for anyone to represent anyone else's voice here.

Are there any specific nerfs you felt were overly problematic or object to? Any specific changes? None of them outright ruined a mech or your ability to play it, rather brought them in line with the norm.

I'll name one. The Clan double heatsink nerf from a few patches back. It did objectively ruin many builds and I do think there need to be more heat dissipation buffs for clan weapons in general now. Either revert the change and remove the heat buffs to most light and medium mechs (since the Firemoth is virtually immune to the cDHS nerf), or start adjusting the heat output values to make the pre-nerfed builds more viable again for heavies and assaults.

[LavaDa1shi]

-Ramrod-, on 13 February 2025 - 03:58 PM, said:

As usual more unnecessary nerfs with bs excuses. You're not balancing anything you're taking away peoples fun. You're borderline false advertising. You can whine at me all you want but at the end of the day I represent a massive portion of this community. Whether you agree or not people feel like this. Instead of doing nerfs suggested by the arrogant elites and specially treated streamers and nerds who sit at their computers with calculators how about listening to us commonfolk huh? How about a Cauldron of Tier 3 to 5's solely? And I would looooove a list of Cauldron members. I'm not taking Big Brother at their word, sorry. "We assure you the Cauldron is balanced." Not good enough. List of members. Let's see if you're really telling the truth. Don't want people attacked? You screwed yourself by creating the damn thing. This feels like a friggin' shadow government. This is why people are leaving and have left. Because they are preached at by a nebulous unnamed group of elite tryhards. Complete transparency is required.
I have far more respect for the opinion of a Tier 3-5 because that's the majority of the playerbase. A lot of money comes from that group of people and the more you preach at them the more that will leave or NOT spend anymore money on the game. I know because I've literally known dozens of people who have done this. Attack me all you want. I don't give a damn what a tryhard has to say. You're out of touch and you don't want to listen. And PGI capitulates to you too much. The fact that people like my posts obviously shows there is a section of people that are being ignored.
And don't give me that "Facts and math don't care about your feelings." crap. Yea that's true, obviously. But if a group of people feel a certain way that closes their wallets doesn't it? You may be right but that's not how people FEEL. People are being flamed/harrassed/made fun of/automatically dismissed BY YOU because "Trust us, we know what's right for you." This is a game. And feelings matter more than facts whether you like it or not. It shouldn't but it does. A game like this survives on how people feel. On if they are having FUN or not.
You can explain the nerfs all you want. It will fall on deaf ears. People will lose interest in the mech and not use it altogether and feel like they've wasted money. Which I've read these forums for years...people do feel that way. I'm not saying only capitulate to those feelings. But a better balance needs to be found.
In conclusion people don't want a nebulous unnamed group of people making ALL the decisions. "Trust us, we know what's best for the game." And you know what's best for a game? People having fun. And fun equals money. And money equals a game. Math doesn't save a game. Fun does. And if people aren't having fun. You won't get money. And if you don't get money you won't have a game. And I'm quite sure that is a reason, maybe a small reason, but a reasoning nonetheless for the current layoffs. It may be unspoken. But it's there.

The current Cauldron members are public, off the top of my head the current list of cauldron men are, bear_cl4w, Krasnopesky, Geeram, PASHA, Dario03, Tiy0s, MrVaad iirc is their name, Magic Pain Glove, justcallme A S H, Bows3r, Navid A1, Capn Cat, BrioS, MisterSomaru, Jay Z, Brauer, BlueDevilspawn.

And the game is balanced around players with decent skill for very good reason, the balance would be way worse otherwise, your post tells me that you're the one out of touch.

[RoyKilroy]

Has pgi stopped making the legendary mechs or is there just a pause?

[Doc13]

I'm mostly confused about the changes to the Roughneck. It looks like it's a mild adjustment than anything. What exactly was the reason for this one?

Edited by Doc13, 13 February 2025 - 06:01 PM.

[benben10]

Typo in title. The year is 2025.
Also this patch notes does not yet show up on https://mwomercs.com...y/8-patch-notes

[simon1812]

hmmm...nope, no addition of melee on this one, it's alright, baby steps.

[Tiy0s]

RoyKilroy, on 13 February 2025 - 05:55 PM, said:

Has pgi stopped making the legendary mechs or is there just a pause?

The goal is to release new content every month, be it new mech, booster pack, or legends pack. March will have a legend, but it's pretty much whatever strikes the fancy of people designing stuffs