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Erppcs - This Is Why They Are Too Hot


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#1 Lupus Aurelius

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 10:13 AM

Multiple threads pro and con have been posted about the ERPPC/PPC heat increase, most of it subjective. The following is hard data as to the ERPPC performance with current heat mechanics, as compared to the long range ballistic weapons. Please, regardless of your feelings or opinions, read the data and listen to what the data tells you, not to what you want the data to be.

So, let's start with the data:

Engine Double Heat Sinks – cool at .2 heat per second, add 2 heat per.
External Double Heat Sinks – cool at .14 heat per second. Add 1.4 heat per.

Posted Image
Figure 1: Weapon Data

So we will assume 3 tons ammo for each ballistic weapon we are considering. Anything less is an issue, especially with 12 vs. 12 now, your major damage weapons would run out of ammo long before the end of the match, leaving you with only you short range weapons to fall back on.

Instead of ammo, we will figure on 5 external DHS for the ERPPC. 1

So here are the figures with the inclusion of ammo on the ballistics, external DHS foe the ERPPC, and criticals:

· AC2s - 2 damage / 0.52 seconds / 1 heat / 9 tons, 4 crits ...3.85 DPS / 1.92 HPS
· AC5/UAC5s - 5 damage / 1.5 seconds / 1 heat / 11tons, 7 crits ...3.3 DPS / 0.72 HPS
· AC10s - 10 damage / 2.5 seconds / 3 heat / 15tons, 10 crits ...4 DPS / 1.2 HPS
· Gauss - 15 Damage / 4.75 seconds / 1 heat / 18 tons, 10 crits ... 3.75 DPS / 0.25 HPS
· ERPPC - 10 damage / 4 seconds / 15 heat / 12 tons, 18 crits ...2.5 DPS / 3.75 HPS
· PPCs - 10 damage / 4 seconds / 10 heat / 12 tons, 18 crits ...2.5 DPS / 2.5 HPS

What is immediately evident is that of all the long range direct fire weapons, the ERPPC has the lowest DPS and the highest heat. AC10s do almost twice the DPS at less than 1/3 of the heat. Now, on a single volley, this isn’t an issue, but over time, DPS will drop even further on the ERPPC due to needing to cool off.

Let’s look at heat over time, using dual weapon setups, with the ACs and Gauss using just the 10 native DHS in an engine, and the ERPPCs using an additional external 10 DHS, with heat dissipation factored in:

Posted Image
Figure 2: HEAT VS. TIME (IN SECONDS) DUAL SETUPS, CONTINUOUS FIRE


Posted Image
Figure 3: Heat per Volley with Continuous Fire

The ERPPC mech has 20 DHS, giving it a max heat of 64 before a shutdown. The AC and Gauss mechs have only the 10 native DHS to the engine, and a heat cap of 50. Immediately apparent are the following:
  • The Dual ERPPC mech - 4 volleys across 12 seconds, total 80 damage, until shutdown
  • The Dual AC10 mech - 9 volleys across 20 seconds, total 180 damage, and no shutdown
  • The Dual AC5/UAC5 mech - 14 volleys across 20 seconds, total 140 damage and no shutdown
  • The Dual AC2 mech - 34 volleys over 17.7 seconds, total 136 damage, until shutdown
  • The Dual Gauss mech - 6 volleys over 20 seconds, total 180 damage, no shutdown, negative temp. trend
The dual ERPPC mech, with 14 additional heat rating, and 1.4 additional cooling per second, can only volley 4 times before inducing a shutdown.




Note that the dual Gauss is heat neutral, with a negative temperature trend, and the dual AC5/UAC5 is effectively heat neutral, it could fire a full minute and not shut down. The AC10 can fire for 14 volleys and 32.5 seconds before shutdown. The dual AC2s have the highest climb in heat, but still capable of delivering 136 damage before inducing a shutdown.

For a comparison of a Dual ERPPC and Dual AC5 Firebrand, see this post: http://mwomercs.com/...-was-excessive/

For analysis and discussion of the heat system, see this post: http://mwomercs.com/...eedback-thread/

Data is data; math is math, and not subject to opinion nor feelings. In order to have balance, the pros and cons of each weapon need to balance out so that along with the disadvantages, there are enough advantages to make something worthwhile to utilize. The latest increase in heat for the ERPPC brought the heat levels up too high, negating any significant advantage compared to ballistics, and unbalanced them, as we will discuss next.

First question you might ask, is why you would even use ERPPC at this heat level, and the lowest DPS of all the sniping weapons? Speed is now the same as the AC5/UAC5s, so it still has a faster travel time than the AC10, same damage as the AC10. The fact of having less than a third the crits necessary for an AC10 is not significant, since that amounts to, on the dual setups, 14 more crits, which is 4 more external DHS. The data presented earlier is based on 5 external DHS, which makes the ERPPC 18 crits and 12 tons.

· But, ERPPCs don’t need ammo!

Yes they do, heat sinks are the ammo of ERPPCs. Due to the current heat levels, you have no choice but to run DHS, because the engine HS actually run as double HS. In order to compensate for using SHS, and additional 10 tons and 10 crits is necessary, just to get you to the level of a DHS engine.

And, ammo takes 1 crit, DHS take 3 crits. When taking critical internal damage, the DHS are extremely vulnerable, and even though they do not explode, taking out DHS on an enemy mech means in the heat of battle, you lose capability to fire. So in that respect, they function like ammo.






· But, ERPPCs don’t run out of ammo!

No, they do not, but as noted, crit the DHS enough, and you will slow their firing. But that isn’t the main issue here. Matches are 15 minutes long, 12 vs. 12. If each ballistic weapon has 3 tons of ammo each has the potential to deliver 450 damage. A dual AC2 / AC5/ UAC5/ AC10/ Gauss mech can each put out 900 damage during that match.

Now, unless you are a very bad shot, that’s pretty significant. If the matches were 30 minutes to an hour long, against 24 mechs, then there would be a chance to run out of ammo and the ERPPC would shine a bit more then. But at current match sizes and times it’s hard to justify using ERPPCs, because normally, with 3 tons of ammo per gun, you are not going to run out, or if you do, it will be near the end of the match if you survived that long.






· But, ERPPCs take less crits!

No, they take more. Look at the figures for Effective Heat Sinks (EHS) to be heat neutral. For 1 ERPPC, it takes 38 EHS. So, you have 10 actual doubles in the engine, that’s 20. You need an additional 12.86 DHS to make a mech with 1 ERPPC heat neutral.

Problem is, with weapons, AMS, equipment, and ammo for the other weapons you will be carrying; you will have room for maybe 8-10, maybe 11. So there is no possibility of getting even 1 ERPPC, never mind 2, heat neutral or even close to it. Dual AC10 mechs CAN BE heat neutral; they each require only 12 EHS. Same with Gauss, at 3 EHS, and AC5/UAC5/UAC5/UAC5 at 7 EHS each and can still fire other weapons, like SSRMs, small and medium lasers, for significantly long periods of time.






This is the problem with PGI balancing by heat. Approaching the historical issues by addressing the root causes, such as convergence, the heat system in general, and the fitting mechanics would have addressed those issues in a more accurate way. Specifically, fitting, due to current mechanics making all mechs effectively omni mechs. Limiting criticals in a location for the weapon types allowed there would have prevented most of the major boating issues.

Currently, given a choice between taking dual long range ballistics, and dual ERPPCs, there is little to nothing to recommend taking the ERPPCs. That’s not balance, and for those mechs that cannot fit ballistics, it is the only long range pinpoint damage available to them. Right now, there is no reason not to use long range ballistics, compared to the ERPPC, and a balanced system would have advantages and disadvantages for both that would make neither superior to the other.

In no way am I advocating that ERPPCs should be heat neutral or near heat neutral. ERPPC heat needs to be lowered back down to 12, or possibly 13, and the ghost heat penalty needs to be increased for ERPPCs used beyond 2 volley fired, to prevent excessive boating. The other option, however, is that the AC10, AC5/UAC5, and Gauss be brought more in line with the current profile for the AC2. This would “balance” out these systems.

EDIT - corrected the Dual Gauss, damage, was 120, s/b 180, and cleaned up the format.
2nd EDIT - Clarified the weights and crits for ERPPCs with DHS at 1

Edited by Lupus Aurelius, 06 October 2013 - 02:35 PM.


#2 Team Leader

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 10:18 AM

Good post but.. I think thats the point. Even if they were overnerfed, they also have one of the longest ranges of any weapon so, yeah, high heat sniper weapon that just takes a while to shoot and always can shoot. I don't see a problem. Use backup weapons of put all your weight into DHS. Your choice.

Edit: The above is mostly irrelevant and disregards most of the OP, therefore can be ignored

Edited by Team Leader, 06 October 2013 - 11:09 PM.


#3 Lupus Aurelius

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 10:22 AM

Their range is on par with AC5 / UAC5, and shorter than Gauss and AC2, and only slightly longer than the AC10.

#4 General Taskeen

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 10:27 AM

Heat system needs to be redone if they are going to continue an attempt to stay close as possible to TT values.

15 SHS could keep 1 ER PPC heat neutral, standing still and firing.
10 DHS could keep 1 ER PPC heat neutral, standing still and firing.
15 DHS could keep 2 ER PPC's heat neutral, standing still and firing.

One can see why it doesn't make sense, as it is, for oneself:

http://keikun17.gith...heat_simulator/

15 SHS, 1 ER PPC - 7seconds
8 DHS (not possible, unless ext's destroyed), 1 ER PPC - 5.9 seconds (uh what?)
(these two should be cooling down the same, but are not)

10DHS, 1 ER PPC - 4.4 seconds

30 SHS, 2 ER PPC - 6.6 seconds (wtf?)
15 DHS, 2 ER PPC - 7.2 Seconds (wtf?)
(these two should be cooling down the same, but are not)

And that doesn't even account for the really hot maps, which make SHS close to non-functional.

Edited by General Taskeen, 06 October 2013 - 10:44 AM.


#5 Rascula

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 10:34 AM

So much maths it hurts the eyes!!!

Other than that though I do agree with your conclusions, nice post

#6 Wolfways

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 10:38 AM

All lasers have a very low dps compared to AC's. I used to think my K3 (ERPPC's, 20DHS) was okay until i tried ballistics :D

#7 Alistair Winter

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 10:46 AM

  • Graphs
  • Good text formatting
  • Lots of math
  • Links to relevant threads
Didn't read the OP. Liked it anyway. :D

#8 Damocles69

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 10:47 AM

so... you want PPC warrior back? NO they are fine L2P

#9 General Taskeen

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 10:51 AM

View PostDamocles69, on 06 October 2013 - 10:47 AM, said:

so... you want PPC warrior back? NO they are fine L2P


Do you know why PPC warrior was a thing? Because of PGI's Heatsink Philosophy™ of heatsinks raising thresholds. 4 PPC's with 70 heat threshold in MWO, uh yeah, good luck with that in previous Mech Warrior games that had a fixed threshold.

#10 Lupus Aurelius

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 10:57 AM

View PostDamocles69, on 06 October 2013 - 10:47 AM, said:

so... you want PPC warrior back? NO they are fine L2P


Lupus Aurelius said:

...Please, regardless of your feelings or opinions, read the data and listen to what the data tells you, not to what you want the data to be...
...ERPPC heat needs to be lowered back down to 12, or possibly 13, and the ghost heat penalty needs to be increased for ERPPCs used beyond 2 volley fired, to prevent excessive boating...


And how different has it been, now that we have Ballistic Warrior Online??? They have to be balanced.

Edited by Lupus Aurelius, 06 October 2013 - 11:00 AM.


#11 RandomLurker

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 11:02 AM

The problem is heat dissipation. A lower cap+higher dissipation would still prevent heavy alpha, but would make high heat weapons like ERPPC viable over time.

I saw a suggestion recently to make this part of the SHS/DHS balance- one for high cap/low dissipation (as current), another for low cap, high dissipation. Sounds like it would solve multiple balance problems at once to me.

#12 Skizzors

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 11:15 AM

The only buff i want to see for PPC and ERPPC is the projectile speed increased. Its to slow, very hard to aim on max range with it.

#13 Drasari

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 11:17 AM

View PostDamocles69, on 06 October 2013 - 10:47 AM, said:

so... you want PPC warrior back? NO they are fine L2P


Hes asking for balance. We need something other then "AC/UAC Warrior Online".

See what I did there?

#14 Villz

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 11:22 AM

good post

#15 Nebelfeuer

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 11:24 AM

Very impressive OP and very right. ERPPC are way to hot currently.

#16 Oderint dum Metuant

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 11:25 AM

Good post, talks sense.

PPC's are still the boogey man tho, next to premades, LRM's,ECM,Gauss......UAC's..so will fall on deaf ears.

#17 RG Notch

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 11:50 AM

People really post things on here and expect PGI to notice let alone do anything about them? Can you sell those ERPPCS for real money? If not IGP./PGI not interested. All that math for nothing. These forums aren't where they go for ideas and they aren't interested in what the forums has to say on anything, balance in particular.

#18 Greyrook

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 11:50 AM

Considering that this is the only build that I can use ERs as the main weapons http://mwo.smurfy-ne...c284623cc1f87d8 I have to say regardless of the extensive math; practice agrees with your findings. I've used dual PPC builds on and off since closed beta, and always tried to use essentially standard loadouts (none of that 2PPC + gauss, luckshot alpha nonsense). I just can't do it reliably except with that C1 build because it can load the max DHS and the jumpjets allow for poptarting. I admit that may not be the most honorable combat method, but with how long the recycle and cooling time is on the weapons, it's really the only assured way of out DPSing your opponent.

#19 MavRCK

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 11:58 AM

Math and logic is good - all solid games needed to be based on good fundamentals.

#20 Bromineberry

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 12:19 PM

Nice OP. I agree with it, ERPPC run too hot. I think a little bit less heat would be ok. Maybe not down to 12(?) like before, but somewhere between 13 and 14 would be adequate I think.





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