11 replies to this topic

[Sable Dove]

So the Locust feels sluggish to me. It seems to accelerate too slowly for its size. At first I thought it was a mistake, and that the Locust really did just accelerate slower than it should.

But then I realized something: The Locust accelerates/decelerates faster than you can throttle up/down. This means that it isn't as agile as it should be because it's artificially limited by the speed at which your throttle moves.

I tested this with the Locust 3S (XL190, Basics), Spider 5D (XL255, Mastered), Jenner 7F (XL290, Mastered), Cicada 3M (XL275, Mastered), Raven 3L (XL295, Mastered). I don't have a Commando, but I would imagine they suffer the same fate. With a maxed engine, some of the other mediums also probably suffer from this oversight.

The Jenner and Cicada were close, but still accelerated - and especially, decelerated - noticeably faster than the throttle moved. This is a fairly significant oversight, as it almost completely removes acceleration as any sort of advantage a light might have over another (or even over mediums). The Locust is hit especially hard by this, as being able to quickly stop and start is vital to its usefulness.


For the moment, I've remapped 100% throttle to W (I already use full-stop all the time); this means, however, that I have to sacrifice a fair degree of control over my speed, which is unfortunate.

Please fix this oversight as soon as possible.

[Technical Analysis]

yeah throttle 100 on w thats what i do then back it down if you dont need it all

Edited by Ziggitzaggle, 27 October 2013 - 07:53 AM.

[Vaderman]

You realize of course that you're comparing the basic locust without the higher throttle and throttle x2 adjustment that you get with elite and mastered mechs right?

[Deathlike]

I suggest you at least elite it out (doubled efficiencies) to properly compare.

However, you have to remember that acceleration and deceleration is tied to engine size. So, the engine cap being low (and I don't mean the top speed, although that is another factor) is affecting its potential.

[Sable Dove]

Vaderman, on 27 October 2013 - 10:17 AM, said:

You realize of course that you're comparing the basic locust without the higher throttle and throttle x2 adjustment that you get with elite and mastered mechs right?

Deathlike, on 27 October 2013 - 10:31 AM, said:

I suggest you at least elite it out (doubled efficiencies) to properly compare.

However, you have to remember that acceleration and deceleration is tied to engine size. So, the engine cap being low (and I don't mean the top speed, although that is another factor) is affecting its potential.

The mech efficiencies have nothing to do with it. The throttle speed is fixed. In fact, that the Locust is affected by this before Elite is even more damning. When I get the double basics, I will see virtually no improvement in acceleration by throttling-up, because my acceleration will be artificially limited to exactly what it is now.

You guys seem to be misunderstanding my point. The problem isn't that the mechs accelerate too slowly; it's that the throttle speed is less than the mechs' acceleration. With the default (or original, I guess) throttle-up control, all my lights, and my Cicadas, accelerate at the same rate (in terms of percentage of max speed). If two light mechs go the same max speed, they accelerate at about the same rate, regardless of the individual mechs' characteristics.

People who use the new throttle-decay controls (which are inferior in theory, since you have virtually no speed control) will not notice this, because their throttle instantly jumps to 100% when they throttle up. Those of us using the old controls throttle up from 0 to 100 manually, but the manual throttle up is slower than light mechs' acceleration/deceleration.

All I'm asking for is that they increase the speed of the manual throttle so that it moves faster than the mechs' acceleration/deceleration.

[Deathlike]

Oh, you're saying that 'w' is too slow to getting to top speed when the mech can naturally go faster?

I guess it's time for better/refined throttle controls?

[Sable Dove]

Deathlike, on 27 October 2013 - 01:20 PM, said:

Oh, you're saying that 'w' is too slow to getting to top speed when the mech can naturally go faster?

I guess it's time for better/refined throttle controls?

Exactly. For the moment I've bound 100% throttle to W, but this reduces my speed-control options, and if I hit full-stop, I have to re-press W; whereas before, I could hold W and hit full-stop and it would automatically start accelerating again, so I could tighten my turning radius on the fly.

[ShinVector]

Sable Dove, on 27 October 2013 - 01:40 PM, said:

Exactly. For the moment I've bound 100% throttle to W, but this reduces my speed-control options, and if I hit full-stop, I have to re-press W; whereas before, I could hold W and hit full-stop and it would automatically start accelerating again, so I could tighten my turning radius on the fly.

There is something 'Throttle Decay' that PGI has set the set to be the 'Default'.
Peef mentions this tip in light guide and unfortunately it is true that with throttle decay you accelerate much faster compared to the old method.

Setting W to 100% is no different from Throttle Decay by the way.. LOL..
I just set E to 50% speed and 4 to 100% speed. Use 4 often when I want to cruise without pressing W.

[Cest7]

Use the numberpad... Or rebind W to 100% throttle instead of throttle up?

[Kunae]

PGI made each press of the "w" key make less acceleration about 5 months ago, iirc. Since that time you've had to work around it for the faster mechs, as each step just isn't enough.

[Sable Dove]

ShinVector, on 27 October 2013 - 05:20 PM, said:

Setting W to 100% is no different from Throttle Decay by the way.. LOL..

Except throttle decay... decays. Binding W to 100% throttle allows me to go max speed without tying up an input. Can't do that with throttle decay. You also have no control going in reverse with throttle decay.

[ShinVector]

Sable Dove, on 28 October 2013 - 02:09 PM, said:

Except throttle decay... decays. Binding W to 100% throttle allows me to go max speed without tying up an input. Can't do that with throttle decay. You also have no control going in reverse with throttle decay.

This you the ability feather W, to slow creep eg. up a slope bit by bit though. I need to do that to smash an AC40 or something into an unsuspecting defender's face before running away. (While revealing minimised profile of my mech.)

Anyway.. If you pilot lights... Being able to forward and backwards really really fast that cannot be achieved by classic movement can be scary.
Have been Bassmaster999 own assaults by doing that..