87 replies to this topic

[Deathlike]

Lykaon, on 04 November 2013 - 03:11 PM, said:

Locust vs commando= good balanced fight unless the Commando is a 2D with streaks and ECM

lol no.

I've had a field day with Lolcusts in every Streak capable Commando. Even the semi-terrible looking 1D is great for nomming on a Lolcust's leg. I'm sure the TDK is enjoying this too.

Edited by Deathlike, 04 November 2013 - 06:37 PM.

[dario03]

Spadejack, on 04 November 2013 - 06:17 PM, said:

In my opinion, the locust will be an extinct mech.
I can speak from my experience, once i have the master on all of them, they will probably fade in oblivion of my mech bays...

But to be honest, its a fun mech to play, 170kph its fun, and anoys the bigger mechs, altough the one-shot kill / leg destroyed tends to be frustrating.

I dont have any problem with the locust being shot down with just one shot, its a 20Ton mech, its suposed to be easy to destroy. Its role is a pure scout mech, not made for a one-on-one fight. Now compare it to a spider... the biggest overpowered mech on the game, and only 10 tons more than the locust?

So, i would only like to see the locusts legs a bit (not too much, just a bit) improved. Honestly, compare it to the spider...

Yep, even though the 3M is my favorite locust I will probably sale it and the 3S since the other lights are just flat out better. But I'll probably keep my phoenix locust even though I won't use it.

Edited by dario03, 04 November 2013 - 08:39 PM.

[ShinVector]

Bors Mistral, on 01 November 2013 - 07:22 AM, said:

I have to say I have a thing for the Locust. It goes fast. Real fast!

There are, however, two things about it that drive me nuts:
- The Locust is a walking headshot... and that's fine, especially once actual role-warfare finally gets here.
- The Locust's legs are more brittle than chopsticks made of eggshells.

Now, for a mech who's only tool of survival is speed, the second point is a huge problem. At the moment, piloting a Locust, more often than not your legs will be yellow before you've crossed half the map. There was a similar problem with the Cicada, but that was pretty much sorted out. The Locust deserves the same treatment and more, considering the Cicada has 2.5 times the leg health.

Second on the same subject, the Locust seems to be the only mech that has less HP and armour on legs than on side torsos... Why, PGI, what gameplay sense does that make?

Third, installing Ferro-Fibrous on the Locust, though it mostly comes stock with it, give is a massive 0,41t to work it - pretty much useless, except to try to spread another 20 points on your measly papier mâché armour. That, again, underlines a problem with FF more than anything.

Last, there's no point about talking about the Locust in terms of heat. Fill it up with SHS and you still can't cool a single ML on Terra Therma. You can't count on DHS to cool well the only semi-combat capable variant, the 3M, either, as, unlike other lights, you only get 7 of them and the rest are the joke 1,4s.

That pretty much concludes my semi-rant about the Locust. In my opinion, PGI needs to perk-up that fun-to-drive mech, and make it fun-to-pilot. What do you think?

They need to some more torso pitch range because the most viable setup, the 1 ERLL needs it.

[Durant Carlyle]

dario03, on 04 November 2013 - 01:33 PM, said:

But this isn't TT. If a Locust was allowed to run with less than 10 heatsinks or had the externals up to 10 not weigh anything then in this game, it would have weight freed up.

You're not understanding, dario. The engine weight in MW:O has been reduced to allow the extra heat sinks to bring the total weight up to what it's supposed to be. That means they effectively DON'T weight anything. It only seems like they do, because of the way the devs have divvied up the weights.

[Corbon Zackery]

I'm not having any issues with the Locust. Chalk that one up to pilot error. I run a m.laser and a srm 4 and a lrm 5 on the LCT-3S So the .33 rate is due to the build. LCT-1V I'm getting a kill a match. 5 small laser LCT-3M 5/5 So Its working. Your piloting a 20ton garbage truck that picks up your trash on Thursdays.


LOCUST LCT-1V 16 4 12 0.33 14 13 1.08 2,653 13,742 01:54:58 LOCUST LCT-3M 8 4 4 1.00 5 5 1.00 1,013 8,620 00:48:36 LOCUST LCT-3S 12 6 6 1.00 2 6 0.33 1,013 12,536 01:24:11

[dario03]

Durant Carlyle, on 04 November 2013 - 10:10 PM, said:

You're not understanding, dario. The engine weight in MW:O has been reduced to allow the extra heat sinks to bring the total weight up to what it's supposed to be. That means they effectively DON'T weight anything. It only seems like they do, because of the way the devs have divvied up the weights.

I understand exactly what you are saying, but we're not on the same subject here. You are trying to compare to TT and I never said anything about TT, I know that the weight works out to the same as TT. The point is in this game (MWO) the external heatsinks take up weight and crit slots even if they are just there to reach the required 10. If a locust was allowed to run with say just 8 heatsinks then you could save 2 tons and 2-6 crit slots because you would no longer have to add those 2 heatsinks. You could if you wanted to but if your build doesn't run hot then you wouldn't need to.

[Zerberoff]

The Locust is one of the toughest Mechs on the field to work with ... it needs Skill to use it properly. If you fail with it, deal with it and pick another.

[CDLord HHGD]

Also, buff the rewards for piloting these mechs. XP and CB rewards are damage/kill centric and that does not bode well for the Locust pilot.

[Trauglodyte]

Durant Carlyle, on 04 November 2013 - 10:10 PM, said:

You're not understanding, dario. The engine weight in MW:O has been reduced to allow the extra heat sinks to bring the total weight up to what it's supposed to be. That means they effectively DON'T weight anything. It only seems like they do, because of the way the devs have divvied up the weights.

Actually, you're partly right. The engine weights have been adjusted to take into account the missing weight for the cockpit and gyro along with the intended weight necessary for any added heat sinks.

Anyway, back to the point:

• Legs are way too easy to hit and they are under armored by 6 points (external) and 3 points (internal). 100% of my deaths start by me getting legged and then getting crushed.
  
• Being the most brittle mech in the game, why is it so penalized for fall damage and getting run into by teammates/enemy?
  
• 2a) Why is it when you get scraped by a larger mech does all of the damage go to the legs?
  
• I'm ok with having limited weapons with which to base builds on but what I'm not ok with is the complete and total bs that is the hit registry on those weapons. If I run dual LRM5s with 2 tons of ammo, I should come out of the game with more than 100-120 damage when I burn through both tons. I pumped 8 salvoes along with my Md Laser the other night on an DCed Atlas only to get one shot by the SHD that came to stop the cap and I ended the game with 52 total damage. Furthermore, 3x Streaks shouldn't be more advantageous for the Locust than 2x SRM4s especially considering that the Locust can't take advantage of that with BAP or Artemis.
  
• Modules, hello?

I really enjoy driving the Locust but it has been the absolute worst mech experience that I've had in this entire game. It is worse for me than it was leveling my Cicada back at Open Beta release when there was no HSR and Jenners ruled the game by abusing the single JJ mechanic. And, if that wasn't enough, Streaks and LRMs just pile on the "OMG, why are my legs bigger than a Centurion's" mechanic as LRMs always hit legs on mechs moving faster than 120kph.



PS> Is anyone else on board with me in that allowing NARC and TAG to be put in any/all hard points would really help the Locust shine? If you're going to relegate the mech to a spotter/ghetto scout (not like scouting is a necessity these days), how about you don't just prison **** it by removing its lone energy hard point on the non-3M chassis to do so?

Edited by Trauglodyte, 05 November 2013 - 09:49 AM.

[Bors Mistral]

Alright, so far there seems to be a general consensus regarding fall damage and module slots. Not bad.

One more item to add to the list of Locust gripes: at the beginning of the match, the start-up sequence. The pilot bends forward and plants his/hers face on the console while doing the pressing-random-buttons on the left and right routine. In this tiny cockpit, this makes no frigging sense. I haven't noticed such weird sequence in any of my other mechs.

[wirikidor]

The biggest problem with the Locust is that it doesn't go fast enough.

It's not even the fastest mech in the game, and it should be. It needs SOMETHING to give it a little bit of an edge, and being the fastest would definitely be something going for it.

Right now Commando's hold the record for fastest at 171.1 kph with speed tweak.

[Durant Carlyle]

You know what?

I'd like to see this mythical non-hot-running seven heat sink Locust that everyone wants so much. And no, it can't be armed with only four machine guns. It must also run cool on hot maps, not just the coldest ones.

[Roosterfish]

I'd agree that the Locust's cockpit view needs a redo.

Everything else needs to play by the same rules that all the other players do. Why should this one get special treatment? You choose to use the smallest/weakest mech in the game so it's weak.

[Training Instructor]

I hope they make some improvements.

Until then, I'll try to cap/scout/harass, but won't feel too upset when I die early in a match.

It's the one area the locust particularly excels in.

[mekabuser]

ill go back and read but seems to me after trying one last night the only tactic that works with a locust is to RUN at first sight of an enemy. .You cant engage anyone 1v1 and even 2 v 1 you should probably STILL be cautious.
WIth pitiful armor and weapons it honestly needs JJ. since most pursuing lights will have JJ.

Maybe ill try it again if it gets a huge buff but i plan to melt mine down and throw my xl engine in a raven

[CDLord HHGD]

mekabuser, on 06 November 2013 - 05:32 AM, said:

ill go back and read but seems to me after trying one last night the only tactic that works with a locust is to RUN at first sight of an enemy. .You cant engage anyone 1v1 and even 2 v 1 you should probably STILL be cautious.
WIth pitiful armor and weapons it honestly needs JJ. since most pursuing lights will have JJ.

Maybe ill try it again if it gets a huge buff but i plan to melt mine down and throw my xl engine in a raven

Tell that to the cataphract I solo'd the other day in my 1V...... Word of advice to that person, in Canyon Network, don't sneak behind that big rock behind the drop point and power down...... And if you do, for God's sake, listen to the ambient noise. Better yet, don't power down..... Or don't take a damage dealer phract and hide.... I will find you and I will core you.

[Red squirrel]

Bors Mistral, on 01 November 2013 - 07:22 AM, said:

I have to say I have a thing for the Locust. It goes fast. Real fast!

There are, however, two things about it that drive me nuts:
- The Locust is a walking headshot... and that's fine, especially once actual role-warfare finally gets here.
- The Locust's legs are more brittle than chopsticks made of eggshells.

Now, for a mech who's only tool of survival is speed, the second point is a huge problem. At the moment, piloting a Locust, more often than not your legs will be yellow before you've crossed half the map. There was a similar problem with the Cicada, but that was pretty much sorted out. The Locust deserves the same treatment and more, considering the Cicada has 2.5 times the leg health.

Second on the same subject, the Locust seems to be the only mech that has less HP and armour on legs than on side torsos... Why, PGI, what gameplay sense does that make?

Third, installing Ferro-Fibrous on the Locust, though it mostly comes stock with it, give is a massive 0,41t to work it - pretty much useless, except to try to spread another 20 points on your measly papier mâché armour. That, again, underlines a problem with FF more than anything.

Last, there's no point about talking about the Locust in terms of heat. Fill it up with SHS and you still can't cool a single ML on Terra Therma. You can't count on DHS to cool well the only semi-combat capable variant, the 3M, either, as, unlike other lights, you only get 7 of them and the rest are the joke 1,4s.

That pretty much concludes my semi-rant about the Locust. In my opinion, PGI needs to perk-up that fun-to-drive mech, and make it fun-to-pilot. What do you think?

You forgot:

They have the worst cockpit of all mechs. I cannot see anything in there

They seem to take more falling damage than any other mech. Leg armor is hardly enough even if nobody shoots you.


After I got all other Phoenix mechs elite I finally tried the Locust...it is so bad no it's even worse.
OMG so bad my head explodes....

[Tahribator]

The leg hitboxes are just too big, that's my only problem with it. Whatever damage you take, it goes to the legs 90%.

No mech should die to legs with minimal damage to torso in normal conditions.

[Trauglodyte]

Durant Carlyle, on 05 November 2013 - 08:36 PM, said:

You know what? I'd like to see this mythical non-hot-running seven heat sink Locust that everyone wants so much. And no, it can't be armed with only four machine guns. It must also run cool on hot maps, not just the coldest ones.

They're just confusing things. They don't realize that TT engines came with 10 HSs worth of weight but that the criticals still needed to be applied. The biggest issue that is trying to be conveyed but not done very well is that the Locust suffers from being extremely fragile (we all know that), limited in weapon options (all Lights have that problem), and critical slot issues (a bigger problem for the Locust). So, what is happening is that people are trying to make builds happen on a mech that simply can't hold it all which means you're running around in a piece of paper that hurts about as bad as a paper cut. It is extremely frustrating as the 3M is the only viable variant.

Case in point, the 3S. You can drop in an LRM5, 2x Streaks, 1 ton of ammo for each, a 170xl, and 4 DHSs with ES and FF. With max armor, you're left with a quarter ton of weight left and no backup weapon. If you drop the FF, you've got more room with which to work but you only have 12 points of armor on the head, not that it matters, and you still don't have a backup weapon. If you keep the FF, you can drop the armor down to 1 on the head and 7 on each arm but now you're even more fragile and, like before, you don't have the room for a backup weapon. You could switch out the 170 for a 180xl and add in a Small Laser but, we all know how pathetic the Small Laser really is.

Now, you could say that those builds above are complete franken garbage and you are probably right because they try to focus on two different ranges. That means that you've gotta decide between long range fire power w/ a Med Laser and hope that the LRM hit registry works in your favor (typically it doesn't) and Streaks w/ a Med Laser. In both cases, ECM completely bones you and, with the latter, you've only got one ton of ammo which gives you 12 salvoes total. Its enough to kill two lights under 35 tons (read: Spiders, Mandos, and other Locusts) but then you're stuck with a single Md Laser. The LRM option still suffers from ECM while also forcing you to contend with terrain, AMS, and general stupidity when it comes to LRMs hitting.

Essentially, you're screwed with damned near every load out while having {Scrap} for heat management, armor, and/or weapons. Its an extremely frustrating no-win situation.

Edited by Trauglodyte, 06 November 2013 - 08:52 AM.

[Voivode]

I've warmed up my locust after a pretty harsh experience eliting it. I kept only the Phoenix variant and slapped an ERLL and 2xMG on it. A Jenner it is not, but as a harassment mech/hit and run against heavier targets it does pretty well. I've been having fun and doing around 300 damage per match and getting kills pretty regularly. Not bad for a 20 tonner.

Edited by Voivode, 06 November 2013 - 08:39 AM.