Posted 07 January 2014 - 07:15 AM
This post is not mine. I liked it so much that I have posted it here for Master Maniac. Whom I wish I was as cool as he. I agree with EVERYTHING he has stated below. It is ingenius, please take the time to read, as it has some very valid points.
No speeches. No dramatics. No lengthy diatribes. I'm here to do Clan Tech for you.
You're welcome.
LRMs vs Clan LRMs
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Clan LRMs weigh less, take up less critical slots, and have no minimal range - therefore, they are automatically "better" than IS LRMs, right?
Wrong.
All the above should be true in MWO, but that's not the end of the differences.
Clans have quite the distaste for "support" tactics, and only resort to them sparingly and, even then, when strictly necessary. This should be reflected in CLRMs. Clan LRMs *CANNOT* lock without *direct* line of sight with their intended target. No piggybacking locks.
In exchange, Clan LRMs achieve lock very quickly - at roughly half the time it takes for IS LRM weapons - and with their lack of a minimal arming range, they are flexible weapons, useful at a variety of distances. They break lock all but instantly, however, so pilots must keep their reticule on target in order to fire with accuracy.
These differences give Clan LRMs a very unique flavor. Since they are tied to a 'Mech's fire control system, Clan and IS LRMs are not compatible with each other. This means that pilots seeking a pure support role are going to want to stick with Inner Sphere variants, while those who want a more flexible, multiple-role loadout might gravitate towards Clan LRMs.
CLRMs excel at softening up distant targets prior to an up-close engagement, and are quick and easy to handle. Their flight characteristics differ from standard LRMs in that they fire in a spread, and mid-flight they merge into a tighter cluster. This is intended to maximise the chance of scoring impacts on close-range targets. A side effect of this is much more spread-out damage the closer the target is to the shooter.
In light of this behavior, as well as the increased tonnage and space requirements for the bulky LRM launchers, Clan LRMs are by themselves a poor substitute for SRMs, although they can serve adequately in close combat should the need arise.
Also limiting the usefulness of the Clan LRM in close-in battle is the slow speed and sluggish maneuverability of the missiles themselves. Fast moving or low-profile targets can evade the better part of a salvo with relative ease due to the speed, spread, and vertical angle of attack when sufficiently close to the shooter. Clan LRMs find their "sweet spot" to be intermediate range engagements, in which target acquisition is easier for the pilot, and shot grouping becomes more consistent.
CONCISE: Clan LRMs demand a greater degree of skill than most weapons. They are extremely flexible and offer reliable damage output, but they require a very steady hand and a constant focus on a single target as locks break easily. The requirement to stay glued to a target for the duration of a salvo can result in tunnel vision, and can lead an unskilled pilot to an early death if they fail to mind their position and situation.
The reduced weight and critical slot consumption are also points of interest for Mechwarriors who wish to vary their 'Mech's loadout.
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Clan SRMs
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Clan SRMs are lighter than IS launchers, making them more effective backup weapons when tonnage is a concern. However, Clan SRM launchers are unable to dish out that stunning, ever-so-impressive wallop of close range single-shot damage that IS launchers are capable of, as they operate in staggered bursts due to their streamlined design. They are, however, much more accurate, and fly straighter and longer to their target.
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Lasers! (Our examples shall be ER Large Lasers compared with Clan ER Large Lasers)
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The general consensus is that Clan lasers are strictly *better* than their Inner Sphere counterparts. Chiefly, they do more damage, feature better range, have less weight, and occupy less slots. It doesn't seem at all unreasonable to simply label them "better" and leave it at that.
But that would be lazy.
In MWO, ER Large Lasers feature good range, 9 damage, and moderately high heat generation. They are also able to output the full capacity of their damage in a fairly short amount of time, thanks to a reasonably short beam duration.
Clan ER Large Lasers *do* indeed do more damage...if you can keep your beam on target long enough to deliver it. Yes, no freebies. The increased damage capacity of the bigger, beefier brother of the ER Large Laser must be delivered in the form of a full 0.75 seconds of additional beam discharge. That might not sound like much, but adding almost an entire second to the Clan ER LL's burn time is a really, really big deal. Instead of dealing 9 points of damage, with the Clan variant a pilot is able to score as much as 13 points in a single shot - but they have to work for it. The weapon actually does *less* damage than its standard variant in the same amount of time. In order to deliver maximum damage, the beam must be held on the enemy for a noticeably longer duration.
Keeping the beam on target for such a long time requires exceptional accuracy and focus, and the extra time spent burning directly translates into more time generating heat. Once the weapon is triggered, there's no stopping it until its duration is up, so the decision to fire the heat-heavy Clan ER Large Laser is not one to be made lightly. The lengthy burn time also means that those extra points of damage are likely to be spread around the various sections of a moving, fighting, and evasive enemy 'Mech, rather than concentrated on a single component. Skill, practice, and superior positioning can mitigate this effect.
The Clan ER LL enjoys a very generous maximum range boost over the already impressive standard variant, but again the increased beam duration comes into play. Extreme range engagement is more of a possibility with the Clan variant, but can be incredibly tricky with anything less than stellar aim.
CONCISE: Clan laser weapons require a much higher degree of skill than their IS counterparts. Core features include much increased damage, long beam burn times, *slightly* slower recharge durations, moderately increased heat generation, less overall weight, and less slot requirements. These characteristics run across the board with all classes of Clan laser weapons, from small to large.
Firing a Clan laser is riskier overall than firing an IS laser. Shot placement is much more important, and a steady hand is required to ensure the much-improved potential damage is placed effectively on the target. The weapons are much less forgiving, but ultimately more rewarding...and more punishing for players who carelessly discharge their weapons due to the increased heat generation and slightly slower recycling.
Chain fire can be an effective use of grouped Clan lasers. The increased damage, improved range, and greater overall utility of Clan lasers make them much more attractive - and viable - "side" weapons for rounding out a 'Mech's arsenal than their more nuanced Inner Sphere counterparts.
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CLAN PULSE LASERS!
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Oh, boy. The cat's out of the bag.
People are either going to love this, or hate it.
Clan pulse lasers function *nothing* like IS pulse lasers. Instead, they fire like Mechwarrior 3 pulse lasers.
*GASP*
For those not familiar with Mechwarrior 3, pulse lasers in that game were continous beam weapons that projected a constant beam for as long as the weapon was triggered. The beam would remain until the player let go of the weapon's trigger, or until the weapon's charge was fully consumed.
How would this work in MWO? Simple. It'd be much the same as before. A Clan Pulse Laser would feature a prominent colored bar in its weapon tab that would shrink as the weapon is fired. The color would phase from green to yellow, orange, and red as the bar depletes for further graphical reinforcement. This bar represents the weapon's charge state. In order to recharge, the weapon must not be fired until its cooldown time is allowed to pass, after which time the weapon's charge is restored fully.
The real trick here is that the player is free to spend the Clan Pulse Laser's charge as they please - they can essentially utilize the weapon's "duration" in whatever way they like by triggering the weapon at any time, so long as there is some charge remaining in the bar. The Clan Pulse Laser has the advantage of not forcing a pilot to discharge the weapon all in one go, generating full heat and forcing a delay between shots. These weapons can themselves be "pulsed" with timed button presses, maximizing accuracy in the right hands, and enabling more precise heat management. Important to note is the fact that the weapon must be left alone for its entire cooldown duration in order to recharge.
Even if the weapon is only half-way depleted of its charge, it must still go without being fired for the full cooldown in order to recharge. Discharging the weapon partially does not increase the charge bar's lifespan, or shorten its cooldown duration. Careful trigger discipline, and firing in short, controlled bursts provides no advantage other than spending the weapon's duration more wisely, with greater accuracy, and keeping heat levels low. As Pulse Lasers only generate heat when they are actively projecting a beam, skilled pilots can use the interruptable discharge to their advantage by cutting the weapon off when heat levels elevate.
Of course, this trigger discipline requires focus and attention. A full discharge from a Clan Pulse Laser produces more heat than a single discharge from their Inner Sphere contemporary - almost an additional half. Clan Pulse Lasers do much more damage, though, and with better range. However, their damage falloff at range is *greater* than IS Pulse Lasers, in that while their max range is increased, their full-damage, effective range is shorter. The Clan Pulse Laser's long maximum range but short full effective range further serves to make the weapon unique. The increased heat, damage, and range mean that heat/damage ratios *can* be more manageable, but at the same time they can be much more *unmanageable* if care is not exercised.
Clan Pulse Lasers can be a real treat to play with, with a heat scale and an interactivity factor that provide a dynamic, skill-based approach to combat. Heat management becomes very engaging, as pilots are tested second by second to decide which is more important - raw damage, or accuracy and staying power.
Plus, Clan Pulse Lasers "budda budda" as long as you hold the trigger. How cool is THAT?
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Clan Autocannons
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Lighter and more compact than IS Autocannons, but slightly more fragile, Clan Autocannons also feature some hefty recoil which can throw a pilot's aim way off target depending on the caliber. Clan Autocannons can be tough to pair with other weapons given the aim disruption, but the reduced weight and critical slot requirements make them very attractive.
Clan AC's utilize somewhat complicated feeding mechanisms due to the focus on compactness, which results in a slower reload and a reduced rate of fire. Used casings remain in the weapon's chamber for a longer duration, as well, causing a greater heat buildup.
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OVERALL THEME: Well, you've read this far, so I might as well explain my position on this. MWO needs more weapons. It needs more weapon *variety,* and it doesn't necessarily have to be word-for-word consistent with canon, as all Mechwarrior computer games are considered "quasi-canonical" anyway. What's the word? Apocryphical? I'm sure I'm not spelling that correctly.
But, whatever. The point is that Clan weapons could have their own unique flavor. Their own brand of playstyle. Some of them might not be for everyone. Inner Sphere weapons could be great, reliable standbys, and mix and match well with Clan weapons (with some exceptions).
Clan weapons are in many ways better...but at what cost? That's the theme. They should be at times radically different. A Large Laser that weighs 4 tons and takes only one slot? Whoa! See, that's what we need more of. More flexibility is always a good thing.
How many support players are willing to sacrifice the ability to fire missiles at friendly locks, even if Clan tech allows for faster lockons, tighter volleys, and short range capability? How many brawlers are willing to load up on Clan lasers, knowing that their burn time requires arduous focus and great accuracy to be effective? Some players will do these things.
They'll learn, adapt, and play differently from the rest.
And *that* is how you do Clan Tech. No talk about "outclassing" weapons, no nonsense about how anything more "powerful" is inherently bad. Balance is bull. We don't want "balance." We don't want multi-colored variations of the same frikkin' laser beams. We want variety. Clan Tech is a great way to introduce a little of it, even if it means breaking canon a little bit. And I do mean "a little." Give the weapons pros and cons, and nature will take care of the rest.
Making the Clan ER Large Laser do one extra point of damage with 20% more heat, and maybe a slightly different firing sound, is just going to make us all mad.
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This topic is locked
Russhuster, on 05 January 2014 - 11:15 AM, said:
