Klaus, on 28 December 2013 - 03:55 AM, said:
Option 1) Change convergence.
I think it's a bad idea because it adds a huge element of luck with direct fire weapons which is just stupid. It would put the 733c in the garbage can and people would look for new things that they could abuse.
Please explain, by your understanding, why a slower convergence would make direct fire weapons gain an "element of luck"? As far as I see it, a slower convergence (which use to be in the game but was problematic and wasn't working correctly, hence a lot of people complained about things like Dragon arm convergence, but if it was working correctly back then) would add more (another lay of) skill into the game. The longer you can hold your reticule over a target, the better your convergence. More advanced players (better mechwarriors/veterans/officers) would gain better accuracy as they would wait for convergence to align their weapons. Snap shots could still hit, but they might not be converged at the correct distance. However, that doesn't mean that they will miss either (if you know how to predict where your weapons are focused).
They could even add some ease, and better match lore, by having the reticule (the arm and torso cross hairs) turn from red to gold (or some other color or indicator) when you have convergence at your given target under your reticule. (Also, ACs producing a short stream of bullets and/or a single shot are each lore correct, depending upon who made the AC and how it was designed to function, so either way would still work for me, depending upon how it is achieved and functions in the game of course.)
The "worse" thing I can see coming out of a slower convergence (which doesn't need to be slowed too much, and could be adjusted by small increments easy enough) is with fast mechs, hitting them and being hit by them. Fast mechs tend to not be able to keep a single target (skill dependent) under their reticules, which means that the fast mech will probably hit several different spots at one shooting. Same would go in reverse, as fast mechs are harder to get under the reticule as well when targeting.
The effects that I can predict with a slower convergence change (as I can think of them):
- Lasers would gain a role as a more "response" and "fast shooting" weapon, as you can start to shoot them without full convergence and lean them into a target. Their splash damage will give them an edge in faster paced battles.
- ACs would become a higher skill weapon, as one would have to wait for convergence before they fire if they wish for it to accurately hit anything.
- Missiles would probably stay the same, but become slightly more valuable, as many missile weapons are semi-guided. SSRMs would probably gain a larger advantage, but could then probably have damage reduced back to TT standards of 2.0 damage a missile? Then again, they do spread their damage out a lot...
- Jump shooting would become even more difficult (a commonly made point in at least this thread about ACs), as you wouldn't have a lot of time to gain convergence. However, one could still shoot with low convergence and probably still hit their target, just with no reliability about where they will hit.
- Torso twisting to block damage would become a little harder, as when you twist you will lose convergence. You would have to make a choice between defense and offense a little more. More skill would be required for one to know when to twist, and when to stay locked on and shooting more accurately. (Twisting damage isn't lore based anyway, but makes sense in a game like this.)
- The "poke and shoot, then hide again" tactic would require more know how, and would be slowed down if one wishes to be more accurate. This would also correct the common complaint I see, at least in this thread, with ACs and counter attacks.
- Gauss charging mechanic would gain even more sense, and would be more of a help to Gauss accuracy than it currently is. This would help to enforce the idea that a Gauss is a sniper weapon, and not a brawling weapon even more.
- PPCs could drop the hard "no damage within 90m" and instead could gain a "longer convergence time within 90m", making it match the TT 90m minimum range better, as it could still do damage but was harder to land a shot with. But this is a question of "lore" vs "TT" vs "First person shooter". Lore says a PPC shot too close has a chance to damage itself and possibly the mech shooting the PPC too close. TT says it gets less accurate (instead of more like other weapons), which explains the 90m minimum range. (AC2s could also gain a slower convergence at close range, to simulate it's minimum range as well...?)
- This also opens up the opportunity to have convergence speed being the balancing option against boating, making Ghost heat removable. Keep the same numbers, but instead of extra heat, it takes longer to converge the extra weapons. (EX: If you have 2 LLs, they will converge as fast as anything else. If you have 3, the first 2 LLs will converge like normal, and the third one will take a little more time to converge. If you have 4 LLs, two will converge quickly, third one will take a little longer, and the fourth one would take a little longer than the third laser. This could be applied to all current weapons (except LRMs). Two AC20s, one would line up quick, second one would take longer to properly align.)
Though, I would also like to say, seen as we are talking about balance, I feel that engine size shouldn't effect your twist rate, etc. This forces the concept that one needs to have the largest engine possible to have the fastest twist, so that they can better target and hit opponents, especially when fighting fast mechs. (Just an add on idea.)
I'm sure a slower convergence could/would effect other things I am not thinking of at this given time, but I think it might be able to also open up other doors of possibility we currently don't have for balance.
EDIT: For the record, I'm just stating my thoughts and opinions. I do seriously want to hear your side of the concept, and why you think the way you do on the subject. What would make you think it would make things based on "luck"?
Edited by Tesunie, 28 December 2013 - 06:10 PM.