Solis Obscuri, on 14 February 2014 - 05:42 PM, said:
There are basically four advantages the Highlander has in the current meta:
1) Jump-jet turning makes it almost impossible to outflank with lighter, faster 'mechs.
2) High-set arm/torso hardpoints and jump jets make it ideal for jump-sniping.
3) HGN-733C variant can carry 2 PPCs and 2 AC/5 or UACs per current high-alpha meta.
4) Small torso hitboxes and good coverage of side-torsos by arms give it the most forgiving hitboxes of any assault.
So half the problem is how well PPCs and AC/5 rounds synch plus the fact that jump-sniping was never really "fixed" (and the original JJ shake has been steadily un-nerfed so many times that it's back to being completely trivial to jump-snipe).
The visually small torso is partly an art issue, but the hitboxes can be tweaked a little to reduce survivability if that remains an issue.
Jump jet turning and maneuvering is a trickier issue - partly because jump jets really aren't very good for "jumping" at the moment and there's only so much room to nerf them before they aren't worth the weight/crit penalties for using them. If anything, I wonder if JJ's should accelerate faster and more violently, be touchier to control, and fly farther, at the expense of a shorter burn-time and slower recharge rate. That would make them handier for getting to difficult locations, getting out of bad situations, or moving to flank, but a lot less useful for prolonged maneuvering or airborne sniping.
You missed one
5. The highlanders are asymmetrical, that means it's whole left side is a shield in most builds. In other words they have agreat torso twist advantage.
It is not that the Highlander is OP, it is more that other mechs are trash.
Look at the atlas, low slung arms mean pebbles can interfere with your shooting.
The arms are also wide slung and tend to clip terrain on your sides.
It is very slow and not very maneuverable ,
It has less hardpoints then some medium mechs.
It has the same interior space as any other mech, less than some lights even.
It only can put 10 more points in CT than a highlander.
It is a much bigger target.
The torso hit boxes are huge, which translates into less effective armor protection for those areas.
Pro. the DDC can carry ECM
Will any of this be fixed? doubtful,
Will many things be nerfed into uselessness? probably,
is there any good news? Yes! titanfall closed beta opened yesterday!