2 replies to this topic

[pbiggz]

In my opinion, the number one issue this game is facing is Front Loaded Pin Point Alpha Damage, which is easily the best option for any mech.

Weapons like SRMs, LBXs (they work funny anyway) and lasers deal damage either in an area or over time. Weapons like autocannons and ER ppcs deal front loaded damage (i.e. the entire damage payload hits at once, in one spot).

This, is the root of our issue.

Pin point alpha leads to all sorts of weird things, for example, 6 ppc stalkers, double ppc gauss anything, ac-ppc anything, etc.

Ghost heat was implemented to bring alpha boating down, but only solves part of the problem, other weapons get around ghost heat and still deliver front loaded damage.

My suggestion is twofold.

Part one, spread weapon convergence. Your weapons should converge on circle slightly larger than awesome's over sized center torso geometry (not the hitbox) rather than on a pinpoint. This will help reward good aim and spread damage over multiple components, making it more difficult to bring down mechs so quickly.

Part two is a logical reworking of frontloaded damage weapons.

Autocannons in past mechwarrior games dealt damage as a stream of projectiles, not as a single projectile. That is where you should start.

PPCs dealt splash damage in mechwarrior 2, they never dealt their full damage on a single point. You should take a look at that as well.

Thoughts?

[Zyllos]

FYI, lasers are also pin point convergent.

While PPCs and ACs receive the most vitriol because of their nature (all damage packed into a single, instantaneous point in time), it's not the PPCs and ACs fault.

Lasers also apply all their damage onto a single point, given a specific instance in time. But lasers do their damage over time, so the end effect is less noticeable.

Even SRMs are pin point convergence. It's just their shots fly in random patterns, which basically fixes their problem of applying a lot of damage onto a single point.

I think as soon as this community begins to see that it is the "duct-tape" effect on all weapons is the problem, then we might can come up with an overall solution to the issue.

[CyclonerM]

pbiggz, on 07 February 2014 - 09:19 AM, said:

Part two is a logical reworking of frontloaded damage weapons.

Autocannons in past mechwarrior games dealt damage as a stream of projectiles, not as a single projectile. That is where you should start.

PPCs dealt splash damage in mechwarrior 2, they never dealt their full damage on a single point. You should take a look at that as well.

Thoughts?

Great minds work togheter

I posted your very same suggestions a few hours ago

And note where i link again Homeless Bill's targeting computer suggestion ..

Edited by CyclonerM, 07 February 2014 - 11:57 AM.