52 replies to this topic

[MechB Kotare]

Salutations ladies and gentlemen.

I have a question.

Would it make sense to restrict Strikes to some another additonal module? Like you'd have to mount another module, to be able to equip arties?

Now from my Mechcommander experience, i agree they should be powerfull. But their current amount in single match is really troubling me.

Maybe its time to put Command console in use finally?

Thank you for your time, and please dont get me wrong. Im not trying to ***** in here. Just a thought of experience.

[wanderer]

Artillery/airstrikes is a "grenade" that only really gets it's money's worth out of hitting tightly clustered targets. Basically, it punishes people for crowding. I mean, sure you can drop it on one target but is that -really- OP? To me, it's the same as many Counterstrike games- if you see a crowd, you chuck a grenade in and soften them up- if the squad has someone boxed in, everyone tosses a frag in and sees what shakes loose or drops dead.

If anything, Command Consoles should effectively give a bank of preset module slots for "free" for the 'Mech. Improved sensor range, improved decay, 360 sensors, improved artillery/air strike accuracy. You'd still have to purchase the modules/pilot skills, but the Command Console would give you slots to install them that wouldn't be taking up the normal chassis slots, as a "dedicated" module system and crew station.

The pilot could then install his normal chassis modules to taste.

[Craig Steele]

wanderer, on 18 February 2014 - 04:53 AM, said:

If anything, Command Consoles should effectively give a bank of preset module slots for "free" for the 'Mech. Improved sensor range, improved decay, 360 sensors, improved artillery/air strike accuracy. You'd still have to purchase the modules/pilot skills, but the Command Console would give you slots to install them that wouldn't be taking up the normal chassis slots, as a "dedicated" module system and crew station.

The pilot could then install his normal chassis modules to taste.

This +1

[NextGame]

MechB Kotare, on 18 February 2014 - 04:24 AM, said:

Salutations ladies and gentlemen.

I have a question.

Would it make sense to restrict Strikes to some another additonal module? Like you'd have to mount another module, to be able to equip arties?

Now from my Mechcommander experience, i agree they should be powerfull. But their current amount in single match is really troubling me.

Maybe its time to put Command console in use finally?

Thank you for your time, and please dont get me wrong. Im not trying to ***** in here. Just a thought of experience.

Actually, this is a good idea. Command module = module slots.

[Sephlock]

And the command module should allow you to carry more artillery and airstrikes, say... 3x of each .

[Redshift2k5]

Arty/strikes can be debilitating. I would be inclined to suggest that PGI adjust the waiting period before and between using Arty

Since you cannot restrict the number of artillery/airstrikes players -bring- to the match, longer timers can make arty less frequent and less spammed.

Also. a big fat +1 to the command console granting additional modules

[wanderer]

Heck, the second I saw them add modules in, that's what I expected for Command Console implementation.

It'd give you someplace handy to store a bunch of sensor-related modules, allowing you to put consumables/less generic modules into your chassis slots instead. Making it just "generic extra module" slots wouldn't be as sensible, IMHO- CC's should be reserved for modules that improve existing systems/other module performance.

[SI The Joker]

+10,000 to command console being required for arty/air strikes.

Except that part about 3x strikes... No on that.

Edit: Clarification

Edited by SI The Joker, 18 February 2014 - 05:36 AM.

[Mudhutwarrior]

Won't happen. Good ideas are not accepted here.

[Wintersdark]

Why you see so many arty/air strikes: because the other options are terrible in comparison. They aren't op, there just aren't good options.

Weapon Mods? Lol! A minor range increase which is only occasionally beneficial at the cost of increased heat which is always harmful?

Regular modules? Some are useful, but none are as good as arty, air, or even coolshot. Still, I'd use some situationally, except... 5, 6 million cbills vs 40k? I'd have to buy 150 airstrikes to make up for one... And I've got some 50echs with 2-3 module slots each, and a UI that makes finding and moving modules hideously painful.

Nah... We just need modules that don't suck as alternatives is all.

[w0rm]

Remove the ability to headshot mechs with arty/air, damage wise they are fine and avoidable.

[Rhialto]

I find current state to be perfect...

w0rm, on 18 February 2014 - 07:33 AM, said:

Remove the ability to headshot mechs with arty/air,...

Why? Think of it as a 'shit' happens situation. I have yet to be killed that way with so many games played so yes this situation may exist but it is so rare that I see no problem with this.

If for some reason you were frustrated once to have your Strong Atlas at 100% killed in a single shot, the same can happen with a Dual AC/20 build in front of you... it's rare but it does exist and I don't think it happens too much to be annoying.

My 2 cents

[Sephlock]

SI The Joker, on 18 February 2014 - 05:36 AM, said:

+10,000 to command console being required for arty/air strikes.

Except that part about 3x strikes... No on that.

Edit: Clarification

4x then.

And the sound of exploding shells should be replaced by the sound of a baby crying.

[FactorlanP]

Maybe I'm in the wrong Elo bracket, but Arty/Air strikes don't seem like a problem to me.

Using a few common sense rules about choke points and bunching up will help you to avoid many strikes. A little awareness during combat and you can often spot the red marker smoke in time to get out of the strike zone (or to its edge at least).

I think I've only been killed two or three times by arty/air strikes.

[East Indy]

FactorlanP, on 18 February 2014 - 08:04 AM, said:

Maybe I'm in the wrong Elo bracket, but Arty/Air strikes don't seem like a problem to me.

As with boating weapons, they become exponentially more powerful when a premade group stocks them and deploys within the space of 30-45 seconds early in a fight, knowing full well the limited places a team can go -- as well as the fact that all things being equal, a pug group will keep tighter formation for safety's sake.

I don't see it too often, but when I do it's only one team so I'll either win or lose handily.

I'd rather strikes remain powerful but have team cooldowns so they can't be spammed. If strikes were used throughout a match I'd conclude otherwise, but almost all are dropped early on, so people are obviously taking advantage of map knowledge and likely player behavior. And yes, I understand the role of pre-advance bombardments in real large-scale ground war, but I don't think that's best for this kind of game.

[Joseph Mallan]

East Indy, on 18 February 2014 - 08:29 AM, said:

As with boating weapons, they become exponentially more powerful when a premade group stocks them and deploys within the space of 30-45 seconds early in a fight, knowing full well the limited places a team can go -- as well as the fact that all things being equal, a pug group will keep tighter formation for safety's sake.

I don't see it too often, but when I do it's only one team so I'll either win or lose handily.

I'd rather strikes remain powerful but have team cooldowns so they can't be spammed. If strikes were used throughout a match I'd conclude otherwise, but almost all are dropped early on, so people are obviously taking advantage of map knowledge and likely player behavior. And yes, I understand the role of pre-advance bombardments in real large-scale ground war, but I don't think that's best for this kind of game.

So then they are used as they were intended you mean?

Edited by Joseph Mallan, 18 February 2014 - 08:39 AM.

[Willard Phule]

Just playing devil's advocate here....

How about limiting mechs without a Command Console to pack either an Artillery Strike OR an Air Strike....but with a Command Console, you can load both?

For those that aren't familiar with the BT cannon, a "Command Console" is a second cockpit that can be mounted in a Heavy or Assault Battlemech. Traditionally, the Command Console is used by the unit commander while someone else pilots the 'mech. This allows greater command and control on the battlefield, as well as the use of advanced communications gear.

[East Indy]

Joseph Mallan, on 18 February 2014 - 08:32 AM, said:

So when they are used as they were intended you mean?

Intended to be overused by min-maxers in relatively few pickup games but with one-sided results?

[SirSlaughter]

Artillery and air strike should be assigned to chassis that are underpowered (something like ECM).

[Willard Phule]

East Indy, on 18 February 2014 - 08:41 AM, said:

Intended to be overused by min-maxers in relatively few pickup games but with one-sided results?

*shrug* I always bring an Arty strike, just in case I get lucky and the other team is having some badly choreographed square dance going on in a choke point...it's kind of hard to pass that up.

But both? Ok, I don't waste MC on them since I've managed to open up the skill tree for them...but....80k cbills to bring both? That's pushing it. I'm lucky if I clear 80k on some of the teams I end up on.

But, to each their own, I guess.