21 replies to this topic

[Mecha Buster]

I was just curious as to why even when I have a BAP I can't see mechs literally right behind me on my radar? I am pretty sure they didn't have ECM. Also, one more question, is it normal for the game to load so slowly that you almost never see the ready area and just drop into the game? I have a high ping, so I don't get it.

[Smedlee]

I think BAP only works in your field of view.

[Gtbuck]

BAP does not grant you 360 view. What it does do is increase your radar range, allow you to detect shutdown mechs, counter enemy ECM, and decrease the time it takes your missiles to lock on to a target.
There is 360 target retention, but even then you have to face the enemy first then if you turn you will not lose the target.

Edited by Gtbuck, 01 May 2014 - 06:43 AM.

[Mechteric]

Mecha Buster, on 01 May 2014 - 06:24 AM, said:

I was just curious as to why even when I have a BAP I can't see mechs literally right behind me on my radar? I am pretty sure they didn't have ECM. Also, one more question, is it normal for the game to load so slowly that you almost never see the ready area and just drop into the game? I have a high ping, so I don't get it.

I kindof agree it would be cool for BAP to have a bit extra benefit, like being able to detect mechs up to something like 200 meters not in your front arc.

[DEMAX51]

I assume the delay you're experiencing when connecting to a match is due to your ping, but what exactly do you mean by "high ping?"

Also, yeah, no, BAP doesn't allow you to see 'Mechs coming up behind you. The only thing that'll really do that is Seismic Sensor - when you're 'Mech is motionless you'll get blips on your radar as enemies move around you.

[Jody Von Jedi]

360' target retention module is one of the best module purchases, IMHO. As is stated above though, you have to have spotted the enemy in your field of view 1st.

Advanced Seismic Sensor + 360' Target Retention + Advanced Sensor Range and then throw in BAP and you're invincible, well not quite, but you get the idea. If you've got 3 or more SSRMs loaded, this combo is a light mech's nightmare.

[LauLiao]

DEMAX51, on 01 May 2014 - 07:01 AM, said:

I assume the delay you're experiencing when connecting to a match is due to your ping, but what exactly do you mean by "high ping?"

This. You know high ping is a BAD thing right? You want that number as small as possible.

Gtbuck, on 01 May 2014 - 06:40 AM, said:

BAP does not grant you 360 view. What it does do is increase your radar range, allow you to detect shutdown mechs, counter enemy ECM, and decrease the time it takes your missiles to lock on to a target.

This is what BAP does.

[Munin Ravensong]

the Beagle does NOT improve lock time - it makes the locked target's "paper doll" appear sooner. the sensor range bonus and shutting down an ECM that's in range are more than a little nifty though

[LauLiao]

Munin Ravensong, on 01 May 2014 - 01:59 PM, said:

the Beagle does NOT improve lock time - it makes the locked target's "paper doll" appear sooner.

That's the Target Info Gathering module I believe.

[Koniving]

Mecha Buster, on 01 May 2014 - 06:24 AM, said:

Also, one more question, is it normal for the game to load so slowly that you almost never see the ready area and just drop into the game? I have a high ping, so I don't get it.

So you know.. a high ping means BAD connection and/or very long distance away from the server. The game isn't loading slowly, your communication with the server is slower.

A low ping is ideal, as it means it takes x milliseconds to say something to or hear something from the server.

A ping of "0" means you're probably in the same room as the server.

[Munin Ravensong]

Re-read & re-test the BAP, my man. 25% decreased target info acquisition time does NOT equal 25% faster lock time (a fact I am more familiar with than I'd like to be - want to buy a discounted BAP?)

[DEMAX51]

Munin Ravensong, on 01 May 2014 - 02:45 PM, said:

Re-read & re-test the BAP, my man. 25% decreased target info acquisition time does NOT equal 25% faster lock time (a fact I am more familiar with than I'd like to be - want to buy a discounted BAP?)

He's right, BAP doesn't decrease lock time, it just speeds up target info gathering (it gives exactly the same boost as the Target Info Gathering Module, and the two of them will stack to speed the process up even more).

[Ovion]

If you could buy parts from other players, hell yes I would.

BAP is incredibly useful.
As per the MWO Wiki:
The Beagle Active Probe, or BAP, is a sensor suite that enhances the units onboard detection systems. Essentially it boosts radar coverage, locking and scan strength. It also can counter ECM at close range.

• 25% increased sensor range^[3]
  
• 25% decreased target info acquisition time^[3]
  
• Allows targeting of unpowered 'Mechs within 120m^[3]
  
• It counters 1 ECM within the range of 150m. It works the same way as an ECM in counter mode. ^[4]
  
• If a 'Mech has both BAP and ECM installed, the counter ECM feature gets overwritten by ECM. So the 'Mech will only get the increased sensor range and the ability to target unpowered 'Mechs.

The ability to counter ECM, get locks at a greater range, and faster target into gathering...
It's one of those things that if you have the space for it - take it.

At 1.5tons, is plenty worth it. (Honestly, AMS, 1T Ammo, BAP is a fairly standard layout for all my Medium+ mech. On lights, just BAP generally)

[Naduk]

BAP's counter to ECM makes it outstanding for SSRM units
its great gear all round

Edited by Naduk, 01 May 2014 - 03:00 PM.

[DEMAX51]

Naduk, on 01 May 2014 - 02:57 PM, said:

BAP also counters 1 enemy ECM unit within 200m

150 meters, not 200.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Koniving, on 01 May 2014 - 02:32 PM, said:

A ping of "0" means you're probably in the same room as the server.

Or more likely, not connected at all.

[Mecha Buster]

I enjoy that this game is as close as possible to the table top version in real-time, but i can't be the only one who remembers the 360 degree view strip that was standard in 3025 mechs. According to the game universe, we should see rear arc mechs. Especially within thirty meters.It's one hex! AMS is also a bit wonky, it seems. At least compared to the table top. Over all I am amazed they managed to conform to the rules this well while still giving us a real time game.
My ping is usually around 30 or so. I no speak compootor gud.

Edited by Mecha Buster, 01 May 2014 - 10:11 PM.

[IraqiWalker]

Getting rear arch weapons wouldn't be a problem, programming the rear view so that it won't jumble up the front view, and the controls, is a different matter though.

Also, to anyone that says BAP needs another buff: You're lucky it's already doing more than it ever should.

The way BAP actually worked in the setting is that would give you enhanced sensor range and detection abilities, of mechs that are shutdown or camouflaged. It never allowed you to override ECM (Bloodhound Active Probe did, which wasn't introduced until half a century later). As it stands right now, BAP is a great piece of equipment regardless of your role, and is a bargain for it's price.

[Satan n stuff]

LauLiao, on 01 May 2014 - 02:01 PM, said:

That's the Target Info Gathering module I believe.

No, that's both of them. Only Artemis, NARC and TAG reduce lock on time.

[ThatBum42]

The translation from turn-based tabletop to real-time shooter has not been kind to some mechanics, but I feel most of them have been handled reasonably well, and we just need to deal with it. I dunno if rear weapons would be particularly useful in MWO, seeing as how you need to actually aim instead of just roll a die or what have you. Rear-view cam, perhaps? Also, how would reversible arms work in MWO? Keep moving the mouse up or down and they'd spin around continuously? While hilarious, it would take some serious inverted control skill to use it effectively. Maybe it would give people more incentive to put more rear armor on!

Also OP, your game is probably taking a long time to load because of a slow hard disk. My main machine has a 2x 1TB RAID0 array and it loads within 10 seconds of finding a match, but my secondary machine has MWO on an ancient 320GB external Firewire drive, and sometimes the match has already started by the time my client gets its head in the game. Ah well, that's what I get for building machines out of random spare parts.

EDIT: Also high ping is not a good thing to have. Ping, also known as latency, is the time in milliseconds it takes for a signal to travel to the server and back. If you have a high ping, then there will be a delay between what your client thinks is happening and what is actually happening on the server. This is mitigated somewhat because of the server's HSR (host-state rewind) saving 500ms of history for synchronizing all the players, but no system can accurately predict the future, so it's good to have low ping anyway.

Edited by ThatBum42, 03 May 2014 - 03:52 PM.