18 replies to this topic

[Jman5]

When you think about Weapon Modules what I and I think most people want are weapon modules that change the very nature of the weapon to give it a unique flavor or new ability. Here are some examples:

• Ultra-Laser: Allows you to fire a laser with 50% more damage, but double beam duration and 50% heat increase. This would activate if you double tap your fire button mid-shot.

• LBX Slug/Shotgun: lets you switch between the two. However your ammo is split between the two, so you can't just fire all slug or all shotgun.

• Mortar Mode: removes most of the projectile speed of your autocannon, but gives it a devastating AoE when it impacts the ground. Can injure friendlies, so use with caution and don't fire it point blank unless you want to die. Cooldown doubled.

• AMS Conversion (might have to make this IS only): allows you to use your AMS as a machine gun.

• Weapon Shielding: Once your armor is gone, your weapons shield a component's internals for as long as they are functional. So 10 Hitpoint ac/5 will absorb 10 damage. However they are subject to being quickly crit'd like normal.

IMO, they should have made the LRM minimum range removal a weapon module.


And that's just a few off the top of my head. I'm sure you guys can think of a lot more ways to give the base weapons interesting new twists that make the weapon module slot an interesting and game-changing decision.

How would you design a weapon module that would be fun and/or different?

Edited by Jman5, 12 July 2014 - 09:33 AM.

[Jman5]

Another fun one:

PPC Overload: When a PPC impacts the CT or Cockpit it scrambles the player's HUD for 2 or 3 seconds. They can still see clearly, but the overlays are screwy.

[Itsalrightwithme]

How about a mech grenade module? Roll some AC20 rounds into the tunnels where your enemy are hiding in. KABOOM.

[Jman5]

Itsalrightwithme, on 21 July 2014 - 06:28 PM, said:

How about a mech grenade module? Roll some AC20 rounds into the tunnels where your enemy are hiding in. KABOOM.

Yeah that was kind of what I was going for with the mortar, but that could work too. Short lob followed by 2 bounces and explosions.

[Postumus]

Sound like you guys actually just want some new weapons. I totally sympathize, considering that IS mechs have almost nothing interesting in the pipline until about 4-10 years from now in timeline (more Ultra ACs, LBX ACs, ER lasers, MRM, X-Pulse, Light/Heavy Gauss etc.).

I predict this kind of module isn't happening in quite the way suggested, but parts of the suggestions should have been done already. Like, increasing laser damage with the drawback of increase beam duration - thats a great module in itself. Increasing AC damage with the drawback of reduced projectile speed is also a good idea, or increasing projectile speed and decreasing rate of fire.

I'm guessing that the devs are going to be open to modules that make incremental changes to the weapons without changing their core mechanic, both for lore reasons and because its a lot of new code.

[phalanx]

I think Weapon Modules should do more than range, but I am not against the concept of modules for range modification of weapons.

External Arm Mount-Energy(Left):Ignore Upper Arm,Lower Arm, and Hand Actuator slots.Your Mech now has only 1 Energy Weapon Hardpoint in the Left Arm but this weapon is easier to crit. This module is invalid if the Mech's left arm does not have
at least 1 energy weapon slot.


Notes:By Externally Mounted, I mean the weapon is mounted as a barrel outside of the arm.Example:Thunderbolt
External Arm Mount-Energy(Right):Same as above, except with Right Arm.

External Arm Mount-Ballistic(Left): Ignore Upper Arm,Lower Arm, and Hand Actuator slots.Your Mech now has only 1 Ballistic Weapon Hardpoint in the Left Arm, but this weapon is easier to crit.This module is invalid if the Mech's left arm does not have at least 1 energy weapon slot.

External Arm Mount-Ballistic(Right):You get the idea.

Note:By Hand Mounted, I mean the weapon is carred in the hand. Example:Classic Phoenix Hawk.
Left Hand Mount:Ignore Hand Actuator slot. You may mount 1 Ballistic or Energy Weapon(if Mech has at least 1 ballistic of Energy Hardpoint). When the weapon is destroyed, damage does not float to an adjacent location.

Right Hand Mount:See Above.Except with Right Hand.

Arm Shield: For the first x damage, % to crit is reduced.

Minimum Range Reduction:X Meters

Shoulder Mounted Weapon(Left/Right):When the Highest Mounted Weapon in the (Left/Right) Torso is damaged, damage floats to the arm instead of the rest of the torso.

Hip Mounted Weapon(Left/Right):When the Lowest Mounted Weapon in the (Left/Right) Torso is damaged, damage floats to the legs instead of the rest of the torso.Weapon is more difficult to crit.

SRM Inferno Rounds: SRMs inflict +x heat on enemy mech but their accuracy is reduced.

Amputate Hand:Remove the Hand Actuator Slot.

Amputate Arm:Remove Hand and Lower Arm Actuator Slots.


This last one is technically a Mech Module under the new definition, but I really wanted to include it:

Name:Anti-Air Fire Control System
Fluff: Based on the Air Aggression Fire Control Adjuster Technology pioneered by the Terran Hegemony, the Anti-Air Fire Control System is a primitive refit of its more sophisticated Star League-era ancestor. The AAFCS improves ability of a Mech to engage aerial targets.
Rules:Accuracy against targets that are airborne is increased.

[Wolfways]

How about a module that turns my K2's PPC's into WH40K defense point lasers....

BT weapons already exist. Modules should give slight changes to how existing weapons work (i.e. range, heat, etc) but not give new weapons or new ways to use existing weapons.

[Nothing Whatsoever]

Hmm... what about as Ammo modules?

I've never really liked how current weapon modules were setup, since they were first announced, but depending on what Cryengine allows, maybe ammo types can be introduced to allow this sort of variety with certain weapons?

[Hoffenstein]

How about allowing different manufacturers versions of existing weapons as a weapon module. Find out what kind of AC manufacturer has single slug cannons, which has burst fire and which has full auto. Same thing with lasers, missiles, etc. That would change up the way people play drastically, and let everyone tailor their Mech to their play-style.

[phalanx]

This is nice, but the problem is that there is no basis in TT for different manufacturers. Now I am aware that MW:Tactics has rules for different component manufacturers.

A nice option would be when you purchase a weapon that you can also purchase a variant weapon or mech module from various manufacturers. The base cost of the "Manufacturer Module" which would be Mech or Weapon, depending on component, would be lowest for the default manufacturer.

Quote

• Ultra-Laser: Allows you to fire a laser with 50% more damage, but double beam duration and 50% heat increase. This would activate if you double tap your fire button mid-shot.
  
  

Meh. This basically turns every laser into a Semi-Bombast laser.

How about Increased beam duration, increased heat and a range reduction.

Quote

• LBX Slug/Shotgun: lets you switch between the two. However your ammo is split between the two, so you can't just fire all slug or all shotgun.

Switching and splitting ammo would be a nightmare. But perhaps if the module changed the LBX from its current form. The downside is that is their is also a cost to remove the module and change it back.

Quote

• Mortar Mode: removes most of the projectile speed of your autocannon, but gives it a devastating AoE when it impacts the ground. Can injure friendlies, so use with caution and don't fire it point blank unless you want to die. Cooldown doubled.

This I like, but could use a significant reduction in accuracy so you don't have Fireteams spamming Mortar rounds in tandem(One fires while the other is cooling down.).

Quote

• AMS Conversion (might have to make this IS only): allows you to use your AMS as a machine gun.

Not too found of a module that changes one thing into another. Modification is fine, but total transformation makes no sense. Instead, I would think a module for AMS accuracy that reduces AMS range.

Quote

• Weapon Shielding: Once your armor is gone, your weapons shield a component's internals for as long as they are functional. So 10 Hitpoint ac/5 will absorb 10 damage. However they are subject to being quickly crit'd like normal.

I would support this if it were split between all hit locations where you can mount weapons(Left/Right/Center Torso or Left/Right Arm).

Edited by phalanx, 21 July 2014 - 11:38 PM.

[Nothing Whatsoever]

phalanx, on 21 July 2014 - 11:07 PM, said:

This is nice, but the problem is that there is no basis in TT for different manufacturers. Now I am aware that MW:Tactics has rules for different component manufacturers.

The board game was simplified for most weapons hits, but there are some lore details about weapons. Some posts from that thread was one place that I'm aware of, on the forums, that mentions some of those references from lore, for example.

Quote

A nice option would be when you purchase a weapon that you can also purchase a variant weapon or mech module from various manufacturers. The base cost of the "Manufacturer Module" which would be Mech or Weapon, depending on component, would be lowest for the default manufacturer.

This would be welcome.

[TyrEol]

Rank 1-6 weapon range modules are largely pointless, cut that down to only two levels and save a lot of UI space.

The NARC and AMS modules are slightly more interesting than the range modules, at least there's not rank 1-6 NARC effectiveness.

The AMS modules could probably be safely rolled together, the AMS range increase is small enough that it wouldn't be OP if combined with the 10% rate of fire increase in my opinion.

[Itsalrightwithme]

Jman5, on 21 July 2014 - 08:23 PM, said:

Yeah that was kind of what I was going for with the mortar, but that could work too. Short lob followed by 2 bounces and explosions.

Even better, what about an Ammo Eject module? If you're stripped and you are still full of juicy AC20 ammo, might as well just dump them .. !

[shellashock]

Weapon modules focusing on ammo could be interesting. You could have standard ammo for one weapon and then have a weapon module to decide whether you want standard ammo, anti armour ammo or anti internals ammo for your other weapon. Anti Armour would do more damage to armour but much less to internals and vice versa for anti internals with added bonus of increasing critical damage and critical chance rates. You would have to come up with BT sounding names of course. Maybe Sabot Rounds for anti armour and Explosive Rounds for anti internals?

[Mitsuragi]

shellashock, on 22 July 2014 - 05:37 AM, said:

Weapon modules focusing on ammo could be interesting. You could have standard ammo for one weapon and then have a weapon module to decide whether you want standard ammo, anti armour ammo or anti internals ammo for your other weapon. Anti Armour would do more damage to armour but much less to internals and vice versa for anti internals with added bonus of increasing critical damage and critical chance rates. You would have to come up with BT sounding names of course. Maybe Sabot Rounds for anti armour and Explosive Rounds for anti internals?

This sounds like you want more ammo types, which is a thing in BattleTech but is not really "module worthy". I definitely would like to see more of the ammo types implemented in the game.

On topic I would like to see different kinds of trade-offs for modules. Right now we only have range for increased heat. What about increased damage for longer beam? Or shorter beam duration for increased heat? Or faster cool down for decreased range? I would like to see more options like these.

[HlynkaCG]

shellashock, on 22 July 2014 - 05:37 AM, said:

Weapon modules focusing on ammo could be interesting. You could have standard ammo for one weapon and then have a weapon module to decide whether you want standard ammo, anti armour ammo or anti internals ammo for your other weapon. Anti Armour would do more damage to armour but much less to internals and vice versa for anti internals with added bonus of increasing critical damage and critical chance rates. You would have to come up with BT sounding names of course. Maybe Sabot Rounds for anti armour and Explosive Rounds for anti internals?

I like the this idea.

Module: AP Sabot Rounds.
Auto-cannon damage vs armor increased by 20%
Damage vs internals reduced by 50%
Projectile speed increased by 10%
Cooldown increased by 10%

Module: High Explosive Rounds.
Auto-cannon chance to crit doubled
Auto-cannon splash damage, radius = 1/2 of AC's rating (ie 5m for AC10)
5% of ammo explosion on overheat.

Module: Sub-Caliber rounds.
Auto-cannon range reduced by 50%
Cooldown reduced by 50%

Obviously the numbers should be played with for balance reasons but I think it would add a lot of flavor to the game.

Edited by HlynkaCG, 22 July 2014 - 11:43 AM.

[Karl Marlow]

A weapon mod I would actually want is the ability to remove the rediculous arc from LRMS.

[Gleech]

I'm not wild about the specific suggestions there - I'm particularly dubious about the "mortar mode" for autocannons. But I do agree that the benefit of most weapon modules are too low to make them worth the trouble. I've never bought one and I've never been tempted to buy one. They should probably have a greater effect then they do.

[Beaching Betty]

Nah, I do not agree w you wanting the LRM to have no minimum range, seriously? If that happens trust me, you will get piss of every game too, imagine LRM60 coming at you at point blank non-stop. and also, they need a few range so they can set the bomb inside of the missile before it can explode. So yeah