Jman5, on 14 July 2014 - 12:20 PM, said:
I agree people need to just drop the whole convergence argument and focus on alternative balance approaches that fit PGI's design philosophies. Otherwise you're just treading water.
In the past PGI has said they wanted to bring Pinpoint front loaded alphas down to no more than 30-35 damage. How do we align that with the current situation we have now with new clan mechs? If we're just going to throw that out the window, how are you going to improve the enjoyment for smaller mechs that are most vulnerable to those ultra-high, long range, pinpoint, FLD alphas? Or do we abandon that notion? Do we start the full-fledged power-creep in favor of heavier mechs by pumping out IS assaults with similarly high alpha loadouts?
It really comes down to what kind of game PGI wants to make. Do they borrow from their predecessors where big mechs ruled the school, or do they scale things back and try to create more space for lights and mediums?
The direction seems to be things like the Mauler and other mechs coming...
I think many fail to understand...BT itself is power creep. This will happen, PGI can do it slowly, or in waves, or however they want...
That does not change things like the HAG40 being completely better than any other ballistic weapon for the tonnage, period.
Wait until you see streak MRMs or LRMs, or ATMs, or heavy lasers, Heavy Gauss, and all kinds of other crazy things that are yet to come (if the game survives long enough to implement them).
What is going to happen is each "jump" the tech will even out before the next one. Things like MASC and superchargers and other things will allow things like the Fire Moth to go 216 kph for short bursts, making them likely 2-3 times more effective at hit and run than any mech in the game.
You simply cannot change that...
I will say straight to your face, the current mechs are not OP.
When the Gladiator arrives at 95 tons with JJs and MASC going 86 kph for bursts packing UAC20 + beam weapons...you will all begin to know what OP really is...
That is not even getting into the really advanced tech either...Fafnir anyone? Devastator?
All things considered, I would say they have done the best job they possibly could have to protect lights/mediums to this point...