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The Elite Tree: Replace Or Repair The Two Placeholder Skills!

Balance Metagame Skills

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#1 Victor Morson

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 12:48 PM

So, there are two major skills on the Elite Tree that I'd like to bring up, largely because they were supposed to be placeholder:

- Convergence - This skill was rendered moot by the inclusion of Arm Lock; with a single button press, you can completely and accurately converge. There is literally no reason for the skill to exist at present time, let alone sit so high on the skill tree.

- Fast Fire - Fast Fire used to function, then stopped functioning because of an issue with AC/2s and Ghost Heat. Since then, it's literally done nothing, sitting on the pilot sheet with people not realizing it's not worthless as it's easy to have a placebo effect over a 5% increase. But the fact remains, it doesn't do anything.

The only reason to buy either of these skills is to advance to the extra module stage.

While I would love an actual skill tree that rewards different styles of play and a branching path as the original plan was (what we have here was meant to be placeholder), it seems after 3 years this will be the skill sheet forever. Still, that is no excuse to feature skills - ones you can pay real money with MC to speed up / buy - that serve absolutely no function within the game other than to stretch the grind.

Do most people feel that these skills should be repaired (In Converegences case, by making Arm Lock finally play by convergence rules) or replaced with entirely different skills that actually do something?

I think it's very bad that a product nearing "feature complete" status has a half-functioning skill tree and this should be a priority fix in the future.

#2 DEMAX51

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 12:52 PM

I was under the impression that Fast Fire has actually been functioning again (for quite a while now), but I would love to see Pinpoint replaced with something else.

#3 JD R

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 12:55 PM

View PostVictor Morson, on 26 September 2014 - 12:48 PM, said:

- Convergence - This skill was rendered moot by the inclusion of Arm Lock; with a single button press, you can completely and accurately converge. There is literally no reason for the skill to exist at present time, let alone sit so high on the skill tree.


You are wrong.
Convergence has nothing to do with arm lock. Convergence mean adjust the point where your weapons aiming at. Distance to enemy 200m or 1000m the time to move the weapons to the intercept point was meant. But with HSR its gone because of desync problems.

#4 Kain Demos

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 12:56 PM

Funny, those are always the two I saved for last and also only unlocked them for access to the module slot.

I don't even understand what pinpoint is supposed to do.

#5 Mazerius

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 12:56 PM

I'd deffinantly like fully functioning exp skills, as well as the weight class specific ones they mentioned way back in beta. Say for scout mechs(lights basically) replace fast fire with a radar range increase. Not sure what you could give the rest but Im sure others would have an idea.

#6 Ph30nix

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 12:57 PM

actually fast fire works just fine

its the AC2 that was broken and "fixed" by being nerfed into the ground to avoid fast fire taking it under .5 seconds

id be okay to give them up for either a stronger speed tweak or an extra cooling skill

Edited by Ph30nix, 26 September 2014 - 12:57 PM.


#7 LauLiao

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 01:01 PM

My idea was to replace "Pinpoint" convergence with a small projectile speed boost and/or shortened laser duration. That would keep it with the pinpoint theme of making your shots more accurate, but would actually do something.

#8 process

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 01:01 PM

Overhaul the entire skill tree. Creating class-specific and/or specialization trees would add a lot more variety to the game.

#9 Pjwned

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 01:02 PM

A proper fix would be to remove the mech tree entirely.

#10 Abivard

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 01:06 PM

View PostPjwned, on 26 September 2014 - 01:02 PM, said:

A proper fix would be to remove the mech tree entirely.



A classic example of "Throwing the baby out with the bath water".

#11 Nathan Foxbane

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 01:06 PM

The entire skill tree needs to be redone. Hopefully it gets redone sometime shortly after CW 2 hits.

#12 Xarian

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 01:06 PM

As far as I know, the convergence skill does literally nothing. The game always uses instant convergence, as others have stated.

#13 1453 R

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 01:09 PM

Concur. Speed Tweak is a game-changing bonus for many chassis, and Quick Ignition is very useful. Would be nice if the two remaining "Elite" skills pulled their weight.

#14 Mcgral18

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 01:57 PM

View PostKain Thul, on 26 September 2014 - 12:56 PM, said:

Funny, those are always the two I saved for last and also only unlocked them for access to the module slot.

I don't even understand what pinpoint is supposed to do.


We used to have progressive convergence where it took around a second for the weapons to converge. That skill made it go faster.

Presently, we have magical instantaneous convergence, so it's a moot skill. Placeholder.


Replace it with something.

#15 Brody319

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 02:08 PM

huh, had no idea those perks didn't work. Though its kinda confusing why being able to turn my mech back on slightly faster counts as an elite skill. seems like something everyone piloting a mech should know how to do effectively and quickly.

Replace the convergence one with quicker missile locks. Lots of mechs run at least a few missiles. It could be pretty small like 10% faster. Faster fire just needs to work.

#16 Nathan Foxbane

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 02:10 PM

View PostBrody319, on 26 September 2014 - 02:08 PM, said:

huh, had no idea those perks didn't work. Though its kinda confusing why being able to turn my mech back on slightly faster counts as an elite skill. seems like something everyone piloting a mech should know how to do effectively and quickly.

Replace the convergence one with quicker missile locks. Lots of mechs run at least a few missiles. It could be pretty small like 10% faster. Faster fire just needs to work.

It is surprisingly useful. Especially in hot lights or mediums. That extra half second has been the difference between life and death for my Cicadas.

#17 Deathlike

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 02:11 PM

Welcome back Victor... I'm happy to see you back from your prolonged silence. I'm sure we'll have more fun filled discussions about balance soon™.

#18 Russ Bullock

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 02:12 PM

I will see if i can get one of the designers to post in here.

In general I view the skill tree as "just okay" I would like to see it fleshed out much further - but as someone correctly said, this is not something we can look at until after CW phase 2 releases.

I know there was a plan to replace the convergence one - I will look to get more information.

#19 Pjwned

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 02:12 PM

View PostAbivard, on 26 September 2014 - 01:06 PM, said:



A classic example of "Throwing the baby out with the bath water".


Because the baby quickly drowned in this case.

#20 That Guy

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 02:14 PM

according to THE (way out of date) PLAN a rework of the skill trees is in order. however it is a lower priority


edit: ah russ beat me too it. since bryan use to update that page and he is now working on TV, russ could you have someone update the plan again some time? :)

Edited by That Guy, 26 September 2014 - 02:17 PM.






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