7 replies to this topic

[UrsusMorologus]

The basic premise is that energy weapons use a capacitor, so larger engine that have greater energy output should fill the caps quicker, resulting in shorter recharge time for energy weapons (only).

The gameplay idea is to provide an additional balance knob that encourages people to overspec into XL engines. There is already a benefit for ammo weapons, in that XL frees up more tonnage, but there's no real benefit to energy weapons from XL engines so no real temptation to use them apart from the speed boosts.

This could provide another subtle advantage to IS chassis as well, in that large energy boats would be able to increase firepower more.

It also has a built-in disadvantage, in that faster refire rate will leave less intermission time for heat to dissipate. The faster you fire, the sooner you will overheat.

Something I was thinking about, not really important

[WonderSparks]

That is an interesting idea. I rather doubt we will see it anytime soon, but who knows?
I probably would not worry too much about using XL to get those higher rates of fire, of course; I tend to maximize my 'Mechs' engines almost immediately, even at the cost of firepower (what can I say? I am not a meta player).

[XphR]

Going XL in an e-boat, a lot of the time means more heat syncs from the additional tonnage. But it is an interesting idea.

[LuInRei]

Energy Mechs already have an actual refire rate slower than their cooldowns due to low dissipation.
Decreasing cooldowns won't do much, except make them reach critical heat levels even faster.

[Beo Vulf]

UrsusMorologus, on 05 October 2014 - 08:18 AM, said:

The basic premise is that energy weapons use a capacitor, so larger engine that have greater energy output should fill the caps quicker, resulting in shorter recharge time for energy weapons (only).

The gameplay idea is to provide an additional balance knob that encourages people to overspec into XL engines. There is already a benefit for ammo weapons, in that XL frees up more tonnage, but there's no real benefit to energy weapons from XL engines so no real temptation to use them apart from the speed boosts.

This could provide another subtle advantage to IS chassis as well, in that large energy boats would be able to increase firepower more.

It also has a built-in disadvantage, in that faster refire rate will leave less intermission time for heat to dissipate. The faster you fire, the sooner you will overheat.

Something I was thinking about, not really important

But the capacitator also requires a regulator so that it doesn't recharge to quickly and explode, or burn up. Thus the simular recharge time on weapons even though engine sizes vary. If you recall your lore this was the short comming on many jumpships that did not have battery banks. They could not recharge the capacitators quickly without risking damage and portentially crippling the ship.

[Tesunie]

We don't need any more encouragement for players to place the "largest engine possible!" into their mechs. We already have speed racer Atlases (according to more lore and cannon and "Battletech" Atlases), and engine ratings already effect twist speeds as well as movement (improving damage shifting and weapon accuracy). We don't need larger engines to encourage more laser (or PPC) weaponry.

XL engines do actually still benefit (with risk) energy weapons, with the reduced tonnage to place in more heat sinks as an option (as well possibly even having a large enough engine to fit in even more heat sinks in there than they could achieve with a Std engine due to weight restrictions). The saved tonnage can also be used for additional lasers. Consider Heat Sinks to be the ammo reserves of a ballistic weapon. (And, if anything, the Standard engine is the item that could use more balancing features out of the two, but it does help increase survivability, so there is still balance there.)

I think we should remove the extra benefits of having a larger engine, not give it more. Twist speeds and engine size I feel should not have any relation, and twist speed should be determined by the chassis itself (which could then be used as a balancing factor from one chassis/variant to the next). Larger engine should only increase movement speed (my opinion of course). In this way, those people who choose to go slower (for example, more weapons/ammo) wouldn't be double penalized not only in slower movement speeds but also slower twist rates.


As far as outright game balance, making larger (faster) engines also increase energy weapons reload speeds would apply a triple penalty to anyone who doesn't take the largest engine possible. Suddenly we would see assaults that move like medium mechs all over the place, with about as many weapons as a medium, as people would want to "maximize" the effects of the engine on their mechs. I feel this would lead to poor balance between weight classes (assaults can get the biggest engines, etc) and would farther reduce any advantage a smaller engine may actually provide (more tonnage to work in your loadout, Etc). I can also see such a mechanic working against lasers usefulness. If people can't take the largest engine, why even take lasers when "I'll be penalized for taking them in such a mech", making Ballistic (and missile weapons to some extent) even more desired. (And yes, even if it's a buff, people would complain that it's a penalty for having smaller engines.)


The concept behind the idea has thought and merit, but the idea (no offense) is not a good idea (in my opinion).

[Tombstoner]

Not really likening this idea. you get substantial benefits from a larger engine already. Hurting energy weapons and not ballistics for no apparent reason is not good. also how do you know ballistic don't use power. They have to aim don't they. ballistic are heavy relative to energy weapons that takes energy to move and Gauss would need to be affected as well.

If however the player had the choice of diverting power between movement or recycle times. Then i can see going for a larger engine for faster recycle times.

But whats not modeled in the game at all is power consumption by weapons. i think its considered trivial vs. whats needed to move the mech. in that case larger or smaller engine make no difference on rate of fire. This could be used to give some depth or as something to aid in inter weapon balance of corce it could be used to make it much much worse.

[Lily from animove]

so all lighter mechs are scrwerd while the (already) stronger mechs get buffed even more?