21 replies to this topic

[SecretMantis]

As the title suggests, what are your thoughts. Personally, I would love some more diversity in weapon modules. Do you think they would be unbalanced? Discuss....

[aniviron]

Not sure how it'd be more unbalanced than a cooldown reduction is for gauss/ac20/SRMs, which are limited more by refire times than heat. As is, there's really no useful modules for most energy weapons; the range is nice on medium lasers I guess, but larges and PPCs don't really need it, and smalls don't get much benefit. The cooldown modules aren't that useful for energy weapons, which tend to be limited much more by heat than by the amount they can fire.

So yeah, I think a set of heat reduction modules would be in order.

It'd be nice to see some modules for PPC/AC speed and laser burn time as well.

[Sable]

Yes, even if it's something small like 5%. My timberwolf prime used to be in perfect balance but since they upped the heat for both medium lasers and er large lasers it always runs too hot. I've been trying to fix it ever since. Even if they came with a range penalty i'd still use them. Some builds just need them for smoother performance which is what i think modules should do, smooth out the rough edges. I also think they should be more expensive than the current weapon modules. Give them a reason to be considered, 8 million for 5% less heat and 5% less range or 3 million for more range and 3 million for more cooldown.

Or even sized modules. Cooling would take up 2 slots while cooldown and range only take up 1 spot. So you'd have to make a choice of which benefits do you want depending on the weapons you're using. If you're heavily energy then of course you want the cool running. But say a raven with 2 ER large might not need that since they are pacing their shots anyway and may prefer the extra range. Ballistics would definately prefer cooldown and range since they don't produce a huge amount of heat anyway. Lots of interesting things they could consider.

Edited by Sable, 01 December 2014 - 09:14 PM.

[Brody319]

only if I can mount more than one at a time. 24% heat reduction on Firebrand PPC would make me buy it.

[Scratx]

For balance....




NAY.

[RockmachinE]

No. There's too much damage as is, this would only make it worse.

[nitra]

i say nay ... as much as i would like them they would be far too superior and make all the other modules worthless.

the whole module thing is goofy any way. and lends its self to making the game system needlessly complicated with no overall benefits . minus the few actual mods that are .

Im not even sure how the system could be changed for the better as i sit here and try to puzzle it out .


i would be in favor a system that would allow us to unlock a additional hard point or two.

or maybe quirk packages - this would be best of both worlds.

regardless the module system really needs to be overhauled.

Edited by nitra, 01 December 2014 - 09:03 PM.

[xXBagheeraXx]

Absolutely not. With the quirks for some mechs, they would be borderline Godmode, removing mere mortals from the face of the earth on a whim.

The wub-starter with all the small pulse lasers pretty much solos anything it catches alone. Would you REALLY want that mech stacked up with range, cooldown, and Heat reduction mods on an already overpowered setup?

If i got heat reduction on Erppcs, they would immediatly go on my awesome, and I would chainfire people to smithereens on the thing...It wouldnt even be funny...xD

[Karl Marlow]

[SerratedBlaze]

I think there should be. We get quirks for it so it should be fair game. Also velocity and beam duration.the strength of these modules may not have the same values as the range and cooldowns, and some quirks might be tweaked to bring a variant in line.

[Moonlander]

I would probably end up only using heat reduction modules. Most of my mechs run hot already and I've adapted to the gameplay and I'm able to not really overheat and if I do, even on hot matches. That's not to say that it doesn't happen tho.

It would be cool if heat/cooling was interactive than it is... It's just watching a bar go up and down now... it could be fun if there were actually pieces of equipment that allowed for "Advanced Cooling" BUT at the cost of several tons/slots. BUT if you can spare the 3-4 tons... then it's worth it if you're able to better control your ability to DPS.

[627]

I think the first attempt in modules wasn't that bad, you know "side grade" - for more range comes more heat, for every advantage here you get a penalty there. For example, those cooldown modules should have a range reduction and the range mod should still have more heat on top.

At the moment, modules are a straight upgrade with no side effects. And with the price this really shakes the balance between veteran players and newbies. Sure those shouldn't play together at all with matchmaking and Elo, but you all know how good that works.

[Octantis]

A module like this without any side effects would be problematic. If you reduced damage or range then maybe. Initial reaction is no but I could be convinced.

[Kain Demos]

I tried to get this discussion going before.

http://mwomercs.com/...60#entry3867660

I would rather have heat reduction modules instead of cooldown/cycle time reduction modules on virtually every single energy weapon in the game.

Instead of just creating two types of weapon modules, cooldown/cycle time reduction and applying them to every type of weapon I think they could have created several types and tailored them to the weapon type.

I think range is helpful across the board but what about some other type of modules:

Heat reduction or beam duration reduction on energy weapons
Projectile speed increase or RoF increase for ballistics (maybe include PPCs on the first one even though they are "energy weapons" as they have no beam but are a projectile)
Improved AoA or tighter grouping on LRMs
Tighter grouping and increased rate of fire on SRMs/SSRMs

Just some ideas for other module types that would make you have to decide between a few different really good choices and make modules more intuitive and a bit "deeper" of a choice. It would no longer be "I'm boating large lasers so large laser range for me" and done.

The blanket approach just seems so simple, I'd much rather have more choices and a deeper system.

I guess some of the more aggressive quirks would stack a bit too well with modules like this though. I made my last thread before they were out and suggested that modules could also be a balancing feature--for example if a 'mech was "Tier 5" then give it two more weapon and two more 'mech modules.

Edited by Kain Thul, 02 December 2014 - 09:31 AM.

[Zen Idiot]

NAY! surefire way to unbalance the game.

heat is the controlling factor in the game. it would be like letting a player start with a land card on the table in Magic: The Gathering

Edited by ZenIdiot, 02 December 2014 - 09:43 AM.

[MrZakalwe]

Nonononono nope

DPS/TTK already too high/low

[Scratx]

627, on 01 December 2014 - 11:15 PM, said:

I think the first attempt in modules wasn't that bad, you know "side grade" - for more range comes more heat, for every advantage here you get a penalty there. For example, those cooldown modules should have a range reduction and the range mod should still have more heat on top.

At the moment, modules are a straight upgrade with no side effects. And with the price this really shakes the balance between veteran players and newbies. Sure those shouldn't play together at all with matchmaking and Elo, but you all know how good that works.

Except that for the price tag, a sidegrade module isn't worth it either!

That's why nobody bloody used them to begin with. Right now at least it's worth grabbing them.

Now, if they're sidegrades but for like a tenth of the cost? Now we're talking.

[Kain Demos]

MrZakalwe, on 02 December 2014 - 10:06 AM, said:

Nonononono nope

DPS/TTK already too high/low

I think this is mainly due to the 12v12 on small maps with no real objectives to separate the deathball into smaller groups.

Scratx, on 02 December 2014 - 10:10 AM, said:

Except that for the price tag, a sidegrade module isn't worth it either!

That's why nobody bloody used them to begin with. Right now at least it's worth grabbing them.

Now, if they're sidegrades but for like a tenth of the cost? Now we're talking.

They have discussed the possibility of modules becoming much cheaper but at the cost of being very expensive to remove/change (c bills or MC) or even permanent.

[Nightmare1]

Sure, a five-percent heat reduction module for specific weapons, like our range and cooldown modules, would be pretty sweet. I also wouldn't mind seeing modules for increased chance to crit, decreased burn time (mainly lasers), increased velocities (mainly PPCs and ballistics), decreased projectile drops, etc. I think those are all cool, fair-game modules.

Also, how's about a JJ module to boost turn rate and jump height? That may be a way to workaround JJ limitations on some Mechs like the Summoner.

Kain Thul, on 02 December 2014 - 10:12 AM, said:

They have discussed the possibility of modules becoming much cheaper but at the cost of being very expensive to remove/change (c bills or MC) or even permanent.

Yeah, I'm hoping they really don't go down the permanent path. That will kill a lot of customization, especially with respect to weapon modules. Who wants to buy weapon modules if you can't rebuild your Mech next month and swap out an appropriate module for the new build?

[Scratx]

Kain Thul, on 02 December 2014 - 10:12 AM, said:

They have discussed the possibility of modules becoming much cheaper but at the cost of being very expensive to remove/change (c bills or MC) or even permanent.

That's a separate and unrelated issue. It's basically "mount the module permanently instead for a smaller price tag, and maybe pay MC to be able to strip it out intact later on if you like". You know, like most WoT equipment like spall liners, gun stabilizers, etc. That idea can be used regardless of whether the modules themselves are an upgrade or a sidegrade.

The point I'm making is that, for 3 million c-bills, or even 1.5M or even 1M, it shouldn't be merely a sidegrade. Most people won't touch them at that price.

I am not exactly a fan of the current system because the way stacking works it can get silly on the cooldown modules... but at least they're worth the money. Usually.