69 replies to this topic

[Y E O N N E]

Pjwned, on 05 April 2015 - 08:09 AM, said:

That is an all but pointless macro because if you're ever caught at a point where the charge resets just before you tap the fire button, which would happen frequently if it's doing that all the time automatically, then you're better off manually charging the gauss at all times. There is no way to make it so that the gauss is ready to fire at any time because no matter what it needs to be charged for 0.75 seconds and every time that macro doesn't fire the weapon it needs to be charged up again.



Macros are pretty much pointless for gauss rifles and it's annoying when people keep spouting "DUH HURR YOU CAN JUST USE A MACRO TO BYPASS THE CHARGE" when that's wrong.

Spoiler

It does provide you the opportunity to roll the damage and then time your twist with the automatic cycling for a snap shot. Not that you can't do the same thing manually, but it removes one layer of involvement (holding a button down and adjusting aim while doing so) and, in my experience, having one less thing to think about can make the difference between a hit or a miss.

Note, I don't even use macros and wouldn't simply because I *like* complications and complexity in my games, but there are ways of using macros to deal with the Gauss charge, even if it isn't in the most obvious or obviously desirable of ways. MWO is not a fast-paced game. The time-scale for making decisions is drawn-out compared to a game like Counter-Strike, all because you have armor, slow-burn weapons, and [mostly] slow movement.

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And is he good in spite of the charge mechanic or because the charge mechanic is somehow actually not an issue? I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the former case by the way.

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It makes no difference, because those two are the same thing. It's all relative. You are always good with any item in any game in spite of its drawbacks. Would you say the heat on a medium laser is not an issue, or would you say you are good in spite of it having heat? It's a silly distinction to make. In most games, there are certain weapons that the average player cannot take advantage of because there are drawbacks that make it difficult to do so without a lot of practice.

So, respectfully, I think you are conflating accessibility with absolute utility. The absolute utility of the Gauss rifle is just as high as it has ever been, but the accessibility has been reduced (reducing its relative utility for players who are not good with it). Most players will take something they are consistent with if it's "good enough" rather than take the more difficult option that provides its benefits primarily in the upper levels of play.

Cars offer a good analogue. I drive a ZR-1. Joe Racer over there drives a regular Corvette. We've got the same tires and suspension. He's not going to be much faster in mine than he would be in his because it is harder to use the extra power in mine. He'll see an edge on the straights, but you could liken the straights to using Gauss on a target that isn't moving.

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Except good trigger discipline only mitigates the impact of the charge mechanic, you can't say that the impact is negated because of certain situations where you have a good opportunity to charge a shot in advance and fire when the target shows up.

Spoiler

It negates it because there's only one scenario where a Gauss rifle has ever been meta, and that has been firing from cover as described in that scenario. It was never meta at brawling, meta at tanking, or meta at fast striking because it's too large or too heavy or too slow to do any of those without significant sacrifices in mobility, DPS, or durability.

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It was a number of things which included the gauss charge.

Spoiler

And I would say Gauss charge is at the bottom of that list of things, which also includes JJ thrust reduction, JJ heat implementation, negative Victor quirks, Clan 'Mechs, PPC velocity reduction, and over-powered Inner Sphere quirks.

Lord Perversor, on 05 April 2015 - 08:41 AM, said:

Of course the PPC+ Gauss combo reigned mostly on poptar the charge/desync+ PPC speed changed the mentality to 2x Ac/5 (or UAC5 for a while) because now it took a whole extra second of exposure for 2 different speed weapons (and still does that )

after the Gauss charge i'm not saying experienced players wasn't able to use it effectively, HEck even i pulled a dozen of 1k+ games with a 2x PPC + Gauss Protector on the week after, but META players gathered into Ac/5.

Now with the advent of new Assault mechs and weapon platforms some ppl get back to use it on meta builds (started before the laservomit reign) it started mostly with the D-Wolf appearance and the King crabs are the Is version of it.

But between the Gauss charge and the appearance of the clans the Meta pinpoint wasn't relying on Gauss but on the 2xAc/5 + 2x PPC victor highlanders, or Ac/20+2x PPC highlanders and Miserys.

If PGI would remove the charging mechanic it would just boost back the split second pinpoint builds.

Spoiler

There was one tournament match last year, can't remember which tournament it was (I was fresh to MWO), that ended in a draw and had to be re-played. The first match was your usual pop-tarting PPC+Gauss meta. The second match, however, one team went brawly. They got in close and crushed the opposition.

Around that time is when the meta went from Gauss to 2x AC/5.

After the discovery of the benefits of close combat, Gauss was deemed indefensible up close because they fired too damn slow. It matters because you only get two or three PPC volleys at brawling range and, after that, it's all AC. Even without the charge, two AC/5 would have been superior because there are still four seconds between shots with the Gauss.

Now, Gauss has never gone out of style and I don't think it has ever been completely displaced from the meta-game. A huge portion of laser-vomit builds even include a Gauss Rifle, including one on the Storm Crow, the Timber Wolf, the Hell Bringer, and last-but-certainly-not-least, the 94-point Dire Star.

Edited by Yeonne Greene, 09 April 2015 - 12:15 PM.

[Nori Silverrage]

Could have swore it was the team with the most ECM...

[Nori Silverrage]

Sidenote, I have definately seen a big increase in Gauss in the last few weeks. Though it is really only the dual guass mechs that really annoy me.

Edited by Nori Silverrage, 09 April 2015 - 01:05 PM.

[The Flying Gecko]

One Gauss isn't a problem.
Two Gauss are really good, I wouldn't really be shocked if they made it so we can only fire one at a time.

However a TEAM of gauss rifles are... NERF TEAM WORK!

For example:


Guess what? We won

Edited by The Flying Gecko, 09 April 2015 - 01:35 PM.

[PurpleNinja]

The team that pronounce Gauss correctly wins 50% of the time on 50% of the matches.

[0bsidion]

Someday we'll see an end to "I got killed by (insert weapon/mech here), therefore (insert weapon/mech here) must be OP because I'm the most awesome player ever and only OP things can kill me, plz nerf!" threads, I'm sure of it! I'll just be over here in the corner, holding my breath.

[Alex Morgaine]

Don't hold your.... dude, I didn't know you liked to cosplay smurfs.

[Cabusha]

Yeonne Greene, on 09 April 2015 - 12:14 PM, said:

It negates it because there's only one scenario where a Gauss rifle has ever been meta, and that has been firing from cover as described in that scenario. It was never meta at brawling, meta at tanking, or meta at fast striking because it's too large or too heavy or too slow to do any of those without significant sacrifices in mobility, DPS, or durability.

You're wrong here. Prior to Gauss charge up and Gauss explosion, Gauss was THE brawling weapon. The reason? High projectile speed, good enough damage, ROF equivalent to the AC-20, and 1 point of heat. For a good portion of ClosedBeta, it was the brawling weapon of choice because there were 0 drawbacks and frankly superior to any other ballistic option.

Edited by Cabusha, 09 April 2015 - 05:19 PM.

[Lyoto Machida]

Thanks TS...I needed a laugh after a long day at work.

[LordKnightFandragon]

I hate facing gauss, but personally dont like it. Gave the Goosewaffle a go in 2 games, that charge up just fks me over...when I aim at a mech and have it in my sights I wanna fire now, not in 1s....