71 replies to this topic

[LordKnightFandragon]

Sylvian Le Fabre, on 09 July 2015 - 10:52 PM, said:

MistLynx is a Clan Light.
- Jumps high
- 125
- Small

But yeah, wait for the ArcticC. .

---------------

On Topic: The Playstyle for Firestarters and Spiders is gone. Jenners are back. Raven is still the same (mid-long Range). Well Locust, i like them, i play them and it is nothing new: Don't let hit you ^^

FS and Spider playstyle? Run around circle jerking the world cuz nothing registers on them?

[jss78]

PS WrathOfDeadguy, on 09 July 2015 - 11:00 PM, said:

Panther still tanks like a boss, but that's because it's got good hitboxes and a shield arm.

Agreed, I've been playing the Panther exlusively the past few days, and didn't notice much of a difference -- maybe losing components is slightly more common. It still rolls damage really well, although you have to work on it (shielding and rotating) and not rely on the wonky HSR to do that for you.

[jss78]

Greenjulius, on 09 July 2015 - 10:49 PM, said:

I just simply stopped playing my lights. Now that they can't really fight toe to toe with a decent player, they have no purpose other than spotting and harassing. At least until PGI decides to implement an actual role warfare mechanic, which I assume will be never. Every one my my lights now sits sad and unused.

This sounds to me like a step in the right direction. All that's needed is that in-game rewards for stuff like Flanking, Protected Light, Kill Assist, Spotting Assist etc. are sufficient to not penalize using lights. I'm not saying that they aren't sufficient -- there were mixed opinions on this in another thread. Aren't those bonuses the role warfare mechanic you ask for?

[Petard]

PS WrathOfDeadguy, on 09 July 2015 - 11:00 PM, said:

Well, Firestarters appear to have finally stopped tanking more damage than assaults, so there's that. I was actually in a few games yesterday where almost half of the 'Mechs on a team were lights, and most of them weren't FS9s... and one game where there weren't any of the bloody things at all! It's like my birthday came a month early! Interestingly, this all doesn't seem to have negatively impacted the light queue. If anything, I've seen more lights in the last few days. It's almost as if people are dusting off their everything else that's not a Firestarter and taking it for a spin.

Panther still tanks like a boss, but that's because it's got good hitboxes and a shield arm. There were a few more Commandos than normal out and about, which can't help but be a good thing, and I got to watch a SPL Wubstarter get rekt by a Locust because the flying flamer's pilot was obviously still leaning on the crutches without them, y'know, being there anymore. It was glorious.

Didn't see any Jenners though, and mine don't have engines in 'em right now, so I didn't get around to seeing how well the sprinting CT fares with better hitreg.

And, yes, everything is dying a lot faster, all the way from 20 tons up to 100... gives me a powerful lust for slower weapon refire rates across the board.

I;m finding that Panthers die to dual gauss, just like everything else...

[Haji1096]

topgun505, on 09 July 2015 - 09:28 PM, said:

So HSR has gotten another pass. And it does seem to make a difference.

How MUCH of a difference is the big question. Obviously this will impact some mechs that had some notorious hitboxes.

The question is: How has this impacted lights and their viability? Are you having to play differently? A little? A lot? No change at all? Are certain lights better now than others that wasn't the case previously?

Weigh in your opinions here.

Hey top,

I've only played four or five games since the patch in lights, all with JR7F. My style is usually more mid range harassment as opposed to rambo aggression. I haven't noticed a big difference in hit registration while playing a light. Probably because people target the CT on the JR7. I hypothesize that HSR change will hurt lights that get their legs targeted more.

While playing against lights, I do "seem" to hit more shots with PPCs.

[Weeny Machine]

The damage now registers fine. That means that lights take now MUCH more damage than before. I tried mechs resembling three playstyles: Huginn (Brawl playstyle), Oxide (Hit&Run), and Raven L/4X (Sniper).


The Light Brawler is now really hard to play because he needs uptime on the target. The heavies turn rate is so fast that you can stay hardly out of their arc of fire. Now add that you take much more damage thanks to the hitreg change, the chances that you get killed or so damaged that you aren’t doing much in the rest of the fight are pretty high.

The buff to PPCs and Clan ACs added somewhat to the damage as well. The chances of survival or coming out with reasonable damage went truly downhill

It gets even worse if one of your target’s teammates is nearby and takes potshots at you. Even if you manage to run off you will eat so much damage that it is questionable if you simply shouldn’t stay and fight it out to the bitter end.

The Hit&Run playstyle is somewhat better. You can do drive-by-shooting and hope to get into cover before the enemy can react. The better hitreg seems to have buffed the Oxide substantially because now the SRMs seem to register properly. Since the patch my Oxide’s damage went up by approximately 1/3!

The Sniper came away the best of the Light mechs imo simply because of ranged weaponry (ERLL etc). If they get under fire, they can just hunker down and most will pass. I felt hardly a chance there. They got even a buff because their worst enemy: brawler lights will be easier to damage now for them.


Summa summarum:
Unfortunately the most fun playstyle for light mechs: getting close and hurting the biggies with high risk got a blow imo. I predict that we see either less light mechs or a shift to ranged weaponry. Yesterday I saw already a couple of Firestarters with a large laser.
It seems, though, that the TTK went down a notch further in general. I don’t like that because the game is more and more about big alphas ranged whack-a-mole gameplay. This is dull and diversity suffers. As I have said now several times: they should add the heat drawbacks of the TT to curb these insane alphas.

Edited by Bush Hopper, 10 July 2015 - 05:46 AM.

[Appogee]

Can anyone within a ping of 200 tell me whether they're seeing any difference?

[stjobe]

Bush Hopper, on 10 July 2015 - 05:34 AM, said:

It seems, though, that the TTK went down a notch further in general. I don’t like that because the game is more and more about big alphas ranged whack-a-mole gameplay. This is dull and diversity suffers. As I have said now several times: they should add the heat drawbacks of the TT to curb these insane alphas.

Amen.

With the hit-reg fix, TTK took a nose-dive, and that had an additional follow-on effect: More matches ending 12-0, 12-1, 12-2 than I've ever seen.

[Votanin FleshRender]

All I have to say is... sweet sweet redemption.

I was told, many many times, after bitching about lights being impervious to damage...
L2P bro
Umad bro?
L2Aim!
Maybe your aim isn't as good as you think!

I know there are a great many great light pilots, but after watching light mech legs pop when I alpha them now instead of them running away at yellow, all I can say is screw all those little ******** that thought they were hot ****, my aim is just damn fine.

[Y E O N N E]

Locust is as Locust does, still. People being stupid and trying to brawl 'Mechs with two and three times their tonnage will get wrecked. People playing smart and striking from odd, changing angles will do fine.

[Tiger Dad]

Haven't had a chance to play yet. I love playing lights because the queue is so low. Was at 9% the other day. While I support a good HSR, I do find it sad now that lone Direwolves off on their own will probably be able to take out 2 or 3 lights wolfpacking by himself. No punishment there. But again, it would probably only be me, cause I'm a very mediocre pilot. I might just focus on mediums then, I gotta elite my new Wolverines (I got suckered with the 35% off sale). I always wanted to see how they drove (I'm not that impressed, but then I'm not that good.)

[Necromantion]

I wholly approve of this patch. Damage is registering better everywhere and lights arent lag shielding 50-80% of the damage they take. Kudos PGI

Also this forces light pilots to actually play like lights should, not just run circles as the horrible HSR plays in their favor.

[Zookeeper Dan]

I've always liked the hit and run lights like the Oxide (and now the X-5) and the Medium feeling lights like the Urbie and they are playing a little better. It's easier to aim for components now.

I have seen a lot more lights with yellow and red legs early in the match and less matches that end with one light vs. the entire team.

[MoonUnitBeta]

Most impressed with firestarters being able to be hit now. I stripped one down with my Hunchback in a super close scrap. Was able to land two AC20's on the CT and got him to a nice cherry red, but If it weren't for the pesty Atlas and Warhawk and Jenner who showed up, I would have kill him easily.

Feels good. Me be muchly pleased indeed.

Edit:
Oh, but it's much easier to be killed in my locust now. Definately people with high alpha PPC/AC or AC/AC builds can take you out fairly easily.
It's incredibly risky to have anyone even look at you... passive radar would be nice to finally get so we can be a little sneakier, but that'd be nice with all mechs.

Edited by MoonUnitBeta, 10 July 2015 - 06:50 AM.

[Burktross]

LordKnightFandragon, on 09 July 2015 - 10:30 PM, said:

Then again, Clans dont really have "lights".

CLans have

Weak MEdiums
Mediums
Heavies
TImberwolves
Assaults.

Anyone who says the uller is a weak medium is a fool! It's better than my ryokens and mad cats combined, you're just all unenlightened! Unenlightened I say!

[stjobe]

Burktross, on 10 July 2015 - 06:57 AM, said:

Anyone who says the uller is a weak medium is a fool! It's better than my ryokens and mad cats combined, you're just all unenlightened! Unenlightened I say!

I'm surprised you didn't throw "heathens" in there as well

[Roadkill]

Lord Scarlett Johan, on 09 July 2015 - 09:44 PM, said:

But I have noticed that Spiders and Firestarters go down much easier, especially when I aim center mass. I've killed a few with straight up CT hits.

This is what I've noticed as well.

At least in theory the fix should have made it easier to leg Lights since HSR now considers appendages, but the main effect for me has been that center of mass is now a much more viable target. I've really only played laser vomit since the patch, though, so it may be different for other types of weapons.

[Bilbo]

Roadkill, on 10 July 2015 - 07:23 AM, said:

This is what I've noticed as well.

At least in theory the fix should have made it easier to leg Lights since HSR now considers appendages, but the main effect for me has been that center of mass is now a much more viable target. I've really only played laser vomit since the patch, though, so it may be different for other types of weapons.

AC/20's and SRM's are registering on the CT's of all classes quite nicely.

[Cyborne Elemental]

I think this is a good change.

Lights can no longer solo against an entire Assault lance and get away scot-free.

Its going to take some reconditioning for the pilots of what a light's real purpose is, which is scout/support, and no longer allowed to be Micro-Atlas running around with impenetrable lagshields.

I think ECM lights have also become far more valuable, and especially those who can keep their distance from a fight to be full time support of their team as well as a distraction factor and for misdirection when the fighting starts.

Allowing Firestarters and Spiders to stand toe to toe with a Direwolf and not only survive it, but often times be so ridiculously hard to hit that a team has to pull half their mechs just to deal with 1 lagshield monster, those days are gone, and good riddance.

[Lostdragon]

Anecdotally I would say it seems to be much easier to hit lights now, especially if they are in the air. I've killed several jumping SDRs and MLXs now with shots that seemed like they would never have hit before. The SDR in particular seems to be a lot easier to leg.