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Current Issues with Locusts:
1. Torso weapons and pitch issues. Locusts suffer from minimal pitch which means any torso mounted weapons suffer at short range engagements or engagements with people on higher or lower levels of terrain. This is not fixed by any of the new quirks. Torso mounted weaponry is still very hard to use because of the locust's low profile.
2. Survivability. Locusts suffer from the smallest hitpoint pool in the game. This is partially offset by their maneuverability quirks in live (acceleration and deacceleration) which makes them survivable until you hit high tier players that don't have any trouble aiming. The locusts with more energy hardpoints suffer from this the most, with the new system, and locusts that simply can't pump out numbers because of their ballistic/missile slots generally get more. Which I think is fine, in theory, but it doesn't matter if you live longer when ballistic slots are completely useless until the enemy target is open and even then unless you're running the 1V you can't run more than two and two is the second worst thing in the game from having a flamer on your mech. So lower potential mechs get more armor to compensate. Which I suppose is fine considering that living longer you can put out more damage. Still, that really only applies to missiles, and machine guns simply don't have any stopping power of any real effect to make up for it. The more powerful mechs however not only suffer from losing their structure buffs, because of their damage potential, but they also lose their maneuverability making them FAR more likely to die. While they're still in a better place than they were before ANY quirks I still don't think they're anywhere near where they need to be. I think the 3V and the 1V are possibly even too survivable while the 3M and 1E are far too survivable.
3. Poor hitboxes. Just like the Jenner before it's hitboxes got changed the Locust is a slightly slimmer but altogether the same running center torso the Jenner was. The only reason people don't talk about it is because no one really plays them. Generally speaking you will always, always, get CTed or legged. The side torso's might as well be nonexistent. You might say, but Kirie, locusts are small anyway. That really isn't the problem. The problem is even though a couple of builds can use standards and even standard 190 effectively there's absolutely no reason to use it. The only time you get side torso'd is when someone shoots through your arm from the side and THEN happens to have enough firepower to continue through your side torso.
4. Ammo based builds. A lot of locusts need ammo. And while it's not much of an issue with the machine guns (which are practically useless anyway) because you can carry plenty of ammo, within reason, with the missile variants it's atrocious. You're limited to dropping your engine, a little, for an extra half to single ton of ammo at the cost of the majority of your survivability or running with a ton and a half to three tons, perhaps, max of ammo to go with filling up your weapon slots. In fact with the 3S it's practically impossible to run with even four SRM-2s and NO lasers and have any damage potential at all leaving the mech (in it's current state) as simply a spotter with, possibly, a tag, which no one runs anyway because it gives away your position AND you lose damage AND you have to hope that someone on your team is running LRMs to make it worth it. The only way to fix this with the current quirks we have is to quite simply give locusts 69 free armor (Half the value of the entire mech) so that they can slap an effective amount of ammo on there to actually do something. The commando really does have the same problem.
Neither good nor bad:
1. Locust arms are tiny. Locust arms are pretty much as small as hitboxes get next to cockpits. Which is great if you're trying to keep your weapons intact. The Locust 1E really never loses any weapons since they're in the arms. The cost? The fact that I'm the only locust pilot I've ever seen that can reliably actually USE the arms as a shield if I need to. They're so small it's almost impossible to use them as anything other than weapon holders. The shield arms on the Pirate's Bane are quite simply too small to be effective just like Raven arms are almost insubstantial when trying to block with them. Only on a locust it's even harder. You have to overtwist even further and hope that they were firing at your CT. So you wont be LOSING any weapons but it comes at the cost of not having any ability to block with your arms. The CT sticks out simply way too far from the side.
Current advantages to Locusts:
1. Maneuverability. On live and on some of the rebalanced locusts survivability is largely dependent on being the most agile (without jumpjets) mech in the game. I absolutely believe that this is where the locust needs to be and where it needs to stay. There's absolutely no other reason to run a locust. Spiders, commandos, and locusts all run at about the same speed (if you want to, not counting ECM variants) and the only thing setting the locust apart was the fact that it had 25% to 50% less armor, extreme acceleration and deacceleration quirks, and more firepower than the other two. Where commandos have side to side arm movement and slightly more armor and hitboxes with less weaponry and turning speed... Locusts made up for with less armor, no side to side arm movement, restricted torso weapons and pitch, and accel/deaccel/turn radius. Now the locust 1E even has a NEGATIVE accel quirk on top of not much turning speed adjustment. The 3M and PB have absolutely NO agility quirks. Which on top of their minor structure hp buffs means they simply wont survive long. Locusts as a hole will still be (generally) better than before any quirks came out at all... but is it enough?
2. 30-35 tonner weaponry and true double heatsink loss. This only really matters on the 3M, 1E, and (theoretically) the 3S. The locust can carry a surprising amount of firepower for it's tonnage (Jenner/Raven equivalent). The Locust could out maneuver those mechs, even without jumpjets, but it's paper thin armor and missing 3+ truedubs (true double heat sinks from the engine) make cooling and survivability exceedingly difficult. With the loss of range and fire speed quirks locusts have VERY little reason to pack anything less than a medium laser, unless in the hands of a vet, because small pulse and small laser ranges are SO short that getting into that range with that little amount of survivability becomes damn near suicidal without the maneuverability we used to have.
3. Info warfare. Locusts are incredible lights for information warfare in the new system. The 3V is the clear winner of the best at targeting data award. A 1200+ meter range detection range, almost instant mech details, and extremely high target retention time make it ideal for relaying enemy positions even after they're entered cover. HOWEVER radar deprivation and ECM do limit the effect that this can have over the course of the battle dnd considering that it is probably the best mech FOR spotting I've seen so far in my owned mechs that doesn't make up for the severe lack of firepower. Other locusts do stack up, in different ways, most of them having some degree of better info gathering than the other lights. It will certainly make more of a difference in solo queue where not everyone speaks the same language/is on VOIP/communicates but in group queue I feel that this alone makes the mechs fall substantially short as a choice for any other reason than to free up tonnage for other mechs in leagues/potential group queue changes to come. While not having targeting data will absolutely have an effect on many players even in twelve mans with good coordination the fact that mechs will start to smoke from an area when the armor is gone partially negates the need for that targeting data anyway. In fact many times, rather than taking the time to press R to target a mech, if it's smoking I will simply aim for the smoking part to rip it off which the targeting data would have told me to do anyway more than likely.
4. Collision leg damage and fall damage is absolutely brutal. I've fallen off of a hill on alpine with max armor on my legs and lost 9% of my mech's total HP from a medium fall. I've also lost substantial leg armor just from running into team mates and enemies. Sometimes as much as half of the armor ON my legs. It makes the fall damage reduction module an absolute must over any other module simply because it adds that much survivability if you just happen to fall off of something. When you put the two together it's not entirely unrealistic for a locust to lose the majority of the armor on it's legs from falling and collisions put together. Which, if you're running a locust with ammo, might be a really bad thing if you happen to put the ammo in the legs.
In conclusion, in general:
I'm not particularly saying that any of those issues are in true dire need of fixing other than the lack of ammo potential for SRMs. The locust is a true specialist mech for the most part and people that play it enjoy the challenge of playing probably the highest skill cap mech in the game. Part of the draw to the mech is fact that you simple CANT make a mistake or you pretty much explode. And yes, since all the weapon quirks are gone, survivability of the locust has gone up substantially. Maybe even back to where I'd really like them to be.
However the lack of potential for even the best players in the game to play the mech while making a true difference on the battlefield is disappointing to me. This is a mech that should reward those truly skilled in it's use the truly dedicated and specialized. It should truly shine in the hands of an excellent pilot. The reality of the situation is, though, that the locust is a trap for new players because of it's cost and disappointing to truly excel in. New players can pick up as many as 3 or 4 locusts with their first 25 games only to find that they're not only incredibly hard to play but incredibly expensive to play at the highest level because of the massive cost of modules.
I do think that we've taken steps in the right direction. However I don't think that information warfare, as it is, is enough to make this mech's strengths overpower it's shortcomings. I write in this volume and in this much detail BECAUSE I love this game so much and BECAUSE I love this mech so much that I think it truly deserves more attention and care rather than being partially ignored by the community and, I feel, in part by the balance/dev team.
Rebalance pass on a variant basis (in competition with other locusts not other lights):
3V
Looks like for information warfare the locust 3V is the clear winner of all the locusts when it comes to information gathering. With a good loadout you're looking at two medium lasers, two machine guns with a ton and a half of ammo (more than enough), a beagle active probe, full armor, and an XL190. With the second best locust maneuverability quirks (which is the only thing that keeps a locust alive) and a massive bonus to survivability this is the clear winner. I have had literally no trouble being in the fight and still being the last one alive because of that. That being said the damage of machine guns is rather pitiful when you have less than four and two medium to medium pulse lasers really wont fix that issue. The machine guns are located in the arms, which... is worthless honestly since if you have to aim up that far with machine guns chances are you're out of range. The laser weapons suffer from the same low pitch problem and are CT mounted meaning you simply can't fit a PPC or a large laser and anything else. So you simply can't expect to pull big numbers. It's practically a running infinite narc with insane range as long as you're alive.
Role Warfare, survivability, and agiliy? A+
Damage? F
3V TLDR
Good:
Massive survivability buffs means it's on the field longer.
Fantastic agility buffs means it's also alive longer.
A range of 1200 meters with a beagle and the module for sensor range.
6.5-7.5 second target retention with module
damn near instant target info at medium-long range.
Bad:
Near nonexistant damage potential.
3M
The 3M fits a strange role with the new locusts. While it doesn't hold targets for as long as the 3V it does acquire targeting data near instantaneously (with modules) at long and short ranges with for some reason medium range being acquired after a minor delay. It also suffers from that +1 target acquisition delay. The 3M also has absolutely no agility quirks, making it the most easily killed locust of the bunch, considering it also has almost no structure buffs. The survivability of this mech is quite possibly the worst in the game, second only to the Pirates Bane, which only takes up second place because it has ECM which as of now is not nearly as good as it used to be. The only saving grace of this mech is the fact that it has four energy weapon slots in the arms and one in the CT. Generally speaking the best loadout for this without weapon quirks is pretty much five medium lasers, one of which suffers for horrible pitch, and four of which you can generally use in any situation. It's damage potential however is still secondary to the 1E which sports all six lasers in the arms.
Role warfare and offensive capability? B
Survivability and agility? F
3M TLDR
Decent targeting quirks while retaining weapon potential
Worst survivability in the game
Second highest damage potential for locusts based on hardpoint location
1E
The locust 1E is a locust staple. During the first pass of quirks it was a ranged small laser boat, on second pass it was good with small pulse and medium lasers, and now the 1E suffers from it's lack of agility and survivability. The 1E is better at slowing down than speeding up, which doesn't seem like it might be a huge issue, because that means the ability to stop and start to avoid fire is more or less slightly better than the 3M. The turning radius bonus is negligible. With that said, the structure quirks are the same as the 3M, near nonexistant, and it's role warfare information quirks are also as nonexistant. 20% to long range targetting speed isn't going to help a mech that needs to get in everyone's face to do damage. In fact the only real advantage of the 1E, now, over the 3M is the fact that it has one more laser total and one of those is not in the CT. Meaning all six lasers can be fired up and down on hills without any waste from the horrible pitch they have. So in exchange for pretty much meaningless survivability AND information warfare the locust acquires a very small bonus to it's damage potential. Considering it's lack of 3 extra truedubs equaling out to the equivalent of almost two standard or just over 1 and 1/3rd double heatsinks you're looking at heat problems if you actually stick that sixth medium laser in there. So it's damage potential goes up, minimally, but at the cost of all of the advantages we're supposed to have with information warfare. And with it's survivability you _better_ be using medium lasers because small lasers and small pulse lasers have such a short range you'd have to be as crazy as I am to actually run them effectively.
Damage potential: B+
Survivability, information warfare, and agiliy: F
1E TLDR
Minor offensive edge over the 3M for a total loss of Information warfare quirks.
3S and 1M
These two mechs still, for me, really sit at the bottom of the totem pole as far as locusts go simply because of weight issues. And not just minor weight issues. Absolutely major weight issues. There's simply no way to carry any amount of viable SRM ammo in them. That's not even counting that the 1M is actually supposed to use LRMs or at least that's how it was designed. What you end up with are severely underperforming damage potential mechs with great agility quirks and decent structure quirks. Generally what's going to happen is, if you survive, you're going to blow your entire SRM load in a minute of combat and be left with either a single laser or two lasers respectively. Which, by the way, generally means a small or medium laser(s). That's if you even run a laser on your 3S because you tried to fit more SRM ammo in there. The two mechs are generally on the same level, the 3S being more survivable with less energy weapons and more ammo problems and the 1M being less survivable with two energy weapons and less ammo problems. Which, by the way, seems absolutely backwards. The 1M should be the more survivable of the bunch simply because it doesn't have as much of an ammo dependence. That is unless you're simply basing their DPS at which point the 3S has more. For about 15 seconds. All in all the only reason to _really_ run a locust with missile pods is to run a 170kph narc tube with legs. Considering their targeting quirks that's even less valid than it was before. Don't get me wrong, I've seen Snaky run some fantastic games with missile locusts, but he makes a habit of playing bad mechs on purpose. That and if ignored long enough anyone can get a good game even in a single small laser urbanmech.
Agility, Survivability, and information warfare: B+
Damage potential: D
1M+3S TLDR
Ammo issues make combat over a minute unrealistic.
Torso mounted lasers make hitting UAVs ect impossible.
Relatively on par damage between the 1M and 3V.
Best actual targeting data buffs.
Advantage of the burst from SRMs rather than slow damage and crits from machine guns.
1V
This was my favorite locust before quirks came out. Machine guns are a fun, low damage, no heat weapon. And on a locust it just makes sense. But the issue is the machine guns are in the arms and the laser is in the CT. So generally speaking you're going to be running a medium laser or a medium pulse with four machine guns that do relatively no damage until a target has no armor. Which you're unable to do yourself because you only _have one laser_. It doesn't actually have an issue with ammo. You can easily get by with a ton and a half to two tons of machine gun ammo and generally hold the button down when someone's in range and in front of you. The 1V gains some agility at the cost of structure, which seems fine, but it's damage potential is generally lower because it lacks a second energy hardpoint. You're pretty much restricted to an ER large laser or running with four machine guns and a medium laser. All in all this is not the locust you want to bring to the fight unless you absolutely love machine guns. This variant honestly should have been the one with ECM. Because there's really no other saving grace for taking this over the 3V other than the turning radius which is so tight you can't even circle an assault with the button held down because you'll start running into it. Not that circling is a good thing. Honestly it's amateur light behavior. But to each their own.
Agility and survivability: A
Information warfare: B+
Damage potential: F
1V TLDR
Kinda like the 3V just not quiiiiite as good.
Best turning radius in the game.
Pirate's Bane
The Pirate's bane really should have been the end all be all locust. It really should. And there's no quirk, no design decision, and really nothing that PGI could have done within reason for people to shout OP because it's a LOCUST with ECM. Which has, now, been nerfed down. Suffering from absolutely no arm mounts the Pirates Bane is completely torso locked with it's weapons making hitting anything but legs on anything other than lights almost impossible much less if they're at a different terrain height than you are. Sure, it has ECM, and sure it still runs at 170 WITH ECM, which it's really the only light mech that can do that. But that doesn't make up for the fact that unless you're literally biting at an assault's heels you really... just can't hit it in the face unless you're in perfect positioning. Pair that up with graphical problems from the machine guns causing blindness with particle effects maxed when they're fired and you have some SERIOUS ISSUES with doing damage. The shield arms on the PB are literally useless to anyone who hasn't played as much as I have and devoted their life to locusts in the meantime because they're so damn small and the hitboxes and CT are so messed up that it's worse than playing basketball with a blind kid and expecting him to carry the game for you. Not to mention the fact that to carry the ECM the locust has to give up valuble tons from either weapons or engine power which makes all potential the ECM had to give you an advantage in some way is basically broken. It also comes with absolutely no agility quirks, next to no structure, and a weird selection of targeting buffs and nerfs that it makes less sense than braille on an ATM. All in all this is by far the worse locust for the sheer fact that not only does it have all of these issues but you ACTUALLY HAVE TO PAY FOR IT WITH REAL MONEY.
Offensive capability and information warfare: C
Survivability: D
Agility: F
Pirate's Bane TLDR:
It has ECM.
It gets a CBill bonus (not really something you can attach combat value to)
It has no arm mounted weapons and no shields to make up for it and pitch is really bad.
Firing machine guns blinds the pilot and at best is in the way.
On par with the 3M for worst survivability.
Wrap up:
I'm really not sure that you hit the nail on the head with this pass for locusts. There's sort of a few flavors, based on combat capability, survivability, and information warfare, but I'm not really sure that they're where they need to be. Especially if new players are going to be incentivised to buy them because they're ridiculously cheap. Which would make sense if we actually lost mechs, but alas, we do not. So there's really no reason to make it so cheap considering your XL engine costs more than the mech itself and the modules you put on the mech quadruple the price after that if not more.
Regardless of whether or not these results were what you intended, this is pretty much where they sit, and these are honest observations. Locusts are in no way contenders for community warfare or the possible future group queue rules other than because you absolutely needed those tons for something else. They're impossibly hard to learn to play well, they don't really reward players for the amount of skill required, and ultimately I don't know that the game is better simply by their presence alone. If you took locusts out of the game, 98% of the user base probably wouldn't care, or even really miss them other than the funny moments when they've one shot one. You took away their agility, in some cases, and their structure. In other cases you gave them structure instead of agility which is counter intuitive to locust play. You haven't solved the myriad of issues that plague the locust that keep it as a bottom tier light at about the same level of a myst lynx (in some cases worse and in some cases better because of omnipods).
So no, Locusts aren't really where they need to be yet, because information warfare doesn't matter as much as it probably should. At least from what I've seen so far. And that effect of information warfare goes down as bigger groups enter the group queue and you face off against higher tier players that are more than likely already focusing fire or simply going CT anyway regardless of whether or not the paper doll says they should.
Do locusts need more work?
Absolutely.
Can you give locusts what they really need under current quirks model?
Debatable. Without any weapon quirks the machine gun variants are extremely undergunned, the missile variants have ridiculous ammo problems, and the laser variants are so fragile they'll get CT cored from a strong fart on the other side of the continent.
There are some things you probably can fix, though if you took the time to read this, and you understand the merits and problems with each variant and with locusts in general. The changes are interesting but I don't know that it's enough currently.
TLDR all of it?
Locusts still need work.
3V and 3M are probably your best variants (generally)
Thank you for your time.
I really did put a lot of thought into this. I greatly appreciate PGI's time if one of them actually read this all the way through.
Edited by Kiriesani, 11 September 2015 - 11:31 PM.
