10 replies to this topic

[SOL Ranger]

A suggestion for CW dropdeck mechanic using actual mech weight instead of maximum weight

The concept of CW is excessively cumbersome because of the limit of 240(250)T and the max weight criteria for mechs, it personally strongly dissuades me from playing CW because I can really never get a proper setup created that I enjoy or want to play, I haven't even looked at CW for ages(for many reasons) partly because it's too constricted for personal choice, having to play the untrained filler mechs I have no interest playing quite literally after only 1/2 mechs takes much fun out of it.

There are only so many different quality dropdeck possibilities to cover that total weight in that manner and much of it involves taking mechs you would never want otherwise, having to train those mechs and set them up properly which takes immense amounts of time as well, especially tedious when considering they are mechs you don't really even want but have to take.

You're more or less pigeonholed into these certain mechs simply by their weight and peak performance for that weight, cookie cutter mechs and of those there are very few serious alternatives at that, they are not decisions on their functional differences or your own taste in mechs for that matter.

To combat this rigidness in mechanics and lack of choice I suggest:

Allow mechs to be brought into CW dropdecks using only their actual used weight rather than the maximum weight, such that if someone wants to bring something "heavier" as his choice, he can, but needs to compromise for it in that fit or his other mechs going even lighter to allow it.


This would mean you could compromise a higher weight mech slightly to cram it in rather than completely changing a mech to another, if you want to bring 4xJägermechs, you could, but you would need to slim their fits noticeably. This would widen the dropdeck possibilities immensely and open up choices with very real compromise.


Naturally not many changes are without drawbacks, it could cause problems with certain mechs easily made more light weight than others, high alpha laser boats would unfortunately become even stronger naturally with this in mind, but it would still arguably be better than today because laser boats are already dominant anyway, some adjustments could easily be made to ammo weight as well on ammo dependent fits to make them slightly more favourable, or ammo resupply for that matter.


Anyway, take it for what it is, a suggestion and an opening of a debate around the idea of softening up drop deck weight mechanics, mechanics that to me currently seem very rigid and not very fun at all.

Regardless of the suggested change being directly possible to implement or requiring some significant overhaul, I still think it's a superior alteration to the current one and deserves to be mentioned and discussed in a serious manner, because until something is done for wider choice in CW, I'll stay on the standard queue always using the mechs I love.


Thank you.

[Felicitatem Parco]

I think that an Awesome 8Q that drops a PPC should weigh 73 tons for Dropdeck purposes because it weighs 73 tons.

[Davers]

Won't uneven drop ship tonnages create even more balance problems?

[Col Jaime Wolf]

i dont really think this will solve anything.

get rid of quirktastic mechs and balance weapons against weapons not IS mechs against clan weapons.

then we will see more mechs that are "viable"

[FupDup]

If you want a mech of lower tonnage, you should just...use a mech of lower tonnage. If you want a 60 ton mech, use a mech that tops out at 60 tons, etc. That's the single purpose that they exist for.

[Vlad Ward]

4 Thunderwubs with gimped engines to bring them to 60 tons.

Yes. Yes, I think this could work. Let's do this.

[Golden Vulf]

IS drop decks should be 255 and clans should be 250.

For no real reason. Which is good enough reason.

[Kodyn]

So wait, did I read this correctly?

You are suggesting that instead of building optimal, useful loadouts, people could gimp their own mechs by not using their full tonnage, just to cram more/heavier mechs into their deck?

Why would anyone actually take that option, even if allowed?

Even laser boats don't benefit, because they're usually full up on tonnage with heatsinks, etc, and if you're going to use less, then you might as well just take a smaller mech.

I applaud you for trying to shake CW up a bit, but unless I'm misunderstanding horribly, I don't see your solution being in any way viable.

[Khobai]

NO.

[SOL Ranger]

Kodyn, on 18 September 2015 - 07:32 PM, said:

So wait, did I read this correctly?

You are suggesting that instead of building optimal, useful loadouts, people could gimp their own mechs by not using their full tonnage, just to cram more/heavier mechs into their deck?

Why would anyone actually take that option, even if allowed?

Even laser boats don't benefit, because they're usually full up on tonnage with heatsinks, etc, and if you're going to use less, then you might as well just take a smaller mech.

I applaud you for trying to shake CW up a bit, but unless I'm misunderstanding horribly, I don't see your solution being in any way viable.

You're not misunderstanding, you're maybe just not seeing it quite as I hoped to illustrate it, this isn't supposed to replace lower weight mechs or substitute optimal fits either, it's supposed to allow minor adjustments to better fit mechs you want to use by compromise such that while not being optimal on the one mech you still bring the same tonnage and overall optimal effect in the full dropdeck, just in the form of your own choices rather than the maximum weights of the FOTM mechs that you can tetris into it.

Note the beneift for laser fits is that they can be reduced in weight most and still retain a high alpha build for peeking regardless of heat issues, which is quite effective in a team environment and firing lines still even in a suboptimal fit; While ammo dependent mechs will simply become inherently short lived and not very viable in a large battle unless they significantly lower their weapon calibers and thus weight.

If you look at many mechs you can easily pick off several tonnes of secondary armaments you don't necessarily need, thus allowing you to overall open up tens of tonnes quite easily to cram in some higher tonnage mechs you like, and this is all a choice rather than mandatory.

I urge you to think about your dropdeck now whatever it may be, then imagine what mech within some tonnes you would rather be using but can't fit it in, then imagine you could but with minor adjustments in your overall mech weights, a few less HS, a bit less ammo or a lighter armament/armor.


In a balanced game there should be no real problem with bringing a lighter "heavier" mech because weight is a balancing factor, and that is my whole point here, there is no real reason why this shouldn't be allowed, compromise and more options to allow people to compose CW dropdecks more freely.

I think this is an excellent way to free these rigid mechanics up a bit and bring out alternative fits into the mix.

[patataman]

I'm afraid your suggestion may cause problems with the "meta mechs", and allow drop decks with things like 3 timbers or 4 tbolts, just like Vlad pointed.

Plus you don't need to reach exactly 240 t, going a few tons lighter shouldn't really affect your performance and in exchange you could use mechs that you already own and like. Certainly using trials puts you at a disadvantage.

Edited by patataman, 19 September 2015 - 01:41 AM.