3 replies to this topic

[Last Of The Brunnen-G]

Hi mechwarriors,

here are some of my ideas for a heat system. It is a solution for the unpopular ghostheat system. When balanced out correctly, there are no more problems with extrem alphastrikes.









The solution for the engine, weight and speed calculation is in work. Now it's 3 o'clock in the morning, this can wait...

Edit: has someone an idea, how to set the images in the proper size?

Edited by MasterBurte, 04 October 2015 - 05:16 PM.

[Karl Streiger]

Well i had a similar discussion years ago - i want to spare us the long story - the result:
BattleTech already has a energy system - called heat.
With a proper system you can manage your ideas with heat.

Although i really (insert more really) like the idea of the PEC. And of course the energy drain/ heat gain for reloading.
Both systems could really help to increase the immersion:

i have made my on thoughts - based on your ideas (including reload and PEC)
I take the BJ-2 as an example:

Whats new?

The weapon system: the ERLarge Laser - produces much more heat (22) while firing and additional 10 while reloading (rough multiplication of 3-4)
Even the cool running SSRM2s - produces more heat as currently.
Because of its 11 DHS (old idea) it got a threshold of 11 before the real "heatscale" starts.
The main difference the dissipation is multiplied by 4

now about your ideas: engine is a 180STD - it produces 1.8 heat per second - when running 100% (lower heat when walking) - each maneuver costs heat too.
Even the targeting - need energy - and produces heat - those "standard" tasks have Priority 3 (P3) - while reloading has for example (P1). When heat rises the heat scale may reduce the energy for moving or targeting - when increasing the priority of those tasks you can overcome those shortage - but it will cost more heat (reduce the available dissipation)

Now a example for Alpha or Chain Fire (not even using the ER Large Laser)

a really raw sketch for a raw idea:
Firing all 4 SSRMs will heat up the Mech quite a bit - with a P1 reloading the dissipation is reduced for additional heat point per second. The pilot can give the reload mechanism more time - and reduce priority to P2 (8sec) or P3 (16sec) - and reduce the heat burden drastically

those heatscale penalty's would reduce the ability of the BJ 2 to move or to target enemys - of course the pilot can give different priority - he can even over tact his reactor creating a negative dissipation - the mech will over heat and destruction or shutdown is inevitable.

as an option there is chain fire:


The warrior can fire up to 6 or 7 volleys (did not bother to calculate) without penalty's the heat burden is increased slowly while firing all missiles in chain - rather than together. So the waste heat can be removed faster.

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As you see - i have taken the very good ideas of the OP and added my own findings. It is a more complex system of course - to prioritize different systems need more micro management - but hey most of MWO players are old - most of them already know this stuff from games like WingCommander; X-Wing; TIE-Fighter (to change the Energy level for 4 systems shouldn't be that hard)

Hell i really really like the priority idea. It really helps to overcome my problem when "inventing" a fair system (heat spike but much more dissipation) because my ideas did kill the light harasser - that really need to Alpha Strike a target - now they can give reload and targeting a lower priority and increase the priority of the movement. So they can make one slasher run without loosing speed or being forced to chain fire - but can't do a circle of death either.

[Last Of The Brunnen-G]

Yes, the idea behind the priority energy managment is:

On default, alphastrikes make you fulnerable, when used wrong. Loosing speed and firepower...

For a hit and run tactic you need a fast mech with lots of weapons. So you can't go with the biggest engine. Here you need a priority in legs (movement).

A classic supporter need the priority on his weapons. He needs to manage his energy clever, to not fall into a low level of energy. An alphastrike can be usefull to finish a combat, but your speed drops dramaticly and your cooldowns are increased. So an alphastrike lowers your overall dps.

A brawler can be a mix between both tactics. Maybe a heavy or medium. He could priority legs and some of his main weapons. He needs a bigger engine to support both weapons and movement. Therefore he can't carry as much weapons as a supporter, but his less powerfull alphastrikes won't let him fall into an energyhole.



I think a differtation between energy and heat is very usefull. You can balance weapons with this by reducing their effiency. Or a fast scout mech would need less heatsinks because the legs have a much higher efficiency.

A efficient weapon might drain less energy. Or better... fix the energydrain to the current heatgeneration of the weapons and balance the efficiency by changing damage to heat ratio. This something you can play around, when the system is finalised.

Edited by MasterBurte, 05 October 2015 - 04:28 AM.

[Surn]

Graphic designers just don't understand - Will Smith