5 replies to this topic

[M1Combat]

Currently we have this in the PTU -




What about something like this instead?




Now...

I understand that the point isn't to increase effective range with the PTU changes and this does have that effect in some fashion !!!BUT!!!,

Once the figures for damage dropoff distance are re-figured a bit with this system in mind I believe it will be completely possible to have all of our cake and eat it too.

1. We can have weapons that act like they do now within optimal range.

2. We can have a real incentive to lock your target and now it's even at range (which is where it makes more sense anyway)

3. Based on the new sensor ranges that are being tweaked for each mech weight class this system will be somewhat differently effective for each weight class without being "weird". You'll just know that when locked you'll do a little more damage when the enemy is beyond optimal range.

4. The spotter will have an even larger role. He'll now be able to help LRM mechs just like he can now (and can when this all shakes out) but he'll ALSO be able to bring max range laser damage for Large and ER Large lasers a little ways off the floor. I only count large here because medium lasers operate within the range of sensors for assault mechs. For ERLL's mounted to heavy/assault mechs though... they'll be able to take a very small advantage from a spotter. Like a sniper does .

5. It would be almost entirely transparent to the pilot aside from that he'll want to lock targets if possible at range.

6. The shorter range lasers won't be affected much from a usability standpoint. They'll still get the added damage at max range but it won't need another player to do so. They'll generally be able to lock targets by themselves.


In the interests of full disclosure...

Like I said I know we're not looking to add damage at range... But I feel that with another pass at the numbers for range fall off (Optimal vs. Maximum) in general for both clan lasers and IS lasers and maybe even adjustments to optimal range this would be a better system than the way it currently is in PTU-2.0, would provide the same desired effect of making it useful to have locks and would just be a much cleaner system... All the while not providing enough benefit at max range to make it enticing to just sit at max range all the time.


My assumption is that you and the team may have already thought of all of this . Please explain what your findings were if so .

[M1Combat]

Just one bump because I posted this really late last night...

[Agent1190]

OK. If a locked target at absolute max does more damage, then a non locked target should have less maximum range to do ANY damage.

[sycocys]

I'm not opposed to either system myself, though if it went onto reducing the maximum range I would prefer to see it cut off far more sharply.

[M1Combat]

I agree with both of you.

In the post I mentioned that reworking the numbers to see what can be done with this system in mind would be necessary.

Also... having the ML do 2 damage at max range with lock is probably a bit much but I had to put something there .



I'd even be fine with (talking the IS ML here) a 270m Optimal and say a 400 max with no lock and 540 max with lock. The Clan ERML would maybe be 350 Optimal (405 now) and say 500 max with no lock and 600 max with lock.

[HUBA]

the only problem is that we have to get use to the values. It look scary when your laser range drop from almost 500 to 290 and I would disable the swap thing. We know that laser make damage far over the "optimum" range and nobody need the actual max range because it is easy to calculate. M-Laser 270m up to 300m no problem to 500m you can use it and 550m is out of range. The only thing we have to "calculate" now 50% of 270m about 150m is full damage even without lock, up to 300m a target lock make a big difference. And over the 300m mark the difference get less and less important. And this is the great thing about it. Lock your target and shoot it. Not shoot blindly every thing that move. I had no problem to adapt, normally I leave my lock on other targets so my team can "see" more and also first shoot and then lock on targets. But within 2 games I changed to first switch targets and then shoot it.

So IMO there is no need and it would confuse people less if the range would not change, just the color is enough. There is no range change for LRM they also could chance to 0 when the target is below 180m.