65 replies to this topic

[Erwiin]

Another topic which needs clarification is regarding hardpoints. Some people believe that a player can only replace a weapon with another (single) weapon of the same type. While others (including me) think that a player could add multiple smaller weapons of the same type.

For example, If an LRM-20 were removed, could a player then add 2 SRM-6s and an LRM-5, or would they be limited to just 1 missile launcher, regardless of size or tonnage?

[TheSassySquatch]

Urban maps mean Urbanmech's!

[WardenWolf]

Erwiin, on 09 July 2012 - 09:33 AM, said:

Another topic which needs clarification is regarding hardpoints. Some people believe that a player can only replace a weapon with another (single) weapon of the same type. While others (including me) think that a player could add multiple smaller weapons of the same type.

For example, If an LRM-20 were removed, could a player then add 2 SRM-6s and an LRM-5, or would they be limited to just 1 missile launcher, regardless of size or tonnage?

If you look closely on the mechlab images / video, you will see that there are three factors that need to be taken into account in order to mount a weapon. Thinking of it in this way may help:

1) There has to be sufficient free tonnage available (on the mech as a whole)
2) There have to be a sufficient number of free crit slots available (in the specific section of the mech where you want to mount it)
3) There has to be an available / unused hardpoint for the correct type of weapon (energy, ballistic, missile) in the section as well.

So take a Hunchback (stock version): it has at least 1 ballistic hardpoint in the right torso, along with one energy hardpoint on each arm and one in the head. It *may* have more, if the Devs decide to give it even more flexibility, but that is what would be required given the canon weapon layout.

Thus you could replace the AC20 with a Gauss, or a different caliber of autocannon... but not a stack of machine guns (one, sure, but no more than the hardpoint(s) allow).

Hopefully that makes more sense Again, if you look closely on the MechLab stuff you can actually see these three criteria listed as they are moving things around - and sometimes all are met, allowing placement of a weapon, while at other times one or more of these is not satisfied and the item cannot be added.

[Erwiin]

WardenWolf, on 09 July 2012 - 09:47 AM, said:

Thus you could replace the AC20 with a Gauss, or a different caliber of autocannon... but not a stack of machine guns (one, sure, but no more than the hardpoint(s) allow).

That answers my question. Not the answer I was hoping for however.

Looks like I'll have to go back to HeavyMetal Pro and redesign all those alternate variations I had in mind.

Just had a look at one of the vids. My question is answered. WardenWolf's answer was sort of correct. Maybe I should have looked at the video FIRST! Interesting that the HBK-4G shown in the vid doesn't have a small laser in its head, yet the TT version does.

Edited by Erwiin, 10 July 2012 - 03:31 AM.

[Kyoshim]

Thanks you !

[WardenWolf]

Erwiin, on 09 July 2012 - 09:51 AM, said:

That answers my question. Not the answer I was hoping for however.

Looks like I'll have to go back to HeavyMetal Pro and redesign all those alternate variations I had in mind.

Yeah, it is definitely more restrictive of a system than MW2 / MW3 had - but to be honest, it makes sense given the tech (these aren't Omnimechs). Also, looking closely at the MechLab stuff it *does* look like sometimes there are more hardpoints than the stock weapons need. I think I spotted 2 ballistic hardpoints on the Hunchback, for example, and 2 energy hardpoints in each arm as well. That is all subject to change as the beta proceeds, I assume, but it could give some more flexibility for us to work with

[Dragonis]

I would also like to know about the Maps.

Will there be a Space/Low Grave Planetoid Map, or an Underwater map,
all of which were used in MW2-Ghost Bears Legacy?


Also I strongly feel different to the answer about the question with the
pulse lasers. "In My Opinion" If they shoot very fast and overheat fast, they should
do less damage, meaning you have to have a lot of them to spam a light mech.
This might provide more balance latter on. On another note (ER/Pulse Lasters),]weren't really introduced until the time between the Thrid Succession War, and the Clan Invasion anyway. Now this would varry some, for example Large Pulse Lasers Have much greater Range, but sacrifice Damage, Medium Have Slightly Increased Damage, but take a chunk out of range, Short Range Lasers Have even Greater Damage, but the shortest range for lasers (Excluding Micro) which again won't be introduced until the Clan Invasion of 3049.


Eve Online used a similar concept with their (Amarr Laser Crystals) Seeing as how you have near unlimited Ammo, you should impose some penalty or another on them (even though after about a month they crack and you need new ones.) Hence they developed a system for a player to choose a specific type of crystal to impose one strength or another to their lasers, thus granting some power and some balance.

http://wiki.eveonlin.../en/wiki/Lasers

[Engineering]

Garth Erlam, on 09 July 2012 - 09:19 AM, said:

Likely - once we make the game 20% more awesome.

So it's now confirmed that 20% of the mechs will be Awesomes?

[Taj]

Sooooo... Pulse Lasers will be not like in MW3 was?

[Egomane]

Garth Erlam, on 09 July 2012 - 09:19 AM, said:

Likely - once we make the game 20% more awesome.

Is that a subtle breach of your own forum rules?

I will tolerate it and thank you for all your Q&A answers so far.

[Eximar]

WardenWolf, on 09 July 2012 - 09:47 AM, said:

If you look closely on the mechlab images / video, you will see that there are three factors that need to be taken into account in order to mount a weapon. Thinking of it in this way may help:

1) There has to be sufficient free tonnage available (on the mech as a whole)
2) There have to be a sufficient number of free crit slots available (in the specific section of the mech where you want to mount it)
3) There has to be an available / unused hardpoint for the correct type of weapon (energy, ballistic, missile) in the section as well.

So take a Hunchback (stock version): it has at least 1 ballistic hardpoint in the right torso, along with one energy hardpoint on each arm and one in the head. It *may* have more, if the Devs decide to give it even more flexibility, but that is what would be required given the canon weapon layout.

Thus you could replace the AC20 with a Gauss, or a different caliber of autocannon... but not a stack of machine guns (one, sure, but no more than the hardpoint(s) allow).

Hopefully that makes more sense Again, if you look closely on the MechLab stuff you can actually see these three criteria listed as they are moving things around - and sometimes all are met, allowing placement of a weapon, while at other times one or more of these is not satisfied and the item cannot be added.

The interesting thing in the video though, is that after the AC 20 is removed and the AC 5 is placed, the AC 2 is still green, meaning *theoretically* it could be placed...

[Valine]

Will there be a way to import a design that has been hand draw for the emblem or will it be only standard emblems?

[Pvt Dancer]

I feel this Q&A was head and shoulders over the last couple, as they avoided wasting our time with bad questions. I like the idea of the same map but with multiple versions/weather to switch it up some. Gives it longivity... and I am hoping for weather at night as well. I would also like to see some form of partial underwater map, or low G. But those maps can require special equipment that might not be an option, so I can see avoiding them for the time being.

Taj, on 09 July 2012 - 10:47 AM, said:

Sooooo... Pulse Lasers will be not like in MW3 was?

I hope not... those games blew chunks. Besides, this is a totally different company with a different take on the game (they are shooting to be closer to table top than those other MW games).

[Eximar]

Valine, on 09 July 2012 - 11:16 AM, said:

Will there be a way to import a design that has been hand draw for the emblem or will it be only standard emblems?

Highly unlikely that they will allow player created art into the game, as they risk copyright infringement.

[Sept Wolfke]

Erwiin, on 09 July 2012 - 09:33 AM, said:

Another topic which needs clarification is regarding hardpoints. Some people believe that a player can only replace a weapon with another (single) weapon of the same type. While others (including me) think that a player could add multiple smaller weapons of the same type.

For example, If an LRM-20 were removed, could a player then add 2 SRM-6s and an LRM-5, or would they be limited to just 1 missile launcher, regardless of size or tonnage?

in the video in the media section about the mechlab, you can see that when the guy doing the customization adds a machine gun, it fills a hardpoint, so it seems somewhat safe to figure that the hardpoints are 1 per any type of weapon from the list of weapons available. so, LRM 5, LRM 20.. costs 1 hardpoint per weapon system. At least that's what I got out of the mechlab video.

in regards to the Q&A, I loved the answer about pulse lasers - I'm thinking that the many catapult pilots out there are gonna be working on developing that pulse tech to counter the light mech 'breakthrough attacker' issue now!

[WardenWolf]

Eximar, on 09 July 2012 - 11:09 AM, said:

The interesting thing in the video though, is that after the AC 20 is removed and the AC 5 is placed, the AC 2 is still green, meaning *theoretically* it could be placed...

Correct - it shows "1 / 2" hard points still available... so at least when that was taken, there were 2 hardpoints in the Right Torso for ballistic weapons. As I mentioned above, the devs appear to be putting a little more flexibility into a lot of the variants than the base weapons loadout implies

[chumppi]

@Garth I thought that "lasers go pzzzt" and "pulse lasers go pewpewpewpew" was much better explanation that you gave on IRC(I think it was you?)

[trycksh0t]

InnerSphereNews, on 09 July 2012 - 09:00 AM, said:

Q: Are you going to handle the destruction of the mech like in TT (simply fall down, or random explosion of all ammo inside), or the Stackpole way (random nuke)? [Adridos]
A: The former, not the latter. We have no plans for nuclear-explosion deaths at this time. [GARTH]

This just made my day. Not sure if any other announcement, at this point, could have made me want this game more.

Also, the night/day and weather effects are an added bonus, something that was a bit lacking in previous titles. Atmosphere is good. And, while I am not colourblind, I think it's fantastic that Garth has prioritized getting those functions in-game.

[Aldinvor]

chumppi, on 09 July 2012 - 12:40 PM, said:

@Garth I thought that "lasers go pzzzt" and "pulse lasers go pewpewpewpew" was much better explanation that you gave on IRC(I think it was you?)

TBH I find that response a satisfactory answer, though I do appreciated the more detailed one given =p

[Kenyon Burguess]

nice. im glad the winter map isnt concidered urban. cant wait to see something more city like.