5
Skill tree changes
Basically, all skills have been nerfed. Arm reflex has been reduced from 15% (30% when elited) to 2.5% (5% when elited), for example. The end result is that every mech in the game has had mobility, agility and firepower slightly nerfed. The bad news is that grinding will now feel a bit meaningless, because there won't really be a huge difference between a new mech and a mastered mech. The good news is that veteran players in mastered won't have a huge advantage over new players in new mechs. More importantly... one major problem in MWO has been that all mechs were too agile, and it was very hard for light mechs to use their agility against heavy mechs. It was way too easy for heavies and assaults to track light mechs as they tried to evade fire. Also, a global nerf of heat dissipation and maximum heat treshold is basically a global increase of Time To Kill. This is very good.
Verdict: Good change overall.
Heat sinks
Inner Sphere Single heat sinks have been buffed slightly. This is something the fans have been asking for, but the change is less than 10%, so it's ultimately meaningless. It's a step in the right direction, but the step is about two inches. Clan double heat sinks outside the engine (where you have TrueDubs) have been nerfed. This is a good thing, and it's far more simple and elegant than a million negative quirks to deal with the TBR, SCR, EBJ, WHK, HBR, DW and ACH. The bad news is that it indirectly affects mechs like the Summoner and Adder. But it's always better to lay down blanket nerfs that can be countered by quirks for specific mechs, rather than relying on individual nerfs for every mech.
Verdict: Good change overall. (But buff those SHS for God's sake)
LRMs
Both IS and Clan LRMs have received tighter spreads and longer cooldown. This reduces the constant LRM spam rattling your cockpit, but it makes the first salvo a lot more deadly. The first salvo is the most important, because good players will rarely stand in the open long enough to eat multiple salvos.
It also encourages large salvos as opposed to chain firing LRM5s, because that single 4xLRM15 blast is now going to be more devastating. LRM20s may even be viable now. It does lead to lower DPS overall, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The issue with LRMs used to be that they did a lot of damage (great for farming C-bills) while spreading that damage all over and not getting kills. There will be less of that now.
Verdict: Good change overall (But where's the velocity increase, for God's sake?)
Lasers
IS ER large lasers and LPLs have received greater maximum range, for more long range sniping vs clan mechs. MPLs now receive ghost heat, which is bad news for MPL Thunderbolts and Grasshoppers. Clan small and medium lasers and pulse lasers receive maximum range buffs.
Verdict: Meh. It's ok.
SRMs and SSRMs
Huge speed increase for SRMs, from 300 m/s to 400 m/s. This will increase viability of SRM builds, particularly against light mechs. Perhaps contributing to less laservomit and laserboating. Maybe we'll see more laser+SRM timber wolves, for example. Both IS and Clan Streaks have received extra speed as well. This is a bad thing, because it basically means it'll be impossible for light mechs to evade streaks once they have been fired. Granted, it will now be harder to get a lock on light mechs (due to new Infotech rules), but once that Streakcrow fires 6xSSRM6, your light mech is going to get crippled no matter what.
Verdict: Good and bad.
Ballistics
Gauss rifles have received longer cooldown. This is something I have been asking for since forever. Great news. Both IS and Clan AC2s now get lower heat and additional crit damage. This is not enough to make them viable, but it's a step in the right direction.
Verdict: Good.
Mech Target Profiles
It seems to be like these values (a maximum 1 second delay against smallest light mechs) are a bit insignificant, but I suppose it will add up with the fact that larger mechs in MWO will generally require more time to get target locks at all. So Dire Wolves vs Locusts will receive double penalties, because the DW will have reduced sensors and Locusts smaller target profiles. I suppose it's better to start small and then play with bigger values later.
Verdict: Good
All in all, I like the things they're testing for PTS 3.0, as I liked the direction of previous PTS sessions as well. It's not perfect, but I think it's an improvement. A lot of the things that I, and others on the MWO forum, have been asking for, are now being tested and hopefully implemented in the near future. PGI is finally applying simple, global changes, instead of messing around with so many quirks and bandaids.
Perhaps I will change my mind when I actually try it for myself, but so far, it looks good.
Thumbs up.
Edited by Alistair Winter, 04 November 2015 - 02:26 AM.
