86 replies to this topic

[Mad Porthos]

You know, when they introduced the Gauss Charge up, I was annoyed like many - but I understood what they were seeking to do, simulate both the minimum range difficulty in snap shots, as well as encourage the more sniperly (is that a word) process of sort of the precharge process, readying your shot and loosing it when the moment is correct Or Not Loosing it. It actually allowed ammo conservation and encouraged us to think about each shot - so it was not something I felt was all bad when it's introduction was announced and implemented.

The thing is, it was presented fairly briefly right before putting it in, giving no time for feedback or input and it also seemed to have been presented as it being the first .75 second or what have you of your shot time, is the charge up, then on release cooldown begins but that it would not make the sniper a weaker weapon, with lower dps. That presented, seemed to mean that if we had a 4.00 second cooldown that we would get a .75 sec charge followed by a 3.25 second cooldown. So you know... It didn't happen that way. In time we also got the limit of maximum 2 gauss charging at a time...

Both these reduced the dps, but the second not so much, since it's not like triple gauss was so viable on the mechs we had then - I recall only a cataphract with laughably low armor that could manage it. But as the recent 5.5 cooldown came in, it really most hits the gauss as a singular weapon. PPFLD damage coming from a pair of gauss is still impressive at 30 points and many have learnt very well how to peek, poke and twist to be able to land multiple dual gauss on a single component and beat someone pouring DPS into them continually, with their accuracy, piloting and a bit of luck.

It's a mech relying on the Gauss as a singular weapon that really suffered from this, and is slightly... Ever so Slightly, helped by the rollback. The insistence that the gauss is a sniper weapon is oft repeated, but patently false in lore. People have long pointed out that dual gauss platforms were rare in lore, so for what little that is worth, you need to see that mechs like the Yeng Lo Wang were built to be effective and feared using a single gauss. Certain mechs were even truly built around the weapon, like the Hollander. A single gauss. These mechs had to exist in the continuum of all the other mechs in the game - so while changes had to be made to balance our real time video game and it's style of play, there still should be a viability to single gauss, even if it is only through serious quirking on the mechs meant to carry it as per their stock load outs and back stories where they are powerful and effective main weapons rather than fragile sniper weapons used only at extreme range.

The Grid Iron, a non-canonical mech has had this done somewhat, but the Yeng Lo Wang remains unquirked for it's main gun, likely because many used it for ac20 for so long. None the less, Ac20 was not it's stock loadout, the gauss rifle was and it was used effectively, even masterfully in close arena combat taking place in the Solaris Arena, not somewhere that one could "snipe". While I applaud the rollback to 5.0 second gauss cooldown, across the board, there needs to be some means that these mechs can run their iconic load outs effectively, some way that would make sense for these mechs to take the huge risk of weapon explosion, for no actual functionality in the manner they were supposed to have when used singularly.

[Delpheus Merideus]

OORAH!
I'm glad gauss got some much needed attention in the next patch.
Thank you developers and all those who spoke up and made this possible.
It may not be a significant fix, but it was a move in the right direction.
Looking forward to using gauss again.

[MavRCK]

There never used to be a 0.75 sec charge. Add that number to the cooldown timer below.

Before cooldown was 3.5 seconds like that of the AC20 - but it's fragile and blows up. IS mechs with XL engines and this weapon in a side-torso = instant death. That was balanced.

Then it was nerfed to 4.0 seconds. Added 0.75 sec charge. Total, 4.75 seconds to fire. More finicky and tougher to use. Same issue of blowing up in a side torso.

Now it was nerfed to 5.5 seconds. Still has 0.75 sec charge. Total, 6.25 seconds to fire. Still finicky, still blows up your mech.

Now it was 'buffed' to 5.0 seconds. Still has 0.75 sec charge. Total, 5.5 seconds to fire. Still finicky, still blows up your mech.

These gauss changes are like when the government says they are reducing taxes and hands you a bill for $1000 taxed-owed.

[BigBenn]

The .75 sec charge up and 5 health really suck, and I mean really suck. It isnt like there are mechs armed with a single gauss just walking through opponents.

I'll probably keep gauss in the hanger still. The AC10 with mods fills the niche just fine.

[Delpheus Merideus]

MavRCK, on 18 January 2016 - 04:08 PM, said:

There never used to be a 0.75 sec charge. Add that number to the cooldown timer below.

Before cooldown was 3.5 seconds like that of the AC20 - but it's fragile and blows up. IS mechs with XL engines and this weapon in a side-torso = instant death. That was balanced.

Then it was nerfed to 4.0 seconds. Added 0.75 sec charge. Total, 4.75 seconds to fire. More finicky and tougher to use. Same issue of blowing up in a side torso.

Now it was nerfed to 5.5 seconds. Still has 0.75 sec charge. Total, 6.25 seconds to fire. Still finicky, still blows up your mech.

Now it was 'buffed' to 5.0 seconds. Still has 0.75 sec charge. Total, 5.5 seconds to fire. Still finicky, still blows up your mech.

These gauss changes are like when the government says they are reducing taxes and hands you a bill for $1000 taxed-owed.

I do agree that I think the gauss could be revamped, such as the removal of the charge up, but I actually don't have too much of a problem with the charge up if at least the cooldown is reasonable. As mentioned earlier, it does allow you some time to consider if you should release the rounds or not, for example, if someone decides to block your line of fire and is willing receive 15 damage in the back you can save them from their own stupidity.

The main issue, the cooldown, was reduced somewhat, which I am extremely pleased with. It is only -0.5 seconds, so we kind of met in the middle, but it is a compromise I am glad to accept. I'm honestly quite surprised to see something positive happen to the gauss at all. The moment I saw it in the patch I was expecting an even worse nerf. Thank god...

Edited by Delpheus Merideus, 19 January 2016 - 12:57 AM.

[Cold Darkness]

Delpheus Merideus, on 19 January 2016 - 12:56 AM, said:

I do agree that I think the gauss could be revamped, such as the removal of the charge up, but I actually don't have too much of a problem with the charge up if at least the cooldown is reasonable. As mentioned earlier, it does allow you some time to consider if you should release the rounds or not, for example, if someone decides to block your line of fire and is willing receive 15 damage in the back you can save them from their own stupidity.

The main issue, the cooldown, was reduced somewhat, which I am extremely pleased with. It is only -0.5 seconds, so we kind of met in the middle, but it is a compromise I am glad to accept. I'm honestly quite surprised to see something positive happen to the gauss at all. The moment I saw it in the patch I was expecting an even worse nerf. Thank god...

the shorter cooldowntime of the gauss was announced quite a while by now. its not exactly suprising.

[MavRCK]

Good points all -- it's good to know where the changes started from and at in order to see its position now.

I feel like PGI gets tunnel-visioned and focuses on nerfing a weapon rather than adjusting the other weapons it's measured against.