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Hand Actuator Purpose


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#1 Generic Internetter

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Posted 08 January 2016 - 01:20 PM

Let me preface this by stating that I know almost nothing about BattleTech lore, and I have never played BattleTech table-top.

I have, however, looked around online and read through page after page regarding Hand Actuators, and their relevance in the lore and TT.
Melee attacks and shoves, picking up debris and resources, and even holding weapons... Wow!

It doesn't look likely that melee attacks will be added soon, or ever, so how about something else that actually serves a significant purpose?

My suggestion:
GIVE HAND ACTUATORS STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE WITHIN THE CURRENT FEATURESET OF MWO

1. Unlike other actuators, hand actuators are actually added on the end of the arm, meaning you are carrying more weight. Make hand actuators weigh 0.1 Tons. This will force the player to actually choose to add a hand strategically, by shaving off a little armour to free up the tonnage.

2. Make the hand actuator extend the number of slots available on the arm (in a separate segment). I'm not sure how many would be a good number, so let's say 3 for now. This 'slot extension' would in theory represent the hand actually holding something.
Maybe, dare I say, give the hand its own weapon hardpoint, as if holding a weapon? (TT mechs held weapons in their hands, so why not?)
Even if it only added 1 slot, it would make sense that a giant robotic hand can hold a ton of ammo or a small laser, right?

Posted Image

This fix would be very easy to do, especially if you dont actually add any visible models or hitboxes beyond the existing hand models.
Sure, trial mech builds might have to be tweaked, but I'm sure that can be done fairly easily, no?
No need for complex mechanisms of picking/dropping items, etc.
It's simple... "Hand = Slots".

PGI, please do this. Giving the hand actuator some kind of utility will please the hardcore BattleTech TT/lore fans, and make the choice to add or not actually mean something.

Edited by Generic Internetter, 08 January 2016 - 01:21 PM.


#2 Omi_

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Posted 08 January 2016 - 01:41 PM

Hand actuator in table-top doesn't add critical components or anything like that, which is actually pretty sacrosanct among TT players. I wouldn't change that at all.

In-game, lower arm actuators give you the ability to sway your arm targeting reticle left and right. Hand actuators increase aim sensitivity for the arm-mount reticle.

#3 Generic Internetter

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Posted 08 January 2016 - 02:09 PM

View PostHornsby, on 08 January 2016 - 01:41 PM, said:

In-game, lower arm actuators give you the ability to sway your arm targeting reticle left and right.


Yes, that has already been stated officially by PGI somehere on the forum (I lost the link).
IIRC, it adds 10 degrees of horizontal freedom if you have one LAA, and "more, different for each mech" if you have two.

View PostHornsby, on 08 January 2016 - 01:41 PM, said:

Hand actuators increase aim sensitivity for the arm-mount reticle.


Really? Awesome!
Source, please?





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