218 replies to this topic

[Mawai]

brophy79, on 03 March 2016 - 12:29 PM, said:

Why are macros still allowed? This is cheating! Allowing weapons to fire faster and generating less heat than attended is cheating. The only way to combat this is for everyone to use them, If this is the case them why doesn't pgi include this in the game? If this is not sorted good luck with making this a competitive game.

Sigh ... not this again.

Anything you can do with a macro can be done with your fingers. A macro just makes the timing perfect every time. I don't use macros, I don't see much point, but PGI has stated that macros are NOT cheating and are not against the rules or terms of service.

IF there is a way to get a weapon to do something with a macro that is impossible to do yourself on the keyboard then that is a BUG that should be reported so they can fix it.

[Nightmare1]

Mystere, on 04 March 2016 - 01:33 PM, said:

Well, there is one good reason for using of macros. They free up your brain to perform more higher-level functions.

Like what? I hope you're being sarcastic because if you aren't, well, I pity you if coordinating your finger movements takes so much brain power that you find you must automate the process.

The only positive use I can see for macros, is if someone is missing fingers. I can understand them needing a macro in that instance. Any other healthy, normal human being though should be more than capable of waggling their digits across mouse and keyboard to eviscerate their enemies.

[TorinZ]

I don't use Macros. Don't think its a big deal if others use them. Weapons in game are still tied to the weapon cycles and macros cannot change that. Chain firing multiple small ACs is more of a distraction that you can torso twist to spread damage around, it is more beneficial to group fire ACs over chain firing since more damage would be placed on one location. Chain firing ACs can be used as suppressive fire to keep the foes heads down though, which may give some of your heavy hitters time to get into a better position.
As for the Gauss, like many have said the macro is a detriment. If you are having an issue with the charge mechanic since it does get crazy in battle, Do this...Your Gauss Rifle is your primary weapon on Group 1, throw it in groups 4,5 and 6 as well. This will provide you a better visual cue on the HUD and you will be able to see 4 tiny boxes going green to tell you that the rifle is ready when you are holding the charge. You don't need macros.

[Mystere]

Nightmare1, on 04 March 2016 - 01:36 PM, said:

Like what? I hope you're being sarcastic because if you aren't, well, I pity you if coordinating your finger movements takes so much brain power that you find you must automate the process.

The only positive use I can see for macros, is if someone is missing fingers. I can understand them needing a macro in that instance. Any other healthy, normal human being though should be more than capable of waggling their digits across mouse and keyboard to eviscerate their enemies.

Here is an example. Do you see that grey analog dial on the rightmost side of the throttle in the picture I posted on the previous page? What if that controlled your rate of fire (chained or grouped) as you pulled and held a trigger? Suddenly, you do not have to worry about timing while repeatedly pressing and releasing the trigger. You can then dedicate more brain power into aiming, piloting, or something else.

That is a very good thing.

Edited by Mystere, 04 March 2016 - 01:47 PM.

[DjPush]

It isn't cheating. It's compensating for lack of skill.

[Johnny Z]

DjPush, on 04 March 2016 - 01:51 PM, said:

It isn't cheating. It's compensating for lack of skill.

It isn't compensating for lack of skill, its a crutch for the elderly.

[Burke IV]

and it gives absolutely no advantage anyway

[Mystere]

DjPush, on 04 March 2016 - 01:51 PM, said:

It isn't cheating. It's compensating for lack of skill.

Johnny Z, on 04 March 2016 - 01:53 PM, said:

It isn't compensating for lack of skill, its a crutch for the elderly.

As an alternative viewpoint, it's using mental skills to compensate for a lack of mechanical skills.

For example, a Minbari from the Religious Caste does not have the years-long training of a Minbari from the Warrior Caste. But, the former can easily program a starship to do the same battle maneuvers the latter has to do manually via the ship's controls.

Edited by Mystere, 04 March 2016 - 02:05 PM.

[Johnny Z]

Mystere, on 04 March 2016 - 02:03 PM, said:

As an alternative viewpoint, it's using mental skills to compensate for a lack of mechanical skills.

For example, a Minbari from the Religious Caste does not have the years-long training of a Minbari from the Warrior Caste. But, the former can easily program a starship to do the same battle maneuvers the latter has to do manually via the ship's controls.

[Nightmare1]

Mystere, on 04 March 2016 - 01:45 PM, said:

Here is an example. Do you see that grey analog dial on the rightmost side of the throttle in the picture I posted on the previous page? What if that controlled your rate of fire (chained or grouped) as you pulled and held a trigger? Suddenly, you do not have to worry about timing while repeatedly pressing and releasing the trigger. You can then dedicate more brain power into aiming, piloting, or something else.

That is a very good thing.

I think that's hilarious, actually. I used to use a joystick extensively and never needed a macro to handle it. Furthermore, aiming and piloting are second nature; who actually has to consciously dedicate brainpower to them? It's like walking or riding a bicycle; you just do it.

When I think of brain power and the need to save it or something, I think of tasks that actually require real expenditures of it, such as advanced Calculus or Fluid Mechanics. Trying to automate button pressing because it's too hard to remember to push a button is certainly not on the list.

I'm unimpressed. If anything, I'm more put-off by macros now than I was before. Macros are for the lazy or the disabled; healthy pilots should avoid them if they want to actually be considered real MechWarriors.

[Mystere]

Johnny Z, on 04 March 2016 - 02:12 PM, said:

[Ghogiel]

Mystere, on 04 March 2016 - 02:03 PM, said:

As an alternative viewpoint, it's using mental skills to compensate for a lack of mechanical skills.

Don't even think it's that.

imo it probably less casual arthritic geriatrics compensating for their bad mechanics who would use macros, and more like shooter twich gamers on fps mice with built in software who don't want to button mash in heavy gaming sessions.

[Johnny Z]

Mystere, on 04 March 2016 - 02:16 PM, said:

[Mystere]

Nightmare1, on 04 March 2016 - 02:13 PM, said:

I think that's hilarious, actually. I used to use a joystick extensively and never needed a macro to handle it. Furthermore, aiming and piloting are second nature; who actually has to consciously dedicate brainpower to them? It's like walking or riding a bicycle; you just do it.

I think your definition of "piloting" is very much different from mine. Yours seems to be restricted to going forward/backward/left/right at some speed. Mine involves jump jets and in-flight 180s-360s while maintaining constant fire at the enemy back then escaping.

Ghogiel, on 04 March 2016 - 02:17 PM, said:

Don't even think it's that.

imo it probably less casual arthritic geriatrics compensating for their bad mechanics who would use macros, and more like shooter twich gamers on fps mice with built in software who don't want to button mash in heavy gaming sessions.

Meh! Why are you ruining the macro haters' fantasies?

Edited by Mystere, 04 March 2016 - 02:26 PM.

[Nightmare1]

Mystere, on 04 March 2016 - 02:29 PM, said:

I think your definition of "piloting" is very much different from mine. Yours seems to be restricted to going forward/backward/left/right at some speed. Mine involves jump jets and in-flight 180s-360s while maintaining constant fire at the enemy back then escaping.

Hardly; go check any of my vids kiddo. I use JJs extensively and am a terror with a Panther, Firestarter, or Quickdraw.

I'm just saying that you don't need to "dedicate brain power" for these things. They're very simple processes that can be executed as second nature. If your brain can't handle such small loads, then you haven't been feeding your it enough through childhood. Go work on some math equations or logic problems. There's nothing hard about piloting and shooting; certainly not enough to prove so burdensome to one's mental faculties that you should be compelled to surrender the act of firing to a programmable macro.

[Mystere]

Johnny Z, on 04 March 2016 - 02:18 PM, said:

[DarkBazerker]

I personally find macroing at least on auto cannons, to cause lost of dps. I find that I find that I gain alot of dps alpha all my cannons on one point at the same time. The other myth is macroing doesn't lower heat. Your still building up the same amount of heat, just over a longer period of time. So at the end of the day, I find macroing actually worsens, your game rather then helps it.

[Mystere]

DarkBazerker, on 04 March 2016 - 02:42 PM, said:

I personally find macroing at least on auto cannons, to cause lost of dps. I find that I find that I gain alot of dps alpha all my cannons on one point at the same time. The other myth is macroing doesn't lower heat. Your still building up the same amount of heat, just over a longer period of time. So at the end of the day, I find macroing actually worsens, your game rather then helps it.

It's really what you use it for. Many here use it for convenience.

Yes, alphas are ultimately more effective ... if you're going for the kill. But if you get your chuckles from constantly peppering someone with AC fire for the suppression effects (e.g. trolling/irritating them ), macros are much more convenient.

See my post above with regard to using an analog lever to control rate of fire.

Edited by Mystere, 04 March 2016 - 02:50 PM.

[Nightmare1]

Convenience...

...Does anyone remember when we used to be MechWarriors?


Macros may be legal, I'll never say that they aren't, but they definitely are crutches for the lazy pilot who doesn't want to play. Too bad you can't just toggle the Mechs to drop and grind for you like you can DOFFs and Ships in STO. I have a mouse that has macro functionality, but I refuse to use macros. Any enemy I put down may die knowing that they were outplayed 100% by a human, without any automated assistance.

Edited by Nightmare1, 04 March 2016 - 02:53 PM.

[Mystere]

Nightmare1, on 04 March 2016 - 02:33 PM, said:

Hardly; go check any of my vids kiddo. I use JJs extensively and am a terror with a Panther, Firestarter, or Quickdraw.

I'm just saying that you don't need to "dedicate brain power" for these things. They're very simple processes that can be executed as second nature. If your brain can't handle such small loads, then you haven't been feeding your it enough through childhood. Go work on some math equations or logic problems. There's nothing hard about piloting and shooting; certainly not enough to prove so burdensome to one's mental faculties that you should be compelled to surrender the act of firing to a programmable macro.

It's not "dedicating" per se (i.e. I chose the wrong word). It's "freeing up for other uses". That is what macros offer.