2 replies to this topic

[Tiyos]

Before I get started, I just want to say one thing. This is not a rant post, but rather for others and myself to say what they like about energy draw and what they don't. This isn't a post to jump in, say how glorious it is, or how terrible it is without any reasons.

All in all, this seems like a great change in the game. In the old games and lore, very few times did a player actually alpha strike. So if you're trying to get closer to that, congrats.

I do, however, disagree with the Energy draw effects on the autocannons. This has kind of ruined the UAC20 soul purpose, which was to dish out 40 damage. What is the point of having a weapon if you have to put yourself at risk to deal full damage. Or was that the point? To have the single most powerful weapon in the game also hold a fair amount of risk. If so, I applaud your subtlety PGI.

One thing I would recommend, is change the amount of energy a mech has max. Make it a correlation of tonnage, and engine size. Because, let's be honest, a Commando should not have the same amount of energy available as a Dire Wolf. This would also kind of make light mechs more for the long haul fight, with the heavier a mech being more short sided. A light mech typically has a lower alpha than a larger mech. This means that it would take more shots to deplete the energy level of that mech.

Say you pitch a Firestarter(Meta build, 5 MPLs) against a stock Dire Wolf DWF-PRIME(All maneuverability out of the window, stand up fight). The Firestarter would have enough energy to supplement a full alpha, and it's energy would be recharged before its weapons. The Dire Wolf would not have NEAR enough energy to supplement it's lasers, UACs, and LRMs, forcing to stagger it's fire. The Dire Wolf would be stuck firing 2 or 3 weapons at a time, while the Firestarter could continuously nail into over and over again. Granted, the Dire Wolf would win purely out of armor and structure, you are still seriously reducing it's combat value.

But, beyond that, there was no real issue I saw in this. Just add a larger energy threshold to larger mechs, and bam: Best patch rolled out in a long time.

[ExAstra]

Adjusting the energy threshold of each mech I think will have to be a bit more nuanced than tonnage/engine size. I don't know what the right way forward is yet, but if they're going to be different, you have to think about exceptions to the rules, too.

I, so far, like the energy draw system. The weapon that is hit the hardest is the UAC/20, yes. But it is almost negligible if you are only packing 1. If you are packing two UAC/20 (HBK IIC), it's a different story. You can easily alt fire between the two and keep energy managed, or single fire one with double tap to keep energy managed. But you can't reliably fire and double tap both and still be able to manage heat.

This doesn't affect many mechs, but it does affect some. The LBX20 becomes a more desireable "Twin 20" weapon than the UAC/20 is in this scenario, as you can fire both at the same time without any heat penalties as you're drawing exactly 30 energy under the current system.

Gauss rifles feel good, to me. I love the extra-long cooldown it has as well, it really makes the weapon a lot less effective in closer ranges. A lot of people are complaining that it's brought the Gauss/PPC meta back, or rather, will. From what I've played - I definitely see a lot of people using Gauss+PPC. Perhaps it's something to keep in mind. Maybe we have to bring the charge feature back (I don't like the charge feature personally).

[Tarl Cabot]

The default 30 threshold is likely tied to the 30 threshold on the BT (Solaris/4) heatscale. The balancing act for players will be to try to reduce their overall alphas to smaller, more manageable group alphas spread apart but imho there is still one part missing, no other affects in play.

Part of the heatscale is the affect heat had on mechs has the heat climbed. Ammo explosions can be excluded, or at least only have a chance of happening if forced shutdown, but it is the maneuverability of mechs that should be hampered. It would not need 5-6 thresholds, only 2-3. And it would not need to start at the low end but something to make people really consider their actions, especially if their speed/agility takes a 15/30% heat.

That there is a visual queue, a build up to omg!!! that may help change some behavior. Do agree that there should be threshold differences between each class at least, but should it be a small or a big difference?

As for the Gauss Rifle charge and ERPPCs, for me that falls in with LRMS. You close with a LRM to do med/short range damage to it as quickly as possible. The long cooldown timer means that mech will be in a world of hurt if it can not keep its range.

I would say that the cooldown timers for all the long range, heavy hitting direct fire weapons need their cooldown timers increased, coming closer to the 4.5-5 sec cooldowns.

Edited by Tarl Cabot, 18 August 2016 - 06:14 PM.