10 replies to this topic

[Navid A1]

After testing different builds and combinations in matches and testing grounds here is my conclusion:

Things I liked:

• Increased TTK. Only a result of increased cooldown.
  
• More trigger discipline.
  
• Giga alphas need more penalties
  
• Gauss charge removal: Each shot is worth more now with higher cooldown. No ammo (and charge) conservation when the shooting window is passed.
  
• Nice HUD indicators
  
• Good energy recharge rate
  
• Nice change on normalized DHS

Things that can be improved:

• Auto Cannons need their multiplier severly reduced
  
• IS gauss can use less explosion chance to counter its weight
  
• Different mechs should have different amount of energy pool (max 35-40 for assaults for example)
  
• Mechs like Nova can use larger energy pool
  
• Engine Single heat sinks with x1.5-x2 dissipation rate can go a long way in making SHS viable.
  
• LRMs using the same energy pool: LRMs are a support weapon... they are not an alpha strike weapon. their multiplier should decrease by half.
  
• Some tuning is needed with energy requirement of different weapons

Things I did not like:

• Complete annihilation of mixed build: Back up weapons are pointless now, as they limit you in firing your main weapons. Cannons and lasers drawing from the same pool is not good.
  
• Complete disregard of large LRM racks: Large LRMs like lrm 15 and 20 should be the ultimate and extreme in the indirect fire category. an LRM5 is superior to 15 and 20 in every single possible way imaginable. 2xLRM5s for 4 tons have the same dps as an LRM20 for 10 tons but with murderously more accuracy and much more ammo efficiency.

The sad thing is that now you can fire 8 LRM5s (16 tons) and basically get 40 pinpoint!!! damage on a target.. yet 2 LRM20s (20 tons) are just a joke which you can ignore.

Spoiler

A video example:
LRM20s:


vs

LRM5s:


LRMs should all have the same spread! (normalized to LRM 10 level).
To balance them... You can revert to curent LRM15 level spread when missiles are launched indirectly... or make them miss the target totally.
Here is an example of my solution:

Edited by Navid A1, 20 August 2016 - 06:11 AM.

[Navid A1]

Also... while you are at it, Increase MG damage to 0.1 and remove its cone of fire please (or seriously reduce its size)

[Lily from animove]

less giga alpha? some giga alphas are more giga than before.

[Navid A1]

Lily from animove, on 19 August 2016 - 11:55 AM, said:

less giga alpha? some giga alphas are more giga than before.

yup...
this post was from earlier today
more penalties are needed

[Gas Guzzler]

Navid A1, on 19 August 2016 - 04:23 AM, said:

• Increased TTK. A result of increased cooldown.

FTFY

[East Indy]

Adding exponential heat penalties seem to work pretty well in conjunction with a couple additional changes.

If the current penalty formula is Overage * 0.5, this could be Overage * 0.5 * (1.05^Overage).

Then, increase the Direct Fire modifier to 1.5x. At first I thought just FLD weapons were breezing negative energy, but after playing more I see that people are very comfortable with energy boats. Finally, knock down Cluster's modifier to 0.67x or 0.5x.

This result takes Dual-PPC-Gauss, whose return is the complete opposite of what was intended, from a negligible heat penalty to a two-fire shutdown. Which, again, makes some people unhappy — but this was supposed to be the whole point of Energy Draw.

Just food for thought. Energy Draw is flexible enough for there to be a few solutions.

[Navid A1]

My final verdict is:

Mixed and balanced builds are the true losers in energy draw system.

[Cpt Ralphy]

I was thinking of linking the number of energy points to the size of engine. Larger engines should have more energy available. Generally that would then equate to heavy and assault mechs having more damage before the heat penalty kicks in. I think that makes sense.

[Navid A1]

Cpt Ralphy, on 20 August 2016 - 06:02 AM, said:

I was thinking of linking the number of energy points to the size of engine. Larger engines should have more energy available. Generally that would then equate to heavy and assault mechs having more damage before the heat penalty kicks in. I think that makes sense.

RIP direwolf?

[Tiantara]

Cpt Ralphy, on 20 August 2016 - 06:02 AM, said:

I was thinking of linking the number of energy points to the size of engine. Larger engines should have more energy available. Generally that would then equate to heavy and assault mechs having more damage before the heat penalty kicks in. I think that makes sense.

- Nope... and that's why.

Tiantara, on 20 August 2016 - 01:22 AM, said:

- I see your point here, but I already wrote why it's bad idea. See... IS mech have possibility to change engine. More powerful engine = more weigh. Not all mech can use XL, because it make them running bombs. One good shot and you dead. No one love play mech which can be killed by one shot. Ok, make engine STD - than you got less armor and less weapon. For what you need energy pool if you stay with few lasers? Engine change - matter of speed and maneuver. Want more speed, got bigger engine, less weapon.
Some mech have fixed engine - that brings another problem.
With same engine IS and Clans mech would have different amount of weapon. Forcing all IS mech to have XL, really bad idea.

Energy pool can be capped by chassis. I wrote it in some of my posts and comments. And only based on presented in store alphas of each mech in 4 category by cutting in half their max possible alpha based on strick 1 heatmanagement. Not less.
Like - mech with heat management = 1\2 can hold overall firepower = 53, than energy pool must be 25.

If chain engine to energy pool - some mech just burn out in stock builds.

[Gas Guzzler]

Navid A1, on 20 August 2016 - 05:46 AM, said:

My final verdict is:

Mixed and balanced builds are the true losers in energy draw system.

It's ironic but at least the ghost heat "workarounds" forced you to combine together different types of weapons, even if they were similar in their damage application.