1 reply to this topic

[Sharg]

Here's some feedback/suggestions that I think most people here on the forums would agree with:

• Move the energy draw bar somewhere the pilot can see it without having to move their eyes from the reticle.
  
• Change the energy bar to show both the current capacity and the amount of over-draw. Something like this: |------|--------------------------------------|. The first smaller segment shows current capacity, the large segment shows overdraw.
  
• Show the total energy draw of a weapon group in the Mechlab. When customizing weapon groupings a display or warning should show if the group's draw would exceed capacity.
  
• Take range into consideration when determining a weapon's energy draw. There could be a simple multiplier used when a weapon's optimum range exceeds a certain amount, say 400 meters
  
• Increase the heat penalty for over-drawing. Make it an even 1 point of heat per point of energy overdraw. Easy-peasy.

I like this system so far, it has much more potential for better balancing than ghost heat, and it has the added bonus of a visual cue and easily calculable penalties.

But that's just it, it only has penalties so far. I've noticed that this system really only applies to 'mechs with enough hard points or with the tonnage to mount large weapons. What I'm afraid of is that an "Energy Cap Quirk" will be used to increase the capacity for certain 'mechs that would never be able to use it.

Take the Vindicator for example. There is almost no way any variant of the Vindicator will ever be able to exceed a 30-point alpha. It just doesn't have the hardpoints.

So instead of increasing the energy cap for certain 'mechs that will never be able to use it, let me suggest this:

• Add positive effects for staying within energy capacity

And, optionally...

• Add more negative effects for over drawing

The positive effects could be as simple as reduced cooldown for all weapons (maybe 15 percent across the board) as long as the 'mech does not overdraw. If they overdraw, the bonus is temporarily removed and all weapons that were just fired or are fired within the next 5 seconds have an additional cooldown. Another bonus could be temporarily increased speed.


The negative effects of consistently overdrawing could stack up over time. For example:

• First overdraw: no effect
  
• 2nd overdraw within X seconds: Speed reduced by 10 percent
  
• 3rd overdraw within X seconds: Speed reduced by 25 percent, cooldown increased by 10 percent
  
• 4th overdraw within X seconds: Speed reduced by 50 percent, cooldown increased by 20 percent

Edited by Sharg, 20 August 2016 - 06:00 AM.

[Tiantara]

- 30 points energy pool not a final version... maybe for different class will be different energy pool.