7 replies to this topic

[Captain Mittens]

Please new weapons, or equipment, or anything other than more mechs.

[Mister Bob Dobalina]

I agree with the initiative to see some development in the weapon systems section. Although I reckon that developing and selling new Mechs to the more "impatient" pilots of us (needs one to know one ) is quite a chunk of income for PGI, I would like to see much motivation with the integration of more variety regarding armament. Regarding the ever present danger of boating and "beating-the-system-with-its-own-tools", PGI will have to adjust and balance cautiously whatever system they plan to integrate. The possibilities within the reason of lore are given as we are within a 3050-3053 timeframe regarding the Mech chassis that are available (or soon will be like the Bushwhacker) Here are some suggestions just plain out of my head:

IS LBX / UAC

• More LBX and UAC sizes for the IS. Doesn’t have to be all of them immediately, but start somewhere. Keeping lore we can agree that the Clan versions of LBX and UAC will be slightly/greatly better than the IS versions.
  
• New IS LBX/UAC should have less range, but higher heat efficiency compared to the Clan versions.
  
• Throw in a little higher UAC jam chance for the IS compared to Clans.
  
• IS versions of said LBX and UAC have higher cooldown rates compared to Clans.
  
• Roll out the respective Modules for LBX/UAC Range and Cooldown.

IS Inferno missile

• Make Inferno missiles available to IS. It has been the guerilla weapon of choice during the lore succession wars and considered terribly barbaric by the Clans.
  
• Introduce them as SRM2/4 and LRM5 Inferno launchers (no streak).
  
• Introduce matching ammunition comparable in amounts to its non-inferno versions.
  
• No more than 1 Inferno launcher can be equipped to a Mech.
  
• Give them the characteristics of a NARC missile regarding "sticking-to-a-Mech" and half of time that it sticks to the Mech (-> 15 sec).
  
• Create the respective Modules for Range and Cooldown and add a third one for amount of time sticking.
  
• Calculate the heat transferred to the target in seconds times a base HPS times the amount of missiles.
  
• Inferno missile heat will be transferred to the target further even when it’s shut down.
  
• Inferno launchers will create the heat of its respective non-inferno version +1. For example, a iSRM4 will create the heat of the SRM6 and the iLRM5 the heat of the LRM10.
  
• In the event of an iSRM/iLRM component destruction, the damage of exploding ammunition and/or weapon will be 1.5 times the dmg compared to its respective version.
  
• In the event of an iSRM/iLRM component destruction, a heat penalty of 1.5 times the amount off missiles will be applied to the Mech. For example an iSRM4 destroyed applies 6 heat points to the Mech.
  
• iSRM/iLRM will damage friend and foe.
  
• iSRM/iLRM cannot be used against Generators, Turrets etc.
  
• Since iSRM and iLRM are more NARC type missiles, they will not inflict any dmg.
  
• iSRM/iLRM are well within the bounds of the coming energy draw mechanics as they are strictly adding heat points to the target Mech parallel and independently from any heat generating mechanics within said target Mech.

AMS-L

• According to lore, laser based AMS is available to IS and Clan alike. AMS-L need no ammunition as the use energy-reduced 3 SPL / ERSPL to shoot down incoming missiles.
  
• To keep it simple the AMS-L should take over all basic mechanics of the regular AMS regarding recycle/dmg/dps/range with the addition of hps within the amount of one constantly firing SPL/ERSPL.
  
• Make the AMS-L 1/1.5t taking up 2 crits.
  
• The usage of a AMS-L would make it mandatory to have the equivalent of at least 1 additional DHS (or two StHS).

That’s just from the top of my head so far and certainly not terribly well thought through I’m afraid. And there’s even more to think of: Artemis IV for example, that could be used like an recurring long range Artillery Strike at the immense cost of tonnage, crits and heat.

Nevertheless, let me know what you think of it.

[ice trey]

So, From what I can tell, they're making the lore currently sitting at 3053, taking liberties with alternate configs only, many of which don't even exist in the lore

-IS LB-X Autocannons (2, 5, 20. Released in 3058 by the Federated Suns)
-IS Ultra Autocannons (2, 10, Released in 3057 by FWL, 20 in 3060 by Lyran Alliance)
-IS Infernos... Just choose the ammunition bin, though if PGI doesn't invent ammo swapping soon, you'd probably be forced to choose to equip one or the other. Also will instantly obsolesce the Flamer.
-Laser AMS - (Federated Suns - 3059)

So the Mechwarrior 4 stuff you want is still a bit early, especially since it's set a decade ahead.

However, if you start looking into some other stuff, like C3 Computers, Triple Strength Myomer, Thunder and Swarm LRMs, Mech Mortars, One-Shot SRM and LRM launchers, Arrow IV artillery, and Blazer cannons, I'm totally game...

Edited by ice trey, 17 September 2016 - 02:30 AM.

[Mister Bob Dobalina]

ice trey, on 17 September 2016 - 02:23 AM, said:

So, From what I can tell, they're making the lore currently sitting at 3053, taking liberties with alternate configs only, many of which don't even exist in the lore

-IS LB-X Autocannons (2, 5, 20. Released in 3058 by the Federated Suns)
-IS Ultra Autocannons (2, 10, Released in 3057 by FWL, 20 in 3060 by Lyran Alliance)
-IS Infernos... Just choose the ammunition bin, though if PGI doesn't invent ammo swapping soon, you'd probably be forced to choose to equip one or the other. Also will instantly obsolesce the Flamer.
-Laser AMS - (Federated Suns - 3059)

So the MechWarrior 4 stuff you want is still a bit early, especially since it's set a decade ahead.

However, if you start looking into some other stuff, like C3 Computers, Triple Strength Myomer, Thunder and Swarm LRMs, Mech Mortars, One-Shot SRM and LRM launchers, Arrow IV artillery, and Blazer cannons, I'm totally game...

Thing is, PGI announced, they will not bind themselves slavishly to the Lore timeline to introduce new Mechs. Why not stretch that to include some weaponry as well? The CW/FP gameplay at the moment spits in the face of lore anyway (seen the map lately?). I am not easily ignoring lore proposing that and I thought of what could be practically and more easily introduced by PGI without just delivering another OP system. An inferno LRM20 would be an instant death cooker for any Mech for example.

• ArrowIV? As described, anytime.
  
• C3 are already here. Cyclops has one.
  
• Triple Strength Myomer would increase speed and strength. The speed is already covered with MASC but the strength would rather impact any melee combat and this does not (yet) exist in MWO. Also (keeping Lore) it would only work if the Mech is significantly hot.
  
• Thunder and Swarm LRM would be interchangeable ammo to existing launchers but would be creating some issues. You would have to decide to either load one or the other. No mixing ammo. And you could not dedicate the ammo to one specific launcher (e.g. tLRM/sLRM ammo for LRM10 #1 and regular LRM ammo for LRM10 #2). All in all, it could turn out being much more difficult to implement compared to what seems easy on first sight.

As for the AMS-L it would be well ok for the Clans (developed by Clan Wolf in 3045, deployed in 3048). It could be argued, that it would be quite rare for the IS as it reads development status for 3054. So it would only be available for a very limited number of IS Mechs and only in dedicated slots.

Going back to the Inferno's I don’t want them to just another type of ammunition for existing launchers. Boating would just be OP (Let's fill up the LRM100 Summoner with infernos and rain fire ...). That's why I would rather prefer dedicated launchers with its particular mechanics regarding damage and MO.

Going even further back with the AC (LBX and U) I would only introduce them 1 by 1 over the next year or two. And since the IS counterpart would be inferior to Clantech anyway it would not impact against Lore imho.

There are things within the Lore I where would clearly draw the line: Things like Omni pods in IS Mechs are clearly off the table as are Clan level IS-Tech. Thing is Lore at 3054 would allow captured Clan tech in IS Mechs. This is not present in MWO and for good reason at that, as it would impact faction play in particular and game balance in general tending to obsolete all IS tech. And then there is Star League level tech and equipment that has quite the impact in the Lore but has not been seen at all in MWO. The battle of Tukayyid has been won with Star League tech, but no trace of it is in MWO.

MWO has to bend Lore (within reasonable bounds) to provide a playable setup of the BT universe. I think slowly introducing LBX/UAC IS versions with its natural nerfs compared to Clan level would be reasonable.

Edited by Thomster, 17 September 2016 - 05:06 AM.

[ice trey]

Thomster, on 17 September 2016 - 03:12 AM, said:

PGI announced, they will not bind themselves slavishly to the Lore timeline to introduce new Mechs. Why not stretch that to include some weaponry as well?

I really, REALLY hope that doesn't mean they're going to go full Tropic Thunder on us and start introducing designs and equipment that was introduced in the 3060s just because they want to follow the whims of a few loudmouths who claim to be fans, but clearly not enough to be bothered to pick up a single BattleTech product that wasn't released on CD-Rom. There's still tons of stuff from the current era to be introduced, and they STILL can't balance out the current batch of gear and mechs.

[Max Immelmann]

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NO MORE MECHS!!!! GIVE US EQUIPMENT/WEAPONS/ETC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ice trey]

Immelmann, on 17 September 2016 - 08:04 PM, said:

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NO MORE MECHS!!!! GIVE US EQUIPMENT/WEAPONS/ETC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How about match modes that aren't just "Deathmatch"

You know... god forbid...

[Blackice001]

There are a lot of ammo options, dead head lrm's for IS, armed in the tube, no min range, but hope to god they don't crit your ammo. There were smoke rounds, mines that were carried on the mechs back or hips and deploied by dropping them. A explosive belt if they were shot, best to drop them early in the saddle or the cave entrance....., Thunderbolt lmissiles, 1 big missile instead of a swarm. Massive 1 hit location damage, but fail horribly vs any type of ams. Where are the spotlights>? seriously a nice option for night battles and the glare made return fire difficult if the enemy was using low light amplification. Hm.. the option to remove a hand actuator to gain a free critical slot, ( hands were used for taking battlefield salvage, so drop 1 hand loose 1/2 battlefield salvage cash, 2 hands and you get no salvage bonus ) remove shoulders to lock arms to the torso to free up weight and critical slots also. When will we see IS/Clan hybrids? I understand there are balancing issues that must be considered. Some of the best mech battles I recall involved stomping on tanks and trying to hide from hovercraft.... Implementation of npc's and the ability to summon them would be awesome. For instance instead of a small hard to see UAV, why not a helicopter that tags targets... Easy to see and likely to draw fire. Drop smoke and have a hovercraft move to the location and circle in a small area like a patroll... But in all honesty we can't require the developers to make npc AI's.


I did however think that a weekly NPC mission with a story line would be awesome, End results of weather clan or IS did better would effect the following weeks story line, but again with the demand on developers time to make a new map every week.