23 replies to this topic

[Hit the Deck]

Discuss!

[Juodas Varnas]

By nerfing ballistics and lasers?

I just prefer nerfing things.

[Lily from animove]

remove lock ability by staying over the rectangle in direct fire mode.

add lock and track aiming based like lest say 1 second where 1s/lrm size = the tics when a single missile gets the lock.

So basically, When I hover over a specific mech, I klick and activate the tracking ability. now depending on where my crosshairr is, that section will be the target section of the missile.

What effecst would this have:

LRM's and SRM's would get askillceiling added, because now I have a chance to remove their spread to evertyhing by my aim deciding which component they lock on. However this can be countered /especially for srrms) by twisting. That way, both systems now involve the skill of both players, the one shooting them and the one getting shot at to influence the efficiency of that system.
That system now rewards aim with skill and raises efficiency by skill.

the old system is just a binary system of goldlike in low tiers and crap in high tiers.

Passive mode could stay like it is it helps newbies being somehwat not useless against eahc other yet doesn't plays a role at upper tiers anyways.

Edited by Lily from animove, 06 January 2017 - 06:49 AM.

[Roughneck45]

You'd have to change everything about how they worked if you really wanted them to compete straight up. Direct fire>indirect fire. Or maybe that's all we need, a toggle to switch between firing modes.

As they stand now though, I'd increase the CD and increase the missile speed. I think they would be more fun to use if it was about getting your shot in at the right time rather than holding down the button for a firehose of LRM's.

[El Bandito]

SRMs do their job fine. SSRMs are too one dimensional. LRMs are too situational.

SSRM and LRM fix can be done in many ways but all of them will leave significant part of the playerbase pissed off.

I have been writing about how to rework them for many years, and frankly I am too tired to rewrite them again.

Edited by El Bandito, 06 January 2017 - 06:49 AM.

[Pika]

Make missiles 100% indirect fire weapons with a wider spread, use them as area control to break up blobs, increase their damage by a HUGE margin than current if fired in such a way. 'Mech has to 'brace' to fire a large volly into target area when firing. Leave current lock mechanic and damage in place for close in fights or faster 'Mechs.

Make LRMs more of an area saturation weapon, NOT a "lock-shoot-do-almost-no-damage" weapon. At least as it's primary function.

[Burke IV]

LRMs arnt supposed to compete with anything. LRMs plus lasers go great together. LRMs and ballistics dont.

[Acehilator]

SRMs and LRMs are fine. SSRMs are a bit niche as Light killers, but no idea how to make them more viable... and the IS needs the bigger launchers.

[Lily from animove]

Acehilator, on 06 January 2017 - 07:01 AM, said:

SRMs and LRMs are fine. SSRMs are a bit niche as Light killers, but no idea how to make them more viable... and the IS needs the bigger launchers.

srm's are the only ones that are fine, ssrm's and lrms are crap in the higher skill areas because other weaponsystems can do the same thing just more efficient because both systems are forced spread weapons. And thats a totally unwanted feature on higher skills.

Edited by Lily from animove, 06 January 2017 - 07:29 AM.

[Acehilator]

Lily from animove, on 06 January 2017 - 07:03 AM, said:

srm's are the only oens that are fine, ssrm's and lrms are crap in the higher sill areas because other wepaonsystems can do the same thing just moe efficient because both systems are forced spread weapons. And thats a ttoally unwanted feature on higher skills.

For group play/comp play perhaps, in solo QP LRMs are more than fine. And having a place for all weapon systems in the highest meta is pretty much a pipedream.

[Snazzy Dragon]

LRMs will always be either too bad or too good.

Making them dumb fire high damage artillery would be ridiculous in all honesty, but at least that would require more skill to use effectively than lock on and hurp derp.

S-SRMs are for people that like to brawl and chase squirrels but can't aim. I'm fine with their current implementation, aside from IS not having access to S-SRM4s and 6s and clan streaks having like 60 more meters effective range (wtf?).

SRMs are absolutely devastating in the right hands, on the right mech.. but in the current gauss + PPC and Poptart meta brawlers are lucky to make it into effective range without taking a volley or two first. Best advice? Radar dep, terrain terrain terrain, and let the kodiak go first so they get shot while you do the skedaddle to get in position to deliver your payload.

AC/20 is extremely niche. I think a projectile velocity buff might be in order for it, and perhaps removal of the ghost heat when firing more than one. I mean.. boom jagers and boom cats are a gimmick with an ISXL engine, and the king crab is not even close to overpowered.. what else can even take two of them?

AC/10 is awkward because it isn't fast enough for its longer range and it isn't damaging enough for short range-- (U)AC5 does a better job for its weight in both because of velocity and cooldown differences, and it has more optimal range. (U)AC5 is in a good place, imo, even without quirks.

As for the AC/2... why bother when you can take a gauss rifle for the weight of 2 AC/2s? I think if it generated less heat and had a cooldown reduction, along with a 3x max range instead of 2x, it might have a niche as a sniper weapon and might be a valid choice over a gauss rifle .

As for all of the clan counterparts-- their reduced weight and slot usage is a buff enough and they have no problems performing. Even the quad UAC/10 KDK-3 will do well so long as you don't trip the spooky heat.

Edited by Snazzy Dragon, 06 January 2017 - 07:11 AM.

[xTrident]

I can't speak for SSRMs but I agree with many that SRMs work well. SRMs are situational and they should be considering the damage they do.

LRMs though... I think they're "okay". Why should they straight up compete with ballistics and lasers? They shouldn't. With both ballistics and lasers the player has to have line of sight. There's also certain situations in which certain ballistics and lasers are better than others specifically talking about certain ranges. It pisses me off when Polar Highlands or Alpine Peaks is picked because I'm just assuming that map is usually picked by missile boaters. Well... I figure if I have to deal with the boaters on maps like that then the missile boaters can try dealing with maps that have a lot of cover.

I don't necessarily think ballistics/lasers are so much better than LRMs. It's a situational problem combined with pilot ability. I personally suck with LRMs whether it's an open map or not. So I don't use them. But I see many LRM users talk about how well they do with them on these forums and it's usually a statement in so many words that you need to know how to use them.

I definitely don't think LRMs are OP but I also don't think ballistics/lasers are OP in comparison.

Edited by xTrident, 06 January 2017 - 07:39 AM.

[Hit the Deck]

BTW (ER)PPCs and Flamers are also Energy weapons while TAG isn't considered one.

I don't know how the "new" Flamer is doing today, it was glorious for Scouting when first released (the new version).

PGI is trying to fix the Machine Gun on the ballistic front, which is a good sign.

[Burke IV]

and both PPC and flamers have LRM connections

[Kael Posavatz]

LRMs become more of a direct-fire weapon with a faster speed and flatter flight arc at a cost of degraded indirect fire except when supported by TAG/NARC

SRMs--have the same flight-mechanics of LRMs (including lock-on) except shorter max range, no minimum range (IS), more damage, and no indirect fire capability

[Shiroi Tsuki]

Tbh increase base SRM range to like 300m or something.

[Antares102]

Make LRM only aquire indirect lock by means of somebody else using a targeting laser or NARC.
As compensation make all LRM hit a locked mech as long as the missile path is not obstructed.
It's bad enough that LRM spread their damage but its a (lore) insults that not all missiles are hitting.
This is especially true for larger launchers with much higher spread which is then promply negated by using only LRM5.

Since LRMs missing due to spread it can be negated with ingame mechanics PGI could verywell make the larger launchers work in the same way.

[xe N on]

LRMs could be balanced very easily.

Indirect fire mode: As now, however, spread will be like SSMRs.

Direkt fire mode: You need to hold the crosshair for two seconds ("burn time") onto the mech for lock and fire LRMs. Artemis reduce this by 0,5 secs. Tag by another 0,5 secs. ECM counter TAG and Artemis. The parts that are "burned" during the duration will be targeted by missiles. Missile will not lose lock if the target moves out of view.

NARC only works for indirect fire as now and reduce spread.

Effect: LRMs work like a direct fire weapon with some sort of time lag because of their flight speed. Their spread will be greatly reduced by good aiming.

Edited by xe N on, 06 January 2017 - 02:22 PM.

[Gas Guzzler]

Missiles? SRMs are already pretty good...

[NRP]

Yeah, the OP is not specific about which missiles.

How to make SRMs compete with lasers and ballistics? Get close.