6 replies to this topic

[Black Lanner]

I just came across a MWO YouTuber that I hadn't heard of and in the vid, he was throwing out theories about what weapons the time advancement will bring... He had dipped his big toe into the lore and came up with a list of the weapons for the time and either largely overstated the abilities of the weapons, completely misspoke on them, or dismissed them completely because either the current game doesn't support the Lore or because he didn't seem to understand what they do at all.

Guys, there are so many aspects to the Lore that you cannot do this and expect it to be accurate. What is worse is to sit there and say these thinks with out acknowledging the fact that the only bit of the lore that you know is from the games, forums, and Sarna... don't get me wrong, Sarna is worthwhile, but so many details are left out because it is all copyrighted that you have to go to the source material or circumvent that ever so slightly by getting signed up with the 'Mech Factory...

Anyways, while correcting the info this person gave, Enhance and Extreme LRMs came up along with Streak LRMs and ATMs. Enhanced LRMs are meh, Streak LRMs might be cool if the missiles still track after LOS is broken regardless of radar dep, and as things are, having missiles ranges beyond standard LRMs would be a waste, in the case of extreme LRMs and ER ammo for ATMs.

...But how could Extreme LRMs and the ER ATM missiles actually be useful? I had an idea, that I haven't heard from anyone else so far... Have the missiles fly higher and have a steeper decent. This way if your target isn't right up against a building or an extremely tall out cropping, they are still going to get hit!

* Edit: Throw in a Bloodhound AP into the mix, and keep radar lock for just a couple moments longer than you otherwise would... even against Radar Dep, unless the target has Angel ECM or Stealth Armor...

Edited by Black Lanner, 15 February 2017 - 12:49 AM.

[Neput Z34]

I guess someone doesn't remember "LURM-a-Gedons" of the Closed Beta.

Back when, Artemis LRMs used to launch out of the tubes at near vertical angles and come down on their targets at near vertical angles. Ask anyone who played during those "Fun Times", how much fun was it getting head shot by LRMs.

What's next Arrow IV with "Blake Special" warheads?

If anything, Medium Range Missiles - MRMs would be a welcome addition to fill the gap between SMRs and LRMs on IS side.

[Roughneck45]

LURMAGEDDON

That was a crazy week.

Edited by Roughneck45, 15 February 2017 - 01:43 PM.

[Black Lanner]

I missed that... wasn't playing the MWO at the time, plenty of TT, though. I am like Rick Astley when it comes to Battletech. #newsignature

Well, make the angle some where in between that and the current LRMs? Something that makes extended ranged missiles effective... say up to 750m it works like LRMs, from there the altitude it travels gets gradually higher and angle of the attack, gradually steeper to 1200m or so. This way the missiles are more useful without being terribly broken...

@Neput Z34

I love most of the 3062 weapons and equipment... they really help balance (as much as is possible with the tech) the I.S. vs. Clans. What I would love to see are Faction Specific 'Mechs and equipment, especially during the Jihad era... and open the Faction Stuff up to everyone if they consistently drop with teams from that faction during PUGs or backing that faction during FW. Give Mercs access to whomever they are currently working for, plus the Bandersnatch, and first crack at MML's if those become available and the Alt ammo options issue is dealt with.

You want mondo MRMs? Join Kurita and get the Akuma. Heavy Gauss? Go to town with Stiner's Fafnir. RAC's? My personal fav is the 5D Shadow Hawk that Davion uses oh so well! However it is 3067 and not Davion specific... I don't think we are advancing THAT far either, so the Rakshasa 2A is more appropriate. Light Gauss? House Marik and the Albatross for days. With Liao all my favorites fall into the Jihad, Plasma Rifles on the Lao Hu... so the Pillager with Stealth armor would be a good compromise until the Jihad gets moving in earnest...

Everyone is speculating about the time jump... personally, I think 3066 would be best... get everyone hyped about the impending Jihad...

Edited by Black Lanner, 20 February 2017 - 11:40 PM.

[Roughneck45]

Black Lanner, on 15 February 2017 - 10:55 PM, said:

Well, make the angle some where in between that and the current LRMs? Something that makes extended ranged missiles effective... say up to 750m it works like LRMs, from there the altitude it travels gets gradually higher and angle of the attack, gradually steeper to 1200m or so. This way the missiles are more useful without being terribly broken...

I don't think its possible. Its not like balancing damage where you can tweak the numbers, its either going to hit the target or not. So its more of a tipping point, pretty useless upgrade until you hit the sweet spot then they wreck everything.

I'd like faction specific stuff too. It would be awful for balance but this game needs more lore to give it a soul.

Hyped about Jihad? Everyone seems to hate it haha.

[Neput Z34]

Black Lanner, I am all in favor of weapon variety, as long as it doesn't horribly break the game balance.

If there will be a missile system variant with "Top Attack" capability, it better have some draw backs that balance out it's ability to bypass cover vs. standard LRMs that can not do the same.

TLDR: They will be some obvious IS weapons introduced, rest of Streaks, Ultra/ LBX auto cannons and ER Lasers, doubt we will see most of the experimental weapons.

If any one here played the previous Mech Warrior titles and remembers a few "problematic" weapons.

As far as Missile weapon systems go I wouldn't mind seeing some unguided Rockets as long as they are not overpowered like "Cluster Bombs" (was listed as ballistic weapon) were in MW4 Black Knight.
Or maybe they behave more like "Heavy Rocket Launchers" from one of MW4 Mercs mods. They would have a flat flight path out to about 400m and the start to drop off, so if you wish to use them at max range of 2000m you had to aim for the sky to lob them at your targets.

MW4 Mercs: Heavy Gauss x2 + Fafnir + "stuff", were problematic, because they could single volley kill mechs even with the game having 1 hit protection on Head, CT and Rear CT. Because they hand enough Alpha to transfer damage through a Side Torso hit to core out mechs under 50 tons. That game had different damage transfer formula for destroyed components, but still.

My thoughts on potential weapons:

ATMs - Act like LRMs, Streaks, or SRMs depending on the ammo. Not going to happen see LBX ammo swap.

Streak LRM - LRMs with flat trajectory, like Streaks, do we really want 1000m, 20 tube Clan streaks?

Extended LRMs - All IS LRMs are already have increased max range from 630m to 1000m

Enhanced LRMs - IS LRMs with 90m minimum range, not sure if that will be beneficial for game balance.

Swarm/ Thunder LRMs - LRMs with Splash damage, does anyone remember 600% damage SRMs and Streaks, or one of the LURMAGEDDONS?

X-Pulse Lasers - could be fun, or next IS Laser vomit meta.

Bombast Laser - Large Pulse Laser with a Gauss charging mechanic, hmm...."FUUUUUN!"

Binary Laser Cannon - what is a purpose of this? a competition with the Clans on who can create the most heat generating weapon? If it actually did 16 damage for 12 heat it wouldn't be bad, but other way around is trash.

Clan Heavy Lasers - could be fun, or next Clan Laser vomit meta.

Rotary Auto Cannons - As much as I enjoyed a 2x RAC2, 2x RAC5, 2x LGXPLS Templar ( ~ 5 sec for a full burst to jam ) in MW4 Mercs. I doubt I will see RACs anytime soon in MWO, or they will be glorified MGs with Ultra RNG jam mechanic.

Light and Hyper ACs - could be a nice trade off.

Long Tom - or some other indirect fire weapon to smoke out the campers and the "ridge humpers" would be appreciated.

[Black Lanner]

Neput Z34, on 17 February 2017 - 08:03 PM, said:

Black Lanner, I am all in favor of weapon variety, as long as it doesn't horribly break the game balance.
-------------------------------------------
Long Tom - or some other indirect fire weapon to smoke out the campers and the "ridge humpers" would be appreciated.

Most of what you have posted mirror my own arguments and suggestions. I do think that Artillery doesn't belong on 'Mechs in a game like this... if we could have much larger maps with MASSIVE battles and capable of more diverse tactics, then fine, but as it stands... maybe Arrow IV but that's it.

New idea!
I've been trying to figure out how to make C3 systems a thing... most of the benefits I would have given are pretty well covered by having a TC III or V... so, it has to go a completely different route... set it up so that 'Mechs on a C3 Network get a Wireframe of enemies that are behind cover, but not to allies. C3 is all about target data sharing.


@Roughneck45
Heck yeah, I am Hyped about the Jihad. Come on, Plasma Cannons and Rifles? What is there not to love? Oh yes! MMLs (if multiple Ammo options become a thing)? Light, Heavy and SN PPCs... iHeavy Gauss, AP Gauss, HAGs? Then all the Melee options? if PGI can't do Melee, then give Melee animations with an extremely short range, say, 10 meters so that the melee attack has all the look and feel, even if it doesn't have the Mechanics... how are the Falcons supposed to fly without their Talons? The Turkina X would make an excellent Hero...

Again, make the Advanced weapons (i.e. the I.S. VSPL) and put them on Champion 'Mech, Then Experimental weapons (in addition to the Advanced) and make them available on Heros.

Edited by Black Lanner, 20 February 2017 - 11:57 PM.