Kubernetes, on 09 June 2017 - 08:56 AM, said:
I don't see a freaking "problem" in the first place. LRMs require* lock because the weapons themselves let you hit targets sitting 800m away behind a rock. And I *ed that statement because LRMs don't actually require a lock at all. Unlike Streaks you can dead fire. Yes. If a target is sitting stationary you can just put the reticle on it (whoa, I know, aiming), and the missiles go there. Amazing.
But hey, instead of improving LRMs let's just gimp all direct fire weapons? RIDICULOUS.
Ultimax, on 09 June 2017 - 06:56 AM, said:
The problem is that you have absolutely no idea why those weapons have lock on times.
They have lock on times because they are designed as noob crutch weapons.
They have "aim-assist" and also track their targets. LRMs on top of that benefit from shared locks and can fire over terrain.
These weapons have locks to prevent them from being ridiculously overpowered.
What that means is, they are purposefully limited in how high their performance can go (mediocre) because they have crutch mechanics that allow any level of skill to get in the game and use them and "feel" like you are contributing.
Hopefully you are asking an honest question, and not just being a troll, because the flaw in your logic is visible from space.
Direct fire weapons don't have lock on times, because they don't have aim-assist or target tracking.
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt.
I understand how LRMs(spread damage) and Streaks(bone targeting) work but I also understand that they are the slowest weapons in the arsenal, have active countermeasures in both equipment and skill tree nodes, and can easily be dodged by running past terrain. While you can dead fire LRMs, due to their velocity they can easy dodged Most players agree that you can't really buff the auto-aim weapons too much more without making them totally overpowered in the PUG queue.
As for the noob-crutch comment, you could argue the instant convergence is a twitch-crutch. Almost all FPS type games have different reticle size based on your movement profile but MWO just has the zoomed in sniper reticle. All that I proposing is the MWO implement a similar system but be based on more than just your speed.
As an alternative to reticle shake, and introducing RNGesus, you could change some of the weapon characteristics based on whether there was lock. For example:
- IS Single Shot AC, UAC, Gauss(Clan and IS), and PPCs - Without a lock spread some damage to adjacent components like Clan ERPPC does.
- Lasers - With a lock reduce the beam duration
- Dumbfire Missles (SRM, MRM, ATM) and LBX - With a lock reduce the spread
- Multishot UAC and RAC - With a lock have reduce time between shots making them more likely to hit the same component
- Clan ERPPC - With a lock reduce spread damage
Ideally you would have "lock box" around the mech to allow leading the target so you don't end up missing the bonuses. You could either start with the current stats as the unlocked stats and make the better with a lock or vice versa. No matter where you start, the basic premise is the locks should matter for ALL weapons, not just the ones that have tracking.
Edited by VanillaG, 09 June 2017 - 09:41 AM.