41 replies to this topic

[Grus]

I like how quick they die to quad gauss fire

[El Bandito]

Give Cicadas 15% Raderp quirk.


Come to think of it, PGI should give out quirks from the skill nodes to further differentiate chassis--good example being the current Cyclops. Gonna tweet Russ about it.

Edited by El Bandito, 27 September 2017 - 06:30 PM.

[panzer1b]

I myself enjoyed the 3M a long time ago (used to run uac5 and 4 ML), but generally speaking, it was purely a fun mech, and i never considered it all that viable. Yeah, when the stars aligned i could get a really good game (1k dmg), but it was low on ammo, not quite fast enough to dodge anything, and was super toasty.

I know ECM isnt that big a deal at super high levels of play, but for me ECM is one of those quality of life equipments that seriously cuts down on focus fire and generally lets me perform some stealth flanking in QP without grabbing the attention of everyone. Because of that, and the general hitbox issues the cicadas have, i didnt have much if any luck using the other models (its super easy to hit and isolate hitboxes, and it doesnt feel as zippy as it once was).

If i had lots of slots leftover, id have totally kept it, but there are better mechs that are way more fun and actually get solid results every game i use them out there...

[DAYLEET]

Fix the power creep that has been happening over the years with the new mech and relaxed weight separation. Theres nothing wrong with the CDA, when theres 5 assault and 4 heavies per team its easy to think theres something wrong with lights and meds.

[JediPanther]

I run the x5 as a med pulse boat. Named it the a-wing and use it to fight lights and be a satellite to the bigger mechs. The 3m can be fun with ac 5 or 10 if you don't expect to do high damage or kills.

[LordNothing]

cicadas are about as good as your ability to leverage speed. you pretty much have to treat it as a light. run it at least 110kph for best results, or faster for better.

[Thorqemada]

The Cicada has less Firepower than quite some Light Mechs while it is much slower and bigger and in MWO this is a serious disadvantage - the orignal Lore Role to be a Light Hunter has changed diametral to be a Light Target !!!

I had some fun with a Cicada ECM AC10 3ML but that Mech stopped working almmost 2 years ago...the only reason to field a Cicada is fun...see if you find some and if not scrap that thing bcs it is anything but a comptetitive Mech.

[Quicksilver Aberration]

LordNothing, on 28 September 2017 - 01:17 AM, said:

cicadas are about as good as your ability to leverage speed. you pretty much have to treat it as a light. run it at least 110kph for best results, or faster for better.

Except lights are still better than the Cicada and outside of the 2B when it had crazy quirks, this has always been the case.

DAYLEET, on 27 September 2017 - 05:01 PM, said:

Fix the power creep that has been happening over the years with the new mech and relaxed weight separation. Theres nothing wrong with the CDA, when theres 5 assault and 4 heavies per team its easy to think theres something wrong with lights and meds.

Even fixing that power creep, the Assassin is better than the Cicada because the Cicada has a few marks against it (terrible shield arms, glass jaw CT, blocky torso, easy to hit legs, etc).

El Bandito, on 27 September 2017 - 04:52 PM, said:

Give Cicadas 15% Raderp quirk.

This does nothing to fix it.....why don't we start with actual balance quirks before we start talking about practically worthless flavor quirks.

[DAYLEET]

Quicksilver Kalasa, on 28 September 2017 - 08:00 AM, said:

Except lights are still better than the Cicada and outside of the 2B when it had crazy quirks, this has always been the case.

Even fixing that power creep, the Assassin is better than the Cicada because the Cicada has a few marks against it (terrible shield arms, glass jaw CT, blocky torso, easy to hit legs, etc).

This does nothing to fix it.....why don't we start with actual balance quirks before we start talking about practically worthless flavor quirks.

The CDA always had that shape and hitbox. Some other medium/light always were arguably better and it didnt matter when meds and light had a presence on the battlefield other than the flavor of the last balance pass. The CDA is an oversized light, which means its fun to pilot. Id still chose a CDA if i was going to be a hateful, dual erppc, sniping little fk. Its way easy to just poke those ppcs and keep a very low profile. Now with every heavy/assault having 10millionhp/armor quirks they wouldnt be as cheesy as they were but 20 pinpoint damage without receiving any is still something to consider.

[Lord0fHats]

THe ultimate problem with the Cicada is that it's a box on legs, and the box and the legs are both huge. Lacking god quirks its a mech that can't manage to get out of the trap of having all the weaknesses of lights and mediums (low armor, fairly large) and only one main strength (being slower than lights but faster than mediums) and that strength doesn't really make up for the fragility and mediocre firepower.

The best use for my F is as a PPC popper, and its okay but I think there are lights and mediums that do that better. The Assassin for one is actually a pretty good PPC popper and has way better hit boxes.

Edited by Lord0fHats, 28 September 2017 - 09:44 AM.

[Quicksilver Aberration]

DAYLEET, on 28 September 2017 - 09:39 AM, said:

The CDA always had that shape and hitbox.

I know that, and that's why it has always been subpar (however the embiggening of lights made the comparison less problematic). Fixing heavies and assaults won't magically fix that fact, it will just mitigate that, but we aren't talking about mitigation now are we.

Edited by Quicksilver Kalasa, 28 September 2017 - 09:46 AM.

[So You Say]

I have my 3M setup as a dedicated gauss sniper. Need to downsize the engine. With two air strikes the ballistics quirks allow you to pump out shells. It can be quite fun but it is a bit of a troll build.

[DAYLEET]

Quicksilver Kalasa, on 28 September 2017 - 09:45 AM, said:

Fixing heavies and assaults won't magically fix that fact, it will just mitigate that, but we aren't talking about mitigation now are we.

It would be a step in the right direction for the game as a whole. Subpar is fine as long as it offers something other mech dont have and/or specialise into something. The CDA had that "other flavor" before 90% of the mech on the field had huge alpha and hit points. Im not debating that it is subpar but that this thread wouldnt exist if heavy/assault were "fixed" as you say. Fixing heavy/assault would certainly bring the CDA back to where it was; a mech only a select few pilot and that no one make a thread about. It would obviously help all meds and light as well as lesser heavies.

In either case, changing the current meta is as likely as changing the cda size. We might as well buy lotery ticket and hope to do something esle next week. Quirking the cda would just foillow up on the steps that has mades the game worse over time. It would be better than nothing but also a statement that we cant make the game better.

[Quicksilver Aberration]

DAYLEET, on 28 September 2017 - 10:15 AM, said:

Subpar is fine as long as it offers something other mech dont have and/or specialise into something.

It doesn't offer that though......everything it can do can be done better by another mech.

Edited by Quicksilver Kalasa, 28 September 2017 - 10:22 AM.

[DAYLEET]

Quicksilver Kalasa, on 28 September 2017 - 10:22 AM, said:

It doesn't offer that though......everything it can do can be done better by another mech.

That wasnt always the case.

[chucklesMuch]

The loss of offence quirks neutered it... but it was the de-coupling/turning/acc/dec changes that took the fun out of this mech for me.

[panzer1b]

chucklesMuch, on 28 September 2017 - 11:32 AM, said:

The loss of offence quirks neutered it... but it was the de-coupling/turning/acc/dec changes that took the fun out of this mech for me.

I totally agree, and honestly, there are MANY mechs, not just the cicada that the entire engine desyn (and the almost universal agility nerf) really became less fun to play after it dropped. Thing is, high twist/accel/decel was alot of fun, and best of all, allowed you to counteract certain very bad hitbox mechs one main weakness (good example would be the TBR, its hitboxes were never good, but it could twist like crazy back when).

I sorta understand why they did it, especially to assaults, but i still am not a fan myself. SHielding and torso twisting was a big part of the game, and in its current form, only the most agile mechs can do it whatsoever. That and spending 10+ seconds accelerating to speed isnt my idea of fun (main reason i refuse to pilot 100t mechs).

[Cloves]

It's a raven in a diaper, play it like one and you will get the best results...

[GETREKT4K]

I play my cicada 3M probably more than any other mech I own. It's an amazing mech if you play it right. You guys stuck in the "I have to go 130kph" box are shooting yourselves in the foot.

I usually run 4 ML and a light gauss or 4 ML and an ac 2. Armor tree, ecm boost, and weapons. XL245 or XL275.

It's quite common for me to get 800-1200 damage in a match. You'll find if you position yourself right, know when to disengage, and keep the pressure on you can do really well.

ECM+Ballistic in a small mech is almost unfair.

2 LPL is also a very capable build, but boring at times.

[Snazzy Dragon]

GETREKT4K, on 28 September 2017 - 10:25 PM, said:

I play my cicada 3M probably more than any other mech I own. It's an amazing mech if you play it right. You guys stuck in the "I have to go 130kph" box are shooting yourselves in the foot.

I usually run 4 ML and a light gauss or 4 ML and an ac 2. Armor tree, ecm boost, and weapons. XL245 or XL275.

It's quite common for me to get 800-1200 damage in a match. You'll find if you position yourself right, know when to disengage, and keep the pressure on you can do really well.

ECM+Ballistic in a small mech is almost unfair.

2 LPL is also a very capable build, but boring at times.

Your exaggerated numbers aren't reflected too well on the leaderboard.