7 replies to this topic

[Marmon Rzohr]

Greetings !

My impression and analysis of the PTS changes is as follows:

The PTS changes do not achieve the stated goal, harm a lot of non-problematic builds and will lead to an even greater reduction in viable build variety.

- The Clan Gauss recoil: a misplaced change which does not affect applicable alpha levels and is easy to play around specifically for the builds which are trying to get nerfed, while damaging to other builds as well as being a generally annoying mechanic which does not do anything to improve gameplay or balance. A bad change.

- The Clan Heavy Large Laser: The scale of the nerf to it's alpha damage is ok, but it's heat value needs to be lowered for it to remain a decent option. An incomplete change.

- The Clan Heavy Medium Laser: Already a bad weapon which sees no competitive configurations due to huge duration and heat for only mediocre damage. The nerf is completely misplaced and will secure the weapon's already firm place at the bottom of the barrel. A very bad change.

- The Clan Large Pulse Laser: The CLPL was a very mediocre weapon before the change only occasionally used in old-style laser stacking builds, which were already inferior to modern ones using CERLLs and CHLLs. The nerf pushes it from mediocre to a very much sub-par weapon. The increase in Ghost Heat threshold only really affects assault mechs. Due to the very large heat generated by the weapon for mediocre damage and only decent secondary stats (duration, range and DPS) as well as a large weight cost the weapon is impractical to use on medium mechs while too low in power for the weight to be used on heavy mechs. The only possible benefit of the GH increase would be potential alpha stacking on an assault mech, which not only contrary to the PTS goals, but also not even feasible due to how bad the CLPL's stats are compared to CERLLs and CHLLs. A very bad change.

- The Clan Medium Pulse Laser: A mediocre weapon mostly viable in several decent medium mech builds, the CMPL did not need a nerf. While the scale of the nerf isn't nearly as severe as with other lasers and the CMPL stays mediocre, the weapon did not need a nerf in the first place - especially not a nerf to secondary stats (damage per heat and damage per second) as well as damage. A bad change.

- The Clan ER Large Laser: While nerfed in terms of damage, damage per heat and DPS, the CERLL is a weapon which benefits greatly from the increase in Ghost Heat threshold, owing to the weapon's good damage per ton values. Overall this a significant buff to the CERLL. Furthermore it enables alpha stacking, while nerfing it's use in pairs on lighter mechs which is not only contrary to the goal of the PTS but also bad for build variety. Finally this buff to the CERLL upsets the viability of IS ERLL builds. A bad change.

- The Clan ER Medium Laser: A disasterous change. Significantly lower damage combined with nerfed secondary stats (DPS, damage per heat) push this weapon which was basically only used to stack alpha damage due to poor secondary stats (there are no viable 6xCERML lights or mediums for example), but good damage into absolute garbage status. The appropriate thing to do would be to nerf it's damage to 6 and retain (or even buff) damage per heat and DPS, as well as lower it's duration to 1.1 or 1.15. The effect of these changes would be better viability on lighter mechs, lower alpha levels on laser stacking builds and a lower damage per second of duration compared to the IS ML and ERML. A very, very bad change.

- The Clan ER Small Laser: The weapon was sub-par before the nerf. The nerfs push it even farther down into trash status. The DPS is now tragically bad. The damage is bad. The heat is far too high for the damage and range. Completely inappropriate change.


These changes given their significant nerfs to secondary laser stats push lasers farther into only the alpha stacking role as well as make some of the weapons completely ineffectual, barely viable even as tonnage fillers. Due to generally bad secondary stats, Clan lasers are not too good, virtually all of them except perhaps the CMPL and CERLL are only viable in said alpha stacking configurations. Having this in mind the large nerfs to secondary stats which came with nerfs to damage were very much inappropriate.

Please keep in mind that these alpha stacking builds come with high costs in terms of heat and duration which have a big impact on their usability. They are not utterly broken and without flaw. Keeping this in mind a measured nerf just to alpha damage will move these builds from being above most other mid-range builds to being competitive with them, thereby retaining build options while improving overall balance.

Finally like the worm population in an ecosystem with very few birds the relative strenght of builds is dependant on the power level of alternative options as well. In order to see true improvements of overall game balance small, gradual nerfs need to be combined with buffs to alternative options in order to keep the game varied and interesting.

As a long time customer I am very dissatisfied with this direction as it's not good for gameplay quality and I will not be tempted to play or indeed invest into the game, should this missed direction continue as it has gone long enough already.

[Grus]

Im... O.K. with the cERLL change.. yes it's a nerf but I can fire 3 now so less face time if I didn't want to go into TH with my supernova 2/2/2. Now 3/3. (Was just eating the GH anyways.) So overall dps has increased because I can fire more often... but I have to fire MORE of said laser to reach that level.. it's an odd change. But I'm ok with it... now not so much on anything smaller than a heavy.. it's hot as hell in a shadowcat and I'll be testing the kitfox today.

[SmokedJag]

I like the touch of being able to use 3xERLL in cluster mounts but I question if PGI thought this through. It doesn't fit the stated goal of the test build and isn't good compensation for smaller free tonnage 'Mechs that currently use ERML.

LPL getting buffed to 3x is not as big a deal because the weight requirement is much greater. It would be fine at the original 12 damage.

[Jack Shayu Walker]

I wish PGI Chris cared.

[Marmon Rzohr]

Grus, on 15 July 2018 - 06:47 AM, said:

Im... O.K. with the cERLL change.. yes it's a nerf but I can fire 3 now

That's why it's not a nerf, but a large buff except for mechs which can only field 2. It's totally contrary to the kind of change we need.

[Remover of Obstacles]

Jack Shayu Walker, on 15 July 2018 - 07:10 AM, said:

I wish PGI Chris cared.

Anyone see him on the PTS... not playing IS mechs?

Using a clan ERML?

[Rusharn]

Remover of Obstacles, on 15 July 2018 - 09:53 AM, said:

Anyone see him on the PTS... not playing IS mechs?

Using a clan ERML?

I thought I saw him playing a Viper.

[Exbe]

I like changes to clam med lasers. My build went from hot to balanced.