2 replies to this topic

[VorpalMechBunny]

Reading a lot of legitimate points being made about comparative dmg and dps/dph which I could agree with, but feel like sometimes people also then lose track of the bigger picture which is how things tend to play out in the actual game.

I'm generally coming from a 12v12 standpoint (with some eye toward scouting). I feel like that is the most relevant right now since solaris has tiers that can somewhat compensate for stronger/weaker mechs, but if solo vs large group became too hard to balance then maybe flamers aren't the only weapon that needs a different solaris behavior.


Dps and dph for specific weapons are only part of the story. Not only is there another question of total dps/dph from weapon/loadout combos, but especially in larger group matches, another important part is how much damage you can barf out in one burst.

Most matches I have played over the past two years involve a lot of shooting around cover until (usually) later in the match when it has moved into a knife fight. For whatever amount of time things are more trade-from-cover oriented, the *alpha strike* matters more than the dps or dph of your weapons, because people are firing once or twice and going back to cover. Additionally, if one or two shots is all it takes to destroy or disarm an enemy mech, then your ability to sustain that damage is of much less importance. You have already won that skirmish because the enemy mech/team is diminished.


In group matches there is also a much larger chance of things like flanking or focus fire. The idea that most of these alphas can be negated by torso twisting is silly. In a group game you will often and easily start getting hit from different angles, especially if you are anywhere near the vanguard. Many shots won't even be visible to understand the threat right away. A flanking salvo should be rewarded, but should one shot be rewarded with a maiming or an outright kill?


This balance pass is supposed to be addressing huge (or, huge for tonnage) alphas. Unless mech hardpoints were going to be changed (imagine the rage, maybe legitimately), there are some boat-able weapons/combos that are then on the chopping block for reasons that go beyond their individual stats. This is probably most relevant to the plight of the cERML but applies to all. Maybe there need to be burn time/CD/heat/ghost heat adjustments to keep something useful if it's raw damage drops, but it is not all just about a spreadsheet of laser values. The value of a weapon is more than just it's singular stats on paper but more how it is actually usable within the framework of both the full mech and in a group shooter.

[Exbe]

"a lot of shooting around cover" - this might the goal to get away from.
If one person decide to move out of cover, his or her mech became easy target for 5-6 ppl. I think decreasing dps and incresing time to kill would give people enought confidence to deathball instead.

Deathball usually more fun than sniping

[VorpalMechBunny]

Exbe, on 16 July 2018 - 06:42 PM, said:

Deathball usually more fun than sniping

Are there any other options? Napoleonic Line Infantry? Single file death march?


Though on a serious note yes I do think increased time to kill is (generally) good as it is part of what makes mechwarrior unique vs. Quake/etc. and yes a bit less risk of instant devastation might make people a bit more willing to be brave. If the enemy gets you all vs 1 then yeah that deserves an quick death, but 2 seconds accidentally downwind of a laserboat maybe less so (unless you are a piranha, in which case, Valar Lightmechus, you plague on the galaxy).