5 replies to this topic

[Cy Mitchell]

There are not enough people on yet to get a match so I am getting a feel for the changes in Terra Therma testing grounds just like I normally do.

The recycle time (duration plus cooldown) of the cerML is very long. It is even longer than the cerLL (5.63 vs 5.60). I already think that I would prefer a reduction in damage to 6 and a reduction in duration to reflect the reduced damage and keep the DPS at the target that PGI wants.

Everything with a burn duration of over 1 1/2 seconds feels awkward to me but I have yet to play it in a match. I think that will cement my dislike for these changes. I would rather damage be reduced to keep duration under 1.5sec.

As usual I tried several HBRs to test the new laser values. My 2 x HLL/ 5 erML still drops the static targets on testing grounds the fastest with me in constant motion and holding the burns on target. Range is usually 400-600m. It has an Alpha over 67 and can Alpha twice back to back without shutdown.

Later tonight I will see if there are enough people around to get matches.

[Grus]

This is why we need a disscord or ts for testing. Bet you could get atlest some privet matches in if you could talk to people..

[Cy Mitchell]

Eh, the wife wants to go out to eat and listen to some music so I may not be testing tonight after all.

[Jackal Noble]

Just order take-out and jam to RATM.

[Cy Mitchell]

I played 3 games on my Alt account yesterday. Waited a long time to get each one and then I only saw one other Mech that was not an Assault besides my Hellbringer and my Nova. Of course, he was on my team so it ended up being my Nova, him and a couple Assaults against 4 Assaults. It was not pretty.

For the most part, I hate these changes to duration. Getting a full burn risk getting your head ripped off by dual Gauss or H Gauss. Clan Lasers in a brawl are a death sentence. I do not know if I can generate the interest to get on my main account and play 10 games.

I thought that PTS 1.0 went overboard with the damage reductions. I think that PTS 1.1 went overboard with the duration increases. Maybe you find some sort of happy median? We do not know what target you are looking for as far as DPS, DPH and max Alpha. The goal seems to be constantly moving. I still do not understand why the GH is being increased on Clan Large laser when the stated goal was to limit Alpha strike damage??? I can sort of understand the cLPL due to tonnage but not the cerLL.

I think some compromise values such as the following might be OK. I know Paul said not to bother submitting specific numbers but I could live with something like this. Note that there are no duration numbers that are excessively long. I reduced damage to avoid that because, for me, it is just not fun to play when they are well over 1 1/2 sec burns.

cspl 5 damage 2.0 CD .6 Dur
cerSL 4.75 damage 3.0 CD 1.0 Dur
cMPL 6.5 7.0 damage 3.0 CD 1.0 Dur
cerML 6.0 damage 4.0 CD 1.25 Dur
cHML 9.0 damage 5.33 CD 1.5 Dur
cLPL 11 12 Damage 3.5 CD 1.3 Dur (4 GH)
cerLL 10 Damage 4.0 CD 1.5 Dur (3 GH)
cHLL 16 damage 5.5 CD 1.67 Dur (3 GH)

Tune heat and CD to reach PGI goals. Long duration just feel ungainly. Drastically reduced damage is overkill. 4x4 PTS action is not going to translate well to 12v12 environment either good or bad. Maybe a compromise using duration, damage reduction (or increase in the case of SL) and changes in GH groupings (ML and LL grouped?) to limit massive Alphas would reach the intended goal.

Now, I am going to head to the beach for the day. I may try testing on my main account tonight if it is not 100% Assaults.

EDIT: There is no one on PTS for matches. Queue has been empty every time I checked so I have been testing on testing grounds again. Using the cHLL, cHML and cerLL feels like you are using a fire hose with the present settings. Not fun to use at all. I am going to change a couple suggestions that I made above as a result of my testing. Both the cMPL and cLPL need to retain their present damage and just have their duration increased a bit from live. You pay for these with more tonnage. There needs to be a little bit more benefit over the extended range versions due to that extra weight and much shorter range. erLL may also need to go up to 11 again. HML and HLL need to have their damage reduced but not such a big increase in duration because it makes them terrible to play. If you are going to keep the 370 optimal range on the cerML then I think you should drop the Max range to 740M. This will give them a little less synergy with Gauss and HLL which will help a bit with those vomit builds. None of the large laser should be able to fire more than two before having a ghost heat penalty. Allowing more than that just opens up a new door for high Alpha laser builds that you said you were trying to close.

The right combination of PTS 1.0 and PTS 1.1 should get us to a pretty good place, IMO.

Consider removing coolshots from the game. It would solve a lot of the abuse of laser vomit.

Edited by Rampage, 29 July 2018 - 03:49 PM.

[Cy Mitchell]

Final conclusions: Other than my 3 games on the alt account, I was never able to get into matches. I checked periodically yesterday evening and the only time I saw anyone in queue was at mid-night my time which was too late for me to join. I will have to stand by the conclusions that I made during the few matches I did get and the testing ground results.

I hope the feedback is useful.

Edited by Rampage, 30 July 2018 - 03:42 AM.