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[InnerSphereNews]

MECHWARRIOR ONLINE
January 2023 Patch Notes

Patch Date and Time - January 24th 2023 @ 10AM – 1PM PDT

Version Number: v1.4.272.0

Size: 1.5 GB

Please note that due to compression differences the Steam patch size may be larger than the standalone client patch size.

Patch Files (Direct Download) - http://patcher.mwomercs.com/patch/Production/frontend/FrontendPatch_412.zip

Greetings MechWarriors!

This month in this new year brings something different to the Platinum 'Mech Collections. We've added 10 more Inner Sphere variants (Firestarter, Champion, Awesome, Highlander, Banshee and more!), and you'll now see a Platinum Custom Collection (which will be available on Patch Day) where you can select a Light, Medium, Heavy, and Assault 'Mech of your choice and create your own custom Platinum Collection. Be sure to watch out for the next Platinum Collection Event to follow!

Level Designer Krazzdaxx is busy working on a new map due in March, so we'll work on getting you previews as soon as possible! In the meantime, Krazz is continuing to play the game and gather feedback on all the maps, resulting in adjustments and fixes to 13 maps this month including Canyon Network, Caustic Valley, Crimson Strait, Emerald Vale, Forest Colony, Frozen City Classic Night, Grim Plexus, Hibernal Rift, HPG Manifold, Polar Highlands, Rubellite Oasis, Viridian Bog, and Vitric Station!

We have new Quirk Adjustments to the Mist Lynx, Incubus, Raven, Panther, Viper, Arctic Wolf, Vindicator, Crab, Hunchback IIC, Hellfire, Crusader, Hellbringer, Rifleman IIC, Sun Spider, Timber Wolf, Orion IIC, Warhammer IIC, Marauder IIC, and Warhawk. Weapon Adjustments to the Autocannon 10 and 20, Clan Autocannon 10 and 20, and the Heavy Gauss Rifle, Skill Tree Adjustments, and 'Mech Agility Adjustments!

We also have a Hatchetman Pack Update that includes new Early Adopter content (warhorn and cockpit items), and we've added a 30-day extension to the Early Adopter period, which now ends on February 21st at 10am PST/6pm UTC. This content will retroactively added to players who have already purchased the Hatchetman and all future purchases made by February 21st.

If you haven't seen it yet, check out the Dev Vlog from Daeron and Matt, with a look at MWO today and into 2023!

These updates are subject to further balance changes in the future, so get out there and do the science, and get us your feedback for future iterations.

And now, we really hope you enjoy the patch!

-The MechWarrior Online Team

NEW PLATINUM CUSTOM COLLECTION

We've added 10 more Inner Sphere variants, and you'll now see a Platinum Custom Collection (which will be available on Patch Day) where you can select a Light, Medium, Heavy, and Assault 'Mech of your choice and create your own custom Platinum Collection.

10 NEW INNER SPHERE PLATINUM 'MECH VARIANTS ADDED!

• Firestarter FS9-A(P) + Platinum Pattern Unlock for all Firestarter variants
  
• Javelin JNV-10P(P) + Platinum Pattern Unlock for all Javelin variants
  
• Vulcan VL-5S(P) + Platinum Pattern Unlock for all Vulcan variants
• Dervish DV-6MR(P) + Platinum Pattern Unlock for all Dervish variants
• Kintaro KTO-19(P) + Platinum Pattern Unlock for all Kintaro variants
• Champion CHP-3N(P) + Platinum Pattern Unlock for all Champion variants
• Awesome AWS-8Q(P) + Platinum Pattern Unlock for all Awesome variants
• Highlander HGN-732B(P) + Platinum Pattern Unlock for all Highlander variants
• Victor VTR-9B(P) + Platinum Pattern Unlock for all Victor variants
• Banshee BNC-3S(P) + Platinum Pattern Unlock for all Banshee variants

MAP ADJUSTMENTS

Level Designer Krazzdaxx continues to play the game and gather feedback on all the maps, resulting in adjustments and fixes to 13 maps this month:

CANYON NETWORK

• 2 new ramps added to the south/east gorge (scrap ramp and bridge ramp)

CAUSTIC VALLEY

• Out of bounds area adjusted to line up with the map boundaries
• Invisible wall moved outside of play area

CRIMSON STRAIT

• Invisible wall placed on the center mountain
• Conquest: capture points and spawns moved

EMERALD VALE

• Center buildings replaced with buildings that have better hitboxes
• Floating shipping container removed
• Building placed to block sniper angle
• Hatchetman came in and chopped some trees down in the city center

FOREST COLONY

• Goat path carved into the north/east mountains
• Minimap adjusted to be more zoomed in

FROZEN CITY CLASSIC NIGHT/SNOWSTORM

• Invisible walls placed to prevent players from reaching certain areas
• Out of bounds area adjusted to line up with the map boundaries

GRIM PLEXUS

• Invisible walls placed to prevent players from reaching certain areas

HIBERNAL RIFT

• Invisible walls placed/adjusted to to prevent players from reaching certain areas

HPG MANIFOLD

• Level of detail asset issue fixed
• Small mechanical box removed from ramp

POLAR HIGHLANDS

• Rocks adjusted to block a rendering issue when viewing an area from a certain angle
• Stuck point blocked off

RUBELLITE OASIS

• Invisible wall placed to prevent player from getting stuck in a crevasse

VIRIDIAN BOG

• Floating tree removed
• Invisible walls placed to prevent players from reaching certain areas
• Northern pathway carved into the mountain for smoother traversal in that section

VITRIC STATION

• Replaced middle ramp/bridge so that viewing that section at a certain angle no long makes that ramp/bridge invisible
• Floating building attached to wall
• Ledge overhang replaced to prevent viewing the underside of the roof
• Middle power connector level of detail changed to look better when viewing at a distance
• Lowered roof near spawn ramp to prevent viewing the underside of the roof

WEAPON ADJUSTMENTS

As a continuation of our assessment of weapon performance, the following changes have been made:

BALLISTIC WEAPONS

Autocannon 10

• Decreased cooldown to 2.15s (from 2.25s)

Clan Autocannon 10

• Decreased cooldown to 2.15s (from 2.25s)

Autocannon 20

• Decreased cooldown to 3.75s (from 4s)
• Increased velocity to 1100 m/s (from 900 m/s)

Clan Autocannon 20

• Decreased cooldown to 3.75s (from 4s)
• Increased velocity to 1100 m/s (from 900 m/s)

Heavy Gauss Rifle

• Decreased cooldown to 4.5s (from 5s)

SKILL TREE ADJUSTMENTS

• Reduced Enhanced ECM skill node value to 20% per node (from 22.5%)
• Increased Jump Jet Heat Shielding skill node value to 12% per node (from 6%)

'MECH AGILITY ADJUSTMENTS

• 'Mechs with max torso pitch angle less than 30 degrees are now normalized to 30 degrees pitch
• Torso pitch speed for all 'mechs are now set to 72% of yaw speed

'MECH QUIRK ADJUSTMENTS

As a continuation of our assessment of 'Mech quirk performance, the following changes have been made:

MIST LYNX

All Variants (Except G and ED):

• Reduced LT, RT Armor bonus to +8 (from +15)
• Added +7 LT, RT Armor bonus to SO8

MLX-G:

• Reduced LT armor bonus to +8 (from +15)

MLX-ED:

• Reduced LT armor bonus to +8 (from +15)
• Added +7 LT armor bonus to SO8

INCUBUS

INC-1:

• Removed -10% Energy cooldown

INC-2:

• Reduced LT, CT, RT armor bonus to +5 (from +10)

INC-3:

• Removed 25% Machine Gun rate of fire

INC-5:

• Removed -10% Laser duration
• Added 20% Weapon velocity
• Added 15% Missile velocity

INC-SA:

• Removed 25% Machine Gun rate of fire
• Reduced cooldown to -5% (from -15%)
• Increased Missile cooldown to -20% (from -7.5%)
• Added 25% Missile velocity
• Added -10% Missile spread
• Added 10% Missile range

RAVEN

RVN-3L:

• Increased LT, RT structure bonus to 12 (from 8)
• Increased seismic sensor range to 200m (from 100m)
• Increased sensor range bonus to +200m (from +100m)
• Increased missile cooldown to -15% (from -10%)
• Added 30% Capture accelerator
• Added 50% NARC ammo per ton
• Added 10% NARC velocity
• Removed NARC duration

RVN-2X:

• Increased LT, RT structure bonus to 12 (from 8)
• Added 40% Target info gathering speed
• Added 10% STD/ER Medium laser range
• Added 10% Medium pulse laser range
• Added -10% Laser duration

RVN-4X:

• Increased LT, RT structure bonus to 12 (from 8)
• Added +6 LA, RA armor bonus
• Increased range to 15% (from 10%)
• Added -5% heat

RVN-H:

• Added 40% Jump Jet initial thrust
• Added 30% JJ burn duration
• Added +10s UAV duration

PANTHER

PNT-10P:

• Converted -25% Ballistic cooldown to -25% Cooldown
• Converted 25% Ballistic range to 25% Range
• Converted 20% Ballistic velocity to 20% Weapon velocity
• Removed -10% Missile cooldown
• Removed 10% Missile range
• Removed 10% Missile velocity

PNT-8Z:

• Added 10% STD Laser range
• Increased Laser duration to -20% (from -10%)

VIPER

VPR-Prime, -A, -B, -D:

• Reduced CT armor bonus to +5 (from +10)

VPR-C, -F:

• Reduced CT armor bonus to +2 (from +4)

VPR-M:

• Reduced CT armor bonus to +5 (from +8)

ARCTIC WOLF

ACW-1:

• Reduced CT armor bonus to +9 (from +12)
• Reduced LL, LT, RT, RL armor bonus to +7 (from +10)

VINDICATOR

All Variants:

• Increased armor bonus on arms by 50%

CRAB

CRB-20:

• Added -10% Energy heat

CRB-27:

• Removed 10% Energy range
• Removed 30% Weapon velocity
• Removed -15% STD Laser cooldown
• Removed -10% STD Laser heat
• Added 60% PPC Family velocity
• Added 10% PPC Family range
• Added -10% Energy cooldown
• Added -10% Energy heat

HUNCHBACK IIC

HBK-IIC-A:

• Reduced LT, CT, RT Structure bonus to +6 (from +12)

HELLFIRE

HLF-1:

• Removed +5 Structure bonus from LT, CT, RT

HLF-2:

• Removed +5 Structure bonus from LT, CT, RT
• Removed -5% Heavy Laser heat

CRUSADER

CRD-6T:

• Removed +5 armor bonus from LL, LT, CT, RT, RL

HELLBRINGER

HBR-F:

• Removed +5 armor bonus from LT
• Increased LT armor bonus to +10 in SO8 (from +5)

RIFLEMAN IIC

RFL-IIC-A:

• Removed -5% UAC5 Cooldown
• Added -20% UAC jam chance
• Added -10% UAC jam duration

RFL-IIC-CH:

• Removed -5% UAC Cooldown
• Added -20% UAC jam chance
• Added -10% UAC jam duration

SUN SPIDER

SNS-AMB:

• Removed +5 armor bonus from LT, RT
• Added +5 LT, RT armor bonus in SO8

SNS-ML:

• Removed +5 armor bonus from LA, RA
• Added +5 LA, RA armor bonus in SO8

TIMBER WOLF

TBR-Prime:

• Reduced CT armor bonus to +4 (from +8)
• Added +5 CT armor bonus to SO8

TBR-WAR:

• Reduced CT armor bonus to +4 (from +8)
• Added +5 CT armor bonus to SO8

TBR-A:

• Removed +5 armor bonus from LT, CT
• Added +5 LT, CT armor bonus to SO8

TBR-BH:

• Removed +5 armor bonus from RT, CT
• Added +5 CT armor bonus to SO8

TBR-C:

• Removed +5 armor bonus from CT
• Added +9 CT armor bonus to SO8

TBR-D:

• Removed +5 armor bonus from CT
• Added +5 CT armor bonus to SO8

TBR-S:

• Removed +5 armor bonus from CT
• Added +5 CT armor bonus to SO8

ORION IIC

ON1-IIC-SK:

• Removed -5% Heat
• Added -5% ER PPC heat

WARHAMMER IIC

WHM-IIC:

• Removed -5% Energy heat

WHM-IIC-3:

• Reduced Laser heat to -5% (from -10%)
• Added -5% Heavy laser heat

MARAUDER IIC

MAD-IIC:

• Removed +7 armor bonus from LT, RT

MAD-IIC-2:

• Removed +7 armor bonus from LT, RT

MAD-IIC-8:

• Removed +7 armor bonus from LT, RT

MAD-IIC-B:

• Removed -5% Laser heat
• Added -5% ER PPC heat

WARHAWK

WHK-C:

• Removed -2.5% Energy cooldown from LT, RT
• Removed -5% Pulse laser duration from RA

Patch Files (Direct Download)

To make the patching process easier for players with limited download caps, we'll be providing direct download links for the patch file(s) that comprise this patch. This will allow you to download the patch file(s) elsewhere, for manual injection into the MWO patcher through a Patch Cache folder.

Aside from allowing you to download the patch file(s) elsewhere, on another connection, there are no additional benefits to performing the patch this way; the patching process itself will be the same.

This direct patch download process will only work for players running the standalone client. It does not apply to players running MWO through Steam.

Patch File(s): - http://patcher.mwomercs.com/patch/Production/frontend/FrontendPatch_412.zip

• Download the above file(s)
• For sake of ease, we recommend creating a dedicated folder for the patch file(s), such as 'MWO Patch Cache'
• You do not need to unzip or unpack the patch file(s)
• Launch the MWO Portal
• Select the three horizontal lines in the top left of the Portal Window
• Choose the 'Specify Patch File Cache' option
• In the field that appears, paste or enter the location in which you saved the patch file(s) and hit OK
• For example, C:\Users\<username>\Documents\MWO Patch Cache
• Click the blue Patch button
• The launcher will now check the Patch Cache folder you defined. If it locates the required patch files, it will unpack and use those files to apply the patch.
• Once the patch is complete, launch the game

[Lionheart2012]

yo - First!

Edited by Lionheart2012, 20 January 2023 - 08:22 PM.

[Rhaelcan]

Wtf with kintaro plat

[CFC Conky]

Is it just me or is this patch a tad nerfy? None of the de-quirked mechs are particularly dominant in QP to begin with.

Good hunting,
CFC Conky

[-Ramrod-]

Wow please nerf more. I still might wanna play the game.

[Kano111]

I swear some of these nerfs were buffs 12 months ago. Seems heavy handed?

[Gilgamesh Hoi]

What's the deal with the massive injection of invisible walls??? We need less invisible walls not more of them, if they have to be put in stop people falling in crevasses on some maps fine but these other maps? the arbitrary aim to stop players from getting to spots? where was the outcry that made this so important? How about PGI takes a second to (hey new map guy welcome aboard) explain where you all got the 'tip' that more invisible walls were needed instead of using all those precious man-hours to fix the random invisible walls that serve only to stop clear fire lines, or just randomly pop up on a slope?

Seriously, where was the outcry? where was the input? where was the great need to block off yet more terrain that can make the game more varied and not the same dang fight every time???

For a simple example let's look at Crimson Strait:

"Crimson Strait~ Invisible wall placed on the center mountain"

This is an enormous mistake and punishes the players who make the investment in JJs, skill points, and time learning how to safely go up and over. Putting an invisible wall there doesn't improve the game experience it instead limits the possibilities pilot who want to use their imagination to break out of the common cycles of nascar and static fight points. This in turn can surprise and open other pilots eyes to the many different things you can do instead of rushing to the center match after match.

Poor form PGI, really poor form, if a change this huge that is going to greatly impact the non-meta mech playing crowd who don't want to run the same mechs and fight in the same locals is going to be made why wasn't there some input solicited from us. We poor potatoes and tier 4-5 guys who like to mix it up and explore and fight? or not run around in circles to the same darn fire positions every match?

What were you thinking? really I'm asking cause this makes no sense in light of no public postings about any of this, help me understand what the rational is, please just explain it. Change for the sake of change without a driver is useless and in this case is going to really hurt the playing experience for a large portion of your lower tier pilots and kill an awful lot of fun and unique matches.

Edited by Gilgamesh Hoi, 20 January 2023 - 10:50 PM.

[Mando Raven]

I agree with Gilgamesh, adding more invisible walls is completely counter to what the players have been begging for.

[Divkrd]

People who come up with these changes (quirk wise) are brain dead, with every patch it becomes more obvious.

Edited by Divkrd, 20 January 2023 - 10:59 PM.

[Ilostmycactus]

That's an awful lot of nerfs and only a couple interesting buffs. Why not focus on buffing more mechs up to the fun to play in tier instead? Like the Jenner, Griffin, King Crab, or Kintaro for example, which could use some help.

[ghost1e]

CFC Conky, on 20 January 2023 - 09:36 PM, said:

Is it just me or is this patch a tad nerfy? None of the de-quirked mechs are particularly dominant in QP to begin with.

Yeah, would like to hear some reasoning as to why these mechs are nerfed, especially when their QP performance isn't too great.

Gilgamesh Hoi, on 20 January 2023 - 10:32 PM, said:

This is an enormous mistake and punishes the players who make the investment in JJs, skill points, and time learning how to safely go up and over. Putting an invisible wall there doesn't improve the game experience it instead limits the possibilities pilot who want to use their imagination to break out of the common cycles of nascar and static fight points. This in turn can surprise and open other pilots eyes to the many different things you can do instead of rushing to the center match after match.

As someone who frequently abused that spot, it is incredibly annoying to get up there and clearly not intended. Not sure how removing that is such a bad thing.

[Clay Endfield]

ghost1e, on 20 January 2023 - 11:21 PM, said:

Yeah, would like to hear some reasoning as to why these mechs are nerfed, especially when their QP performance isn't too great.

As someone who frequently abused that spot, it is incredibly annoying to get up there and clearly not intended. Not sure how removing that is such a bad thing.

So to my understanding, these nerfs were aimed at curbing the rampant Clan Laser Vomit abuse, as well as decrease the overall impact of ECM. When it comes to the Omnimechs, I'm surprised by the So8 armor bonuses, which would be a clever fix IF said So8 configs were of any utility compared to their Laservom alternatives.

Many of these mechs were buffed prior due to performance shortcomings, since then both new variants and weapon buffs have over tuned their performance. While simply reversing weapon buffs would also correct the issue, it would unfortunately also adversely impact mechs that rely on those weapon systems to perform adequately n the meta. As such, it's more conducive to simply nerf the over performers, and bring both the underused and oveused closer together in the meta.

[-OUTLAW-]

Please remove the extra finger from each of the Banshee's hands, I can't unsee that error.

[The Rocketeer]

In that month worked only new guy i see, all over was too drunk

[Gilgamesh Hoi]

ghost1e, on 20 January 2023 - 11:21 PM, said:

Yeah, would like to hear some reasoning as to why these mechs are nerfed, especially when their QP performance isn't too great.

As someone who frequently abused that spot, it is incredibly annoying to get up there and clearly not intended. Not sure how removing that is such a bad thing.

Thanks for engaging Ghost1e, great to have a top tier guy like you chime in, I'm pretty confused about the mech and weapon nerfs as well.

As to that spot on Crimson Strait, its not abuse to find and use that spot and while it probably has little impact on your top tier matches for many mid level and lower pilots it can provide not only a great risk/reward threshold for pilots who try to get there and then have to find the best way to use the position V.S. dealing with the risks of exposure, but also can entirely change the rhythm of a assault, skirmish, and especially domination match and really surprise us.

I really appreciate you posting, not only because it wasn't a the kind of dismissive take down of my concerns I was worried some top-end pilot might make, but one of real civil and more bemused curiosity, a perfect example of how spots like that don't matter to the top tier pilots because for you guys it has so little impact on your matches. Thanks, and congrats on that MWOCS finish, mad respect!

But as for posting about that wall on Crimson Stait in particular, it was just one example, like I said in my OP I choose to use it as a stand-in example for the surprising and wide implantation of invisible walls nobody was asking for without any explanation.

Why it was more important to spend the precious dev man-hours putting up more unasked for invisible walls than it was to address the myriad buggy invisible walls already in the game PGI?

This is a game that is supposed to be fun and engaging for everyone. One of the ways its suppose to be engaging is that diff mechs have diff roles other than DPS, scouts can try to find spots to scout or make an impact, or mobile mechs engage from different angles and locals with components and skills, etc... Yet since release the game has struggled to maintain what little difference among roles it has and this kind of wholesale invisible wall spree will force every mech and pilot into more predetermined rotes and applications.

What are we missing PGI? where was the outcry for you to do this and screw with a fun, if little used aspect of the game? If there was a big discussion, which changes of this magnitude would have certainly required where was it and when?

Edited by Gilgamesh Hoi, 21 January 2023 - 01:03 AM.

[Saved By The Bell]

Add some objects to new terra, its ERR PPC heaven now.

[Clay Endfield]

At any rate, I do hope the nerfed mech chassis get the 50% off C-Bill cost on the patch sale too. I had a wishlist for Christmas, and we never got the traditional all mechs 50% off C-Bill holiday sale. Knocking a Warhawk-B off that list would ease some saltiness.

[crazytimes]

So... more invisible walls in most maps and lower survivability on many popular mechs. Sounds fun.

I'll play a few HBK-4G games I suppose, because surely that will have to get nerfed against the AC20.

[Groouch]

End of Janurary forecast: nerfy with isolated buffs, be cautious, invisible walls season starting. All that being said, I'm such a potato that I wont even notice the changes. Will play until my vacation ends anyway, see you around.

[Albert C]

Nerfing these S tier mechs are understandable. However, a few over-quirked variants of traditionally overlooked chassis are extraordinarily powerful at the moment. I will not name them here as the cauldron probably has much better access to player/mech data. These variants should be looked into as well if the cauldron has the resources.