BlueDevilspawn, on 10 January 2024 - 10:15 AM, said:
1. Changes to LRMs are to make them more consistent to use, less feast or famine as it has been stated multiple times. All the complaints about velocity are missing the point that the biggest issue with consistency is ability to get and hold locks. This is what is getting buffed, but needs to come at a trade off of velo to ensure a LRM-pocolypse does not happen again. Cauldron is nerfing indirect but buffing direct. To directly address the notion on ammo.... ammo isn't the issue with feast or famine. It's the ability to make that ammo worth a fig.
2. Cauldron has no input on map design, as has been said again and again. Maps should accommodate all playstyles, but imo should NOT be designed as a buff to lack of skill (e.g., making maps brawl only). As a recent example, I would say that Bear Claw fits this admirably as it is possible to position and path into brawl range. That said, anyone thinking they are allowed to simply waltz into the open without using cover deserves to get drilled.
3. Cauldron's remit is primarily QP, very little comp and definitely not FP.
4. Cauldron balances around high level gameplay only, but considers the impact to lower level gameplay. As has been said, LRMs are oppressive in low tier matches. but good players use hard cover just fine. A buff to raise the consistency of LRM play at high levels must also be aware that they may become oppressive in lower tiers.
5. Cauldron is a spectrum of high level players because the game knowledge (including mechanics), playstyle knowledge, mech and build knowledge are all important to consider holistically in balancing the game. Furthermore, they (as better players) are able to generate more consistent data in determining the viability of builds, weapons, equipment. This is similar to something like testing golf equipment.... higher handicap players can't generate the consistency in equipment use to have the data mean anything.
6. Building on #s 3-5, Cauldron is both comp and non-comp players but opinions and voting results are NOT drawn along those lines. Some of the better players in the game are simply comp players which is where the overlap comes from. Cauldron members voting together on one issue may easily be on opposing sides on another issue. What's important is they are able to be consistent in all mechs, weight classes, playstyles (brawl, sniper, midrange, dakka), game modes, etc. are considered and tested in QP.
EDIT:
7. Optimized builds and skill trees are considered in balance. There's no point in balancing in something less optimal (and certainly not stock/lore) because anything less would be individually "buff-able".
How are you going to balance hollistically if only optimization and high level gameplay are considered to collect the "data"? Are you aware that the results of analyzing some golf equipment, used by elite players, can be fine to test performance or even improve such things for the elite golf players, and absolutely wrong for the masses, at the same time? (Hint: that "data" has intrinsec bias)