6 replies to this topic

[Johannes Falkner]

@Devs:
The mechlab Q&A did a pretty good job of discussing how customization will work. However there are a couple of points that are inconsistent with past comments. See general discussion for forum users trying to figure out how laser to PPC conversion works, and how leveling may be affected by compatible chasses.

http://mwomercs.com/...break-leveling/
http://mwomercs.com/...-thread-merged/

I think it would be helpful if you posted, say three, concrete examples.
1. Hunchback - Swapping out the conventional loadout (AC/20 and MLas) for 2 PPCs/LLas in the arms and show how few other weapons could be carried. Then show the corresponding conversion of the Swayback with PPCs in the torso replacing MLas to highlight the different variants.
2. Archer - Show unused hardpoints. The ARC-2R would have 2x Missile HP and 4x Energy HP. The ARC-2S would have 4x Missile HP and 4x Energy HP this would show how one chassis configuration could cover multiple variants.
3. Discuss experience allocation with regard to different chassis.

[MaddMaxx]

Before the DEV clarify, could you clarify what you mean by:

Quote

"2. Archer - Show unused Hard Points."

What unused HP's?

[Havoc2]

I think he's using the Archer example because if the ARC-2R has 2 missile HP and 4 energy HP but with 4 available missile crits and the ARC-2S has 4 missile HPs and 4 energy HPs with 0 available missile crits, they're the same 'Mech with different equipment/ammo/engine whatever configs. You could quickly change the 2R into a 2S with little cost/effort

As I understand the point anyway.

Edited for gender.
I read your handle as being more Joanne than Yohan

Edited by }{avoc, 20 April 2012 - 05:42 AM.

[MaddMaxx]

}{avoc, on 19 April 2012 - 08:40 AM, said:

I think she's using the Archer example because if the ARC-2R has 2 missile HP and 4 energy HP but with 4 available missile crits and the ARC-2S has 4 missile HPs and 4 energy HPs with 0 available missile crits, they're the same 'Mech with different equipment/ammo/engine whatever configs. You could quickly change the 2R into a 2S with little cost/effort

As I understand the point anyway.

Where did the 2R get the 2 unused missile crits? The 2S changes the 20's to 15's and adds two SRM's to make 4 missile. Thus my question.

Quote

"ARC-2S - The 2S is another modification made to allow the Archer to defend itself more easily against an enemy that manages to close ranges with it. The 'Mech replaces the LRM-20 launchers with two LRM-15 launchers and uses the saved weight to add two SRM-4 launchers, giving it additional short range firepower."

Edited by MaddMaxx, 19 April 2012 - 08:46 AM.

[Victor Morson]

The biggest question is some confusion between the blog and the Q&A. A friend of mine cited the Q&A that said that weapons had to be a 1:1 swap; i.e. if you tear off a medium laser, you can replace it with any energy weapon (but only one) on that torso as long as there's slots in the torso free. He's basing it on this:

Quote

[DAVID] Hardpoints will limit the number of weapons that can be placed in a location on the ’Mech. The number of slots those weapons can occupy is not predefined (outside of the maximum number of slots in the location). So let’s say that I’m allowed 2 energy weapons in my right arm. I currently have 2 Medium Lasers which occupy 1 slot each. I would still be allowed to put in 2 Large Lasers, which occupy 2 slots each.

Yet, this seems entirely at odds with the following from from the mechlab blog that specifically states you have MW4 styled hardpoints (Such as a level 2 energy slot) and can replace the weapon with any level 2 energy weapon, or multiple level 1 energy weapons:

Quote

The stats of a Large Laser are five tons, two critical slots, energy weapon. We can put in its place, any energy weapon(s) that stay within the maximum weight and space threshold.

Both the Medium Laser and Small Laser take up one critical slot and weigh one ton and ½ ton respectively. This means both systems are viable to be put into the space provided. For this demonstration, let’s have the player put two Medium Lasers in the available spaces.

Long story short, this has left me really confused. One seems to suggest that you can swap weapons on a 1:1 basis as long as there are torso slots and it's of the same type (swapping Medium Lasers for Large Lasers). The other suggests a MW4 styled hardpoint that will allow you to swap weapons in any fashion you want as long as they fit in the 'mech and match the weapon bracket (i.e. swapping 1 Large Laser for 2 Medium Lasers as the direct example).

These two things basically contradict each other from the best I can tell, so I'm really hoping to clear it up.

.. really there are interesting examples to both approaches. If the first approach is actually how they're doing it, it could end up being even more crazy than the second approach. Suddenly every machine gun is a potential upgrade into a Gauss Rifle, every small laser a PPC.

I'm actually OK with either way it's done, and think it's great how hard locked weapons are laid directly onto TT styled rules but.. I'm really not sure what their plan is. I spent a week thinking it one way, then last night thinking it another and now it seems the blog and Q&A are directly contradicting each other.

Edited by Victor Morson, 19 April 2012 - 09:46 AM.

[Johannes Falkner]

}{avoc, on 19 April 2012 - 08:40 AM, said:

I think she's using the Archer example because if the ARC-2R has 2 missile HP and 4 energy HP but with 4 available missile crits and the ARC-2S has 4 missile HPs and 4 energy HPs with 0 available missile crits, they're the same 'Mech with different equipment/ammo/engine whatever configs. You could quickly change the 2R into a 2S with little cost/effort

As I understand the point anyway.

also @MaddMaxx:
Yes, I (he, BTW) was intending that the ARC-2S and ARC-2R could be the same MWO variant but represent two different canon variants. Thus the 2R/2S MWO variant would have a pair of unused Missile hardpoints in the 2R configuration and no empty hardpoints in the 2R configuration. This could be used as an example of variants having unused hardpoints in base configurations.

@Victor:
This is precisely the confusion I was hoping the devs would clarify. I would hope that they could give us a couple of clear examples using known mechs/configs with a walkthrough showing what is possible and not possible. For example, If I was modding my Hunchback, they could show how I could change out the arm mounted MLas for LLas, providing I free up enough tonnage to do so, but I could not add 2 MLas in each arm because there is only one Energy hardpoint in the arm (barring a empty hardpoint in the config....).

All I really want is a couple of the specific cases covered and the disparity between the blog comments and the Q&A addressed.

[Soviet Alex]

Victor Morson, on 19 April 2012 - 09:42 AM, said:

Suddenly every machine gun is a potential upgrade into a Gauss Rifle

Sssh! I was hoping to keep my 2 gauss rifle Catapult K2 a secret.