23 replies to this topic

[ski2060]

So, according to thishttp://kotaku.com/59...stionsright-now Q&A on Kotaku, PPC's are going to get an EMP effect added to their hits.

Quote : CirclesEnd 2 days ago

Is it your belief that machineguns and flamers are currently useful weapons?
Do you think that the PPC is balanced when compared to the Gauss rifle?
RussBullock @CirclesEnd 2 days ago

As to PPC's and Gauss...a PPC is a 10 damage weapon and the Gauss 15..so they should not be exactly even. However we are adding a new effect to the PPC so it acts like an EMP blast on the mech you hit.


Maybe PPC's will become viable suppression weapons to keep Gaussapults and direct fire LRM boats hunkered down. Put a 3 PPC Awesome on overwatch and blast a kitty every time it pokes it's head up to keep it's HUD scrambled.

[GonZo626]

Fun times

[Protection]

Honestly, I was one of the biggest critics of PPCs, but even I am starting to find uses for them. The 2xPPC Cicada (or Pepsicada) is quite fun, and not a terrible sniper at all.

[Taryys]

Yup!
I am afraid of this moment when it is added to the game.

[deadeye mcduck]

Woo! The reason I loved PPC's in Mechwarrior 4 was the "scramble" effect. Also I confidently predict that once it arrives, PPC's will be the next "OP" weapon.

[Ghost_19Hz]

They aren't useless, and this will improve them, but it won't fix them to be worth it over other choices. Too lazy to argue to PPC or not to PPC. But there's this http://mwomercs.com/...r-the-solution/

EDIT: just going to let you know up front as well. I always have and always have had a mech equipped with PPC's and i also switch them out for ER's a lot too, ever since i've been in the beta.

Edited by PythonCPT, 09 November 2012 - 12:54 PM.

[Satet]

deadeye mcduck, on 09 November 2012 - 12:50 PM, said:

Woo! The reason I loved PPC's in Mechwarrior 4 was the "scramble" effect. Also I confidently predict that once it arrives, PPC's will be the next "OP" weapon.

Nothing says OP like being able to fire on a ten second cooldown in a game with half second cycling autocannons or missiles that are either not worth using or the only thing worth using depending on the patch.

[Eiki]

The PPC EMP effect is one of the reasons to use the weapon. I don't understand why it isn't already in yet.

[Odins Fist]

ski2060, on 09 November 2012 - 12:44 PM, said:

PPC's are going to get an EMP effect added to their hits.

.
Nice..

[Z0MBIE Y0SHI]

Curious as to how the EMP affect will be implemented. Will it just be a HUD scramble, or will it have other affects on weapon recycle time, mech performance, etc etc.

[StonedVet]

yes! PPC's will be valid for this reason alone!

[Operant]

I love how Russ totally ignored the question about machine guns and flamethrowers. Those are two perfectly balanced weapons. Don't ever change them.

[Sandpit]

Depending on the severity of the EMP effect this could be all the balance the PPCs need

[New Breed]

Operant, on 09 November 2012 - 01:10 PM, said:

I love how Russ totally ignored the question about machine guns and flamethrowers. Those are two perfectly balanced weapons. Don't ever change them.

I agree.. a weapon that causes you more heat then the enemy is great.

[Sandpit]

Z0MBIE Y0SHI, on 09 November 2012 - 01:05 PM, said:

Curious as to how the EMP affect will be implemented. Will it just be a HUD scramble, or will it have other affects on weapon recycle time, mech performance, etc etc.

Generally speaking it's always been a HUD scramble type effect

[Shalune]

Protection, on 09 November 2012 - 12:49 PM, said:

Honestly, I was one of the biggest critics of PPCs, but even I am starting to find uses for them. The 2xPPC Cicada (or Pepsicada) is quite fun, and not a terrible sniper at all.

Agreed, PPCs aren't bad right now (ER might be another story) but they're just stuck between large lasers and gauss. For now they're not really better at anything than either of those weapons, so they're simply overshadowed. I've still had fun with them though, and they're not bad by a long shot.

With EMP effects this will probably be my fire support weapon of choice. I'm thinking 3 PPC cataphract with jumps

[Z0MBIE Y0SHI]

Operant, on 09 November 2012 - 01:10 PM, said:

I love how Russ totally ignored the question about machine guns and flamethrowers. Those are two perfectly balanced weapons. Don't ever change them.

Not trying to derail here, but I'm not sure how you could even balance those 2 weapons without them being abused.

Give machineguns increased crits can lead to easy kills.

Make flamethrowers effecient would result in people running around powering people down excessively (We've been through that already in beta)

[DrSecretStache]

Z0MBIE Y0SHI, on 09 November 2012 - 01:15 PM, said:

Not trying to derail here, but I'm not sure how you could even balance those 2 weapons without them being abused.

Give machineguns increased crits can lead to easy kills.

Make flamethrowers effecient would result in people running around powering people down excessively (We've been through that already in beta)

Well, you could simply double machine gun damage and give flamers splash damage. It would be a start.

[MustrumRidcully]

Now that Double Heat Sinks are almost there (eg. 2.0 Engine Sinks and 1.4 out-of-engine sinks), I have some hope for the PPC again. No hope for stock mechs, but at least hope for the PPC.

Without that; my main worry was that the EMP effect might be so irrelevant that no one would use it for that because everything else was still not working in its favour.
The alternative was that it was so great that you must be using it and it's a crowd control fest that is not fun for anyone.

I do not like it as a primary balancing tool. Not at all. I like it as a "fluff" effect with only marginal actual effect on the target's performance. Because if it isn't, it could quickly lead to PPCs flying arond like crazy and everyone being cosntantly EMPed. And that may be as fun as pre-hot-fix Artemis LRMs.

[Nightfangs]

I'm not sure if another disorienting weapon is the best solution.
The PPC having an emp-like sideeffect is nice and logical. And maybe it will make the weapon suck a little less.
But half of the weapons have those knocking-around effects. All die ACs, the LBX, all the LRMs, now the PPC...
Well... lets just see how it turns out, you have to be prepared for everything at anytime. :-/