73 replies to this topic

[Khell DarkWolf]

So lets imagine this for a moment.

We currently have our catapults and cataphracts and awesome right?

Catapult K2 is known for having a much easier time of protecting its side torsos due to the mechanics of where the shoulder hitboxs are.

Cataphract and awesome are nice to use, but in reality are a boon because they are walking walls. The hit boxs are easy to hit because of how wide they are, making them easy fodder food for aiming at the specific hitboxs.

So here is a theory craft.

The Timber wolf is known for having:

• Arms like any other mech
  
• Pieced together from a catapult design with its trademark uber large missile racks

So riddle me this, assuming the timber wolf ever gets implemented. Imagine its paper doll and its respected mechlab hardpoints:

• It has arms
  
• It has legs
  
• It has Center and side torso
  
• It has a cockpit (head)
  
• Where do the Missile racks go?

Currently, there is no real means to implement its missile racks. Because currently in game, where would you put it?



Does it become part of its arms? If so, that would be easy, strip off an arm. OPPS there goes the arm and racks.

Worse case scenario 2:

Put it as part of its shoulder?

Now you have an even more awkward hitbox of extending shoulders that are easier to blow off then a cataphract and awesome. >_>

Atleast, if we ever got something like a Hellbringer or Summoner. Its missile racks are attached and close enough to its shoulder as a part of it. But the Timber wolf to me looks like a problem, unless you re-did the paperdoll and mech lab hard point component equipment slots which allow specific location hits to certain mechs.

Edited by Khell DarkWolf, 09 January 2013 - 05:33 AM.

[Thorn Hallis]

They are part of the torso.

[Deamhan]

My original thought was for them to introduce a third reticle in addition to the torso's crosshairs and the arm's little circle (basically giving it 4 arms) but more than likely, the launchers would be part of the left and right torso. The 'problems' you mention, as I see it, would help with balance. The Timberwolf should be capable of bringing more firepower onto the field than the current IS heavies and should be able to take a greater punishment. I welcome the trade off of easy targetable locations if it means not having the mech weakened as a means of balance.

[Hrungnir]

As per TT they are part of the side torsos

[Balu0]

They will be like in the TT as part of the torso.

[Kdogg788]

Nice, side torsos. We already know exactly how to blow these things out, especially if they run XLs like most clan mechs do. I'm not concerned about the addition of clans since they are months down the road, but now we know how to deal with these.

I know some people won't like it because they are so enamored with clans and the clan lore superiority, but with a PvP game that people pay into, the clan mechs have to be balanced directly with IS somehow.

-k

Edited by Kdogg788, 09 January 2013 - 06:01 AM.

[Kmieciu]

Kdogg788, on 09 January 2013 - 05:59 AM, said:

Nice, side torsos. We already know exactly how to blow these things out, especially if they run XLs like most clan mechs do. I'm not concerned about the addition of clans since they are months down the road, but now we know how to deal with these.

I know some people won't like it because they are so enamored with clans and the clan lore superiority, but with a PvP game that people pay into, the clan mechs have to be balanced directly with IS somehow.

-k

Yeah, but in order to destroy a clan XL engine you`ll need to take down BOTH side torsos :-)

Yep, the Timber Wolf is going to be an underdog. Especially variant D. Two Clan ERPPC (30 damage) with 4 Streak SRM-6. It has the combined firepower of 2 Streak Cats and 1 K2....

Edited by Kmieciu, 09 January 2013 - 06:07 AM.

[Buck Cake]

Canonicaly they are in side torsos.
Because of the was XL engines work in MWO, it could be worthwhile to give it 4 arms instead.

[Lil Cthulhu]

Buck Cake, on 09 January 2013 - 06:02 AM, said:

Canonicaly they are in side torsos.
Because of the was XL engines work in MWO, it could be worthwhile to give it 4 arms instead.

Depends on how they do the Clan XL engines.

[Elkarlo]

No Problem with them in Side torsos...

We blow the nice Launcher Squares apart and the Clan Mech will run hot..

(please remember a Blown Clan Sidetorso with XL will only negate the effect of 10 Heatsinks as he only has 2 Crits with the Clan XL drive)

[Congzilla]

There was an in-game screen shot floated around a while ago that showed two extra hit boxes for the launchers.

Edited by Congzilla, 09 January 2013 - 06:09 AM.

[Joseph Mallan]

With the heat that most Clan Omnis generate v the 1.4 *COUGH* double sinks Clanners will be shutting down all over the map!

[Sayyid]

Here is what is going to happen if the clans ever show up.

The Madcat, is going to be a easy to hit cockpit mech just like the fluff states and it is going to lose its side torsos pretty easy.

The Vulcher will be the king of the clan heavies because of the thin front view.

I hate the clans and quite honestly would be completely happy if they just rollback the game to 3025.

[Kmieciu]

Joseph Mallan, on 09 January 2013 - 06:11 AM, said:

With the heat that most Clan Omnis generate v the 1.4 *COUGH* double sinks Clanners will be shutting down all over the map!

I bet people will swap ERPPC with Clan Gauss rifles that weigh only 12 tons and take LRM20s (5 tons each)

[CDLord HHGD]

The missile racks are part of the side torso. Now, to say they'll be an easy kill, no way to tell until we play them. Technically they should be hitting us harder from farther away so that may negate their perceived vulnerability. Also, most clan mechs run XL engines, BUT they are not as vulnerable as IS XL engines.

[Zyllos]

I agree, with weapon pods, they should just count as arms, and gain the arms points of armor as their own.

Or, just make them count as arms and just let it be one of the weaknesses of the Mad Cat.

[Joseph Mallan]

In a Heartbeat! My Atlas would be a beast with Clan Gauss, CERPPC, and 3 Clan Streak4!

[Thorn Hallis]

Kmieciu, on 09 January 2013 - 06:02 AM, said:

Yep, the Timber Wolf is going to be an underdog. Especially variant D. Two Clan ERPPC (30 damage) with 4 Streak SRM-6. It has the combined firepower of 2 Streak Cats and 1 K2....

2 of the 4 SSRM6 launchers are facing the rear. Let's see if PGI will really put them in the front too.

[Roland]

Congzilla, on 09 January 2013 - 06:08 AM, said:

There was an in-game screen shot floated around a while ago that showed two extra hit boxes for the launchers.

This.

In past MW games, missile racks have usually been modeled as "Special" armor sections. Essentially auxillary panels.

[Sayyid]

Thorn Hallis, on 09 January 2013 - 06:19 AM, said:

2 of the 4 SSRM6 launchers are facing the rear. Let's see if PGI will really put them in the front too.

Why wont they, they put two of the Atlas Medium lasers to the front of the CT, instead of CT®.

Same for the CN9-A, 1 Medium faces rear.

They have changed quite a few designes because they dont want review cameras. (or I think, cant figure it out.)