Large Lasers Poll

[(TLL) Heretic]

Ok, so as there's been a lot of talk about energy boats and balancing, but considering that Lasers are hitscan weapons, their only balancing points seem to be Heat and Damage over time (a Large Laser discharges its damage in around 1 second).

I got thinking as to what ERLarge lasers would be like if they took 1.5-2 seconds to discharge fully (meaning more spread damage, and less effective against ASF and BA, which would be good), so I thought I'd put up a poll to get peoples opinions.

BTW any change in the duration of the Large Laser would also impact in scale down through Mediums and Smalls, so a Micro Heavy laser at 2 seconds duration might mean that a 'mechs Large Heavy laser might take 4 seconds to discharge all of it's damage!!!!

Lasers are currently the noobtube of MWLL (taking that spot from LRMs in 0.3), they've got few disadvantages, so less skill is required to use them, an increased fire duration might make them a little harder to use effectively, which would be great for the game IMO.

[=KoS= Eldragon]

The Clan ER Large Laser is certainly the best weapon in the game right now. Having their damage done over 2 seconds would not only differentiate their behavior from other weapon types, but should also balance them out against the other long ranger sniper weapons. Its simply too easy to snipe the CT using a LLaser from 900 meters out, stretching the weapon out a bit would at least make the user work at hitting a moving target.

[SIL]

Increasing the duration of the weapon's discharge for damage will make pilot skill even more important.  No longer can you just fire and keep piloting, with the suggested change you would have to keep a steady hand for the laser's full duration to target one specific piece of armor.  Also, it makes laser users even more vulnerable to weapons that rock the cockpit (srms for example).

Personally, I'm all for anything that increases the skill cap.

[~SJ~MausGMR]

I disagree entirely, Large lasers are not the best weapon in the game atm, and to drag the laser duration out any longer would make them unnecessarily awkward to use in duels and closer range engagements.

[snooggums]

No change needed on how they fire or the duration they do damage over, they are good.

[NSallaNuto]

The problem is not the weapon but heat management and certain mech variants.

The poll only proposes the status quo and a specific change, there is a whole spectrum of options that are not contemplated, it is meaningless IMO.

[xInVicTuSx]

I agree, they are fine as they are, the only problem is the heat management system.
Better to leave the damage over time to pulse lasers (auto pulse lasers ftw!).

[Makaan]

in my days of puma c boating its hard to be death on while moving at the higher speed and since you mentions increase durations. I can only assume your taking in terms of heavy mechs and assaults and not thought about how light to medium mechs would suffer to to trying to hit and run while maintaining accuracy over rough terrain.

I still thought think if you wanted to lower the degree on laser spam use the MW3 concept since its a flash of damage but to a certain degree of it where its not like a PPC.

Plus to me Large laser having more power than a ppc is ridiculous

[snooggums]

Plus to me Large laser having more power than a ppc is ridiculous

A PPC / ISERPPV and a CERLBL should have the same damage output. A regular LBL should have a little less.

[sleepysheep]

Don't change something that isn't broke. Remember people it's a LASER, it's always going to be a point and click weapon. Having it fire for even longer would just be silly, they are designed to literally melt a mechs armour, not slowly heat it up!

And as people have said, it would completly ruin the small versions on lighter faster mechs.

[(TLL) Zeh]

I disagree entirely, Large lasers are not the best weapon in the game atm, and to drag the laser duration out any longer would make them unnecessarily awkward to use in duels and closer range engagements.

Indeed.  I think they're fine. 

[(TLL) Heretic]

There, changed it, so you folks that think that the 2nd method of balancing (Heat rather than time on target) have a choice now, you can revote or whatever.

[HAARP]

There, changed it, so you folks that think that the 2nd method of balancing (Heat rather than time on target) have a choice now, you can revote or whatever.

No I can't x<

[Taemien]

Would like to see all the damage go instantly. Maybe lower the damage a little and reduce the cooldown slightly. A ERLL shouldn't have the punch of a PPC but should be about the same DPS. The fact that you have to keep hitting the target to match that DPS is offset by the instant damage.

Now this would pave the way to make pulse lasers just a little bit different then they are now too.

[RepleX-TA]

I think it was perfect in MW3.
All lasers have 5-7 pulses which duration is less than a second.
Pulse lasers got nearly 60 short pulses with summary duration about 6 seconds.