Large Lasers Poll

[(TLL)Sky_walker]

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.

+1

Don't fix what ain't broken.

They're fine as-is.  They're not a noob weapon like LRMs were in 0.2 since you actually have to aim at your target and keep the reticle on the target for the duration of the shot.  This is not terribly difficult, but it is so easy to prevent a laser boat from returning fire effectively.  PPCs, missiles, large-caliber ACs, flamers...pretty much anything that will cause cockpit shake or added heat is the perfect counter to a laser boat.  Anything that packs more than 1 LBL already has heat issues, I don't think making them even hotter is the answer.

QFT

[RenoBlade [GDL]]

i think the whole picture comes from the combination of 900m max range (as ppc/gauss) and the good cooling of a novacat and the ability to use a coolant flush.
if you go back to the MW2 games, lasers made so much heat and the mechs would cool so slow. it was like single fire - "riding the red line" for lots of time.

i think the cooling of mechs should just be slower and there should be a more visual effect if you are hit by a laser.
for now, if i get attacked by an novacat out of my sight, it can kill me very fast without me figuring out where it is.
this comes from call of duty, but there should be at least a smal radar signature when someone is visible. and even more so when someone is shooting you !

[HAARP]

I agree, lasers are harder to use than ERPPCs which after a bit of lead can fire and forget where as lasers you have to hold on the same area of the target or the damage is so spread it barely does anything. I still think the Heatsink system is the problem atm not the amount of heat they themselves create.

On the other hand, lazorz are unaffected by lag. You can hit mechs that run into your vision with them until the server realizes that they're actually still behind a rock and warps them back :[

[NSallaNuto]

Another lasers advantage (read exploitable and widely exploited bug) is that you can shot them through objects, you just have to have the reticle on target, the beams path does not matter.

MW4 had the same problem initially but it has been fixed.

[Virt]

I think they're fine.

From what I've seen, other weapons like UAC do more damage, but are more difficult to aim.

So the increased accuracy and insta-hit of a laser, seems a reasonable tradeoff for the lesser damage and heat management issues.

[xInVicTuSx]

I agree, lasers are harder to use than ERPPCs which after a bit of lead can fire and forget where as lasers you have to hold on the same area of the target or the damage is so spread it barely does anything. I still think the Heatsink system is the problem atm not the amount of heat they themselves create.

On the other hand, lazorz are unaffected by lag. You can hit mechs that run into your vision with them until the server realizes that they're actually still behind a rock and warps them back :[

Cant balance for lag 

However, Lasers have a big advantage of shooting through cover as long as the reticule is clear of obstacles, quite a different and frustrating story with Gauss and PPC. 

[Brainwright]

Honestly, the only thing that makes me think CERLBLs are overpowered is the Nova Cat.  On everything else, they're just fine.

So I think the way heat is accumulated and dissipated needs to be tweaked a bit.

[Nitro_R]

I like them as they are.
Novacat plays its role very well, but SRMs, PPCs, Heavy ACs rock the cockpit enough up close that you can't aim as well.
Also, it has to deal with heat.

The Novacat's bane is LRMs and tag, though.

I would like to see lower damage for the LBLs up close, though.
Either a damage nerf when you're within x distance away because they need to "focus" or something.

Up close, they are just ridiculously deadly and don't conform to CBT rules.

[=KoS=Zeus]

Such is my disdain for the Nova Cat (and generally all clan equipment unless I'm on the clan team) that I had not piloted a Nova Cat A in 0.3.2 until last night.

Holy, Mother, of God!

I killed an undamaged vulture in ~6 seconds. Alpha Strike (oh noes, not a heat spike, tapped coolant, and before my lasers recharged the damn Nova Cat was down into like 10% heat) I then chain fired the CERLBLs into his CT and with the 5th one he exploded.  I don't know any other mech that can do that at 900m.

People are right, though, it's not just the CERLBL. It's the ridiculous heat dissipation of the Nova Cat. 23 Double Heat Sinks is nice, but that does not counter the 60 heat build up in a fraction of a second that the Nova Cat A can generate and laugh off. Let me break it down into Solaris VII terms since that is closer to MWLL than CBT.

The Nova Cat would fire all 5 CERLBLs. This would generate 12x5 heat (x4 for Solaris rules) = 240 heat. The heat sinks would dissipate 46 of that heat, leaving 194 heat. The heat gauge in Solaris is also multiplied by 4 for a total of 120 heat capacity. Guess what, instant shut down. Not only that, but it would take 3 Solaris game turns (2.5 seconds each) for the Nova Cat to cool down to a point where it could restart itself. 1 Turn (2.5 seconds) after shut down 194 - 46 = 148 heat (still above 120). 2 Turns (5 seconds) after shut down 148 - 46 = 102 heat (just barely to a level where you could restart the engine with about a 8.3% chance of doing so.) 3 Turns (7.5 seconds) after shut down 102 - 46 = 56 heat (the mech is finally at the point where it has a solid chance of restarting 91.6% chance.) Otherwise, 4 Turns (10 seconds) and the mech is STILL not fully cooled down 56 -46 = 10 heat (no noticeable problems with the mech, the mech automatically restarts.)

The above is assuming the Nova Cat A is standing still. In my game last night I was jumping and alpha striking mechs and not suffering any real heat issues. I think people are right, the heat system is to blame.

[RepleX-TA]

I thought that one CBT turn's duration is 10 sec 

[xInVicTuSx]

Note that he said Solaris VII not CBT.

[7.[WD]Ragor]

Note that he said Solaris VII not CBT.

Note that this is MWLL not CBT.

[Jakajan]

 What if lasers generated more heat than they currently do? Not tremendously more, like 12-16% more? do you think this would be enough to bring the laser weapons back in line?

[HAARP]

Note that he said Solaris VII not CBT.

Note that this is MWLL not CBT.

Note that heat is broken, not CBT

[=KoS=Zeus]

Note that I said Solaris VII is closer to MWLL than CBT is. Also, the game is based on Battle Tech, there are certain expectations that should be upheld. Firing 5 CERLBLs on a Novacat, despite the 23 double heat sinks, should not be an acceptable and repeatable practice, but it is. CBT makes this clear. Solaris VII makes it abundantly clear, but MWLL apparently ignores CBT in this one case, while adhering closer to it in others.

I am sick and tired of people making the obvious statement of "This is MWLL, not CBT." We know that.  However, we do not have the design documents in our hands to review. We have no complete system to look at and say, "this is how the game should play", so we fall back to a system we know worked more or less and that the game is heavily influenced by. Hence, CBT.

Now, if you don't have anything constructive to add to the discussion other than one sentence comments designed solely to troll, then I suggest you leave the discussion to people who are actually trying to work things out in a constructive and creative way.