Pulse lasers / MW2

[Profane Arbiter]

If it makes you feel better the lasers in MWLL require you to hold the laser on the target for the second or so they are being fired to get the full damage out of it (the other's would do 100% of the damage the instant it was fired).

I don't dislike this feature, but in a way, it steps on the pulse lasers toes, making the idea of having 2 distinct lasers in the game, pulse and beam, irrelevant. The pulse lasers gives you a shot of connecting with one of the pulses that result from a single pull of the trigger, even if you miss with others. The regular lasers was supposed to be more of an all or nothing proposition (which I preferred since lasers aren't all that hard to hit with).

Now the beam concept essentially does the same thing as the pulse laser, only with one uninterupted shot that may or may not be on target for the entire time.

[Alexander]

Pulse lasers also have a vastly increased rate of fire.

[Flyingdebris]

i find it rather unseemly that there can be scientific justification for blasters being plasmacasters within a setting that.

a. has psychic bacteria

b.  Has spaceship combat that takes place within hundreds of meters instead of thousands of kilometers

c. has massive space ships that feature exposed lightly armored bridges

d. Futuristic armies fight in napoleonic combat for no reason

e.  futuristic armies get defeated by rubber underwater rabbits or forest dwelling midget bears

f.  there are giant legged apcs that can really only move  and fight in one direction, have crap for armor, and probably would have been better had they been on tracks or treads.

g.  spaceships fly through space like they are flying through air

h.  there are sounds in space

i could do this all day.  there is no science in star wars, not any rational kind, which is why i don't buy the plasma theory.  Because that would make sense in a setting that makes none, and i don't think lucas is smart enough to think of that.  /end rant

[Stahlseele]

But still, Star Wars Laser and dog-Fighting is iconinc ^^

[(TLL)CapperDeluxe]

i could do this all day.  there is no science in star wars, not any rational kind, which is why i don't buy the plasma theory.  Because that would make sense in a setting that makes none, and i don't think lucas is smart enough to think of that.  /end rant

LOL, it all kinda goes to Lucas' new excuse now that the new Star Wars are for kids.  Hence Jar-Jar. 

If you haven't seen the 70 minute review of the phantom menace, here's your chance. Its freakin spot on and funny.  It also is a review with a subplot which is kinda neat
http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/12/17/watch-this-70-minute-video-review-of-star-wars-the-phantom-menace/

[Flyingdebris]

lol yeah i saw that, i love that review

[StarFyre_GUNS]

Well, it was my understanding that pulse-lasers should  have LESS damage since a laser needs to be on-point for X amount of time to do damage...there for, a pulse of a laser should do, oh, say half the amount of a standard laser simply because of the science behind it. And fyi, I believe ACTUAL lasers are invisible..thus why most labs have some kind of "smoke" in the air so someone doesnt accidently stick a hand in its path. Am I off in left-field, or does this make sense??

[(TLL)Siilk]

If it makes you feel better the lasers in MWLL require you to hold the laser on the target for the second or so they are being fired to get the full damage out of it (the other's would do 100% of the damage the instant it was fired).

I don't dislike this feature, but in a way, it steps on the pulse lasers toes, making the idea of having 2 distinct lasers in the game, pulse and beam, irrelevant. The pulse lasers gives you a shot of connecting with one of the pulses that result from a single pull of the trigger, even if you miss with others. The regular lasers was supposed to be more of an all or nothing proposition (which I preferred since lasers aren't all that hard to hit with).

Now the beam concept essentially does the same thing as the pulse laser, only with one uninterupted shot that may or may not be on target for the entire time.

 My thoughts exactly! MWLL's lasers are more or less based on MW3's concept, but the key feature of MW3's beam lasers -- instant energy discharge onto target -- is missing. It takes a second or so for MWLL beam lasers to discharge, making it possible to dissipate damage and effectively "track" a target with a beam. Not that I'm absolutely against such beam laser's behavior, but tracking fast-moving targets is what pulse lasers was supposed to do best. In MWLL they are inferior at this task as solid beam obviously does it better.

 Here's what I can suggest as a possible pulse/beam laser behavior: beam laser is mostly unchanged, but it's discharge time is shortened to fractions of a second. This makes them most useful for attacking big, slow moving targets; pulse lasers fire in the same manner as they do now, but not in short bursts of 3-4 pulses with long reload time, but in full-auto manner, more like RAC's or flamers. They could have their own "cooldown bar", as per aforementioned RAC's, or they could just be limited by mech heat dissipation, whatever makes better balance.

[Muddball]

e.  futuristic armies get defeated by rubber underwater rabbits or forest dwelling midget bears

GodDAMNIT that was a spit-take, you jackass 

[Serafina]

i find it rather unseemly that there can be scientific justification for blasters being plasmacasters within a setting that.

a. has psychic bacteria

b.  Has spaceship combat that takes place within hundreds of meters instead of thousands of kilometers

c. has massive space ships that feature exposed lightly armored bridges

d. Futuristic armies fight in napoleonic combat for no reason

e.  futuristic armies get defeated by rubber underwater rabbits or forest dwelling midget bears

f.  there are giant legged apcs that can really only move  and fight in one direction, have crap for armor, and probably would have been better had they been on tracks or treads.

g.  spaceships fly through space like they are flying through air

h.  there are sounds in space

i could do this all day.  there is no science in star wars, not any rational kind, which is why i don't buy the plasma theory.  Because that would make sense in a setting that makes none, and i don't think lucas is smart enough to think of that.  /end rant

With Suspension of Disbelief, you can analyze everything!
For turbolasers, go to Turbolaser Commentaries.
The whole site in general also has some nifty analyses. (made by an engineer)
There is even an analysis by an astrophysicist.

[Maelstrom]

Pulse lasers in MWLL is actually the first realistic depiction of the weapons in a mechwarrior game.
Previously only MW3 pulse lasers came close, but those tended to act more like standard beam lasers that could be fired for a longer duration.

Of course, it hasn't helped that pulse lasers have been described in various novels as being "needle like energy darts".

[Bisclavret]

Pulse Lasers as described in Battletech are more like laser gatling/machineguns.  They exchange a higher rate of damage with higher heat, cost, weight, and reduced range.
I've not understood the reducing of pulse laser damage, because it flies in the face of hard rules.

"The pulse laser uses a rapid-cycling, high-energy pulse to generate multiple laser beams, creating an effect comparable to machine-gun fire.  This design improves the hit probability of laser attacks and causes more damage per hit, though at a cost of increased heat and slightly reduced range.  Treat pulse lasers the same as standard lasers, but apply a -2 modifier to the base to-hit number" -Battletech Master Rules (1998, FASA. The wording is the same on my oold Star League 2750 TRO from 89 though)

Basically, a pulse laser does more damage per hit, and it hits much more than a beam laser, because the pulse laser doesn't need to linger on the target for the 10 second combat "turn" that a beam laser does.

Back then, a Clan Large Pulse Laser did the same damage as a heavy large laser or ER large laser, with better range than a Heavy laser, weighed 2 tons more, created 8 less heat, and had better range, AND had a -2 modifier to hit. (Negates negative effects of moderate movement, almost negates JJ-caused innacuracy, negates moderate weather/time of day effects, etc)

IS pulse lasers did 1 more damage than an ER or large laser, same heat, and had a better chance to hit, at the cost of reduced range.