Fully Automatic Pulse Lasers

[Aposiopesis]

i likes it

imagine all them blown apart aircraft mmm mmm toasty

Indeed. This would give mechs with pulsers at least some ability against air targets close in (600/400m) making a nerf of ac5/2 dropoff more feasible without overpowering aircraft.

[Jonttu]

Good idea i guess. This would be good also because if you are an absolute close up brawler you would be better off taking the pulse lazorz with you, the damage potential of these weapons could be quite intimidating actually :d
but if you prefer mid to long range fighting or fighting from behind cover or something then you'd probably be better off with beam lasers. Just to make sure: beam lasers had a longer range, right?

[Pikey]

+1 for this suggestion i would love to see this implemented. I too feel there really isnt that much of a difference between pulse and beam as they stand.

[phobeste]

This does seem like a good idea. One small change: I think that the weapons themselves shouldn't have individual heat gauges, they should transfer it all to vehicle heat. Just to differentiate them a little more from RACs. Give them maybe a bit less DPS than RAC but at longer range.

[CHHš Sturmadler]

I'm opposed.  This kind of thing could throw balance pretty badly.  Our pulse lasers are already quite powerful.

[Draks]

I'm opposed.  This kind of thing could throw balance pretty badly.  Our pulse lasers are already quite powerful.

The damage/range would need to be adjusted appropriately.  If such a feature was put in with the current damage  and range most likely that would be overpowering.  I don't think anyone would suggest that.

[(TLL)CapperDeluxe]

I guess personally I was never a big fan of the MW3 style persistent beams for the pulse lasers.  Perhaps the refire rate could be increased a bit between shots at the expense of a bit of damage/heat so you can get an effect more similar to the pulse lasers as I think they were in the mechcommander games, but still retaining that signature triple instant bursts shown today in MWLL.  Besides the beam lasers are already quite a bit like the way the MW3 pulse lasers were, so the pulse needs that different feel to it.

[~SJ~ Karuik]

+1 supporter to this idea

[HAARP]

Awesome! Literally!

[Alendor]

The damage/range would need to be adjusted appropriately.  If such a feature was put in with the current damage  and range most likely that would be overpowering.  I don't think anyone would suggest that.
[/quote]

its pretty amazing that that fact even needs to be said

[(TLL)CapperDeluxe]

I wonder if this idea would make legging with pulse lasers better or worse, worse meaning easier to leg?

[MaverickOriginal]

I'm against it. I think the pulse lasers are already extremely powerful.
Get a mechlab where someone can put 10 or so MPL on a heavy mech, then come talk again about this.

[Aposiopesis]

I wonder if this idea would make legging with pulse lasers better or worse, worse meaning easier to leg?

Legging with anything is going to be 'worse' until leg armor gets a buff.

[Aposiopesis]

I'm against it. I think the pulse lasers are already extremely powerful.
Get a mechlab where someone can put 10 or so MPL on a heavy mech, then come talk again about this.

Apparently there's still a plethora of people that can't identify the difference between a style change and a buff. Obviously, damage and heat would be adjusted accordingly to make up for the ability to autofire. This is not a buff. It is a mechanics overhaul.

Edit: Eh, sorry to be ragey, but there's an entire thread of people posting the same thing and getting the same answer.

With this change:

Beam laser

All damage in one short beam,  higher damage in a short burst.
Longer range
Lower heat buildup
Only need to expose self to fire a moment

Pulse laser

Constant pulsing/autofire for more accuracy
Shorter range
Higher total DPS
Higher heat buildup

So over the course of the full beam laser fire, recharge, ready to fire again time, the pulse laser will do more damage total, but the beam laser does all its damage in one short blast and can hide in safety will cooling down/waiting to recharge. The pulse laser does more damage over time, and gets accuracy due to a constant pulsing beam, but requires constant exposure for full damage output and has higher heat because of less 'cooldown' time.

[(TLL)CapperDeluxe]

So over the course of the full beam laser fire, recharge, ready to fire again time, the pulse laser will do more damage total, but the beam laser does all its damage in one short blast and can hide in safety will cooling down/waiting to recharge. The pulse laser does more damage over time, and gets accuracy due to a constant pulsing beam, but requires constant exposure for full damage output and has higher heat because of less 'cooldown' time.

In CBT pulse lasers actually do less damage per round fired, so they only really do more damage if you count in the statistics of the accuracy of your shots over multiple rounds since you may miss once in a while, and missing with a beam laser make you worse off than if you miss a bit once in a while with the pulse laser.

Now as for the visuals, I really dig the current burst pulses as they make it easy to tell the difference between a pulse laser being fired and a beam laser.  Perhaps keeping the burst pulses, but allowing them to continue firing for a period of time similar to the method thats being discussed would keep this distinction alive.