Taggs Corhan
Crimson Reavers
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Posted - 2015.10.11 12:43:25 -
[1] - Quote
CCP Fozzie wrote:The focus group members are free to discuss whatever topics related to T3Ds that they wish, but CCP will also be providing questions for the group to help get discussion going. The first question I've proposed to the group is: Quote:Consider the option of trying to push the mode switching mechanic further into the forefront. Encouraging more switching in an average fight, and more of a performance difference between a pilot who knows how to mode switch well and one that doesn't (which would hopefully raise the skill level required to get something similar to current performance) can you guys:
- Point out opportunities you see to encourage that kind of gameplay
- Point out issues that are holding it back (for instance common situations where people spend most of the fight in one mode)
- Think about whether that goal is one you think will lead to better gameplay for both T3D pilots and those fighting against them (basically, should that be a priority of this balance pass)
For instance, one idea we've been bouncing around internally would be shifting some of the damage bonuses into the sharpshooter mode to provide more reasons to enter and exit that mode multiple times in a fight
These boats are brilliant for PVP, and for PVE content, giving newbros a quick route into doing higher-end pve content, as well as being wonderfully effective in group PVP.
As it stands though, the mode switching is a little lackluster for quite a few situations.
I can't really speak for PVP content, as that isn't an area I'm well versed in, so I won't even try.
For pve however, You'll spend almost all your time in Sharpshooter and Propulsion, never really using tank-mode except for the rare cases where the rats can actually -hit- you.
And in those cases that they can, you'll never leave defensive.
This reduces the mode-switching to a lazy-refit, instead of a feature. Makes the thought process in PVE as follows (and I would imagine, in PVP)
"Can the rats hit me? If no, Sharpshooter, better application, no worries. If Yes, Tank mode."
and then.
"Is the ride the gate more than 40 km? If yes, Prop mode, if not, stay in current mode."
I've even gone so far as to bring up a new alt in the ways of combat to see if having lower skills and needing to train up would affect the decisions in a mission, or a combat site. And, really, it didn't. Within a week, the newly trained alt was running level three's with impunity, and within two, was running level 4's as if it were a non-issue. Any sites she probed down, in high, or nul-sec, (didn't do lowsec, because reasons) were also a complete non-issue.
Whats more, I can break down the modes spent in time-wise. Tank Mode: ~15%, Prop Mode: ~3%, Sharpshooter Mode: ~82%
Combine sharpshooter being the superior mode, along with sharpshooter being rather lackluster on all but the Amarr and Caldari hulls (at least for PVE. I get that the massive tracking boost is awesome for PVP on the Svipul) and that the Gallente sharpshooter mode barely makes a dent in the range of its weapon system....
I have a somewhat hairbrained suggestion as to how to make the other modes a bit more attractive.
Give all of the hulls a role-bonus to the range of their weaponsystem so that they can all (with long-ranged weapons) reach out to 50 km comfortably. Further with the right ammo, but 50 as a goal for longrange weaponry.
Short range weapons with the long range ammo should hit a sweet spot of about 30 km, but because of the differences in weapons, this is likely not possible, and also likely overpowered for some of them. At the same time.... Lolscorch.
With range having been removed from sharpshooter, that mode can then be re-named to Fire-Control, and repurposed. Have the mode give a little bit of tracking/Application bonus, higher scan-res, and a minor AOE Non-stacking bonus to scan-res and tracking to squad, at the cost of a higher sig-radius (more signal coming from the ship) Makes 'Fire-Control' mode attractive to use in small gang, but also makes you -actually- more vulnerable to use it.
Tank mode, I feel, shouldn't give resist bonuses, or at least not as much. Its a destroyer, should be more focused on repping itself, rather than counting on logi to save it. give all tank modes a sig-radius reduction, an agility reduction, and a bonus to active-rep. For the gallente hull, perhaps give it a massive bonus to hull repair as well for hillarities sake.
Propulsion mode - Here, the modes are all very much varied, but the hulls that shine the most with it, are the ones that fit oversized mods. Seeing as all of this is supposed to be taken from the same technology, and that racial flavor is kinda important, this is both a good, and a bad thing. Svipul reins supreme with the oversized mod, with a close second of the Confessor a close second. Caldari's lack of real speed gain plays a detriment in favor of massive agility... too much agility, with too little ability to dictate range to take advantage of its weapon system. ((Speaking from doing cruiser burner missions in the jackdaw)) The Gallente, then get the caldari's agility, with the great speed of other modes - to only one prop mod type. In short, prop mode on Amm/Min is great, lackluster on Gal/Cal. I must admit, i don't have a suggestion for how to make the prop mode more attractive, just a bit of thought on why its not as attractive as it could be.
Summary, Tank mode isn't attractive enough because you aren't vulnerable enough in other modes, resist bonus favors too heavily into logi-ship gameplay favoring larger fleets (60k EHP jackdaw/Confessor fleet anyone?) Tank should favor local tank, and make the ship less focused on maneuvering, more focused on repairing. Sharpshooter should make you MORE vulnerable, instead of 'default' vulnerable, and prop mode is bum.
A bulet may have your name on it, but shrapnel is addressed 'to whom it may concern'.
A nuke is addressed to 'Current Resident'
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