Posted 07 June 2014 - 04:50 PM

So what I'm reading... is a bunch of buffs to pulse lasers (which already work fantastic I should add)... with a single buff to a small laser so it won't be as outclassed by the heavier machine gun (+ ammo) in range.



But nothing at all for regular lasers which, unlike pulses, are desperately suffering due to their damage spread in a game loaded with FLD weapons?



"We've got front loaded damage pulse lasers. Lets decrease their beam time so that they are even more front-loaded damage and reduce their heat by an amount that makes them almost colder than regular lasers."



So, what about lasers?



"Sorry, did you say something about those inefficient DPS weapons that no one uses for any reason other than light weight when the vastly superior pulse lasers are getting buffs that will further nerf regular lasers into obscurity?"



Genuinely, consider the effects that what you tweak will indirectly have on other things.



Why use a small laser when an SPL will outclass it in firing rate (which it already does but we'll make it even fastah!) and be colder?

Why use a medium laser when there's ghost heat, now that medium pulse will be even colder than it with no ghost heat limitations, superior damage per tick, better firing rate -- both of which we just decided to buff again significantly, and don't forget what we just did to the large pulse!



Meanwhile...

in a period of up to 10 seconds the following is already happening before your tweaks. This is MWO current according to Smurfy and calculations for shots fired in 10 seconds with beam time + cooldown time + beamtime of final shot.

Small laser = 9 damage. (3 damage spread in 0.75 seconds per shot. 2 heat.)

Small pulse laser = 13.6 damage. (2.4 heat.)

Medium laser = 15 damage. (4 heat per shot. 1 second beam.)

Medium pulse laser = 18 damage. (4.6 heat per shot. 0.6 second beam.)

Large laser = 27 damage. (1 second beam, 7 heat per shot.)

Large pulse laser = 31.8 damage. (0.6 second beam. 8 heat per shot.)



Your proposed changes would do..

Small laser = 9 damage. (3 damage spread in 0.75 seconds per shot. 2 heat.)

Small pulse laser = 14 damage (no RoF change). 17.5 damage (RoF change at 10 seconds + 0.5) 2.1 heat. (was 13.6 and 2.4 heat).

Medium laser = 15 damage. (4 heat per shot. 1 second beam.)

Medium pulse laser = 18.9 damage and 4.4 heat. (Was 4.6 heat per shot. 18 damage. 0.6 second beam.)

Large laser = 27 damage. (1 second beam, 7 heat per shot.)

Large pulse laser = 31.2 damage. 7.4 heat. (Was 31.8 damage. 0.6 second beam. 8 heat per shot.)



So... Looking at this, Li wants to throw the MPL and the SPL waaaaaaay out of whack into major superiority here, nerf the LPL... and meanwhile I think the regular lasers look even crappier because of it... I realize you don't see pulse lasers on your mechlab used much, but that's because anyone using lasers already has a bad impression of them.. and a heavier laser and hotter laser doesn't look very appealing to those who don't know how insanely powerful they are in comparison.



But all of them pale in comparison to the damage that ACs do, front loaded and instant, for so much less heat. The AC/5 does 30 in 10 seconds, the AC/2 does 32, the AC/10 does 50 and the AC/20 does 60.

The PPC and ER PPC (Inner Sphere mind you)? 30. The Gauss Rifle? 30. (45 if you extend it somewhat past the 10 second range).



Hmmm.. I think without a single change to the lasers, that I know what might cause all lasers including pulses to become more popular. I believe it involves doing something to the autocannons.

...yes... Maybe there is nothing wrong with the lasers at all. Or, for that matter, the PPCs..

Perhaps it is the autocannons...

