"What are your top balance concerns?"

[GeoGnome]

So there is the question: What would you like to see balance wise.


My biggest one is that if the lock-on changes are to be applied to the Striker, they should be applied to all of the other lock-on launchers.

[KesTro]

It was my understanding they are applied to all other lock-ons. At least that's how it seemed the first week of that patch, haven't used much lock-ons save for A2A just to piss people off. :P I would like to see harasser vs. tank balance looked into, specifically the harasser ES weapons, namely the vulcan. On top of that Zealot still needs looking into, it's not the damage it's the speed boost they get, the strafing in particular.

[GreyFrog]

Grounder, Hawk, Nemesis are still fire and forget. If you have your target in view and stop ADS to reload the striker the missiles break lock.

[KarrdeBRBU]

Striker needs some fixing (not really nerfing per se). Just reduce the range a touch and make it maintain lock instead of true lock. IE if you lose tracking and fail to reaquire it just follows last known trajectory. Let the Phoenix be the one who can nail ppl behind rocks (at the cost of losing perspective on self and one shot at a time).

Also vulcan needs serious nerfing. DPS is just too high and it massacres everything (and this comes from a harasser driver who decried the previous nerfs)

[MGP]

Originally Posted by KarrdeBRBU

Striker needs some fixing (not really nerfing per se). Just reduce the range a touch and make it maintain lock instead of true lock. IE if you lose tracking and fail to reaquire it just follows last known trajectory. Let the Phoenix be the one who can nail ppl behind rocks (at the cost of losing perspective on self and one shot at a time).

Also vulcan needs serious nerfing. DPS is just too high and it massacres everything (and this comes from a harasser driver who decried the previous nerfs)

Striker IS "maintain lock" for about a month. Are you living under a rock?

[HereticusXZ]

Population skew

[Nur]

They need to change completely the MAX spawn mechanics.

Remove running, make them slower. Rework ZOE Maxes.

Make loadout not changeable after spawn (like tanks)

Make them cost 600 resources, no resurrection from medics, spawn time starting from the moment MAX dies and not from the moment you spawn it.


The MAXES are a big issue in this game.

[typhaon]

* ZOE should be scrapped and Vanu MAX given something else entirely. Maybe the ZOE makes them invulnerable to explosive damage for a short time?

* Vulcan-H on Harassers should be definitely be nerfed. In general, I think all faction Harassers are too powerful vs. other vehicles. Even as poor old NC, I think it's cheese that I can solo spawn a Harasser, then snipe Sundys from halfway across the map with the Enforcer... and the generic E540 or whatever is just as much a nightmare.

* Enforcer C85 Modified should be made into a usable ES-secondary.

* Gun balance is getting there, but I think a decent amount of work still needs to be done. It isn't hard to make a list of weapons that seem to be over-performing and under-performing. I think this stems from just not quite having the right feel for proper value of certain stats.

[Mordelicius]

Overpowered:

Harassers Backseat repair and Armor should be a sidegrade to each and cannot exist together. And there should be a significan Armor reduction (it's a BUGGY not a tank). Currently it's a tank with a Buggy skin and movement.

Harasser advantages (it has no weakness)
- Speed
- Ability to change direction on the fly (making it hard to lead weapon counters against it)
- High Ambush rating (picks vulnerable targets) And who can escape a Harasser when ambushed?
- High Escape rating (avoids ambush easily). There not enough DPS that counter it if is bent on hitting-and-running.
- Rarely flips.
- Avoids AV Mine damage (due to its sheer speed)
- Easily run over players (and not take damage from it)
- Has the DPS of a tank
- Has the Armor of atank
- Two passengers
- Repair Seat
- Can fire from a top of a mountain and not get hit (fiing arc should be changed)

Vulcan (Harasser) - Strong against vehicles, infantry and aircraft. It melts tanks short range and still deliver damage at range. It's basically Basilisk on steroid.

fix: significantly reduce damage against vehicles

Marauder (Harasser) - It's basically an anti-infantry C4 projective.

fix: significantly reduce splash range and damage. Reduce ammo.

Zoe Max - What is a ZOE Max? Zoe Max has the damage mitigation of an NC Max with the Damage buff of a TR Max. And what's the downside? Nothing. The lowered armor is mitigated by damage avoidance due to its ridiculous speed.

I'm just going to copy paste my last post on the ZOE (along with suggested fixes):

Originally Posted by Mordelicius

Yes, the ZOE doesn't really have a downside. Their so-called "downside" can be mitigated by two things:

- stupidly fast movement
- engineer repair

Compared to an NC Max which has a front shield. Let's say for sake of argument, damage mitigation is 50% (with back and side exposed).

A ZOE Max has 100% of the body exposed by due to the strafe speed. Let's again say for argument's sake, it has a similar 50% damage mitigation avoiding shots.

Now you know where this is heading. A Vanu Max can shoot (with high DPS buff), run fast and flank with impunity. While an NC Max has literally 0 DPS. Zero. Zero! So, practically the same survivability/damage mitigation but this thing can shoot at ALL RANGE WITH EASE,
making them ridiculously OP especially (but not limited to) long range, high ground or when they are bunched together. All they have to do is point at any door/cover and blast away. The infantry target won't have any dps counter whatsoever. Rocket launcher? Yeah try to hit a ZOE Max with a rocket at long range. They are already hard to hit at medium to short range as it is due to speed and unpredictable movement.

ZOE Max possible fixes:

1 - I'm also for removing the speed buff altogether and I've posted that many months ago. I addition, remove the extra damage it takes. Make it basically the same as a TR Max with no extra attack rate buff, but the same damage buff.

2 - Another alternative solution would be cooldown/energy use. It's far too spammable. In addition there should be a slight activation/deactivation time (I suggest 2 seconds) so it can't be just toggled on and off.

3 - Another different solution would be a no-repair state when ZOE is active and 5 seconds after it is turned off.

Vanu Infantry Weapons - Especially the SVA88. Vanu weapons are way too hipfire friendly.

Our NC weapons, we have to ADS but we can't move (making us easy targets). If we hipfire, it's inaccurate as hell. Reduce the movement bonuses to Vanu weapons. Their accuracy/no drop/no recoil is enough. All NC has is extra damage on a 2-3 weapons. I've used Gauss Saw and ACX11 for too long to know this

Read Maradine's original Oracle of Death thread to see which weapons are way overboard (mostly Vanu infantry).

AV Mana Turret - The range has to go. It has too much damage at long range. If the range cannot be changed, then the damage curve at long range should skydive.

These guys go to the highest of cliffs. Expose nothing but the nose and spam away. In addition, there should be a deploy timer to these. No resources required but for balancing purpose, it can't just be spam deployed.
If it's destroyed, one can't simply plop down a new one so fast.


Underpowered:

NC Max need a Rail Gun (Mid-long fire infantry supression fire) - I never use myself NC Maxes, but it is painfully obvious, us NC lack mid-long range infantry fire suppression.

Both the TR and VS Max can spam mid-long range attacks to prevent the opposition from moving. The NC Max have to be next to the door, making it very vulnerable to Grenades/C4/Mines/Rocket Launcher or if it's outside the Biolab, Tanks/ESF/Libs.

If you line up 5 rocks versus 5 rocks and put NC and VS/TR behind those rocks, guess who can get to the opposite rocks first? The NC won't get far. We won't be even to peek out of the rocks because we'll be spammed. The NC Max can't do that.

All VS/TR Max have to do is sit on top stairs, or the end of a corridor and stack damage. No infantry or even NC Max will survive. With an engineer repairer beside these Maxes, (in an infantry fight), there are very few cases where they can be taken down. In an organized/controlled enviroment, it's even harder because all angles are normally covered in those situations.

[MGP]

Originally Posted by Mordelicius

NC Max need a Rail Gun (Mid-long fire infantry supression fire)

So you want to keep your CQB godmode, while also getting good long-med range option? Don't you think you're asking for too much?
If you want NC to have a long range pistols (yes, pistols. DPS of single arm of TR AI MAX is the same as a pistol), you have to give TR/VS some OMGWTFBBQ instagib close range option.

Edit: also it has been mentioned by Higby what it's the TR MAXes who are "underperforming" and going to be buffed, not NC ones.

[DredVS]

Lock-ons need to be what they suggested months ago on the Roadmap:

• Variable lock-on time in relation to distance (benefits high flyers)
• Having to keep a target locked on the entire time (no more fire-and-forget)
• Rocket speed increased (combats hovering)
• Rocket lifespan decreased (benefits high flyers)

I'd say it's more of a rework than a straight-up nerf.

This makes lock-ons a less abusive weapon for zone control, and more of a tool used to target hoverers. If you can do evasive maneuvers, you can enter areas spammed with lock-ons and still get out alive.

If you are going to lolpod hover or zephyr hover, you are going to have a very bad time.

[torokf]

-> Remove ZOE Speed boost
-> New drop pod mechanics as hinted by Malorn Months ago

Mentioned this last week but we have some drop pod changes coming too. They won't be as steerable and defenders and for instant action attacker pods will come down in different parts of a facility. Defenders will come down in the interior and the attackers will come down around the outside for better flow.

Squad deploy is a tricky one, but I'd like to have that function more like instant action and follow the above rules.

Where are these?! This should be top priority already, life expectancy of an AMS sunderer is below acceptable time, can last 1 minute against drop pod abuse, would also help Light assaults being the true rooftop rulers and not a place where you fight br<10 rocket launcher heavies lol, or some UBGL engineer farming -.-

-> Ofcourse C85 Proper tweaks and balance,
Suggestion 1: Rework to make it One round only per magazine with Very huge horizontal spread, high damage per pellet & high count of total pellets, 15-16, ends up being deadly up close to one target, instead beyond 10+ meters it only wounds multiple targets, requiring more than one round to finish them off, reload speed certifiable, starting 2.5 secs down to 2.
Suggestion 2: make a proper magazine size cert tree ffs! It's currently 5 to 6 round for 500 certs, make it default 6 up to 12 rounds per magazine, PPA and Marauder both have huge magazines, why can't we have one?
If it's not a faction trait then follow Suggestion 1;
also buff projectile speed a LOT, it's way to hard to hit targets while moving with the current values.
-> NC MAX Slugs, MAKE THEM UNLOCKED BY DEFAULT! the NC max have the Mediumrange option, but people doesn't have that many certifications to get it, Give them a Hand and you'll see half the posts about the NC MAX being UP.
Then help us know what are they and what do they do! Update the Tooltip with a clear description of how Slugs do their work, e.g. specifiy that the accuracy is hindered by movement and the value damage is the same per each scattercannon, did anyone actually know this?
Because I just found out about this after 11 months That I've been playing the MAX!
People wants a medium range option for the NC max, but the truth is that WE HAVE IT! Make it clear and help new players out by giving them the Slugs for FREE!
You know this wouldn't harm anyone.

[Sirisian]

Originally Posted by torokf

Where are these?!

They're on PTS already. 40 meter range now around the beacon. Not sure about instant action though.

I'd still prefer their removal. It's the one mechanic that completely negates walls and front lines. The 40 meter range on PTS isn't going to stop it. I usually put myself in my own platoon for instance when playing so I have my own squad beacon. I'll slam it down in a tree where it can't be killed next to the enemy sunderer then charge and place a C4. When I die I just drop down with more C4 for a free kill. Same can be done with mines. It probably sounded like a fun mechanic, but in a game with front lines it just doesn't work.

I'd rather see it replaced with a vehicle like the BF 2142 APC. Something that costs resources and has a logistical component that it must be driven to where it's used rather than anyone that falls from a esf or gal suddenly gets unlimited lives.

[ChipMHazard]

- Harassers: Seem to be too effective overall at what they do when compared to tanks. Mordelicius gave a good rundown on what could possibly be changed about them and/or buff tanks to make the gap more noticeable.

TR Harasser weapons: The Marauder-H is by far the most effective and popular of all empire specific harasser weapons and it needs to be rebalanced. The Vulcan-H isn't nearly as bad. I wouldn't want to see NC and VS weapons being buffed to TR levels, since that would just make the Harasser more effective overall. The Marauder is just an improved Fury, try to make it more unique instead of just an upgrade.

- ZOE: Makes the VS MAX better at everything that makes a MAX effective. Not going to go into detail as rebalancing has already been discussed in many other threads. Basicly it's an ability that isn't overpowered by itself but becomes far too effective in the hands of a good player. It gives them the ability to instantly become far more effective where it counts.

NC/VS LMGs: Either give every faction an 0.75 ADS LMG or make sure that no faction gets one. Besides that the NC lack the option for a decent CQB LMG, when compared to the VS and TR, mainly because of the ADS modifier.

AV turret: The range needs to be reduced as it's too difficult for tanks to actually do anything about them at (Or close to) maximum range.

NC MAX: Is still and will apparently continue to be too effective in CQB. Needs to be rebalanced towards all ranges and no longer be able to instagib at any range. Other threads have dealt with how this can possibly be accomplished. (Different chokes or replace with HMG like weapon). Basicly more versatile.

No reason for me to bring up MAX AV weapons as they are already going to get rebalanced.

[Dodgy Commando]

Originally Posted by MGP

So you want to keep your CQB godmode, while also getting good long-med range option? Don't you think you're asking for too much?
If you want NC to have a long range pistols (yes, pistols. DPS of single arm of TR AI MAX is the same as a pistol), you have to give TR/VS some OMGWTFBBQ instagib close range option.

Edit: also it has been mentioned by Higby what it's the TR MAXes who are "underperforming" and going to be buffed, not NC ones.

I would gladly give up this 'godmode' you talk about. I never use my NC MAX outside of AA and long-range AV duties. It simply is not fun or useful. I'm sure many enjoy the CQB aspects, but I don't think its worth the cost of the versatility that the other faction MAXes enjoy. If changing this could also appease those who don't like being on the receiving end of the Scatmax too, then everyone's a winner IMO.

I think MAXes in general need looking into, personally. My main issues are ZOE; Fractures vs infantry; and the ineffectiveness beyond short range of the NC MAX (especially the latter).

Also the Vulcan, although I do not face it very often (quit vehicular combat for some time now), seems pretty damn good but I have no valuable input on how to change it. Nor do I want to jump on a nerf train. Maybe leaving it as is and looking into the C85 Modified could be a better idea. I like these specialised roles, but it appears they are either utterly useless or OP (Airhammer).

Finally, although more akin to wishful thinking, crewed MBTs. I have willingly stopped using my Vanguard because of this, despite having spent certs and SC for cosmetics. This is in favour of the Lightning however (when I occasionally do hop into a vehicle).

-e-
Engie AV Turret!!! I confess I've unlocked it, and feel bad for using it in such a cheesy way as has been mentioned. You're too vulnerable to use it in a more conventional manner, and on the other hand you're practically invulnerable using it in the 'cheeky' way. Personally, I can't blame people for using it like this currently.

The design is pretty bad too, tbh. I know I'm no artist, but it looks clunky when compared to the MG Turret. I would look into making it bigger than the MG variant but sleeker than the current iteration, while adding a shield too. You're fighting armour with it, but they can shoot you back with nasty consequences. You are also more likely to use it in open terrain and are therefore more vulnerable to sniper fire. Maybe a headshot shield that goes down after one sniper rifle shot, but regenerates after a set amount of time.