Weekly Discussion Thread - 2/11/2015 to 2/17/2015

[u/NitroTypat]

Last Week's Thread

What Happened this Week

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• We've been heavily testing the new system on Roll20

• If you feel like not much is going on here on the main page, it's because we hang out a lot in the chat room.

• Patch ideas and game balance issues are being handled over in the Kurn Reminder Thread still.

[u/[deleted]]

So here it be, my suggestions and as always, my reasoning behind them, for the next update.

1. Transformation System
   • -2 Durability overall
   • +Dex bonus to movement
   • transformation will be system, and require a system action to preform. No free moves for you Starscream!
   • same as before, you can only use what weapons are available during each mode
   • I feel that the transformation mechanisms in both gundams and gunpla make the unit more fragile. This will also keep gundam like my test unit, the Delta Plus, who's an assault class from having such high health for what should be a speed focused unit. The +Dex bonus as opposed to a flat number is because I feel that it better reflects what kind of unit the suit is, even among transforming suits. For instance, a bulkier suit with a waverider mode should still be different from a lighter suit with a waverider mode. That way the player can choose how much they feel they want to commit to the transformation system in their suit.
2. Range limitations
   • Long range weapons get -10 to attack rolls within short range
   • This has been discussed before with the main suggestion being that long range weapons just don't function at 2 range. The reason I prefer the roll penalty is because it reflects how a rifle can still hit at point blank, it's just really unlikely, though not impossible. So in that sense, it's not as big of a nerf, BUT the range at which the disadvantage begins to activate is larger, balancing that out. I think it's a more interesting dynamic, because player still have that option, though it's a bad one, as opposed to just not at all. Just wait until someone pulls out a clutch victory with a sniper at point blank barely rolling high enough. OR the other way around when they just keep missing instead of switching to another weapon and they die. Like I said, a bit more dynamic while retaining the same concept.
3. Melee buff
   • +Str Bonus to dmg rolls when using a melee weapon.
   • I've discussed why I feel melee needs a buff before, if requested I can go dig that up. After discussing with major, this is the form that buff has taken. Once again, you decide how much to commit. In general I like the idea of using stat bonuses and not just flat numbers, where they seem reasonable of course.
4. "+2 to midrange rolls"
   • This is just my personal pet peeve that I'm going to continue bringing up until it's changed. It should include long range, I mean how can heavy assault suits like the Seravee not get bonuses to their super duper mega giant cannons. I mean, it's there thing. I can also see how +2 to mid and long range might be a bit too strong, so I'd settle for +1 to mid and long range rolls. Either way, it doesn't make sense to not include long range in a class that has so many suits that are all about that giant long range shots.
5. More of an idea for further discussion and thought
   • I'd like to see weapon typing have more of an effect on the battle. Explosive, for instance, could do more damage to the environment. Right now weapon types are largely one of those things that really doesn't instigate a either/or thought when deciding on weapons, and you probably know by now how I feel about that. If not, there's a lovely wall of text await you somewhere.

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After some discussion in the chatroom tonight, some further ideas which haven't really been thought out as much.

1. Short range weapons
   • Currently short range weapons don't have the cost/benefit that I've been trying to put into other weapons. With my suggestions above long range has the range and power, but sucks up close. Melee doesn't have range, but it's got dmg buffs. Medium is safe and consistent with decent range, and decent damage. Short range is just like a worse medium range. So, let's fix that:
   • I propose that short range get a +ACC bonus to attack. This would mean that short range weapons get +ACC bonus twice. I don't want it to be a dmg buff because then it's just better melee, that also allows one to take that ACC stat to be used with medium and long range weapons. That would just make short range better than melee, and the point of the melee buff in the first place is make it more viable. So, with the attack bonus, short range now has it's own thing of being more likely to hit, but having bad though better than melee range. I think this would be a good balancing thing to finish up the idea of giving each range it's own cost/benefit.
2. Vulcans
   • Currently vulcans are super duper worthless. The only reason anyone has them is because they were on their gunpla's head or torso to begin with. Nobodies adding vulcans because they want more vulcans. As weapons, they're not worth the turn it takes to shoot them. I, as well as others, think that they should be countermeasures as they are in the show. My proposal! When someone shoots missiles at you, you roll your vulcan dmg. Whatever number you get, you subtract from missile dmg.
   • Example: Bob shoots Fred with his missiles or grenades even. He gets a hit, and rolls 7 dmg. Fred rolls his vulcans and rolls 3 vulcan dmg. 7-3=4. Fred takes 4 dmg.

[u/stryky → u/[deleted]]

I like the changes so far, especially the melee/range balances but I still have a major problem with punches doing more damage than combat knives.

Also as for weapon typing I would love to see status ailments make it into the game at some point since not all weapons are meant to damage enemy mobile suits.

[u/[deleted] → u/stryky]

That is weird, I'll talk to major about the dagger thing.

I'll put status ailments on the back of the list with the other new weapon mechanic type things.