New ESF Weapons discussion

Jaybonaut · 2013-08-06, 08:15 PM

Currently it seems the Locust Cannons are really, really strong especially against air. There really isn't a reason to use anything else. Thoughts?

Timealude · 2013-08-06, 08:21 PM

You could easily kill infantry with it or even tanks if you hit them in the rear. I like these though, they take a bit more skill to use then just the fire and forget rockets.

DarkBalths · 2013-08-06, 09:03 PM

So the Locust Cannons are basically an airborne Vulcan. Oh no....
And the awards are as follows!
Coolest name: NS-50 Mass Drivers
Most Newby: Coyote Missiles
Most OP shit of the century: Air-Vulca-- I mean, Locust Cannons

phungus · 2013-08-06, 09:35 PM

No way to test the dogfighting missiles without actually dogfighting.

I can say with 100% certainty though that everyone will be using the Locust Cannons. These are incredible, rediculously good. Damage seems too high, feels like it out dps's a rotary, and in effect gives me two rotary cannons.

NS Mass Drivers seem terrible, I don't think they'll be used for anything beyond the luls and possibly sniping libs/gals though with the low damage output they do I don't even think they will be good at that.

Lonehunter · 2013-08-06, 10:40 PM

Thought the Coyote Missiles only locked onto air. Their disadvantage is their range is reduced 100 meters

Rbstr · 2013-08-06, 10:58 PM

More NS weapons is pretty weak. They barely have any weapon differentiation as it is.

SolLeks · 2013-08-06, 11:01 PM

dual chainguns are LOL

Mass driver is not that bad (used it in dogfights)

Missiles are easy to dodge.

Gatekeeper · 2013-08-07, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Rbstr

More NS weapons is pretty weak. They barely have any weapon differentiation as it is.

I agree. The differences between the three factions were much more pronounced in PS1, which really helped to build a unique sense of faction identity.

That said, I'd rather they added weapons like these that are openly NS, rather than weapons like the sniper rifles and battle rifles which claim to be ES, but which are actually just cut & pasted stats with different skins applied.

Wahooo · 2013-08-07, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by Gatekeeper

I agree. The differences between the three factions were much more pronounced in PS1, which really helped to build a unique sense of faction identity.

That said, I'd rather they added weapons like these that are openly NS, rather than weapons like the sniper rifles and battle rifles which claim to be ES, but which are actually just cut & pasted stats with different skins applied.

??
I disagree. Yes the MA and HA weapons were more distinct, but we have more choices for rocket launchers including carryovers from PS1 for each faction.

The MBTs are at least as varied as they were in PS1 and although we don't have the deli variants the ESF differences are pretty good.

In general i'm all for cut and pasted stats with different skins. Hell I would have preferred that over ANY NS weapons. Some unique stats and functions and some hidden NS weapons/platforms with unique skins would be great, it is a balancing act and sure a lot harder to balance correctly the number of weapons we have if they were all to have unique traits.

snafus · 2013-08-06, 11:18 PM

Chain guns will be the choice weapon for a large portion of pilots I believe. They are simply to powerful and easy to use to ignore.

The mass driver is great but requires more user skill which will deter the majority of pilots. In organised groups I think it will be absolutely devastating as it will rape armor and stationary aircraft.

The missiles are complete garbage and should stay that way. Anything lock on based should be the most worthless item in the game.

phungus · 2013-08-07, 12:21 AM

I went to the main forums and aparently there used to be a bug where you could cert into magazine size for the Mass Driver. I didn't see that. With the single round the thing really seems garbage to me. If it's a sniper rifle it should do more damage to an ESF, 28% or so damage - three shots should set an ESF on fire (it's a long reload). Didn't really get to test these though with moving targets or anything.

Slaughtered everything that came to j908 with the locast cannons. Rediculously OP. I tried to keep the enemy ESFs alive but they got vaporized too fast

These things are INSANE. Had a guy run around and let me kill him over and over, and it was just as easy killing infantry with the locasts as it is with the banshee (they have AoE!). Also set his sundee on fire faster then I could have with rocket pods + rotary.

Coyote missiles need to be able to lock onto armor to make them a viable close range weapon that competes with rocket pods and A2Am.

I still think AB tanks should get a free ECM/flare.

LoliLoveFart · 2013-08-07, 01:33 AM

After some of my own testing I can honestly say once people get the feel for the mass driver it will absolutely dominate. My outfit mate and I spent 30 minutes running around on opposite factions dog fighting eachother with all 3 of the new weapons and it got to the point when using mass drivers if either of us saw eachother first they would win, you can get 2 shots in really easily as they try to close ground, then you just swap back and forth between your rotary and drivers until the duals over.

However if they get anywhere near you with locusts its game over, it takes something like 15 hits to kill an ESF with them and you have 100 rounds so you can miss. A lot. As for the lock ons, they are lock ons.

KesTro · 2013-08-07, 03:29 AM

Originally Posted by snafus

The missiles are complete garbage and should stay that way. Anything lock on based should be the most worthless item in the game.

Well were they what they promised; a very close range lock-on with a large payload I would like them quite a bit.

I can understand you getting touchy about something that might threaten a vehicle you've spent 20days of playtime in though.

LeilaniRock · 2013-08-07, 03:12 AM

Locust op as hell atm,mass driver seems more or less balanced,coyote missiles need their lock-on range cut in half (350 atm fully certed).

There is a really interesting and technical thread over on the PST forums regarding the balancing (sry no link,waiting at the medic...)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

PredatorFour · 2013-08-07, 07:08 AM

So is this going to be the standard 'release OP weapons' then nerf them after people buy them?

Basically right now alot of elite flyers hate the fact a beginner can take them down and thats going to be more so with these new weapons coming out.