Game Design has considered this, but weGÇÖre not getting many resources for new code/features so damage over time is not going to happen any time soon. We canGÇÖt see any way to easily improve the Plasma Cannon against vehicles (its intended role) without making it OP against infantry, Game Design will address issues with the Plasma Cannon in the future.

- Never forget

I still say it would be fine if it worked ALL the time. That said hopefully those variants found floating around the EVE server can add a bit more versatility to this weapon class.

I can't wait to play Dust today and see if the hotfix for the forge/skill bug has cleared up some of the issues with my beloved PLC.

Didn't we have a burn effect on vehicles? Couldn't they have reworked that somehow to become active upon PLC damage to a vehicle?

But I like my plasma Cannon Operation 5 and proficiency 3 :(

The burn effect works whenever a vehicle gets below an HP threshold, and doesn't stop until the vehicle gets above that threshold.

What we want is a weapon applying that effect, and it lasting an X amount of time.


I'm guessing that their code currently doesn't allow for the second one.

It seems like it is a general fix Roofer.

<[CCP]Frame>: We found a single issue related to both 80% spawning and Forge Gun misfire
<[CCP]Frame>: Was very strange one.

I submitted a bug report regarding the misfire of the plasma cannon 12.06.2013

what? you have not maxed prof to 5? GITGUD!

I will be very disappoint if that is the case. I also submitted a ticket. I really thought the skill bug was causing the PLC issues because of the charge time skill. I guess whoever complains on the forums the loudest wins and there just aren't enough people complaining about the PLC for CCP to care.

That's why I exist.

Hey, I've started more "Fix the PLC" threads then most people. And every time they fall off the front page in favor of QQ over rifles or some other FOTM thingy. My support ticket was closed by CCP as "resolved". What a laugh.....

^
lol why don't they take it out then? they obvius must know its crap, but instead of helping blues with decision they just keep the sp-sink?

Forge gun:
300m range
Very fast projectile
Projectile moves forward directly
1500 damage for assault, 2100 for breach

Plasma Cannon:
40m~ effective range (Sniping vehicles beyond that point is a matter of luck, no matter how good your aim, because the projectile is slow)
Very slow projectile
Arc
1150 damage


The overall fire rate of the PLC and Breach is very similar, because while the breach has charge up time, the PLC has to reload after each shot, and there's the long delay after shooting that adds 2~ seconds before you can even start reloading.

I'm sorry but that's just bullshit.

Hey now! The Forge gun shots have a travel speed too! It's just only noticeable at 200+ meters.

But yea the PLC has been too weak from the very beginning. Before they even released the gun, it looked weaker on paper.

I say simply increase the travel time of the shot. Then buff the damage to be on par with a normal variant FG, and either add a second shot to the clip or cut the reload speed in half. Should make it viable. The burn effect would be nice but I doubt CCP could pull it off in under 2 years.

Forge gun is the raw damage, spike AV weapon of the game and it is appropriately a heavy weapon.


I'm not against a snare effect, or a DoT effect for the PLC as that functions appropriately for duo AV.

It would also have a unique impact when sieging a point from high ground.

Another option is to give it 2100 damage and basically make it a short range breach FG.

Really the sign that this weapon was an utter disaster (a very long time ago) is when videos popped up every where of trolling infantry with the PLC for kills. We've completely moved on from using it as AV to a complete 'giggle' weapon against fellow clones.

My concern about the reload time is that you already have the ability to cut it by 1/3 (25% speed increase from reload skill, 25% speed increase on Commando, 150% = 1.5, 1/1.5 = 2/3) and because you reload each shot that's a huge boost to DPS from reload skills alone. Combined with reduced charge time and increased damage from skills and your gap between minimum and maximum on the same weapon variant is immense. Then you have weapon tiers on top of that. It makes the weapon very difficult to balance--the lowest level has to be underpowered or the highest level will be overpowered. Not that any variant is currently balanced, but I can kind of see how CCP have painted themselves into a corner with this one.

For that reason, the Plasma Cannon is always going to be a niche weapon that requires a lot of skill (both real skill and SP). It should be balanced such that fitting it on a Level 5 Commando can be devastating, but for other suits you'll really have to have a specific circumstantial need.

In my view, its biggest problem currently is its slow projectile speed. 50% increase to projectile speed (which will also flatten the arc) and reduce the after-shot delay and let's see how well it works. I suspect from there it will require other buffs, but I'm cautious because of the skill gap.

DO NOT remove the projectile drop. This is a feature, not a weakness.

But that is my role..... I don't really want to be an AV specialist. It's way more fun killing infantry with it. I would prefer a breach AV version and an assault infantry version and the current one stay as the way it is. They just need to fix the issue where damage doesn't register properly. Then the true power of this weapon can actually be known.

The reload skill for the weapon doesn't even work. I have it maxed on one character and 0 on another. No visible difference whatsoever.