Rattati: For the true problem (and solution) to the ADS/Swarm debate, continue reading:

The issue with swarms against ADS, at the moment is, swarms are a temporary area denial weapon, rather than a weapon that can really kill an ADS.

Many are recommending buffing the damage or speed of swarms (sometimes with an accompanying nerf in swarm agility).

These will not solve the greater problem between swarms and ADS however. The problem isn't that swarms don't do enough damage, or fly fast enough. The problem with swarms is that they don't get kills. The ADS ALWAYS fly away.

Why does an ADS ALWAYS afterburn away? Here we can find the solution to the problem: Because they have NO OTHER OPTION.

So how do we fix this? Let's take a look at the tank (HAV), to understand. Why don't tanks run at the first sign of trouble? (Oh sure, some might immediately turn on their OD, and get out of there at the first sign of trouble, but for a vast majority, it's not the same feeling as an ADS who is getting swarmed).

The answer is simple: they think they can stay, fight and win. If they are right, they get their kill, the swarmer is dead, and the tank continues on, happy on his merry way. If they are overconfident in their abilities, their tank dies, and the swarmer is happy.

So why doesn't a similar situation exist in the ADS/Swarm launcher. Two reasons: Knockback and lack of EHP (yes, you read that right, TOO MUCH swarm damage is causing swarms to NOT get kills). Follow me on this.

If an ADS pilot knows the swarmer can kill him in 3 hits (before having to reload) and he DOESN'T THINK he has a decent chance to kill the swarmer before he gets his 3rd shot off, his ONLY OPTION is to RUN. Swarm knockback further complicates issues as the ADS pilot now can't even shoot/fly straight.

Requiring 4 hits (3 + reload time + 1) to kill a decently-tanked ADS, and reducing or removing knockback, will get many ADS pilots to stay, fight, and maybe lose their dropship, similar to the tank vs swarmer aspect we have now.

Yes, it sounds ludicrous. Yes, there will be a backlash from people not understanding the issue, and not understanding why ADS pilots run. But most importantly, yes, it will work. Test it out, and you will see.

-Durrr

Point one: Most forge gunners don't kill via splash. 90% of forge kills are body shots. Removing splash from the standard forges just makes things easier from a balance standpoint.

Point two: Forge gun IS the best AV weapon, hands down.

Point three: You cannot introduce marauders and enforcers (proto tanks) without reverting all of the AV nerfs since chromosome, PERIOD and reverting vehicles back to chromosome stats.

We've already tried less threatening swarms. How would this be any different?

I really loved the tiered WP rewards idea for injectors and badly wanted it to deploy with Charlie but a design roadblock prevents it from being something that can be hotfixed. Like me, you clearly recognize the complimentary nature of these two proposals; they would have been absolutely beautiful together. Unfortunately, the injector buff will have to act as a consolation rather than a compliment to tiered WP.

Dear players

we are ready to share our narrative for Hotfix Delta. As usual, some, all or none of these changes may end up being deployed when the Hotfix is ready. I also want to share that we are very happy with the new CPM and that we are starting to gel as a team that wants only the best for DUST 514. Lots of positive interaction and discussions in the last few weeks.

These are the high level gameplay features we want to look at for Delta.

Weapons
Sidearms - rebalance in a similar way as rifles were, ranges, requirements and damage, mainly through buffing and tuning existing weapon behaviour (reducing ion seize, ROF on scrambler, flaylock power and blast radius, to name a few ideas)

Add all Miltia Sidearms and Miltia HMG to Market

Snipers - We simply cannot have snipers so far away in the redzone they cannot be touched, while also being immune to countersniping. However, we also want to improve the Improved headshot damage, decreased range, improved damage. We have been studying Domination maps, and some of the farthest redline sniper spots that can camp the Objective to get a good gauge of the situation. There cannot be a risk free way of playing the game, for each role there must be a counter.

Plasma Cannon - increased projectile speed

Swarms - efficiency against assault dropships needs to be improved fairly, there are a few ways (increased speed, nerf afterburners, increased lock on timers, probably not lock on range nor damage). We will buff normal dropship ehp to make up for their shortcomings.

Rifles - tweaks to Scrambler, Assault Scrambler and Assault Rifles (plasma)

Assault HMG buffed, burst HMG needs a slight tune down

Dropsuits
Minmatar dropsuits - small ehp buff across the board

Standard and Breach Forgegun and Railgun Turret splash radius reduced or removed. Blast stays on Assault Forge Guns. Holding a charge with a splash makes sniping in many cases redundant, and the Forge is primarily AV.

Turrets
Small Rail ROF reduced

Large Blaster splash reduced

Small Blaster splash increased, maybe range increase

Vehicles
HAV inertia increased so switching from forward to backward movement is more realistic, and reduce fuel injector boost to speed.

Shield based HAV and DS buffed ehp, Gunnlogi and Myron

Other
Damage profiles - Projectiles (Combat Rifles, etc) to -15%, 15%, or -20/+20 from -5%, +10%, plus fixing turret damage profiles to match intended design

NPE - all Frontline starter suits will have racial pistols, snipers smg's, and others magsecs, academy length increased, all new players injected with dropsuit upgrades skills (shield armor and core). Granting these skills coupled with militia sidearms and hmg allows us to reduce starting ISK to 25K

Shield Modules - 15% or so CPU reduction of Energizers, Regulators and Rechargers

Nanite Injectors - heal same amount of shields as armor, yes quite a buff

Nova Knife optimization skill added

Add new Officer Light Weapons as well as key missing FW items to the LP Store


Most of these issues have been mentioned and discussed on the forums, discovered through data or raised by the CPM.

Let's have a courteous and constructive dialogue and detailed threads will be hitting shortly.

That is going to be outdated pretty soon here. I wouldn't recommend it for future use.

200m is too short for a sniper rifle. WAAAAAY too short.

PLC already one hit everything.

You must have some special PLC as I see DSes survive up to TWO allotek PLC shots (in a gallente commando suit with damage mods) and that is when the damage registers (which is doesn't half of the time, hell even infantry are surviving shot nowadays).

I'm sure they'll update the image come Hotfix Delta.

If they don't, I will personally make a new one. Hold me to this Atiim!

Add new Officer Light Weapons as well as key missing FW items to the LP Store

If they don't, I will personally make a new one. Hold me to this Atiim!

Wait what? You're giving THEM their officer weapons and NOT HEAVIES?

Add new Officer Light Weapons as well as key missing FW items to the LP Store

Hmm, Officer Weapons in the LP stores? That is one way of increasing interest in FW I guess...

I just think he means adding those lovely new officer weapons to the game / loot drop tables, seperate from FW items in the FW store.

I would be very surprised if we could buy officer gear.

Looks like the tryhards figured out what goons did two years ago:

It has always been more efficient to have the assaults carrying the needles and the logi the rep/resupply gear.

It just took a significant buff to a nominally useful tool to figure it out. Sounds like it's working as intended.

I swear to ******* god, make my ads weaker, ccp and i will make alts and murder battle academy players for 30 days straight.

For sidearm rebalance, make sure the standard BPO scrambler pistols are the same PG/CPU as standard non-BPO sidearms. We've been asking for this since the scrambler pistol BPO first came out. Which is before beta ended.

Good God, NO! I don't ever want to see that. Do you have any idea how powerful those officer weapons are?