DUST Search - [Request]: Swarm Launchers, a different perspective

Khazra Khali'un wrote:

Right now the primary purpose of swarm launchers seems to be taking out vehicles, defensive structures, and so forth. Many people don't like the effectiveness of swarm launchers as anti infantry, though I think that's partly thanks to the current mechanics of the SL. Right now, you can fire without locking. While I think this should stay to some degree, I feel that it could be changed for the better. To begin with, reducing the splash on these things is a step in the right direction, just in general. As for firing without a lock, I think the missiles should spread out more sporadically at first, in a wider radius, slowly converging upon your "target" as they go further and further.

The change I want to see, is being able to lock onto enemy soldiers, from heavies to scouts. Give each dropsuit a sig radius (even if it's a hidden number) that would determine the lock speed required. When being locked, you will be given an audible and perhaps visual warning that you are being locked. In order to break the lock, you need to break LoS with the person locking onto you, or use some kind of ECM device.

This change would allow SL users to still support and combat infantry, without being as twitch kill as it is right now. It allows for you to tactically choose who you want to target, trying to force a heavy to move back to break your lock, or to take out an over eager scout who decides to run out in the open. You can try to predict if they'll be close to their allies when you fire, allowing you to capitalize on concentrated splash damage. You would also be able to cancel your lock at any point before firing. This would also give you a reason to give us a scope or at least iron sights on these bad boys, since painting a tiny moving target would be quite difficult without one.

Speaking of that, I should probably mention, to target someone you would have to keep your targeting rectacle partly or completely over them until you achieve a lock, at which point you will stay locked so long as you maintain LoS

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[Veteran_Khazra Khali'un] 0	Posted - 2012.06.06 17:42:00 - [1] - Quote Right now the primary purpose of swarm launchers seems to be taking out vehicles, defensive structures, and so forth. Many people don't like the effectiveness of swarm launchers as anti infantry, though I think that's partly thanks to the current mechanics of the SL. Right now, you can fire without locking. While I think this should stay to some degree, I feel that it could be changed for the better. To begin with, reducing the splash on these things is a step in the right direction, just in general. As for firing without a lock, I think the missiles should spread out more sporadically at first, in a wider radius, slowly converging upon your "target" as they go further and further. The change I want to see, is being able to lock onto enemy soldiers, from heavies to scouts. Give each dropsuit a sig radius (even if it's a hidden number) that would determine the lock speed required. When being locked, you will be given an audible and perhaps visual warning that you are being locked. In order to break the lock, you need to break LoS with the person locking onto you, or use some kind of ECM device. This change would allow SL users to still support and combat infantry, without being as twitch kill as it is right now. It allows for you to tactically choose who you want to target, trying to force a heavy to move back to break your lock, or to take out an over eager scout who decides to run out in the open. You can try to predict if they'll be close to their allies when you fire, allowing you to capitalize on concentrated splash damage. You would also be able to cancel your lock at any point before firing. This would also give you a reason to give us a scope or at least iron sights on these bad boys, since painting a tiny moving target would be quite difficult without one. Speaking of that, I should probably mention, to target someone you would have to keep your targeting rectacle partly or completely over them until you achieve a lock, at which point you will stay locked so long as you maintain LoS
[Veteran_TheAmazing FlyingPig] 0	Posted - 2012.06.06 19:03:00 - [2] - Quote Khazra Khali'un wrote: Right now the primary purpose of swarm launchers seems to be taking out vehicles, defensive structures, and so forth. Many people don't like the effectiveness of swarm launchers as anti infantry, though I think that's partly thanks to the current mechanics of the SL. Right now, you can fire without locking. While I think this should stay to some degree, I feel that it could be changed for the better. To begin with, reducing the splash on these things is a step in the right direction, just in general. As for firing without a lock, I think the missiles should spread out more sporadically at first, in a wider radius, slowly converging upon your "target" as they go further and further. The change I want to see, is being able to lock onto enemy soldiers, from heavies to scouts. Give each dropsuit a sig radius (even if it's a hidden number) that would determine the lock speed required. When being locked, you will be given an audible and perhaps visual warning that you are being locked. In order to break the lock, you need to break LoS with the person locking onto you, or use some kind of ECM device. This change would allow SL users to still support and combat infantry, without being as twitch kill as it is right now. It allows for you to tactically choose who you want to target, trying to force a heavy to move back to break your lock, or to take out an over eager scout who decides to run out in the open. You can try to predict if they'll be close to their allies when you fire, allowing you to capitalize on concentrated splash damage. You would also be able to cancel your lock at any point before firing. This would also give you a reason to give us a scope or at least iron sights on these bad boys, since painting a tiny moving target would be quite difficult without one. Speaking of that, I should probably mention, to target someone you would have to keep your targeting rectacle partly or completely over them until you achieve a lock, at which point you will stay locked so long as you maintain LoS The support they provide to infantry is taking out enemy vehicles. If you want anti-infantry long-range support, a Scout suit would probably benefit you more. This would make the SW too versatile. Its intended role is for anti-vehicular mayhem. While it does a good job at that, it does an even better job of anti-infantry close up. The last thing we need is to improve on its anti-infantry capabilities by giving it a scope.
[Veteran_Khazra Khali'un] 0	Posted - 2012.06.06 19:16:00 - [3] - Quote I was thinking that if the lock times are long enough, they'll only be able to take out one enemy every now and again, unless the enemy is just being stupid. I completely agree that SL's should be anti vehicle primarily, but sometimes you wipe out the vehicle presence and you're no where near a supply depot, so you have to make the best of your SL. This change would discourage firing up close because the missiles would be really sporadic and with low splash will only do damage in suicide range, or with shear luck. I think this could open up an interesting dynamic for the swarm launcher, allowing it to better evolve with the changing battlefield.
[Veteran_Asno Masamang] 0	Posted - 2012.06.06 19:26:00 - [4] - Quote Greetings, Khazra Khali'un wrote: The change I want to see, is being able to lock onto enemy soldiers, from heavies to scouts. No. The SL is an anti-material weapon, not anti-infantry... And any change to make it more capable of being an anti-infantry weapon either has to weaken the SL for it's primary purpose or make it far too overpowered as a noob-tube. Quote: Many people don't like the effectiveness of swarm launchers as anti infantry, though I think that's partly thanks to the current mechanics of the SL. Right now, you can fire without locking. While I think this should stay to some degree, I feel that it could be changed for the better. No, the reason people don't like it currently is that it is too easily abused in it's current state. Friendly fire is off at present, so it makes a great weapon to use in CQC and there is only an explosive version. Once these two issues are resolved, the SL will be more easily balanced against existing light weaponry. Quote: As for firing without a lock, I think the missiles should spread out more sporadically at first, in a wider radius, slowly converging upon your "target" as they go further and further. No, the current spread is too great already. Quote: give us a scope or at least iron sights on these bad boys Not needed as it already exists, it just requires a bit more patience / creativity to use it properly. See Swarm Launchers -- Some observations for other suggestions.
[Veteran_Khazra Khali'un] 0	Posted - 2012.06.06 19:49:00 - [5] - Quote Quote: No. The SL is an anti-material weapon, not anti-infantry... And any change to make it more capable of being an anti-infantry weapon either has to weaken the SL for it's primary purpose or make it far too overpowered as a noob-tube. I have mixed feelings on this, as I feel that with long lock on times, medium range, and being countered by ECM devices, I think this wouldn't become a primary form of attack, merely offering you an extra option should the circumstance arise. With long enough lock time you wouldn't be able to solo someone at range unless they were bad, as they could either gun you down or find cover to break the lock. If some fool decides to make a beline across open ground and you happen to be in range, target him and take him down instead of sitting there with your SL scratching your head at him. Also keep in mind that drop suits are basically little space ships, so why it wouldn't be able to target one is somewhat beyond me (aside from simple game mechanics) Quote: No, the reason people don't like it currently is that it is too easily abused in it's current state. Friendly fire is off at present, so it makes a great weapon to use in CQC and there is only an explosive version. Once these two issues are resolved, the SL will be more easily balanced against existing light weaponry. I'll give you that, though that's kind of what I was pointing at when I mentioned current SL mechanics, probably should have been more specific. With FF on and no locking system, SL users will be forced to hit the supply depot the moment all enemy armor has been removed, which i suppose is ok, but seems kind of weak to me Quote: No, the current spread is too great already. I haven't tested this too much, aside from eating close range missiles, so you may very well be right Quote: Not needed as it already exists, it just requires a bit more patience / creativity to use it properly. I didn't know that, though I suggested the scope in tandem with the targeting system, to help you actually track a moving target while you wait to achieve a lock
[Veteran_Asno Masamang] 0	Posted - 2012.06.06 21:30:00 - [6] - Quote Khazra Khali'un wrote: I didn't know that, though I suggested the scope in tandem with the targeting system, to help you actually track a moving target while you wait to achieve a lock Hehehe. As such as long as the target is within a rectangle covering roughly 30% of the screen, and it is a lock-able target, it will lock. :) Once the lock-on is completed, the target can move behind a wall and it will still be tracked / engaged. On a related note, one of the nice things about current SL lock-on / flight mechanism allows for off-bore firing... Which is ludicrously powerful when used right. ;)


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