I used one shortly before the wipe and the non overheating factor really needed to be looked into. I could burn through almost a whole mag and not really worry about it. I'm glad to hear that aspect will get some tweaking. If you are aware of your surroundings and don't try to run through an open field without fire suppression, lasers were definitely not OP, but did need some minor adjustments.

Yep, the only problem is the heat. Once you get to the ELM-7 it's impossible to overheat it. Trust me- I've tried.

I get the feeling that your suggestions are making them less distinct. They would no longer be so poor at close range, nor so good at long range. It feels more like an AR than something different.

I do have a question as to the laser damage mechanics that touches on balance issues, and that is "time on target".

It's natural for the gun to do more damage the longer it concentrates on a target, but it seems like the "time" part is disconnected from the "target" part in the game. A user can fire into the ground for a "time", then sweep the beam to the "target" and watch it instantly drop. That effect is what I hear in most complaints and I'm wondering if that was really intended?

I've heard you can overheat some of them enough to burn your own shields, but I never got the chance.

Judging by last update and the changes made it would seem that CCP and much of the gamming community is happy about most weapon's capabiltys. The mass driver use to be poop and the AR was OP but now they are fixed, and the hmg got minor tweaks while the scrambler pistol's range was fixed to be a pistol. In my observation these 3 weapons are likely nearing their final stages of game relase. Hell maby they are at that point now. The laser rifile was mostly untouched or ignored in the update ( i dont remember the exact details) and in my oppion i belive it is about to be regulated as well. I see alot of people are saying people QQed so much that its getting nerfed, but it is a needed nerf to balance the weapon. I certainly dont expect it to become nerf hammered like missiles were but it should become more fair now like the AR, as the current lasers are toooo efective at its long range. I still expect it to be an overall efective but more fair weapon after it gets touched on.

Fairness:
The people "QQing" seem to mostly be people who are good at dust. It is one thing for a noob to complain about it, but when a mass of experienced players say it needs to be fixed something has to be done for the balance of the game. To sum it up, it is not fair to nerf a weapon or class because people try to fight something in its optimal enviornment (I.E. sucking at the game) but experienced players are saying its not fair as it currently is so something should be done.

Promblems with the laser:
If your at close range you simply cant defend yourself without a sidearm. No question about it, you will get killed by fists, nova knifes, SMGs, ARs, whatever. Having a weapon that is 100% useless in half of the engagements is not fair to the user. However, if your good at the game youl reduce close ranged encounters from 50% to 25% or less cuz youknow your effective at long range. With just a tap of your long range laser you droped someone down to half armor... and it was a heavy. Not fair to the rest of the players in the game because the weapon is simply too good at what it specialises in. The mid ranged damage seems reasonable on this weapon as is, imo.

My speculation:
I belive the lazer will be slightly more powerful at close range, have slightly more or less mid ranged damage and have decreased long range damage with about the same clip, faster overheat rates, and probally doing the same range. Seems like the optimal way to balance the weapon. Personal gain aside, would you agree changing the weapon as i describe would work best? Oppions! :)

They need to fix the broken damage mods before hitting anything with the nerf bat.

Just my .02 isk