I don't hate the Heavies. Or the HMG.

Well, actually, I hate everyone on the planet equally so technically I guess that means I hate no-one (we're all snowflakes!)

Good to see some intelligent debate and solid points in this thread, so thanks for that! Just wanted to jump in an explain the thinking behind some of the recent changes.

- The SS skill had to go. It should never have been there in the first place as it pushed all weapons well beyond their intended ranges and with more racial variants coming into the game (rail rifle, combat rifle etc.) it was more important than ever to have cleaner range profiles for all weaponry.
- The Sentinel was designed primarily as a point defense role. His speed and slow turn rate make him unsuitable for frontline combat. His presence should make anyone think twice before approaching a position. I'm not sure but it seems to me that a lot of the complaints about the ineffectiveness of the HMG stem from the fact that people want to use it to lead the charge into enemy territory. The HMG is not well suited for use in open areas but it comes into its own when used in outposts where targets are confined to narrow spaces. And at close range, the HMG is still very effective, I believe.

The HMG's optimal range is up to 30m and max. effective range caps out at 50m. (This is currently a hard cap - all weapons stop doing any damage beyond their max range - but we're going to be fixing this soon. Like soon soon, not SOON(tm).) What it needs is not a damage buff (it kills just fine) but a gentler damage falloff curve so that it can be used as an effective suppression weapon in the 50-70m range. As an attacker, right now it's too easy to shrug off the hits and close the gap between yourself and the person wielding the HMG so that's something I'd like to address as soon as possible.

Other smaller tweaks like lessening kick (which gets pretty excessive as the weapon nears its heat threshold) and a modest improvement in how quickly the weapon reaches optimal dispersion should make it feel much better.

Anyway, thanks for the ten-page thread, guys. I look forward to the next ten pages!

We didn't touch the movement and tracking speed on the Sentinel suit.

you can't fire while strafe sprinting...

Jesus christ guys, the optimal range was only decreased 4m. People are just unused to playing without SS causing massive qqing.

Do you realize that in reality anything with a slow turning rate their main weakness is close range? You basically designed a class that has the main advantage of close range dmg and the main weakness of close range because it can't turn. But at the same time they can't hit anything at range. You can kill proto heavy's with miltia scouts and assaults now. They are beyond broken. Not a little bit broken, needs tweeks broken, completly utterly don't use this class, don't waste you sp broken.
They where already lossing to proto assaults pre patch. If you undo the dmg nerf, and undo the range nerf, you would still have to give them a turning rate buff, then MAYBE they would be a usuable class in corp matches at proto level when playing with good fps players.

Buffs are a beautiful thing, man.

Arms race > Nerf race

There's more going on than just a damage increase across the board. -Dispersion is being addressed, Range is being addressed, and the HMG is getting more of a damage increase than others.

One thing is for sure.


People gonna be dying a hell of a lot faster now.

^^serious? i give the **** up. i need to respec into ARs so i can insta win like everyone else. looks we have another call of derp. you happy thats another heavy down.

you think i dnt know how to play heavy? i have 5 million SP put into heavies and heavy gear. i use everything from the standard to the proto gear. i use cover, i use tactics, i work with my squad. but in all the areas my heavy is supposed to excel here comes a logi or assault that can do it better. im asking for buffs to balance the suit.

i dnt litter my links everywhere i put them places people who are interested in heavies might like it. which to a large extent they enjoy as is evidence by the large number of likes, and views ive amassed.

i presented my case. i showed the math. i was very detailed. and just about everyone who actually plays heavy agrees with what im talking about. still if you want ARs and Snipers to rule the day, be my guest. when all you see are ARs and snipers dnt complain about the game not having any diversity or being unbalanced... oh wait didnt this already happen? oh yeah that was the TAR that everyone speced into.

the AR is supposed to be the most versitile weapon but not just plain OP. but since you like being able to do everyone's job with the AR so be it.

How to fix heavies:
Little more range on HMG, 5+ even would up my KDR which has been steadily rising as of late past 4 (Pathetic I know)
Increase turn speed for "Doom" mode for HMG.
Increase turn speed for normal aiming for HMG.
Racial place holders - even just the basic frame. Amaar - I love you - but you blow.

Anything more and we'll be called OP again.

I'm not exactly sure how some of you heavies are dropping so quickly. The only way it's possible is if majority of shots land on you - which means you weren't using cover, your map, or your team.

Our survive ability would go up if we didn't need to get in close to kill. It's pretty ******** that we move so slow with this much HP trying to get into optimal. It's a very boring process and often a waiting game for the good heavies who know better then to rush.

I just... want some range... :(

Forget the fact i cant turn around, forget the fact that scouts can regularly mario over me and run away. Part of the game is that im a slow heavy, and cant turn or go into open areas, because guys with side arms out range me.Get in side of 20 to 15 m, your dead plain and simple.

What Sota says above hits it on the head. You give me that and hell, give every one free tac duvolles with all the firing speed you want, let em have grenade rounds comming out of them (and yes ccp you realy did screw up the ammar heavy it blows). But i still am doing better as a heavy on this build than the last. Ive had 6 30+ kill matches in the last week and my kdr is rapidly climbing

very true on the team work the reason i do so well is i have anubis to back me up and i back him up like a heavy team but its hard to find a logi that will stick with us repping and tossing nanos they want to run off and get kills they think they are a heavy assult as for turning im not asking to be like a ballerena just the ability to maybe if i have hit markers from behind be able to at least turn around in a reasonable time usualy if im getting hit from behind and im shooting at things in front of me ill pray someone get the guy behind me or face the fact i just lost a suit

a CQC weapon with a slow turn speed... yea that's logical

I shouldn't have to rely on my team to KILL someone in my domain, CQC. Sorry, that makes no sense.

are you honestly saying the HMG is NOT cqc? not sure if serious

The range makes this gun a CQC and a very short medium range weapon. Balancing? You're making less sense in your argument!

balance =/= making ARs better than every other specialty weapon in their feild of operation.

the amount of energy required to magentically seal and then launch plsama rounds, plasma of course being an extremely unstable element, would requiere more energy than everything you just mentioned. and certainly the range on that projectile would be limited as the plsama would almost instantly change state. dnt BS.

when we speak of balance we balance weapons in the same category against their designated purpose.

ARs are supposed to = the jack of all trades, masters of none.
a AR is supposed to be decent at mid range and close range combat but should not excel in either. its strengths are its accuracy, rate of fire. its supposed to be balanced by medium damage, reload and dispersion. its an average weapon.

shotguns, SMG = the best CQC weapon.
high damage, but limited ammo and range

HMG = the best mid range weapon.
supposed to have, high rate of fire, high damage, large magazine capacity. it supposed to be balanced by its long reload, and higher inaccuracy.

right now the AR excels in close range due to its high damage, high rate of fire, and its out ranging everything else, inaddition to accuracy, great hipfire, and fast reolad make it good at everything. period.

the last time i checked balance =/= ARs are better at everything and are better than everything.