[Feedback] Patch Notes - 1.3.405 - 16-JUN-2015

12 tons being fixed does bother many of us i bet. What's the point of being able to customize your mech loadout, if half of the weight is being reserved for fixed equipment? I don't understand the reason at all.

Removing frontal ST is just a temporary workaround to get some more Weight back, but when Hitboxes are fixed you have the same problem again with very limited free tonnage. If you like the Gargoyle this Mech might be something for you. If you hated it, then avoid the Executioner, unless you really want to play with MASC on an Assault.

 

Damn, I'm glad I didn't order the Wave III package and convinced my son to get the package without the Executioner. I ordered Wave II and have since sold all the Gargoyles and Ice Ferrets that I could sell. The Gargoyle is a complete waste of a mech - hit boxes like a barn door - same number of hardpoints and free tonnage as a Jenner. It was fast for an assault but you can't do anything when you get there. Last thing I need is another hugely frustrating POS like the Executioner. The Ice Ferret has the same problem with no free tonnage.

Looking at the Wave III package, maybe I'll just buy the Ebon Jaguar. I got the Warhawk from Wave I and enjoyed that and the only mech I liked from Wave II is the Hellbringer. I ended up getting some of the other Wave I mechs for C-bills and they have been pretty good. Seems like you don't get your money's worth if you buy the whole package because, while there is more content, the quality isn't good. At least in Waves II and III there only seems to be one good mech available.

 

Edit: Got my video, here's the second one with side shots:

 

Ebon Jaguar is greaaaat!
Executioner.... I wish they can allow us to remove the MASC.
Then again with all the hype whey would fix it to start with anyways even if they would intend to have it unfixed later on.
Executioner plays like a heavy. A fast heavy.

 

I'm with Durandal here. The MASC is pretty useful on maps with cover. In wide open terrain.. meh. But it's the same with laser vomit and hot maps now. If your get mordor and you're in laser vomit... well good luck. Unlike say a banshee or a dire, the Exe could activate MASC and run for cover, or back up from over extending (Atlas style overextending, from which there is no escape) really fast. So while not powerful, it has a higher chance of surviving then pretty much any another assault. And if you can fight another day, you can deal more damage.

That said, if at least 2 of the JJs (and maybe MASC) could be removed, it would help a lot!

 

While I understand what is being said, I kindly disagree. Much of the clan-balancing is based on them being a B**** to fit. Having the MASC fixed completely fits in that strategy.

 

Why on earth would you want to remove the masc as its insanely good?

Now the JJ.... thats irritating....

 

1 jj is many times better than zero jj. But one is probably enough for something like executioner.

 

I think there is a misunderstanding here. We are talking about customization freedom. Whether or not the fixed equipment is good or not. Just like JJs, ECM you can always say - you shouldn't remove it from your loadout. That's true. But that's not the point here of the complaint.

We are here talking about an equipment, which like Targeting Computers has different quality classes, which take different weights. And fixing 4 JJs each weighting 2tons plus a MASC 4 makes an Assault be underwhelming underpowered in its Weight Class. What positive reason does this have?

Imagine PGI would fix a TC MK7 (7 Tons) in your Mad Cat and you simply can't load your desired Weapon Config. Now i am this guy and tell you, WTF why fix it?
And you tell me, why would you want to remove it? A Targeting Computer is so insanely good. -> Wait a second, you know you are talking about something completely different, right?

The issue here is, that PGI predetermines what the paying Players must use in their builds instead leaving them the freedom to config their builds as they want. You can say, it's a Trick to balance the Clan Mechs against the IS Mechs. But there must be some other way, than limiting the Customization Freedom.

And yeah, maybe there are some guys in the community, who wants to remove MASC from their Mech just to e.g. load a lot more Firepower instead (or maybe by downgrading the MASC IV to III, or II or even I). So are they idiots?

 

You're of course throwing balance out of the window... its a odd concept but there it is...

Frankly either everyone has access to all equipment and options to make use of that freedom or you have restrictions to at least try to maintain balance. Remove the clan advantages in building materials like end and ferro, remove their xl engine advantages, remove their half weight srm's and lrm's, remove their streaks, remove their small size double heat sinks. Allow IS omnipods. Make both sides exactly equal and then you can have the restrictions removed. That wouldn't really be battletech though would it.

PS: Stop trying to put words in peoples mouths.

 

Not seing the point you want to make, which would reason the Fix of the mentioned equipments of the Executioner. We know that PGI did have to do something to maintain Balance between IS and Clan. But if this leads to extreme restrictions in customizing then this is definitely the wrong direction to go. E.g. fixing the Flamer in the Adder - i don't see the reason for it, not for the sake of Balancing.

PS: the words you mean, that "i put in peoples mouths" were describing a similar scenario. It is an example of how your own words sounded to me. No Offense meant. I can also speak of JJs - why would anyone remove it from an JJ-capable Mech? No one does. But there are plenty of reasons why someone e.g. want to use 1 instead of 4. Or a MASC I instead of IV just to get some weight free for some other stuffs. Was it really a Balance-Issue so to fix 12tons (!) in the Executioner? I don't see it. It is now underwhelming in the weaponloadouts compared to other Assault Class Mechs.

 

Russ put a post up on Twitter, as of tomorrow (the 18th) we should be getting a hotfix. It will correct the EBJ having cockpit glass periodically, and also change the EXE hitboxes. I'll try to get some new recordings of the damage.

 

Except as soon as you remove the main penalty of clan mechs in MWO (their chassis restrictions aka fixed hardpoints or fixed structure) you need to look at their strengths too (flexible hardpoints, smaller and more effective components etc). It is very obvious that clan mechs unfettered by the restrictions (e.g. old school stormcrow, timberwolf and direwolf) are immensely more powerful and considered the default mechs. To break into that category or even be vaguely close you need something special like the ECM Hellbringer. You may not like balance restrictions but the Timberwolf and Stormcrow proved why they were so important.

 

The fixed MASC/JJs are more like a unique trait than a flaw in my eyes -> trading firepower for super mobility.
If your playstyle is more like sitting around and shooting at stuff than choose a Direwhale but if your a dedicated medium pilot than you might want to drive the Executioner because its agility fits your playstyle more.
If you make those equipment removable you are removing its unique trait as well and it becomes arbitrary - a moving weaponplatform like most other mechs.
So right now you have to make a decision: do u want a (sometimes) fast and very agile assault - you WILL HAVE to take the Executioner.
If you dont care about mobility - take something else.

My 2 cent

 

Good 2 cents, and i agree. Still want my cake and eat it too. If Direwhale can have JJs and guns, Exe should have MASC-less JJ-less option (at least minus 2 JJs).

 

If PGI really wants to balance by restrictions over fixed equipment then it is not logical to restrict only some few Mechs which not even are the super ones on paper. In the case of the Executioner - it feels like making a mediocre Mech even worse.

True Balancing by Restrictions would start by the OP Mechs, as mentioned the SC, TW or DW.

If you want Speed/Mobility over Firepower why chose the Executioner if you can run faster with a Timber Wolf anyway, plus having similar/better Firepower/Hitboxes?

 

Did my first run with an EXE (stupid me misclicked as I didn't want to go in real battle whilst the hitboxes were still bugged). I don't get the whole MASC question. The thing feels like a Gargoyle with as only saving grace the MASC (which btw is awesome,...).

And to Blagg's point, off course I can use a TBR,... but then I wouldn't have 100+ CT armor, nor the crazy acceleration MASC offers.
Yes, being able to choose whether or not you mount MASC would be nice. But so would being able to choose my quirks,... oh wait,...

 

just for comparison of flexible customization (open the links to check the free weight for equipment):











yes, I see the (very few) advantages of the Executioner (Mobility/Armor), but i also see the (big) drawbacks, when picking this mech for the Battlefield against other choices.

 

Now that we have the hotfix in, I got some help from Akula (thanks again) streaming two videos showing where the hitboxes are on each.

Ebon Jaguar:

Executioner:

Hope this helps! Looks like the EXE's side torso hit boxes should be a factor now. There is a spot that I didn't notice while streaming, around 1:04 in the EBJ video, where I'm actually able to hit the EBJ's back armor with a frontal shot. Was just a graze but I didn't even notice that...mentioned it to Russ and sent him the video links.