Now that we have the first balance update has been implemented and out for a good week, what other changes to either game mechanics, balance, or fixes do you think should be top priority for the next patch?

I'll make a list of well thought out suggestions on this post, and see if we can email the feedback address en mass when we have a good number of them.

My personal changes from what I have encountered.

Game Mechanic Changes:

-When searching for a matchmaking game, do not allow those who have not purchased the maps to attempt to join a game with the new maps. That way they don't get kicked out searching for a game, which is annoying.

-When vetoing a DLC map, do not allow another DLC map to come up after the first was vetoed. This prevents a lobby from having to break apart for those who do not have the DLC maps was vetoed the first time.

-The more players with the DLC map in the matchmaking session, the more likely a DLC map will pop up in the random rotation, and vice versa.

-When first starting a game in the character select lobby, allow players to see what others have picked for their class before picking their own class. Also allow quick switching again before the game begins. This way, your team doesn't start with 5 scientists and people have to die to diversify the team.

-Automatically kick players after a while who are idle in the match and have not picked a character class at the beginning of the match. This already exists in escalation to a certain extent. It's annoying when a good group playing together for a while has one team always a man down since one AFC player is taking up a player slot.

-When there is a game error, return to the multiplayer menu screen, not the main menu.


Game Balance Suggestions:

Leader:

-Warcry's damage resistance and damage modifier should be weaker, but gain power depending on how many teammates were buffed. This way, leaders caught with their pants down do not have a get out of jail free card that makes them a sole powerful Juggernaut that takes a few players on the opposing team take down. Leaders who stick with their team are rewarded with more damage and resistance. Those who go rambo are less powerful. Also have the activation delay not able to be canceled by jumping, falling, or melee.

-Disruption: Should splash in a radius, possibly catching extremely bunched up enemies. The radius should be small, however. This makes it a bit more appealing and useful compared to other, more powerful abilities.

-Ram should cause knockback to those hit by it. Not just send the ragdoll flying when a killing someone with it. The problem is that Ram doesn't have a damage indicator unless you kill someone with it, so knockback would be a great sign that you did some damage rather than come to a halt if you didn't kill them.

Soldier:

-Hover should slightly decrease damage taken and spread. It's one of the weaker abilities since you really are a sitting duck. Giving a bit more accuracy and slight damage resistance will help make it a better alternative in a fire fight than ammo beacon or Whirlwind.

-Energon Sling should disable already active abilities such as Warcry and destroy other placeable abilities like traps, barriers, and ammo beacons. It will not effect sentries. Should also slash in a small radius. This is one of the weakest abilities because it only targets one person and requires that their abilities not be active. With this buff, it would make the soldier an answer for powerful abilities such as Warcry and negate barrier advantages at the cost of a more offensive ability.

-Ammo Beacons should award a small amount of points to the soldier for every teammate who replenish ammo and grenades there. Points can only be awarded once for every unique teammate and unique ammo beacon, negating boosting. This encourages using the beacon as a firebase for your team and it's use compared to hover or whirlwind.

-Increase rocket launcher damage slightly. Currently its only good for hitting vehicle mode targets, which people rarely use for extend periods of time, making it much less useful when you're missing an EMP Shotgun or Scrapmaker.

Scientist:

-Increase damage output of vehicle mode rockets slightly. The jet form hardly has any combat capacity outside of escape and maneuverability.

-Allow vehicle mode machine guns in multiplayer to make vehicle mode more viable in combat.

-Points should be awarded for healing teammates with either the turret, grenade, or repair ray. Points will not be awarded for healing yourself. This encourages team play and offers an alternate way for scientists to get points since they're a tough class to get kills with.

-Perhaps add half a node of health to the entire class. Debatable. Three bars seems like to little with the damage output scientists have. The jet form isn't nearly as useful as intended.

-Sentries should not be destroyed by one melee attack. People should stay further out of ranger and fire on the sentry to take it down, not rush up and melee it as soon as its deployed.

-Remove slowdown on foot when using drain. The scientist's foot speed is already woefully slow.

Scout:

-Marked Targets should award assist points if it doesn't already. Allows the scout to get points for helping point out an enemy for the rest of the team to tangle with if he goes after another target.

-Decoy trap should have a small radius, making the trap more powerful against multiple enemies sticking too close together. It's rarely used to begin with, and needs a slight boost.


Bugfixes:

-Fix a glitch related to spectating while still alive when a match starts. You cannot control your character and you simply have a random overhead view of the match.

-Fix Scientists sometimes getting stuck in the skybox when they transform at the overhead invisible wall.

-Fix the class ability swap glitch.

-Fix the spawn ability glitch, that makes abilities and killstreaks not work if used right out of spawn.



Feel free to agree, disagree, and add to discussion!

 

Myself and many others are discontent with how they've weakened the Scatter-Blaster for the Scout, can you work that into your list?

 

I thought it was slightly fair since you can mark a target and use surprise attack at the same time buffing yourself in twoways to make up for it. Personally I haven't noticed a differnce since I go battle pistol scout and keep my distance most of the time. Of cource I'm open to anything if you can provide solid reasoning. Someone want to make a case for it?

 

They need to fix that bug that screws up your abilities if you use them too early in a match. For example, using disguise right after spawning will "use" the ability but it does nothing, making you recharge it again before it can be used.

 

this one for sure, the other "fixes" they did, i could take them or leave them, i barely play mp anymore since the update, just escalation

 

being able to choose vehicle weapons , instead of rockets for scientist i want the machine gun

 

The bug I posted earlier applies to kill streaks as well, if you use them right after spawning they do nothing and are wasted... RipCurl, I'd also like to have machine guns for my jet like campaign.

 

Not that I want everything to be like TFC, but I'd like splash/explosive damage to physically move people when they get hit by it, especially people in the air.

 

Nice list.

 

Well, no, I can't really provide evidence as to why it should be changed back, but I never saw why it was changed to begin with. It's wasn't THAT powerful from the start.

 

I imagine because it was because the cloakers who used Mark Target and Surprise Attack got a near one hit kill on anyone they popped out on. But that's my best guess. It makes the EMP shotgun more appealing if you want raw killing power rather than rapid covering fire.

The biggest thing I want changed is Warcry. It's annoying how it is used as a crutch when a leader is all alone and starts taking fire. It isn't fair when you surprise him as any other class and then he can instantly turn the tables on you. The best counter I found is just to either run away or use disruption to bide time while he's in vehicle mode. That or use your own Warcry. :|

*Updated the list with explanations for proposed changes and changes suggested by you guys in this thread.

 

As a Leader player, I really like your idea of altering the effect of Warcry based on teamwork.
I agree Ram definitely needs work, against other players with more than 2 bars of health you might as well not bother.
I cant say I've really noticed Disruption being weaker than it should be though.

 

Honestly I think RAM should put anyone "HIT" by the drive by into instant rag doll.. have it take off two bars of health regardless of the circumstances. If you survive the hit and run, then you can get up and keep fighting...

and IT wud mayk ut mure geee wun

 

Ram does need some help. It's almost a death sentence to try and use it.

 

you didn't say anything about weakening whirlwind T_T it's sooooo annoying.

 

I'm a leader dude too, but I just feel guilty whenever I roll my WarCry leader and get into a situation I shouldn't have won. I could out tank a scrapmaker soldier being healed with my Ion Blaster and Warcry. That needs some fixing.

Disruption needs just a little more something to make it more worthwhile compared to Warcry, barrier, and the bomb. I use it almost exlusively with my last leader loadout to counter warcry dudes since they'll run out of steam before they can change back.

Soldiers are still kinda weak in my opinion. Scouts and Leaders can really tear one up. Whirlwind is probly the most potent damage ability that should clear out clustered enemies. Hover, Sling, and Ammo Beacon are all kinda weak. The problem is that a Warcryed leader or scout can out melee you anyway.

 

Totally agree, I know Im guilty of falling back on Warcry to bail me out of a battle I should have lost.

It would be nice to reward the players that try to help the team not just the player's k/d

 

-When first starting a game in the character select lobby, allow players to see what others have picked for their class before picking their own class. .




Agreed

 

I'm sure this won't be a popular opinion, BUT, I feel that the Scout Melee needs to be toned down. Nerf the Surprise Attack and De-cloaking buffs on it or something. When a Scout coming out of Cloak can damn near one-shot a Soldier with it, that just ain't right.

I've even had a Scout melee my Soldier who had a full overshield on, and it destroyed the shield and left me with 1 bar of health left. He easily finished me with off with his Scatter Blaster. No matter how you slice it, that was bullshit to the umpteenth degree.

Nerf that melee and make Scouts actually depend on their teammates more, instead of being the One Man Army's that they are now.

 

^ I'm inclined to agree. Just saw a scout wreck everyone's day today with the cloak, uncloak and mark target. It took nothing short of a warcry leader to take him down. And he only died once.

Scattor Blaster is fine. The nerf was WELL warrented.