I to am a sad spandex wearing panda...... As one of the few people who runs a dual vortex max i can safely say i have seen all of two others who run the same, i was pretty sure the whole reason why we did that much damage was due to the fact that we had to charge it and could not hold it hence timing was everything. I mean if it had a lock on i could see a damage reduction but you have to be sniper accurate with no scope to hit with these things adding on a 2-3 second charge time before you shoot and it takes a bit of skill to pull off, not to mention there aborant anti-infantry/ anti-aircraft abilitys.
Ultimately, we don't see the stats that are gathered by SOE on weapons systems. I was still pretty successful with it about an hour ago when we stopped a TR armor zerg from Indar Excavation. Didn't even notice it had been nerfed. It's very noticeable against infantry and given the range and ease of hitting infantry at long distance, I can understand why it's not as effective as the Raven and Fracture - IMO, it was nerfed too much in that regard.
On reddit there's a spreadsheet of MAX AV weapons, with calculations of time to kill: http://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/...scienceish_basic_stats_comparison_of_the_max/ The biggest problem of Vortex is that the TTK values are much higher for infantry and MAX, and the preadsheet shows this clearly: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Akqy-9TdLEOKdDFJVnZ2TDdsbkdmVURLVXB5VWMweGc#gid=3 Dual vortex charge 3 TTK to enemy MAX is at least 100% more than with other weapons. However, it looks like they changed the design philosophy of Vortex completely: with Lancer, you do more damage if you charge, with Vortex you do less after GU09. This means you should always try to single shot after the alpha damage, as long as you can hit the target. I don't think this is necessarily a bad design, except regular infantry and other MAX:es are pain to kill with both single or charged shots. I think the charged shot should do the pre-GU09 values to infantry/MAX, but keep the vehicle values as they are now. The spreadsheet also shows a buff against some vehicles, mainly main tanks.
if they intend to force you to use uncharged shots, then they need to add a rapid-fire mode to the gun.. Because spam-clicking Left+right is getting old <_<
Okay... Let my primitive caveman mind try to wrap around this.... You... lose damage on your charge... when the displayed statistics for the base there are saying your damage is going up on the charge? Guys.... Seriously.... Did you read those statistics? It's say before the bracketed blerb that the damage is increasing each charge level. Someone explain this to me, all I'm seeing are contradictions in the data being shown here.
Edit: I have a NC MAX (who can get hacksaws mind you, which are automatic, not that I would use them). but the main difference is that with shotguns you don't need to be super accurate, you just sorta point them in the direction of stuff that needs to die. The Vortexes however rely on accuracy, as such having to click left+right while aiming is a bit more difficult. You lose damage because each charge level was higher before GU9. The damage loss showing the difference between now and pre GU9.
Slug user - though, not as often any more. I'm a lot more accurate at targets ~500m with a Vortex than I am with infantry at 30m trying to hit them with slugs! I hope it wasn't reduced because of ZOE so they had the ability to buff ZOE damage. Decided not to use ZOE with AV since AV turrets take a massive whack out of you.
ZOE seems to have very little effect on Vortex damage, I don't think it shortens vehicle STK much even at full charge 3. Against infantry you need still 9 hits instead of 10 when using single shot, with charge 3 you still need 2 dual hits. I still run run with ZOE when using Vortex, the strafing in and out of cover while charging is quite effective. I don't think the charged shot AI/MAX damage were something OP, they could have easily adjusted the ZOE rank 5 damage to be at the same 'no one shot' range like before patch while reducing the other values.
You do hold the charge. It had roughly the same, if not the same charge mechanic as the Lancer. The difference is that it is harder to see. The 3rd charge is achieved in roughly 2 seconds and you can hold the shot for about another 2 seconds. I used to think the same thing, and then I noticed that it actually did hold the charge (the third dot lit and stayed lit for about 2 seconds before the gun discharged).
If I'm understanding you right, then... I'm just more confused than ever now! Assuming I'm re-reading that data correctly, the weapon has a sudden drop from it's base damage on level two, then spikes at level 3... that just.... It makes me go "BWAH???"
No. Uncharged shots deals 105 damage Before GU09 Charged rank 3 shots dealt 490 damage Now after the update charged rank 3 shots deals ~235 damage we lost damage.
The rank 3 charge damage loss is gay, good thing not that many VS has bought the Vortex's (from stats posted only 250+ has bought them compared to 1500+ buying Fracture and Raven).
The charge is pretty useless. The rapid fire is pretty useless. (and makes your fingers sore) This weapon needs a revamp ASAP. I say that as a person who uses it on a daily basis. The vortex is so incredibly niche at this point that it's become useless. Just admit that giving charge mechanic to VS was a terrible ******* idea and give us a weapon that's actually worth while. Instead of just taking what comets should have been and giving it to the TR (Cough, Fractures, Cough) You were willing to revamp the Saron despite no one asking for it (not to mention making it hilariously OP, especially on a harasser) How about revamping the weapon that actually needs it: Vortex. Remove charge mechanic, buff the damage and make it auto-fire.
I bought 1 for each arm. i got F***** on that deal... The gun was working fine. If it was based on ZOE for the nerf (an ability that is optional) Then I expect a better fix than this knee jerk bad call reaction. Just lower the ZOE multiplier for the Vortex... I mean its not like the damage boost does any damn thing anyway...
So the ZOE is nerfed in under a week of going live.... And now the Rank 3 charge-up of the Vortex does less damage than a single fracture shot!?! Numbers here The fracture is all the good bits of the comet (no terrible charge-up mechanic, good dmg vs Inf and Armour, tight CoF, AOE splash), and all the good bits of the Vortex (high projectile velocity, long range, large mag, large ammo cap). With none of the downsides of either. Infact its CoF bloom per shot is smaller than the Comet too.
Why the hell nerf an already impopular weapon? Especially if they decided to keep the Fracture and Ravens as they are, the weapons who are used by practically every TR and NC max even in Infantry combat. EDIT: I just tested it in the VR, it took 8 shots from a Comet to destroy a Harrasser and 6 Fully charged Vortex shots, who according to you should deal a lot less than a Comet. Making some rough calculations and not accounting for armor etc. that means that the Comet deals 475 * 8, 3800 damage. Meanwhile, the Vortex deals 3800/6 = 633 damage per fully charged shot. Of course these are not perfect, but it's a crude assumption. Unless they have different weapon-types, The numbers that you linked to are incorrect and the Vortex deals lot more damage than what stated, and overall mroe damage than the Comet in a fully charged shot.
