Dear light assaults... With the plethora of nanites available... the game has changed. Its hard not to be inspired by Light Assaults bravely fluttering on the roof tops. You guys are playing dodge ball with tank rounds and dancing like mc Jagger on the roof tops. I have the luxury of stalker cloak, and sometimes I just sit there and watch you guys work. I have noticed this update has been particularly unforgiving. All those tanks killing LA's left and right. I mean in really big zerg fights tanks and ESF even manage to kill me when I am stalker cloaked up there because of the spammy nature of explosions. I see whats happening to you guys... first couple days it was funny, but now its about a week old. Don't give up just keep your grove on, keep dancing, your update overhaul is coming soon. I just wanted to say Its totally inspiring watching you guys move. I have witnessed LA's dodge like 5-6 AP rounds and ESF ground pods and just keep working like nothings the matter.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA A good LA revamp is nowhere on the horizon :'( It is funny to know that there might be stalkers watching me along the roofs though...good luck as long as you're not killing me
From Higby himself: "I do not play a lot of Light Assault, I think Light Assault is a very good class, I think good light assault players who know how to play the class well like (some guy I haven't heard of ), like Vonic, that can cruise around with light assault are absolutely murderous[...]" This was in his interview with angry Joe, http://www.twitch.tv/angryjoeshow/b/558761775 He gets asked the question at 01:01:05 and then he is reminded that he never actually answered it at 01:04:25, then he answers it. TL: DR: Blame Vonic.
Paraphrasing: "we created a class that we have no idea how should it be played, we can't play it ourselves, and we have no idea what that class might need". Facepalm.
I thought he was reminded of not answering the question after he had said what you quoted there. Sadly no, he was reminded of it, then he answered, and that was the answer... And to clarify, the question he was asked was: "when are you fixing Light Assault QOL issues such as flash grenades being unreliable, smoke grenades not working if thrown too far, and ADS'ing while flying (even without accuracy bonus)?" I think he needs to be reminded again he hasn't yet answered the question.
I always was amazed by the time required to implement the simplest changes. Is it really so hard to reduce Flash Grenade detonation delay from 4 seconds to 1 and see what happens?
@ Iridar Apparently... Oh what tool did they give you guys again? Hmm I just can't seem to remember the name of it. Its been so long since launch... shame on me for not remembering the name. <3 Sarcasm aside... AND... Vonic aside... : If SOE can't figure out a "tool" to give you per say... What type of weaponizeable thingy would you like in its place? SOE makes some fine weapons at a pretty decent rate. If they really felt you guys were "fine" then why don't they just give you something to fill a void? There was a pretty interesting thread a while back about giving LA's access to scout rifles. Just as an example. Maybe some people feel the longer range void is missing a little something something. Maybe they make some kinda LA Specific murder bracelet that can be fired in flight or ADS'd for a 4x scope effect. Everyone loves bracelets. Or a hookshot. It would be funny if enemies could take a hookshot to the face and get knifed by the incoming LA. Its clear Higby is a champion at question dodgeball... I am Curious what you guys would dream up? Utility? More Killing power? Support? Area Denial? Or just something to improve your longevity or boost your current abilities.
But they did, the latest carbine release plugged some important holes in LA arsenal. Continuous release of pistols, shotguns, model reworks for T5 AMC and complete revamp of LC2 Lynx. Compared to what was a year ago, LAs are in a better place right now, and we can't continue to complain that's nothing is being done for us. Regeneration Implant is actually the best thing that happened to LA since release, apart from the bug fix that would disable our Jet Pack until relogin Before we get any new stuff, our old stuff should be fixed. Smoke grenade is bugged, Flash grenade takes too long to detonate, any grenade thrown while using the Jet Pack has a 50% chance to disable the jet pack for a couple of seconds. Jet packs overall are slow and sluggish, and need to be faster. Adrenaline pump is useless, and at worst should be buffed, at best - reworked into passive certification line for Light Assault. Burst weapons need to be reworked, they're in the weird place right now, where they have superior stats to default carbines, but hurt - ironically - by the mandatory burst mechanic that uses huge FSRM for a first shot of each burst. My suggestion would be to make FSRM = 1x, but introduce an artificial delay between bursts, so the gun would actually fire in bursts, and not in "full auto as long as you can click fast enough". Resto Kits could also use a rework to make them a more compelling choice. After all that get fixed, and only after that, we should wait and see if LA even needs something. Scout rifles... bleh. Out of three: support, firepower and utility. Support - I don't think this should be LAs role, there are already two dedicated support classes, let them handle it. Firepower - we already have plenty. So I think LA could use some personal utility. Just some ideas from the top of my head: - personal deployable jump pad - combat insertion module (one-use consumable jet pack booster, used to quickly fly into combat from nearby spawn if LA died where he can't be revived, ~1000m range) - personal spawn beacon (placed once per life, can be used once to spawn the LA after he died where he can't be revived. Can be destroyed) - resuscitation module (allows anyone, including other LAs, to revive this LA after he died where he can't be revived) My two main issues with Light Assault: 1) often dies where he can't be revived, and is useless if he doesn't go where he can't be revived, e.g. staying indoors during cap point hold 2) lack of direct combat potential, which forces us to be an ambush class. this should be solved by increasing our combat mobility: faster Jet Packs, greater accuracy while flying. Not necessarily in the form of the ability to once again ADS. I wouldn't mind something like Stand Move Hip CoF + 50%.
I completely agree with Iridars first point. Flashs and Smokes need an overhaul/fix for the reasons already mentioned. Also agree on bursts needing a fix. They feel... strange... in actual useage. But that goes for all of them, not just carbines. I don't agree with his apparent disdain for the scout rifle idea. I think the LA could use some options for medium range. I know we have a specialized carbine on each faction for that. Plus at least 1 other carbine per faction that is still well useable in that role. And if everything else fails slugs can also be used (very clumsily and not really effective) as some sort of pseudo scout replacements, but I'd still really love more variety in that range bracket. Variety that is actually meant to be used in that range bracket. We have a bazillion shotguns/SMGs/carbines for CQC and short range, but have to chose from maybe 4 options if we don't want to hug our opponents. Making scout or battle rifles available to LA seems like the easiest way to achieve that. Then there is also the bullpup idea that was mentioned a few times since launch. Basically assault rifles that gain higher ADS movement speed but have LMG level reload speeds and slightly worse hipfire to compensate. For added utility, I'd go with the options I posted in the LA roadmap (link in sig *cough*). Very short version: One option to remove a limited number of metal plates in window frames, creating new entry points for yourself and others. One option to play spotter for friendly AV, mostly by marking targets for better focus fire. (I know I'm strange, but that was one of my favorite things to do in Tribes 2, zooming around with a jetpack and directing friendly mortar strikes. Also loved it in the MechWarrior Living Legends mod, running around as infantry 1/10th the size of everyone else, just calling out hex locations of enemies for artillery players or directing missile strikes with a TAG-laser) I'd also like a shared passive for LA and infis that increases their overload and point capture speeds. Iridars idea for the "resuscitation module" is also great. I'd say put it into the tool slot and give it a 5 minute cooldown (certable down to 3 minutes). This one goes into my "do want" .txt file. Icarus JJ would also be a nice thing to have. Very high and fast vertical thrust, very little horizontal thrust. As well as a slightly higher overall speed on the generic jump jets. (and for the love of god, whatever they do, please no dual wielding)
It's not that I don't want a ranged option on LA, I just don't like scout rifles themselves. Semi auto scouts could work, but full auto ones are basically heavily nerfed ARs. What I would want is ARs themselves. We're assault class after all, it makes no sense to me why we can't use them. Just to clarify, this isn't my idea, I don't remember the original author, though.
I don't know about that. During the last year, from a NC perspective we have gotten: Desperado - good Railjack - Absolutely worthless in every conceivable way. Tross - Reaper with lower RoF Mag Scatter - Worse commissioner Bandit - Worse Jaguar Maybe SoE just doesn't want our certs?
Agreed, that would be the preferable choice. But we've been asking for that since launch and still don't have access to them. I don't really have any hope that we ever will. Doesn't change that it is one of the best LA ideas I've seen so far.
Personally ( I don't know if it's a good idea or not ) I'd like to have some kind of shock grenade, possibly in the tool slot and thrown with F. Detonates on impact and what it does is deal minor damage and pushes people around. So you can use it to knock people out of cover, knock them out of ADS, or use it on yourself to give yourself a speed boost while running / jetpacking.
Agreed with removing FSRM... not with putting some false barrier to prevent burst spam. Rather, I would suggest a heavy bloom. Go ahead and rapid-burst, but you're shots will go wide. @DFdelta Since my post in the LA roadmap still hasn't been posted, I had some thoughts about "borrowing" from Tribes 2. Like the Concussion grenade from T2. Pushes players away from point of detonation. Would be interesting having the class that is the epitome of mobility screw over the mobility of other classes. Or the ELF projector. We could go around "draining" enemy active skills. Infils would probably complain that it would be too similar to EMP. But yes, adjusting it so our jetpack thrust actually matches the Saturn V scale of sound would be nice.
Just remember: tank drivers are timid creatures that will panic if you charge them with anything that isn't a primary weapon. Nothing is more hilarious than watching a 2/2 MBT (usually a Vanguard, I do not recommend trying this with a Prowler) run away while spamming fire at you because you're charging them with a medkit. It's surprisingly easy to dodge tank rounds when you've got a jetpack. On another note, I really only have two problems with Light Assault in its current form. Firstly, our main ability can be largely replicated by anyone with a squad beacon/galaxy/disposable ESF. Often, as Light Assault, I'm called on to fight Heavies and Medics across a rooftop to clear our a spawn beacon, which isn't a winning proposition in most cases. My other main issue is that there really just isn't much for us to do anymore. Sunderer hunting used to be our specialty, but with the deploy shield, that's really not possible anymore without overwhelming numbers. C4's been nerfed so many times that we can't really use it to set up ambushes or eliminate groups of unaware infantry. Like Iridar mentioned, our weapon choices are in a better place now, but we really don't have much to do with them that a Heavy Assault couldn't do better. I love Light Assault, but it really doesn't have much of a role in combat outside a few niche fights.
If they really gave us access to assault rifles, I'd forgive them for butchering my beloved Lynx. The only gun I adore more than the old Lynx is the TAR. Such a sexy thing. I posted a thread way back (https://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/index.php?threads/la-items.96533/) about some small changes for LA items, and proposed that we could carry C4 and meds at the same time and to make it possible to apply med-kits to team members.
