So I'll throw the idea out there, then justify. Make MAXs only able to fire one weapon at a time in return for buffs and ease of balancing. I know, I know, sounds like a MAX nerf. But currently, all MAX weapons are balanced around having a dual set. Why would you take one frac when you can take two? Why take a Falcon and a Hacksaw? Etc, etc. What if each weapon was balanced around a higher damage/ROF/what have you and longer reload times, but only one could be fired at once? The advantage of having two would be sustained fire at the cost of versatility. Suddenly the decision to take 2x weapons isn't about making your build viable, it's about filling the "sustained fire support" role on the battlefield. Similarly, a hybrid build would be better against more targets, but at the cost of significant downtime. This could be implemented in a similar way to the way ESFs are handled...with only one weapon active at once, but the first is reloadable while firing the other. This should also make balancing easier. Currently, most MAX weapons are half of a HA weapon. By restricting the MAX to one weapon at a time, a significant buff would be a necessary first step. This being said, a simple 2x buff would be too much...much higher DPS as a factor of both more sustainable firepower (effectively no reloads) and greater damage would probably break biolabs/the air game again. I tentatively suggest the number +75%, but if any theorycrafters like the idea and care to suggest a more precise number, I'm all ears. Given the recent price-hikes of MAX units I think some kind of buff is in order. This is just something I thought about while I should have been working, and figured I'd share it with the people any potential changes would first affect. tl;dr Make MAXs only able to fire one weapon at a time in return for buffs and ease of balancing.
I wouldn't go down that path at all . Granted yes all max weapons would take a hit if its only an extra 75% damage ( AV/ AA taking the worst hits ) . For AI it wouldn't hurt too badly but its still a higher TTK . If you want a higher TTK then max resistances to bullets/ explosives HAS to go up . Not to mention a higher reload time, I'm sure NC players wouldn't agree with this at all as they're easily affected negatively the worst since they already have extreme reload times......... I doubt any tankers are having major issues with AV maxes ( as compared to say AV turrent for engineers or grey bricks of death ) or ESF's having major issues with bursters in their current incarnation . Also like the previous post asking for such a request, SOE wouldn't ever go through with this because that would basically cut down on their revenue stream ( for max players ) in half. Why even go for 2 of the same item if your only allowed to fire one at a time ? $$ / margin/ bottom line is king, something like this that would affect their revenue stream for an entire class will NOT go well with SOE.
Now if it were sometihng like this , i wouldn't mind ( 1 arm different weapons but actually have a real punch behind it ) . A chaingun that feels like a chaingun; also their "Max" isn't one shottable ( although flame throwers do kill it fast but its not an instaglib like it is with C4 and EMP grenades have a serious affect on it) and can take some serious bullet damage from 3-5 players + before going down . Though the only thing that is similar to the PS2 max is the fact that 2 direct hits with missles will kill them and they have charge.
I'm really stuffed after work today, so forgive me if I sound terse. I didn't really explain my concept well enough, but I think I can sell you on it. Keep in mind, I'm not a MAX primary player (I main HA, LA and Medic) but I don't think MAXs are OP or anything like that. I just think they're in an awkward spot to balance, damage wise. I'll elaborate, addressing each point; 1) TTK. The point is, the total DPS over a complete 'empty mag, reload, ready to go' cycle would be the same, if not a little better. The idea is to cut down the burst damage. The TTK reduction would be minimal, but a TTK nerf is a TTK nerf and I understand why that would hurt. I don't think the nerf would be too rough, and total damage output would mean that MAXs would perform better against other MAXs. I think this may stop the nerfing of NC MAXs...The problem there isn't the v. MAX balance IMO, it's the v. squishies. NC MAXs mean near-instant death. Not as bad as previously, but still. SOE went with increasing reload speed, which is silly because it didn't curb burst. If I had it my way (using their set-up) I would have reduced reload and increased mag capacity, while nerfing direct damage and ROF. Anyway, that's kind of another topic, and one I don't want to start up. My mind is kind of on the track of "reload speed roughly equals time to empty mag". Obviously this would need to change from weapon to weapon, but certainly it will mean 2x weapon specialists will be at an advantage. DPS being slightly higher, having that second weapon for 0 downtime will become pretty neat but it won't be a necessity. Does this clarify where my mind is at? I'm not looking to hurt damage potential. I'm looking to make hybridisation viable (and inadvertently try to make MAX weapons easier to balance). It could present a possible fix for the deadzone bug too. 2) MAX survivability. MAXs are fairly tough, only because they don't stay down. I'm all for raising their armor significantly, but only if MAXs stay dead when killed. As it is, I'd be open to making MAXs a little more survivable (maybe to C4 which IMO should be used primarily against tanks and squishies, but not to rockets) seeing as part of this idea is curbing the insane burst damage of MAXs in general. I think small arms damage is in a good place; it takes massed fire or extreme skill to 1v1 a MAX using your rifle (or pistol ) seeing as if they catch you, you're DEAD. The reload comment was more targeted at TR and VS weaponry, I think NC MAXs would be about right. 3) AV potential. I agree there aren't major problems at this point, most of the problems are AV v. Infantry. However, the ability to switch between AV and AI on the fly (with minimal compromise of combat ability) would be nice to add. As it is, a single burster is worthless. They're balanced around having 2x, in which case they get nerfed to the state they're in. If you just had 1x, you could tighten up that COF a touch without making it OP. You get an effective weapon without being OP, at least in my life. 4) Revenue...can't really argue there. However, if MAX players want it badly enough, I'd like to think the devs would consider it. Player goodwill generates more profits long term. I'm hoping there's a shred of goodness in them. Although my next point might encourage sales... Onto the next... That's EXACTLY the kind of thing I'm going for, at least as far as weapon balance is concerned. TR MAXs currently have peashooters on their arms. I'd like to give them bullethoses. VS MAXs could have streams -literally, I'd turn some of them into beam weapons - of fiery death. The crump of NC MAX shotguns should look and feel meaty, as currently they're just underwhelming. It kind of stems back in to what I said in the OP...that currently, each MAX arm is half a weapon. To make an Onslaught, for example, a 'full weapon' I'd simply buff it's ROF to a stupid degree and reduce it's COF bloom to be equivalent. The Falcon I'd add more damage. Blueshifts would become spammier and more accurate. MAX shotguns...not sure, but doubling the number of pellets seems like a good start. Then maybe a tightening of the COF for good measure. Hopefully that makes a little more sense. If you still disagree, well...fair enough. I'm not a MAX player, I can't tell you what you want for your class. However, I think this is a sensible idea that does deserve consideration.
Not being able to fire both sounds just strange. Being able to fire while reloading the other and therefore just keep a sustained fire I wouldn't be much interested in. I would prefer having 1 arm for AI and 1 for AV. No instakill for NC MAX that others hate so much and like you said the weapons could be balanced around single wield, which is good for making sense and not feel weak anymore. Also it benefit new players with stock MAXes who currently are forced to use a half good AI weapon and in NC and terran case a crappy AV weapon. We NC used to consider our stock MAX rather good against infantry. NC shotguns could be restored to what they used to be and vanu and terran could finally have AI weapons that are as powerful as infantry rifles. In fact AI weapons could be made even better as long as they are not as good as 2 infantry rifles maybe, or 1 shot from NC MAX able to kill. Buffs could be give to AV too , including vortex infantry damage. Increasing the feeling that MAXes wield powerful weapons. People would not have to buy 2 weapons to get the power of 1 anymore. This comes with huge problems though. 1) Most people would probably not like such a big change. 2) SOE would have to refund certs and money (and remove purchased weapons) to justify this. They don't do that and it would be a net loss for them if people only buy 1 hacksaw instead of 2, and far more people would be pleased with stock MAX and not buy new weapons. If they doubled the price people (me included) would go ape****.
There are some points I'll disagree with but i'm not like some players who have a black and white view, who if you don't agree with 100%,your a trash player. I understand your looking at this from a LA/ Medic/HA POV .Personally though I think they need to increase the TTK across all weapons across the board. It would actually give medics some REAL MEANING to healing other classes instead of " I'm just gonna wait till he keels over then I will " heal him" " . It sounds like you want to increase the TTK, that i'm fine with , if only this is applied across everything AND at the same time makes medics more viable then " being a rez bot " . Actually might make the nanite healing grenade worth something too......hmmm......
