i may be beaning a dead horse but i think i may halve had a good idea for the MAXes all around. we all hate the scattermaxes (well most of us) but even the NC complain about it halving no range. So why could we not but a type of rail gun on the nc max? just halve it a slower firing version of the vs and tr weapons but also make them do more damage per shot. Also the shotguns on the NC MAX would be change into different weapons like the onslaught or the blueshift but not shotguns. another idea i had was to put shotguns on all of the maxes (the default scattecannon on the nc max would be the template) we only need 1 shotgun variant per faction and that would be the scatercannon. finally i thought "why not put the basilisk on the max"? the basilisk would need to be able to do damage to everything tanks,libs,infantry all of that stuff. For balincing purposes each gun would only shoot half as fast as a normal basilisk but if you halve both of them they would be firing at the same speed as one on a sundie
Considering we're talking about the AI variant of the MAX arms - the prime suspects for NC MAXes "not having range options" - it would have to be a Kobalt, not a Basilisk. You'll find that NC AV MAX weapons do good damage at range, even if that's not (supposed to be) the niche of that particular arm variant against soft targets.
XD You can not really take away weapons once released, without having a whole bunch of people crying about those weapons and asking a compensation. (including me) Non the less you can make all weapons NS, so that all maxes can use it. This will also cause controversies, so not the best option. Best way is to get new weapons basically to give every faction what it does not have without ruining faction traits. NC - A crappy carbine TR/VS - A crappy shotgun
Sorry but beating a dead horse appeals to me so ill have a go. But on maxes do not really see any need for change. Could we just once adapt to given situation?
I don't want NS weapons. I dislike most of them and can't help but see them as a lazy way to appease every faction complaining how another faction is different and therefore better. With that said I am against MAX NS weapons with the only exception being the Burster. NC could be the hard hitting faction, but the damage per bullet would make everyone say its OP. It may be why the shotguns became the "hard hitting" trait due to the fact that it's not hard hitting unless most to all of the shots hit. Therefore it mildly balances itself out. I would personally be okay if the NC Maxes got a weapon like their SAW on the Max for a long distance gun that fired at about half the rate of the SAW, but the bullets did maybe 1.15 - 1.25 times the damage of the SAWs bullets at similar distances. Had an ammo clip of 15-30, reload would be that of the shotgun. TR and VS would get better CQC weapons as well, but something that fits their factions. Though since I've played them less, I'm not quite sure. The big problem is with the abilities at the moment.What would help them is letting the abilities be upgradeable past what they are. For example: The VS have the most versatile one, but they over nerfed it. Personally, I believe it should have just been a timer based ability that had the stats of ZOE before the nerf that killed it. 5 seconds in length, 10-20 second recharge. The VS ability at the time needed the least work. However, if you could upgrade it, you could maybe have it so the ability lasted longer at a cost of the speed increase, or damage increase at the cost of length of time and speed. The ZOE could be upgraded to give off a 2-5 meter field that disables explosives at a cost of firing and movement speed. NC ability of a shield could be upgraded so that it has effects. A weaker shield that could use charge to help a MAX plow through a group of enemies causing a brief (up to .5 seconds) stun. If being destroyed would stun the MAX. Increased shield coverage at the cost of movement speed. EMP shield that diffuses various explosives within 2-5 meters. TR could get a magnetic claw that would allow them to latch on to the walls they aimed at and would pull them to said walls and spin them in up to 180 degrees. It could also be used on enemy troops to pull them in. Having it would reduce the RoF buffs by 10% and its recharge would be 15-30 seconds. Or they could get a spacial ability that buffs RoF of friendly troops within 15 meters by up to 5%. MAXes need more diversity so it's not always just one choice for most situations. I believe having the abilities upgradeable and branching out in to their own trees would make all the world of difference with MAX abilities.
Honestly, only thing they ever needed to do to balance ZOE is half of what they actually did to try to balance it. We just can't decide on which half. NC MAX is getting a mild charge for a slightly weaker Aegis so they'll probably also be getting a slow down timer. My personal idea is that they could only charge forward, no turning or cancelling. Something about combining two of the same slot's abilities in one sounds awkward. I don't know about shield bashing but it has been requested frequently and certainly would be do-able now that enemies aren't intangible. What. What? WHAT?
The only way to stop all issues is to make all MAX weapons exactly the same. However that would only lead to complaints.
An additional thing would be that VS can absorb abilities while activating a special Blue ZOE. And use a power buster. And now, Dr Wiley's Stage theme plays in Biolabs.
