cowboy
05/23/04 11:27 PM
198.81.26.77
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Code:
Light ER PPC
Dmg:12
Heat:10
Mass:5 tons
Crits:2
Ranges:1-8/9-16/17-24
BV:412
Cost:300,000 C-Bills
Heavy ER PPC
Dmg:20
Heat:15
Mass:7 tons
Crits:4
Ranges:1-9/10-18/19-27
BV:425
Cost:800,000 C-Bills
If the price of the Heavy ER PPC is too high send me a private message and let me know what price it should be.
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Cray
05/24/04 06:27 AM
68.200.105.227
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I'm not going to communicate by a PM. The point of the forums is public discussion; most people come here for that give-and-take discussion & feedback on their designs.
My comments are:
1) There are Clan tech, right?
2) The heavy PPC seems too light for its damage. Perhaps 8 tons would be better. Then it would be doing 1/3 more damage than a Clan ER PPC while massing 1/3 more.
3) I like the evenly divided range bands.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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cowboy
05/24/04 08:12 AM
198.81.26.77
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Should the Crits stay the same at 4 or should I make it 5 crits?Yes they are Clan tech I forgot to add that.
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Cray
05/24/04 10:25 AM
147.160.1.5
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The crits are fine at 4. In fact, you might consider condensing the Hvy PPC to 3 crits. Clantech weapons are dense, especially the energy weapons.
Two additional comments:
*Per your original post, the price of the Heavy PPC is fine. It's new, it's powerful, it's a complicated doohickey. 800,000CB makes sense.
*The heat is too low for the Heavy PPC. Consider 20. I know that's high, but it follows the same 1:1 of the Clan ER PPC and approximates that of large Clan lasers. You get additional game balance by discouraging even Clan mechs from mounting more than 2 of them.
With a 20 heat, 8 tons, and 3 crits, the Heavy PPC should be a balanced weapon. It's heavier than the Heavy Large Laser per point of damage, but without the lame +1 to-hit.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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cowboy
05/25/04 12:17 AM
198.81.26.77
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should the range stay the same or make it have shorter range?
I am sorry for all the questions as you can see I am new at making weapons and mechs
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Silenced_Sonix
05/25/04 05:18 AM
196.7.18.49
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IS: 'Heavy' prefix means high damage, but decreases as range increases.
Clan: 'Heavy' prefix means high damage at any range, but inaccurate
Making a Heavy PPC and molding it after each faction's style will, in my opinion, fit in better with the existing designs. That way, the Clan Heavy PPC will do lots of damage, but get that pesky +1 mod, while the IS Heavy PPC will get no mod, but a decrease in damage as the range increases. Or vice-versa will be even more interesting. Otherwise the Heavy PPC just becomes the next 'Super Weapon' to slap onto a 'Mech.
Same story goes for 'Light': the Clanners do not use this prefix, but for the IS it means 1) in the case of the Light AC - shorter ranges, but no minimum, and 2) for the Light Guass Rifle - longer ranges, but less damage. I would suggest molding the Clan Light PPC after the LAC (making it their version of the normal IS PPC - smaller, lighter tonnage, less heat etc), and the IS Light PPC after the LGR (more range, at the expense of damage - like a ammo-less AC/5 or AC/2).
Evolve or Die
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Cray
05/25/04 05:49 AM
68.200.105.227
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Quote:
should the range stay the same or make it have shorter range?
The range is fine for a heavy energy weapon, IMO. A heat of 20'll tame it.
Quote:
I am sorry for all the questions as you can see I am new at making weapons and mechs
Asking questions is why many people come for the forums. Don't apologize, keep asking. 
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Greyslayer
05/25/04 05:55 AM
216.14.192.234
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Personally when you increase damage you greatly increase the weight of the weapon. Look at the differences between the ER Mediums and ER Large and ER PPCs.
Making a weapon 'light' has to have some drawback. The IS example is the 'Light' Gauss Rifle, does 1/2 damamge rounded up but Longer Range than the Standard Gauss. The Light ER PPC probably needs at least one of a few things to balance: Increase Heat, Drop Damage (yes I noticed that 'just enough to take a mech's head off' damage), give it a minimum range.
The Heavy is just too light, too heat efficient, too long ranged. To be a balanced Battletech weapon. This more so than the Light ER PPC should be travelling with a minimum range issue.
Look at the Heavy Lasers, +1 to hit as well as seriously bad increases in heat to get okay increases in damage, the items aren't terrible nor are they cheesey (unless you want to play BV games).
Well at least this is my opinion on these items.
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Cray
05/25/04 06:46 AM
68.200.105.227
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Quote:
IS: 'Heavy' prefix means high damage, but decreases as range increases.
Clan: 'Heavy' prefix means high damage at any range, but inaccurate
Hmm. Issues of semantics from two posters now. Cowboy, perhaps you should rename your PPC's to "Small" and "Large" PPCs.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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