[UPDATE 3.1.0 Quality of Life Wishlist] Easy & Balanced tweaks for PvE & PvE
After getting the game on sale recently and playing it non-stop for 150+ hours now, I noticed that there are some things mechanics/balance-wise (for both PvP & PvE) that still feel quite “clunky” if you will, that can be easily fixed via a few quality of life tweaks here and there.
Of course, these are suggestions, and if any changes are made values etc. can be dictated by the team; however I believe these changes (a lot of which is also focused towards Ghost War as well) will being more diversity, balance, and pick rate to the different classes while also reinforcing their archetypes (as some of the classes in PvP feel like they have no place at all.) In addition to these changes, there are also some other quality of life suggestions to weapon TYPE balances as well, considering that it also feels that MOST weapon types (DMR, Shotgun, Handgun, LMG) have no place in this balance as well. Like I mentioned, subtle touches here and there will go a looong way in diversifying and allowing more playstyles across both PvE and PvP!
As mentioned before, I understand if some of the more technically inclined suggestions are too hard to implement; but a majority of these suggestions are mere stat changes. (Technical changes will be noted with an asterisk to denote changes that may be a bit harder to implement – aka. “stretch” goals.)
> OVERALL/MECHANIC CHANGES:
* Strafe/Circle Running Abuse: I don’t know if this is a more underlying problem game mechanic-wise, but abuse of the Sprint+Quick Snap Aim and Running Around in circles is ABUSED too much in PvP as a means of dodging fire out in the open. Although can be left unchanged in PvE, PvP Suggestions include having an internal “cooldown” on when another “Quick Snap Aim out of Sprint” can happen, and reducing movement speed for consecutive back to back “Movement Cuts back/forth” or “Rotations.” Can also increase reticle bloom or decrease accuracy going into a “Quick Snap Aim.” This is the #1 most frustrating abuse in PvP, (ESPECCIALLY if you lose a gunfight when you had surprise and initiation because of it.)
- Buddy/”Wounded” Carry Improvement: Although a GREAT feature to have, in all cases (PvE & PvP) this process is way too slow and makes both parties involved much too vulnerable. I feel a “Pick-Up” Animation Speed Up (25-50%) across the board, and a Carrying Movement Speed Up (~20%) is warranted.
* Medic “Pallbearer” Perk/Mechanic Rework: Although this might be a bit of a harder mechanic change, in light to the suggestion above, I think that the Medic Class should be able to “Buddy Drag” instead of Buddy Carry instead for the Pallbearer perk. This “Buddy Drag” will result in a lower profile while moving for both parties, pistol availability for the Medic while dragging, and increased movement speed while dragging. (Bonus points if you can even enable the “Wounded” to shoot while being dragged! *Like in Prone+Aim Forward Position)
* Limited “Wounded Wiggle” Movement: Don’t know if it’s too hard to do, but before going into the “Revive Needed” state immediately – allow downed players a slight window (2-5 seconds) of slow prone movement to re-adjust their bodies (preferably to cover for their teammates to facilitate revive cooperation.)
> CLASS BALANCE CHANGES:
- Medic Class Balance: Good pick-rate and great utility in PvP. In addition to the above Wounded/Movement changes, here are a couple of few changes to round out the class.
-Class Item Medkit Use-Time Reduction: You give up too much of field position early distributing these items, and they are too slow to use practically as a “healing” in a heated moment item in BOTH PvE and PvP. (Suggested Change: 25-50% quicker animation.)
-Weapon Proficiency: ALL CLASSES that do not have a “Weapon Proficiency Perk” in their rewards feel very held behind in PvP performance. (Suggested Addition: Small Buffs DMR Handling and SMG Swap Speed.)
- Engineer Class Balance: Good pick rate and great utility in PvP. All they really need is an identifiable Weapon Proficiency for PvP (aside from the +10% Damage to Drones and +20% Grenade Launcher Radius which is near useless in PvP.)
-Weapon Proficiency: Small Increase to LMG Accuracy & Handling (Pairing well with suggested LMG balance changes listed ahead.)
- Echelon Class Balance: Good Utility, but feels like a “gimped” Panther Class in PvP. Can use some minor changes to re-align and balance.
-Change to “Shadow Stealth” Perk: Nobody knows what it does or how “shadows” are defined in-game, and overall feels useless in PvP if it only works half the time in Night Time Maps. (Suggested Change: Overall boost to both Crouched & Prone Movement Speeds, 20%-50%.)
-Weapon Proficiency: Understandable Pistol focus, and good perks with the damage buff and the full suppressor damage. Although almost there in terms of focusing Echelon’s primary as a handgun it needs just a little bit more. (Suggested Change: Increased % Magazine Capacity to handguns to make them more viable, or exclusive access to a “HDG Extended Magazine” Attachment.) (Pairing well with suggested Sidearm balance changes listed ahead.)
- Panther+Echelon Stealth Improvements: To reinforce their nature as the “Stealth Classes” I would suggest a slight reduction to their movement/footstep noise volume in PvP, as well as a slight reduction in their “battle rattle” noise volume (swapping weapons/items/jangling equipment while moving.)
* Panther Balance Changes: Good pick-rate and utility. Only change I would recommend is a re-work of their Class Ability (Cloak & Run.) All PvE implications/stealth is great it is just in both PvE & PvP, forcing the player to lock themselves down into a lengthy “no mobility animation” (although I know you can slide,) can be too costly and leave you too vulnerable (making it hard to use in a lot of situations, EX. Reviving a teammate or escaping on the run.)
* Cloak & Run Deployment Changes: You don’t have to entirely ditch the original deployment options, BUT holding down the Class Ability Deployment Buttons should bring up a “Grenade Aim” reticle. The player from here can low-range underhand toss the smoke grenade (with the circle range/radius of the grenade being restricted to very short distance of the player) reinforcing this is a defensive action more than an offensive grenade. This will allow pathfinders to deploy the ability from cover, prone, or around corners without exposing themselves to dangerous positions.
- Sharpshooter Class Balance: In a great place already when it comes to pick-rate and utility. Could just use slight increases to the Class Item (Sensor Launcher) set-up/deployment speed, and their Armor Buster Class Ability animation speed, (just load a “new magazine” of that good stuff real quick like the engineers instead of taking bullets out of the current one.)
> OVERALL WEAPON TYPE BALANCES: Like mentioned at the start, this may be a more finicky area that you can fine tune, but there are a couple of “obvious” changes that can be made to help out some of the COMPLETELY UNUSED weapon types in PvP and provide them quality of life in PvE.
- Weapon Swap Speed: Overall this feels slow (in both PvP & PvE,) and although I understand swapping to another primary should be a bit slower, I think that some of the more situational weapons need a buff here to be more easily accessible.
-Handgun/Sidearm Swap Speed: Absolutely NO reason for this to be as slow as switching to a primary. Most operators run with slings on their weapons, so in PvP & PvE Pistol Swap Speed should be increased by a minimum of (50-75%) as in their current state they can’t even be used as a “fall-back” weapon as they are intended. (EX. Getting caught in a reload.)
-Shotgun Swap Speed: More for balance purposes as they are in a bad spot, but considering that you would only ever swap to a shotgun for close quarters or when you are rounding corners or entering buildings, this swap speed should be increased in order to be more “available on-the-spot” and on target for these situations. (Same could be said for SMG’s, but for them it isn’t required as they are in a strong spot right now.)
- LMG Balancing: Feel outclassed by both ASR’s & SMG’s in every way, and don’t feel unique or useful in any other way other than “mah big magazine” compared to the above mentioned all distance laser beams.
-LMG Penetration Buffs: Should be able to penetrate more materials and/or carry on more damage to enemies when penetrating surfaces.
-LMG Stance Recoil/Accuracy Buffs: This would solidify their role as more “stationary” weapons - Recoil and Accuracy buffs from being Crouched/Behind Cover/Prone should be enhanced more significantly in order to bring them in line with the other weapon classes that are too good “all around.”
-LMG Suppression Advantages: Although I think the suppression mechanic is fine the way it is, I think that LMG’s through suppression should be able to cancel the “Hold Breath” function of aiming (especially in order to counter rampant sniping.) I also believe that suppression (even if you don’t hit a target) should be another means of acquiring a “marked” status on an enemy, (also good for counter rampant sniping.)
- Shotgun Balancing: In addition to the Swap Speed buffs mentioned earlier, shotguns feel very gimped everywhere ESPECIALLY in PvE versus the AI. I know this is also a very finicky balance issue, but tiny improvement to one or all of these (pellet spread, pellet range, or raw damage output,) would make this class feel a lot better all around.
- DMR Balancing: Aside from the Scorpio Scout, ALL DMR’s & Scout variants feel severely outclassed by both Snipers & ASR’s. They feel like they don’t have a place at all in PvP or as the rugged “all-purpose” rifles they are supposed to be. (Suggested Changes of one or all: Faster “Recoil return to Center” for Semi-Auto, Faster Recoil “Return to Center” for Burst Modes, Lower Recoil in Burst Modes.)
-DMR 3rd Person in PvP: I also understand balance reasons for Snipers being “1st Person Only” in PvP, but for MOST DMR’s there is absolutely NO reason to be forced into 1st Person (aside from the Bolt-Action ones.) DMR’s should be given a fair chance to defend themselves in CQC (even though they will still be outclassed in stats by other weapon types.)
* Sidearm Diversity: In order to create more playstyles/loadouts and make the “Handgun” slot more meaningful (in addition to the swap speed buff mentioned above,) I think there should be a bit more diversity of weapons here to allow the classes to balance/cover for their weaknesses when it comes to Weapon Proficiencies. Note, Sidearms can also be classed as their “respective weapon types” for the purposes of buffs (and can be excluded from Echelon & Pistolero perks if desired.)
- G18: Full-Auto Handgun type weapon. High rate of fire, High Recoil and/or Low Accuracy.
- Uzi: Full-Auto SMG/Handgun type weapon. Slower/more consistent rate of fire, and lower recoil than the G18.
- Sawed-Off DB Shotgun: The tried and true double barrel sawn-off shotgun. Low range, high pellet spread, but high damage. Can control with select fire both barrels, or one at a time.
- M79 Grenade Launcher: A compact standalone grenade launcher hailing from the Vietnam era. ALLOWABLE in PvP (much like the ASR’s Underbarrel Grenade Launcher.) Will give most classes the ability to sacrifice their Handgun slot in order to add more firepower to their loadout without having to dedicate an ASR to a primary slot (in both PvE and PvP.) Low ammunition count.
I know this was a long post, but thanks for reading along Devs! I know this game has had a rough start that is now being compensated for through constant improvement and community engagement; and I honestly think these overall changes will help the game’s health! Continue the good work!
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