0 reason to play heavy

(Skullduggery) #1

After having played as a pure heavy for the last week, I have come to the realization that there is no reason, at all, to play a heavy.

A heavy is just a free kill to every other body size, except themselves. The current HP and Damage mitigation for the heavy body is laughable at best. I seriously hope SD plans to beef them up a bit, or something. Coming from someone who enjoys playing the support heavy, its just not worth playing. Defending an objective as a heavy is as effective as sitting on your own grenade and waiting for it to explode. A light body type can simply run at you, dead straight, holding down the trigger and kill you, before your HMG pumps out 4 rounds.

This needs to change. Quickly.

(Shadowcat) #2

The latest patch is buffing all of the heavy guns and nerfing some (if not all) of the SMGs.

(Darrus Dreadtiger) #3

Please elaborate on this “latest” patch. Was there a patch actually released or are you referring to an upcoming patch?

(SphereCow) #4

SD patches the game dynamically through text files. I don’t know if they’ll announce it, but that’s how they tweak variables.

(RAAAAAAAAAAGE) #5

I like playing as a heavy and having the Hjammerdeim shotgun AND the Mossington shotgun. Especially when my friend buffs me with the increased damage perk. This works really well for me as a medic because im always in the frontline with the main body of my teamates throwing lazarus nades or revive syringes or any of the medic buffs.

But i do agree that they heavy needs a bit more HP and some of the weapons he has needs a little bit of beefing up ( the minigun and E-Z-nade). The other weapons he has are fine.

I wouldn’t agree there are 0 reasons to play heavy.

(Shadowcat) #6

the actual patch (not update) that is coming up. Includes 2 new maps, a couple new weapon attachments, 2 new archetypes (one for each side), and rebalances a some of the weapons.

Its already been released for 360 I’m told. PC will get it soon.

(Kurnuttaja) #7

There will be no weapon / body type balance patch ever if I can guess. Just play light/medium.

(Shadowcat) #8

Like i just said, one is due in a couple days.

(sirius89) #9

[QUOTE=Shadowcat;330196]the actual patch (not update) that is coming up. Includes 2 new maps, a couple new weapon attachments, 2 new archetypes (one for each side), and rebalances a some of the weapons.

Its already been released for 360 I’m told. PC will get it soon.[/QUOTE]

Dude,that’s a “DLC” not a Patch. :mad:

(Shadowcat) #10

Please explain the difference between a free universal DLC and a patch. As far as im concerned, its fixing issues more than anything, thus is a patch. DLC just sounds much more impressive for them to say.

(Darrus Dreadtiger) #11

Technically DLC implies content changes which are modular and optional, whilst a Patch implies an update of game files that are mandatory and up the version number.

(Shadowcat) #12

So when a “DLC” includes weapon rebalancing, and is thus more or less mandatory, would it not be a “patch”?

(Darrus Dreadtiger) #13

Yes.
I guess.

(McAfee) #14

Unless stuff is sent to your hard drive telepathically. Everything they release is going to be DLC.

(Darrus Dreadtiger) #15

I’m spending way too much internal ressources for this, but the thing with DLC is that it’s generally content. patches that tweak and fix things are not considered DLC…

(obliviondoll) #16

Do they function independently of the game? No.
Are they alterations or additions to the game? Yes.
Does this fit the definition of “content” ? Yes.
Can you download them? Yes.

Pretty sure ALL current-gen game patches are DLC by that definition…

EDIT: Forgot my on-topic part…

Heavies are tough to use effectively, and require teamwork in the form of decent friendlies buffing them, but a well-placed and well-buffed Heavy with a Chinzor can lockdown an area pretty solidly if the player knows what he’s doing.

And EZNade is a good way to flush enemies out of places you don’t want them to stay in. Like when they’re standing on top of an objective. It’s a good weapon for a Soldier to use in conjunction with either Molotovs or flashbangs (or both) as well. Blinding a room right before they hear that hollow launcher sound is great fun. Knocking them down with a Molotov right before the grenades start exploding around them makes it even better.

(shadyadi) #17

[QUOTE=obliviondoll;330235]Do they function independently of the game? No.
Are they alterations or additions to the game? Yes.
Does this fit the definition of “content” ? Yes.
Can you download them? Yes.

Pretty sure ALL current-gen game patches are DLC by that definition…[/QUOTE]

Thats some strong bending of words to reinforce your point you have there.

On topic: I have nothing but love for the Maximus, and a heavy properly supported is a true beast.

(InfiniteStates) #18

[QUOTE=obliviondoll;330235]Do they function independently of the game? No.
Are they alterations or additions to the game? Yes.
Does this fit the definition of “content” ? Yes.
Can you download them? Yes.

Pretty sure ALL current-gen game patches are DLC by that definition…[/QUOTE]
You carefully neglected the one that distinguishes between patch and DLC… By your argument I can say a Ford is a Chevrolet by ignoring the manufacturer attribute and just saying “Does it have 4 wheels? Yes” etc.

Are they mandatory? DLC: No, Patch: Yes

That is the difference. And you will never see tweaks and fixes in DLC, although you increasingly see DLC in patches then an unlock code to access it (so that all users have it, whether they have access to it or not).

But on topic: I used a heavy in the beta and for my first full version character, but the lack of mobility (in terms of SMART, not speed) isn’t made up for by what are supposed to be his strengths. I love the Chinzor (sp?) though, which was my only motivation.

(xzen) #19

There are weapon tweaks coming (specifically mentioned so far have been the CARB-9, FRKN-3K, heavy weapons I think) and they might be released simultaneously with the DLC but things like weapon stats and objective times are stored server side as netvars. Changes to the netvar files would be pushed to servers/matchmaking on consoles as soon as they are updated without having to go through a patching process.

Richard Ham (Rahdo): One term we use that’s extremely important to the game is ‘NetVars’, text files of values that we can change locally, upload to a server and then it gets automatically dispersed through the world.

Neil Alphonso (exedore): This is how we update the game very quickly. We have a very limited set of people who play the game, and it’s always been a concern that we’re tuning it to how we play.

From this Balancing using netvars article. Also see slide 18 of this presentation for an example of what they can alter with the netvars, it looks like objective and AI data for the Container City map. By altering that text file and uploading it to their server they can tweak gameplay balance without having to constantly patch a la Blizzard.

(Shadowcat) #20

Ok, so there is a patch/update coming that addresses these issues that occurs simultaneously with the DLC, does that appease everyone involved in this debate over semantics?

Point remains the same: SD is aware of the issue and will (try to) fix it.