Tribes: Ascend Beta - Mortar Needs More Loving

This is video from a short, 2 1/2 hour playtest from the Nov 4th Tribes:Ascend Closed Beta Test.

See the heart of the matter at 2:33

Please comment on the thread within HiRez Forums: http://forum.hirezstudios.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=313&t=44374

What's your previous Tribes experience out of curiosity regarding HoF?

T:A has potential, but there are many, many frustrating elements that hamper its gameplay. So many changes...so many things that just need some tweaks. I guess that's what Beta is for. One of the most frustrating things about it (for a heavy like me) is the mortar's effectiveness.

This video is basically me humiliating myself...there were many moments where I was just left raging against the computer after missing a shot or facing the reload sequence. It's simply agonizing to play as it is currently. I hope that through CBT & OBT, the mortar will get tweaked to where it needs to be...that's the reason I put this video together.

Also, please keep in mind previous videos from T1/T2/T:V when viewing this. If you're new to Tribes, I suggest looking around Youtube. There are many videos that show just how deadly the mortar should be. Currently, it feels more like a really powerful grenade than the "Green Egg of Doom". The AoE for the mortar is much smaller in T:A, and as a result, you don't get that same "Wow" factor that previous Tribes gave you. Many of these shots should have been kills, or at the very least knock the lights out of their chosen path...but in reality, the lack of effectiveness is the end result. Don't let the explosion size fool you...in T1/T2, if you were on the cusp of an explosion, you were shrapnel...you and your buddy.

In addition, now, instead of making you wait to switch weapons, you instead can switch weapons but have to reload. This disrupts the flow of the game, and gives you a false sense of having that extra weapon in the pipe. I'd much rather have it allow no switch, than to have to switch and reload.

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• Tribes
• Tribes (series)
• Ascend

[BioTox2021]

I think this gun is doing fine. I played it about 4 hours last night and I was doing great with it. A bit more power could be alright at the center of the blast but I've had no problems countering the mediums with the current mortar. I'll have to get some video tonight.

[HawaiiTalks]

@BioTox2021 I invite you to peruse the thread in the summary. I think you'll find there are many supporting opinions from those of us who play it on a regular and dedicated basis.

What's your previous Tribes experience out of curiosity regarding HoF?

[BioTox2021]

@HawaiiTalks I played T1/T2 - I played a lot of HoF and HO. It is my class of preference, actually.

[HawaiiTalks]

@BioTox2021 Good to hear then...hopefully you don't get tac/disconade/shrike/hitscanne­d to death. Not everyone has caught on yet, but HoF is pretty difficult with some of the current Tribes vets I've been playing with. Suckers know how to tear stuff up that the noobs don't even have a clue about.

[FurryCrew]

@HawaiiTalks The other thing to think about is that in the current beta I would say 80% of the people are in Medium armor which means they take damage a little better specially when it's not a direct, on your feet, mortar hit. Light armour used to die from the mere sigh of a mortar AE...it still probably does today.

[HawaiiTalks]

@FurryCrew This is true...I do have non-regs alot though. Everytime I record with FRAPS I get them. I need to do another Mortar Fail video with some better shots. The mortar needs some severe tweaking...they even reduced the inheritance to 0% now. I run into my own mortars quite often now. :(

[95uptheirons]

lightsaber

[SirDerpingston]

It has 1300 damage anti personnel, wich one shots lights and mediums, and has crazy radius. I think it is a pretty good threat. You're not gonna jump on some mortar going like "IDGAF, it won't kill me anyway"

[AndyMcNabStab]

you miss almost all of your shots. mortars should not be able to kill lights as a matter of fact, it is only logical to have damage degrade as you get the the extremes of the aoe. otherwise 1 shot will kill someone, and another, just 1 mm further away will do no damage. thats ridiculous. maybe the range or the projectile speed could be increased, but not more damage.

besides, inside, the mortar blast radius basically covers any tunnel leading to a generator, for op defense.

[hylandpad]

I could deal with mortar being beefed up in range and damage. The only issue would be solving how to deal with it in Close Quarters. I feel like it shouldnt detonate if it hits the ground too soon, or at least let it flop around a bit. Mortars are siege weapons and long range capper killers. They are almost too well suited for tunnels to use them any other way.

[tHEpinkGH0ST]

have you noticed any in or decrese in the mortar AOE in the new pach? I heard it had gotten bigger, but last I played juggy was when ranger was hit scan.

[MoDedSecond]

To be honest I just got pissed off watching the video. Because, I know how you feel... Even if I don't play Jug, that reload after weapon switch hurts on all classes. I play Soldier primary, and every time I switch to my eagle and back to my spinfuser, only to reload instead of getting that shot... I die a little inside.

[RawrRobbie]

I always feel really weak as a Jug dueling any other class, i hit two or 3 discs on a light or medium, they live with a sliver of health, and because their energy recovers so fast, theyre always in their air, or ill practically direct hit a light and theyll live with 1% hp and ski away with our flag. I'm not saying I'm good, I'm just saying I feel like Jug should be more of a threat in a 1v1, even outside.

[Eddy929292]

since the creation of this video, patches have been released which increased the splash damage of all projectile weapons. Ive tried using the mortar since then and Im definately getting a lot more kills. The mortar is now viable once again in mid range combat, whereas before it was practically useless and could only be used as artillery.

[lacudafrost]

Are you saying a light armor who has upgraded their HP should still not be able to survive?

Also, sure the mortar has gotten "weaker" but looking at how it was in previous Tribes titles I can say it was too strong in those games.

I don't consider it as ineffective as you point out, I play this class TONS, and I never have difficulty making strategic combative use of the mortar. Especially since it is designed to be used in conjunction with the special spinfusor, which has increased damage.

[stockjonebills]

The mortar in TA is more like a big grenade launcher than an actual Tribes mortar, This is not the big green Tribes boomie.