First off: what makes the G2 feel unfun? By this, I don't mean "bad," per se. I mean aspects of the G2 that add insult to injury due to the needless frustration they cause.
- Low walking speed: These flaws make the G2 unfun because its 2 weapons require close range. While its ability can be used to rapidly approach close range in some situations, actually maintaining that pressure is impossible with this sluggishness. Enemies who (after the first hit, or "alpha strike") instinctively flee behind the nearest piece of cover can easily escape because the G2 lacks any way to pursue. Furthermore, unlike the default Raider, its low walking speed means that corner play (peeping out of cover, shooting a Bolt/Mirv, and scooching back out of sight) is less viable: lower speeds mean more time before and after that "peeping out," and therefore more opportunity for enemies to hit with their own weapons.
- Low boost speed: Traversing the map as a G2 takes obnoxiously long due to its inability to boost at a remotely respectable rate. It's neat that it has a huge fuel capacity, but that bonus is mostly wasted when consuming fuel seems so unhelpful due to slow boosting. Furthermore, since close-range classes such as this tend to be in the thick of battle more than long-range ones, they usually need some way to escape: G2 is unfortunate enough to lack the boost speed necessary for getting around a corner without being shredded first. To add insult to injury, some other classes simply walk faster than this boost.
- Low HP: Other mechs with low HP for their weight class are able to offset it with other ways of not being killed: the technician can heal itself over time in combat, the scout can quickly flit away, and the predator can turn invisible or go down a path laden with mines. The G2, on the other hand, is overall so slow that its low HP for its size makes it one of the easiest targets in the game compared to any other class at full health.
- Regressed Corsair stats: The huge delay between firing compared to the already long one of the default Corsair results in a significant, frustrating DPS loss (which in turn causes many deaths that could have been prevented with just ooone more Mirv). Some may at the very least enjoy the slightly higher damage over the default Corsair, but I view this as another flaw that ought to be fixed: alpha strikes with this, the charged bolt, and an item are just enough damage to one-hit kill a light mech, but kills that don't allow any reaction from the other player feel cheap on both ends. I don't feel particularly excited or accomplished having made the kill, and burst-down A-class just feels annoyed that he couldn't even react to the first shot.
- Disappointing special ability: Not only is the G2's Blitz worse than the default one in every way except cooldown, but it also punishes the user by taking away their fuel when they need it most. From full capacity, it only lasts a few seconds, and during that time the G2 has to move in a (mostly) straight line to achieve its temporary high speed. Then, once the ability is over, the G2 becomes a sitting duck because it's out of fuel and fuel regenerates hella slow on this thing. Its most useful application (as far as I can tell) is to pop out from behind a corner and surprise enemies with an alpha strike... just like the normal Raider can do by simply dodging and boosting instead of expending its special ability. Plus, I've been told it reveals you on radar as though you were dashing. What? Why? (I need confirmation on that last part though.)
- Stats, raise them (see first 3 points from above). #increasingthespeeds in particular would make the G2 better at its intended role and make the low HP for its size justified.
- Tweak the Corsair XT: This doesn't necessarily mean making it identical to the better default Corsair. Instead, you could differentiate it from the default Raider a bit! You could lock the Corsair into one of its 2 fire modes and buff that mode at the cost of its old versatility, for example. And/or, replace the primary weapon with another (rebalanced) Corsair XT like with the G2 Assault!
- Replace the T-32 Bolt XT with a Reflak XT: Bear with me here. The G2 Raider has trouble getting in and staying in close range, so this change would make it a bit better at midrange due to the Reflak's tighter spread and better falloff compared to the Bolt. Plus, its ricochet capability is a goofy bonus, perfect for G2 mechs!
- Alternative to previous point: Replace the T-32 Bolt XT with a Breacher XT. Decent but gimmicky like the reflak, complete with usefulness at different ranges!
- Change Blitz: This could be done in lots of ways. The fuel consumption could be lowered or replace with a timer like most abilities. It could enhance the mech's running acceleration while active, making it feel less sluggish and allowing better evasion and corner play since turning wouldn't slow it down as much. Replace the fast walking speed with a significantly lower or even removed dodge cooldown to make it a slippery target in close combat. Hell, give its arms something to do and turn Blitz into a temporary turret mode advance like a charging rhino.
TL;DR: Unlike the G2 Assault, the G2 Raider is bad AND isn't novel to play. Any brief enjoyment from it is garnered from "hur dur, I'm handicapping myself" rather than the G2A's "hur dur, I'm firing more boolit than anyone else."
Edited by Mykinius, May 01 2014 - 07:06 PM.

 

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