Every mech in the game has three primaries to choose from (excluding the Tech and G2 assualt because they're special), and they each have their own title: Starter (or standard), Alternate and Prestige. Now, for the starter weapons, one would assume that the first weapon you get for a mech would be relatively simple to use while playing well with the mech's strengths, but still share in some of the weaknesses of the mech for balance. The alternate weapon would be available to the player to a player who likes the mech, but wants to play the mech slightly different than the type of play that the standard weapon offers. Lastly, the prestige weapon greatly magnifies the strengths of the mech, but in return magnifies the weaknesses as well. Now, in most cases, the previous is true, but I feel that a few mechs have a weapon order that doesn't quite stick to this pattern that I've noticed in the majority of the other mechs. Again, there's nothing wrong with the weapons themselves, but the issue I have is with the order in which new players are given them. The mechs I would like to adress are the Brawler, Technician, Predator, Sharpshooter and Incinerator.
Now, the starting weapon on the Brawler is the Flak cannon. Again, I have no issue with the weapon. In fact it's my favorite to use on the Brawler. However, I've got close to 300 hours on the game. Most people's gripe with the Brawler comes from new players who have a hard time with the Flak cannon. Most of them just end up having to buy the SA-Hawkins so they can play it comfortably. Now, I'm perfectly fine with the Hawkins where it is, as it does offer a different style of play to the main purpose of the brawler. But why the Point-D Vulcan (which is far easier to use than the Flak cannon and fills the same role as it) is the prestige weapon confuses me. On most other mechs, the prestige weapon is the most difficult to learn with that mech's playstyle, however with the Brawler, it's pretiege just makes it feel much easier and boring to play in comparison to the starter. Even though I have a personal dislike of using the Vulcan, I really feel it should be the starting weapon for new players to get used to the Brawler.
The Redox as a starting weapon of the technician is not really the best option. Everyone who plays technician frequently will always tell you that the RPR is far more easy and reliable to use. That's what a starter weapon should be; reliable and forgiving. Redox should definitely be the alternate, or if not, the prestiege, because using it effectively is not something a new player will be able to wrap their head around. It's far too complex for a starting weapon.
Same on the Predator. The Predator should start out with the T32 because it's simpler to understand than the Breacher. The Breacher, like the redox, is functionally more complex than the alternate weapon and really should not be what a new player trains themselves with. It's also more reliable and forgiving with it's fast reload time.
Now on the Sharpshooter and Incinerator, their starting weapons are perfect as they are. I just feel their Alternates should be their prestige weapons, because in both cases, the alternates are much more complicated and difficult to use than their prestige weapons are. Just a minor thing.
Let me know what you guys think.
Edited by SoldierHobbes11, April 17 2014 - 01:28 PM.