Autonomy for Pilots: Close Area Support and What [Has] To Change

[MarpleJones]

I thank everyone who took time voicing their opinions here. You have made understandable points against changes, and since I am personally for a change, I'd like to adress and point out my personal view.

Pigeon:

Yes, I also believe that the idea of a completely open CAS has it's flaws. I had only listed it to make the ground-work for a proper discussion. The idea itself could only possibly work if proper changes are made to everything, such as number tweaks, whole overhauls of systems, and the such. I am certain that it can be balanced out, at least to some degree. I believe the right way to go about this is to find a way for absolutely no other major gameplay changes to be made; or things added to limit the pilots.

One of the limits made to the pilots is the mentioned Signal Tower. They can't target the whole map, but only a set area around a boxed-in spot, whilst not having to completely rely on JTAC Operators.

MasterShakeEZ:

I'd like to digress. There are quite many ways to balance this system out. I believe the worry most of us have is the problematic 'sudden' attack by the dropship - the point you have made. And I agree with you on that; it would be unfair to not only Xenomorph, but for the Marines (based on FF). However, as I have already stated, this can be easily fixed by simply adding new visual and auditorial effects. A long-enough lasting sprite warning quite literally everyone in the vicinity.

Here is how I imagine it; a small "killbox" with an arrow pointing in where the firemission will go after winding up.	If anything, I'd even add the ability for Xenomorph to see it through walls like they would other mobs.
https://i.imgur.com/p9ozjNh.png This does not work any different from how our current signal flares and binocular lazes work. In fact, this is even more revealing by knowing that a firemission will arrive, and where it will go.	https://i.imgur.com/mGJvwGG.png As you can see, the Ravager will not simply stay and rest in an otherwise safe location as he knows that a firemission is inbound.

(Pardon if the images seem lackluster. They serve to show a possible solution. Yes, the icon looks bad.)

Adressing your edit:
Whilst I do not see the thought process of making the game worse for anyone in essence myself as well, - you may be generalizing too much. This doesn't create an unenjoyable experience - it adds to it. It only makes the game worse if it doesn't work. And there's testing to be done to see that. With changes done to dropships, everyone can benefit.

And, above all else, I believe that every role is important. Every role needs to feel enjoyable.
Playing as a Close Area Support Pilot is currently not.

[kooarbiter]

here's a suggestion, a new utility weapon: dropship flare gun

when installed, you can load either regular or signal flares into it it, if it directly connects to someone it basically husks them (picture a flaming javeling being hurled by the gods into the chest of a xenomorph, marine, pred, whoever)

the flares and signal flares launched this way have a shorter duration, and the signal flares from the dropship launcher can be blocked by covering them with a weed node, but in exchange POs can launch them almost anywhere on the map, excluding a radius around the queen's ovipositor and the tcoms tower

[Hunk1]

Adressing to this as i used to be CAS Main.

Some of those additions i agree, but some i do not. Anti-Air Systems, Maybe an Scrambling system negating the firemission, but causing direct damage to the modules, i don't see that working. You have to remember that most of the times, CAS runs out alone and he has to run MEDEVACs as well, causing direct damage to the dropship would delay the redeployment of the dropship to rescue wounded marines, that's an direct nerf to marines.

The only reason why second dropship is USED At all is because of medevacs, and most of the pro pilots only use fuel enhancer. Allow me to explain more.

After doing one pass, the engines take at least 80 seconds to cooldown. Even more if i cancel the flyby, i experienced even 110 seconds of cooldown when i canceled an flyby because of an infected marine close to bursting. That's almost almost 2 minutes waiting for the cooldown, i don't complain because it gives me time to reload all weapons and unload all the wounded, but i don't see why increase it more.

I don't belive that Free roam CAS would be awful, of course, it need testing, but if you need visual markins, just use make an 4 tile green dot like when the dropship is using direct fire and make it blink, and the CAS firemission's sound is already enough as xenos still have a lot of time to dodge from the firemissions depending of his position.