Patch 1 - Ranged Changed?

[aether4u]

Does anyone with an ATS account know if any modifications were done to make ranged more viable? ie. more damage for ammo or cheaper to craft?

[vanderpm]

I wish, but Nevrax doesn't seem to care that they nerfed range...

[usinuk]

Does anyone with an ATS account know if any modifications were done to make ranged more viable? ie. more damage for ammo or cheaper to craft?

Neither. My damage was basically identical.

However, two other changes that affect ranged combat.

First, the mob damage bump has made it very difficult for anyone to survive a long combat next to a mob. The offset to this - if you're very high level in melee - is that mob hps look to be cut by about a half. So...if you have enough hps through jewelry or melee level you can actually kill something quite a bit easier with a pistol. The problem is if you're trying to play fair and fight something your own level, you're dead from the extra melee damage.

Second, raw mat prices - assuming you can sort through the vendor mess that exists with 5 kerzillion different pieces of junk - are through the roof. It used to cost me 750 for a q50 raw mat. Now it costs 3600 even with 100 fame. It just got a LOT more expensive to craft a bullet if you're using wondermats, which I often did at lower levels.

Basically, the changes don't do anything positive for ranged, unless you're a high level melee fighter that's rich.

[evalisa]

from what i gather:

solo range may no be effected, but in a group it will be a lot easyer

More damage = quicker kill
so as long as the tank can stay alive the mob will die faster

[mikwana]

Actually, I've found ranged to be just as effective as melee. they are just different.

And Ranged doesn't, technically, cost anything, once you stop using basic vendor mats (which make really inferior ammo anyway). Even if it DID still cost a lot, everyone keeps complaining that dapper is worthless, so why does it matter how much it would cost?

Ranged rarely misses, all things being equal. Ranged with accurate attack misses even more rarely.

Range almost always deals max damage, unlike melee.

All in all, it really equals out, other than having to lug around the ammo and find a competent supplier of quality ammo and weapon.

[tetra]

Actually, I've found ranged to be just as effective as melee. they are just different.

Drugs are bad mmmkay?

[elfmatic]

When they say it cost a lot I don't think they necessarily meant dapper. It's the mats that are valuable and ranged costs a lot of mats from what I've heard.

Just a possiblity on the 'cost' issue, not really wanting to get into pros/cons of ranged.

~Elf

[tetra]

When they say it cost a lot I don't think they necessarily meant dapper. It's the mats that are valuable and ranged costs a lot of mats from what I've heard.

Just a possiblity on the 'cost' issue, not really wanting to get into pros/cons of ranged.

~Elf

three mats are needed for every four shots. Ammo clips are 12 shots/9 mats. Ranged generally fires slower than melee attacks and even with supreme mats doesn't compare to an equal level melee with a decent weapon and inc damage.

[usinuk]

When they say it cost a lot I don't think they necessarily meant dapper. It's the mats that are valuable and ranged costs a lot of mats from what I've heard.

Just a possiblity on the 'cost' issue, not really wanting to get into pros/cons of ranged.

~Elf

Meant both actually.

Dapper cost for wondermats is up crazily, and yes, while they aren't terribly effective, they are the easiest way to grind up until a certain point...especially glue, since that pretty much never drops.

However, dapper cost for other mats is going up significantly too if the harvesting and more importantly but subtle craft changes hold. And that's bad.

[jesder]

I think you need to define cost ... Cost if not always measure of Dapper. In my mind cost should be time spent getting whatever it is you need for the ammo. If you are using vendor mats, then it would be the amount of time needed to make x dappers needed to buy the mats. If you are using harvested/looted mats then it would be the amount of time needed to gather said mats. Both methods work but which one is best will varry by person.

Saying something has no cost because you are using gathered mats is just silly.