Engineer - restricted weapons

I know this will not be a popular thread (I have already seen unfavorable feedback about it on a semi-related thread but I wanted to create a separate one)

I respectfully submit that the engineer be restricted to short-range weapons. My initial thought was that with an infinite link, and the default spawn weapons (shield gun and rifle) was more than adequate.

The rationale is that the engineer is stationary and should depend on others to deal with long-range monsters - or use a turret.

I know that the class is still being tweaked, but consider this change as a possible equalizer/balance for the class. Right now it is still a tad overpowered, even with the restriction (at my current level - 39) of one sentinel instead of two. I still score higher consistently (below wave 12) even over my higher level characters. I have noticed that when I compliment with the other weapons (shock, lightning gun, minigun/flak and redeemer) I seem to have a great advantage over other classes that I have played.

Again, just a thought for the devs to consider - just trying to help balance out a great class that starts with an infinite powerful weapon and does not depend on adren to create sentinels/turrets/vehicles. Great job and hopefully nobody takes this the wrong way - I love the work you guys have done; amazing!

I think the recent "tweak" did go along way to make things more even. I like the idea of the class specializing in a field, but I also feel that when specializing the class should do better than other classes in that particular area.

That said, go for it, I would love to play test a change.

Spike wrote:

I respectfully submit that the engineer be restricted to short-range weapons. My initial thought was that with an infinite link, and the default spawn weapons (shield gun and rifle) was more than adequate.

The rationale is that the engineer is stationary and should depend on others to deal with long-range monsters - or use a turret.

All suggestions are welcome, and deserve consideration. I do not think we have got to the end of balancing the Engineers yet. I think we need to study where Engineers are scoring too high, and adjust them accordingly. Having 2 sentinels was too powerful for a low level - they just raked in too many kills. So, one is better and more balanced.
However, it may be that each sentinel is still too powerful, and we might need to reduce its attack power - so it kills less. Likewise we may need to tweak various turrets. The link turret in particular perhaps needs refining. Or perhaps limit the health more, placing a greater reliance on ConstructionHealthBonus, to limit the benefit to low levels.

But I dont want to force engineers to have to work in a certain way. Medics can spend all game healing people, or can go after monsters with normal weapons just healing occassionally. Likewise some engineers might want to live in a turret, but others prefer to be out and about.

I personally am not sure about limiting Engineers to short range weapons. The link isn't really long range, so unless they are in a turret or vehicle, they will be short range only.

Take the shock for example. A WM will typically have higher weapon speed, resupply, higher DB and the advanced damage, which means they will get more benefit from the shock than the Engineer would. The LA would max+1 it, or try to convert it to a vorpal, and will have resupply - so again would get more benefit than the engineer. The medic and engineer would be the same. And I think thats fine. The support classes get no bonuses that will help them with these weapons.

And if we stop Engineers using a variety of weapons, we are forcing them to rely even more on sentinels - and that is not really a direction I want to take.

Plus there would be a certain amount of effort involved in preventing the pickup of long range weapons. There are all sorts of funnies with catching a weapon before it hits the ground or when it de-rezzes that could cause complications.

So, I think my preference is still that if engineers are too powerful, then reduce the power of the engineer specific things, rather than impose restrictions on what other things they can use.

i just got an idea about the sent and tureent thing....is it possible just to reduce the score the sents give? such as monster B gives 5 points per kill....so sents kills it it scores...2?..turrent kills it scores 4?..i dunno its jus a spurr of the moment idea for th outrageous scores happening eh o.0