Commando Archive

Smo'ki -

You need to understand something before posting here...

Commandos are a very tight group of individuals. Although we play on different servers, there is an unspoken bond between us forged from many, many months of nerfs and disregard. Coming in here and calling out veteran Commandos / forum contributors is NOT going to win you many friends here.

Having said that, I'll do my best to answer your post....

First, the Proton Rifle is, and always has been, intended to be non-AoE, even when it was bugged upon its introduction to the game. It doesnt matter what the description says in the examine window as its a bug. Most likely, when the description was coded in, the dev did a simplecut / paste of coding from other Heavy Weapons, and overlooked the radius desription.

Second, when the Proton Rifle was put into live, it was bugged in giving an AoE attack. This was fixed. The description in the examine window wasnt.

Third, an overwhelming majority of us begged, pleaded, andbribed the devs for a high CL (preferably Master level) NON AoE weapon, as well as a low CL nonAoE weapon for Commandos to grind with. We were given the Proton Rifle in place of the Massassi Ink Rifle as our high CL level nonAoE weapon. We needed a high damage weapon that could be useful in high population dense areas (i.e. dungeons, caves, instances) where an AoE attack could mean instant death for the Commando and the rest of his groupmates. We have no specials, therefore cant control our AoE as other professions can. When high level dungeons raid parties are spammed for in the forums or in game, Commandos are explicitly asked NOT to apply UNLESS we use nonAoE weapons/specials. Dont know about you, but that takes the fun out of being a Commando unlesswe can use our guns.

Fourth, the issue with other professions AoE attacks not working correctly with the Proton Rifle is in fact happening, and it is a bug. The answer why: The Proton Rifle, is as you know, classified asa Heavy Weapon. The game engine says that all Heavy Weapons are to have AoE. Further, the game engine says Heavy Weapons are to have 100 percent damage to main target, 40 percent splash to damage to its radius / cone targets (the fact that this doesnt work correctly is a non-issue). However, the Proton Rifleis NOT to be AoE (i.e. - because we have NO traditional profession specials, the Proton Rifle is meant to be OUR single target attack special). BUT, even when using a dedicated AoE special (such as fanshot), the game engine most likely does its checks and balances and says to itself "This is a heavy weapon, therefore its AoE damage is to be 100 main / 40 splash", and overrules the 100 main / 100 splash intention of fanshot. Because the intention of the Proton Rifle is to be nonAoE, the game engine itself overrides the intention of the 100 main / 100 splash of the AoE specific attack, and gives it the bugged 100 main / 40 splash (resulting in 100 main / 0-1 damage splash + elemental).

Another way of putting it is:
Proton Rifle = Heavy Weapon

Heavy Weapon = 100 pecent damage to main / 40 percent damage to splash targets

Innate Heavy Weapon AoE coding > AoE specific attack coding, therefore Innate Heavy Weapon Coding overrules AoE specific attack coding, resulting in 100 percent damage to main / 40 percent damage to splash INSTEAD of 100 percent damage to main / 100 percent damage to splash

Your wish of having the Proton Rifle as an AoE isnt going to happen. We collectively asked for a nonAoE high damage weapon, we got a nonAoE high damage weapon, and thankfully we got it.

Further, we simply do not know if the proton rifle, when fired using another professions AoE specific attack, if it is have 100 main / 100 splash. Why dont we know? We cant get a dev answer. Nick cant get a response from the Corr forums - if had he would have told us, unless he was prohibited from doing so - dont forget even thou the CU is out, Nick is still bound by NDA as what he can say, and what he cant say. We have, and have had, two GREAT Correspondents, that are highly regarded in our community, and the correspondent community as well. Nick gets ALOT of support from other corrs, which is a reflection of the job he does, and has.