Change: Optimize Battle Bus Locomotor

[xezon]

• old PR Optimize Battle Bus Locomotor #980

This change improves Battle Bus Locomotor. In both damaged and undamaged state, no tangible difference in driving performance is expected. Visually the driving will look and feel smoother.

Object	Min Turn Speed (m/s)	Time to Full Speed (ms)
Original Battle Bus	0	70
Original Battle Bus Damaged	0	50
Patched Battle Bus	25	175 (-150%)
Patched Battle Bus Damaged	25	179 (-260%)

Considerations for Braking

Braking is unchanged. Although it could be safely lowered because it is a non critical movement setting, it does not make it look any better. The locomotor suffers from an issue that introduces stutter on brake, and increasing the brake time will prolong the stutter.

• Locomotor does not interpolate braking vehicle smoothly #971

Original vs Patched Locomotor Test Drive

This is a short test drive. The marginally reduced acceleration and boosted Min Turn Speed gives a slightly smoother look and feel to the vehicle. For all regular practical purposes the vehicle driving performance is indistinguishable from the original. The change in Locomotor should bear no practical difference in real matches.

Battle Bus with passenger = Original Locomotor
Battle Bus without passenger = Patched Locomotor

battle_bus_drive.mp4

Original vs Patched Locomotor Turn Test

The patched Battle Bus will benefit from the increased Min Turn Speed, if it takes turns. This balances with its worse acceleration performance on balanced drives.

Battle Bus with passenger = Original Locomotor
Battle Bus without passenger = Patched Locomotor

battle_bus_turns.mp4

Original vs Patched Locomotor Acceleration Test

The patched Battle Bus will drawback from the decreased acceleration time, if it starts moving. This balances with its better turn performance on balanced drives.

Battle Bus with passenger = Original Locomotor
Battle Bus without passenger = Patched Locomotor

battle_bus_accelerate.mp4

Original vs Patched Damaged Locomotor Test Drive

This is a short test drive in damaged state. The reduced acceleration and increased Min Turn Speed gives a slightly smoother look and feel to the vehicle. For all regular practical purposes the vehicle driving performance is indistinguishable from the original. The change in Locomotor should bear no practical difference in real matches.

Battle Bus with passenger = Original Locomotor
Battle Bus without passenger = Patched Locomotor

battle_bus_damaged_drive.mp4

[KrewGR]

So the time to full speed will accelerate the BB to full speed sooner. Any idea if that stop and go micro trick will make them stronger for better or worse? I can't see it being much more effective, but they remind me of the vees stop and go trick.

[xezon]

The stop and go test was made to illustrate the faster acceleration advantage. It basically adds up on stop and go.

[xezon]

Any feedbacks for this?

[ImTimK]

All in favor for smoother looking/feeling performance, but the improved stop and go method is a bit concerning because it's the main way busses are utilized to out-range/micro the opponent. This simply means it will become stronger than before.

Combine this with the radiation bunker mode fix and the unit will become pretty much unstoppable for some factions in various game stages.

[xezon]

the improved stop and go method is a bit concerning because it's the main way busses are utilized to out-range/micro the opponent. This simply means it will become stronger than before.

This means this change was not understood. It is the opposite. The accelleration is lowered and the turning is increased. On average, the optimized locomotor is expected to travel as far as quickly as the original one (see video 1).

I do not consider this change a Buff or Nerf.

[ImTimK]

Nvm my bad, I only watched the videos quickly and assumed it was left vs right, original vs patched respectively.