(02-11-2010, 07:48 AM)medusa0 Wrote: Hmmmm you are right... I guess I'm just the kind of pilot that doesn't care... Post edited.
Q: My lock box is tiny and I can't keep anything in it!
A: You may be using a Narrow & Deep (ND) or Special lock weapon that puts a penalty on most FCSs in term of lock box size. Use Standard or Wide & Shallow (WS) lock weapon on a matching weapon until you get better at tracking targets.
On Lock Box Sizes
There are many factors that determine the overall size of an AC's lock box. First is the lock type of a weapon, which will generally govern the overall size of the AC's lock box. The size ranking goes as follows from largest to smallest:
Wide and Shallow (WS)
Standard (ST)
Special (SP)
Narrow and Deep (ND)
It is also good to note that the smaller the lock box, the greater the lock-on range and vice-versa. Therefore ND lock boxes are good at scanning for opponents from a distance due to their lock-on range, while WS lock boxes make it easier to keep an opponent targeted at closer ranges due to their large lock-box.
Second, is the AC's Left arm weapon lock type, since LR's FCS system combines the left arm weapon's lock box with whatever weapon is armed at the moment, it would be a good idea to choose an AC's left arm weapon based on their effect on other weapons. Generally, the FCS will average the two lock types minus a bit of the total lock box size. Therefore a ND lock weapon combined with a WS lock weapon will result in a lock box much larger than the original ND weapon, but smaller than the WS lock weapon. However, if you combine a weapon with a similar lock type (SP + SP, or WS + WS for example), the result will be a slightly smaller version of the original weapon's lock type on single wield.
The third factor will be the type of FCS you're equipped with. Generally, they follow the same rule as weapon locks in a sense that FCS' affect the overall size and range of an AC's weapon lock box (A WS lock on an ND FCS will result in a small lock box but increased range and vice-versa). At this point, 2 other properties of FCS' come into play, the FCS Lock Type and its Parallel Sight.
An AC's FCS lock type comes in two additional forms which are Lengthwise (LW) and Sideways (SW) aside from the already established WS, ST, SP, and ND lock types. These two special lock types alter the overall shape of an AC's FCS into a vertical or horizontal rectangles depending on the FCS model, and are considered specialized FCS. A SW FCS thanks to its horizontal orientation will be better at tracking grounded or ground based opponents while LW FCS' are better at tracking airborne targets or opponents who love to position at higher ground.
The FCS' Parallel sight determines how well two different lock boxes will mesh together. The higher the rating, the better the overall lock box size of two same or different lock types. The lower the rating, then the smaller the overall lock box of two combined weapons will be.
Finally, one can boost the size of the lock box by equipping the CR-O79L+ option part which significantly boosts the size of any lock box combination.
The consensus among AC players it that the F73H is the most versatile FCS for a dual gunner combination. While a SW FCS, the F73H boasts high lock compatibility with all weapons and lock types. Lock sizes expand horizontally by a large amount with little compromise on the width, resulting in an overall larger lock box than most other FCS. Its high parallel sight rating makes it ideal for dual gunning, and significantly boosts the size of ND lock weapons when paired with any other lock weapon (Easily maximized when paired with a WS lock weapon). Other FCS' might be better at specialized roles, but the F73H is usually a safe choice in any case.
Lock range is determined by a combination of your weapon lock type and FCS type. I'll look into that soon.
Q: Are there any stats that do not affect your AC?
A: These are bogus stats in the game:
CORE:
Max Core Arms Weight: There are no penalties for going beyond the limit of this stat. However you'll be hearing an annoying buzz alarm for the rest of the match until the stat goes to normal.
ARMS:
Arm Accuracy: No noticeable difference between arms.
Two ways to go about this: Either equip a really high-output generator or use parts that have less equip-drain.
