"Bolts are 2slow!" - A response to people claim the bolt-'s are bad weapons.

[SpiderWaifu]

<-- Rank 11 Boltor vs lvl20ish Grineers.

Your targets aren't constantly moving, and even then, it's slow movements.

If you're not good at leading your enemy, you can just wait until they stop moving.

It makes me sad to see such good weapons hated, because people think the bolts aren't fast enough, and they can't hit anything with them.

If it's desired, I could try to make a video that goes more indepth and helps people to aim better with these weapons. Now I'm not claiming to be the best here, but most peoples opinion on the bolt- weapons, are that it's hard to hit things.

I want to help you people out, because these weapons are fun.

[LalaLuck]

To each his own, good sir. To each his own.

[SpiderWaifu]

To each his own, good sir. To each his own.

The opinions I've seen and heard, didn't come across as a matter of personal preferance. It seemed more like people who [pardon the slight insult] didn't know, or weren't used to how to aim with it. I wouldn't mind at all if people said they just didn't like it.

[MJ12]

Pointing out that the bolts are too slow (Ash can pretty much outsprint them now), they're hard to see and thus lead with, and the misaligned crosshair does them no favors isn't 'misunderstanding' the weapon. Anyways, even if you added 100% to projectile speed they'd still require lead at anything but point-blank against moving targets.

They'd just no longer be moving at the pace of icebergs, which would be more versimilitudinous.

[SpiderWaifu]

Pointing out that the bolts are too slow (Ash can pretty much outsprint them now), they're hard to see and thus lead with, and the misaligned crosshair does them no favors isn't 'misunderstanding' the weapon. Anyways, even if you added 100% to projectile speed they'd still require lead at anything but point-blank against moving targets.

They'd just no longer be moving at the pace of icebergs, which would be more versimilitudinous.

Did you watch the video in the link I posted?

Obviously there's no problem with aiming, even at a long distance.

Edit: Using big boy words and fancy numbers doesn't change the fact that you're overexaggerating how 'slow' [Even though the bolts are fast enough] the shots are. EVERY weapon needs you to lead it against moving targets.

Edited February 3, 2013 by SpiderWaifu

[FrankJaeger]

They'd just no longer be moving at the pace of icebergs, which would be more versimilitudinous.

Verisimilitudinous*

[MJ12]

Did you watch the video in the link I posted?

Obviously there's no problem with aiming, even at a long distance.

Edit: Using big boy words and fancy numbers doesn't change the fact that you're overexaggerating how 'slow' [Even though the bolts are fast enough] the shots are. EVERY weapon needs you to lead it against moving targets.

If the bolts moved at 1m/s they would be "fast enough". The fact is I can still practically outrun my own gunfire if I use a +Sprint Speed Ash. Using "big boy words" and "fancy numbers" doesn't change the fact that the ability to aim with them at long-distances via guesswork and rough estimates (guess what? I can do that too!) really, really doesn't change the fact that the bolt speed is annoyingly slow and the misaligned crosshair does not help the weapon at all.

It's not as much a difficulty problem as it is a verisimilitude problem. I hope you understand this.

[SpiderWaifu]

If the bolts moved at 1m/s they would be "fast enough". The fact is I can still practically outrun my own gunfire if I use a +Sprint Speed Ash.

I would love to see a video of this.

[MJ12]

I would love to see a video of this.

Are you seriously claiming that you don't notice how slow the bolts are and how they take like 1 second to cross 20m when literally everyone else has?

[SpiderWaifu]

Are you seriously claiming that you don't notice how slow the bolts are and how they take like 1 second to cross 20m when literally everyone else has?

I've never encountered a serious issue with the speed of the bolts, save for occasionally missing on a moving target

[MJ12]

I've never encountered a serious issue with the speed of the bolts, save for occasionally missing on a moving target

The issue is a verisimilitude issue not so much a "I can't hit what I'm aiming at" issue (unless there's lag). They are so slow and have no ballistic drop. If people think making them faster would be a problem you could just add in ballistic drop to balance out the increased speed.

[FrankJaeger]

Can everyone please stop using that word in incorrect or clumsy context.. I'm getting an eye twitch.

Edited February 3, 2013 by FrankJaeger

[SpiderWaifu]

Can everyone please stop using that word in incorrect or clumsy context.. I'm getting an eye twitch.

I'm not the one trying to use it though. :(

I just can't understand how everyone but myself [it seems] hates the bolt weapons.

Edited February 3, 2013 by SpiderWaifu

[Ryme]

The Bolts are very accurate at long range. I suggest you try them at short range though. There you will see them perform very differently, as they don't actually seem to shoot out of your gun.

That said, the bolts are very slow. Whether or not they need to be to balance the weapon is another issue.

I would suggest a compromise to be the addition of more visible tracers or bolts, so that players can more easily track and become accustomed to their mechanics. In addition to behaving unlike other weapons in the game, it is also very difficult to see the shot bolts, and thus difficult to adjust for their erratic behaviour.

[direcyphre]

Never had problems aiming with it either, taking out grunts from pretty far away. There is still cone of fire bloom so you do need to tone down the rapid firing, but they are insanely accurate and lancers are dumb enough to sit behind low railing for extended periods of time. I am definitely happy there is no drop and the velocity is consistent. No, taking out moving ranged targets doesn't work so well unless at the very least you are hosting the game.

If you can outrun bolts, it's a lag issue, not a bolt weapon issue.

[MJ12]

Never had problems aiming with it either, taking out grunts from pretty far away. There is still cone of fire bloom so you do need to tone down the rapid firing, but they are insanely accurate and lancers are dumb enough to sit behind low railing for extended periods of time. I am definitely happy there is no drop and the velocity is consistent. No, taking out moving ranged targets doesn't work so well unless at the very least you are hosting the game.

If you can outrun bolts, it's a lag issue, not a bolt weapon issue.

The cone of fire bloom is actually a huge benefit with the Boltor, because it gives you a margin of error on your lead. :p

[WildJuice]

The bolt weapons are very awkward in terms of physics.

1) Once an enemy dies, the body flies to the wall faster than the bolt itself.

2) At that speed, there should be a trajectory curving...

I dislike the weapon, not because it's a hard weapon, but it feels like it's not even part of the same physical realm as ours.

[direcyphre]

1) Once an enemy dies, the body flies to the wall faster than the bolt itself.

Not sure where people keep coming to that conclusion. Seems to fly the exact same speed because they aren't that slow.

[SpiderWaifu]

I dislike the weapon, not because it's a hard weapon, but it feels like it's not even part of the same physical realm as ours.

I can understand that. I personally enjoy the outlandish pinning effect and launching.

But you've got to remember, we're power rangers Tenno in Space. Screw physics!

Not sure where people keep coming to that conclusion. Seems to fly the exact same speed because they aren't that slow.

Another kindred spirit!

[Eversor]

For me, the only problem comes when i am not host. Bolts are really hard to aim when there is a little lag :S

[Kingdrake]

Guys, ever wondered that Bolt weapons are obviously mid-close range rifles?

They CAN be used at long distance, but they were not planned for that. At mid range I find no problem at all, at long range just a bit but I mean, there's no spread, you can just aim where you want your bolt to hit and shoot.

You want to be able to kill enemies at long range, use latron and others. I want to keep a costant, high damage on one enemy (25-30 dmg per bolt for a total of 80~ dmg per second) and stagger them, not caring about the distance, I use Boltor and enjoy it.

Stop it, there's no point in saying a gun is bad because you're using it out of its meant context, or I could say that Hek is bad because it can't one-shot enemies from 100m away, that's pointless.

P.s.: For those who have problems leading at mid range, play Tribes for the lord's sake and learn how to blueplate an enemy.

P.s.s.: I do agree about bolts being a problem when playing with a laggy host, but I fear there's no solution to that if not shooting enemies in the face.

[SpiderWaifu]

P.s.s.: I do agree about bolts being a problem when playing with a laggy host, but I fear there's no solution to that if not shooting enemies in the face.

Every weapon, except melee weapons are a problem with a laggy host. Jussaiyan.

[Vashramire]

I love my Boltor even though it's not as strong as my Gorgon but my main beef is the aiming bug where it shoots completely offscreen(like 45 degrees to the side). But even then you just unzoom and aim again and it usually fixes it. Fire it in bursts from range and you can stagger and make the most of your shots.

[WildJuice]

Not sure where people keep coming to that conclusion. Seems to fly the exact same speed because they aren't that slow.

You're right. The issue is that it should be losing speed. That's why enemies seem to fly faster. The bolto is very awkward to me lol.

They are slow according to their kinetic parameters.

[kirauriel]

Being a PlanetSide 2 player, I love the bolto and feel it's a great weapon that can outdps any other pistol against grineer. Leading is the challenge. It's trading off hitscan for ignoring armor and removing corpses, plus some added damage.