I wanted to think about this over the weekend and look at some numbers before I responded to the adjustments and other things mentioned in the roundup.  I'll take them point by point with another suggestion or two at the end.

1) More variants of new weapons - good.  Expected, but good.

2) adjustments to weapons....

   a) Arc Torrents - A favorite of mine.  Increase optimal range, damage falloff beyond optimal range (so far so good, I'm not thrilled, but I can see this as a good thing - ballanced).  Damage nerf ... I really don't see the need for this if you are doing the damage falloff beyond optimal range.  This is an epic weapon afterall, and really, any current advantage to the weapon is really in it's range - which, if you are having damage fall off beyond optimal range, you are already negating that advantage.  My view, get rid of the damage nerf and keep the rest of the changes, they are significant enough as it is.

   b) Disc Launchers - I use em, my #3 weapon of choice.  Damage fall off beyond Optimal Range - good.  Splash Damage fall off as enemy is further from impact point - good.  Spalsh Damage no longer able to deal increased Damage to sides and rear - bad.  The first two changes are significant and will change how the weapon performs overall - a lot of people who just fire and forget from near max range.  But taking away what is a basic tenant of the game (damage to sides and back of a mech is increased over that taken to the front) is just too much.

   c) Nade Launchers - Damage increase.  I thought they were doing enough damage to me already, but I can live with this adjustment.

   d) Cryo Launchers - Damage increase.  Again, I thought they were doing enough already.  Lord only knows how many deaths I have as a direct result of em.  But I can live with this change.

   e) Miniguns - Damage increase.  I flat disagree with this change.  Miniguns are more than powerful enough as it is.  They don't need to do more damage.  There isn't a mech in the game today that can even take on 1/2 of the damage potential of the Minigun 16's.  Heck, there are only 2 mechs in the game that a full mag on the Minigun 6's can't kill.  This was just not necessary.

   f) Chain Guns - Damage increase.  I feel like there has been a theme with everything but the first two items.  Do more damage.  However, Chain Gun is a case where it really is needed.  This is the right change for the right weapon.

3) PvE - We've been hearing about it for a long time.  Hearing about it again is just expected.  I will say that I'll be unhappy if the current PvE campaign that is available to new players now isn't released to all players too at some point.

4) New modifiers - ok, and.....   Not expected, but not looked for either.  They already have a mondifier that is supposed to give you an increased chance of Epic and Legendary implants.  I've never gotten anything other than a rare implant whenever that modifier comes up.  For that matter, 90% of the modifiers that are shown are for pay items in the store, not for Gear Hub items or things that I have (yes, there is that 10%, it does happen, but mostly - no).  I am Switzerland on this one.

So, suggestion(s) - I honestly thought this was already in the game, but apparently not.  The damage falloff from beyond optimal range and from the center point of impact are things that should be in the game already for all weapons that qualify for it.  I don't really understand why this isn't already there.  The only exception I can see for this might be rocket mortars (yes, I hate them as much as everyone else), but only because of how they are supposed to actually work (releasing a spread of charges over an area so you are actually hitting an area vs. a single point on the map like a grenade would).

Overall, if it wasn't for the flat damage nerf to arcs, the elimination of bonus damage to side and back impacts from disc launchers, and the increase to damage on the miniguns, I'd give this set of changes an A+.  As it stands, I have to give the weapon adjustments a C, (B- at best).  In particular I think the arc and disc launcher changes noted go too far.  I'd rather see what impact the damage falloff will have without the flat damage nerf or the elimination of the bonus damage to side and back impacts by themselves and then do a further adjustment in 6 months if necessary.

The rest of the announcements get a B (nothing earth shattering).

Thanks for reading.