A closer look at booster acceleration in Last Raven.

[Mom]

I ran a short test on 3 different boosters in Last Raven and got precise numbers through frame testing with my recording device. This little experiment was sparked by a small discussion with Sir Altair regarding Vulture1 and boost acceleration in general. The numbers will show boost acceleration to be vastly overrated when there are noticeable differences of the actual stat in-game. It's not so much that boost acceleration doesn't do anything in Last Raven, it's just that there's enough difference in power for a higher power booster to achieve faster speeds at slower times than high acceleration boosters. People tend to use Vulture2/G91 as their failsafe internal combo for their OBless bipeds and tend to associate Gull/Lotus as something that's generally geared toward whoring out OB. The reality of it is, the opposite is usually true. Vulture2 should be used for OBing because of lower heat, and allows the user to OB more freely while in tight situations to prevent unnecessary forced cooling that would otherwise cripple energy reserves. Gull is more ideal for a general purpose AC that doesn't OB, and range control/raw speed are at the utmost of importance. This doesn't mean you shouldn't shy away from Gull/Lotus for OB acs and Vulture2/G91 for non-ob ACs, however. Every AC has their own unique scenario of problems to build around.

 

Ground Dashing:

Vulture2: 30 frames to go from 0kph to 455kph (max speed for vulture2 on my RJ)

Gull: 23 frames to go from 0kph to 455kph (max speed of 468kph was hit at 36 frames)

UN8: 23 frames to go from 0kph to 455kph (max speed of 473 was hit at 35 frames)

 

Initial Boost Hop; 12 frames:

Vulture2: 306kph at 12 frames (around 350kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

Gull: 300kph at 12 frames (around 350kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

UN8: 296kph at 12 frames (around 350kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

 

 

Note the numbers for the boost hop were taken for the initial boost hop, which started from walking animation. Successive boost hops will result in higher speeds, but each of the 3 boosters still share similar numbers.

The test also confirms UN8's shittiness in Last Raven, as Gull achieves same numbers while weighing less and draining way less energy.

The tunes for the boosters were as follows:

6 power, 4 acceleration for Vulture2

5 acceleration, 5 cooling for Gull

4 weight, 6 acceleration for UN8

 

More numbers:

 

Ground Dashing:

Vulture2: 30 frames to go from 0kph to 455kph (max speed for vulture2 on my RJ)

Gull: 23 frames to go from 0kph to 455kph (max speed of 468kph was hit at 36 frames)

UN8: 23 frames to go from 0kph to 455kph (max speed of 473 was hit at 35 frames)

TP: 18 frames to go from 0kph to 455kph (max speed of 494 was hit at 32 frames)

Birdie1: 29 frames to go from 0kph to its max speed of 392kph on my RJ

 

 

 

Initial Boost Hop; 12 frames:

Vulture2: 306kph at 12 frames (around 350kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

Gull: 300kph at 12 frames (around 350kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

UN8: 296kph at 12 frames (around 350kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

TP: 350kph at 12 frames (around 380kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

Birdie1: 260kph at 12 frames (around 300kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

 

 

 

Initial Acceleration; 7 frame ground dash:

Vulture2: 0 to 175kph in 7 frames

Gull: 0 to 167kph in 7 frames

UN8: 0 to 157kph in 7 frames

TP: 0 to 189kph in 7 frames

Birdie1: 0 to 172kph in 7 frames

 

 

The 455kph test was a little biased against Vulture2, as the rate of change of speed for an AC tapers off near the maximum boost speed of its booster (much like how a square root equation tapers off the higher x value it gets) but the initial acceleration category shows Vulture2 to have very good initial acceleration in real practice. A period of 7 frames for a ground dash allows the booster's flame to fully animate to its fullest length, and gives it 2-3 frames to accelerate while at fullest potential. 7 frames is also the rough amount of time one spends dashing on the ground right before a boost hop, so it is a great indicator at what a booster can accomplish given real PvP scenarios.

 

Needless to say, the TP shows a dominating performance in both initial acceleration and ground dashing, but is on a whole nother level in the boost hop category, scoring 50more kph while at the crux of an average boost hop, just before the user cuts the booster to begin falling. The real losers of the new category are UN8 and Birdie1. Even though Birdie1 has highest acceleration in the game, its lack of raw power makes it accelerate a tad slower than Vulture2 and only marginally faster than Gull. UN8 shows a pathetic performance in initial acceleration-- most likely due to its high weight.

 

The tuning for TP and Birdie1 in these tests were 4 acceleration/6heat and 7 power/3 acceleration.

Edited June 26, 2011 by TMRaven

[Harakiri Tiger]

You should try the tests out with no tunes sometime and add in TP, haha.

[Niji Superfan]

...Poor UN8. I tried so many times to make it work just to say I've done it, but there is no saving that shit.

 

The VULTURE1 discussion was basically me dropping the ball; this was after I'd just gotten LRp, and having not played LR in years, I wasn't in the habit of tuning everything the minute I got it. Long story short, I had tuned my VULTURE1, but not VULTURE2, and I was comparing the stats on the two. I kept thinking "Wow, VULTURE1 actually has some potential," until I finally caught this.

 

Yeah, I felt pretty dumb. Anyway, thanks for doing all of the testing on this. GULL and LOTUS has always been my mainstay; LOTUS is lighter than a majority of the generators, and that only serves to add to the speed boost from the GULL. Hell, even GULL/FUDOH is pretty nice if you can support it and you really need the juice. Do you think you could do BIRDIE1 next time you get the chance? I've been thinking of experimenting with that more in LRp, just for shits and giggles. BIRDIE2 might be neat just to cover all the bases as well.

[LCC]

Now do my work for me and get weapon/missile lock times.

 

Also one thing I've always assumed is that accel matters more at higher max speeds as the amount of accel you gain from +500 boost power at 500 spd isn't as much as what you gain from 400 spd, while increasing accel at 500 spd does more than increasing accel at 400 spd.

Edited May 31, 2010 by LCC

[sim-al2]

UN8 is the heavy power booster with bad everything right? I would really like to use that but it's just not any good like you say.

[Mom]

More numbers:

 

Ground Dashing:

Vulture2: 30 frames to go from 0kph to 455kph (max speed for vulture2 on my RJ)

Gull: 23 frames to go from 0kph to 455kph (max speed of 468kph was hit at 36 frames)

UN8: 23 frames to go from 0kph to 455kph (max speed of 473 was hit at 35 frames)

TP: 18 frames to go from 0kph to 455kph (max speed of 494 was hit at 32 frames)

Birdie1: 29 frames to go from 0kph to its max speed of 392kph on my RJ

 

 

 

Initial Boost Hop; 12 frames:

Vulture2: 306kph at 12 frames (around 350kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

Gull: 300kph at 12 frames (around 350kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

UN8: 296kph at 12 frames (around 350kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

TP: 350kph at 12 frames (around 380kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

Birdie1: 260kph at 12 frames (around 300kph when using momentum while in air and falling from boost hop)

 

 

 

Initial Acceleration; 7 frame ground dash:

Vulture2: 0 to 175kph in 7 frames

Gull: 0 to 167kph in 7 frames

UN8: 0 to 157kph in 7 frames

TP: 0 to 189kph in 7 frames

Birdie1: 0 to 172kph in 7 frames

 

 

The 455kph test was a little biased against Vulture2, as the rate of change of speed for an AC tapers off near the maximum boost speed of its booster (much like how a square root equation tapers off the higher x value it gets) but the initial acceleration category shows Vulture2 to have very good initial acceleration in real practice. A period of 7 frames for a ground dash allows the booster's flame to fully animate to its fullest length, and gives it 2-3 frames to accelerate while at fullest potential. 7 frames is also the rough amount of time one spends dashing on the ground right before a boost hop, so it is a great indicator at what a booster can accomplish given real PvP scenarios.

 

Needless to say, the TP shows a dominating performance in both initial acceleration and ground dashing, but is on a whole nother level in the boost hop category, scoring 50more kph while at the crux of an average boost hop, just before the user cuts the booster to begin falling. The real losers of the new category are UN8 and Birdie1. Even though Birdie1 has highest acceleration in the game, its lack of raw power makes it accelerate a tad slower than Vulture2 and only marginally faster than Gull. UN8 shows a pathetic performance in initial acceleration-- most likely due to its high weight.

 

The tuning for TP and Birdie1 in these tests were 4 acceleration/6heat and 7 power/3 acceleration.

Edited May 31, 2010 by TMRaven

[sim-al2]

Wow I going to have to try out Gull more. This is some really great info TM! I think everyone will find it very helpful.

[Harakiri Tiger]

Hahahahahahaha. Fkn TP has 50 more kph. That's sooooooo good. What a douche booster set.

[NiX]

I love you, TM.