My main on the homecoming servers is now slotted up and has about an 11 second recharge time on their snipe.
With tactics six slotted with Gaussian which has the to hit buff running all the time and occasionally activating, I can keep my snipe almost always instant without the need for any special new IO sets.
However I do want to the game evolve.
I also want to play vanilla and that is what private servers are for.
They've put back the range and the recharge (thank goodness.)
The new '2 second' activation on the 'slow' snipe will come as relief to any who hated the long wait and the 'hey, he nudged me...' snipe. The 'hit like a truck' damage is great. And the 'SNIPE!' shows a nice dry sense of humour. Bit of fun there.
The new 'auto-snipe orange ring in and out of combat' feature now works great. Seamless. And democratises gameplay for all instead of being behind a power and some slots and an IO pay wall. Which , for me, is MORE in the spirit of the COH being 'pick up and play'. (However, I will miss the game management of hit aim or BU or power boost to get the to hit. Which those and tactics 'to hits' I had insta-snipe up and running 'most' of the time.)
Numbers? Back to 12 second recharge. With 2 recharge SO in snipe I've got about 7-ish seconds. With Hasten? Just over 5 sec!!! (Ker-POW!)
One 'emotive' gripe from test. They've changed the 'shoot from the hip' to the 'arm out wobble'. I liked the 'cocked' arm fasted gun in the west animation. So satisfying. (There maybe be technical reasons why it was like this. But the developers had a great 'short animation' for insta snipe and it differentiates both long and short form. I hope they change the 'short animation' back.)
How it plays. 'Just about as good' as on 'live.' (I think I got used to how it was. I don't see how they couldn't have just made the requirement for insta snipe tactics and 'to hit.' But it DOES democratise gameplay for all snipe.)
It's worth trying.
Azrael.