4 replies to this topic

[Blackfire1]

Oh noes an ECM thread. Yea, sorry I'm late to the party folks I wanted to take as much time as I could to get a grasp on the issues and think of any possible point of balance that may be of interest.

First a recourse. There are two methods of balancing in game design. Hard counters (1vs1), Rock paper scissors (1>2>3>1), and Daisy-chains (1>2>3>4>5/2>6/3>7/4 ect ect).

ECM:
ECM works as intended. That's clear. Its as invaluable a tool as it was in Battletech/novels.
Counters: Anti-ECM ECM, TAG, Visual confirmation and hard sighting.
Pros: Very easy to use. No con to activation. No need to remember if its on or not. Protects those around them
Cons: Limited mech selection + 1 assault.

TAG:
Laser designation that can counter ECM and also upped accuracy of lock on's.
Counters: Mech Speed, Range, Equipment Destruction, User Skill determines effectiveness, Loss of tag mean loss of target on ECM mech.
Pro's: no heat
Cons: Takes a weapon slot, Not easy to use, Hard to keep on light mechs, most of the times end up in enemy ECM's range anyways.

????
Anything that effects the top two options. I look at this as collision. The main counter to light mechs. Streaks are no longer worth anything because of people using the ECM lights. There went one major counter. Until they fix the net-code a bit more and bring back in collision. Light mechs will still rain supreme.

Profit:
Streaks/LRM's>Collision>Light mechs>TAG>ECM>LRM's,Streaks
You notice the missing link right?

[Orzorn]

The current issue with ECM is that the reason's for taking it are much different here than in the tabletop, largely affected by what each implementation actually does.

In the TT, ECM countered artemis, BAP, C3, and narcs. All of those are very specialized items that not every mech had (in fact, most mechs didn't have them).

In MWO, ECM counters artemis, BAP, narcs, tags, LRMs, SSRMs, and a laundry list of targeting and data sharing capabilities (which is basically C3 at this point).

People take ECM in MWO to counter missile, especially SSRMs. Who takes ECM the most? Lights. Lights who normally get countered by streaks. Lights who are also lagshielded currently.

People don't take ECM to counter BAP. BAP is mostly garbage anyways. Artemis doesn't even need to be counted because LRMs are countered by ECM anyways.

Its also nice for them that TAG is affected within 180 meters. Just get in their faces.

Basically, ECM is so much more lucrative in MWO that it totally changes why people take it into fights. We'd see ECM a lot less if it only stopped what it did in the TT. All of those were specific, niche techs. That made ECM a specific, niche tech. Instead, we've got a widespread, must-have tech currently. I'm not saying it should only do exactly what it did in the TT, but the differences in the reasons to use the item are clear.

[Tykelau]

Agreed, I find the ECM's are running rampant on the battlefield, especially in premades. Add to this the fact that the Dev's still think ECM is fine and I've got some major concern about playing.

[Mack1]

ECM is so gamebreaking I only pew pew now, I have stopped playing any sort of role in this game, I don;t even care if I win or lose the battle. I just pop in for a few games now and then and blow stuff away in pew pew mech that has no missiles. Needless to say the game is getting very boring now, I play less and less.

[Dakkath]

Closing this thread as its a duplicate thread about a subject that has a dedicated feedback thread which we are shuttling users to.


Please use this thread for further ECM discussions, we appreciate it VERY much.

http://mwomercs.com/...4-ecm-feedback/


and a POLL!

http://mwomercs.com/...nd-ecm-for-now/