Fergrim, on 21 February 2013 - 10:32 AM, said:
Streaks, a weapon that automatically hits in any situation where it isn't hard countered, doesn't need help.
What I'm saying is that they've presented fixes and you've refused to accept them. You're entitled to think them insufficient, but the fact is that they've been presented.
This is a beta, you're supposed to report bugs, not gripes with design decisions.
ECM works, and some people like it and some people don't. PGI has announced no big plans for it because they have no big plans. Consider the fact that they simply don't agree with your position? They've obviously heard it a ton of times, as you've said, with no substantial response.
Obviously balance is ongoing, as shows with their recent PPC effect changes, but they've already moved firmly in the direction of using ECM as a cornerstone of game balance.
It's not going anywhere no matter how many hundred out of thousands upon thousands of players say they aren't fond of it. This isn't because I want it that way, it's because it IS that way. I like this game, so I adapt. My team takes counter ecm, ppc, tag.. or my LRM buddies just target mechs not covered by ECM.. Which happens frequently as light mechs move, atlases get hit with ppcs and ecm mechs generally die.
But seriously, all it does is stop you from using two types of weapons, SOME of the time. I'm not saying stop using these weapons, I'm saying use them in coordination with a team and it doesn't come up. Between your teams counter ecm, ppcs and direct fire weapons you will quickly remove the ecm from the game. Especially when it comes to Atlases now, which just eat up ppc all day, allowing for locks.
Now I can tell this matter means a lot to you and honestly, I just like enjoying to play, and I don't like complaining so I make things work (if I couldn't, I wouldn't play)
Unless, again, you're a 100% pug dropper and don't get the opportunity to communicate with your team pre / duringgame.. Then it must be very difficult to account for the many and varied ecm counters without proper communication with your team. In this case, I feel for you, and offer for you to join my lance for a few drops at
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Edit: I only fire my streaks at non-ecm'd mechs.. and I carry a large enough direct fire weapons bay to deal with those times when streaks can't fire. As they are generally a secondary weapon for finding holes in armor.
I can't speak for those who boat 6-8 of them as a primary.. I'd think it was a dumb idea because ECM could totally make your build irrelevant all match long.
Same reason I don't ever only load up PPCs.. because any mech hugging me makes my PPCs irrelevant due to minimum range and that doesn't even cost ONE ton. lol
When you are fighting a Hunchback AC/20, Atlas AC/20, Cat SRM6, Cat AC/20, all of which are high priority targets, you know where to hit them to reduce their efficiencies. Meanwhile with ECM, you have to core their CT to remove ECM. ECM in the game is every bit as important at that big ole AC/20 if not more.
Placing an ECM slot gives people a fighting chance against fast moving lights with ECM. If you are running a non-ECM light versus an equally fast/armored Streak ECM equipped mech, equally skilled and 1 on 1, the ECM mech wins 100% of the time. However in that scenario if the non-ECM light has a known area to hit, preferably ARM, then they know where to focus fire to remove ECM from the game.
Piranha is aware of the ECM value issue and have reduced its HP value. But again, ECM is always placed CT. You have a much better chance of getting a catastrophic engine failure blowing up the mech than removing ECM from game. The health fix is NO FIX at all.