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The size of the expanded target boxes, the numbers on lock-on times, damage and refire changes etc only symbolize a general direction.
ECM
This piece of equipment was always game changing so it is the first one i'd touch.
The ECM in it's current iteration completely nullifies or greatly affects targeting and lock-on weapons and is somewhat countered by NARC, PPC and Tag.
So to keep it from staying the hands down most powerful equipment on the field:
1. Disable it's targeting nullifier, there will be equipments that can do it in the future, no need to slap this function on ECM.
2. Make it possible to lock-on with missiles on mechs that carry ECM, but make locking on much harder.
How would ECM function then?
It would:
-Disable information gathering from the target, you see that there is a mech at the location and can target it but can't see any information about it.
No weapon, damage model, class readout.
-1.5X the time required to lock on targets affected by defensive ECM.
-Distrupt C3 communication, enemy mechs cannot share targeting data if they are closer than 180m to the ECM mech.
-No visual indication of enemy ECM nearby unless BAP is equipped.
BAP
Along with it's current function it gains the ECM related ability to gather information on mechs in case the mech that carry BAP is closer than 180m to the target.
Detects if there is an active enemy ECM within 180m range.
Lock-on time is 1,25x the original value if ECM is present.
Lock-on missiles
I would suggest a complete redesign on the locking mechanism.
Streak target box demonstational image (i didn't take a mech with actual lock-on weapons as the locked recticle part would cover a part of the image):
Streak missile lock-on:
As long as the recticle is held:
-Directly on the mech the lock-on time is 2 seconds (1,5 second with Artemis).
-In the "target box" of a mech the lock-on time is 2,5 seconds (2 seconds with Artemis).
-In the 1st expanded "target box" the Streaks start losing lock and the lock is lost in 2 seconds (2,5 seconds with Artemis).
-In the 2nd expanded "target box" existing lock is kept for 1 second but no lock-on can be achieved.
In case the recticle moves between zones with different locking time the locking is continued according to the zones in question.
When the recticle leaves the 2nd expanded "target box" the lock is lost.
The lock is also lost whenever the mech loses the target.
Expanded target boxes are only server side and not visible client-side.
A losing target lock-on message is displayed whenever the recticle leaves the 2nd expanded box.
Streak missiles won't fire at all in 2 cases:
-If their related recticle (torso for torso mounted arm for arm mounted) is not within at least the target box.
-Are out of their effective range.
Streak missile:
Damage reduced to 2/missile
Cooldown reduced to 2,5-3 seconds.
This way their overall damage is almost unchanged, it is closer to TT, they reward aiming and we avoid firing from impossible angles.
LRMs
Edited the original suggestion on LRMs.
So continuing with the idea from the Streak missiles.
LRM lock-on:
-3 seconds if the recticle is kept on the enemy mech (2,5 seconds with Artemis).
-4 seconds on the target box (3,5 with Artemis).
-Target is lost in 2 seconds in the 1st expanded box (2,5 with Artemis)
-Same in the 2nd expanded box and with leaving it.
LRM damage and refire:
Damage reduced to 1,5/missile.
Recycle time reduced by 20%.
LRM accuracy:
LRM dead zone changed into similar to the PPC one except it affects missile accuracy.
Accuracy on stationary targets mostly the same as now.
Accuracy on moving targets greatly reduced (ie roughly 50% or less in open terrain).
Tag improves accuracy on moving targets by 10% if kept in the enemy's target box during flight time.
If it is kept directly on the moving target the whole time then accuracy is improved by 35%.
In case the moving target is NARCed then the accuracy is improved by 40%.
Edited by Bloody Moon, 09 March 2013 - 07:00 AM.
