6 replies to this topic

[Jazzbandit1313]

So I've been doing some thinking recently about LRMs and how many people hate them. I've seen all of the threads about how OP they are and how they're ruining the game. While I agree that there can be improvements made to the LRM balance state, I really don't think they're over powered or take zero skill to use. They are a valid weapon, but they could be so much more dynamic.

I'm sure someone has proposed this already, but why not make certain weapons, when fired at, say an LRM 20 swarm, have a certain salvo destruction percentage like the AMS. I don't remember off the top of my head but i seem to remember AMS blocks 10% of incoming salvos (correct me if im wrong please) Why not give each medium laser a 5% salvo destruction rate for every one second that the beam is kept aimed at the incoming salvo, large lasers a 10% rate for every second, MG's and LB's some sort of percentage of LRM destruction. It would seem that this would solve a lot of problems with the beast that LRMS are perceived to be right now. Plus it would make sense overall to be able to shoot them down. Clan LRMS would have the slight upper hand because of their scatterfire function, as opposed to the single salvos from IS mechs.

The only issue I see for this idea is the insane amount of coding that would have to go into it. Hit Reg would have to be spot on, and maybe the speed decreased from 160 to 150.

Any questions or comments?

[Lynx7725]

Shrug. Entertainment value is there. Watching my targets shoot air while my teammates are closing in to brawl is also an effective use of LRMs.

EDIT: Hmm seriously, if the LRM clouds show up as a target icon in the target's HUD, I WOULD SPAM LRMS ALL DAY JUST TO FLOOD HIS HUD! It's a crude form of jamming, and gives him more target than his brain can process.

Edited by Lynx7725, 02 July 2014 - 07:01 PM.

[Jazzbandit1313]

Right and that would be the tradeoff. Spend less time shooting your opponents and more time revealing your location. which is why it would be a balanced solution IMO.

they shouldnt show up as targets, that would be MADNESS

Edited by Jazzbandit1313, 02 July 2014 - 07:07 PM.

[Lynx7725]

Jazzbandit1313, on 02 July 2014 - 07:04 PM, said:

Right and that would be the tradeoff. Spend less time shooting your opponents and more time revealing your location. which is why it would be a balanced solution IMO.

Eh.. I don't think you quite get what I mean.

Picture yourself on the receiving end of this kind of LRM attack, especially a small LRM5 chain attack. Your HUD floods with targeting icons, you can't easily differentiate between LRM clouds and mech targets. In the confusion of mid-/ late-game melee, it's going to be a major advantage for the team with the better LRM support. Between this, LRM rock, and indirect fire, the howls from the anti-LRM group would just escalate.

As for revealing positions... A LRM boat shooting effectively reveals its position already, since LRMs are easily backplotted.

[Sephlock]

Lynx7725, on 02 July 2014 - 06:58 PM, said:

more ... than his brain can process.

That's a really low bar to set.

[Jazzbandit1313]

Lynx7725, on 02 July 2014 - 07:09 PM, said:

Eh.. I don't think you quite get what I mean.

Picture yourself on the receiving end of this kind of LRM attack, especially a small LRM5 chain attack. Your HUD floods with targeting icons, you can't easily differentiate between LRM clouds and mech targets. In the confusion of mid-/ late-game melee, it's going to be a major advantage for the team with the better LRM support. Between this, LRM rock, and indirect fire, the howls from the anti-LRM group would just escalate.

As for revealing positions... A LRM boat shooting effectively reveals its position already, since LRMs are easily backplotted.

Well therin lies one problem with my idea. But i wouldnt add floods of icons, maybe just one simple dot per salvo, no matter what the size or type. if its an LRM 20 salvo from a raven 3l's narc slot, then so be it. one icon. Or no icons at all if it would make it balanced!

[Lightfoot]

You take so much more damage when facing an incoming LRM swarm I don't think you could shoot down enough to make up for it.

LRMs are so easy to dodge and spoof into hitting the ground that this would always be your best course. I so rarely ever get hit by LRMs. In fact my mech has only been destroyed by LRMs about 7 times in the past year. I am really thinking players who complain LRMs are too powerful or too many are not actually trying to avoid them. Maybe they feel they should be able to charge though them or have them bounce off their mechs? I wish I could dodge AC's, but you can dodge LRMs.