The zoom function allowed long-range heavy hitting weapons to have high accuracy.
When this was combined in group-fire, this became a very potent combinations allowing 1-shot / 2-shot kills.
Allowing its use while jumpjeting and 3rd person contributed to the so-called "pop-tarting" phenomenon of being able to take out mechs at long-range without being vulnerable to return fire.
I always imagined that the zoom function much in the way of a targetting computer functioned in allowing increase accuracy. However along with coolant, it had no negative costs (in terms of space or tonnage) in MW3 and MW4. I equate the zoom function as part of a targetting computer.
As an aside and to make the MWO universe abit diverse.
If a zoom equipment was able to be purchased and modified, different variants (zoom levels) could be purchased; maybe the higher the magnification the more heavier / expensive the zoom equipment would be.
Edited by Yeach, 19 November 2011 - 10:04 AM.