This kind of topic reminds me of topics in World of Warships when people are asking how come the USN ships don't take advantage of increased aim accuracy using radar as they did in real life.
If aiming is too easy, then there is no challenge, no skill involved. In fact the game environment, when no one misses, becomes more oppressive, your game times are shorter, survivability rates are shorter.
BT tech isn't super high tech, but there is no reason why mechs can't autoaim. They got AWS (modern day miniature CIWS) that accurately takes out little fast missiles. This kind of fire control system won't have problems with mechs.
But of course, there is another argument why there is no need for an auto aiming system. Mechs are too big not to miss. Even in a technological world, there is always a point for efficiency and a point not to "technologize" the obvious.
There are aim smoothing systems used in games, particularly for console and mobile, due to the fact their input systems do not have the precision of a PC mouse or trackball. Console based Armored Core, for example, requires you turn your mech to the direction of the target, so your targeting recticle locks into it. Mobile based War Robots, another example, also requires you to turn your mech towards the target, putting the target into the recticle, where brackets indicate a successful lock on. In both systems however, even when locked on, and you can hit the target, there is also a bit of a random dispersion, and the RNG can depends on lets say, how fast the target is moving and its angular movement in relation to you. Not perfect aiming is required in any game to lengthen TTK, survivability and in game persistence.
The system you have in War Thunder Arcade mode, and in World of Tanks, are both very cool and their ease helps with the popularity of these games. But note that War Thunder also has a popular Realistic Mode, where there is no aim aid at all, your targeting is like a straight recticle that is painted on glass. This is hard core realism, you have to guess the elevation of your gun needed to properly range and account for the arc of the target. The game is much harder, but people also last much longer in the game, and everything feels much more mental and less twitchy. A single kill requires much more effort, but feels much more rewarding.
In World of Warships, despite the historical presence of fire control management, systems and teams in ships, you rely on experience and instinct guestimating where your shots would land, which are also subject to an element of RNG dispersion. Torpedo firing though, gives you an aim aid. Secondaries and AA are completely auto but subject to dispersion. However these factors can be "trained" through upgrades in captain's skill and modules to reduce dispersion and improve the auto accuracy. The fact that you have to work hard for your kills also make your kills feel more rewarding.
In MWO, while we do not have auto aiming or aim smoothing aids, we do not have RNG dispersion either. If this game has to have auto aiming or aim locking-smoothing, it would need developer tweakable RNG dispersion factors to rein in for balance and maintain a tolerable level of TTK. If I were to suggest an improvement, it would be to change the lock indication system from brackets to outlining, like in WoT and War Thunder, since this is easier for people with a bit more visual impairment.
Edited by Anjian, 19 December 2016 - 02:48 AM.