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But you fellas implemented it in a way that is absolutely absurd.
How can you justify giving any mech a passive flip-switch that instantly disables half the weapons in the game (that need lock), blinds EVERYONE on the other team to itself and its friends 200m~ish around it... without losing ANY capability for such an ability?
The game has become nothing but a freaking ninja group rush after another. Its worse than pugstomping (which still happens with 4 man pugs btw thanks to 1 of them always being ecm...or all 4 being ECM in most pugstomps i see).
You MUST change ECM so it is not a 1-click super ability.
Split the ECM module into five different functions. One of those function is 'OFF', Two of them will be passive 'bubble' abilities and two of them will be active that require LOS.
2 modes will be 'bubble' and 2 modes will be 'directed'. 1 will be 'Off' mode.
Bubble Modes:
Signal Jamming -
* ‘Cloaks’ friendlies within 180 meters (reduces detection distance to 50% of normal range).
* Disrupts enemy sensors (targeting system), as well as targeting communication (sharing of targeting information) within 180 meters.
* Disables enemy NARC
Signal Dispersion -
* Disables broadcasting of TAG (if friendly is within sphere of influences); However, if you TAG a mech with ECM OUTSIDE of their sphere of influence, it allows you and your friendlies to target.
* Disables Artemis effect.
* Slow down target gathering by 25%
* Slow down weapon locks by 25%
* Active Probes do not gain any benefits against ECM equipped enemies
As you can see, signal jamming involves the ECM mode as actively jamming signals that come within its bubble range. Dispersion mode messes up outside electronics that try to actively harm the bubble. This split permits the game to have a 'stealth' movement mode to be active and a 'combat defense' mode active but not both at the same time. When battle is joined the ECM boat needs to decide if its more important to keep the team 'cloaked' or if they benefit more from combat defense support.
Active modes:
The active modes that require LOS & have limited range.
ECCM (Electronic Counter-Counter Measures) -
*10 degree fore arc. LOS required. 400m range: Works only against ECM equipped mechs: Cancels out Signal Jamming effect.
ESM (Electronic Support Measures) -
* 25 degree fore arc , 800m range:
*Enables detection of any ECM equipped mech. =ECM mech only=
*Increases target information acquisition module speed (links with it) by 25%. =ECM mech only=
*Increases effect of Artemis by 10% on ESM'd target. =Any LRM/SRM impacting lit up tgt=
'OFF' mode:
* Self explanatory. Switches the ECM module Off.
Additional effects/limits of using ECM:
1- Switching between any mode takes 5 seconds (5 second timer triggers every toggle click not that you have to wait 15 seconds to toggle through three modes... you can click toggle 3 times quickly and each toggle refreshes the timer to 5 seconds).
2- Using the ECM reduces the heat cooling off rate of the ECM mech. Bubble mode: 25% slower cooling, Active mode: 50% slower cooling. Off: Normal cooling rate.
With this system the ECM module becomes truly versatile and balanced. It can support and counter ECM's in a variety of ways and it does not give a single ECM mech the ability to completely remove several modules and weapon systems from being useful all at once.
Switch timers and heat add limiters to the ECM mech's capability. The ECM is a weapon onto itself hence it should be added to heat management play. The timer prevents a player from just toggling all modes quickly and exploiting the benefits of the ECM ...and the heat management aspect prevents the ECM mech from having the supreme advantage of an ECM mode plus its own weapons.
Edited by Skyfaller, 21 December 2012 - 07:59 AM.
