12 replies to this topic

[WarlordShea]

Let's get this straight: games are supposed to be as fun as possible. That could mean "more balanced" or "more chaotic" or any of a myriad of different things to different people.

So to cut through the clutter I thought a poll was in order.

Do you think the game is more fun after the implementation of ECM, or is it more fun before the implementation of ECM? Just answer, point blank, with your gut feel.

Designers design, tweakers tweak, and games live and die by who is willing to keep paying for the game. If you're in doubt about your answer think about the question this way: "Are you more or less willing to pay for more MC before or after the ECM implementation?

Regards,

Warlord

[Capt Cole 117]

Capt Cole 117, on 08 January 2013 - 04:28 PM, said:

ECM while not game breaking certainly reduces variety. LRMs, TAG, NARC, BAP, Artemis, and AMS are a waste of space and tonnage. It also discourages use of atlas, cicada, raven, and commando variants that can't carry ECM.

Edited by Capt Cole 117, 10 January 2013 - 03:13 PM.

[Werewolf486 ScorpS]

I think with any new system or mech the first month of it's release is not a good indicator. Everyone wants to try out the new toys, so with ECM it was better then 50% of the field and it sucked. Now it's been a while and it's manageable. Here are a few examples of the community going crazy over something that isn't that big of a deal after a few weeks, LRM boating, OMG raining missles non=stop, they worked on the missles and now not so bad but even before the number of boats went down once tactics caught up., Gaussapults now nerfed and brittle once the fad had even faded to an acceptable level before nerfing. The impossible to kill Jenners (now a rare bird) became less of a problem when once again you learned to knock them over and to swipe your lasers at the legs.Oh dare I forget Dragaonbowling (Dragon with 400XL) running around bowling over enemy mechs while the rest of its team kills the downed mechs.

ECM isn't that bad when you don't have more than 2 or 3 on a team, and if you don't have a dual LRM20 Catapult sitting on a hill being useless waiting for a lock. LRM's work, if you have them spread out on the team and no one person is boating them. We've broken the enemy's back with our tactics because they think ECM makes them invincible. ECM needs work no doubt, but I've had as much fun with as without. If anything has detracted from my enjoyment it's how PGI messed up the matchmaker for premades. Was great when we could do 5,6,7 man drops together and enjoy being part of a team and community. Instead they decided to please the pug crowd and keep friends from dropping together.

[Solis Obscuri]

Game actually was a bit of a "thinking man's shooter" before ECM.

Now it's nothing I would spend money on.

[skud789]

Due to FPS issues I can only really pilot an LRM boat, I've even spent alot of C-bills to convert my founders catapult into a good boat which can also do alot of damage up close. Since ECM came out its just not worth piloting anymore, and I dont want to change it as I will then lose all the money I spent putting in double heat sinks and endo steel.
Hours of playing for nothing! (Except for the enjoyment of playing the game that is)

[DerelictTomcat]

ECM stopped full team LRM boating point blank! True ECM doesn't work like I remember in any previous MechWarrior game but nothing is written in stone here supposedly. Anyone not wanting to spend C-Bills earned in-game will get no sympathy from me and I doubt from any P2P company.

[StalaggtIKE]

Where is the option for the same? As I'm sure some feel that way.
As for me, I feel that:

• about a 3rd of the weapons have effectively been cut out of game
  
• some chassis have been made obsolete
  
• builds have to be reworked in order to counter or deal with ECM, instead of what we want
  
• most battle become close range brawls, further limiting chassis and build types
  
• tactical play in pugs are much more challenging (ECM removing IFF, minimap distortion, ect)
  
• as long as you can move fast and stay under ECM, there is no need to use cover
  
• running into four RVN-3Ls are more intimidating than 4 Assaults

Basically diversity has been removed. There is no need to be creative when the best strategy is to take whole team and sneak, under the ECM umbrella, towards the enemy's base. Run into them and brawl. Obviously you don't want a knife in a gun fight, so you pack the biggest ones you can carry..., every time. So that being said, I feel the game has become less enjoyable. I still play it because it is still fun, however I am no longer promoting it to my friends. I just don't think in the current state it will attract non-hard core MW fans.

Edited by StalaggtIKE, 10 January 2013 - 08:27 PM.

[Dirus Nigh]

Solis Obscuri, on 10 January 2013 - 06:27 PM, said:

Game actually was a bit of a "thinking man's shooter" before ECM.

Now it's nothing I would spend money on.

Combine that with streaks and you have a truly OP combination. Streaks have never worked the way they should. They where hurting game balance before ECM. Two pieces of equipment that are not working the way they should are dominating the game.

[skud789]

DerelictTomcat, on 10 January 2013 - 08:05 PM, said:

Anyone not wanting to spend C-Bills earned in-game will get no sympathy from me

That was more because I cant even look at what else I can put on the mech if I change to, for example single heat sinks from double without loosing the 1.5 million I spent on them in the first place! Thats alot of money when it can change in the next patch to them being needed again, or even me just not liking any build once I find out what I can fit on the mech again!

But to be fair that is a completely different problem I have which I know is posted elsewhere. But I think ECM does seem to have made weapon choices more limited with less long range weapons being used as they can be made almost completely pointless quite easily.

Edited by skud789, 10 January 2013 - 08:38 PM.

[ParasiteX]

I like ECM, even when im not playing as one. Makes battles a bit more cat and mouse. Forcing you to rely more on visual targeting, vision modes and scouts. But i do agree that ECM needs a few balance tweaks. Or atleast more counters for it.

Technically ECM isnt supposed to give null sig effect, or stop streaks. Theres are other techs, specifically made to do just that. Like Angel ECM, and stealth armor. But the techs don't exist yet in 3050.

A way i proposed earlier, would be to remove the signature hiding effect of ECM. And instead just let us switch to passive sensors, like in previous MechWarrior games.

And instead of ECM completely making streaks useless, instead just increase lock time, while in a ECM bubble. And to counter it further. Make it so that it also increases your own teammates lock time.

[ParasiteX]

skud789, on 10 January 2013 - 07:52 PM, said:

Due to FPS issues I can only really pilot an LRM boat, I've even spent alot of C-bills to convert my founders catapult into a good boat which can also do alot of damage up close. Since ECM came out its just not worth piloting anymore, and I dont want to change it as I will then lose all the money I spent putting in double heat sinks and endo steel.
Hours of playing for nothing! (Except for the enjoyment of playing the game that is)

Ever heard of TAG? Try mounting it on your catapult. Or maybe team up with a scout mech with TAG. You'll find that your LRM boat will suddenly be allot less useless to play now.

And not all PUGs have ECM either..

[StalaggtIKE]

ParasiteX, on 11 January 2013 - 05:06 AM, said:

Ever heard of TAG? Try mounting it on your catapult. Or maybe team up with a scout mech with TAG. You'll find that your LRM boat will suddenly be allot less useless to play now.

And not all PUGs have ECM either..

You're not going to have a lot of success with TAG on a skilled pilot. Why do that when it's far more easier and reliable to just convert your build to a brawler. Replace all of the LRM for SRM. Get in close and fire away.

[Wolfman989]

Pre ecm and post lrm nerf was the most fun i have had in this game. I don't feel that ecm is really the issue though. I think the light mech lag shield is whats making it so difficult. As the game stands, a couple of ravens can run into a bigger group of mechs and dance around all match. Either they need to fix this lag issue or allow mech collisions again so that you can tackle the lights actually get some focus fire on the ecm mechs. No light mech should be able to survive running into the middle of a large group of mixed weight mechs and expect to come out again.