56 replies to this topic

[Dexion]

Lasts Longer, cancels ECM for the attached Mech... Suddenly NARC... NARC everywhere!

[QuantumButler]

No one is "going" to?

Protip buddy, no one ever used the NARC, I've seen maybe one or two NARCs ever since the thing was introduced, it's just infinitely inferior to the TAG in every conceivable way and nothing they can do will make it any good.

[Abrissbirne]

TAG has to be kept on target until missiles hit. NARC is hit-and-run. But I admit that standard NARC was not that useful even back in TT. Improved NARC had some nice special effects, though. But that is far future...

TT introduced TAG for ArrowIV guided artillery missiles, as far as I remember. Using it with LRM was only intended for some pretty advanced types of LRM Ammo. In MWO, this was mixed and TAG got the properties of the NARC. That of course makes TAG superior in the game.

[Syncline]

Increasing ammo AND increasing the duration of the effect is a bad idea. If the effect lasted "semi-permanently" (until the location took X damage or was destroyed), what would stop someone from rushing through enemy lines, spam NARCcing every enemy mech, then getting wasted by the enemy team? One or two tons of ammo and you could perma-troll the enemy team.

Increase the duration of the effect to 30 seconds or so, but don't make it "semi-permanent." This gives the scout enough time to coordinate with the team, gives the boats enough time to get into position, gives the missiles enough time to make it across the map, and gives a little room for error (so that even if someone screws something up, there's still a good chance of getting at least some use out of the darn thing).

EDIT: And, of course, let it work through ECM somehow.

Edited by Syncline, 08 January 2013 - 12:46 PM.

[DocBach]

An XP boost doesn't fix the fact that Narc as currently included in MWO is useless and missing the function that would make it useful; units hit by a Narc beacon should be targetable even when LOS is lost and should be able to have indirect fire directed at them without a spotter, unless they are protected by an ECM umbrella.

[Skyfaller]

FrupertApricot, on 08 January 2013 - 12:00 PM, said:

Until you make it broadcast out of ECM and last until the body section it is attached to has taken X damage (still let a mech only have one NARC up at a time).

This is the only way. stop dragging it out with tiny fixes and incentives and just make it work.

Yep. NARC being rendered useless by ECM makes any use of it just laughable. Every match now has a minimum of 2 ECM's per team.

Plus, if you can hit it with a narc you can hit it with an SRM or LRM and damage is better than the NARC effect.


Think about it... if NARC merely keeps the target lit for 15 or 30 seconds when is it really of any use?

When target goes out of LOS of anyone in your team it means they're behind cover... da-da-da it also means missiles wont hit it anyway.

Edit: Not to mention many mechs that have 1 narc launcher tube cant put narc in it because the game will always put the larger launcher in its slot. just outright dumb.

Edited by Skyfaller, 08 January 2013 - 12:45 PM.

[IceCase88]

Narc and Beagle should be allowed to overpower ECM only when there is 1 bar reception on the ECM. After that the ECM should easily overpower them and need to be countered. It is funny how people whine about ECM and it is too powerful. ECM is pretty darn powerful in the modern 21st century warfare, at least the U.S. ECM, so imagine how powerful it would be in the 31st century.

[Galenit]

NARC last 30 seconds sounds balanced. 6 per 1 ton ammo is ok. 3 tons for the launcher is a little heavy.
NARC should work through ECM (removes ecm effect from its target) or work as counterecm on its target (2 ecm will negate 1 narcbeacon, 2narcbeacons will negate 2 ecm, 1narcbeacon+1counterecm will negate 2 ecm for the targeted mech), second seems a little more balanced ant lets more tactical options.
The speed of the narcbeacon must be faster, its so slow you can only shoot on standing targets or pb-range. Or make the narcmissile guided by tag but let it hit a random location so you can choose for a sure randomlocationhit or shoot it ungiuded on a specific location. Dont know if ams works against narc, but it shouldnt.

Edited by Galenit, 08 January 2013 - 01:28 PM.

[FrupertApricot]

Oh look we quickly and relatively easily agreed on a set of buffs that would make NARC valuable on the battlefield.

WORK THRU ECM
Last LONGER/Til X DMG done
More ammo per shot!

Done. Change it. useful and balanced in 5 minutes of work.

[BlightFang]

If it uses one of my precious NARC missile hardpoints, which i get this feeling it does, then i'll pass.

[Broceratops]

I used it once. I've also used a flamer once. If I had to choose, I'd go with the flamer again.

[Budor]

Its great, i got 6 and chainfire them like a boss from my A1. Noobs go home!

[xxx WreckinBallRaj xxx]

Mack1, on 08 January 2013 - 12:13 PM, said:

Hmm Narc, let me think, narc....err...nope never seen one of them before.

Working as intended!

[Roland]

Tabrias07, on 08 January 2013 - 12:02 PM, said:

I have never seen anyone use NARC, ever.

I used it once and it was awful.

I actually saw someone use it today, for the first time ever.

I saw the little icon thingy on an enemy mech, which I had literally never seen before.


The OP's suggestions would be very good, I believe.

[Omega Deity]

I was in a 4-man premade earlier today, and we were all using Narc to great effect.

Let me tell you something about the beauty that is the Splatter-Cat MkII.

Start with a Catapult A1

Endosteel/DHS Upgrades

Throw in an XL300

Put 5 SRM6 launchers and 1 Narc Launcher
6 Tons of SRM/2 Tons of Narc Beacon Ammo

Narc your target, and behold the glory of converging SRMs clustering together to deliver their 75-damage payload to 1 area.

Now, I admit it's not quite as good as it should be to justify the tonnage cost. I think it does deserve a few buffs(counter ECM, increase ammo per ton and duration) but it's far from bottom of the barrel(that trophy is awarded to the flamer).

Edited by Omega Deity, 09 January 2013 - 06:40 PM.

[Kaijin]

GODzillaGSPB, on 08 January 2013 - 12:12 PM, said:

The game is currently balanced around a single, 3ton piece of equipment. How stupid is that?

1.5 tons, 2 crits

[shintakie]

Abrissbirne, on 08 January 2013 - 12:33 PM, said:

TAG has to be kept on target until missiles hit. NARC is hit-and-run. But I admit that standard NARC was not that useful even back in TT. Improved NARC had some nice special effects, though. But that is far future...

TT introduced TAG for ArrowIV guided artillery missiles, as far as I remember. Using it with LRM was only intended for some pretty advanced types of LRM Ammo. In MWO, this was mixed and TAG got the properties of the NARC. That of course makes TAG superior in the game.

NARC requires LoS to use. If you fire NARC at a target and it attaches and you run away, you immediately lose any effect the NARC beacon was providin.

Its one of the many reasons its so so bad.

[JohnnyC]

I have a NARC in my mechlab... because it came on one of my stalkers. Never even bothered to take it into battle. That sucker got stripped out immediately and replaced with something useful.

[TungstenWall]

I would use NARC if I didn't have to stay LoS after I used it.

As is now, wont use it.

[CrashieJ]

NARC? more like narcoleptic.

seriously, the thing in MWO is downright useless. adding an explosive charge when the thing "expires" after 30 seconds of broadcasting position and accuracy would be nice.

*fire narc*
leave the guy to run around
*LRMS*
OW... but I'm safe
*blam*
"THE-NARC-USING-RAVEN has killed SomeIdiot"
what the hell?