2 replies to this topic

[Pugnacious Stoat]

I realize it's a bit strange to post in the suggestions forum with a question as my subject line, but I wanted to emphasize the concern I have about ECM, rather than the suggestion, since I don't think it's been brought up as much as others. Back when mechs could knock each other over, darting around in a brawl as a light mech pretty much required that you keep one eye on your cockpit view, and the other on your minimap, in order to avoid colliding with mechs other than the one you were shooting at. In my opinion, that task was challenging enough. I don't know how light pilots will manage when they have to visually check their paths to make sure they don't hit anyone as they strafe. Since Garth just acknowledged that the dev team is looking for ways to reduce the power of ECM, I think that allowing jammed mechs to see all nearby mechs (friendly and enemy) on the minimap is something they should consider.

[Eddrick]

Team needs to cooperate to give eachother enough room to move around and not get in eachothers way.

Before anyone says anything. This is not an excuse to keep collision out or change how ECM works.

[Pugnacious Stoat]

Eddrick, on 16 January 2013 - 06:26 PM, said:

Team needs to cooperate to give eachother enough room to move around and not get in eachothers way.

Before anyone says anything. This is not an excuse to keep collision out or change how ECM works.

You think that every pilot in a brawl can communicate his or her position and velocity frequently enough, and with enough precision, to allow fast-moving mechs to avoid collisions without actually seeing where their teammates are? Or are you suggesting that teams should avoid close combat entirely? Crowded fights are a valuable part of the game. Giving skilled light pilots the tools they need to navigate efficiently in that situation is much more valuable than leaving ECM untouched. It's not as though ECM would be underpowered if it didn't interfere with the minimaps of nearby mechs--it would still stop long range targeting, prevent missile locks within the bubble, and prevent mechs within the bubble from passing their targeting data to their teammates. In terms of promoting and adding depth to teamplay, I'd say that minimap interference is unimportant compared to cloaking.