Aegis Osiris
Gallente
Demonic Retribution
Veritas Immortalis
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Posted - 2006.09.06 02:44:00 -
[1]
This is a very complex problem, and no simple one-shot immunization is going to fix it. It will require an equally complex solution, with multiple parts acting together.
First, let me just apologize up front to anyone that has mentioned all or part of this before. I'm not trying to steal ideas, just condense them.
Second, any and all values suggested below are for the sole purpose of illustrating the concept. They would surely need to be tweaked by extensive testing.
The Problem
1. Massed fire tactics in large scale battles = Deep Fried ships, relatively simple, brute force tactics, and generally less fun.
2. Long range sniper fleets are a related, though slightly seperate, problem. Never the less, sniper fleets are the most obvious and egregious application of massed fire tactics.
The Proposal
1. Shockwave Effect: an exploding ship should impact objects nearby. While 'damage' is the obvious choice, it is too problematic and massively impacts close range ships. Instead, I suggest (as have others) a 'Shockwave Effect', with two parts.
a) EM pulse: the explosion of a ship's powercore generates a pulse equivalent, in some ways, to an ECM burst with a 100% effectiveness within its area. Any ship within the blast instantly loses lock on any and all targets. No modules go offline until they run thru their natural activation cycle (ie. jammers, weapons, etc.; sensor and tracking boosters would remain active).
b) Kinetic pulse: the detonation of the ship's powercore also throws out debris, from fast moving particles to chunks of hull. While it does no damage (could do minimal, unimportant really), it DOES nudge your ship. Not as much as a bump, but enough to throw off your alignment by a small degree. Example, your course changes to within a 15 degree cone of your present course.
2. Sensor booster change: split the bonus between two new modules: a Sensor Range Optimizer, and a Signature Analysis Processor. Long range targeting for sniper fleets is still viable, but lock time increases.
3. Tracking computer changes: add a small nerf to scan resolution when using a tracking computer or enhancer. Not large, and make the stacking nerf decrease the penalty for each additional unit (ex. 1 = 5% decrease to scan resolution, 2 = 7.5%, etc.).
4. Change gang warp: gang warp should no longer cause all ships to cluster tightly. Gang will warp in whatever spacing they were in when warp was initiated, from anywhere within the same grid.
Using these would NOT stop massed fire tactics, but it would complicate the tactical picture, providing more options for smart commanders. Massed fire in closely spaced gangs would now come with some costs, and sniper fleets, while still viable, would find it harder to operate without solid support, both offensive and defensive.
Please note, I have tried to avoid solutions that would place too much extra strain on the servers, as I fear the whole "limited locks per ship" solution might. I have also tried to take lag into account (ie. no modules get shut off that wouldnt be going off on their own anyway).
Remember, the point is not that any one of these changes alone has a big impact, but that they would ALL have an effect in the same situations.
I've given you a topic. Now discuss, as all this typing has made me all verklempt....
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