Player Features and Ideas Discussion

The plain truth is that the mechanics of ECM altogether are a bad idea. Every single day there are threads made (like this one) that complain about how **** poor ECM is. I don't understand why CCP haven't done anything to fix it yet.

A % chance to make a ship almost completely worthless? This doesn't belongs in a game that is rule and math driven.

That and the fact that ECM: when it works.. is the absolute best type of EWAR possible. There are little to no ways to fight it off.

Some examples:

If you are sensor damped, you can fight it by moving your ship closer. If you can't do that, atleast you have the option of trying to kill whatever is tackling you and warp off.

If you are neuted, you can make wise use of your cap using modules until you run out, then you will have to prioritize or depend on your non-cap using modules. Or if you have a cap booster, then you can use that.

If you are tracking disrupted, either you will have to get closer (Range disruption) or lower your transversal (Tracking speed disruption). Again... fightable.

But if you get hit by ECM, there is nothing you can do but try to fly away from the source (which could easily follow) and HOPE that you don't get hit by more cycles. If you are tackled, then you are most likely ******. You also have no way to activate any modules on the enemy tackler. In most causes you just wait to die because there is nothing you can do.

This makes it much stronger than other forms of EWAR, it prevents you from using any targeted modules while the others allow some opportunities for pilots to make some good plays and combat their effects.


I do agree that CCP has made some advances in nerfing ECM (minor patches on a much larger problem IMO), such as the range nerfs and the sensor compensation skills. However this will change nothing. You can nerf ECM to being ****, but it will still be a terrible mechanic. I am asking for a rework of the entire ewar to make it into something that makes more sense and fits in better into the game. It's about time you do something about this mess CCP.

Does anybody share this viewpoint? Or have any ideas on how to change ECM entirely? I have a few and could post them if requested.


TL;DR : there is none. gtfo.

The main problem with ECM is its very long cycle time of 20 seconds. This is longer than some fights and therefore overpowered. In my opinion ECM cycle time should be reduced to 5 seconds while also reducing cap usage to 1/4. This would make ECM more smooth. If the enemy get a hit on you than at least after 5 seconds you have another chance to lock him up if he fails his cycle and maybe do some damage before he gets the next lucky hit.

ECM has "always" been kind of an odd man out with terms of ewar. The fact that it is a binary function has destined ECM to (forever) be paradoxically broken and/or invincible based on the point of view.

As an anecdote, when I started playing a relatively few years ago the second ship I was told to train for was blackbird. It had relatively short skill time to make a huge contribution to gangs survival. As such everyone seemed to have an ecm alt or three just to make due and there was never ending tears in the forums.

Skip fwd to the present where you can train into protection from ecm without needing to "gimp fit" ECCM and you see threads where the formerly invincible ecm pilots decry where they can't shut down three ships without effort so they must be worthless.

In a binary system having both sides complaining seems about as balanced as you can get really. So until and if CCP can find a way to make ecm a % function the mechanic is what it is.

This is pretty much what ECM does. One minute you have fun fighting someone and then he backstabs you with a Falcon and takes your ship.

*Snip* Please refrain from personal attacks. ISD Ezwal
Telling someone the truth is not an attack. OP does not understand the mechanic and needed to be reminded of his failure. The words were all friendly and none was insulting or attacking him. You have read more into it than there was to read, Ezwal.

You demand beauty for all mechanics, but on what grounds?! You cannot appreciate beauty without ugliness. This is why ECM exists.

You are also wrong about the forum. If you want to have a discussion on a change then you need to discuss it in Features and Ideas Discussion.

lol wut.

Your opinion about how PvP should be is weak because you only have like two kills.

Whatever, bad, ugly, weak, sad.. it makes no difference.

As it turns out, percentages are rules and math driven. Whoda thunk?

An example:

If you are ECM'd, you can fight it by fitting ECCM, training sensor comp skills, using Sensor Integrity info boosts. If you can't do that, atleast you have the option of trying to kill whatever is tackling you and warp off. (Auto-targeting missiles, drones retain lock after being ECM'd, maybe you have friends that aren't ECM'd.)

First, the most obvious counter is to have YOUR OWN ECM in fleet. This is why it's fairly balanced. Every one has the option to use it or not.
Second, ECM is almost always primaried. This is also a balancing factor to some degree. And it is the main reason why many peope refuse to fly Falcons and such.

The 20 second jam cycle also works against the ECM pilot. If he cannot get a jam, as mentioned, sometimes the fight is over and he is the first casualty.

I think it would be bad game design if Space Ships didn't have ECM.

My solution to ECM.............

Change the effect from completely breaking lock of everything on a ship to each successful activation effectively reduces the amount of targets you can lock. (Also this would mean that ECM strength would have to be boosted, however before you kill me listen up)

So lets say a ship can lock 7 targets. A falcon decloaks and locks you successfully getting 2 jams off from different jammers at the same time.
Now you can only lock 5 targets. Effectively freeing up 2 ships but enemy ship can still lock 5 targets. Now if there are only 4 enemy ships you would lose lock on 2 of them, but since you can still lock 5 total, you would be able to immediately lock back those ships. Now if there were 9 ships you would lose lock on 2 of the 7 but keep 5 others locked.

This would help nerf the small gang ECM problem while boosting Large fleet effectiveness. In large fleets say you have 10 falcons and 20 enemy logi. With boosted ECM strength you could effectively cause each logi to lose lockj on 3 targets. This would enable the ability to effectively switch targets and cause all mannor of chaos, but at the same time a ship would not be COMPLETELY out of a fight if jammed.

Now a ship would be completely out if it had more activated jams on it than lockable targets.

I hope my explaination made sense..... whatcha think?

Wild