Another request to balance chaff units

No problem with chaff as so many have mentioned already.
What I would like to see is easily damaged gimballed/turreted systems. Hits on these weapon systems should impair or lock them up until a dock technician fixes them. They might still be able to fire but in a new and interesting direction. The fixed weapon systems could be more armoured because they have no tracking moving parts. I'd also like to see a G or T in the right UI on enemy ship systems.
 
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You're missing the point?

You may choose to, but you don't have to against NPCs.... ie: They don't chain spam.
I'm not missing the point at all... There is no problem caused by chaff, that can't be worked around.

If you think that NPCs don't chain spam chaff, tell that to the countless NPC Asps that I regularly encounter at crime sweeps, haz rez, and compromised nav beacons, that do just that... chain spam chaff. =)
Can you imagine the outcry as CMDRs in a 500mCR Anacondas are wiped out by a pair of NPC Asps both perfectly daisy chaining chaff for x mins :) (& what the hell spamming SCBs too, which they're also not allowed to do, & what the hell aiming at Powerplants, which they're not allowed to do :))
I can imagine the outcry.... followed by uproarious laughter of those that they recount the story to, who are thinking "Did they not just reverse engines, set turrets to forward fire, and pop those 2 NPC Asps in a few seconds.. lol... and double lol"... =)
 
I'm not missing the point at all... There is no problem caused by chaff, that can't be worked around.

If you think that NPCs don't chain spam chaff, tell that to the countless NPC Asps that I regularly encounter at crime sweeps, haz rez, and compromised nav beacons, that do just that... chain spam chaff. =)
Never seen one ever...

I can imagine the outcry.... followed by uproarious laughter of those that they recount the story to, who are thinking "Did they not just reverse engines, set turrets to forward fire, and pop those 2 NPC Asps in a few seconds.. lol... and double lol"... =)
Far call... But says something about the combat mechanics really though doesn't it ;)
 
Hey guys!

Don`t nerf chaff... it`s good as it is.

I can`t wait what crafting is gonna bring ... soooo much variety.... I personally cant wait to see my class 4 gimballed Plasma Accelerator !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:-D

cmdr Karlos Ploryman
 
If you're in an Anaconda, and your 4+ turrets cannot lock, for minutes on end, is that OK?

You won't see PvE calling for these rebalances for one obvious reason, NPCs are not allowed to spam like CMDRs. You do not see NPCs using the same mechanics as CMDRs are allowed to. Reason being it would frustrate too many people.

This is the problem, you don't do enough PvE to know what NPCs do and do not do, what they can and they cannot do. But you base your theory on something you clearly don't know about:

That they DO chain chaff and they have incredible hit ratios with PAs, as in people comment when they MISS. AND they come in wings of 3 and 4 that have those PAs and guess what? Chain chaffing does nothing against the PAs as a defense.

So please, stick to the PVP reasons and don't hide behind PVE excuses, and I promise I won't make suggestions to change PVP to benfit PvE.

Off topic: PVE would greatly benefit from more intelligent load outs. Eagles and vipers with Turrets? :):):)? Missiles? MINES?! (They would be better off dropping MIMES, at least people would run in terror that they would make it aboard...)

When they have good builds, like Asps with 2 PAs/chain chaff. Cobras with lots of cannons, and Explorers with FA off and multi chaffs they present a real challenge instead of a mediocre one.
 
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Have any of you thought if chaff was made more tactical/varied?

ie: Rather than being on/off, if its effectiveness reduced/fluctuated during the latter half/portion of its life?


Anyone else got any interesting ideas?
 
The option to have a binding to set gimbals to fixed while maintaining target lock seems to be the only option that satisfies both those who wish serial chaff to be dealt with, and those who want chaff to be left alone.

Sounds like a perfect (and effective) compromise to me.

Oh. I just untarget that ship (press T) and then the problem goes away, as this does effectively what you're asking. Although I admit it then makes the :):):):):):) hard to track in a dogfight, and deprives you of your information about them. I like this idea, actually. Having a key that switching the Gimbals to manual targeting, whilst leaving the lock in place so you still get information about the target and they're highlighted on radar.
 
i find chaffs pretty balanced personally:

if you're a small/medium sized ship you can chaff to avoid damage
if you're a big sized ship you can chaff to avoid damage to your modules, but not avoid damage you are a to big target

to counter chaff you need fixed weapons, but...
if you use fixed weapons it requires more focus/skill and are not as practical especially in dog fights

gimba are practical and yet still powerful, best weapons to use in dog fights but are heavily touched by chaffs
turrets are even more practical but less powerfull, they have the same weakness to chaffs as gimba
fixed are unpractical especially at very close range, they are only truly useful to agile ships (fighters) and does the most damage


i find all this to be very balanced, a nerf to chaffs will make a lot of people rely a lot more on gimba which will hit skilled pilots the most, doesn't seem fair.
 
No problem... just pop to your nearest Haz Rez, Compromised Nav Beacon, or Crime Sweep.... you'll see LOTS of them.
Again, in a year playing the game, I've never seen an NPC daisy chain chaff. Personally I think you're mistaken, or misunderstanding the point at hand?

So to confirm, we're talking about an NPC with multiple chaff units, using them such that gimbles or turrets cannot lock potentially something akin to minutes at a time. Is this what you believe you witness regularly?

Because I've never seen a lock broken by an NPC with more than typically a single use. And certainly not numerous in a row as per CMDRs.

it says that you don't know them very well... ;-
Ahh... Couldn't resist throwing in a needless insult/jibe could you... You do realise on the internet you don't have to behave that way I assume? It's purely optional.

Go on, resist next time...
 
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A
So to confirm, we're talking about an NPC with multiple chaff units, using them such that gimbles or turrets cannot lock potentially something akin to minutes at a time. Is this what you believe you witness regularly?

They might, if anyone was skill-less enough to let them. But switching to fixed mode and burning them down or just ramming them works just fine. Even the NPC fighting each other are smart enough to change tactics.

Again, people trying fix their problems by modify the game instead of their behavior.
 
Fixed lasers FTW.

Seriously practice with them. You'll see that gimbal and - most especially - turrets are really just for freighters.
 
All they need to do is make the cooldown for chaff "global", so having multiple chaff units just gives you more ammo.

But other than that, I'd make the two following changes to gimballed weapons and chaff.

1. When affected by chaff, gimballed just act like fixed, not wobble (people untarget anyway)
2. When you're protected by chaff, your own gimballed weapons also go into fixed mode.

If you want to muck up your opponents gimballed weapons the same should happen to your own, which kind of makes sense because the chaff would probably affect your own sensors also.
 
If you want to muck up your opponents gimballed weapons the same should happen to your own, which kind of makes sense because the chaff would probably affect your own sensors also.
Agreed there, it should effect everyone. Either that, or it only works when it is between the target and the shooter, so that flying around it or through it would negate it.
 
All they need to do is make the cooldown for chaff "global", so having multiple chaff units just gives you more ammo.

But other than that, I'd make the two following changes to gimballed weapons and chaff.

1. When affected by chaff, gimballed just act like fixed, not wobble (people untarget anyway)
2. When you're protected by chaff, your own gimballed weapons also go into fixed mode.

If you want to muck up your opponents gimballed weapons the same should happen to your own, which kind of makes sense because the chaff would probably affect your own sensors also.
Personally I'd just like to see a manual option to flick between gimbals being fixed/non-fixed. I'd like to see people handle that manually.

And as for your chaff affecting your gimbals too? Interesting! Hadn't considered that. Can't work out in my head if that's good or bad :)

And on that matter, your chaff affecting your turrets?



I wonder if FD could employ some clever heat penalty for using chaff? ie: To prevent/penalise it's use instead of the suggested limited use once per X seconds?


Unless I see a video posted of an NPC daisy chaining multiple chaff units, I say it didn't happen.
I agree... Never seen it, ever... When I've used gimbals/turrets, it's been simpler (against NPCs) to simply stop shooting, wait the 10-15 seconds, use the time to build up WEP, and then when the chaff ends, start shooting again. I've never had to unlock and used fixed against an NPC due to them spamming chaff and giving me no choice (like a CMDR). And it's because NPC are not allowed to I believe (because it would be too frustraing for CMDRs).
 
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