Why can't small ships mass lock large ships?

[GunnerBill]

Makes sense, given you can pull something out of FS. Doesn't seem too unreasonable that an improved FSDI could do that also.

 

[Ydiss]

This was something I suggested several days ago that was then moved to page 339 of the "interdiction discussion" thread. This would partially address your issue and clean up a few other silly things like the low mass of the FDL yet its absurd inhibition value.

Sandro said they are internally reviewing this and what you've said was one of the ideas he threw out. But using the interdiction module would result in a delay to the target's FSD, much like the cool down when you jump.

 

[Phaaded]

Um I kill larger ships fine in my Cobra, Eagle and also the Vulture... just target important systems to prevent/delay them jumping out. You don't have to depend on "mass lock".

Ehm....no you don't.

I'm not talking about NPC's. You will literally never kill an Anaconda in a cobra that doesn't want to be killed. You and 4 other Cobras probably couldn't kill a player Anaconda before it immediately jumps out.

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Makes no sense? You do realize it's called Mass Lock? That implies Mass has something to do with it. If a smaller mass can lock your ship, logically filling your hold with cargo would do the same thing as it increases the local mass.

It may suck at a gameplay level (subjective), but makes sense from a lore / technobabble perspective.

No, it doesn't because cargo is inside the ship.

And yes, it's absolutely horrid at a gameplay level.

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MASS lock, does exactly what it implies

Then why are there different factors of disruption based on the size of the ship near you?

It is slightly more complex than an on off switch.

 

[Phaaded]

Ummmm really? It's called 'mass' lock for a reason. The larger the mass of an object, the larger the mass effect. The lesser the mass of an object the lesser effect it has. Otherwise the Earth could or would be orbiting the moon and not visa versa. Get the concept? Earth's mass is much larger than the moon, as the Sun's mass is much larger than the Earth's, thus the Earth orbits the Sun and not visa versa. Makes no sense for a smaller ship to be able to mass lock a larger one does it?

I suppose you need a basic level of intelligence to understand why mass locking isn't just a switch that you flip. The entire concept of different inhibition factors.....based on ship size....relative to.....yeah never mind, you won't understand anyway.

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Because the vulture isn't supposed to be the be-all and end-all of spaceships?

The vulture is an excellent brawler, but has the drawback of not being able to hold down targets very well. The FdL is worse, as a brawler, but can hold ships down much better than a vulture. Different ships for different purposes.

If the vulture get's a module to let it mass lock, than my FdL and Anaconda should get modules to let me turn as fast as a vulture.

This thread is not about the Vulture. It is about fundamental game design which impacts every single ship. C'mon man, try to keep up.

 

[Derath]

Guys stop with the its called "mass lock" for a reason, it isn't, it has nothing to do with mass its an arbitrary value assigned to a ship based on where FD want it to perform.

 

[Loskene]

I think we can all agree the masslock system would be better if it were actually based off the mass of your ship vs mass of objects within 3km and not an arbitrary figure that's impossible to extrapolate logically. It should potentially be possible for, say, one Anaconda to masslock another if it's much more heavily equipped or full of cargo. Or for a wing of Cobras to masslock a Python if they can stay close enough without getting shot to bits. The best parts of this game work because they make sense. Like how you can brute force an interdiction by flying much faster than your target. I found this out by experimentation based on logical deduction, instead of having to read a staff post telling me what situations will/won't work. Right now it's impossible to figure out how masslocking works without reading a table showing the ships' masslock figures, and I feel this sticks out like a sore thumb in a game that otherwise seems sensible in regards to cause and effect. Basically it's not a variable that you can figure out the minutae of via trial and error or just experience. It's totally arbitrary, unintuitive, and bothers me quite a bit. I hope they plan to revise the system to make it work more like how most of us imagine it should work.

 

[xondk]

Actually vulture can masslock though not very effectively, ships like viper and cobra.
So you DO have an effect, however due to smaller ship it is..smaller.

And you have to remember the bigger mass of the other ship, pretty much cancels your mass out in terms of mass lock. You can however focus on their drives, now granted if they have a lot of shield they might warp first, but it is entirely possible to take it out.

 

[Rankaze]

I would like it if the mass of multiple smaller craft could add up to mass lock a larger vessel; but other than that it's fine as it is and does makes sense.

I really like this idea.

 

[who?]

I'm not talking about NPC's. You will literally never kill an Anaconda in a cobra that doesn't want to be killed. You and 4 other Cobras probably couldn't kill a player Anaconda before it immediately jumps out.

Which raises the next question - should smaller craft be able to destroy any bigger craft?

To me, it makes no sense if smaller craft can prevent a much bigger (more heavily armoured, more heavily armed, far more expensive) ship from running and destroy it. If the "Anaconda" decides to stay and fight while a Wing of Vultures / Vipers etc wear it down - then fine, it's fair game. But let a Vulture interdict a Conda, mass-lock it so it can't run, and destroy it?

Please, no. I'd go so far as to say "Hell, no!". Please let's not 'balance' this game to oblivion. I couldn't take a "Why can't my pod racer take down a Death Star" type argument.

(Disclaimer: I don't have an Anaconda. I do have a Vulture though!)

 

[Perseus]

I used to get mass locked every Sunday when I a child. I was pretty small then and I just couldn't escape. However, once I was bigger I found that the church couldn't mass lock me anymore due to my size. I reckon this is the same principle behind our vessels in ED. I think it works a treat.
I wonder if we'll see an hardpoint 'weapon' that can a jumping ship. I wouldn't like to think what kind of heat such a weapon would generate for the smaller ship but it would add to the spice if a wing had such a ship as a member.

 

[cyberir]

I understand that mass lock of big ship can prevent smaller ship from jumping fo certain time but what i dont understand how come bigger massive ship can boost as fast as small ships, what is the point of light fighters such as Viper, Eagle ? Frontier should make if ship is mass locking it is heavier and slower in boost speed so smaller ship can be masslocked but can have option to run away not being overrun by speed, firepower and inability to move out from fight. This makes FDL and clipper overpowered in some ways against other ships and kills the skill factor its more or less making some ships with credits pay2win and causes effect of other ships more or less obsolete there should be more tactics of flying and knowing when to back off to fight another day.