11 replies to this topic

[BillyM]

Everyone remembers the feeling of buying those first 3 variants and working hard to acquire DHS, Endo, more firepower, and the bigger/XL engine. Additionally you spent numerous evenings working to bring them up through the steps of Basic, Master, and eventually Elite. Each achievement met with a measurable bonus to your play and the reward felt GOOD! Maybe you then move on to another few mech types, but once you hit that magic Elite state, there goes the feeling of working towards anything.

You still play your favorites, getting to the point where people you frequently play with know you for your piloting skills in a said mech, you are a master of that mech! ...why not have a way to show it. You've continued to play your favorite variant and amassed a huge chunk of XP for it. I propose the ability to purchase (with spare variant XP after Elite status has been gained) a sort of marker or shoulder patch for your mech.

75,000XP can buy a Bronze "shoulder patch" or a single military-style "bar".
150,000XP upgrade to Silver "shoulder patch" or a "double-bars"
275,000XP upgrade to Gold "shoulder patch" or crests your "double-bars"

This gives those who specialize the ability to show it, lets those in public games know which teammates to work with and rely on for good tactical decisions, as well as use up a glut of mechXP that is lying around out there.

Thoughts?

--billyM

TL;DR - After elite, use large amounts of MechXP to buy a visible arm-patch for mech variants.

Edited by BillyM, 30 May 2013 - 11:22 AM.

[Mechteric]

I kinda like the idea.... only instead of having to "buy" one with XP, I think it would be better just to automatically get one if you've got that insane amount of XP earned in a particular chassis. This way you don't have to worry about the whole XP to GXP conversion.

[BillyM]

I never suggested to convert to GXP first, as this would just be three additional variant efficiencies to unlock beyond Elite.

It should be optional, because I may be saving my 75,000xp or simply don't want people to know how good I am (ninja).

--billyM

[Kaeb Odellas]

They're adding "Epic" level mech efficiencies in the future, so spending mech XP on it now would be a great idea.

This would be a neat option once they add decals in.

[Bobby Bolivia]

That would be a good way to burn off excess xp that I would normally use to "cheat" and convert to gxp to master a diff chassis that I've barely used. For example, I had cats and stalkers mastered before using them in a match due to the fact that I had a few hundred thousand xp sitting on my "go-to" atlas.

Good idea

[Skyfaller]

25k xp: Enable use of those annoying 'no signal' screens in the cockpit. Why the frak did the house engineers put those in there anyway? Now that you have mastered the mech you find out why: The screens display important information!!!!

50k xp: Enable mech searchlights. Yes, finally, you can flip that red switch they told you never to touch in cadet training. Doing so emits a powerful beam of light directly ahead of you so you can see at night!

75k xp: Enable mech flares. Aim, shoot.. pow! A flare launches from your AMS weapon hardpoint at a high arc (like an lrm) and when it starts to go down it will deploy a parachute and ignite a strong flare that will light anything below it for 8 seconds.

100k xp: Crouch: Golly! They never showed you THIS at the academy. Who knew mechs could bend their knees to lower their visible profile?

[Skoaljaw]

Indeed I like this idea! More incentive to grind/practice and really exhibit your piloting abilities. Also, bragging rights for the pilot that takes down a "master".

[Mechteric]

BillyM, on 30 May 2013 - 12:30 PM, said:

I never suggested to convert to GXP first, as this would just be three additional variant efficiencies to unlock beyond Elite.

It should be optional, because I may be saving my 75,000xp or simply don't want people to know how good I am (ninja).

--billyM

What I meant is people could still convert to GXP and not have to just stockpile that 75K up on a variant to get it. So its a running total, rather than "spend this much XP" kinda deal.

[Clem2722]

Sold! Great idea.

[BillyM]

CapperDeluxe, on 05 June 2013 - 09:15 AM, said:

What I meant is people could still convert to GXP and not have to just stockpile that 75K up on a variant to get it. So its a running total, rather than "spend this much XP" kinda deal.

This would be OK, but probably not pass the PGI money-making department, as it's just freebies.

Come-on, give me something to spend mechXP on! Heck, just put it on the pilot roster at the start of the match for now!

--billyM

[Bhael Fire]

I'm all for anything that allows you to earn bragging rights of a sort and to let other players know about your mad pilot skills. I hope they incorporate something like this with the new achievement system they are working on.

Edited by Bhael Fire, 06 June 2013 - 04:06 PM.

[Kattspya]

BillyM, on 06 June 2013 - 10:50 AM, said:

This would be OK, but probably not pass the PGI money-making department, as it's just freebies.

Come-on, give me something to spend mechXP on! Heck, just put it on the pilot roster at the start of the match for now!

--billyM

BillyM, on 06 June 2013 - 10:50 AM, said:

This would be OK, but probably not pass the PGI money-making department, as it's just freebies.

Come-on, give me something to spend mechXP on! Heck, just put it on the pilot roster at the start of the match for now!

--billyM

It's not really free it encourages the more OCD of players to get more playtime which in PVP games are like content. What do you think the point of the 25 wins challenge was? To get people to play (more).