Karl Berg, on 29 April 2014 - 12:47 AM, said:
Just curious, but what level of documentation are you looking for. Are you looking for the basics? 'Here are the default key bindings', 'This is how you purchase a mech', 'This is how you unlock a mech efficiency'; or are you looking for detailed technical info on how the product works?
Hi Karl, Yes I do have an understanding of documentation both Internal and External level.
Yes things do constantly change and I fully appreciate that, and yes there are code changes and the game is evolving every 2 weeks but the CORE Gameplay doesnt change every 2 weeks really what im talking about not much has changed at all tbh, yet people are still unsure of some of the mechanics work. The frequency based in the past on core gameplay changes is VERY manageable for user documentation.The beauty of the age we live in document can be updated quite easily and often as products to change, its a far cry from the good ole days where you had a printed manual and that was it.
Of course I am not after detailed technical info, that is just a silly thing and not what a new user would expect. You say throwing up internal documents is not acceptable as a end user manual? of course its not, but having NO USER MANUAL is not acceptable either.
Of course you need default key bindings that's simple stupid level, but you need to go beyond that and go through the mechanics, ie simple examples. What I expect as a consumer is a middle ground that is in most games manuals / official wiki pages.
Go over weapons, explain recycle times, explain heat is generated and needs to be dissipated over time.
next level is explanation of how firing weapons generates heats, ballistics run cooler but require ammo.
Cover overriding and shutdowns
Cover how AMS works
Go over weapon groupings, cycle fire etc.
Go over minimum ranges etc.
Explain ghost heat (Good luck with that one)
Standing in water increases heat dissipation.
Go over damage, external armour colour vs internal, Explain how many internal points you have.
Explain criticals, ie Gauss rifles can explode, ammo can explode.
Ultra AC Jamming Mechanic
The CASE Mechanic, how it is pointless to have with an XL engine.
Losing a Leg slows you down
General Jump jet usage, Jump jets only recharge when on the ground
Capturing bases is only possible when on the ground (I am unsure of this been a while since i played)
The list could go on, The amount of times i see on forums people questioning game mechanics and people say it does this, people say it doesn't, there is nowhere definitively to say THIS happens. Or if there is you have to troll through old command chair posts or random forum posts.
Look at MW3 Manual below, not so much for content(obviously comparing apples and donkeys) but you get the general gist of a manual layout covering different aspects of systems etc.
http://www.replaceme...d.php?view.4782
Something like that would be a bloody good start. Yes things change and it needs to grow, but if properly set out, and so long as gameplay changes are documented correctly internally, it is not a big thing to change external documentation. A good example is the coming of the clans, Change to UAC for Clans, XL engine Changes etc etc that would be amended as they are released.
Karl Berg, on 29 April 2014 - 01:18 AM, said:
I've also made an account, PGIkberg. Looks like there may be editing restrictions in place however.
Perhaps a "semi oficial" PGI MWO Wiki would be a good idea, have kyle whip one up
have it so the community can edit it as you wish, but then a PGI representative can go through and make the final definitive cut on whether something is true or not and it is cited as such.
Edited by Tekadept, 29 April 2014 - 05:05 AM.