19 replies to this topic

[Andi Nagasia]

so i've noticed once a week Solaris Arena comes up in the Forums,
and now with mentor-ship also up for debate i was thinking of an easy solution,

allow 1v1 Private matches to be started with out Premium time,
on the grounds of PGI i know Free2Play does not mean Free2Run,
but this isn't about allowing all the Premium options with out Premium time,
just the ability to start a private match with one player on ether side,

PGI will still make money on Premium time,
and there are many other reasons to have Premium time
50% more C-Bills, 50% more GXP, 50% more XP,
all other Private Match Options,


what would this Change add the following,
both i feel will aid in RP style play(Solaris and Mentor-ship)

=the Solaris Arena Type 1v1 Matches=
(in this case just 1v1, with Spectators)
(mainly works for Role Playing, 2 people fighting and 1or more players spectating)

=the Mentor Arena Type 1v1 Matches=
(in this case just 1v1, with Spectators)
(where the Mentor will Lead the Rookie though various Combat maneuvers)


all that said there is a problem with the cost of running these 1v1 Servers,
as well as a problem with locally hosted game, and possible exploiting,


=Solution=
PGI could create a Cap to how many Private 1vs1 games can be run at a given time,
so if such a cap were 1000, only 1000 1vs1 matches would be active during any given time,
this would limit the strain on the servers, as well as give people the 1vs1 they are asking for,
an added indicator could display how busy the 1vs1 servers are, (Low-Medium-Heavy),
and to stop abuse to this system, with cheating/farming, for Achievements/C-Bills,
add a notation that when a 1v1 match is run, it gives and pays-out no rewards,
after all if your mentoring or Dueling its about Duty and Honor, not C-bills,


Thoughts, Comments, Concerns?
Thanks

Edit- Hosted Servers
Edit2- Abuse ideas
Edit3- Host rework
Edit4- Server Cap

Edited by Andi Nagasia, 01 December 2014 - 10:32 AM.

[Egomane]

No!

The reason why it needs premium time has been explained, when the private matches where introduced:
http://mwomercs.com/...93-feb-27-2014/

[Andi Nagasia]

Egomane, on 26 October 2014 - 11:57 PM, said:

No!

The reason why it needs premium time has been explained, when the private matches where introduced:
http://mwomercs.com/...93-feb-27-2014/

i see, thanks again Egomane, i was unaware this was stated,
ok new idea Locally Hosted Servers

[Egomane]

Locally hosted servers are even worse. If PGI ever gives their server code away (that's what would happen if it's included with the client to host a game), they effectivly sabotaged their own business modell.

Edited by Egomane, 27 October 2014 - 07:38 AM.

[MadLibrarian]

Lots of games use systems of hosted servers, which allows third parties to do the hosting and make the money. Just remove the third party from the equation and let people buy 'private servers' from PGI that are just the same as private lobbies but persistent and using a visual lobby system for browsing them. Price per 'server' would be the same as running 12v12 'servers'. With granular subscription stages, only some 'servers' would allow less than 12 per team because they paid appropriately for the ability.

Its a tricky situation because MWO is a service rather than a product being sold. Emulating successful products with a service oriented twist makes the most sense to me. Personally, I think f2p games are always teetering on the edge of oblivion, and aren't really a viable money maker in their current form.

[The GaussFather]

In 1 v 1 you should be allowed to bet C-bills on the outcome of the match!

[MuzMuzMuz]

I voted No to both questions - Because I'm very much in favour of a proper solaris game mode.

1st
Private matchs should not be allowed without premium time. Taking control of a server removes one from the other ques increasing wait times. being 1v1 or not is irrelivent.

2nd
I'm against Solaris matches being implemented "without rewards" - I'm all for 1v1 matches! Finally elo matching might actually work and you wouldn't be let down by team mates disconnecting, going afk, shooting you in the back or just being terribad. Currently though everything is setup for 12 v 12 and they'd have to rework things to serve a larger number of smaller games.

Edited by MuzMuzMuz, 26 November 2014 - 12:12 PM.

[Andi Nagasia]

MuzMuzMuz, on 26 November 2014 - 12:11 PM, said:

I voted No to both questions - Because I'm very much in favour of a proper solaris game mode.

1st
Private matchs should not be allowed without premium time. Taking control of a server removes one from the other ques increasing wait times. being 1v1 or not is irrelivent.

2nd
I'm against Solaris matches being implemented "without rewards" - I'm all for 1v1 matches! Finally elo matching might actually work and you wouldn't be let down by team mates disconnecting, going afk, shooting you in the back or just being terribad. Currently though everything is setup for 12 v 12 and they'd have to rework things to serve a larger number of smaller games

i can understand and respect that, but this would be a simple 1vs1, for Dueling or Mentorship mostly,
1), true that they do use up Server space, but Private matches can be started with out Premium time 12vs12,
2), yes, but i set no rewards as so people cant exploit and farm the matches, for C-bills, which would kill immersion,
as such 4vs4 was a thing as was 8vs8, so its not imposable for a 1vs1 Dueling/Mentorship system to work
also if both players have Premium time it is possible to engage in a 1vs1 already,

[ManDaisy]

Solution: 1 Huge map with 12 different areas (domes) not linked together, with 2 spawn points in each dome. Host a 1 versus 1, with 24 players one one map. ... Of course... you might end up matched with the wrong guy!

Edited by ManDaisy, 14 December 2014 - 04:15 PM.

[Night Fury76]

Well now we can gift, bets of premium time codes posted to a bookie with codes split among the winners

[Christopher Hamilton]

As a native citizen of Solaris I ask you all to stand up for mech arena games !
we need to fight in the solaris arenas in any combinations we like. one on one is just another solaris game mode.

gimme a koto any time

[April Showers]

make this 1v1 ranked play with no rewards but a monthly top rank list - that would rock.
if you want to reward, hand a cockpit trophy to the years first 3 winners in:

lights
mediums
heavies
assaults
mixed

competitions, solo, duo, 4 man team.

and since this is solaris, any mech allowed that you can smuggle on planet.

EDIT: replaced 4 seasonal with monthly. more trophies to hand out.

Edited by April Showers, 11 March 2015 - 02:39 AM.

[Fat Jack Murphy]

Where is that Kai Allard to step up for the matches in his Yen Lo Wang when you need one ?

(=YES PLEASE)


arenas from original Sol7 i like to see:

the one with the moving walls
scrapyard
the pit
king of the hill (= mini caustic, but no heat)
the tunnels


what about knock-out finals that are streamed for others to watch ?

Edited by Fat Jack Murphy, 11 March 2015 - 02:49 AM.

[Vegalas]

No offense but I think you're topic might be lacking some ideas even though there's a reasonable amount of votes. I am not referring to your MM solution but rather to the basic gameplay ideas. For example I would rarely think about going to a match where I couldn't play at all. I think there's were little fun or gain in that. Besides the game already has an observer mode for those whose mechs have already been destroyed in the battle. I have made a similar topic that suggested adding a 1vs1 mode into the game with the addition of FFA to support more personalized and straightforward gameplay.
http://mwomercs.com/...47#entry4290247

Even though I guess it got some attention it doesn't give that many answers. I think the concept of betting that was introduced in the topic should have more attention. To uphold people's interest in watching an FFA game until the end or to get them interested in a game of FFA in the first place, there could be some sort of a betting system along the guidelines below. I don't see that this stuff is outside the topic because FFA without any alliances or brackets would be basically a 1v1 or a 1v2 fest.

1. A player invests a selected amount of c-bills when going into the game.

2.The invested c-bills would make up a prize pool. I am not stating that there shouldn't be any other rewards btw.

3.The c-bills would be distributed between the players after the game has ended with the most succesful mechwarrior's getting more than the others. The amount of bets made on a mechwarrior would be a factor too.

4.If a players mech gets destroyed, bets can be placed on other players. The closer a bet is to a victor, the more rewards will a player making the bet receive by a selected factor but at the same time the farther away the bet is from the victor the more c-bills the player will lose by a selected factor.

Edit:With all the factors added up there might be more c-bills distributed than there is all together in the initial prize pool. I think this mechanic is an important part of making this game mode both succesful and popular.

I hope that was an answer simple enough. Of course simple 1v1's can't use this system but I guess there could be another way of rewarding the victor. I don't think the system I'm proposing is too punishing either but at the moment that's only a matter of opinion.

Edited by Vegalas, 24 March 2015 - 11:57 AM.

[Spleenslitta]

I didn't vote but i can say this....I badly want Solaris to come to MWO but the server's as you said can't handle it. So instead -
Give us Solaris with 12 players or maybe even 24 players free for all where you cannot enter with in a group.

Above all else i want mixed weight free for all's. To rip assault mechs to shreds in my Firestarter in such chaotic mayhem.....i literaly droll at the thought.

If groups are needed then 6 lance sized teams free for all.

[Chuanhao]

How can an arena meant for mentoring not become a de facto F2P 1v1 "Solaris" environment? (1) Limit the type of mech and loadout of the "instructor" mech - exactly similar to the trainee mech. (2) Have a plain vanilla map. (3) Enabling auto recharge of mech "health" after a predetermined time.

[Will9761]

Two words:
DUNCAN FISHER

[Christopher Hamilton]

bump

[DragoWolf]

I don't like the idea of a 1v1 server that can be accessed by anyone who wants to challenge another mechwarrior the server loads would be awful. If you could drop in groups on a solaris MAP, with multiple arenas and 12 vs. 12 players could still exist with the current matchmaking mechanics. The solaris map would have to be a game mode with 12 1v1 arenas and the ability to drop as a spectator or choose an opponent. There could be rounds created as well to increase match longevity and eliminate odd numbered group issues. You could just find a group to 1v1 with you and drop against anyone in that 24 man group. You'd all just be fighting in different places on the same map separately. It would be very doable and you could still drop solo, it would just leave more anonymity in your opponent pool.

[RabidNinja64]

This can only go one of two ways;

1 - We allow non-premium 1v1s, for the sake of friendly mech-testing, horsing about, etc. people will make more effecient builds and invest more money in testing other builds and weaponry. "Wanna test your loadout without getting wrecked on the battlefield? Pay Us!" is a poor business strategy for PGI, even if it does bolster their MC/Premium time sales, and it kinda subverts the necessity for Training Grounds, but there's only so much AI I can fire at before they become predictable.

2 - We disavow the thought of Free 1v1 Private matches, and suggest PGI release a monthly global Solaris 7 Event. 8/12/24 player FFA/TDM/CTF gamemode. Highest scoring group/clan/faction gets 10 million C-bills, an exclusive cockpit item/camo pattern/decal. Highest scoring PLAYER get's a unique title and 5 million c-bills.