17 replies to this topic

[StnTwnDevil]

From the games I've played in CW, it forces players to communicate and strategize more than before. A majority of the players I come across don't have team speak, so it becomes difficult typing strategic plans in the midst of battle. My idea is that a 13th player is added to each side. This player is not in a mech, but is in some sort of mobile command center, which can potentially be targeted and destroyed. This person has a different game experience than the rest in mechs. They have a much more detailed map to work with as they highlight groups of players and give them particular orders. Their game experience would be much more like the typical real time strategy game, except you're in command of real people. The mobile command center would have a defense system of some sort, that could be controlled by the commander manually if necessary. Maybe the commander also has a few airstrikes in his arsenal that are activated by designating a location on the map.

The difficult part of this would be figuring out how enemies would be seen by the commander on map. I think, at all times, the commander should be able to see the entire friendly area up to the gate. Other than that, it would probably be the same as the current in game map. So enemies would only appear if a friendly has a visual of them, or a lock. The commander map could have the ability to register last locations of enemy mech mechs before they went dark on map. Maybe the map also also recognizes each enemy uniquely, so the map would never register last locations of a particular enemy mech, in 2 separate locations. So eventually, the commander may see all 12 enemy mechs on his map, but only 2 of those enemy locations might be active, while the rest are last location spotted enemy icons. I'd imagine there would be a visual way of differentiating between an active enemy vs a last spotted enemy on map.

This idea is probably impractical for many different reasons, but I figured I'd throw it out there anyway.

Edited by StnTwnDevil, 31 December 2014 - 06:46 AM.

[riverslq]

That would be similar to BF2 or BF4 commander.
BF2 was a live player hiding in a corner, BF4 is strictly top down, but it would help to organize pugs at the least.

[Davers]

riverslq, on 31 December 2014 - 01:16 PM, said:

That would be similar to BF2 or BF4 commander.
BF2 was a live player hiding in a corner, BF4 is strictly top down, but it would help to organize pugs at the least.

Implementing it like in BF2 would suck.

[Sadist Cain]

it's a good idea but ultimately I think it's a bit over the top with what we can expect and would take a lot of work to implement.

much smaller and more feasible changes that could have the same effect would be an overhaul of the battlegrid, which as it currently stands is next to pointless, command wheel, VOIP of course.

Faction chat is going to go a long way as well (something similar to War thunders "looking to play" chat room would be excellent)

Currently you're the most detached from the community that plays the game whilst you're actually playing the game, which doesn't feel right.

The community vibe needs shifting out of the forums and into the game itself.

[ZeuS531]

So. While 24 people are playing MWO 2 people are playing MechCommander?

Sounds neat but then you run the risk of trolls getting the commander spot and being more of a nuisance. I would also guess this would be a new problem for the already less-than-stellar MM in trying to find a 13th man to add in the game. Would commanders have a separate queue? If so, how would a unit have their commander be in their game? What if 2 6-mans had a commander each, would the game flip for it? Or would the MM say 13 people queue and it asks for 1 volunteer when the game starts or it randomly picks for you? What if I didn't want to be the commander?

Too many variables and questions for a game mode that is too new and not built around this system. While a neat idea I'd rather not see it happen because I fear for the worst.

[bobF]

I think the best implementation was BF2142 in Titan mode. It would be cool to be in a grounded union dropship or something, and could switch to a gunner mode for some arcade turret play. Or, actually move the dropship around in low orbit, similar to how you could move the titan in BF2142.

The commander position was voluntary, and if more than one person wanted it, it went to the player with the highest rank. It was cool to spot for squads with the satellite scan, drop orbital bombardment, and issue orders. If you were a server regular after a time people would actually start following orders and giving feedback. I think it adds a pretty cool dimension to fps play, and could be another hook to improve/expand electronic warfare. It's likely too resource intensive to be added in any reasonable timeframe though :/

[Kyrie]

I tend to disagree with this idea, largely because the commander role would likely be very dull. To be interesting, all the consumables that individual pilots use such as Airstrikes/Arty/UAV should logically be reserved for the commander so that he actually has something to do between watching the map and giving movement orders (think Red Orchestra 2).

Given the current game design choices, informal clan/unit based voip organization seems to be the way the developers have pushed the game.

Edited by Kyrie, 31 December 2014 - 10:16 PM.

[Brizna]

That is what command console should be, you put one on your mech and you get to take a friend with you for the ride.

[Star Witch Esperanza]

Armored core's operator mode was pretty sick



edit: and basically is a form of the system op wants actually implemented into a game.

Edited by Nephera, 01 January 2015 - 06:23 AM.

[StnTwnDevil]

I wasn't even aware there were games that had a similar dynamic. I haven't seen how bf2 or bf4 works, but that armored core version looks pretty sweet! It all does sound very complicated to pull off, and their are tons of options in trying to figure out how to implement the mode. In reality it's pretty farfetched, but I imagine if fans felt strongly about something similar, maybe it'd at least get consideration in the future. But I do think that they can make it appealing to some of the current first/person shooter mech fans as well as bring in the mech commander fan type. Like Kyrie mentioned, maybe consumables are all controlled by the commander in this mode so the commander has an additional role in attacking. I'd personally like a separate command center that has the ability to move in some fashion. Obviously you don't want the command centers moving across the entire map by the end of the match, so they'd have to be very slow. I think it'd be interesting to have them move, just so they can attempt to avoid or limit damage from air strikes from the opposing commander, when a scout spots his location.

The commander tagging along on a mech with a pilot could also be interesting. It'd be slightly less involved than having a separate command center to design and build parameters around.

[Khobai]

Quote

I wasn't even aware there were games that had a similar dynamic.

Yes. That dynamic has been around for a while in various other games. The first use of that dynamic that im aware of is the microsoft game allegiance which came out in 1999? It was a multiplayer space sim where players would fly different ships (scout, interceptor, bomber, etc...) and one player on each team was a commander and would basically play the game like an RTS and build bases and issue orders to the other players.

The way it worked in allegiance was the commander would play top down like an RTS and would see all their team's ships and everything they could see on sensors. They could click on friendly ships and then issue orders to attack/defend/move, etc... and then the player would receive the order and could choose to either accept or reject the order. If you rejected the commander's orders the likely repercussion was that you probably wouldnt get money to buy better ships. So unlike BF/Armored Core it was more focused on ordering individual ships around rather than giving broad orders to the entire team at once.

Quote

The commander tagging along on a mech with a pilot could also be interesting. It'd be slightly less involved than having a separate command center to design and build parameters around.

Its a possible use for a command console. However I dont like the idea of an assault mech being taken out of the fight because the commander is on board. I think it would be better if the commander either didnt have a mech at all or maybe let them abandon their commander role in an emergency to jump in a mech.

Edited by Khobai, 01 January 2015 - 02:28 PM.

[StnTwnDevil]

Khobai, on 01 January 2015 - 02:07 PM, said:

Yes. That dynamic has been around for a while in various other games. The first use of that dynamic that im aware of is the microsoft game allegiance which came out in 1999? It was a multiplayer space sim where players would fly different ships (scout, interceptor, bomber, etc...) and one player on each team was a commander and would basically play the game like an RTS and build bases and issue orders to the other players.

The way it worked in allegiance was the commander would play top down like an RTS and would see all their team's ships and everything they could see on sensors. They could click on friendly ships and then issue orders to attack/defend/move, etc... and then the player would receive the order and could choose to either accept or reject the order. If you rejected the commander's orders the likely repercussion was that you probably wouldnt get money to buy better ships. So unlike BF/Armored Core it was more focused on ordering individual ships around rather than giving broad orders to the entire team at once.



Its a possible use for a command console. However I dont like the idea of an assault mech being taken out of the fight because the commander is on board. I think it would be better if the commander either didnt have a mech at all or maybe let them abandon their commander role in an emergency to jump in a mech.

I was under the impression that 2 players would be in one particular mech from the person who suggested it. One would be controlling the mech, the other orchestrating battle tactics from the passenger seat. The Atlas would be perfect for that. One player in each eye. In regards to a mech pilot having a command console on board, I don't see that being a significant change from what someone could do now. Basically it's what Ive attempted to do with the current game. I sit idle while trying to type some sort of organized battle tactic while accidentally deploying an artillery strike on the poor friendly mech in front of me. It's a challenge organizing right now, without team speak.

[geriolav]

I think they should improve the battlegrid-system and make it more intuitive.
The way it works now makes it consume to much time beside that you need to do to much clicking.

[AlphaToaster]

I think a fairly simple way pgi could try something like this would be to allow the spectators to communicate with specific teams, and place markers on the map.

Limit the spectators to 1 to a team and see if it sticks. If someone has command console equipped or say, tc 3 or heavier, they can tab into the spectator view.

[patataman]

I like the idea of a commander that is not in the cockpit, but in a mobile command vehicle, or in the cockpit but without control over the mech. He could alternate between map view and spectator view. Perhaps even take manual control of turrets.

I'm sure some ppl will be bad commanders, some others trolls, but how can that be regulated? A voting system perhaps? There will be trolls among the voting players too xD A new archievement could help "win x matches as commander". I don't know, but i like the concept. I dont think it adds much more aditional stress to the servers, just some traffic to send/receive data to/from the 2 commanders.

The map grid could be improved, but direct orders will still beat the map "xxxx check alpha gate please" > flashing icon on the minmap.

Edited by patataman, 04 July 2015 - 03:33 AM.

[50 50]

I had some ideas and put up a rather lengthy post about it where I tried to break down the parts.
http://mwomercs.com/...nd-perspective/
With the current battlegrid, you don't get much use out other other than to shuffle lances around.
Very rarely do I see anyone try to I see orders as the commander.
The main reason being that to take a mech out of the action to dedicate yourself to the role does not provide enough benefit or have enough functionality to outweigh the loss of firepower of the mech.
It needs to be a dedicated role as the optional 13th player in my opinion.
Some tighter lance command options with a command wheel/menu system would also be beneficial but that would operate quite differently.

[Mystere]

We all know this. We all want this.




I have an invasion to go to.

[Telmasa]

I miss Microprose

also, that Timberwolf pilot must be a 6/7 by MWO standards