9 replies to this topic

[DI3T3R]

In a very general sense, do you think there is something wrong with the core-mechanisms at the heart of MWO? Something that should have been sorted out in Alpha or Beta?

I don't want to delve into details what exactly it is that does or does not irk you, I just want the general sentiment.

Would you like to see something changed in MWO that can no longer be changed because it would massively alter gameplay?

[OmegaRed53]

Maybe implementing more core values of the battle tech universe would be nice with added story, missions, span of timeframe in technology of inner sphere vs clan battles. Looking at the implementation hardcore fan developers like mechwarrioirs living legends has done and combine forces ?

Edited by OmegaRed53, 01 August 2015 - 10:11 AM.

[Nik Reaper]

As this is still a minimum viability arena team shooter game , I don't think they can focus an a mission style gameplay, what I feal the game is lacking a lot is the information warfare, it's ecm and thats it for now.

Something like active and passive sensors bubbles of 800m where you see all mechs with active sensors and at ~350m you see mechs with passive sensors while mechs set on passive sensors only get a red square and info at 300m or something like that, fiddle with the numbers, and sensor info and info amount could range from full , like we have now when you lock in a target and get all the armor and weapon info to just a blanck square , or mech chasis depending on range, mech size and ecm/bap influences.

Edited by Nik Reaper, 01 August 2015 - 10:26 AM.

[Greyhart]

the thing is the shooting giant robots is fun. so the core is ok.

[Night Thastus]

Yep. Been saying for years: The heat system

1. Cut heat cap from 60 back to the lore value of 30, and make it so heatsinks don't add to this cap.

2. Remove ghost heat.

3: Make it so higher levels of heat cause various issues within the mech, including:(Though not all are needed, pick & choose)

A. Decreased acceleration/deceleration
B: Lowered top speed
C: "Ghost blips" on the radar where there aren't any 'Mechs.
D: Autocannons jamming
E: Ammo explosions (Cookoff)
F: Static in HUD

4: Make all double heatsinks TRUE double heatsinks. No 1.4x dissipation BS.

I think I originally had more to add to the heat system, but together that package would be great. The "PPFLD" or "Pin-point Face Loaded Damage" meta would finally calm down. Instead of arbitrary limits as to how many of a given weapon we can use, we could put as many as we want, so long as we manage it well.

This would promote longer, more drawn-out fighting as opposed to sudden "Oh ****, I died!" moments when you face against a ludicrous loadout.

It would also give Ballistics (A low - heat weapon) a really nice place again in this game. Missles, as well, would benifit.

You have to understand, most 'Mechs in lore were a mix of weapons. Admittedly, there were exceptions, but pilots tended to have weapons for all scenarios, and had a mix of cool and hot ones so that they could keep fighting, even on hotter worlds or in a bad situation.

That's my main beef. Other stuff, sure. But this is my main issue with the game right now.

Edited by Night Thastus, 01 August 2015 - 03:46 PM.

[Zephonarch II]

I've been around the game long enough to know that the little fixes with this game aren't what I care about anymore. I care about the things that are ruining the image of Battletech. The game is too exploitable now. And unnerving whenever fighting WHICHEVER mech you see. Any mech can scare you like It's the "Great Death" in Japanese, Daishi/Dire Wolf. Just because of this stupid meta trend.
And why??? PGI wants to move on to another game? Then just break MWO faster then, these patches are slow, methodical, brainwashing stints that I can't take anymore. This game is broken, either acknowledge its a mess or continue doing this until Dire Stars are Heat efficient!!!... I'll just list some things I'd like to see change:

1.Omni-pods removed,
2.Quirks removed,
-Fewer mechs that can run meta builds, Improve base mechanics so basic builds can work
3.New mech releases delayed until they get their crap in order,
4.Larger maps to fit the scale of combat now,
5.Better immersion on map design
-No twigs, pebbles that can halt you in your tracks.
-No trees that are taller than an Atlas. Or else. *Laughs *Mental Breakdown *Dies in a reality that makes sense

6.CW as a public game mode,
-Alliances between houses to improve matchmaking
-Improved TS integration

7.New game modes
-Improved Base-attack concept for Assault
-Lances assigned to STAYING TO THE BASE
-Harassers, Bulldog, Apc, Land vehicles and Donar Air-vehicles; AI-Controlled units to patrol around base, protect it, BUT NOT meant to withstand the force of a Mech attacks, provides locks for allies, helps Base-defenders know where the enemy will direct push.
-Improved Hold-Position/Defend-your-base concept in Assault
-Random Zone locations for Conquest
-More Opposite ends of maps to start on as Blue and Red
-Improved Skirmish by integrating more team drop locations. More areas of map utilized.
-Gamemode: Solaris Deathmatch---
Everyone drops in RANDOM locations and MUST LINK up with lancemates and work together to secure zone for allies.
-Gamemode: Escort/ Capture Convoy---
Objective protect/destroy Npc trucks, MFBs, Fortifications, Salvage carriers.
-Gamemode: PVE---
Destroy oncoming waves of enemy mechs
=Waves progress from a few light mechs to a tight-nit lance of Daishi-Powerhouses

8.Heat fixes((Night Thastus' points kind of are what I'm alluding to)),
9.Collisions added((MW3 format: No V-sync, No passing through people with a small lag-spike, just a bump that pushes your mech's cursor away, hey, HEY! Don't fight too close to your teammates!)),

10. PGI partnership with LEGO so they can sell Mech figurines and make some MONEY,
10a. PGI buys a 3D Printer(waste of money, cannot mass produce)... maybe not. Help the economy. Work with Lego!

11. Salvage, Repair, Re-arm features added
12. Skill Trees updated
-to make Mechs slower than they are now, but balanced to canon.
-Emphasize Role Warfare
-Emphasize Pilot has there own skills, not the Mech has abilities that need to be unlocked.

13. Custom Decal feature added
14. Optimize. Optimize. OPTIMIZE!
Lag-Shields from enemy Lrm-fire are unacceptable. I'm just under Recommended specs, so I know lrms that can do this on a player with a decent connection/ decent ISP package is just plain ridiculous.
<<This probably just needs a hot fix though. I hope>>


...And this would drastically alter the game. But I don't care about anything else. If PGI has any vision for this game they'd see that a transition/balancing era is about to happen. With these Quirks and Omni-pods I think the game has been damaged more than improved. Omni-pods might make sense though, in a Repair-system sense. Maybe they'd be easier to repair with that system implemented.

...But I think PGI is a low-budget company so I think if they really need to prioritize... fix and optimize the maps.
And they're doing a gj at it. It just feels like they have to much on their plate for me. Just saying.

[Night Thastus]

While I agree with some changes Zephonarch II suggested, I have some serious beef with some.

Omni-pods are part of Omni-mechs. These are 'Mechs that existed both in the Innersphere and Clans, and had benfits and drawbacks. You couldn't change the engine or any equipment that came with them to start with (heatsinks, CAP, etc) but you could change the hardpoints at will, and it made repairs very, very cheap in comparison.

They have a solid place in this game, even if the balance isn't 100% perfect. Removal would take away 90% of the clan 'Mechs we can use.

Quirks need to be rebalanced, sure, but not removed. Some 'Mechs need better ones, some need theirs toned down a tad. A rebalancing wave is coming through anyways sooner or later. PGI already mentioned with the Battlevalue system that'll be coming.

Repair and re-arm were handled horribly in this game before, and while they could do it better, I feel it fosters a passive game style.

You could push that ridge and possibly turn the tide of the match, but who cares? You'll take tons of damage and end up paying out more in repairs than you get. Why bother? This makes people not want to play aggressively, which is one of the BIGGEST issues in PUG drops right now.

As for the rest of the points, I don't see anything inherently wrong. Some are quite nice, such as additional game modes and skill tree changes.

[Tesunie]

As an answer to the main question, do I feel the core mechanics are flawed or not?

I think it's a very good and solid base. It's got some bugs, but it all works reliably and is a great core to continue to build off of.

Do not confuse this statement with "everything is fine", as there are things that could use to be worked on, changed, and expanded upon. But, as a core to continue to build from, it's in good standing. Just need to expand and add from here for the most part.

[Spleenslitta]

I don't think there is something massivly wrong with MWO except Ghost Heat not being replaced by a bunch of better ideas that actually makes sense
Such as -
- A reactor that only has so much energy generated per second. So everything you do uses energy. The faster you go the less energy you have to fire weapons and such.
That way we could still have PPC boats but they would have to stand still to fire all their weapons if they stood still.
But the amount of time it would take to generate enough energy for a 2nd salvo would be long...and so on.

- No convergence on torso mounted weaponry would make for longer Time To Kill because the weapons would be less focused.

I also think the CW maps with all those bottlenecks is dead in the water. No way i'll touch CW the way it is right now.

[Tesunie]

Spleenslitta, on 16 August 2015 - 04:26 AM, said:

- A reactor that only has so much energy generated per second. So everything you do uses energy. The faster you go the less energy you have to fire weapons and such.
That way we could still have PPC boats but they would have to stand still to fire all their weapons if they stood still.
But the amount of time it would take to generate enough energy for a 2nd salvo would be long...and so on.

I'm all for breaking away from some aspects of lore for better game mechanics and play. However, in this case I'd have to ask, do you know BT lore?

BT reactors don't exactly have an energy cap. Instead, as they produce more energy to power systems, it produces more heat. The system you are proposing would change this completely away from everything BT, and then it might as well become an Armored Core or some other Mecha title. (Which were also very good games too.)

The way BT reactors work, and the entire heat scale is one of the things that makes BT actually BT. It's a very distinguished aspect of BT that is rather unique to this universe/game/lore. Take that aspect away like you suggest, and it really becomes no longer BT related.