100 replies to this topic

[MovinTarget]

I have said it before but the cap should not be on unit #'s for mercs, only how many can be participating in FP *at the same time*

This allows units to be as big as they want, but prevents them from overwhelming any one phase on FP. Also, this won't penalize a unit if a large portion of their playerbase doesn't regularly play FP...

Lets say a merc company can only drop 30 players under their unit tag at any one to... that 2.5 12 mans or 2 12 mans and and some scouts...

Or even make it per planet so no more than 16 can be queued on a given planet at a time (one 12 man and one 4 man scout team)


If a unit has too many that want to drop ant the same time they'll have to split off.

Edited by MovinTarget, 19 May 2016 - 04:14 AM.

[Carl Wrede]

Another idea would be to set a fairly low cap on unit sizes (yes that would probably mean MS1,2,3 and so forth) and then regulate it so that over populated factions just stop hiring mercs until they drop down in size again.

That way the big merc groups would most likely have to split up over several factions.

[MovinTarget]

Carl Wrede, on 19 May 2016 - 04:16 AM, said:

Another idea would be to set a fairly low cap on unit sizes (yes that would probably mean MS1,2,3 and so forth) and then regulate it so that over populated factions just stop hiring mercs until they drop down in size again.

That way the big merc groups would most likely have to split up over several factions.

The argument would be that whatever the cap is, somebody would always be pissed, and there are TONS of people in units that don't even play FP. So a unit that has comp, casual and FP wings would be penalized b/c 2 wings of their unit exist.

If you simply have a unit max drop # then that wouldn't impact the unit. They would be limited in the # of players can drop at any given time so they could be be slowed down a bit. If players aren't happy with the # of drops they get in FP then they'll branch off and form other units. Even if they sync contracts they can't dominate the MC and such (not that I care about that aspect). and the Merc Leaderboards would get a bit more variety.

The only other thing I can think of is to make rewards and leaderboard scores handicapped by the size of your unit somehow...

Edited by MovinTarget, 19 May 2016 - 02:05 PM.

[Araevin Teshurr]

Was there ever a time in the lore that all the mercenary units could go work for one house? PGI is going to have to get with the program and restrict mercenary units to longer term contracts that can not be broken, make them stick with a contract for 60 or 90 days, make them pay a huge penalty to get out of a contract early.

[Memnon Valerius Thrax]

from 100 Millions per Player.

[MovinTarget]

Araevin Teshurr, on 19 May 2016 - 02:14 PM, said:

Was there ever a time in the lore that all the mercenary units could go work for one house? PGI is going to have to get with the program and restrict mercenary units to longer term contracts that can not be broken, make them stick with a contract for 60 or 90 days, make them pay a huge penalty to get out of a contract early.

Well, its more like we all have no idea what is going to happen next... since we all get 7 day contracts and we all started this on the tuesday cw3 dropped, every tuesday afternoon there is a massive shift and we all go after new contracts not really knowing where the other mercs will land. Sometimes we will all end up in the same factipn which *nobody* wants.

Until they make it that:
1) mercs sign a contract with a loyalist UNIT, not generally with a faction (might be wholly or partially subsidized by the faction based on need)

2) once signed, there is an announcement for 24 hours prior to the effective date stating the units intent.
-or-
2b) there is a flat negotiated bonus for the mercs to be split between all players in merc unit that played at least one fp match. All planetary gains go to the loyalist unit, not to the mercs. Not planet tags, no MC.

(1) introduces the fact that a merc company can't dop if no one will hire them. Bad rep? Too expensive? Too bad.

(2b) would mean that being too big would mean the pie piece is tiny per player so merc players wpuld probably gravitate to smaller units to maximize profits (provided they are good enough to get work).

A bit more realistic than mercs just showing up at your doorstep unannounced.... but probably unrealistic for implementation...

Edited by MovinTarget, 19 May 2016 - 05:18 PM.

[ChaoticUrlond]

Whelp as the Clans are now facing extinction once again. Smoke Jag has 1 planet left that the IS is letting them have for the time being. Ghost Bear is being cut off at Elissa, next target for the IS is either Clan Wolf, or Jade Falcon.

[Stahlherz]

MovinTarget, on 19 May 2016 - 04:03 PM, said:

Not planet tags, no MC.

Löl.
Why would a Merc unit do that? Any Merc unit capable of taking and holding planets could demand a payout so high that almost nobody could afford it.
Why would a merc of an elite unit fight for peanuts while terribad scrublord loyalists sit back and cash in the way more valuable MC?

That might just turn weekly switching mercs into pseudo-loyalists who pledge loyalty untill contracts are farmed off and then accept the penalties of desertion to go to another faction.

Sorry, but your whole post is nothing but a fever dream of creating a situation suited to end all merc activity as a whole.

But that won't fly, and you now why? Because mercs are more likely to buy 'Mech packs for both tech bases.
Restriction as you suggest them would make PGI earn less money.

EDIT:

I would bet money that in case all Merc units go loyal crybabies would react with "All the powerful merc units are now loyalsts, take all lthe tags and we can't earn MC. Make them switch weekly again!"

Edited by Stahlherz, 29 May 2016 - 05:55 AM.

[SCHLIMMER BESTIMMER XXX]

Banditman, on 17 May 2016 - 12:34 PM, said:

Factions are already relatively well balanced. When Mercs go to accept a contract, they get to see the population balance per faction. Last time we changed, all factions were between 8 and 12 percent population . . . GB was 8, Dav was 12. Everyone else was 9 or 10.

until you joined xD

[MovinTarget]

Sorry to make you write a vitriol-laden post for nothing, perhaps i should clarify... they could be paid in mc by the loyalist, but market would indicate value and it is evenly distributed amongst mercs in unit. This means you don't want dead weight.

The only reason i am suggesting anything is b/c they don't want to allow us to have multi-pilot accounts so that we can have a loyalist pilot and a merc. *that* would support sales better and give people options for dropping in different scenarios (loyalist's attack lanes dead? Switch to your merc pilot)...

[Lily from animove]

without regurlar multiple 12 mans in the attack queues ntohing will change.

People of lower populated factions just want to play, and so they go defense because thereis where bigger premades usually act. And so underpopulated factions will msotlikely only defend, and defending menas in bets case you won't lose, but you also will never advance

[MovinTarget]

how about this;

Loyalist not only pick an attack lane every phase, but an Ally.

When 2 factions pick each other as allies, loyalists and mercs can pool resources to attack or defend for either faction.

I think it would be fun if the allies could be either IS *or* Clams, but I know the Lore Purists would have a field day with that idea.

The point would be to open up some actual meaningful diplomacy amongst factions and allow for 2 small factions to pool resources or allow a small faction to piggy-back off a large one so more games could be found.

This would prevent "attack lane bloat" since you would still only have at most 2 attack lanes.

[Anthrax87]

Hey Guys.
Is there anyway to actually pitch to PGI ideas on how to fix. I know this is the forum but PGI don't seem to be listening to the very valid complaints.

Essentially, FW should pay way more for wins then normal PUG drops, significant enough to make it worth it for PUGs to want to get active in it.

Then, there needs to be a way of balancing factions, without the Mercs switching

Finally, if required PGI needs to selectively incentivize switching based on the number of MERC planets held by a faction vs Loyalist ones.

Just my 2 cents

[MovinTarget]

There is the feature request section of the forums... dunno how much better it is to post there...

Win payout is fine as long as you don't gen rush imo... if they were to increase it I would say some requirements must be met by players before dropping in FP, b/c higher population would be great, but if players come just b/c of the lure of space bucks and don't learn to work as a team... it would only benefit the big organized outfits.

Balancing w/o taking mercs into account... that would be tricky at best. Again, us mercs have no idea where other merc units are going. Some of us don't care what the other merc units do while it seems like others are riding on the coattails of larger mercs.

On your final point, and i think its kinda the crux, if pgi actually made being a loyalist attractive then maybe this wouldn't happen...

[Elcor05]

New player, but what happens if the Ghost bears or Jaguars get conpletely defeated?

[Lily from animove]

Elcor05, on 30 May 2016 - 07:09 AM, said:

New player, but what happens if the Ghost bears or Jaguars get conpletely defeated?

that can never happen, because their main planets cannot be conquered.

[MovinTarget]

Lily from animove, on 30 May 2016 - 07:11 AM, said:

that can never happen, because their main planets cannot be conquered.

What should happen is that loyalist recruitment incentives should be boosted like 200% along with some good LP multiplyers...

[Nightmare1]

Nobody wants to be the Clans because they're so underpowered now, lol. Wishing my Unit had stayed IS.

[Christopher Hamilton]

i think it should be like in real battletech stories. the larger a unit is, the longer it's contract should run: if you have a Lance (4 people) dropping, you can take short term contracts. you choose that and you get 4 slots for FW to drop from your unit. you have up to 8 people dropping, not so short term (14 day), with a2 day announce period, you have 12 people drop slots ? a month, announced 4 days ahead. Multiple 12 mans ? choose faction for a quarter of a year, subject to a two week announce period. logistics limit, the larger a unit is, the less it should be able to quickly change faction.

then make sure the payout and limits are per unit ELO and faction to spread out, and take timezone into consideration.

some units are timezone locked, others aint.
People should have a unit-Tier and FW-Tier. i have seen solo play crackshots completely fumble FW.


ultimately however, unbalanced factions (skill, teamplay, timezone) make people drop.
no matter how high the incentive: no fun, i dont Dance.
and 12 vs 12x1 obliteration stomp is no fun, no matter which side you are on.


oh, and forget pure numbers. i have more then two accounts in here, i completely mess up statistics. for pure roleplay fun (selection of mechs and paint sheme, etc.).

[MovinTarget]

Nightmare1, on 30 May 2016 - 08:26 AM, said:

Nobody wants to be the Clans because they're so underpowered now, lol. Wishing my Unit had stayed IS.

Clams are not underpowered, just understaffed.

The population is just so volatile because of merc movements and there is next to no incentive to be loyalist other than observing lore.