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Developer Q&A 3 - Information Warfare


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#81 CobraFive

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Posted 19 January 2012 - 08:40 AM

So I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but the comment about dead players spectating in first person (to me) confirms no-respawn matches.

First-person-only spectating is the best option, but I really hope we are able to quit a match and join another if we're dead (World of tanks style- you can't use the mech you just lost until that match ends and you pay for its repairs). It'd be bothersome to have to spectate a stalemate match, especially when (like me) your gaming time is limited.

#82 TheRulesLawyer

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Posted 19 January 2012 - 09:03 AM

View Postcobrafive, on 19 January 2012 - 08:40 AM, said:

So I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but the comment about dead players spectating in first person (to me) confirms no-respawn matches.

First-person-only spectating is the best option, but I really hope we are able to quit a match and join another if we're dead (World of tanks style- you can't use the mech you just lost until that match ends and you pay for its repairs). It'd be bothersome to have to spectate a stalemate match, especially when (like me) your gaming time is limited.


It doesn't confirm it. Many respawn games have the exact same mechanic. You die, you can switch views among team mates until you respawn. Reading between the lines it seems likely, but you have to remember you're reading in between the lines.

#83 Milo Riker

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Posted 19 January 2012 - 09:15 AM

I think they got the new module system right. Piloting skill and the pilots actually might make a difference in this game. Pretty pumped, I love new intel! ;)

#84 Helmer

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Posted 19 January 2012 - 10:21 PM

View PostAegis Kleais™, on 19 January 2012 - 02:44 PM, said:

I like the answer they gave to my question.

Basically, the longer you keep a person in LOS/D, the more information begins to propagate to your lance (team as well?) So initially, you get a blip that allows you to track location on radar; maintain that LOS/D and it soon designates the chassis (if you couldn't already discern it visually). Shortly there after, your sensors start reporting back tactical information such as damage locations, severity, tech/components, speed, mayhaps current heat levels and more...

This is a great system because it doesn't just give you everything to start with. You have to earn it, or the data decays. If you have visual, you MAY be able to tell certain levels of damage, like areas that are smoking, dented or looked damaged. But aside from that, you have to wait for scans to pull back detailed information, not just cycle through all enemies in radar range to get full information.

This, too, requires the pilot to make mental note of this information in the event they have multiple enemy signatures. I can picture now how annoying it might be for someone to have missile lock on your from a Scout in passive radar who has you visually acquired, but you have no signatures on your screen. This opens up a lot of potential in the game for hit and run.



Agreed. I can see it being a little Chaotic . Which ,in my mind, is a good thing. Those who can multitask under pressure, remember multiple contacts, and still pilot/aim/heat manage , are going to be more effective pilots. I'm wondering if the normal radar scan just marks mechs positions, but you have to "lock on" or target mechs to get more detailed info (such as mech type, damage, etc)

You're in a fight with yourself, 5 teammates, and 5 enemies. Suddenly a 6th blip appears. Scrolling through you know visiually that the 2 mechs in front of you are Jenners, you target a blip further back (And because a Teammate has had him locked for some time now) you receive information right away that its a Hunchback. , you switch to another signature off to the side ,you target it briefly but have no info because no one has had him locked for awhile, and he's ducked behind a building. But it's ok, you remember that thats the Crippled Catapult you engaged eariler. So do you keep the pressure on the Jenners? Because there are two other mechs out there no one has a lock on, and who knows what they are....... But if you switch over to one of the other ones, it might take a few valuable seconds to confirm the mech types. And those two Jenners really seem to be working together well......


Ahhh.... I love the chaos of battle.


(Obviously the systems might not work that way at all. Guess we will see!)

Edited by Helmer, 19 January 2012 - 10:24 PM.


#85 Lies

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Posted 19 January 2012 - 11:42 PM

So far i'm noticing a distanct lack of dinosaurs. It needs more dinosaurs.

#86 phelanjkell

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Posted 20 January 2012 - 07:25 AM

Just a heads up, the Dev' play-by-play is on Podcast #11. I know it was mentioned earlier in this thread, just a heads up!

#87 Fuzzy466

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Posted 22 January 2012 - 01:01 PM

Okay I'm totally new to this forum, and only recently heard about this game. From the reports I read it seemed to suggest that the game was already live, I know it's a question that's probably asked a lot on games pre-release but I've not been able to find a definitive answer else where and dev. blog seem to be talking more about game mechanics. So my one and only question is when is game schedule for release?


(I'll probably have more question later on).

#88 Larry Headrick

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Posted 22 January 2012 - 02:40 PM

Sometime this summer Fuzzy.

#89 Grits N Gravy

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Posted 23 January 2012 - 07:34 AM

So it doesn't look like we will be able to customize our Mech's load out like in Mecchwarrior 4. With the module system being the primary means of upgrading and customizing our mechs. Which is a disappointment to me.

I also have real reservations about the technical side of LOS and Detection systems. There are two major technical issues I see with this system. All relate the number of inputs and variables that the program must constantly monitor and update, to make a system like what is described work. Simply put, there are just to many variables for the program to keep track of for the system to be run server side, for everyone, simultaneously. Which is the most secure method to prevent hacking. If the designers want the teams greater than 15v15. Then they will have to run these calculations client side . Which would be bad.

This would allow anyone with a decent memory scanner / debugger to create "wall hacks" and aim bots. The wall hacks here would be a little different. As they would simply reveal all the mechs simultaneously. Running the "visibility" system client side has been the source of all of APB and APB Reloaded's issues with hacks. Which explains,why there are so many hacks for that game. From wall hacks, aimbots aren't much more difficult to program. So unless some qutaum leap in server hardware is made or unless the devs are going to spend big government money on the hardware. Than we either end up with a system that is A easily hacked, or B has a small number of players per battle.

As I said earlier running the visibility system on server is really the best the way to go, but this would most likely limit the games to sizes of about 30. If I were technical director on this project I would look at world of tanks visibility system, which is handled server side and proven to be quite secure. Despite that game being F2p and primarily played by Russians (Russians are twice as likely to hack according to apb'r research on who was hacking their game http://apbreloaded.g...2-live-now.html ) has yet be wall hacked or aim boted, which is pretty impressive.
APB went the client side and that game has been plagued with hackers ever since.


That's the thing with hacking once it happens you're always playing from behind. You fix something, they find another way around. Once that having genie gets out of the bottle there is no putting it back in. I would scale back that LOS system to something that can be run server side and will get allow your to have 40+ people in each battle.

Edited by Grits N' Gravy, 23 January 2012 - 07:45 AM.


#90 Heronimus Bosch

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Posted 23 January 2012 - 08:37 AM

@ Grits N' Gravy.

The Devs have announced that the max. number of player in an instance will be 12 v 12.

#91 Mandalore1

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Posted 23 January 2012 - 05:52 PM

View PostInnerSphereNews, on 18 January 2012 - 10:00 AM, said:

Module: Enhanced Night Vision Effect: Increases the detail of objects while in Night Vision Mode at the cost of reduced range. Cost: 4500 CB The player equips this module in their BattleMech. The module instantly takes effect and anytime the player switches to Night Vision, they will see more clearly but not as far as the default Night Vision mode.</em></P>


Hope that we can revert to pre-module/default mode on the fly. As a scout, there are times I'd rather have the extra distance and then switch over to greater detail when I close in.

#92 praxxas prime

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Posted 28 January 2012 - 07:02 PM

I got addicted to Mech Warrior when it first surfaced a few years back. And it was easy to play on keyboard . But with MWO should it be played with a joystick instead for better performance.

#93 FACEman Peck

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Posted 29 January 2012 - 08:15 PM

About 'Mechs, doing the math, at the rate that 'Mechs are appearing, there would be very few 'Mechs at launch, something like 16 or so. Are you guys going to release more 'Mechs at a time? Or are you going to release them in smaller and smaller intervals closer to launch? Or what?

#94 DeltaForce95

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Posted 02 February 2012 - 03:58 PM

I dont know if Im late to this Q&A thread but oh well I'll give it a shot.

Why did you choose the cellshaded/comic style for the game?(ala Borderlands and Star Wars The Old Republic)[If it is not the case and my eyes are being deceived please tell me)

How will you pay for the Free To Play part? A game of this magnitude will need many many servers and bandwidth, which isn't free, and from one thing I saw it said that there will be purchasable stuff. And if this is the case.

What will be purchasable? Will there be better weapons at earlier points for people willing to shell out for this game or will there be a way for the player that doesn't have the money to put into a game to fight on an even level with those who can? Me personally, find that players that shell out 50 bucks at start and have doomsday weapons from the get go kills a game.

#95 Heronimus Bosch

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Posted 02 February 2012 - 04:22 PM

View PostDeltaForce95, on 02 February 2012 - 03:58 PM, said:

I dont know if Im late to this Q&A thread but oh well I'll give it a shot.

Why did you choose the cellshaded/comic style for the game?(ala Borderlands and Star Wars The Old Republic)[If it is not the case and my eyes are being deceived please tell me)

How will you pay for the Free To Play part? A game of this magnitude will need many many servers and bandwidth, which isn't free, and from one thing I saw it said that there will be purchasable stuff. And if this is the case.

What will be purchasable? Will there be better weapons at earlier points for people willing to shell out for this game or will there be a way for the player that doesn't have the money to put into a game to fight on an even level with those who can? Me personally, find that players that shell out 50 bucks at start and have doomsday weapons from the get go kills a game.


@DeltaForce95

This is last months Q&A. The Devs probably won't see your questions. so I will try to answer them to best of my knowledge.

The pictures in the media section are Concept Art. No in game material until after the GDC in Ca. from march 5 to the 9th.

For the question how its is paid, as I understand it PGI and its publisher believe the will make enough money from the player who buy items in the hard cash shop to turn a profit. more info at this link : http://mwomercs.com/...dpost__p__16602

As to what will be purchasable: the Devs have stated that no advantage can be bought in the Hard Cash Shop, no exact purchasable items have been annouced yet.

For more information Read the Dev Blogs and the Q&A answer post and use the FAQ.

#96 DeltaForce95

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Posted 02 February 2012 - 04:47 PM

ok thanks, only read through the 5 dev blogs on the home page, didn't know other info was else where . ;)

#97 Graf Ulrich

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Posted 04 February 2012 - 04:15 PM

View Postcobrafive, on 19 January 2012 - 08:40 AM, said:

So I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but the comment about dead players spectating in first person (to me) confirms no-respawn matches.

First-person-only spectating is the best option, but I really hope we are able to quit a match and join another if we're dead (World of tanks style- you can't use the mech you just lost until that match ends and you pay for its repairs). It'd be bothersome to have to spectate a stalemate match, especially when (like me) your gaming time is limited.


I have to say I love your Urban Mech animation can you please send it to me. I love that Big Trash Can of Death and Destruction.

Viva House Kurita and the Mighty Urban Mech!!!

#98 Powder

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Posted 09 February 2012 - 12:15 PM

Any ideas on when their will be an Alpha or Beta test. If so, how can we apply?

#99 Paul Inouye

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Posted 09 February 2012 - 01:45 PM

We are headed to Launch in the summer of 2012. Until then you're going to have to wait to see what happens.

#100 FACEman Peck

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Posted 09 February 2012 - 03:47 PM

View PostPaul Inouye, on 09 February 2012 - 01:45 PM, said:

We are headed to Launch in the summer of 2012. Until then you're going to have to wait to see what happens.

Sad day bro. I was kinda liking the idea of blowing stuff up in our universe, along with checking out the various worlds that epic battles would take place.





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