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Faeron Wolf, on 15 August 2012 - 05:07 PM, said:
I for one am a huge fan of the Clans, and I understand that upon launch this game will be just before the Clan Invasion. While I understand nothing further has been released.
What do you think?
What do you think?
From Bryan Ekman, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Piranha Games:
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Since Clans are Factions, and not player run (at launch), this would fall under the Faction Unit rules.
Players can earn the privilege to be a member by earning loyalty points and performing certain feats/actions.
Players can earn the privilege to be a member by earning loyalty points and performing certain feats/actions.
From Russ Bullock, President and Co-Founder of Piranha Games:
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I think we would need to be brain dead to not want to sell Mad Cats to players. We have design and balance issues to figure out but we will get it sorted so players can play as the clans.
So, we do know that PGI plans to eventually have the Clans be playable in MWO, and that (once the Community Warfare aspects of the game are fully implemented) each available Clan would be organized as a Faction (that is, run in roughly the same manner as the IS Houses' militaries).
We also know, from the recent interview with Russ Bullock, that PGI is apparently highly interested in developing PVE content, and is also apparently interested in exploring the introduction of combined arms elements:
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G: On that train of thought, since there definitely is a segment of players that prefer cooperative multiplayer to competitive, have you ever considered introducing PvE missions in the future, with players prompted to team up and fight against AI-controlled opposing forces? Maybe as part of an actual storyline?
R: I think the answer is similar to this question as the last. Having said that, I think this could possibly be a first step in bridging towards a more full traditional single player experience. It’s safe to say that the PvE question is one of the most popular and it is probably one of the very first things we will explore once our core game is complete and we go Open Beta.
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G: I know it’s very early to even think about it, but have you ever thought about including elements from other tabletop games of the Battletech/MechWarrior franchise? I’m thinking about AeroTech, BattleSpace, BattleTroops and the others.
R: Never say never, but for us MechWarrior Online has always been about the Battlemech and we want players to feel like the most elite warriors in the universe. Under that philosophy, those other combat arms have more of a chance of showing up in MWO as AI controlled entities then player controlled.
R: I think the answer is similar to this question as the last. Having said that, I think this could possibly be a first step in bridging towards a more full traditional single player experience. It’s safe to say that the PvE question is one of the most popular and it is probably one of the very first things we will explore once our core game is complete and we go Open Beta.
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G: I know it’s very early to even think about it, but have you ever thought about including elements from other tabletop games of the Battletech/MechWarrior franchise? I’m thinking about AeroTech, BattleSpace, BattleTroops and the others.
R: Never say never, but for us MechWarrior Online has always been about the Battlemech and we want players to feel like the most elite warriors in the universe. Under that philosophy, those other combat arms have more of a chance of showing up in MWO as AI controlled entities then player controlled.
According to the BT/MW canon, the Clans attack and establish staging areas in the Periphery in August of 3049 (corresponding to August of 2012 - this month, with the in-universe character Phelan Kell being captured some days ago).
However, the Clan Invasion - called "Operation Revival" by the Clanners - doesn't reach the Inner Sphere proper until March of 3050 (corresponding to March of 2013).
Personally, what I would prefer to see (and, given the recent interview with Mr. Bullock and his statement that PVE content "it is probably one of the very first things we will explore once our core game is complete and we go Open Beta", a variation of which seems to stand a good chance of actually happening) is that the Clans hit the Inner Sphere as wholly AI-controlled entities (or Dev directed/controlled with AI assistance) to provide PVE content, and then are opened up to the players to join at some later (and "thematically-appropriate") time, specifically any of:
- November of 3050 (corresponding to November of 2013 in reality): Tyra Miraborg (from the FRR) slays ilKhan (the supreme leader of the Clans' actions) Leo Showers (of Clan Smoke Jaguar) on October 31, 3050, prompting the Clans to halt their advance until November of 3051 (corresponding to November of 2014).
- November of 3051 (corresponding to November of 2014 in reality): The Clans select a new ilKhan (Ulric Kerensky of Clan Wolf) and renew their assault on the Inner Sphere in November of 3051, while also adding the forces of Clan Steel Viper, Clan Nova Cat, and Clan Diamond Shark (later re-renamed to Clan Sea Fox) to assist Clan Jade Falcon, Clan Wolf, Clan Ghost Bear, and Clan Smoke Jaguar in the Invasion.
- Late-May/June of 3052 (corresponding to June of 2015 in reality): The Battle of Tukayyid (a proxy battle fought for control of Terra between the Clans led by ilKhan Ulric Kerensky and ComStar's Com Guard led by Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht) is fought from May 01, 3052 through May 20, 3052, and results in ComStar's victory and the Clans being forbidden from advancing any further into the Inner Sphere.
- It allows for several months of PVE action to complement the PVP action of the game.
- It allows for several additional months for the Devs to tweak/evaluate/perfect the performance of Clan 'Mechs, weapons, and equipment (relative to IS 'Mechs, weapons, and equipment) prior to handing it over to players (thus fitting with and addressing Mr. Bullock's July 30 comment about having "design and balance issues to figure out").
- The one-year break in the Invasion would allow Clan-oriented players time to join/establish/organize Clan units, learn the capabilities and limits of Clan tech, build up experience and XP for Clan characters, and so on.
- The one-year break in the Invasion would allow IS-oriented players time to build up additional experience and XP before hordes of human-controlled Clanners are unleashed against us.
Your thoughts?
