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zverofaust, on 02 February 2012 - 03:24 AM, said:
According to the recent DevBlog on Info warfare:
* Mech XP is earned in games.
* Mech XP is used to advance through that specific Mech's Tech Tree.
* After reaching certain levels in the Tech Tree, Pilot Points are awarded.
* Pilot Points are used to purchase Pilot Abilities.
* Purchasing Pilot Abilities unlocks items in the C-Bill store.
Problem: Once you've fully maxed out a Mech, and advanced through it's entire Tech Tree, it serves absolutely no further purpose in terms of advancing your Pilot's skills, abilities and gaining access to more modules.
My main problem with this is that I will not be able to continue unlocking new modules without hopping from one Mech to the next, using it until I unlock all of its Tech Tree and then selling it and moving on to the next. In an example, say I'm enjoying playing a scouty little Raven and earn enough Pilot Points and Modules to fit some ECM, advanced sensors and speed buffs. I max it out. Then I decide I want to play a more Command and Support-centric Raven, with NARC missiles or C3 network to give my long-range hitters some accuracy boosts. Nope, sorry -- I'm going to have to hop in a completely different Mech to earn the necessary PP/Modules to do that. So let's say I choose the Owens to do this; I spend all of my Owens Pilot Points and Module unlocks on C3 networks, NARC missiles and various supportive modules and player abilities. That's all cool. But, then, say, 6 months down the line I decide I want to play an Owens in a more traditional LRM missile boating role -- unfortunately, I've already used all the Owens' module unlock potential on unlocking stuff to use on the Raven.
So basically, from the sounds of it, once you commit to a certain patch for a Mech you're stuck with it -- until you buy a completely different Mech to unlock those abilities, thus locking that Mech into that path, and so on and so forth. Anyway, that's my worry.
* Mech XP is earned in games.
* Mech XP is used to advance through that specific Mech's Tech Tree.
* After reaching certain levels in the Tech Tree, Pilot Points are awarded.
* Pilot Points are used to purchase Pilot Abilities.
* Purchasing Pilot Abilities unlocks items in the C-Bill store.
Problem: Once you've fully maxed out a Mech, and advanced through it's entire Tech Tree, it serves absolutely no further purpose in terms of advancing your Pilot's skills, abilities and gaining access to more modules.
My main problem with this is that I will not be able to continue unlocking new modules without hopping from one Mech to the next, using it until I unlock all of its Tech Tree and then selling it and moving on to the next. In an example, say I'm enjoying playing a scouty little Raven and earn enough Pilot Points and Modules to fit some ECM, advanced sensors and speed buffs. I max it out. Then I decide I want to play a more Command and Support-centric Raven, with NARC missiles or C3 network to give my long-range hitters some accuracy boosts. Nope, sorry -- I'm going to have to hop in a completely different Mech to earn the necessary PP/Modules to do that. So let's say I choose the Owens to do this; I spend all of my Owens Pilot Points and Module unlocks on C3 networks, NARC missiles and various supportive modules and player abilities. That's all cool. But, then, say, 6 months down the line I decide I want to play an Owens in a more traditional LRM missile boating role -- unfortunately, I've already used all the Owens' module unlock potential on unlocking stuff to use on the Raven.
So basically, from the sounds of it, once you commit to a certain patch for a Mech you're stuck with it -- until you buy a completely different Mech to unlock those abilities, thus locking that Mech into that path, and so on and so forth. Anyway, that's my worry.
To me, it sounds like the opposite - you could fill all the tech trees for one 'mech if you piloted it relentlessly, but that might not fuel advancement up a single chain of pilot skills.
For example, you could max out the Scouting tech tree in your Raven, and pick up some piloting Scout skills in the process. Then you could begin going up the Command, Assault, and/or Defense tech trees for that 'mech, improving those efficiencies while piloting the Raven, and at the same time unlock advancement in your piloting Command, Assault, and/or Defense skill trees. But if you wanted to focus primarily on advancing your piloting Scout skills, you might want to advance the Scout tech trees in other 'mech instead, thereby further advancing my piloting Scout skill tree.
Sounds like in the short term, this would give us the option to either get really efficient with a single 'mech design, while advancing our piloting skills in a variety of areas, or focus on advancing one set of piloting skills while building limited efficiencies in a number of different 'mechs. In other words, you'd either specialize in a role or specialize in a certain 'mech, at least at first.
I'm not sure whether or not we'll be able to max out all the piloting skill trees over time. I certainly imagine we'll be able to contain to improve our efficiencies in 'mech tech trees indefinitely, or at least until we learn everything we can in that 'mech.
Also, if the piloting skill pertain mostly to operating modules, and we're limited to a set number of modules per 'mech (here I'm also imagining certain mech types will favor certain types of modules, a Jenner will almost certainly mount a number of Scouting-related modules, while a Catapult would be more geared towards Assault-type targetting modules, etc.), then in theory, this doesn't give an unfair advantage to pilots with the time to grind all the skill/tech trees, since while they'll have more options in outfitting their 'mechs, they wouldn't be able to use everything at once. Good idea from a balancing perspective.
And I doubt you'll have to worry about piloting that Owens for a bit - isn't it a 3058 model?
Bryan Ekman, on 02 February 2012 - 06:58 AM, said:
Some of your concerns will be addressed in tomorrow's dev blog in a nifty picture.
The concerns about 'mechs and Rule 34?
Edited by Solis Obscuri, 02 February 2012 - 12:05 PM.
