11 replies to this topic

[Magitek]

PATCH 1.2.177 gave us the Spider. The Spider just glaring points out how bad jumpjets and other issues are. Which is great for testing some of our current balance issues. From what I've heard from the No Guts No Galaxy podcast the jumpjets, ECM, and cooler heavy energy weapons need to be tested. The Spider is great for testing JJs at the light weight benchmark, as well as being EMC capable. However, the Spider is mostly too light mount the heavier energy weapons, while still being capable of firing without running hot, and has no missile hardpoints to test ECM balance. The Highlander can mount these heavier energy weapons more easily and is the heaviest mech that can mount JJs. The Highlander is perfect for testing the heavier end benchmark of JJ efficiency, heavy energy weapon balance, LRMs to test ECM balance, and once the netcode issues are out of the way collisions/ramming/death from above. Aside from the effectiveness at testing our current biggest issues in Mechwarrior Online, more content is always better. I wont pretend to understand how PGI decides on which content to roll out with next, but the Highlander just makes the most sense in the current testing environment. Thanks for your time.

Edited by Magitek, 17 January 2013 - 10:57 PM.

[Das Wudone]

even without the highlander we can already test all of these things. raven/atlas have missiles with ECM, heaviest mech with JJs now is cataphract and i can very well say that 4 JJs can make me jump up a building my size only... wont need a highlander to test it if my jump capability is already crappy on a lighter mech.

[Magitek]

Das Wudone, on 17 January 2013 - 05:19 PM, said:

even without the highlander we can already test all of these things. raven/atlas have missiles with ECM, heaviest mech with JJs now is cataphract and i can very well say that 4 JJs can make me jump up a building my size only... wont need a highlander to test it if my jump capability is already crappy on a lighter mech.

The way you put it, PGI has stop balancing jumpjets. That's not the case. The Cataphract is far lighter than the Highlander. Only the Highlander can test the highest end benchmark for jumpjets. Yes we can test everything else in other battlemechs, but PGI is going to roll out another battlemech. I'm saying that rolling out the Highlander next makes more sense, than maybe the Jagermech. This also opens a option for a rather famous hero mech.

[Das Wudone]

my point about the JJs was that even on a lighter mech the JJs currently arent making me jump high enough. the highlander i think can mount at most 4 JJs and its a heavier mech. so if my cataphract cannot jump that high how much more a heavier mech with the same amt of JJs? i do see ur point really its just that right now all of us already know that JJs arent currently well balanced even without the highlander.

i also know that they havent stopped tweaking JJs as well. i as much as u want the highlander to come out. but the last assault mech just came out a month ago and the last medium or heavy hasnt been out for quite a while now. we need more variety in the other weight classes as to not let the game become assaultwarrior online

[Davers]

We should get the Highlander in 3 months, if they keep to the release schedule (1 mech a month, light/medium/heavy/assault). By then I think JJ would be pretty well tested.

[Magitek]

The point is to test jumpjet's effectiveness on the heaviest mech. If the Spider, or even the Cataphract, can use jumpjets effectively, but not the Highlander, then jumpjets would not be balanced well. Assaultwarrior Online is not where the game is at all, it's currently at LagshieldedECMechwarrior Online for now.

If we are counting battlemechs then lets take a look:

Light Battlemechs:

Raven
Jenner
Spider
Commando
Deaths Knell (Commando Hero)

Medium Battlemechs:

Hunchback
Centurion
Cicada
Yen-Lo-Wang (Centurion Hero)

Heavy Battlemechs:

Cataphract
Catapult
Dragon
Ilya Muromets (Cataphract Hero)
Fang (Dragon Hero)
Flame (Dragon Hero)

Assault Battlemechs:

Atlas
Stalker
Awesome

The totals are; 5 light, 4 medium, 6 heavy, and 3 assault battlemechs. Heroes where included in those numbers, as well as Death Knell which currently isn't ingame. Though, the mech's model is in the latest screens. Even if left out and Fang and Flame where counted as one it makes little difference. I left out the Founders battlemechs as they aren't available anymore.

Seems to be the content is heavy everywhere but the assault class battlemechs. The Stalker was numerous in nearly every match on patch day, and after. That was, and still is, due to the class being neglected. Assaults don't even have a hero mech to buy. Even without the Highlander's current testing field advantage the assault class's staggering lack of content, when compared to other weight classes, is just not balanced. It's not that the assault class doesn't command a large following, as you agreed with the 'assaultwarrior' comment. The Highlander has a rather famous hero, which is a likely going to draw a large untapped market. It's a pressing issue with money on the line and the Highlander just makes the most sense in MWO's current state.

Edited by Magitek, 17 January 2013 - 10:58 PM.

[Strum Wealh]

Counting the Hero 'Mechs as separate chassis (they're really not - they're just special variants of the already-available chassis).
What it actually looks like, without the deceptive artificial inflation, is:
Light Battlemechs:

• Raven
  
• Jenner
  
• Spider
  
• Commando (including "Death's Knell")

Medium Battlemechs:

• Hunchback
  
• Centurion (Including "Yen Lo Wang")
  
• Cicada

Heavy Battlemechs:

• Cataphract (including "Ilya Muromets")
  
• Catapult
  
• Dragon (including "Fang" and "Flame")

Assault Battlemechs:

• Atlas
  
• Stalker
  
• Awesome

The actual numbers of chassis are: 4 Light Chassis (insert Star Trek puns here), 3 Medium chassis, 3 Heavy chassis, and 3 Assault chassis.
Recall, that the Trebuchet is scheduled to be implemented on February 19th (as of the Dec. 18 version of the Devs' content roadmap); it would be the fourth Medium 'Mech, and would include two jump-capable variants (the TBT-5J and TBT-7M; their inclusion was confirmed in Ask the Devs 18).

A better argument might be to look at the distribution in terms of jump-capable 'Mechs (as of the time of this post):
Light BattleMechs:

• JR7-D
  
• JR7-F
  
• RVN-4X
  
• SDR-5D
  
• SDR-5K
  
• SDR-5V

Medium BattleMechs:

• N/A

Heavy BattleMechs:

• CPLT-A1
  
• CPLT-C1
  
• CPLT-C4
  
• CTF-3D

Assault BattleMechs:

• N/A

The first jumping Medium in MWO will be the Trebuchet (with two jump-capable variants), which will eventually be followed by the Blackjack (announced, but variants are currently unconfirmed; all but one of the five timeline-appropriate production variants are jump-capable).
As yet, the Highlander (with four timeline-appropriate jump-capable variants) is the only announced, jump-capable Assault 'Mech.

I would expect the next 'Mech implemented to be a Heavy (most likely the JagerMech, which has no jump-capable variants), with the Highlander potentially being after that (assuming the Devs wish to follow the "Light, Medium, Heavy, Assault" progression rather than the reveal schedule, which would put the Flea (which, despite the name, has no jump-capable variants) between the Highlander and the JagerMech).

[Magitek]

I don't how hero mechs aren't considered content. They have unique hardpoints, camo, and a bonus to C-Bills. It would be pointless to be deceptive, as that undermines my point. Going by the 'without the deceptive artificial inflation' list, it's still abundantly clear that assault mechs have less content than other weight classes. With the light and heavy weight classes being the most content heavy. With no hero mech, the assault class market is just sitting there waiting.

The main reason of that earlier post was to defend the point that Mechwarrior Online is nowhere near assaultwarrior online. The original post was about how the Highlander would be perfect for the current testing environment. I'm very surprised the Highlander isn't getting much love in this thread. It's not as if I posted, 'i want JJs on my assault mech. kk thx.' Those are solid points in the OP.

[DeadlyNerd]

Seems to me like OP just really wants the Highlander mech and is camouflaging it with "JJ needs moar testing".
Trust me m8, we all want the Highlander but it ain't going to come any faster, no matter how much you beg.

[Magitek]

DeadlyNerd, on 18 January 2013 - 12:04 PM, said:

Seems to me like OP just really wants the Highlander mech and is camouflaging it with "JJ needs moar testing".
Trust me m8, we all want the Highlander but it ain't going to come any faster, no matter how much you beg.

I made my points on how the Highlander would work best currently in beta and how the assault mechs are underrepresented. If you would've read it you'd know that the jumpjets where just one of the key points. I understand the whole thing is likely mute, as I'm sure marketing has it's strategy well planed out. The post is a valid suggestion supported by facts. If it's begging than the whole suggestions forum is begging. I find it hard to believe this is coming from a person who has posted nothing but suggestions.

[DeadlyNerd]

Magitek, on 18 January 2013 - 12:34 PM, said:

The post is a valid suggestion supported by facts. If it's begging than the whole suggestions forum is begging. I find it hard to believe this is coming from a person who has posted nothing but suggestions.

Yes, the suggestion forum, in a way, is people begging for stuff they want in game, but hasn't been announced by devs.
Thing is, this so called suggestion, suggests that the OP wants his Highlander before schedule. You know that "if I didn't know you better I'd say..." moment? Yes this is that moment.
JJ fix will roll out soon and you'll have plenty of time to test out light and heavy mech JJs till Highlander gets here, when you'll get the ability to test assault mech JJs.

[Magitek]

Dang DeadlyNerd, I don't know what to post. I won't get into a flame war.