Just a bit of feedback from me regarding the answers given. Everything is just based on what I know from other games and such that I play. None of it is meant to be offensive or to say that game (x) is better due to having (y) feature. We all know that is not the case.
Bryan Ekman, on 22 February 2013 - 04:22 PM, said:
Intothefray: Is there every going to be a match type where you lose your mech or components that are destroyed? I'd love to see something a little more high risk and somewhat of a money sink (optional of course).
A: Hardcore modes are always a possibility. Not in the queue yet.
Hardcore modes can be temporary leagues or ladders that players play. Tweaking game mechanics just to allow for different ladder styles is being tested in Path of Exile (probably a good game to study regarding ladders because they are all about ladders).
An alternative 'hardcore' permanent league can be made but a surrender or escape option would be needed to save a person's mech from exploding because this is a little different from ARPGs that usually have this style of gameplay.
You can simply have a hardcore league that has to deal with R&R (with forced repairs if needed to bypass the undesired effect of people going in with heavily damaged mechs) though it would technically be splitting the playerbase. This would make the option of a temporary event league more feasable.
Bryan Ekman, on 22 February 2013 - 04:22 PM, said:
TheForce: Are there any plans to add a hard core game mode that would limit customization and/or force the use of stock mechs only?
A: See previous answer.
Again this could be the base restrictions of another temporary race/ladder league that can be included to spice up the game. More backend coding would be required to support things like this because ideally most if not all functions should be built-in and automated by the game.
Bryan Ekman, on 22 February 2013 - 04:22 PM, said:
Fastidious: On NGNG Mechs Devs and Beer #8 Paul mentions replays. Can you provide any more details or vague implementation dates about replays and spectating? Specifically it would be great to be able to spectate before dying (perhaps spectator slots).
A: It’s a reach goal. No firm plans. Better/more camera options for spectacting is a possibility. We’re always sensitive to dead players giving an unfair advantage to those living.
DOTA 2 and League of Legends deal with observers by delaying what they see by 30 seconds (LOL I think? Not sure here) to two minutes or more (DOTA 2). At the time a player dies, he could be locked into his dead mech for 30 seconds or so before he is allowed to spectate and what he sees from then on would be 30 seconds in the past to prevent cheating. It's not ideal for MWO but it's an option you can look into.
Bryan Ekman, on 22 February 2013 - 04:22 PM, said:
Servers – EU :
Seth: Could you clarify the answer last week concerning the split of US and UK players on different servers? I ask because a number of units have members from all around the world and it would be rough if we couldn't interact with them in the game.
A: For most regions, players will get to choose which servers to play on. So if you have a friend in the UK that want to play with US players, they can log into NA servers. This holds true for NA players, who can log into EU servers and play with friends there. Final details are still evolving, so this information is subject to change.
Path of Exile allows players to log into 'gateways' meaning I can log in through Singapore, EU, or US. My ping changes depending on where I log in from, but my characters and items are maintained through all these servers. I can play in Singapore and then move to US and trade items there and so on. It might be another option for you to look into unless you are getting a 3rd party to publish for you in EU in exchange for the usual 70/30, in which case this won't work.
Bryan Ekman, on 22 February 2013 - 04:22 PM, said:
It would be nice to have the ability to utilize a free roaming or flying camera after death. Perhaps one that starts in a random location facing a random direction, and with out a HUD of any kind. I know this can be used in a manor conducive to exploitation, however if implemented well I could not see this being a overly troublesome issue.
Would this be something the team would consider? or Is it some thing that is currently being worked on?
A: Some of this functionality will be available offline with Testing Grounds. In live matches, we're examining the risk/reward of having more than 1st person spectate (for obvious reasons).
Again, see above regarding delayed observer feed. When someone dies, the game can possibly 'rewind' one minute prior to the user's death and play it out from there and anything the user watches from then on would be 1 minute in the past to minimize cheating.