62 replies to this topic

[Mezlo Steele]

Just wanted to know what people may think and If anyone knows about them being included at some point. Also are there actually players that would want to play them? Also while not about Elementals would there ever be Tanks and infantry(non-elemental)?

[CG Oglethorpe Kerensky]

This has already been answered by the Devs in the last Ask a Dev (32).

There may be elementals, tanks, infantry, etc.
We will NOT be piloting them.

Elementals aren't going to translate well to MWO, too slow and poorly armed to be much of a threat.

[CoffiNail]

CG Oglethorpe Kerensky, on 24 February 2013 - 09:45 AM, said:

Elementals aren't going to translate well to MWO, too slow and poorly armed to be much of a threat.

Yeah in MWLL they are buffed a bit, but you get 4 or 5 guys in Battle Armour in MWLL and they can take apart lone mechs easily. There are A LOT of hiding places in those buildings on River City. Elementals could be quite a pain.

For the most, no Elementals are not very viable unless buffed like in MWLL.

[Mezlo Steele]

CG Oglethorpe Kerensky, on 24 February 2013 - 09:45 AM, said:

This has already been answered by the Devs in the last Ask a Dev (32).

There may be elementals, tanks, infantry, etc.
We will NOT be piloting them.

Elementals aren't going to translate well to MWO, too slow and poorly armed to be much of a threat.

Thank you for your answer. I Suppose I need to troll the forums more often,Thank you once again.

[Ashla Mason]

The problem with adding elementals to the game right now, is that elementals would lack there two most important advantages in anti-mech combat; melee and grappling.

In order to get around the battlefield in a more expediant manner, elementals usually hitch a ride on a Battlemech that acts as a ferry for them (the Nova and the Firemoth are usually favored for this role) and cuts down the ammount of time that they need to spend bouncing across the battlefield like a pack of flees. This same ability to grapple with other mechs makes for an incredibly lethal advantage when dealing with enemy mechs since it allows a point of elementals to grab hold of the target and fight at points where the enemy mech has trouble targetting them.

The other part, is that the elementals are equipped with a rather potent battle claw, that can rip enemy mechs apart while they flail ineffectually at them or wait for a friendly mech to shoot them off.

Without these abilities, the only real advantage for elementals is their tiny size.

[Skadi]

CoffiNail, on 24 February 2013 - 09:54 AM, said:

Yeah in MWLL they are buffed a bit, but you get 4 or 5 guys in Battle Armour in MWLL and they can take apart lone mechs easily. There are A LOT of hiding places in those buildings on River City. Elementals could be quite a pain.

For the most, no Elementals are not very viable unless buffed like in MWLL.

That man sized PPC should blow the ele's arm off... it tends to be longer range than the mech mounted ones and about as power full...

[Commander Kobold]

lets players who get destroyed run around in elementals for Sh*ts and giggles

[Pariah Devalis]

Without knockdowns, the grappling is actually doable somewhat. You can land a mech on top of another, and it will keep riding it so long as there are no sudden elevation changes. It us almost impossible to pull of on a mobile target, however. Once on top of an enemy mech, there is no way it can defend itself from ersmall laser and machine gun fire, however that is not enough to make them the threat they are supposed to represent.

They really do need their power claw. At least the engine supports infantry scale FPS game play.

[Stormwolf]

Would love to see Elementals and other types of infantry in the game, even if they are AI constructs.

[Uncle Totty]

Stormwolf, on 24 February 2013 - 01:28 PM, said:

Would love to see Elementals and other types of infantry in the game, even if they are AI constructs.

It would be nice for Flamers and MGs to be needed.

[Karosma]

Fending off a star of elementals or gnomes would be rough. Maybe allow players to be a point leader for 4 AI elementals.

[Jaroth Corbett]

Stormwolf, on 24 February 2013 - 01:28 PM, said:

Would love to see Elementals and other types of infantry in the game, even if they are AI constructs.

Like a cutscene before you get in the fight? Or maybe just audio?

"Elemental forces, withdraw. We have it from here."
"Aff, Star Captain."

Edited by Jaroth Winson, 25 February 2013 - 01:52 AM.

[Grizley]

Way too early in the timeline for it, but protomechs would be much easier to put into the game in a meaningful way than elementals.

Even in TT a single elemental is really no threat, 5 of them on the other hand with say an Adder providing fire support and transportation...

[ParadigmShifter]

Protomechs are disgusting...

[Ashnod]

Elemental are extremely deadly to mechs.. And scary mo.fo's at that

Edited by Ashnod, 26 February 2013 - 08:20 PM.

[Grizley]

Ashnod, on 26 February 2013 - 08:19 PM, said:

Elemental are extremely deadly to mechs.. And scary mo.fo's at that

Only in numbers, and only to smaller mechs or special conditions.

In an area without a lot of cover an Awesome can either blow away a point of elementals before they can close or waddle his slow butt away faster than they can follow. That's just sad.

Now if you're talking in a city against a light mech, that's another thing altogether. But really, Elementals are not an effective use of a point.

[Ashla Mason]

Grizley, on 27 February 2013 - 12:38 PM, said:

Only in numbers, and only to smaller mechs or special conditions.

In an area without a lot of cover an Awesome can either blow away a point of elementals before they can close or waddle his slow butt away faster than they can follow. That's just sad.

Now if you're talking in a city against a light mech, that's another thing altogether. But really, Elementals are not an effective use of a point.

Let me brake down how this works using clan ghost bear's SOP going up against say... a mercenary assault lance.

The assault lance which is fielding an atlas, a zeus, a banshee and a victor wind up being charged by a ghost bear force consisting of a pair of firemoths and a dragonfly. Figuring the clan mechs are being piloted by morons who have been drinking too long at the "genetically supperior" pond (what with them charging enemies who both outnumber and critically outmass them by 175 tons) decide to stand and shoot, and probably aren't going to hit much considering the Firemoths move at a speed of 216 Kmph with masc activated and the dragonfly isn't exactly slow at 129.6.

As soon as the Light mechs are in spitting distance, 2 elemental points (5 man teams) leap out and grapple with two of the mechs (doesn't matter which really), firing small lasers, SRM2s and machine guns while shredding armor with their battleclaws. Sure, the assault mechs can *try* and swat them off or shoot them, but that means shooting a man sized target off of a 40 foot tall robot, and you still have those light mechs nipping at your heals. By the time they can take them down, they've probably savaged your armor if not murdered the merc's mech outright and either moved on to the next mech or headed for cover.

But hey, that example requires some luck and some mechs to work, so lets try one that doesn't have any mechs directly involved!

Those same mercs move to support other forces who are getting pummeled several sectors away. Assault mechs not being the fastest of mechs the lance takes the most direct route possible: through a pass. Before they enter it, they collectively stop to check their sensors for mechs, and don't see anything, so they advance into the pass and suddenly find themselves facing a full star of elementals (25 battle armored troops) popping out from everything and anything that can hide them from the assault mech's line of sight. Again, once they are grappled the mechs are basically at the mercy of their opponents.

Edited by Ashla Mason, 27 February 2013 - 11:00 PM.

[Ashnod]

And hope to god they don't get on your cockpit and decide to rip your throat out at that..

[Jericho917]

unfortunately the devs said IF there are tanks and power armor it will be AI only. players will only ever be able to pilot mechs. (in one of the "ask the devs" dont remember which.)

personally i would love to pilot a powerarmor. also just about any tank would be fun too, if they had some base to respawn at. alas it will never be. the best we can hope for is AI controlled stuff to kill. and that aint bad...

[Grizley]

The problem with your first example is that to work the light mechs need to close to within 60m (or 90? I forget) to get close enough for the Elementals to reach the Assaults that turn. At a range of 60m or 90 for that matter the Clan mechs WILL take hits. Not a one of them will live through two rounds of fire, one is pushing it. The Fire Moths are cool and all, but they have 40 points of armor. Total. A hit with any 10 point+ weapon those assaults are packing will penetrate CT and will destroy a limb with damage transfer to the torso.

The Elementals MAY get to grapple and MIGHT do some damage, but they wouldn't take down even a single mech before being wiped out. Not without some serious luck.

The second example is exactly what I mean by special terrain or circumstance. Elementals can be used in place of infantry for holding close terrain. That's really not that strong a use...

My personal favorite use of Elementals is using them as extra armor, if they're riding an omni when it's shot there is a chance it hits the elemental instead. I would far rather have the elemental take 10 damage than say the Timber Wolf that's carrying it.