7 replies to this topic

[Glowhollow]

Hi there !

First of all i am sorry about my english grammar, i hope you are able to handle this .

Ok, the title of the Thread is maybe a little bit extraordinary but for you as Developer and us as customers we should point out, or better building a Sign with big Letters on it, that you can see it what happens if you ignoring the Voice of the Community - their wishes, their needs and their expectations of this game.

I do not want a Troll-Thread. This is not my opinion - i want to be constructive.

Let me explain.

Having this big Name "Mechwarrior" in your portfolio - is no rest on laurels. This should be an honor for you. And please, please, with cream, sugar and cherry on it - do not destroy this label - like EA is doing again and again and again...

Mechwarrior has a fanbase. Mechwarrior was one of my first games i ever played (i am now 36).

I am not a fan of "incredible graphics" , i do not need HDR and Bloom, and all this stuff. I played games with 16 Colors having a resolution of 120x80 pixels ? And yes, some of the OLD games - was sometimes much better, than some of the games released the last year.

A good game - is not defined by its graphics, or its technics... Its all smoke and mirrors...

Also, this fanbase (not all, but i think the most of us) - agree with this.



Lets get close to the wind.



Your declared new Content - is no real Content. Need an Analogy ? If you play ludo, and
adding a new color to the pawn in a game - is this Content ?

I like your work, really i do... But i think at the moment there is no need of new mechs or new shiny fuzzy dices for my mech interior...

You should focus on a other target, if you already do this, announce this with an ETA.

Please - rethink your PR - and Advertising.


The most important thing here is the Communication. Communication like "No" or "No, no ETA" - looks loveless. YOU are the Designer of this Game - we do not need any code segments of your server based Solution in handling all the playerbased Information you gained.

This is not of interest.

But we EXPECT, that you have a VISION of this game.

And at the moment, you are delivering following Picture....

"This game is Beta, but ALL what have to do with "Payment" works fine, the other stuff didn't..."

Is this the Picture you would present us ?

-----------------------------------------------------

I also have a solution, an idea - where you can improve your apperance.

Add REAL Content. ECM for example was REAL Content, it changes the Way of the Game completly. But do not repeat this again in the hope to keep the customs.

Real content could be for example - a redesign of the coolant flush. Make the Coolant Flush available for all players (without the module limitation). The Key-Feature here is "skillbased" (this means, not the skills in the game - it means the skills of the Players)...

Pushing 1 Button in 15 Minutes - once or twice - is not a challenge. We are not stupid, and no we are not Drones !

The Game-Experience is gaining by a hard learning-curve. This stupid ideologie, making games easier - to reach more customers - is absolutly ridiculus. (If you following this path, i repeat - IF YOU FOLLOWING THIS PATH - i swear, you will fail)

We are GAMERS, we are defining our Skills in Real-Time Management, in making Decisions
in the right time, at the right place. If we fail, no problem - that was OUR Fault, or the Fault of the Pugs. Whatever - It is something we have to handle...

Back to REAL Content. Maps are nice. Maps are needed to have different Solutions - a so called DIVERSITY. I know, you would like to keep the quality high - on the maps, making your View of the game. You should rethink the possibilty to "mod" or to create maps from the playerbase. This will increase your Amount of Maps - extraordinary. There are many talents out there ! (I am sure, a lot of them will work for free - if they have the possibilty to create their own map !)

I missed a Mech Diversity. There are many Mechs out there, having a own nature. This game is, if we looked at the timeline - based in the future. Do you know, what Radar is ?

I do not have a problem, if there is an ECM mech, disabling my Beagle Active Probe and Advanced Sensor Range.

But, if i have an extra (i repeat EXTRA) Sensor Array at the Jager Mech - at the TOP of my Mech - why i am not able to SEE (or get any Information) of enemy Mechs, because my Cockpit has no Line of Sight ?

Please, explain this to me... Do i have an eyetracker in my neurohelmet, wich can focus a target only if i look at him - with my own eyes, because the computers of the mechs are 8bit CPUs ? Sorry, this is ridiculus.

If this wont be changing in the future, you possible should add a Mohawk Customization instead of the Sensor Array, because it has the same function. And dont forget to let Mr. T announce this, because - he has the Mr. T Mech...

I am sorry, i really do not want to flame, get back to the serious stuff...



Ok, Interactive Objects on the Map. Yeah, good idea - like a repair bay... if captured, i can use it !

Its also cool, if i destroy this damn hummer on the mechbase in Alpine - beacuse i do not like hummers. The best thing ist, i destroy it with my feet. Yeah, cool !

Its very simple to code.

If mech Position == position of the car
replace mesh of the car to destroyed car
add some effects
add some sound effects

Done

Or for example, the DeathJump. Why is this not implemented yet ?

Why am i not able to get above the tunnel on forest colony and jump throu the hole in the middle of the tunnel. Why are there boundaries, where no boundaries have to be ?

Advanced Zoom. Come on - you can do this better !


Result:

At the moment you are delivering a Point of View of your Company, which contains incompetence - because it looks like (correct me if this is false) - you have no experience
in handling the CryEngine, but your skills are improving over the time, and you are concealing this by delaying the Content.

We saw the improvements on the maps. We saw the small things, like laterns, or some effects in the tunnel (on frozen city)... but this is a "cosmetic" nature.

This is maybe for you NEW Content, but for us - as player - this is eyewash.

There is no function there. No destroyable Objects, like Gas tanks (who dealing damage to others)

Adding new mechs is nice to have... we expect this will be continously build up here.

Adding new Weapons for example is REAL content.
Adding new Gamemodes is REAL Content
Adding the possibilty - to destroy my mates mech, without "sync"-Dropping because i am suffered of this game evolution - is REAL Content
Adding a Lobby - is REAL Content
Adding the possibilty to choose the map i want to play - is REAL Content.

Announcements, Information - Plans... is the REAL Deal.

Sometimes a step backwards bring you fine step forward.

This step could be an announcement for example like...

"Hey Players, we are sorry, we are pumping content out - which have no REAL Content, because - we have problems here - or here... - or we lost the goal in our eyes....

or we are running out of money...


or we recognized a loss of players on the server - and do not know why ?"

The real Deal is, to communicate. There is no Problem, which can be solved.



- Thanks for reading !

[Cid F]

Something real, something wrong, something own opinion but the meaning is right.

[Gimmick]

Well. You wrote a nice mix of your opinion and some facts indeed.

First of all: I guess you are right about the importance of graphics, at least for me. On the other hand, said graphics brought the game a lot of attention from different gaming websites and magazines. Its just, you know, i would call it "a conflict of age" the mechwarrior fan is normaly a bit older and used to more simple graphics. Gaming "younglings" on the other hand tend to give a very high value to shiny bloom effects and gore. So, if you want the younglings, you need the graphics, its that simple.
But: I guess most of the MWO fans and players arent your typical youngling.
Our most beloved developers could safely accept the graphics as they are and move on to something else.

New Mechs are a key feature to this game and definetly qualify as contend IMO.

I dont know what you mean with new weapons. Should they try to cook their own? Or just bring in more weapons from the mechwarrior universe? First is a big no-no and for the second, well there IS a timeline.

Making cooltant a module that you have to heavyly invest for is ... uhm. Well. It´s not a game-breaker or anything. I guess you had something like in Mechwarrior 4 in mind, where every Mech had a batch of cooltant and could use some of it by holding a button and the skill in this was when to use how much of it.

The ranting about sensor arrays, radar, line of sight etc. is just like, your opinion, man.
If there was a realistic working radar system your precious jagermech would be able to fire one single AC ever because LRMboats would nuke him as soone as the game starts.
The line of sight is a pretts fair, and pretty skill based, way of detecting enemys. And its fit for competitions.
I just got an idea for a module: "Sensor Array, raises your "line of sight" viewpoint in regards of detecting enemys 20 meters above your mech"

Destroyable object on maps. You are against eyewashing new not-real-content but demand this? Realy?

No Death-From-Above. Yeah this is an issue of content. It was in at a time, you know? it was called colliding. Being able to kick light Mechs to the ground and damaging them by rouning your Atlas into them. Or jumping on each others head like Mario. It DEFINETLY needs to be activated again.

[Glowhollow]

Hey Gimmick,

don't understand me wrong. Most of the "ideas" are based on the old-school game Mechwarrior 2-4... I know, the time is changing, games moving more to the "always" online doctrin - and Multiplayer is not the Multiplayer i known in history.

Regarding the time-line. I have less knowledge about the Mechwarrior Universe. I only know the games. The feeling they
served to me.

I respect the timeline. But if we are "re-playing" the existing content - where are the decisions the players made ? I prefer (my opinion) a mixed timeline. The "War" - the strategies, the Metagaming is a VERY Important for long-term based Motivation. (I know, this is a hint, but EVE online - exists only because of its sandbox, and the continous war)...

I would like to expand the "game-experience", from stupid grinding the new mechs - to a Story, driven by all of us. Everyone, each Player, each Unit - delivering a Story... Some of them will be remembered in the future - some not. But this is something, that stay with us, will define us...

The thing with the coolant. This opinion, this view - it is just an idea. Constructive Criticism. This also means - Nice PGI that you implemented this stuff - but the Implementation at it is at the moment is not final. As i said - discuss !

Your thoughts about the sensors and behaviors is as you said, my opinion. I really do not want to say that, BUT i think Active/Passive Radar used with ECM/TAG and Narc - is a good choice. What was the maximum Line of Sight here ingame ? I tried sevaral times, but i did not get any locks after 1600 Meters. (Using BAP nad Adv. Sensor Range). I do not want to change that. The Range...

Lets play this in our thoughts... Alpine - excellent Map ! Long wide open snowy mountains... You said a LRM Boat will kill me, after the get an active Lock on me ? Ok, lets say 1600 meter is maximum... Well the Missles are only firing at 1000 meters. For example with the jagermech - having 4xac2 and a lot of ammunition - firing at 1400 Meters... Dealing what ? 4 DMG (at this range)- if he hits ? Ok, now at the other Side, i am sitting in - lets say - a Badass-Kicking LRM Boat (Catapult)... These damn Jagermech hit me twice on the CT - and of course - if the enemy has excellent skills - the head. You know catapult, big cockpit and so... possible. What should i do ? Should i cry to my teammates and say - "Hey is sniping me, i cant do anything"... But your droplead keeps cool and say "Take cover, move forward - we will find a solution..." You sneak - or run at maximum speed in cover... getting close - yeah 980 Meters...

The raven with the ecm - BAP and Adv. Sensor Range is your excellent Spotter. He is nearby the Jagermech and its team. He spottet 6 of the enemys. 2 unkown. What happened ?

Possible Solution. The 2 other mechs are out of range... or the 2 other mechs running under ECM. ECM Raven is going scouting (Raven is small, has ECM) - can scout 1600 meters with active Radar... oh well, what did i see here ? An enemy Atlas behind a mountain. Scout is getting close to TAG Range ... Tags that atlas.... Allied Atlas DDC with Command Console order a Artillery Strike (for example he can order 3 Strikes maximum - belongs on game data) (my opinion - give the command console 3 consumable slots) on the submitted Position of the tagged Atlas. Boom Boom Boom... Atlas heavily damaged... and running like a chicken...

Back to the Catapult... 980 Meters ... Yeah... Let it rain ! LRMS flying... but what is that ? The heavily zombie atlas is running in the line of the LRM Missles, sacrificing himself, because he is not of any use anymore, the last will is protecting the jagermech, wich is firing now on you and your whole team are focusing on the other enemys trying to get in combat range - while the enemys 2 ECM Cicadas outrun your lines, and attacking you with ER-PPCs from a position - you do not see them, because they are moving so fast, and you cannot lock them...

I hope you can follow my thoughts...

You can also run with the Steiner Scout lance - 8 DDCS, of course... but there we have the PPCs (ok is useless in this constellation). But i also saw 8DDCS got smacked up by 8 Ravens...

Anyhow... the match is over. You got the salvage (and only the salvage) and a little C-Bill Amount. Hmm, the Atlas is not usable anymore, but some armor plates are salvageable, oh and yes, the AC20 Ammo in his left leg is also usable...

This will transfered into your Mechlab or Corp-Hangar. What ever...

This give an additional Roleplay Style.

You try running a Merc Corp - but always loosing, and get no salvage... You don't have to... switch into a house...



Other Point - the destroyable Objects on maps. The explanation with the gas tank - was just an idea. For example, what happens if the water tanks on caustic (which are looking like a sewage treatment park) are filled with acid ? Sulfur Acid for example... If you step with the mech into this "tank" - you lost some Armor Points...

As i said - these are Just Ideas... It have to investigate - what is possible with the Cry-Engine and not. I do not need a house, wich i can shot in 1000 Pieces... I know also, that this is not possible with this engine, like it is "possible" in the different engines.

What happens, if the archway on frozen city at the tunnel are "destructible" ? It will block that way - no mech can pass ?
Content ? Yes - i think so...

Thanks for discussing !

[Busat]

Random landingzones are easy to implement and would change the experience on the existing maps.
On the conquest-maps there are 5 bases, so you could take them to start on different zones and you have to scout your opponent.
Just an idea for changing the game experience a little bit without a lot of work...

[Gimmick]

uhm, nice story and all, but what kind of radar was in your mind?

when i read radar i thought you meant, like, "When the enemy is within X meters you cant lose your target lock on him."

[Glowhollow]

Gimmik thats correct...

Hiding from enemy engagement, or LRM fire - is also a defensive tactic !

Knowing where the enemy is ok... But also there is ECM... do not forget that pls ! Having a fast moving ECM Platform like the raven - is a reason of game-balance.

let me expand this.

At the moment, Ravens (especially the 3L), with 2 Streaks and 3 Medlazors - are incredible "fast harrasser"...

Having a fast moving Mech wich ecm Shield - do not reduce the mech to an incredible "fast harasser" only. Scouting Jobs are also necessary for Gameplay (we are talking about 8 premade groups). Knowing the movement of the Enemy - or better move without any Intel reporting to the enemy team - is a Game Feature !

It is not used at the moment, because there is no "knockdown" and many of the Harrassing Ravens there, if the implentation is coming back - are not good Raven Pilots...

Anyhow, let me enlighten some other point of the game mechanics, wich is for me very important. I know its my opinion - but hey - get inspired !

Regarding to a Neurohelmet - every Mech is different, because you steer your mech with your thoughts, not all function are included by this helmet, but HUD overlay and so on is implemented.

After running some times with the mech, you are getting better... (doesn't matter if you loose or win) - unlocking the pilot tree skills here on basic are well thought-out. Also the Elite and Master Skill... I think there is no discussion here...

coming to the modules. An anology here is a specialisation of the Mechwarrior-Pilot. For example, I was a Staff Seargent in the german Army, subunit Artillery. Artillery is the umbrella term. There are many specific subunits there, like ABRA - the Artillery Observing with Radar Technology. It needs a lot of Skill to analyse the Data, incoming from the "pointed" Radar Stream. Is this a wind engine or a car ? What sound does the listened objected do ?

Advanced Sensor Range - as Module - is also a pilot Based "Skill-Tree". Its like Uhura from Star-Trek - expert in analysing data-streams and so on...

Setting this in Front from an overmighty (i loled) Radar - what happens here ? Yes, Advanced Sensor Range increase the Range of the "active" radar - at it is... In combination with BAP - at maximum of the "Possibilty of the Gamemechanic" here...

A scout also have good eyes (maybe optical solutions) - and can spot Targets, without any Radar "lockdown"...

There is a reason for Cammo-Specs here... the human eye nearly cant see, still standing mechs in behind of a disturbing landscape.

But if this "stealthed" Mech (hidden by ecm - and a really good cammospec) knockdown a tree, o dear - i can see this tree falling from over 2000 Meters !

This is also a completly different Role - of a Scout. This is the Role, at is was designed from the Table-Top, this is the military role too.

Come on, a Raven 3L is not an almighty Ultra-Brawler if he can circles Atlas at full Speed, using the simple math, having a higher Orbit Speed than the Mech can track the enemy - wich results in Full of WIN !

Also the Question is here, why is the Atlas alone ?

Mechwarrior here is based on TEAMPLAY...

But get back to some other modules, i would like to share my vision ... (and yes my opinion)

Target Decay. What happens if a Medium mech vor Example is running to the nearby ECM Raven - because he is scared by all the incoming LRMs raining on his head...

Target Decay is the possibilty to lock down the targeted Mech, entering a ECM Field - or going out of RADAR Range - for max 3.5 Seconds...

One Note back to the Radar thing...

You got a group of an DDC Atlas and some other nice configured and shiny mechs try to flank your front. Holy **** ! Your scout saw them, talking over Teamspeak the are there at Position D5 for example...

You do not have any information about the Mech Configuration (are there Brawlers, what are their weapon setups)...

Scouts reports the mechgroup normally must be in Radar Range, but because of the ECM of the DDC you do not have any information about this group... No visual because they are running thru the tunnel (for example Forest)

Luckily the Scout Pilot do own a PPCs... You know PPCs and deny ECM and so... you got 5 Signals on Radar - but no information.

Why ? Because you do not press R on your Keyboard.
Your mate press the button, what happens... The targeted Mech running on passive Sensors (that means for example heat vision, night vision) ... so the time to get any Target Info are counting down... The DDC ECM is back online ...
no target info... Well he should really have learned the Target Info Module.

So No infos... Communication running from the Scout back to the Dropleader.

"They are coming thru the tunnel ..."

I mean where is the difference between Active Radar - and well placed ECM on the other hand.

Yes, you got the infos earlier, you got the red triangle in your overview... but can you shoot faster ? Are you able to attack the enemy hiding behind a hill ? LRMS ? Possible, but the flight time...


Having this Line of Sight - wil led us to a "I am a Hero, because i can sneak with my SRM Catapult behind enemy lines, without got spotted"...

Is this "Teamwork" ? This is a gain for "SOLO-Players" - or Players not having that much time - just want to shot someone in the face...


Don't unterstand me wrong - the direction PGI plans Modules for the Future - and testing all the stuff on the "BETA"-Players is ok.



And to your last Sentence Gimick

Quote

When the enemy is within X meters you cant lose your target lock on him

if you got a lock of your enemy within your Weapon Range. Is this a guarantee to kill him ? I mean, if the enemy is running directly in your front of your dual ac 20 Catapult - this could be true.

A real Mechwarrior works with this premis : "Impact instead of Cover" - but there is several Strategies out there - like the "whe have the AMS Doctrin" or "ALPHA Damge is the most important way of gameplay" or "there is no heat" or "Guerilla tactics are the best"...

Whatever... Thats just my 2 cents ....

Edited by Glowhollow, 20 March 2013 - 10:27 AM.

[Midnite]

I agree with Gimmick in many points.

- New weapons wouldn't fit in the timeline scenario we have at hand. maybe different ammo options would do. I can't remember right now if infernos and swarms/thunder lrms were techlevel 1 or 2. most of the weapons known from the other mechwarrior games were produced after the claninvasion thanks to research of the clan-technology and discovered SL-caches.

- Radar. yeah right. The endless centuries of warfare have stripped the IS of most of it's technological knowledge. Tehy don't even know how to build microwave ovens, jumpship drives cannot be rebuilt properly, and HPG-Stations are almost the biggest treasure there is in the IS. I like the LOS system and agree with gimmick... a radarsystem would make the already powerful LRM's even deadlier. camo and hiding in terrain obsolete....not an option. a good option would be the possibility to switch between active and passive sensors, like in mw4 to minimize/avoid detection. if u can switch ecm, this should be possible too. (ah, I see that glow had the same idea already).

-FX: me likes the look, me don't need better. but gimmick has a point. the younger generation demands an awesome look, and asks for the game- and roleplay later. u can't be successful with a game that doesn't have the right look in recent times.

But I also agree with glow:

- salvage: one of the things i'm most anxious to see considering the advent of the claninvasion.

- rep/ammocost: it doesn't make sense to me, to see consumables in-game, while attrition of mechs and ammo don't cost a thing. I am willing to pay for my misuse of mechs and ammo. and this feature could stall the abuse of srmboats a bit. there u also have the possibility to add some flavour to the different houses. for example... why not make mercs have to pay for their repcosts in full (before mercs flame, I'm a merc myself)...and houses provide a certain percentage of the repcosts. like maybe liao has 50% and say Marik 20% 8just an example). then of course there is still the thing with the availability of systems and weapons... why not make some more available to certain allegiances than to others? There we have again the salvage element... right now the game has nothing to do with skill and strategy, since everybody able enough to close in and press the fire button can make a sh..load of damage with ASRM's in no time without even switching on their brains. and while we don't have to pay for the ammo, the srmspamming continues. instead of a smart game for smart players, we have "whohasthemostboatsandecm"-game. the tactical element is missing completely in most drops.

- destroyable objects: also a secondary feature. but not to be disregarded. if u could destroy some objects and/or terrain u could gather a LOS were there wasn't one before and such things. destroying a gastank, so it explodes while an enemy unit is standing nearby should be able to damage it a little (splashdamage). setting fire to trees should raise the enviromental heat in the vicinity etc.etc. etc. endless possibilites.

missing rpg-element:
yeah, right: beeeeta u will say. I know. still, the dumb-grinding arenalike fights are one of the main things, why the community is fading away, besides the srm-spamming catas. there's something u could put a focus on. I bet u already do.

DFA: If I remmber correct collisions will come again once the highlander is released, so dfa will be an option I guess.

just keep up the good work, we know u want this game to be as good as we want it to.