9 replies to this topic

[C4N3]

There haven't been many details released about the Command Console and the Commander Role, so I thought I would pitch an idea about how to do it in a balanced and fun way. Here it is: The Command Console give the 'Mech a second cockpit that houses the Commander. The Commander is an observer, so a 9th or 13th player, that is chained to the mech with the Command Console. The player can observe first person from that 'Mech only but cannot control it in anyway way, AND if that 'Mech is destroyed, so is the Commander. The Commander can direct other players from the full screen battle grid, create orders from the map, command artillery strikes/air strikes and plays a strategic role only. It wont force the player piloting the battlemech from switching back and forth between screens, but it will force them to be careful not to die otherwise their team will deprived of the commander in addition to their mech.

I think a lot of players would positively recieve this suggestion, including competitive teams where the Drop Commander would no longer have to be an effective pilot and a coordinator for the movement of the other teams mechs. It would also be balanced because it would not give a free floating observer that would give an advantage. AND the mech with command console has to give up tonnage and crits to support the additional cockpit seat.

When I first heard of the ideas for this game, and the idea of a commander, I immediately thought of Mech Commander, and was absolutely in love. I think implementing this would get us toward that dream as well. This would also let MWO pull in the RTS type player that may not be as skilled in first person shooters but would able to DC for a company.

Thanks for your consideration. Feedback and thoughts are welcome. Thanks!

[MuadXDib]

could be fun

[C4N3]

Bump, anyone else?

[White Bear 84]

It would be nice with the introduction of artillery and airstrikes if the commander can request one of these capabilities from a team mate. So if a mech equiped with one of these has los of the location the commander is facing, they can provide that strike - allowing the commander to specify locations for airstrikes and artillery strikes, which the team subsequently provides...

[C4N3]

White Bear 84, on 07 April 2013 - 09:39 PM, said:

It would be nice with the introduction of artillery and airstrikes if the commander can request one of these capabilities from a team mate. So if a mech equiped with one of these has los of the location the commander is facing, they can provide that strike - allowing the commander to specify locations for airstrikes and artillery strikes, which the team subsequently provides...

I could see that being added, or allowing the commander to call in all strikes.

[C4N3]

Anyone else have any thoughts? I'd like to get some more views on this. Thanks!

[Senior Knight Steele]

The things you suggested sounded interesting. The commander being tied to one mech and being able to call in support strikes. It would be interesting if, from the battle grid, the commander could give specific players waypoints or targets based on what he can see on radar. In a similar way to Natural Selection, maybe. On a less practical note, the implementation of non-player units besides artillery and fighter jets, (which aren't really even units) like tanks or even infantry for example, would make the experience much more immersive. I can see the full-scale war being waged around me already.

I'm just imagining the guy in the command mech ordering tanks and infantry to attack and cap points in conquest. It would be cool. Actually, it would also encourage the use of more kinds of weapons. For example, a gauss rifle isn't viable against infantry, but a machine gun is. Hmn. I'm having delusions of grandeur. XD

[HlynkaCG]

The 13th "support player" sounds cool from a roleplay / CW perspective but I just don't think it would be particularly workable or even fun in terms of actual gameplay. I don't know about you but I'm here because I like the Idea of driving a giant stompy robot, not being able to drive or being stuck in the battle grid kind of defeats the whole point IMO.

I forget where I saw it first but one suggestion I liked for the Command Console was for it to give a mech additional module slots. Thus a mech with a Command Console would get to stack Target Decay, Cap Accel, etc... on top of a full load of consumables.

Edited by HlynkaCG, 10 April 2013 - 01:15 PM.

[C4N3]

HlynkaCG, on 10 April 2013 - 01:14 PM, said:

The 13th "support player" sounds cool from a roleplay / CW perspective but I just don't think it would be particularly workable or even fun in terms of actual gameplay. I don't know about you but I'm here because I like the Idea of driving a giant stompy robot, not being able to drive or being stuck in the battle grid kind of defeats the whole point IMO.

I forget where I saw it first but one suggestion I liked for the Command Console was for it to give a mech additional module slots. Thus a mech with a Command Console would get to stack Target Decay, Cap Accel, etc... on top of a full load of consumables.

I think that trying to get 7 other players on the same page while you are Drop Commanding is a challenge, doing that with 11 other players while still trying to pilot will be almost impossible. It wouldn't be mandatory for a team to have the 13th player, it would be an option if they are a premade and want to do that. It does have limited value when playing a PUG, but would be much more enjoyable when playing a 12 v 12 premade matches. When this game was initially pitched, it was talked about having this type of functionality. There is also canon for the command console essentially holding another person.

[C4N3]

bump