I reckon most wont read it. I won't, its too long, but I had to write it down. -_-
Mods please shift this to the right forum if applicable, posting noob here :P
(3038 words)
TLDR (142 words)
DISCLAIMER: Its all personal opinion below. You can disagree with it, infact I encourage it, but I would like constructive criticism please (If you actually read it, heh :D)
Background: Battletech/Mechwarrior fan, got knows how much i've put into the mechwarrior franchise in terms of time and money.
I used to play a lot in closed beta, nevermind the wipes, playing with my clan mates. Great fun. Now with uni exams around the corner, I play less often (a series of games a month or less) so I tend to see several patch effects in one go.
Game feedback that I'll be giving will be split into several factors:
- Content addition / creation
- Playability / Stability
- Gameplay mechanics / balance issues
- Player feedback and improvement
I love new stuff! who doesn't? :) Oh but I don't like it when it is new but out of my reach though. who does? :angry: Having plonked down a good sum of money to back this amazing game (see legendary founder), my reaction to content addition over the last year or so has been lukewarm at best.
I understand that PG took a brave step buying the liscense of the franchise. Not sure if its a flat rate or poportional to profits, but no matter. Yes there is a pressure for them to be profitable, after all it is a company. However this is a open beta. Your community is not going to be huge. Thus your consumer base is not going to be huge either. Generally a normal game monetary wise works as follows I think. correct me if i'm wrong.
- Pre-Alpha
- Alpha
- Beta (Open, Closed, or both)
- Release Candidate
- Release
AFAIK, "the focus of beta testing is reducing impacts to users, often incorporating usability testing." ~Wikipedia (relatively reliable)
Alright. so usability testing. However you can't have a Release or RC without content right? that would be a half baked game. Thus content creation is required, this I will not dispute.
What I will dispute or like to note is that the addition of content at this stage is not meant for profit short term (e.g micro transactions) but for long term (e.g release product) to put it in a little analogy:
You're trying to sell a chocolate cake. (the game MWO)
You would most definitely sell it as a chocolate cake and make money
Game-wise: product with all expected features, fully fleshed. In my opinion this involves a working/stable engine, core game modes, maps, a fairly decent stable of mechs, options and replayability. A release product.
You would most definitely would like to have add-ons that make more money and give customers options such as sprinkles, chocolate icing, customised writing, etc
Game-wise: Add-ons that are cosmetic or otherwise that add value to the game. This includes custom skins, custom decals, in cockpit items, and others such as hero mechs
You would most definitely not sell flour, eggs, butter, chocolate etc. and call it a cake. Then charge an additional fee to make the cake. Or add sprinkles over the mess of ingredients and market the product as DIY. (not a very good analogy this one i know)
Game-wise: The game isn't finished yet. its in Open Beta. I fully understand the point of microtransactions in Beta is to finance the project. Game development in this day and age is getting more and more expensive. I'm sure those microtransactions help. The kickstarter for this game was pretty much the founders programme, which bought in 5 mill for the company, not a insanely huge sum video game wise but not to be sniffed at, coupled with IGP support (I don't know how much)
Yet with the game still in development in beta, i'm seeing things like the Highlander being released first as a hero mech, then scheduled later for C-bills (I'll get back to that in a bit).
I'm seeing things like Priority air and artillery shots in the same implementation as the actual features. I love the idea of GXP grinding to even out the MC advantage, but by implementing a option to pay for a new feature that will likely be retweaked or debugged may backfire. People get angry if you change / balance it when they have already paid money for it. It does make money for the company, but I believe implementing it too early gives too many problems.
As with most betas, it would have issues/glitches/bugs. adding new features (I'm thinking of things like air strikes, command options, and the like) would naturally bring in new problems that are meant to be fixed. This will bring me to my next big wall of text.
2. Playability / Stability
Generally I applaud PG's work on converting the Cryengine. I'm no programmer, but I can imagine the difficulties that they must be facing, it being a uphill struggle. However I would like to point out two things that have been bugging me: content addition and hotfixes.
Adding content is great, but fixing gaming / stability issues is better! :D
I would like to go for a spin in my shiny new Atlas that I bought with the sale, but when my game crashes every 7 launches or so, and I get minimap problems in 1/4 of my games and end up being a 100 ton liability to the team, it really takes the joy out of the game.
Stability has many many effects. Let me go back to the cake analogy (I like cake .___.)
Nobody is gonna consistently buy your cake if the quality is inconsistent
Game-wise: Yes, this isn't a finished product. Us open beta testers are here to help the developers make the game better with suggestions, bug reports, hour crunching on the game. There will be a patch up in 3 days, I am aware.
However if the solution to such game breaking bugs can be solved, I would think a hotfix would be so worth it.
Everytime there is a bug on any 1 of 8 players, the balance is skewed.
A fair match is no longer fair. players cannot comment as well on whether that PPCs need a buff or thay Heavy Metal is imbalanced, blah blah blah, if its a effective 7 v 8 or worse. So much data is lost to the developers in terms of feedback, and all the support tickets that they will be getting until the next patch would be of the same outstanding technical problem. All that time is lost that could be used to quicken beta, or focus on another area.
Back to the Highlander, Heavy Metal. Why release it before the other Highlander variants? I've been trying to come up with excuses for it, but I can honestly say that its for profitability. If you have the Highlander model down pat, it doesn't take much more effort to make C-bill base variants.
Sure you do get more money short term, but in my opinion this just makes some people lose faith in the perceived "cash cow" that PGI is supposedly using MWO for as some people would say. Another benefit of increasing the avaliability of the mech is for better feedback on the new Mech for any bugs it may have. I foresee that when the base variants come out and some people feel it is better than HEAVY METAL, possible grief by players who forked out the cash for it. I feel that this sort of strategy is not useful in the long run.
I played this game 2 months prior to this week or so, and I can honestly say it felt like it went backwards stability wise. I in fact still remember some radar bugs being present back then as well. Might just be bad timing to come back i guess :P
Gameplay / Balance issues
This is one area that I feel has been great so far. The company has been great in balancing weapons or new features as they are added. I do remember some hotfixes for LRMs a while back, and the endless cycle of buff and nerf continues on and on and on and on....
Its impossible for everyone to be happy about the situation of weapon balance, but kudos to PG for dealing with it in a decent way.
Two things that I may suggest is the following:
- Heat vision fix: This thread is in my opinion a very very good suggestion. As someone with experience with heat vision equipment in the military for vehicle detection, this is something that I feel will put heat vision where it is meant to be, and be balanced at the same time. Only implementation issues I feel would be scaling with graphics for different systems.
- Features are great, but revising old features that were implemented and made redundant to be balanced and viable situationally would be nice as well (i'm looking at you 4x vision module) back to the cake analogy: if you offer a mini cake version at 3 inches that no one buys, either revamp it to make it marketable or of use, or junk it.
I don't have any more comments on this section, other than keep it up.
Player feedback and improvement
As everyone knows (supposedly) a happy / satisfied customer is more likely to return. Right now as it stands, MWO is not a small game, but it is no big hit either. One big hit game in the world right now is League of Legends. (i'm probably gonna get lots of flak for comparision or mentioning it, but welp.)
Some would ask what similarities are there? Totally different game, lol! Omg you play league, QQ casual or something like that. I'll try and make my point through comparision.
- Yes, they're not even remotely close gamewise, even if you try to stretch it.
- Its a proper game already, dude, why are you comparing to MWO which is in open beta?
- Demographics are different. Different audience as well.
So what made it so big?
- It had a great premise and older game (DotA anyone?) with a strong fanbase.
- It was marketed as a casual game. larger audience pool in this age of massive casual gaming uptake. The game can be played competitively or casually.
- It was seen as fair commercially-wise due to income being derived from either only cosmetic skins for characters, or convenience in access of characters, or convenience in loadouts (rune pages)
- The level system and IP (C-Bill) only purchases for performance runes were great in maintaning that advancement system
- The Elo system and teamed/ custom matchmaking were there for the more serious gamers. This was implemented pretty early in the game for serious gamers.
- Consistent release of new content, very strong fanbase, good player to developer communications
- Also has a great franchise history, and a very dedicated fanbase. Granted it was nowhere as near as DotA (some might argue otherwise at some time ;) ) but it was, and still is great.
- MWO at the moment is still seen by many of my gaming friends as "niche", hardcore, or simulation. This is true to a certain extent.
It is the reason why some of us love it compared to arcadish Hawken. However the basics aren't that hard to pick up. movement, twist, shots, heat, components, capture.
In fact I feel MWO is more casual than League or DotA for the simple fact that matches are a maximum of 15mins, where a DotA game is so much more longer.
Been in a Pub game with randoms who just charge anyone? :lol: Advanced gameplay, we start thinking of ECM, tatics, spotting, defense, optimum loadouts... This game has so much potential! I as a fan wouldn't want to see this amazing franchise go to waste. Who doesn't like piloting a 7-17m god of war? :lol: - commercially-wise, I think MWO is roughly on the right track, the things that I feel should be changed is the timing and maybe pricing.
League of Legends was breaking even and making slight profits during Beta and such, its now that it is seriously reaping in the profits via skin sales, large consumer base and dedicated fanbase. the skins werent so common in Beta, but now they are rolling them out, and making money from it. Same for Dota, announcher packs, weapon cosmetics and such were truly looked into after the main game was stable and released.
In MWO, the system is in my opinion not consistently a fleshed out game yet that the profitability isn't there. The Beta is to make it a better game, not to make money from the small pool of interested beta testers. All good things come in good time. In my clan, not a few members left due to lack of content updates, and their feelings were that the game was overly marketed for in game purchases. Many of them were hardcore Mechwarrior/Battle tech fans with founder packs who left rather dellusioned. I felt sorry that they left. May of them gave great feedback and suggestions to the community and devs, somethings which I rarely do :blush:
Pricing is a hot topic, but I believe that mech prices are a bit over. As someone who has a bit of common sense and economics, theres always that sweet spot (Max TR) where total revenue gained by the company is maximal. - The current system for MWO seems good overall. the GXP and modules, possibly with a bit more diversity in the pilot lab for different mech weights could allow for more diversity, but thats a nice extra. Its relatively good so far, and for people who max out, the next step could be competitive play.
- We all love being the best. Who doesn't? I always dreamed of being a ace Mechwarrior in the future. With team based warfare looming on the horizon, I couldn't be anymore excited to have a go with my clan mates. While I respect the decision of PG to hide normal match making elo, with a ranked system, a visible Elo would make the game have a longer life for competitive players, which make up a significant poportion in MWO. Visible Elo will obviously lead to male-genetalia-size- matching contests, but thats competition.
- Strong fanbase, consistent release and user-developer communications. In these three boxes, PG and MWO ticks them all.
However communications and action have to work hand in hand.
If people feel that their advice is taken to heart and worked on, ++ points. If people feel they are being ignored, - points. If their advice is acknowledged, agreed upon, then not implemented or worked on, lots of -- points. People lose fait in the developers and the game. Not saying PG is doing any bad things, but its a point to note.
As mentioned earlier, fan enthusiam can add so much to a game. Looking at CnlPepper's thread on Thermal imaging. I'm sure there are many fans out there with great knowledge on warfare or such similar topics that when asked will be willing to give advice to the development team to make it a much better game.
League of Legends spread so fast because people were recommending the game to their friends, even in Beta.
I love MWO and Mechwarrior, but I unfortunately would say I would not recommend this game to a casual gamer friend who is interested in the mechwarrior franchise.
If any of you play LoL, you know that the joke is the average gamer there is 14 years old, talks as if on Xbox live, and is a horrible human being. I won't disagree that a significant portion of such LoL fans are such, but thats the result of a huge fan base and a variable demographic.
I'm pretty sure that MWO has great potential for improving its young player fan base. Giant fightning robots with pew pew and dakka dakka? count me in! Hell even mass media can't get enough of giant fighting robots! For those that wouldn't want such people in the ranks, I do admit I find such obnoxious players annoying, but for the franchise to expand and to let more people know about the awesomeness of Mechwarrior in childhood (that we experienced), shouldn't these kids learn about it as well? :)
I have been, and will be, a die hard Mechwarrior/Battletech fan. Sticking with the Beta for so long, seeing the way things are, I won't be so invested in this game so much more however. I will probably be playing a bit more Living Legends here and there with friends. Yes I didn't really give much feedback, as a lurker and all that, I tend to chat more with clan mates who wrote the posts. I did give the occasional support ticket though.
I really respect the dev team for making such a awesome game with such passion and dedication. I wouldn't be able to do such a task.
Well after 10 games today for me, It finally got to the point where I felt obliged to write something in the forums, which I almost never ever do for any forum i'm in, but I really love the franchise so much. Hence this 2k+ word vomit. :o
I personally felt my Legendary founder pack was worth it if it makes this franchise suceed, but it didn't really feel worth it in terms of utility. I'll probably be back during the summer to give arranged team and house warfare a go, assuming I don't fail my university exams ;)other commitments in life have resulted in me letting this game go.
I wish all the best to PG’s endeavor in this great game. I hope to come back in a year or two to a awesome game, if not earlier to help things out
TLDR
- I love this game and franchise.
- The game is (I feel) advancing rather slowly content and stability wise.
- The current patch has some issues on stability and features that I feel aren't being addressed as well or aren't prioritised as a beta version should be.
- I disagree slightly with the direction this game is going in terms of commercial aspects. i.e pricing and marketing in game / releases.
- Some personal advice on how I feel the game should go commercially in terms of marketing and being sucessful.
- Players/Fans who are in beta are a great resource for devs. Also one of the nicest in game people that I know (rarely flaming, lots of jokes around) but high turnover due to lack of interest.
- I finally gave feedback! :P
- I won't be playing this game so much in the future. I will be around here and there though, espeically lurking the forums as usual :ph34r:
Edited by Neil Claymore, 14 April 2013 - 09:41 AM.