17 replies to this topic

[Howdy Doody]

Howdy,

I've been spending some time thinking about how my builds will change when 12v12 gets here. Do you all think matches will be shorter, or last longer?

My original thought was it would last longer since a greater number of mechs, hence my builds should include more ammo/energy weapons. But then I started to imagine one since gang-Alpha'n a few mechs which just starts the steam roll and ending it a LOT sooner.

Not sure how much my builds really need to differ....but that's the fun part of this game!

Thanks,
Doody

P.S. Sorry if this has been discussed. I didn't see anything in the search! Please attach a link if it has. Much appreciated!

EDIT: Not sure this goes in GamePlay Balance. Hmmmm! Can a Mod please move it. Sorry!

Edited by Howdy Doody, 30 April 2013 - 11:31 AM.

[Kraven Kor]

With current gameplay modes, the current metagame, I am thinking most matches will end faster - more mechs getting smashed by focus fire in the initial engagements.

If they somehow force / encourage us to split off into 8 / 4 for multiple objectives, or on conquest for bigger maps, matches will probably take longer.

But that's just a (slightly?) educated guess.

[Mypa333]

What they can do is change the drop place for some of us.... think of 2 groups per team that would have to decide... get together or flank the others, them being dropped at totally opposite sides.

[Braggart]

as soon as 12vs12 hits. the game is gonna fail hard.

Lights and mediums will be absolutely worthless because of the amount of firepower being tossed around.

1 wrong turn will turn an assault into a corpse, because nothing can take alpha from 12 enemy mechs.

I dont feel to bad though, MWO got me through plenty of months, now im gonna download the NWN open beta and move on. I'll come back months from now and see if the game is decent again or not. I didnt sign up to play mech assault.

[One Medic Army]

Well, my hope is that with 12v12 (and larger maps) we see more of smaller groups moving together, rather than a single blob.

This really comes down to a map design thing. On the maps we currently have, few are large enough for 12v12, and few have wide enough spaces that more than 5-6 can snipe or engage at once.

This brings up another important factor, spacing on the maps. If there's not space for more than 6 mechs on each side to engage, the other 6 are best served by taking up flanking positions, rather than getting in the way of those fighting.

Of corse, who knows which way the meta will go.

[Bloody Moon]

If PGI stays true to their promises (which is not always their strong point) then the current small maps will get expanded for 12v12.
This also means mechs will be spread out so overall the answer is matches will last as long as they do now.

The question you have to ask yourself is "am i good enough to stay alive long enough to make use of the extra ammo"?

[Butane9000]

Matches will end faster overall. The biggest changes will be on the smaller maps (specifically forest colony).

[Corvus Antaka]

12 x 4 ERPPC = 48 ERPPC of goodness melting yur face.

you decide.

[Howdy Doody]

Colonel Pada Vinson, on 01 May 2013 - 01:16 AM, said:

12 x 4 ERPPC = 48 ERPPC of goodness melting yur face.

you decide.

No kidding. Hell, everyone may stay behind cover and have a lot more snipe fests. I do see this making it a LOT harder to brawl on a lot of maps.

[MaddMaxx]

Colonel Pada Vinson, on 01 May 2013 - 01:16 AM, said:

12 x 4 ERPPC = 48 ERPPC of goodness melting yur face.

you decide.

"Enemy Base is being Captured!"

you decide.

P.S. I expect that they will do like they do now for game modes. Player will get to pick from 1's (pugging mode), 8's (2 x Lance mode with no sync dropping possible) or 12's (Company Team mode).

Edited by MaddMaxx, 01 May 2013 - 08:39 AM.

[Mr Blonde]

The boating problem stems from what I consider the games best and worst feature. Even with the hardpoint system, a mech can be customized to almost anything you want. This is ridiculous with IS mechs. They are not meant to so that. One huge advantage the Clans started with was Omnimechs. Now any mech is Omni. Not at all realistic to the canon. It should be very difficult to customize a mech, perhaps costing Cbills and even a pilot module (in addition to any item cost). This would at least slow down the boaters. I know it can't happen, Pandora's box is open. Most of the complaints I see stem from this basic problem though, because the stock mechs are pretty balanced. The worst offense is endosteel, which to add requires you to strip everything off and build the mech from scratch. Full disclosure, all my builds use it, I am also guilty. I boat sometimes too, but it does damage the game. Another idea is to eliminate the instant change. Switching out all those weapons engines, etc should take your techs days to do even if it is possible. Perhaps each changed component could come with a real time delays,say an hour that the mech is down to change an ac20 to a Gauss, etc.

[AlmightyAeng]

I dunno...I can see the point made for the '48 ppc game of doom' but I can also see it going the other way.

12 'mechs means brawling might be easier...you might actually have a full lance of 4 go flank while the other 8 present a front...it can be hard to split an 8 in half with both sides feeling effective if the other team makes a concerted push.

I can also see a larger group of mechs being more willing to group push a sniper position...2-3 mechs charging a sniper nest can be a problem for them...8 mechs doing it at once? Much better chance you get within range to brawl.

Overall I'd say matches will be shorter, though. 12 v 12 snipewarrior would get boring VERY fast.

[Zerberus]

Will depend entirely on map and intelligent use of available mechs.

12 vs 12 smashing right into each other in a huge brawl? Faster
12 vs 12 using rudimentary tactics like scouting, capping, spotting and flanking? Probably about the same
12 vs 12 using real tactics (splitting into sub lances, going different ways, balancing attack vs defense)? Longer.

It will still only take 2 minutes for the first "hulk want smash robots" player to flame lights for the first cap, though.

[BIix]

they will be faster and shorter.

[Howdy Doody]

BIix, on 01 May 2013 - 10:04 AM, said:

they will be faster and shorter.

Hahahahah! Great catch Blix! Bravo good sir!

The entire reason I asked was due to my love for ballistic weapons. Currently I'm either running out of ammo, or on the edge. Part of me didn't know if I needed to rethink some of my builds to allow more ammo. That's not an easy thing to do.

For now I think I should just wait till it gets here and see where it goes!

Edited by Howdy Doody, 01 May 2013 - 10:14 AM.

[Davers]

Bloody Moon, on 30 April 2013 - 02:59 PM, said:

If PGI stays true to their promises (which is not always their strong point) then the current small maps will get expanded for 12v12.
This also means mechs will be spread out so overall the answer is matches will last as long as they do now.

The question you have to ask yourself is "am i good enough to stay alive long enough to make use of the extra ammo"?

I thought PGI said that they would not expand the maps because they wanted to have maps of different sizes?

[keith]

PGI is going to have tonnage based match in "soon". thats when we get a lobby. depending on how they balance tonnage it could be faster or slower. 600 tons for 12 man would be 50 each. that would make some sense. u are still going to have 12 ppl on comms able to work as a team. 1 person makes a wrong move u gain the advantage(already stated). this happens in 8 mans too. still believe it is the wrong move for PGI to go to 12 mans.