22 replies to this topic

[Summer Gleeson]

Greetings warriors of the sphere and welcome to the second installation of the Merc Net news. It's been an interesting month but when breaking it all down it's really just the regular scheduled programming. New Battlemech Blackjack and Hero Mech Firebrand have mixed receptions but that's nothing short of normal. The further along we get in this beta with new and interesting toys to play with the better, but behind the scenes it seems to be more and more routine now, and when things start to become routine that's usually when something big happens. This is a good thing with Launch in the very near future. Sure there are still problems to tend to and bugs to fix and weapons to fix etc....but they are coming even if slowly but surely.

The Hum of the reactor: Jump Jets

The cheering crowds can barely be heard over the howling wolves. As a long time member of this world it is rare for me to see such a relative split reaction from the community to the nerf bat. Normally I would say one side usually tilts the scales but not this time. Hoards and hoards of mechwarriors picketing for and against have been reported all across the galaxy and though no deaths have occurred it is evident that the argument is far from over and we can expect to see the riot police doing overtime. It's a good thing there isn't an unknown threat looming in the shadows or anything, waiting to attack in full force in a clan structure cause now would be the time!

The general consensus however, if you have the time to read the threads without ripping your eyes out of your sockets isn't so much the effect jump jets now have but rather, was it overkill? That seems to be the real question.

Poptarts or course were the hardest hit by the nerf bat, so hard in fact they are reserved for only those with cybernetic optic implants and far too much time on their hands. Although a good chunk of the wolves howling are from the poptart club they do have a valid argument in some areas. For example: It's one thing to abuse jump jets to the point of a single tactic having a dominate presence on the playing field, but was it necessary to reduce jump jets to barely any practical use beyond 'getting over that hill'?

So where exactly does the common ground lie between both sides? PGI released a tidbit in their June creative update stating that in mid June the side effects of jump jets will be tuned by weight. By this I assume that the seizure like effect for lighter mechs will not be as violent as it is for heavier. If I am correct than that actually makes sense. Future technology aside, a 90 ton mechanical beast should certainly be more difficult to 'fly' than a puny spider.

The Jump jet nerf was intended after all to all but eliminate the poptart saga and re-open the battlefield to it's initial vision thus in the end it certainly worked. After the tuning in mid June however the question will no doubt be asked....is it enough? Or is the screen shake, recticle shake and random off target firing arc still overkill? Time will tell no doubt.. but what do you think? Share your thoughts.

Summer and the Bryan Ekman interview:

I intended to do this a lot sooner but only got reconnected after moving so this report is actually late but better late than never. For those unaware, a few weeks ago 1 year had come and gone in the world of MW:O. At least in regards to being playable by a test group, and though there was a minor hiccup on the boards regarding it not much attention beyond that was really given.

As a result of this I decided to go way out on a limb a couple of weeks ago to see if I could get a small exclusive, 3 or 4 questions with Bryan Ekman about MW:O and the one year milestone.
It really was a stretch being that I'm really a nobody that can offer any real PR or publicity for MW:O in anyway. Imagine my surprise when Bryan replied saying that he would be happy to do it.

Warriors.... I know full well there are perhaps 100 other questions I could have asked. But lets be realistic here, those questions are all found in the "Ask the Devs" section and they are either answered or not. That is the section where those questions belong and where I thoroughly believe they will be answered in time.

That being said my focus with Bryan was about the one year anniversary and the state of the game after that time. There is no way i can actually prove that the answers are in fact from Bryan himself lest he wish to post and confirm but let's for the moment think just what would happen to me if I delivered false news under his name!! I would likely be banned forever and leave PGI to have to explain my demise!

I give you all my word as a journalist the short Q&A below is 100% legit and in fact Mr Ekman himself whom I thank greatly for his time. Here it is for all to read, exclusively for the MCN news and our community:

Let's get started shall we?

Summer: Bryan, the development of a game of this caliber is no doubt difficult and with regard to the abundant amount of unpredictable issues that can arise How far off or on schedule is MW:O after 1 year in Beta?

Bryan: We delayed the initial Open Beta (OB) launch from Summer to Mid-Fall, around 3 months in total. Since then, we’ve been on a different schedule which blends live operations (regular content delivery) with major feature expansions like Community Warfare, 12 v 12, UI 2.0, and Clan tech down the road. Month to month we’re tracking near perfect. Each major feature tracks separately, some are on time, others our not for a variety of reasons, whether technical, or functional. Before OB and for a few months after OB launch, we really rushed features into the game. That has changed and we have slowed the release of major features down to allow better testing and balancing. 12 v 12 will be the first major feature to go through this process.

Summer: My own experience tells me that nothing in practice ever ends up exactly as it looks on paper. A lot of people have a hard time accepting that but it is in fact a reality we all face. It's obvious that MW:O today does not 100% match the initial vision at the start of development. How close is it however? And what to the PGI team was the biggest necessary change from test results?

Bryan: Visions change and grow over time as you try new ideas and perfect old ones. When we announced the game in 2011, the design was still very fluid, in fact it’s still continues to be that way. The game is very close to our original vision, which was a match based mechanized warfare game with an overarching sense of purpose. We have the right balance of shooter and sim, and we continue to evolve that concept with each month’s content and meta game additions. Looking forward the vision will become much more complete when Community Warfare phases into production servers.

Summer: There is a lot of buzz and opinions on game balance, elo, and weapon balance and the such. There are plenty of affirmations that all those things are under scrutiny and number crunching. Though the one thing that has the main player base on the edge of their seats is Community Warfare. I know the details of CW are mainly hush hush and I in no way expect any easter eggs. But In your opinion how do you feel CW will impact on the community knowing that it is just around the corner and it is arguably the most anticipated thing since the launch of beta?

Bryan: Community Warfare is the umbrella that will tie a lot of the individual pieces together. With CW comes the concept of progression, a large part of why a player will want to come back each day. Concepts like having a level, and being part of a faction, and fighting for something bigger than just your own world, will change the game dramatically. Just the concept of ranking up within Faction will drive players to be engaged, and allow us to deliver content in new ways not previously available.

Summer: And lastly, after one year there is no doubt a lot of work to do on the horizon but I imagine it has been one heck of a ride. Are there any memorable moments from the last year that you can share with us?

Bryan: We’re still experiencing a lot of firsts. First Closed Beta, first Open Beta, soon to be first Launch. Each of these has been memorable in their own right. If I had to choose – the tournament held at the Nvidia campus was truly epic. Being close to so many amazing fans and players was both exciting and humbling.

And that would be it warriors, short and sweet and just for the MCN. Off the record I wish to thank Mr Ekman for his time with this Q&A and to the PGI team, congrats on one year and eagerly waiting to see how year 2 unfolds!

Sarah Marie Alida Parries:

Warriors, I felt a deep need to write this next part in dedication of Sarah. It first struck me when Niko Snow posted the announcement of Sarah's passing and with it he posted a screenshot. It can be found here: http://mwomercs.com/...9110-for-sarah/ Now I am no artsy fartsy kind of girl, but that screenshot as silly as it sounds moved me in a very emotional way. Perhaps it is because I am a mother, or maybe simply because I am human and children in every way are precious. I will attempt to explain what I see in that picture.

Here we have a weapon of war, and yet it stands still in a golden field at complete peace. It looks up to the heavens, alone as if in reverie seeking comfort from a fallen friend afraid to move forward. It inevitably will return to the battlefield but for this moment there is no need to fire its weapons....no for it shall remain silent, silent and still and honour her memory.

In the creative director update for June on the 25th of this month PGI will release Sarah's mech in honour of this little girl. I read that line and a smile burst from ear to ear on my face. Most of us have felt the sting of losing loved ones and as friends and family we do our best to comfort those in need. Though we do it without hesitation we sometimes feel as though we wish we could do more. What a wonderful sentiment it is to do this for Sarah PGI. This reporter salutes you for this gift, and I as well as many others fully intend to "get 'em good" for Sarah.

From the MCN to the family of Sarah and PGI: I do not speak for the community and many have already given condolences and sympathies, but I will be bold and make a statement on our behalf because I believe it to be true.

We are very passionate as you know and often we disagree and contest with one another but on this particular matter we do not stand divided.

The Raven appears to stand alone but it is not. I and the entire MW:O community stand with it. And as the Raven we stand still, but we do not stand silent. Looking to the heavens with a fresh tear on our cheeks and a farewell on our lips we speak in harmony:

"God Speed Little Warrior. We honour your courage and bravery, and we shall never forget."

This is Summer Gleeson of the MCN News signing off. See you on the battlefield.

Way TL:DR:
Part 1: Jumpjet nerf and upcoming change, what impact will it have?
Part 2: Exclusive short Q&A with Bryan Ekman (Legit) about the 1 year anniversary of MW:O in beta
Part 3: A short Tribute to Sarah and the upcoming Special Sarah mech. God Speed Little Angel.

[AnnoyingCat]

What's the point of this?

[Parias]

AnnoyingCat, on 07 June 2013 - 05:04 PM, said:

What's the point of this?

Clearly, to serve as a newsletter-styled compilation of recent events and data for public consumption. An effort which - as someone who has a hard time keeping up with the day to day developments of the game and community -I sincerely appreciate. And the interview was nice.

[Homeless Bill]

AnnoyingCat, on 07 June 2013 - 05:04 PM, said:

What's the point of this?

To entertain Homeless Bill for his last hour at work on the street corner. And it worked. I appreciate the interview and write-up.

[General Taskeen]

AnnoyingCat, on 07 June 2013 - 05:04 PM, said:

What's the point of this?

Propaganda.

[Trauglodyte]

I liked it. Reaching out to the community is always a good thing. I'd love this more directly but hey, I'll take what I can get. Keep up the good woks, Summer.

[Stone Profit]

Deleted

Edited by Stone Profit, 07 June 2013 - 06:00 PM.

[Yiazmat]

Cat, Stone, stop being ***holes. That was a nice informative post. And you have no way to prove your allegations. Brian is the only one who can.

[Tangelis]

I liked the interview as well, and the ode to Sarah was a nice touch. Good post Summer, long but a nice read.

[rollermint]

As more of a stalker on these forums, i really like this piece that I just want to add another positive feedback. Good efforts and pls do keep it up!

[LockeJaw]

Too much editorializing, especially in the JJ section.

[Soy]

And now, Ollie with the weather

S GON' RAIN

Edited by Soy, 08 June 2013 - 05:38 AM.

[Summer Gleeson]

Thank you for the positive feedback everyone =). And for the record I do not mind negative criticism either, keeps me on my toes!

[Bishop Steiner]

AnnoyingCat, on 07 June 2013 - 05:04 PM, said:

What's the point of this?

what's the point of this?

Anyhow, thank you Summer, nice to see people trying to post in a positive manner on here for a change. And a little touch of "role-play" is OK too.

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 08 June 2013 - 04:12 PM.

[Levi Porphyrogenitus]

I like these reports, keep them coming. The interview with Brian was a real prize for you to land; keep it up.

I know it might be difficult getting players to play along and actually give you solid answers, but it might be nice if you could do a prominent pilot interview segment. I don't know how you'd pick your interview subjects, unless you started with streamers and whatnot, but if you could figure out a way to pick players who you are confident should have good advice for others, it'd be a really nice feature to interview them. Maybe even have some stock questions, like "what's your favorite mech configuration," or "do you have any tips about any of the maps," etc.

[Odins Fist]

Summer Gleeson, on 07 June 2013 - 03:28 PM, said:

"My own experience tells me that nothing in practice ever ends up exactly as it looks on paper. A lot of people have a hard time accepting that"

But the more accurate explanation is that a lot of people are sick of waiting in the
Forever Unfinished Product Online (as THEY say).. F.U.P.O.. Don't shoot the messenger.!!

I think it's a lot less of "ACCEPTING", and more wondering, and waiting, and pointing out defects in MWO.

You really can't blame players that have pumped in tons of cash for the speed of development, the players aren't the DEVs.

Thanks for the effort though..

Edited by Odins Fist, 08 June 2013 - 05:31 PM.

[Kevaren]

Good read Summer. A little long, but good enough to keep even my limited attention span interested. Keep up the good work!

[Lord Ikka]

Good work.

[Summer Gleeson]

Odins Fist, on 08 June 2013 - 05:29 PM, said:

But the more accurate explanation is that a lot of people are sick of waiting in the
Forever Unfinished Product Online (as THEY say).. F.U.P.O.. Don't shoot the messenger.!!

I think it's a lot less of "ACCEPTING", and more wondering, and waiting, and pointing out defects in MWO.

You really can't blame players that have pumped in tons of cash for the speed of development, the players aren't the DEVs.

Thanks for the effort though..

I would never think of shooting anyone. If i intend to be as honest as possible in my posts I in turn need to expect it right back.

I do feel a need to better explain what I meant behind that statement however. It was not a cold shot at the player base and if anyone felt that I sincerely apologize warriors, but rather at the product translation from pen and paper to digital.

We see this all the time when books are made into movies and I perhaps am the worst one of the bunch who has a hard time accepting the difficulties of perfect translation to the big screen. Though some get it pretty close, a good example of this is The "Lord of the Rings" Trilogy in my opinion. Fantastic films and an excellent adaptation of the story. The books are still better though.

And then you have movies like "I Robot". I wouldn't say it was a great movie but it was fun to watch, yet it had very little to do with the book it was based on.

I Think Mechwarrior Online falls into the same vicious circle, and being that it is a common element of translating one thing to another, it will be no more or less immune to the problems related to it which even for me at times is a difficult thing to accept.

[Odins Fist]

Summer Gleeson, on 09 June 2013 - 05:56 AM, said:

I Think Mechwarrior Online falls into the same vicious circle, and being that it is a common element of translating one thing to another.

Unfortunately more often than not, "perception" creates a reality to a situation, and expectations based on promises or "perceived" promises lead to even higher expectations, and I agree that expectations often result in disappointments.

In terms of "accepting" as you put it, is diffcult for some and I myself have fallen into the "sick of waiting" trap on more than one occasion. The reality is however, that any given product that is in development that has expectations from a consumer base, falls prey to the fact that any such said product has a window of opportunity that it must attempt not to miss.

I understand that things take time to complete, but how much time is the issue, how long are said consumers willing to wait, before their patience has worn thin..?? MWO is no different than any other product with expectations that were created by the producer of said product, and to a far lessor extent the consumer.

I'm seeing tempers, i'm seeing people get angry, but that is expected in a forum like this, heck even i'm guilty of this from time to time, and sometimes posts and rants are unreasonable, sometimes they are not. Frustration is evident, myself included on a a few issues, but it's not that big of a deal unless it sours people on MWO. With that said i'm hoping that people who have taken a break from MWO will comeback soon, I see a lot of potential in MWO, and I like the game.

The perception of MWO by the player base will create the reality of it's success or failure, regardless of how good of a product it may be in the future, the perception forms with each patch that is a success (or lack of). If MWO delivers "ON TIME" in the minds of the player base, then MWO will be golden, if it doesn't deliver on time as it relates to the patience of players base due to expectations (and you cannot fault paying customers for this) then MWO could be in a spot of trouble, maybe.
It doesn't matter how good any product is, or could be, if the player base/consumer does not perceive it in that light.

F.Y.I., I like MWO and think it can be a success.

Edited by Odins Fist, 09 June 2013 - 11:36 AM.