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3PV is not only a great way for new players to learn to play the game, it’s actually a really fun way to play the game! Our early play tests have resulted in some interesting observations as hardcore 1PV proponents have taken a step back and seen the value and fun in 3PV. I expect once the 3PV view mode hits the Test Servers in the next 30 days, players will find it not as powerful as feared or as intrusive into the existing experience, rather accept it as an extension.
I'm not a huge stickler, either way - but, to be honest, I don't think 3rd person view should really exist in this game outside of game replays or special spectator modes.
Honestly, I don't think third person view is going to do much to address the issue with learning curve, either. I don't believe in excluding players, necessarily - but I'm getting a little annoyed with the watering down of games to meet the expectations of complacent gamers too lazy to recognize basic patterns in their environment.
That's just me being me.
The functional and practical concern I have with 3rd person play modes is the ability to circumvent line of sight obstacles. Currently - that's a huge part of the game. To see around the corner or over the crest, you must peek or crest and expose yourself to fire. That just seems like more of an exploit than a valid feature for this type of game. We don't have regenerating health (and, no, that does not mean it should be added in).
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Crimson Fenris: When could we expect to finally see more user-friendly communication systems, like integrated VoIP, or a command wheel (like the one in the Battlefield series) ?
A: No firm dates, we have a concept ready when the team has some free time after launch.
.... I would classify this as an inversion of priorities.
You want to launch a game. Invite thousands of new players by being "officially 1.0" ...
INTO A GAME ADVERTISING ITSELF AS A SQUAD BASED SIMULATOR/COMBAT GAME AND YOUR ANSWER TO "WHEN ARE WE GETTING INTEGRATED VIOP SOLUTIONS IS "WHEN WE HAVE FREE TIME" AFTER LAUNCH!?
...
Do you not see the problem? The time to implement and test that stuff is -now- in the
beta... so that when you actually launch the game and announce to the world that you are ready, you have a complete set of tested features that form a complete gaming experience.
Integrated voice coms for a game like this are important enough that I'd actually set the launch date back to make sure it was in.
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Jern: Have you guys considered featuring secondary one-off objectives (one for each team) on the larger maps?
A: Yes.
... and is there ongoing consideration... or was it decided to leave it alone? Or is this just something that's been passed under bathroom stalls like toilet paper, or what?
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A: We’re exploring this when we refresh the HUD after launch.
... Why not do this before launch?
You do realize that how you appear in the reviews/ratings for game rating groups is, over 90% of the time, your "1.0" release - or "what would ship to the store" - right?
6 months from launch, the review is still going to write about your old HUD and readers will make decisions based upon the review's experience with a system you had already planned to replace.
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Dakkon: Whats been happening with the command Console? When can we expect to see it and what will it do.
A: Nothing currently. Design is playing with it.
I'm sorry. I literally laughed at this.
"Let's remove the frame-rate and x-y display feature."
"Good idea. And, that concludes our development meeting, today. Ronda will pass you all the minutes."
"Does anyone know whose turn it is to clean the break room?"
"I think it's Rob's."
"Speaking of the break room, we all need to take better care of that thing. Some ******** has been scribing graffiti into the table."
"Say what you will, he has a point about the command console."
"The what?"
"The command console."
"..."
"You know - the additional piece of equipment for the head."
"That sounds like a good idea. Tell someone in the creative department to start working on it."
"It's already in the game."
"What? When the hell did that happen?"
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A: The simple and fortunate truth is the team has been extremely busy dealing with the success of MWO and trying to stay ahead of it. We have grand plans to build out a much more robust set of community engagements, but for now you can find us mostly in the forums, and twitter spheres. In the future we’d love to have a fulltime team dedicate to broadcasting dev activities and previews, along with other community engagements.
You should really think about setting up a dedicated PR team.
The PR team would not only make announcements - but sit in on various meetings and relay concerns/ideas from the player base and also keep people abreast of what is going on.
I would estimate about 3 people targeting specific areas of development would be ideal for the current size and scope of things as a part time position.
So long as you have the ability to web-conference with them, the position could easily be open to remote individuals.
You may even be able to get a few people to do it as volunteers.
I wouldn't combine that into a forum moderator position, however.