50 replies to this topic

[Belorion]

They originally slated this year (2013) to be 3050. As we all know, that means the Clan Invasion should be well underway. We probably won't be getting clans until well into 2014 a/k/a 3051.

While I understand the need to get the game ready for Launch, and I am perfectly happy with the progress they are making, I don't think they should abandon the timeline, or have the clans show up 1 to 2 years late.

Who all would like to see the current timeline pushed back so that Clans can arrive in time?

I would even be ok with a two year push back to A ) Make sure the timeline can line up; B ) Give us plenty of time to get the feel of the current game before Clans show up and kill us all; and C ) So they could possibly do something even cooler since they won't be pushed for time like have drops suddenly be against clan forces instead of what you thought you were dropping into...

Edited by Belorion, 17 July 2013 - 07:47 AM.

[Lostdragon]

Using a timeline implicitly means you are going to be able to hit certain deadlines and milestones. So far that has been a big issue for this game and having the timeline means you need to focus resources on maintaining the relevance of the time line. I'd say the decision to scrap the timeline and focus on fixing the game has been one of the smartest things PGI has done recently.

[Kanajashi]

I would scrap the idea of sticking 1:1 with the timeline, but instead using it as a guide line of what order things should come out in. There are lots of mechs that I would love to drive that do not come out in the timeline for another 10+ years such as the Fafnir and the Uziel. I certainly do not want to wait that long be able to have access to those chassis because of a 1:1 timeline.

[Felicitatem Parco]

Russ Bullock stated that the current 3050-anchored timeline is untenable, but he idea of a 1:1 timeline is still fun to explore. They could push the timeline back, or they could just drop it and move at whatever pace they want to...

However, if they do push the timeline back, then they will also be pushing the Tukayyid tournament back, too that would make me sad, but such is life in the Inner Sphere.

[Jman5]

I feel like there are a lot of ways to integrate the timeline into the game without taking up much time on the programming side of things.

These tournaments we have been playing. Why can't we find a way to integrate the story into them? So one weekend, we have the battle of Tourmaline Desert or whatever fits Battletech Lore. People opt into the tournament and every time they roll Tourmaline, that battle matters for story. With community warfare you can do all sorts of stuff with the Houses and eventually clans.

[Finn McShae]

Sept 17th, 3025.

[Sug]

Finn McShae, on 17 July 2013 - 02:55 PM, said:

Sept 17th, 3025.

Yes. Give us a Succession War so that our Factions will actually matter.

Edited by Sug, 17 July 2013 - 03:47 PM.

[Finn McShae]

Sug, on 17 July 2013 - 03:46 PM, said:

Yes. Give us a Succession War so that our Factions will actually matter.

Plus, if I'm getting a ON1-K and a TDR-5S (or better yet TDR-5SS) then I can live just fine withouth DHS or ENDO or FF. Actually, I'd probably like that better.

[Angel of Annihilation]

I think they should just restart the timeline when the introduce the clans and make that day whatever the current day is in the year 3050.

Or better yet just skip directly to 3062 and the FedCom Civil war which is the only time when every faction was fighting virtually every other faction including the clans.

In 3062, all the mechs currently in game were still active so it doesn't throw them out of wack but it also allows for PGI to introduce, not only the clan but also many mechs never before seen in a Mechwarrior game.

Just my 2 cents.

[Magicbullet141]

It needs pushed back as far as possible, we are inching our way to balanced weapons but if they add clan weapons and mechs within the next four months it would cause them to spend another TWO YEARS just to balance them! Plus CW isn't even CLOSE to being ready.

Quite frankly, we arn't ready for clantech yet.

Edited by Magicbullet141, 18 July 2013 - 01:24 AM.

[Belorion]

Finn McShae, on 17 July 2013 - 02:55 PM, said:

Sept 17th, 3025.

We would have to say goodby to XLs, endo, dhs, ferro, erll, erppc, gauss, and all the pulse lasers plus a few of the chassis if they did that.

[Agent 0 Fortune]

Finn McShae, on 17 July 2013 - 02:55 PM, said:

Sept 17th, 3025.

Belorion, on 18 July 2013 - 05:29 AM, said:

We would have to say goodby to XLs, endo, dhs, ferro, erll, erppc, gauss, and all the pulse lasers plus a few of the chassis if they did that.

Bye. that wasn't so hard.

[Belorion]

Agent 0 Fortune, on 18 July 2013 - 11:04 AM, said:

Bye. that wasn't so hard.

lol... hey I feel you there, but I don't know that all the other people that have become used to those things will let go so easily. I was never a huge fan of the clans, and always loved the Succession War stuff, but they have to maximize the audience and there more than a few who love the clans.

[Morashtak]

While one to acknowledge that we have what we have and can only adjust to what it is not what we wish it were...

3048.

Reasons;

• The clan invasion would still be on the horizon.
  
• Give the devs, thru the internal testers and public test servers, data and time to balance those weapons and equipment.
  
• People would still be thinking of jumping straight into a clan mech as soon as they were available but...
  
• People would also have much more LPs, time, and energy spent in playing for a House (if they had so chosen one) which would make the decision to jump to clan a bit tougher.
  
• All those IS mechs people bought - what becomes of them upon "clan launch"? More players would have had larger stables. If the mechs are not playable clan side then you start from zero (not counting private matches and S7 should those happen).
  
• Friends that decided the above was too much to throw away and start from zero so decided to stay in the IS. Jump to the clans without them now?

But it is what it is and we have to play the hand dealt to us, not the cards we wish we had.

[Ransack]

I would prefer if they got their act together and got back to the timeline that was originally promised.

[Flyby215]

I would be in support of launch starting 1 year, heck even two years back. I'd like some inter-faction fighting and more IS mechs before the clans show up.

[Bloodweaver]

I'd like the timeline to REALLY pushed back. Like, back to 3025. They really should have started there anyway; would have made the addition of stuff like pulse lasers, Streaks, and ECM a hell of a lot easier to balance if they had already perfected the base technologies. Oh well.

Of course, we know that won't ever, ever, ever happen. The QQ would be immense. But back to 3048 should certainly not be unreasonable. Considering how far behind schedule this game's development is, there's no good reason NOT to re-start the timeline from scratch.

[Bhael Fire]

Not a fan of the 1:1 timeline idea. It's a novel idea, but not very practical.

Instead I like the idea of MWO taking place in a nebulous era within the timeline; that is, the game should take place "somewhere" around the time of the clan invasion, but not any one specific date. Basically, within 3048-3052.

This allows for more creative freedom. As the game matures, they can extend that era further into 3050's.

[AvatarofWhat]

I always liked the idea of the 1:1 timeline. The game isn't even launched yet so I don't really see a big problem with pushing the timeline back a year. That would give PGI plenty of time to implement community warfare and let us fight faction-to-faction before the clans are introduced.

What should not be done is(IMO):

1. Keep the timeline as is. I don't buy the idea of the clans hitting interstellar traffic for a year and invading in 3051... besides wasnt there an IS news report that already said that phelan kell was presumably killed in the periphery? how long are they going to keep torturing the poor guy?

2. Push the timeline back to 3025. Seriously? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants clan mechs.

What could be done(IMO):

1. Scrap 1:1 timeline. If it's not going to work , it's not going to work. No point to keep on trying if PGI knows they are not going to make the deadlines.

2. Push forward timeline. Jihad. OHHHH YEEAAAAHHHH!!!!!

[Belorion]

Keeping to the timeline will make it harder for them to change times, but then I don't want that to happen any (if at all) anyway.