50 replies to this topic

[Zyllos]

I think the current idea of a timeline is on the backburner.

And as it should! There are a ton of core concepts that need to be worked on, like pin point weapons, incomplete heat system, poor match system (no tonnage), CW, UI 2.0, DX11, and a gamut of other things.

Once these core systems are working satisfactory, then I think we should move into a timeline.

[TehSBGX]

Roll back one year, that should be enough.

[Voidsinger]

The big issue with pushing back the timeline is how much players want the Clan mechs, particularly the Timberwolf and Dire Wolf. Huge profits await PGI upon clan mech introduction, given clan mechs are expensive and not many players have started saving.

This could be handled though by having the clans start separate, and fighting the trials to be part of Operation Revival, integrating with the IS in 3050.

[Edson Drake]

To me, the 1:1 timeline idea should be scrapped altogether.

It's a good idea, if the game was ready to begin with. Since it isn't they should make their own timeline of clan wars and upcoming community warfare.

Software companies have a hard time keeping their promises and deadlines are always tough. I am not surprised they can't keep their word and I don't blame them. Getting rid of the 1:1 timeline would open this game to countless possibilites and much, much more variety, not only in mechs, but weapons.

[Faithsfall]

Personally I feel the timline should just be frozen or reintroduced once PGI have caught up to a point where it could be attainable to meet the timeline expectations again.

[Warge]

Morashtak, on 18 July 2013 - 12:17 PM, said:

3048.

Reasons;

• 
  
• People would also have much more LPs, time, and energy spent in playing for a House
  
• .

Exactly!

[Navy Sixes]

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.

It would be beautiful. No magic weight-reducers. If you want that extra PPC, you really are going to have to chop that weight from somewhere... somewhere you really need...

I would have been happy if they'd taken all of the time and energy they've spent on the mech-lab and put it toward fielding as many of the 3025 Technical Readouts as possible (maybe not LAMs). Welcome to the dark-ages, kid. No more mech-lab as 'Cooter's Garage.' You all get stock. Wanna light with LRM's? Valkyrie. Light with PPC? Panther. PPC Boat? Awesome.

I know, I know:

But... but... these mechs suck! Who would build a mech like this!? WAAHAWAAA!!!

Quit your crying, kid. I'd ask the same thing, only the people who built these mechs are long dead. There may have been better ones out there; these are the only ones we can get to work, anymore. By the way, your tech-crew left a message. They said "Try to kill something with an AC-5, today." Seems you're down to your last full loadout. Good hunting.

I think that would have been an interesting game to play...

[CyclonerM]

Sept 17, 3048. This would be perfect,because we could have a chance to get the Clans about a year later (sept 17 3050), more or less the first engagements of Inner Sphere forces (The Rock?) .
Otherwise, 3049 could be fine, we get maybe less time but major events like Tukayyid are not pushed back so much..

[ReguIus]

If it timeline has to stay, I'd say roll it back all the way to '48. Personally I'd tell them to drop it entirely for now. 1:1 timeline would be good for CW and we could have ISN reports about "real" events and planets changing hands. It could add some extra drama to the live campaign feel that CW is supposed to be all about.

IMHO, all this could just wait until the moment PGI can deliver a finished product or put together something that passes for one.

[Tombstoner]

I would have started in 3025. built a solid game around classic BT and not have to worry about balancing lost tech, clans.

Community warfare is simulating the conquest of the inner sphere or small predefined missions that once one sides reached 100 wins claims the territory. map design whould be derived from google earth. spending 1 million for a balanced map is way too many resources when you can copy real locations. what about a flat plane with low rolling hills should be simple.

[GRiPSViGiL]

I am not very familiar with the lore but I saw some videos on here somewhere I eventually plan to watch to get some idea. It is neat to have a known timeline to participate in but I want whatever is best for the game. If that means the timeline may need to jump ahead or get pushed back is fine by me.

[Davers]

While 3050 is probably the most popular era for BT (hence why we are in it) I think other eras would have been better. 3025 (with or without stock mechs) would have been much easier to balance, plus it would have given a lot more importance to the IS factions. I really fear that when Clan mechs do become available every House is going to lose a substantial proportion of it's pilots to them.

But starting in a more advanced timeline would avoid the problem of balancing all the 'tech upgrades' that happen in 3050. No need to worry about single heat sinks! No need to make the LB-10X balanced with the AC/10! Plus the introduction of many mechs that have never been played before.

[Vincent Quatermain]

Belorion, on 17 July 2013 - 07:46 AM, said:

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.

This thread is based on a common misconception about how the Clan Invasion progressed. The fact of the matter is, even this late into the invasion, there has yet to be even one IS victory. So far, world after world has fallen -- most of which with no one even managing to escape to tell the rest of the IS what was happening.

In October of 3050 (i.e. one month after MWO launches) the Inner Sphere wins two victories against the Clans, one at Twycross and the other at Wolcott, both by clever tactics and a bit of luck. Both of these battles involve very specific units in well planned efforts. Shortly thereafter, the Clan ilKhan is killed in the Battle of Radstadt (which the Clans still win) and this triggers a halt to the invasion while the Clans chose a new ilKhan.

For most of the next year, the Inner Sphere builds up forces while preparing for a renewed Clan assault. The Clans sit and defend their takings. During this period, basically nothing happens of major note. There might have been a few raids, but no major offensives are undertaken by either side.

Late in 3051 (i.e more than a year from now), the fifth and final invasion wave begins. The Clans suffer much greater losses this time, but they still mostly win all the battles. The two exceptions are Luthien and Tukayyid, both of which also had a very specific list of units attending. It is not until after Tukayyid (May 3052) that the Clan Invasion is halted.

After Tukayyid, you finally get cross border raids where IS and Clan forces of all types are in low-level conflict. So essentially, there is no burning need for MWO to integrate the Clans into Community Warfare until April 2015 (corresponding to April 3052). If the Clans aren't integrated in the next 21 months, PGI will finally be behind schedule on the timeline.

[ManDaisy]

I would love to start at 3025, maybe include some "losttech" discover weapons in CW fro random rewards so we can use basically what we got now, just not as often. Bring repair and reload back in full, with destroyed items being gone from the inventory completely(except for engines). Pipe dream I know. Then again thats not mwo.

Edited by ManDaisy, 30 July 2013 - 11:49 AM.

[Thejuggla]

Although I like a lot of clan mechs, I'd rather have the timeline reset. I don't think it was a great idea in the first place to do a timeline before launch. I think clan invasion happens around march, i figure that would be decent time frame, If we restarted to the original date of 3049, to get clans in the game can start working towards clans after launch is done.

[Throat Punch]

I made a suggestion in this thread about dropping the current timeline all together and going all the way back to 3025. This would give PGI ample time to work on core aspects & features of the game, allow players to experience the inter-faction warfare of the Succession Wars and earn faction rep, help ease new players into the game without having to learn the basic game mechanics along with trying to compete with the advanced clan issues. Once they have the game in a more balanced/polished state they could easily jump the timeline up to 3050 and move forward from there.

[Belorion]

Morsdraco, on 31 July 2013 - 06:26 AM, said:

I made a suggestion in this thread about dropping the current timeline all together and going all the way back to 3025. This would give PGI ample time to work on core aspects & features of the game, allow players to experience the inter-faction warfare of the Succession Wars and earn faction rep, help ease new players into the game without having to learn the basic game mechanics along with trying to compete with the advanced clan issues. Once they have the game in a more balanced/polished state they could easily jump the timeline up to 3050 and move forward from there.

There are probably too many clanners for that.

[Throat Punch]

Belorion, on 31 July 2013 - 07:47 AM, said:

There are probably too many clanners for that.

Well the Clanners aren't really playing as Clanners right now so it wouldn't hurt them any if they pushed back the timeline just until they got balance in a good place and implemented all the features they promised. Once the game is in a good healthy state they can easily time jump to any point in 3050 they choose.

[Khaleessi]

Belorion, on 17 July 2013 - 07:46 AM, said:

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.

seems kind of arbitrary TBH. So it comes 2 years later than the source material, what difference does it make? Just push everything back by the equivalent time span and you have the same timeline. There really is no story in the game anyway so it seems pointless to me to bother abiding by some canon timeline.

besides its not like these dates are set in stone. PGI says it's set in 3050, tomorrow they could say 3051 and the day after 3049. the timeline is just some abstract concept that has no real bearing on the game.

[Malleus011]

I'd push the timeline back to the Fourth Succession War if I could ...

3048 would be great. Personally I'd love at least a full year of just the Inner Sphere houses scrapping with one another over border systems and learning how the CW system really works.

THEN we can face the Clanners.