31 replies to this topic

[Kobold]

Murphy7, on 11 June 2012 - 07:23 AM, said:

Option C has the potential to look a bit like the WoW LFG mechanic, where you might be waiting for a while for a particular role to populate for your mission.

I am actually ok with that. It encourages players to diversify, and if someone is choosing a less popular role, they are rewarded. However I think more likely matchmaking won't be done by set roles (IE, battle must have 3 commanders, 3 scouts, 3 attack, 3 defend). I think BV (or equivalent, taking into account player skill and level) would do the best job.

[Seabear]

I would like to see combats limited to the canon percentages regarding mechs involved. That would mean that about half the mechs would be mediums, about 25% would be lights, about 20% would be heavies and the last 5%, assaults. Such a restriction would demand tactics other than that of "Hulk,smash!" and would greatly increase the games interest.

Too many folks seem to think enjoyment comes from being able to use what ever equipment they can find to overcome your enemy regardless of the suitablity for the situation or time period. Just listening to them makes me wonder if they would consider it a great triumph to over come musket armed troops with forces equiped with assault rifles. Personally, I have found that overcoming obstacles within restrictions is far more fulfilling. Maybe it's just me.

A weight restriction on mechs in a combat situation will mean each goup will have to adapt the tactics emplyed. Each house of the IS would paly the game differently. Lyrans would probably use heavier , but fewer, mechs. Marick would field more mechs but with less tonnage per unit. The Kuritas would use a different mix and so on. No one wants this to become a simple race to see who can get the heaviest units possible. The fun comes in using what one has in such a way to defeat the other side.

[Orion Pirate]

Seabear, on 11 June 2012 - 08:26 AM, said:

I would like to see combats limited to the canon percentages regarding mechs involved. That would mean that about half the mechs would be mediums, about 25% would be lights, about 20% would be heavies and the last 5%, assaults. Such a restriction would demand tactics other than that of "Hulk,smash!" and would greatly increase the games interest.

Too many folks seem to think enjoyment comes from being able to use what ever equipment they can find to overcome your enemy regardless of the suitablity for the situation or time period. Just listening to them makes me wonder if they would consider it a great triumph to over come musket armed troops with forces equiped with assault rifles. Personally, I have found that overcoming obstacles within restrictions is far more fulfilling. Maybe it's just me.

A weight restriction on mechs in a combat situation will mean each goup will have to adapt the tactics emplyed. Each house of the IS would paly the game differently. Lyrans would probably use heavier , but fewer, mechs. Marick would field more mechs but with less tonnage per unit. The Kuritas would use a different mix and so on. No one wants this to become a simple race to see who can get the heaviest units possible. The fun comes in using what one has in such a way to defeat the other side.

You would not be able to limit things like this. The new player would have a hard time joining games if the role and mech he chose to play was too popular or did not meet the metrics of matches etc...

We will have to deal with an open match system that depends on people making smart decisions on the team composition. If restrictions are put in place to enforce this (weight limits and mech category limits) then some people will find the game not much fun because they have to wait too much to play. This is not fair or fun in a free to play game.

[Eximar]

FenixStryk, on 11 June 2012 - 06:52 AM, said:

I'm not sure how much fun a game of just Jetting Jenners would be either.

All Jenners = a hoot and a half. Plus a few high speed collisions, I suspect.

[Lucius Prospero]

Without drop tonnage restrictions, there don't seem to be too many reasons not to carry as much firepower as possible. Sure, that light scout mech can see you coming, but that lance is basically a man down. 4 assaults vs 3 assaults and a light, (In the extreme case) who are you putting your money on? In real warfare, you only use the light stuff because you can't get the heavy stuff in the right place. If we don't have drop tonnage restrictions, there's no reason not to bring all of your guns to a gunfight.

Not that I'm advocating for all assault companies to be the norm, but without some balancing, that's the way it'll go.

Personally, I advocate that the Assaults should be as slow as molasses at turning and aiming, and you really shouldn't have a prayer of hitting a light unless they're at long range.

Edited by Lucius Prospero, 11 June 2012 - 09:29 AM.

[Mechwarrior Buddah]

Kasseopea, on 11 June 2012 - 06:38 AM, said:

I really think we will^^

I would rather like to see matches with all weight classes and matches with seprated classes, just like in MW4:Mercenaries. This way you wouldnt have to make light mech forcefully a scout or an assault into a fortress. Well, we will see.

Also not being in an assault mech with a 30 min wait que for a match. If you limit the number going into the match you end up WoW LFG system style and sitting for 30+ minutes to get into a group

[Joanna Conners]

Don't the amount of topics on this issue demonstrate that it isn't a legitimate concern?

[zues4334]

If you are insisting that there only be 1-2 assaults on the field during the duration of a match, you are quit mistaken. People usually think of assault mechs as a lightning rod for enemy fire. There can be many ways cut down on how powerful any mech is, but assaults are by far the most simple to stop in their tracks. Simply dispose of their legs and shoot em while there down, end of story.

[Shootanoob]

I guess, the key to make the matchmaking turn out with nice results is to ensure diversity. This will somehow be playerdriven, for in premade companies / lances there will be cared of to have all vital roles with them, on the other hand it could be progammed into the matchmaking logic, even if only on a weight-/typebase (so basically, your centurion will always count as 50 tons or as a med, even despite of the fact that you sacrificed the weaponry and armor for the sake of having an oversized scout - doing it different would soon end up too complex)

[Beo Wulf]

In past mech games people cry about heavies and assaults because they want to use small and medium mechs but aren't good enough to use the speed/maneuverability to counter the big guys. People should stop thinking they are good because they only use lights and mediums but rather actually be good in lights and mediums. I used to pride myself on going 1 on 1 in a cougar against a daishi and winning, now people want accomodations so they don't have to learn to play in the smaller mechs.

Take what you want, let others do the same.

[Mercules]

I remember playing the Scenario in MW4 at a LAN... Manorhouse I believe it was called.

Team A's object, destroy Manorhouse. Team B's object, protect Manorhouse. We would swap back and forth and see what team could do best. What happened over hours of play was interesting as it is what I think will happen in this game.

At first the two Teams loaded up on their favorite Heavy/Assault Mechs and went to town pounding each other. Then one player grabbed a fast light mech with EMC, Narc, and Artillery Beacon. They scooted around the flanks and zipped past the Assaults and plunked the Artillery Beacon and Narc on the target and RAN.

Obviously this created a change in tactics. Soon another player had a light mech with sensors and Beagle on it that could chase down the other mech. Then there were two light mechs on the attacking side... so on and so forth. Instead of polarizing to the opposite extreme, it met somewhere in the middle.

What we ended up with was the defensive team running some heavy but slow mechs to avoid the attacking team from taking Assaults and just hammering a path to the target. They would also take a faster medium and scouting mech to hunt down any flankers sneaking past the defensive line.

The attacker then would sometimes change things up for "shock value" but for the most part would be a few heavies who might be able to get there in time to support the mediums and lights that are making a run for it and distract the heavier things while they do so. Often the game would center on who could discover who first and be in the position to take advantage of it and other than a few LRM platforms combined with Narc users there were very few Assaults in use.

[Orion Pirate]

Remember that mechs will play differently, so they will not be compatible with every person. Where someone will be great with an assault, another person will find a medium easier to play as an example. So playstyle will have an impact on the choices of mechs being used in the field.

Add in teamwork, roles and tactics, and suddenly diversity happens out of necessity.

I truly believe these mechs will play so differently in a real time combat environment that suddenly their tonnage is not as important as how well you can pilot the mech and fit in with your team and the role you can provide them. Tonnage will not be the law of the game. Of course this will not be the case at early stages of the game and with new players, but as they get used to how the mechs play within the game, their choices will change and diversity happens...