10 replies to this topic

[William T Riker]

MWO is seriously missing the feel of old mechwarrior games. There are no fodder vehicles to wade through! I propose we get modules that can call in tank/helcopter reinforcements. I'm thinking modules like this:

Call in 1 Devastator tank to target on map. Will randomly seek/destroy enemy targets on the way and after reaching destination.

Call in 2 Rommel tanks. Same as above

Call in 3 Pegasus hovercrafts. Same as above.

Call in 2 Peregrine helicopters. Will reach target on map and seek/destroy enemy mechs.

Stuff like that. It gives people fodder to shoot at like in previous mechwarrior games. It adds to the atmosphere of battles. It would be cool to get with lancemates and unleash a swarm of 12 pegasus tanks on the flank of an enemy. It probably wouldn't do much, but it would be fun. What do you guys think?

[DI3T3R]

And how are those tanks supposed to show up? Fall from the sky?

The only AI-vehicles I can imagine right now are helicopters and hovering dropships. The rest is too unbalanced or too tricky to implement in a realistic fashion.

[William T Riker]

Something simple like spawning at base and moving toward target, spawning out of bounds and moving in, etc. Kind of like how Mechwarrior 4 did it. Maybe a deployable arrow cursor showing the direction from which the units will come.

Keep in mind these vehicles should be 1-2 shotted at best, but they'll add something to the game in environment and fun believe me.

[Kiritumi]

In river city you could have land vehicles enter by boat if on the team that starts lower and by road if on the team that starts higher?

[William T Riker]

I'd love to get with my lance and unleash 8 peregrines on a group of enemy LRM boats from behind.

[Johnny Z]

Rina, on 16 August 2013 - 08:45 AM, said:

In river city you could have land vehicles enter by boat if on the team that starts lower and by road if on the team that starts higher?

Ya ships on the upcoming island city map would be great to. Have a dreadnaught as an asset for defending side in the faction wars

Also any incoming assests could have a prearranged route defend base or attack base order rather than anything more complicated for starters.

Edited by Johnny Z, 16 August 2013 - 11:47 AM.

[Alreech]

Vehicles may be great, but I would rather prefer them to be commander assets.

The upcoming Battlefield 4 makes the commander mode a separate game. The commander isn't any more a player on the server, instead he is only able to give orders to the Squads and able to use UAV and order Artillerie strikes.

Thy don't use this idea for MWO ?
Instead of joining a server in a Mech, he only joins as commander and has only interface to the Battlegrid.
As commander he may use Artillerie Strikes and Airstrike, command AI controlled Tanks and Infantry and give out orders to the Mech Lances.
This will increase the Player limit to 26 (12 vs 12 in Mechs, 2 Commanders on each side) enhance Teamwork (because the commander can focus on giving orders) and immersion (not only Mechs, also Tanks ect).

[Johnny Z]

Alreech, on 17 August 2013 - 04:48 AM, said:

Vehicles may be great, but I would rather prefer them to be commander assets.

The upcoming Battlefield 4 makes the commander mode a separate game. The commander isn't any more a player on the server, instead he is only able to give orders to the Squads and able to use UAV and order Artillerie strikes.

Thy don't use this idea for MWO ?
Instead of joining a server in a Mech, he only joins as commander and has only interface to the Battlegrid.
As commander he may use Artillerie Strikes and Airstrike, command AI controlled Tanks and Infantry and give out orders to the Mech Lances.
This will increase the Player limit to 26 (12 vs 12 in Mechs, 2 Commanders on each side) enhance Teamwork (because the commander can focus on giving orders) and immersion (not only Mechs, also Tanks ect).

I totally get where your coming from, but as an independant minded mech pilot I really dont want to be bothered by getting, and then ignoring orders from a commander, You can bet I am not alone in this and by default you might not hear that much in the forums.

Although the idea of a mech commander bringing in artillery or air or ai ground assets with strategy and timing is a great idea.

So the idea of a mech commander is a really awsome idea, it could really blow if done wrong.

[xCico]

to me this one is pretty cool

[William T Riker]

Mech commander view is a cool idea, although I think only premades would use it. I too would ignore a command from a pubbie commander =/.

Air strike is cool and needs more damage IMO. I think PGI is afraid a team of 12 will get together and pinpoint airstrike 1 spot for a total of 60 dmg. It's more like 1/20 games someone will air strike a base while I'm capping and I take 5 dmg.

More ideas:

Deployable 1x medium laser turret.
Reinforcements - call in 1 flea. AI piloted, follows your general position, random loadout.
Reinforcements - 5 infantry with random 1x mg or 1x small laser or 1x ssrm2 each.

I'm not sure PGI has the AI capabilities for some of these yet, but it doesn't have to be awesome AI. Good AI with ace piloting skill would actually make these annoying. They should have a small profile but be easy to hit, easy to kill, and foolish to ignore. Mechwarrior 2 did basic vehicle AI a long time ago so it can't be too hard to slap something together.

[Alreech]

William T Riker, on 17 August 2013 - 05:48 AM, said:

Mech commander view is a cool idea, although I think only premades would use it. I too would ignore a command from a pubbie commander =/.

Nobody will force you to follow his orders.

But if your Team get's crushed because the other Team is better coordinated by following a good Commander you can't complain. A good Commander on one side is a real advantage.
Good Commanders would be veteran Players who know the game, the maps and the tactics, so the Role of Commander should be attractive for them.

Most veteran Players have a lot of C-Bills, some times more the can spend sensible.
Let them buy Artillery- & Airstrikes and Vehicle Lances for C-Bills, that they can command as Commander in Battlegrid.
Some benefits IMHO:

• Veteran Players can spend their C-Bills
  
• Commanders have some Units that will always follow their orders
  
• the Commander Role would be more attractive for Veteran Players

William T Riker, on 17 August 2013 - 05:48 AM, said:

I'm not sure PGI has the AI capabilities for some of these yet, but it doesn't have to be awesome AI. Good AI with ace piloting skill would actually make these annoying. They should have a small profile but be easy to hit, easy to kill, and foolish to ignore. Mechwarrior 2 did basic vehicle AI a long time ago so it can't be too hard to slap something together.

At least a Basic AI should be part of the Cry Engine.
Crysis has had AI controlled Tanks and Infantry, like any other Singleplayer Game.
The problem is the interface to control them, but the the tools in MWO Battlegrid should enough to give the orders like Move, Attack and Defend.

The main Problem with AI is that the Bots sometimes get stuck in the environment and don't act as coordinate force - the last could be avoided if a Player gives them orders.

In the Refractor Engine of Battlefield 2 a special Mesh build in the map was used to define routes for the Bots. Battlefield 2 has even a AI Commander that is able to give orders to Players if no one takes command or acts as Squad Leader.
It was only used in Singleplayer and Coop, and worked surprisingly well.