36 replies to this topic

[Pendraco]

I love this idea!

AC20 of Approval!!

[oldradagast]

Interesting idea, though it hits some problems:

1) Currently no way to make a mech stock quickly to play a match in "stock only mode," and nobody is going to want to take the time rebuy and rearm back to stock mode.

2) Some stock variants are useless, while others - anything with double heatsinks - would completely dominate the game.

Maybe stock only mode, but give everything double heatsinks? That way, the ones who come with DHS are not auto-wins, and cooling would improve across the board to give people more time to game vs. being shut down.

[DoktorVivi]

oldradagast, on 29 August 2013 - 08:22 AM, said:

Interesting idea, though it hits some problems:

1) Currently no way to make a mech stock quickly to play a match in "stock only mode," and nobody is going to want to take the time rebuy and rearm back to stock mode.

Easy fix. Select any of the mechs you own, as usual. Game knows what the stock variant carries and drops you in that. No need to strip and rearm.

[TheForce]

DoktorVivi, on 29 August 2013 - 01:21 PM, said:

Easy fix. Select any of the mechs you own, as usual. Game knows what the stock variant carries and drops you in that. No need to strip and rearm.

And the game knows because they already have stock mech loadouts in the database for when you buy mechs. The only thing they need to program is:

if queue = stock mech
then get loadout from stock mech loadouts in the database
else get loadout from player mech loadouts in the database

I'm a database programmer in Vancouver. I'll do the DB side of it for free. PGI, call me.

[Karyudo ds]

oldradagast, on 29 August 2013 - 08:22 AM, said:

Interesting idea, though it hits some problems:

1) Currently no way to make a mech stock quickly to play a match in "stock only mode," and nobody is going to want to take the time rebuy and rearm back to stock mode.

Yeah as mentioned I would simply have the game drop you with whatever mech you have in it's original stock configuration. Whether you even own the weapons is almost besides the point since you wouldn't get to pick them anyway.

oldradagast, on 29 August 2013 - 08:22 AM, said:

2) Some stock variants are useless, while others - anything with double heatsinks - would completely dominate the game.

Maybe stock only mode, but give everything double heatsinks? That way, the ones who come with DHS are not auto-wins, and cooling would improve across the board to give people more time to game vs. being shut down.

That might be okay, beyond screwing with possible internals. I don't think it would be a big issue if we matched by equipment value. Then you would just balance capability instead of literal weight. On the other hand we could give players some incentive to using the less amazing mechs in a mode like that. bonus CB etc maybe.

[Tyrnea Smurf]

I like the concept, however the easiest way to do it is simply when a player selects Hardcore - The Succession Wars mode, make the players select from an assortment of trial mechs. Not simply 4 but 10 or 12 or 20 trial mechs they can choose from.

This ensures both standard layout, stock ratings, and no lostech.

Now how I would do it from PGI's side is thus:

Phase 1 to see how popular a mode it would be - allow players to freely select from a pool of trial mechs, this pool would be from the 4 trial mechs that at the time of the match are currently in the rotation, and a trial version of any mech currently owned by the player. I'd keep the random map mechanic. Rewards would be based off the current C-bill & xp formula.

Phase 2 if phase 1 shows enough interest to move forward, if not i'd keep phase 1 setup in the bag for challenges/events periods. Now if you go to phase 2 of Hardcore - The Succession Wars mode, i'd set it up with a selection screen, players added into the pool to form teams are given a random number from 1 to 24. Create 2 lobbies, 1 for each team, 1 team is the even number players, the other is the odd number players. Players select from a list of trial mechs in the order of their number. The list would be formed from a selection of random trial mechs, lets say 36, and can contain duplicates. Once a specific mech is chosen, its locked out from the list. I'd keep the random map mechanic. Rewards would be based off the current C-bill & xp formula.

Phase 3 if it gets to this point you can add the modifiers of premium players can substitute a trial version of a mech they own for their original selection before mech selection ends, and in phase 3 i'd add the ability of players to vote on a couple of map selection choices, map with the most votes wins and is the map of the match. you could also have a vote centric system for assault vs conquest game types, or even a vote system that would allow players to disable base capture.

Trying out various things and game mode tweaks in this manor would allow PGI to get some data points, and allow PGI to test new game mode concepts, victory conditions and the like in semi controlled conditions.

[Doctor King Schultz]

Stock-only would be fun, but I don't think it will ever happen with the free to play format. Think about how much upgrades add to the cbill grind. Outfitting a mech costs at least as much as the mech itself, sometimes twice as much for XL-oriented mechs. There would be a subset of players that primarily enjoy stock-only, and the grind would be effectively cut in half for those players. Less grind, less need for premium time and MC mech purchases. A stock-only mode doesn't make business sense in a free to play format.

[Neozero]

I have always been for an all stock game type. It opens up tactics on a far greater scale then the standard boat the FoTM weapons. Some of my fondest memories of MW4 where in the Netmech IV mod which strived to move the Mercs game closer to TT.

[Thunder Lips Express]

TheForce, on 22 August 2013 - 07:38 PM, said:

Thats all.

that is a very good idea

[Shae Starfyre]

I disagree.

I think it should just be Arm Lock Off, Throttle Decay on or off (not sure which is harder), no 3rd Person View, and no hero or champion mechs.

[Stormwolf]

Stock mode would be the only mode I'd ever play if it ever made it into the game.

[PlzDie]

Aphoticus, on 04 September 2013 - 05:43 AM, said:

I disagree.

I think it should just be Arm Lock Off, Throttle Decay on or off (not sure which is harder), no 3rd Person View, and no hero or champion mechs.

Agreed, if there is no 3rd person view. If this happens I will start playing this game again.

Edited by Duppie1974, 04 September 2013 - 11:53 PM.

[Sean von Steinike]

They don't even have enough people to split the 1stpv-3pv (moron mode) queues.

[aniviron]

While I do like the idea of a stock-only queue and would play in it, I am not under the illusion that it would fix MWO's problems. There would still only be eight variants total piloted, they'd just be a different eight from the ones we see now.

Edited by aniviron, 05 September 2013 - 01:00 AM.

[Alistair Winter]

I have a suggestion for how Stock Mech mode should work. Basically, it'll be like a number of FPS games where you have to earn money to buy weapons and body armour in every match, and you lose it all when you die.

First match: You start out with a tier 1 mech. Crappy light mech.
Second match: If you win, you're free to switch to a tier 2 mech. Nice light mech or crappy medium mech.
Third match: If you win, you're free to switch to a tier 3 mech. Nice light or medium mech or crappy heavy mech
Fourth match: If you win, you're free to switch to a tier 4 mech. Nice light, medium or heavy mech, or crappy assault mech.
Fifth match: Having won four matches, you're free to switch to a tier 5 mech, like the Atlas D-DC.

You could also do like CounterStrike:Source, where you actually get a currency (up to a maximum amount, to make sure you don't have enough to immediately buy the best equipment after you die), although it might be confusing to have 3 different kinds of currency in the same game.

Will never happen though. Before we get Stock mech mode, PGI is more likely to implement MMORPG mode, which is 3PV and you just click the enemy you want your avatar to auto-attack, and then you get some loot with a 0.1% chance of dropping Epic Heatsinks of Kerensky.

EDIT: Alternatively, forget the whole idea suggested above and just adjust the prices of all the stock mechs and, thus, the price of Repair & Rearm, so that people won't be able to afford using the best stock mechs all the time.

Edited by Alistair Winter, 05 September 2013 - 01:26 AM.

[GumbyC2C]

I would play the {scrap} out of a 3025 mode, a stock mode, or even better a stock 3025 mode.

[Blood Rose]

Count me in