1 reply to this topic

[StoneMason]

I'm not sure if PGI has the server infrastructure to run these kind of small games, but I figure it's worth discussing. As much as I love the Company vs Company engagements the game currently offers, both pugging and as a team, I don't think they capture the breadth of Inner Sphere combat. They are also VERY unforgiving, as even one new player in the wrong Mech can doom eleven teammates. They also make it very difficult for new players to learn about the basics of Lance combat, the size of the maps and the number of Mech's can make for a baffling experience and a lot of unnecessary deaths.

So recently I started replaying Mechwarrior 2: Mercs and a few things struck me:
· The maps are small and simple
· Much of the mission interaction occurs between the players sensors and simple targets, like trucks or buildings
· The AI for the enemy Mech's doesn't make for very compelling combat, but it's effective enough when it's in charge of vehicles following a pre-programmed path
· The relationship between Sgt Unther and the player, part of the sponsored Hansen’s Roughriders contract, is VERY similar to the steps I’ve been through in teaching new players the game



Obviously PvE is a VERY long way away, though we can probably expect more tutorials quite soon, what I'm proposing is a contract system that to some extent combines the two.

The gamemode would involve posted contracts to fulfil an objective, such as defend a building, scan a dropship, protect a convoy, for up to a Lance of players on each side. The financial reward from the contract would directly reflect its difficulty, both based on the opposing players (# and elo) and the objectives themselves. It shouldn't be too difficult to balance the reward to be attractive for new players but less effective than full matches for the experienced.

The real benefit comes from putting the new player into a direct leader-wingman relationship from the get-go. Obviously this would be improved by in-game or external VOIP but ideally each team would have a chance to communicate at the start of the drop, perhaps during a set-up time for the defenders. This means that each game a new player has a wingman to follow, someone to talk to and few people to let down, all in a scale that they can comprehend. You could also create a c-bill reward for experienced pilots to drop as Lance leaders and give advice. If the mode was full of griefers then perhaps the number of contracts available could be reduced as you gain experience.

The maps are already in, they just need to have objectives set and boundaries narrowed, some of the static objects made selectable and inspectable. Randomised spawns assigned. Really the stumbling block is if it’s possible/worth running 8 player servers and game and c-bill balancing (as well as the godawful task of coding the thing).

I personally think that player to player instruction is going to be better preparation than any tutorial and that 12 v 12 matches will always be confusing and discouraging to someone who doesn't understand the IP. This mode could create direct connections between small groups of players, give them the basic movement, targeting and tactical experience to thrive in a 12 v 12 as well as provide a very interesting window into the life of your average Inner Sphere Mechwarrior.

I’ve latched on to the 4 v 4 as I’ve wanted to run custom objective RP sync drops for a while but didn’t really think I could make it work with 12 v 12. The real benefit here is that you don’t need to code AI to get a narrative experience. Please let me know what you think.

[RF Greywolf]

I do agree with you on this. I am pretty sure that this will be easier once(if) we get custom lobbies. I know that I always learned more from other players than the tutorial in many of the other games. I think that these contract missions could be a real asset to the new playerbase, almost like an apprenticeship program. I know many players that would gladly drop with a group of new players just to give them advice and some training on the flow of combat in this game.

+1