22 replies to this topic

[Crohnic]

My beloved HBK-4H and CTF-4X would benefit greatly from facing less Assaults on the battleground, while my new bride to be AS7-D-DC probably would not see much action at all. It took me a whole year to work up to playing that bad boy girl!

Tonnage limits should bring more options for interesting roles in each mech class, especially with the need to keep a precious few Assaults alive and productive.

My personal struggle is that the Boar's Head is the first hero I've wanted and $80 Phoenix is the only package I'm considering. Neither would be viable purchases if Assault activity became limited in the future. I suppose I could wait until something else came along that I liked. There will be plenty of opportunities to spend money on this game in the future.

Burning questions:

Would tonnage limits create long queues for Assaults or are pugs really expected to coordinate which mech they bring into a round?

How would tonnage limits affect the value of future packages that include Assaults?

What about the dedicated pilots of Hero Assault mechs and Battlemasters, how do you feel?

Will private matchmaking be the work around for this?

Am I the only one who gives a scrap?

I'm on the fence right now regarding tonnage limits, mostly because I want to have the option to toy around with the Assault class without restriction. Actually all I need is for Santa to release a decent Hero Hunchback next month and my problem will be solved with a shiny new distraction.

[Mcgral18]

They would not be affected when pugging (possibly longer queue), if grouped they can't have a steiner scout lance. Simple as that, they will need to take lighter mechs to counteract the assault, or take a lance of meds.

People will still buy the assaults if they enjoy them, so I don't see sales going down very much.

Private matchmaking would likely let you choose tonnage limits, assuming we ever get those options.

Edited by Mcgral18, 10 November 2013 - 08:04 AM.

[Nik Reaper]

But one has to consider that if the tonnage limit is close to what was used as an example in the post about it, I think it was about ~750t than yes unless a lot of players start using many light/mediums the wait time will go in to 10-s of minutes.

Also the "regular" pug games will be part of the CW so when you want to start a random solo game you will be thrown in to a lobby where you will vote on the map to play and you will see what mechs the other players have selected to play , so first come first serve on the assaults, and there will probly be a tonage counter/limit displayed there ex. x/750t .

Let's just hope that by then rewards and mission objectives make more sense for mediums and lights...

Edited by Nik Reaper, 10 November 2013 - 08:17 AM.

[Amsro]

If you are a well rounded and capable pilot in all classes, this will be a welcome change.

I pilot all classes, eagerly awaiting tonnage limits.

[Durant Carlyle]

Won't affect me in the least -- I pilot lights, so every team I'm on will love me.

[dal10]

would screw me, due to fps issues i can only pilot heavies and assaults when i do play now.

[Davers]

Only premades will have tonnage limits- casual players will be able to drop in whatever they want.

[Roadbeer]

Davers, on 10 November 2013 - 06:25 PM, said:

Only premades will have tonnage limits- casual players will be able to drop in whatever they want.

Damn it Davers... beat me too it Love the sig BTW, that new?

Edited by Roadbeer, 10 November 2013 - 06:28 PM.

[Crohnic]

Davers, on 10 November 2013 - 06:25 PM, said:

Only premades will have tonnage limits- casual players will be able to drop in whatever they want.

Well that explains why no one is talking about it. Thanks for filling me in.

I'm off to purchase my Overlord package!

[Roadbeer]

Well, allow me to qualify that,

It will effect the solo player if they are thrown into a team that is composed of a single or multiple groups making up the other 11 players as there is a chance that an Atlas isn't going to fit in a lot of teams as the groups are going to maximize their weight restriction as best they can.

This may mean longer wait time for an Atlas to find a match, than say, a Catapult.

[Davers]

Roadbeer, on 10 November 2013 - 06:43 PM, said:

Well, allow me to qualify that,

It will effect the solo player if they are thrown into a team that is composed of a single or multiple groups making up the other 11 players as there is a chance that an Atlas isn't going to fit in a lot of teams as the groups are going to maximize their weight restriction as best they can.

This may mean longer wait time for an Atlas to find a match, than say, a Catapult.

So basically, solo players should drop in assault mechs to maximize their team's tonnage.

[Crohnic]

Roadbeer, on 10 November 2013 - 06:43 PM, said:

Well, allow me to qualify that,

It will effect the solo player if they are thrown into a team that is composed of a single or multiple groups making up the other 11 players as there is a chance that an Atlas isn't going to fit in a lot of teams as the groups are going to maximize their weight restriction as best they can.

This may mean longer wait time for an Atlas to find a match, than say, a Catapult.

I go to buy my Overlord package then comeback to see this. Oh you're killing me. Actually that's not too bad of news.

A potentially longer wait when I use Assaults is not a problem. I'm usually tidying up the house after getting killed and while waiting for rounds to load anyway. My Overlord package will load up on Tuesday. I'm happy now.

Now where's that MC sale?

[FerrolupisXIII]

most of the team groups have been aware of it. my group has been pushing people to try and fill their role in the lightest mech possible. im personally very excited for the Griffon, as it will make a fine 10 ton lighter catapult i think

if i remember correctly, the 12 man tonnage limit, for example, roughly translates to everyone has 60 tons to start with, give or take. this is where taking that 20 ton Locust (or flea!) will come into its own. that's 40 tons to either spread around as needed, or HELLO FATLAS.

[Roadbeer]

This is actually going to help the "medium" builds more than any tweaking or rewards that people are calling for, as in order to bring that Assault, someone is going to have to be versed in the lighter weight classes to balance out the drop comp.

[Prezimonto]

Roadbeer, on 10 November 2013 - 06:43 PM, said:

Well, allow me to qualify that,

It will effect the solo player if they are thrown into a team that is composed of a single or multiple groups making up the other 11 players as there is a chance that an Atlas isn't going to fit in a lot of teams as the groups are going to maximize their weight restriction as best they can.

This may mean longer wait time for an Atlas to find a match, than say, a Catapult.

I'm guessing that if multiple groups and some singletons go into a team, the singles will be allowed to keep whatever, and the team make up the difference. This is actually a reasonable balance solution to mitigating the effects of teams in pug matches, and the solos can fill up tonnage and leave less for the teams to split. I expect we'll be seeing lots of teamed light and medium lances.

[Roadbeer]

Prezimonto, on 11 November 2013 - 09:37 AM, said:

I'm guessing that if multiple groups and some singletons go into a team, the singles will be allowed to keep whatever, and the team make up the difference. This is actually a reasonable balance solution to mitigating the effects of teams in pug matches, and the solos can fill up tonnage and leave less for the teams to split. I expect we'll be seeing lots of teamed light and medium lances.

Well, with a hard max cap on weight for all the 12 players, it's really going to be determined by the composition of the 'groups' before it gets to the individual. If groups are maximizing their weight (if we do the 60 ton/player analogy*), by the time it get's to filling in the solo players, you'll be better off if you take </= 60 ton* in order to quickly find a match.

* This is based off of the Demo that was discussed for weight matching, where it was clearly stated that those figures were for demonstrative purposes only and that the weight caps were for theory-crafting only and we're not a HARD FACT. Again, it was ONLY an EXAMPLE of how it MAY work.

Having said that, this will only be relevant if they remove the group size cap, if it remains the way it is now, weight will be filled by a 'first come/ first serve' basis, which IMO will take even longer to fill the weight necessary to achieve a max weight comp.

[Prezimonto]

I thought they were adding lobbies where both teams had to make some size choices before the drop? In a situation like that I wouldn't be surprised if there's added incentives for the team to play nice and take smaller mechs.

[Kanatta Jing]

If your a pugger it shouldn't matter at all.

Weight limitations go into effect for groups before you hit the Ready button. The entire point of the graph we was given was that the matchmaker wouldn't have to think about weight. Just attaching groups that where already weight balanced together.

Oh if you do see 12 heavies and assaults on your team you can know that there isn't a premade in the mix.

[Nik Reaper]

Kanatta Jing, on 11 November 2013 - 05:55 PM, said:

If your a pugger it shouldn't matter at all.

Weight limitations go into effect for groups before you hit the Ready button. The entire point of the graph we was given was that the matchmaker wouldn't have to think about weight. Just attaching groups that where already weight balanced together.

Oh if you do see 12 heavies and assaults on your team you can know that there isn't a premade in the mix.

Yes but think but think about it for a sec, 2 premades get put together on your team they have optimal max weight that 4 players grouped get, that leaves 1/3 max weight of the drop for you and 3 pugs to fill , you take an atlas and they now must take many smaller mechs right?
So if you go to search for a group to be placed on and everyone going solo wants an atlas.. yeah not happening.. you wait till 3 other players select 3 small mechs so you can fit and the ratio of light to assault players is not 3:1 as far as I know, meaning long wait times....

Edited by Nik Reaper, 12 November 2013 - 02:21 PM.

[Kanatta Jing]

I am pretty sure it will be 1 4-man on each team with weight limits and the 8 atlas's on one side and 8 locusts on the other.