19 replies to this topic

[AEgg]

So, we all know that in lore, one of the biggest advantages the clans had was omimechs. But in the game's current implementation, the IS already has omnimechs (basically). And we need a balancing factor for the clans.

What if the downside to clans was that IS got omnimechs, but clan mechs couldn't be customized at all? Yes, it's a complete reversal of the lore. But consider it for a second.

It's quite obvious that an optimized build is substantially more powerful than a stock build. However, clan equipment is simply better than IS equipment. So if the IS could field customized mechs, but the clans were limited to the stock configurations, it may very well work out. Especially considering that many Clan weapons are hotter than IS weapons, and heat is already the biggest issue with many stock builds.

Balancing by team size or by faction still could mean people simply stop playing IS, so the best solution is something that makes clan mechs less effective in battle but still better on paper. The only other ways I can think of accomplishing this are preventing Clan mechs from dropping in groups or removing all ingame chat for the clans. But neither of those would go over very well.

Thoughts?

[Skye Storm]

May the flame begin!

[CyclonerM]

I had suggested something along this lines, allowing only weapons customization as lore dictates. Another thing i always said is that IS Battlemechs are too easily customizable and the only way to balance IS and Clan 'Mechs is making the latters less customizable compared to Battlemechs, which is absurd however...

I still do not get why PGI thought that free hardpoint weapon customization could have granted more freedom to the players without things like, you know, free abuse of weapon combos which leads to horrible fix mechanics AND often reduced feeling of differences between chassis, which are now reduced almost to hitboxes, ECM and JJ yes or no. Sad.

[Odanan]

CyclonerM, on 08 December 2013 - 04:47 AM, said:

I had suggested something along this lines, allowing only weapons customization as lore dictates. Another thing i always said is that IS Battlemechs are too easily customizable and the only way to balance IS and Clan 'Mechs is making the latters less customizable compared to Battlemechs, which is absurd however...

I still do not get why PGI thought that free hardpoint weapon customization could have granted more freedom to the players without things like, you know, free abuse of weapon combos which leads to horrible fix mechanics AND often reduced feeling of differences between chassis, which are now reduced almost to hitboxes, ECM and JJ yes or no. Sad.

Still, it is much better than MW2 & MW3 free customization (or the MW4 "omni-hardpoints")...

(if they added Sized Hardpoints, it would be perfect)

About the Clans, tough... the problem is not customization, it is the Clan tech itself. (some mechs simply don't need customization, like the Timber Wolf D, with 2x ER PPC and 4x SSRM6, full armor and great speed)

Edited by Odanan, 08 December 2013 - 05:11 AM.

[Odanan]

You know, about the Clans there is a solution (but you are not going to like it), which is rewinding the timeline 10 years and making Clan mechs fight only against Clan mechs and IS mechs fight only against IS mechs...

[CyclonerM]

Odanan, on 08 December 2013 - 05:13 AM, said:

(but you are not going to like it)

Maybe you just answered yourself

It may be a bit too late to change the timeline setting..

[Odanan]

CyclonerM, on 08 December 2013 - 05:17 AM, said:

Maybe you just answered yourself

It may be a bit too late to change the timeline setting..

They already did that.

[CyclonerM]

Odanan, on 08 December 2013 - 07:16 AM, said:

They already did that.

Neg, they just suspended it (probably until CW phase 2 comes out?)

[CyclonerM]

Marack Drock, on 09 December 2013 - 07:35 PM, said:

If I can't modify my Mad Cat then I quit.

You can, but only your weapon loadout as canon dictates. To compensate, you should have much greater weapon customization.

[Joseph Mallan]

CyclonerM, on 08 December 2013 - 04:47 AM, said:

I had suggested something along this lines, allowing only weapons customization as lore dictates. Another thing i always said is that IS Battlemechs are too easily customizable and the only way to balance IS and Clan 'Mechs is making the latters less customizable compared to Battlemechs, which is absurd however...

I still do not get why PGI thought that free hardpoint weapon customization could have granted more freedom to the players without things like, you know, free abuse of weapon combos which leads to horrible fix mechanics AND often reduced feeling of differences between chassis, which are now reduced almost to hitboxes, ECM and JJ yes or no. Sad.

I agree with You with one exception. We don't have actual Factories in game and we on't know how long it is between drops. I could be in transit for a year from drop A to drop B. Time is a bit of Hand wavium we have to accept.

[Mantazz]

AEgg, on 07 December 2013 - 04:51 PM, said:

Snip*

What if the downside to clans was that IS got omnimechs, but clan mechs couldn't be customized at all? Yes, it's a complete reversal of the lore. But consider it for a second.

Snip*

May this suggestion burn to a crisp in the fishbowl of mordor.... No, just no....

[dragnier1]

I suddenly had this thought, that if the clans were implemented as original, a superbly skilled player could even win in a 1 v 12 match.

Stock engines wouldn't make a difference for the solo player.

[Autobot9000]

I have to disagree. In my humble opinion the entire customizability thing should be entirely tied to an achievement mechanic. In the lore a clan warrior can not simply customize it's mechs configuration. If you're a bad pilot the clan will decide your configuration and impose strict rules upon you. But if you're actually a good pilot they will grant you more rights to customize your mech. In my opinion there should be an achievement point mechanic, you would earn those in matches and can spend them towards customization of your initially bought configuration.

Actually I am against customizing inner sphere mechs at all. The unique fun factor about inner sphere mechs is their originality. In the clan mech design post PGI stated the CT would be a portion that identifies a configuration, i.e. the thing that makes one mech unique. The hardpoint system for inner sphere mechs isn't making mechs unique enough. But simply doing the removal of IS configurability and achievement / configuration mechanic for clans would probably not do the job alone. There would need to be more motivations to play the IS faction. All in all I would like to see more role playing / lore aspects put into this game to motivate people playing it and to make it more interesting.

[Jaroth Corbett]

Odanan, on 08 December 2013 - 05:07 AM, said:

Still, it is much better than MW2 & MW3 free customization (or the MW4 "omni-hardpoints")...

(if they added Sized Hardpoints, it would be perfect)

About the Clans, tough... the problem is not customization, it is the Clan tech itself. (some mechs simply don't need customization, like the Timber Wolf D, with 2x ER PPC and 4x SSRM6, full armor and great speed)

MW3 was my first game in the series & I rather quite liked the customization options thank you very much. How is this better?

Odanan, on 08 December 2013 - 05:13 AM, said:

You know, about the Clans there is a solution (but you are not going to like it), which is rewinding the timeline 10 years and making Clan mechs fight only against Clan mechs and IS mechs fight only against IS mechs...

I did mention that sometine ago.

Edited by Jaroth Corbett, 17 December 2013 - 08:26 AM.

[TibsVT]

Marack Drock, on 09 December 2013 - 07:35 PM, said:

If I can't modify my Mad Cat then I quit.

We do not have Mad Cats, we have Timber Wolves.

Edited by KelesK, 19 December 2013 - 12:04 AM.

[zenstrata]

This is a terrible suggestion. A huge part of MechWarrior is the ability to customize your mech. Without that, it isn't MechWarrior any longer, just another big robot game.

[Dakkaface]

Can we report for necromancy? Because seriously, this is getting annoying.

[Pariah Devalis]

We have been getting so many Necros lately. What is up with it? I mean, suddenly, bam! I understand the Clans are bringing more people to the subsection, now, but some of these were like 3 pages away or farther. o_0

[Gyrok]

Marack Drock, on 09 December 2013 - 07:35 PM, said:

If I can't modify my Mad Cat then I quit.

Mad...Cat...? What is this of which you speak...? They have modifiable angry kittens in the Inner Sphere?

[Daneiel]

Marack Drock, on 04 June 2014 - 01:19 PM, said:

Sorry. I grew up calling it by its Inner Sphere name (I primarily grew up playing MW4 and MW3).

You know there is one very nice little topic Understanding Clan Mechs and Their InnerSphere Names can help you !!!!!