

Long-Term Survival Of The Game
#1
Posted 15 December 2013 - 01:21 PM
I LOVE the battletech universe and I'm actually very happy with a lot of the core gameplay of MWO. I love this game...in short. HOWEVER, I've begun to become very worried about the long term viability of the game since there are a number of things that are thinning out the player base rather than growing it. In essence, I think if things don't change, there's always that chance that the game wont make it and we'll lose something we all love.
First thing is first. The game is still a beta. I know the dev's say it's done, but the game is beyond under-cooked at this point, and it needs a few thing to be considered a viable multi-player game.
1.) Match history. Pirahna...this is a very basic function that most match-maker based games have. I can't look back at the matches I've recently played in MWO. If I quit a match after dying, it's more of a problem. But either way I'd like to be able to look into my match history and see what games I won and how I did in them.
2.) Extremely low sell value of mechs. My 11,000,000 CB Atlas sells for just under 2.9 million CB's (with equipment included). I don't think thats fair, and I think the dev's use it as a grinding mechanic to encourage the player to "buy" MC. It's not fair to the player and I don't think it gets players to purchase more MC. I think its just causes more frustration and grinding and shrinkage of the player base.
3.) Factions. We still don't have them despite the game no longer being in Beta. Yet the Dev's waste their time and ours trying to sell us $500 dollar gold mechs. Pirahna...if you guys need more money, consider crowd raising, because the game can't hold out in its current state forever with so many missing key-features. It's also irritating that we can't even select our desired house in-game.
4.) Store.This is a feature that would make Piranha more money but oddly enough is still grayed out. Come on guys, this is your pay check...our game. Let's get this stuff out the door before both are lost and quit worrying about the vanity mechs so much.
5.) Player Clans/Guilds/Corps/Whatever. Whatever you want to call it, but players can't organize themselves into guild like organizations which makes it harder to socialize and meet new players. It would also be nice if we could friend players that we play matches with on the score screen at the end of a match.
6.) New play modes. Rankings and Tournaments. We lose some players just because the game lacks any type of competitive ranking systems so players cant keep track of their challenge ratings in any way, shape or form. It's also a turn-off for team based players. Also, a few new game modes would be nice. Maybe capture the flag or some such mode of play. Or even co-op missions with objectives. I think there's a lot of room for improvement here that wil keep the game fresh, day after day.
And this next one isn't essential to the growth and continued survival of the game, but rather, is just something I have been waiting for in MWO for over a year now. The KING CRAB assault mech. Yes please. And thank you.
#2
Posted 15 December 2013 - 01:37 PM

Edited by Lightningbug, 15 December 2013 - 01:42 PM.
#4
Posted 15 December 2013 - 03:06 PM
#5
Posted 15 December 2013 - 03:29 PM
2. You want to sell a used car ('Mech) for anywhere near the price you bought it for new? Sorry ... ain't going to happen. A brand new car loses a huge chunk of its value the moment you drive off the lot. You think a 'Mech is any different?
3/4/5/6. Waiting on UI2.0 and CW.
Read me.
...and me.
...and me.
New game mode coming next patch. New map ready, likely coming in a patch or two. Buggy version of UI2.0 coming in first month or two of 2014 with weekly bug fixes released after that. Second new game mode and CW Launch Module plus hopefully Association phase 1 coming before the Clans hit.
The Clan Invasion package and the $500 package is the game's crowd-funding. PGI knows the Clan pack is a real money-maker. The are a way for real die-hard BattleTech/MechWarrior fans to help keep the only viable BattleTech/MechWarrior game going long enough for the content to be released. That release will attract new players and bring those that left back into the fold, which will bring more money in.
#6
Posted 15 December 2013 - 04:41 PM
Durant Carlyle, on 15 December 2013 - 03:29 PM, said:
2. You want to sell a used car ('Mech) for anywhere near the price you bought it for new? Sorry ... ain't going to happen. A brand new car loses a huge chunk of its value the moment you drive off the lot. You think a 'Mech is any different?
3/4/5/6. Waiting on UI2.0 and CW.
Read me.
...and me.
...and me.
New game mode coming next patch. New map ready, likely coming in a patch or two. Buggy version of UI2.0 coming in first month or two of 2014 with weekly bug fixes released after that. Second new game mode and CW Launch Module plus hopefully Association phase 1 coming before the Clans hit.
The Clan Invasion package and the $500 package is the game's crowd-funding. PGI knows the Clan pack is a real money-maker. The are a way for real die-hard BattleTech/MechWarrior fans to help keep the only viable BattleTech/MechWarrior game going long enough for the content to be released. That release will attract new players and bring those that left back into the fold, which will bring more money in.
It's not a car and this isn't real life. And a brand new car doesn't lose 90% of it's value when driving off the lot. In fact, they don't lose any value at all. But more than that, you're confusing the mark-up on cars (over the suggested MSRP) for lost value. That's not lost value. That's the mark-up which you pay to own the vehicle.
Nice try though.
And yes I should TOTALLY waste my hard-drive by taking a screenshot of every games end score screen (assuming I didn't quit the match after death) simply because Pirahna is too lazy to add this feature in.
When the game is lying cold and motionless in it's grave, you're the kind of guy that will look up into the sky and have absolutely no frickin clue how it came to that in the first place. I'm sure you'll cry and look up into the sky and say something really naive like..."Why God!? WHY?!"
That can be MWO's epitaph: MWO came to us all...blowing minds and truckers. And left us all high and dry just as quickly.
Edited by Lightningbug, 15 December 2013 - 04:49 PM.
#7
Posted 15 December 2013 - 08:48 PM
Lightningbug, on 15 December 2013 - 04:41 PM, said:
Nice try though.
I'm not confused at all. Even if you pay exactly the MSRP (or below it), your car still loses value the moment you drive it off the lot. I also didn't say anything about "90%" -- that was you. I simply said it loses a big chunk of its value.
Lightningbug, on 15 December 2013 - 04:41 PM, said:
While you wait for the devs to do it in-game, yes you should. It's easy and doesn't take much hard drive space. Saying "I could have this very useful information in one or two simple steps, but I will not do it because I am too lazy/stubborn to do it myself while I wait for the game developers to add an official version" is just you being a dumbazz.
Don't be a dumbazz.
Lightningbug, on 15 December 2013 - 04:41 PM, said:
First, I'm an atheist, so the last thing I'd be doing is asking that question.
Second, how would you ever draw that conclusion from my post?
I can't wait to hear your answer.
Edited by Durant Carlyle, 15 December 2013 - 08:49 PM.
#8
Posted 15 December 2013 - 09:01 PM
#9
Posted 15 December 2013 - 09:15 PM
Durant Carlyle, on 15 December 2013 - 08:48 PM, said:
While you wait for the devs to do it in-game, yes you should. It's easy and doesn't take much hard drive space. Saying "I could have this very useful information in one or two simple steps, but I will not do it because I am too lazy/stubborn to do it myself while I wait for the game developers to add an official version" is just you being a dumbazz.
Don't be a dumbazz.
First, I'm an atheist, so the last thing I'd be doing is asking that question.
Second, how would you ever draw that conclusion from my post?
I can't wait to hear your answer.
I think my question to you is when do we all as those of us who are legendary founders, have bought hero mechs, and overlord packages etc etc. going to stop rewarding them for not delivering features or keeping honest to any sort of development time line?
What is your breaking point? When is enough broken promises enough? Yes we were all desperate for a battletech/mechwarrior game after nearly a decade of nothing, and to me living legends doesn't count. But with that being said, how long can they milk us before the game does truly shrivel up and die due to lack of substantial content?
And I'm sorry but tossing us one map every six months and a hero mech here and there doesn't exactly equal content in my eyes. So what will the excuse be when July rolls around and no progress with CW has been made? Because I'm willing to bet that's exactly what's going to happen.
I want a mechwarrior game as much as anyone else, but it's seriously getting to the point where I am DONE ponying up my hard earned money for zero results in substantial content.
#10
Posted 15 December 2013 - 09:31 PM
Come on guys you make this Sh*t too easy.
#11
Posted 15 December 2013 - 09:39 PM
Lightningbug, on 15 December 2013 - 01:37 PM, said:

It's not PGI that's ******** on us. It's IGP, their publisher. If you're unhappy with the direction MWO is taking, you should not be flaming PGI. You should be asking IGP to stop heavy-handing and mandating the PGI devs. Let PGI develop the game they wanted (and coincidentally what the community wanted). A lot of the fellows at PGI are hardworking down to earth guys (yes, even you Paul) who also (coincidentally) really care about the BTU. I repeat, do not direct your anger at PGI. Go to the source! Tell IGP enough is enough! Stop trying to monetize the living junk out of MWO and let PGI build a good game. Build it and they will come (and IGP can still make the $$$)!
To the IGP fellows that may be out there reading this... A lot of members in this community are onto your "end-game." The "gold 'Mechs" reek of it. If you don't have confidence this game will last... What do you have to lose? Unshackle the talent that exists at PGI and give an honest effort at delivering a worthy sim set in the BTU.
Edited by nodebate, 15 December 2013 - 09:42 PM.
#12
Posted 15 December 2013 - 09:52 PM
If you no longer have fun playing, then don't buy anything. It's unlikely anything you could buy would suddenly make you start having fun again.
if your frustration that the game content is taking longer to appear in game than you would like is more than the fun you get out of playing, then don't buy anything.
Continue playing for free, or stop playing for a while like I did. I took four months off partly because of burnout, and partly because I started a two-year degree. Since I came back I don't play as often as I did before just because I don't want to burn out again, but I still put in a few hours several days a week. I still have lots of fun playing, so I continue to buy more stuff.
Every one of us has a breaking point. Mine is a long way off yet.
#13
Posted 15 December 2013 - 11:19 PM
Durant Carlyle, on 15 December 2013 - 09:52 PM, said:
If you no longer have fun playing, then don't buy anything. It's unlikely anything you could buy would suddenly make you start having fun again.
if your frustration that the game content is taking longer to appear in game than you would like is more than the fun you get out of playing, then don't buy anything.
Continue playing for free, or stop playing for a while like I did. I took four months off partly because of burnout, and partly because I started a two-year degree. Since I came back I don't play as often as I did before just because I don't want to burn out again, but I still put in a few hours several days a week. I still have lots of fun playing, so I continue to buy more stuff.
Every one of us has a breaking point. Mine is a long way off yet.
oh brother, it's about accountability and rewarding the dev team for having none. Or is that too tough to grasp?
#14
Posted 15 December 2013 - 11:49 PM
spectralthundr, on 15 December 2013 - 11:19 PM, said:
Then hold them accountable. You have obviously reached that point.
I will continue to support them as long as they deliver (what is to me anyway) a fun game to play. The moment something changes to make it not fun to play (whether it's a change they make or a change in my own play preferences), I will no longer buy anything.
#15
Posted 16 December 2013 - 12:05 AM
#16
Posted 16 December 2013 - 01:01 AM
Durant Carlyle, on 15 December 2013 - 03:29 PM, said:
2. You want to sell a used car ('Mech) for anywhere near the price you bought it for new? Sorry ... ain't going to happen. A brand new car loses a huge chunk of its value the moment you drive off the lot. You think a 'Mech is any different?
3/4/5/6. Waiting on UI2.0 and CW.
Read me.
...and me.
...and me.
New game mode coming next patch. New map ready, likely coming in a patch or two. Buggy version of UI2.0 coming in first month or two of 2014 with weekly bug fixes released after that. Second new game mode and CW Launch Module plus hopefully Association phase 1 coming before the Clans hit.
The Clan Invasion package and the $500 package is the game's crowd-funding. PGI knows the Clan pack is a real money-maker. The are a way for real die-hard BattleTech/MechWarrior fans to help keep the only viable BattleTech/MechWarrior game going long enough for the content to be released. That release will attract new players and bring those that left back into the fold, which will bring more money in.
I kind of pity you for posting ths... brand loyalty is a marketing mans dream
#18
Posted 16 December 2013 - 02:34 AM
I had always jokingly said that PGI was milking the fanboys for every penny they could before they crash this game in the ground. I am now saying it and not joking however.
Community Warfare? Not so much as a screenshot of the Inner Sphere.
UI 2.0? They've already said it is months away and will be buggy as hell when implemented.
New game modes? Well it took them a year and a half to just make a game mode where you take the friggin base away.
forget about lobbies, voip, DX11, game balance......I could go on with a very long list but its so very depressing.
Anyone who is thinking this is a sane or good marketing decision is totally delusional. I really believe PGI is trying to alienate their playerbase. I don't know why they would do that but all of the evidence over the past year thats the only conclusion I can come to.
At this point, all I can hope for is somebody picking up the title after PGI is done molesting it and make a real Mechwarrior game.
#19
Posted 16 December 2013 - 03:17 AM
#20
Posted 16 December 2013 - 03:20 AM
My guesstimate would be that MWO will keep on going for another 11/2 to 2 years before it finally gets shut down.
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