As a prologue, please realize that what is written below is not a comprehensive plan/proposal. What it is is a collection of many possibilities, out of which an alternative to the current proposal for clan tech can be drawn. I strongly believe that clan tech and IS tech were designed around different styles of play. The current PGI proposal is to take clan tech and put it into the IS system, and nerfing it so that it is fair. Ultimately, this will not succeed.
Rather, I believe it to be better to incentivize/deincentivize the use of one tech over another based around pros and cons. For example, a pro of clan tech is that it is better. What pro on the IS balances this out? How can this pro be utlized in game? Is there a con to using the clan tech that makes chosing it affording other negative consequences? These are the better questions to ask when balancing game play.
I do want to state that I, whole heartedly agree with what the Devs are saying about game play and clantech. It shouldn't be a race to clan tech, with IS tech hanging in the background. However, the plan for incorporating clan tech into the game sucks. It eats away at the very nature of what makes this game interesting for so many people. Which is the ability to customize, experiment, and create something that is wholely your own, and omni mechs are the only things that offer this. The proposed balancing solutions will end up killing these good parts of the game, which is the highest levels of customization.
While not perfect, there has already been several systems in place which can be incorporated to account for this balancing need. What the right balance within these systems for MWO is I don't know, and that will take some play testing. However, these options, or a selectino of them, would be far better solution than the proposed dumbing downn of clan tech: CV, Weight.
The most common system for keeping battle tech games fair is with Combat Value. I believe that this is better than the proposed nerfing of clan tech for several reasons. First of all, the match maker system, suposedly, has been opperating on a similar idea but based on player's skill. The more skill you display (higher match score) the better the players you drop with, and vice versa.
For technology, this works by assigning points for certain items, mech stats, and I propose match score. It would work like this: Each item has so many points. As you install the item on the mech, the Combat Value (CV, or points) goes up. Then the final CV is adjusted based on the overall mech specs and match score. So, for example, if the fire power attribute is very high, but the heat efficiency is very low, then that would adjust the CV down. Also, if you are a better pilot, that would adjust the final CV up.
Then, it is a simple matter of matching one sides total CV to another side's total CV.
Do keep in mind though, that when Clan Tech is used, it's CV would be significantly higher. Meaning that, in most cases, a team of all Clan Tech will drop with fewer mechs than a team with all IS. If you would like read more about CV in the Battletech universe, you can follow this
link, which includes problems and issues with the CV system.
Why this is preferable:
- Falls in line with Lore.
The clans have always been vastly outnumbered, and for them, this is a sport. To see how much they can conquer, with as little expenditure as possible on their side. While 12 vs 12 games is cool, I don't think that is worth the nerfing of clan tech. As long as 12/12 is an option, that is the most important thing.
- Maintains the feel of the game.
The current proposals feel like it is destroying the game. It severely limits the customization of mechs, and waters down the value of the technology. Lets keep the value of the technology and find other ways to maintain balance. I really want to see how fast I can get the Timber Wolf up to. I am not good at aiming, so I need more armor and more speed to stay alive long enough to some good.
- Changing between technologies
I assume that one of the intentions is to have plays go back and forth between technologies. If the operation of the technology varies too widely, it makes it difficult to switch from one to the other.
- Many warriors need it
Let's be honest here, I am not that good. My average match score is probably around 30-40. If the technology was nerfed so that it could compete, then there wouldn't be any benefit to using it.
Other ways to balance:
- Weight
This was kind of stated already, but just to clarify. It would be far more fun and more challenging to go up against a larger enemy force. So the more clan tech on a team, the lower the overall tonnage/mechs on that team.
- Penalties for clanners
Another way to discourage the use of Clan Tech is by adding penalties for it's use. While the greater technology may yield better performance, it comes with a cost that maybe worth it depending on how well you do in battle. Some possible examples:
- Targeting:
It is well known that in lore, the clans can only target one mech at a time as part of their honor system. So this can be forced in play by doing things like once a mech is fired upon, you can not swtch targets until that mech is destroyed. For many, this would be a deal breaker on clan tech. That is good as it will encourage the use of IS tech.
- Honor system as part of loyalty
Loyalty points that phoenix mechs are supposed to give is so unclear and useless (currently) it is not even funny. But, the clanners could use this to their advantage. If they fire on another mech that they are not currently targeting, it will hurt their honor (loyalty) score.
- Repairs
I don't know if repairs will ever be reintroduced and I am kind of torn about whether or not I think that is a good idea. However, due to the nature of the technology, clans should definetely have repairs, and the costs should be high. That way, you will need to kick significant ass if you want the use of the technology to remain worth while.
- Fewer/no modules
Let's be honest, the clanners focus mostly on skill. Lets use this as a way to claim fewer benefits. Besides, the benefit of using clan tech is better tech! Let modules be a perk for IS mechs that helps give them an advantage.
- Lower rewards for destroying IS tech
Clanners VS IS is not a fair fight. So why should warriors choosing clan tech be given the same rewards as those chosing IS? You see this in any game. Take traditional FPSs. If I kill a boss/bigger enemy, I get more rewards.
- Traditional Economics
Supply vs Demand. Make this something that is adjustable. So that the more Clan tech is being used, the greater the demand, so the more expensive it becomes. Then, IS tech is much cheaper. It would be cool if this value floats with actual demand, but I could see how that would be difficult. At least fixed prices that are much much higher for clanners.
- No hero mechs
This probably eats into the over all financial model of the game. But seriously, the clanners only have one hero and that's Kerensky. In fact, there are probably more heros in the clanners given the way the fight for glory. Maybe there can be some other benefit like 'blood name' and whatever that would do, but leave the heros to the IS.
- Buffs for IS
If penealties discourage the use of one technology, then buffs would encourage the use of another. This is where benefits can be given to the IS. The IS has vast amount of space, and all of its facilities are close at hand. The clanners are far from their home and don't have production and resources readily available. As such, the IS would have the following advantages:
- Targeting:
Honor doesn't mean anything to them. So they shoot whoever the hell they want! Let's be honest, this is the biggest advantage that the IS has over the clans. It will ultimately fail if you try to make different technologies fight in the same way. This is essentially what your current plan is. Make clan tech comparable to IS so you can play clan tech like an IS warrior. They are not the same, they can't be played the same if the match will be even.
- Far cheaper repairs, if any
IS mechs are every where, and they are cheaper/free. Let this be a reason to use them over clan tech. This means that you can advance through the ranks quicker, or change chasis more easily, upgrade, etc.
- More and greater variety of modules
This would be a really cool thing that would give IS mechs a much greater flexibility. It would also level the playing field. Not all the modules need to be available to the clanners. Especially things like Artillery and Airstrikes.
- Greater rewards for destroying clan tech
This is the best way. If you destroy an incredibly expensive component and get a 30% boost with your hero mech, that means major cash money. Especially when the cost to repair your mech is cheap/free. It means fast way to earn $$.
- Heros, Champions, and economics
See these points above. Save these things for the IS. Gives a strong reason to use IS tech.
- IS Omni mechs
The biggest reason that the current proposals for clan tech don't work is that when translated into IS omni mechs, they get a significant disadvantage. Why switch out one armfor another on a IS mech? Keep omni omni... any sized engine (with in reason, like currently done), any weapon any where there is a mount. This doesn't mean that you can stuff a bazillion lasers into one arm. Maybe just 2-3. Maybe if using ballistics, you can use fewer weapons in an area (bulkier) than using energy. Either way, the current proposals = poor IS omnis later.
The over all goal is to point out that there are other options. Nerfing the tech doesn't have to be. While I don't know for certain, it is my belief that players would agree.
Further more, in its current state, MWO is not a game. It is a simulator that allows us to shoot mechs. There is nothing to strive for, nothing to achieve, just walk and shoot. It would be far better to put effort into developing a meaningful game, like the one that has been promised since the beginning, but not delivered. This way, the purpose of a hero mech with 30% boost, or loyalty points actually mean something.
While I do gripe, I am over all satysfied with what has been done. I really hope that you were being honest in the dev Q&A video when you said you read these things, and take it to heart. The fans really care about these things, and do agree with the intentions. Let's work together on designing the implementation.
4
Joseph Mallan, on 04 February 2014 - 07:37 AM, said:
They will never love like I could Almond... NEVER!!!
