10 replies to this topic

[Whiskey Dharma]

I heard a rumor that drop decks are coming to QP. I was googling, but there doesn't seem to be a "Drop Deck 101" article or forum topic that explains what a drop deck is and how they are constructed. Does anyone have a link?

[Koniving]

I don't. I believe there's a guy who brings tutorials into this thread who may have one.

I can however tell you rather simply:
There's a maximum amount of weight you're allowed to have. This changes kinda frequently but usually around 240 to 260.
Assuming the regular Faction play modes:
You must have:

• 4 mechs. Must be of the same side (IS or Clan) as your allegiance.
  
• Minimum weight must be met or exceeded(160 tons usually).
  
• Maximum weight can be met but cannot be exceeded (240-260 tons).
  
• Whichever mech you click on while waiting is the one you start with.
  
• During combat after death you will be given a choice for your next mech to drop with.
  
• Spectate when all 4 mechs are destroyed.

The scouting mission does not allow more than 1 mech.

Side note:
As much as I would love dropdecks for quickplay, it isn't going to happen.

[The Basilisk]

Not a guide but some things to consider.

-- Averange durability:
There is a multitude of ways to fill the 250T of a dropdeck and one way to do it is to use QP prefered mechs. One extreme would be to use 3 Locusts and a 100T Mech because you are a fanatic locust pilot. Minimum of 160T is met but your overall contribution in terms of HPs towards the teams ability to absorp and share damage is negligible.
The other extreme would be two 100T Mechs and two light mechs. Again the extremes in your Mech selection can cause you to be a quick loss fr your team. (actually, depending on the team, both selections may be viable if this is your assigned duty in your premade team but in a random team situation this makes little sense for the averange player)

-- Speed:
Like in QP your speed can be a major drawback when you are extremely missmatched to the rest of your team. If you are too slow your faster team will deathball and roll away without you making you a singled out obvious easy target. If you are the only fast, lightly armed striker mech or a fast heavy with emphasis layed mainly on speed then on firepower you will waste your speed (and possibly reactor weight) and deprive your team of firepower and/or armor.

-- Types and loadouts:
This may seem a silly thing to many of the vets but taking to many different chassis and loadouts can be a distinctive downside too.
As a FP beginner or a generaly more inexperienced player, the transition from one mech to an other can be disorienting or confusing. Especially when you change from a smal fast mech to a large slow one. Also the propertys of too different weapons may influence your overal performance negatively. Switching from a dps med to longrange dakka mech to a SRM and LBX shortrange brawler may ruine your battlefield awareness and timing.

So far.

The main reason for some Mechs beeing "meta" is not just that they are objectively better in any given situations but because they are more suitable to be combined with other mechs due to beeing in a sweet spot regarding CW/FW.
Think of the Thunderbolt. It has been the prefered CW/FW mech for some time, but in QP it was only an averange mech. Quickdraw is an other example.
ATM its more the Warhammer or the Grasshopper. ( Timberwolf, MadDog, Hellbringer for the Clans methinks)

Hope this helps a bit
Good hunting

Edited by The Basilisk, 12 September 2016 - 04:56 AM.

[Bud Crue]

As it stands you can only have a maximum of four drop decks. Even in FP that low of a number limits there usefulness. For example if you play with a group consistently and you all run fast heavies, then a hot deck and a cold deck of each might suffice. The additional two decks might be useful (assuming you are willing to spend 2400MC for both) for creating a couple of specialized decks, such as a long range cold deck for Boreal Vault defense and maybe a "breach" deck for those rare instances when you forgo fast heavies and want an Assault first wave; or maybe a base rush/ gate jump deck; etc. But trying to make map and mode specific decks is impossible with only 4 decks to choose from.

If we really do get FP (with 4 mech respawn) in the QP environment as suggested by last weeks podcast, then the limited number of decks is even more problematic. How this would work with map voting, etc. makes it even harder to guess how one would even use drop decks. How many times have you taken a short range brawler, only to get Alpine? Now what happens when you take that "mining colony" style deck and have the problem multiplied by 4?

TLDR: Even if there was a dropdeck 101 as suggested by the OP, I think it is pointless to try and anticipate the idea of planning for them in the QP environment until it actually happens. Just to many unknowns at this point.

Edited by Bud Crue, 12 September 2016 - 05:16 AM.

[Whiskey Dharma]

Thanks for the explanations, all.

Koniving, on 12 September 2016 - 04:20 AM, said:

Side note:
As much as I would love dropdecks for quickplay, it isn't going to happen.

I hope you're right. People on the GD board were talking about drop decks in QP like it was a done deal. I'm not a fan - I've always preferred one life per game, even back in MW4 when we called it "No Respawn" and the rest of the MW4 community thought we were freaks.

[Hunter Tseng]

If they want to implement a solaris style deathmatch (like MW4) then I suppose having drop decks is kinda appealing in my opinion.
But drop deck in the current QP mode with the current maps? Not really a novel move.

[Sauron]

my understanding of the request for quick play drop decks would be that you'd still get only 1 mech, but let's say the map voted for is a long rang friendly map, but you're in your brawler short range only mech, you could have a drop deck with 3 or 4 choices 1 short range, 1 long, 1 hot mech, 1 cool running mech etc, and select a mech you feel you'd be able to contribute and be more competitive in once the map and game type voting is settled.

I've heard a lot of people who just give up when they end up in what they feel is the wrong mech for the task at hand.

[SilentScreamer]

Sauron, on 12 September 2016 - 08:40 AM, said:

I've heard a lot of people who just give up when they end up in what they feel is the wrong mech for the task at hand.

This does happen, but very rarely. Usually it's someone in specialized mech build and a map that is unfavorable to them. Mining Colony, Forest Colony, River City, Crimson Strait, Viridian and HPG can be friendly to any build. However, it also depends on how your team plays. HPG can be great for an Long Range Missiles if your team spots for you. If your team decides to go hide in the basement an LRM mech is useless. My opinion (and it is only an opinion) of the other maps:

Polar Highlands, Frozen City, Grim Portico or Alpine:
- disadvantage for a heavy or asasult mech which is setup for short range brawling
- advantage to long range energy builds and Long Range Missiles

Tera Therma and Caustic
- disadvantage to energy builds if pilots are not good at balancing heat issues

Basically if you have unfavorable conditions your best bet is to stick close to your team and tough it out. If you have enough patience you have a chance for opportunity. If you suicide or quit you're hurting your team.

Edited by SilentScreamer, 12 September 2016 - 09:17 AM.

[BaconTWOfourACTUAL]

4 Mechs, minimum weight of 160 tons, max weight of 250 tons...


End of lesson.

Edited by BaconTWOfourACTUAL, 12 September 2016 - 09:47 AM.

[Koniving]

Sauron, on 12 September 2016 - 08:40 AM, said:

my understanding of the request for quick play drop decks would be that you'd still get only 1 mech, but let's say the map voted for is a long rang friendly map, but you're in your brawler short range only mech, you could have a drop deck with 3 or 4 choices 1 short range, 1 long, 1 hot mech, 1 cool running mech etc, and select a mech you feel you'd be able to contribute and be more competitive in once the map and game type voting is settled.

I've heard a lot of people who just give up when they end up in what they feel is the wrong mech for the task at hand.

So the classic pre-CW Drop Deck, but accessible at map selection?

Seen on the left here, where you can click on any of the four slots to choose one of four favorite mechs to drop with? (This is taken before I understood how to use it).

[BaconTWOfourACTUAL]

Koniving, on 12 September 2016 - 10:15 AM, said:

So the classic pre-CW Drop Deck, but accessible at map selection?

I can see that being a legitimate option.
Yes, a good pilot should make do on whatever map he/she's got. But at the same point in time, it makes it a bit less fun when your max range is 400 meters, and the enemy is popping you from 1100.

Thats the rumor I've heard too, that you still only drop 1 mech but you have the option for a last second switch, depending on map.