19 replies to this topic

[Rick Rawlings]

I'm pretty bored. Honestly, I see little that is ambitious on the horizon. Gameplay is so stale that I was just reading a thread where one group was griping about assaults not performing the one apparently acceptable move allowed at the beginning of River City. Why can't we just try random spawns? Have 12-16 per map with a two spawn point minimum distance between teams. They don't have to be especially balanced, because even if it's not "fair", it will be different next drop. Sometimes you will be right next to the enemy, sometimes all the way across the map. Lances will drop together as opposed to separately. I think this would make the same old maps feel a bit more fresh, no? In almost every map there is enough cover that you could guaranty the two teams would spawn physically out of sight of each other, which would be the only real consideration, I would think. I would like to try it at least. It would be something different...

[Fut]

Randomized Spawn Points would be great, but I'd still like to see the 3 Lances landing in different locations.

Also, CW is on the horizon, and one could argue that it's overly ambitious for PGI.

[Lukoi Banacek]

I vote no to adding more randomness to a game that is already challenging for far too many players in terms of organizing and teamwork oriented aspects. Additionally fairness is relevent and dismissing it as ok because it might be to your benefit next round is inherently bad game design.

[Alistair Winter]

It would be ok if this was applied to Skirmish, because the word 'Skirmish' does imply some sort of sudden, opportunistic engagement by scattered forces. On the other hand, people who play Skirmish are typically the people who just want to rush to the center and blast each other, and find the whole nonsense of capturing bases a bit tedious. (I put myself in this group of people, at least part of the time)

With 3 different game modes already, and 1 more being worked on (ETA 2015-2020), I think there should be room for a bit more significant differences between game modes. And this idea may be one of the discriminating factors.

[Sarlic]

Fut, on 28 July 2014 - 11:05 AM, said:

Randomized Spawn Points would be great, but I'd still like to see the 3 Lances landing in different locations.

Also, CW is on the horizon, and one could argue that it's overly ambitious for PGI.

I think the first phase of implention will be very minimal. Perhaps some new cash grabbing features. Would rather see a good, polished and finished product ready to test on the public server. While you wait at it the company will pump another MC mechs for a year.

I am skeptical. But considering their marketing it will be a product with minimal content and more Premium.

Edited by Sarlic, 28 July 2014 - 11:33 AM.

[LawDawg]

Although Interesting, Id have to say no. 1 DC in your Lance or a AFK.. VS 4 guys who have there nuts in a bag, and your done.

The way it is still sux, but it gives ppl time to move and navigate/coordinate with the team.

What your suggesting is a "Lance Blow" out, Making 12-8 or so..

[BumbleBee]

Having a couple of spawn variations per map would be a good thing IMHO, and should be easy do do. With so few maps in game, we need a bit more variety.

Even if they just copy/paste the existing maps, move the spawn points and save. Maybe rename to "River City A", "River City B", ect, but personally, I'd be happy with a surprise on startup.

[Joseph Mallan]

Fut, on 28 July 2014 - 11:05 AM, said:

Randomized Spawn Points would be great, but I'd still like to see the 3 Lances landing in different locations.

Also, CW is on the horizon, and one could argue that it's overly ambitious for PGI.

You do know that the Horizon is quite far away from your present location right? That saying has always bothered me.

[Rick Rawlings]

SLDF LawDog, on 28 July 2014 - 11:16 AM, said:

Although Interesting, Id have to say no. 1 DC in your Lance or a AFK.. VS 4 guys who have there nuts in a bag, and your done.

The way it is still sux, but it gives ppl time to move and navigate/coordinate with the team.

What your suggesting is a "Lance Blow" out, Making 12-8 or so..

I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you are saying, for this, all 12 mechs would drop together, like they did before "the breaking of the three". I know it wouldn't work for assault, but for skirmish and conquest, it would be something new. Also, there are so many randomly "unfair" elements in the game as it is, I think it would be ok. It's not a proposed solution to anything other than repetition...

[CeeKay Boques]

Joseph Mallan, on 28 July 2014 - 11:31 AM, said:

You do know that the Horizon is quite far away from your present location right? That saying has always bothered me.

Right, but it is visible, where as not on the horizon is invisible. This is important to crowsnest person.

[LawDawg]

Rick Rawlings, on 28 July 2014 - 11:32 AM, said:

I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you are saying, for this, all 12 mechs would drop together, like they did before "the breaking of the three". I know it wouldn't work for assault, but for skirmish and conquest, it would be something new. Also, there are so many randomly "unfair" elements in the game as it is, I think it would be ok. It's not a proposed solution to anything other than repetition...

OK, misunderstood. You want it back to CB? Where all 8/12 Dropped at the same location?

If so, that would be even worse. Instant shoot ppl in the back to hit target, Arty/Air everywhere........

Am I still tracking wrong, or you gonna correct course again?

[Joseph Mallan]

Not sure about Good.
Interesting... Now that I could agree with!

Technoviking, on 28 July 2014 - 11:33 AM, said:

Right, but it is visible, where as not on the horizon is invisible. This is important to crowsnest person.

True... You also understand that the horizon is an unobtainable, destination. No matter how far you go the Horizon is always out of reach.

Edited by Joseph Mallan, 28 July 2014 - 11:45 AM.

[Fut]

Joseph Mallan, on 28 July 2014 - 11:46 AM, said:

True... You also understand that the horizon is an unobtainable, destination. No matter how far you go the Horizon is always out of reach.

Whoa....

[Thejuggla]

I'm all for random spawns, in fact for Cw I say they're needed. With cw maps need to feel more random considering we'll be dropping on different planets so random spawns would be a good start.

[CeeKay Boques]

Thejuggla, on 28 July 2014 - 12:23 PM, said:

I'm all for random spawns, in fact for Cw I say they're needed. With cw maps need to feel more random considering we'll be dropping on different planets so random spawns would be a good start.

I'd like to see 16 drop zones, and you choose your drop zone like old Battlefield.

[Lykaon]

Fut, on 28 July 2014 - 11:05 AM, said:

Randomized Spawn Points would be great, but I'd still like to see the 3 Lances landing in different locations.

Also, CW is on the horizon, and one could argue that it's overly ambitious for PGI.

Why may I ask is it you see merit to having alpha beta and charlie lances droped in seperate spawns several grids apart at the begining.

It leads to several annoying complications like...

Near instant engagments with the enemy even on large maps like Tourmaline.May as weel just trim Tourmaline down to the size of frozen city it's all that gets used anyhow.Less chance for tactical variation to occur and part of the blame for "fixed" strategies for maps.

Isolated slow mechs left out on the fringe and rapidly attacked by enemy harassers and destroyed (Puggie's issue mainly)

Players belonging to purpose built lances (set by a player group) randomly placed in seperate lances and thus deployed away from eachother (group queue issue puggies wouldn't think about)

Reduced value of role warfare for recon since we can see them anyhow after 10 seconds of walking who needs recon.


I do however love the idea of random spawn location with an entire company spawned in a single grid.I would go one step further and have mission critical location spawn in random locations for conquest.Neither team knows where the three unclaimed cap points are at the match start they need to find them....ya know recon and role warfare and all that stuff we were suppose to see.

[Bhael Fire]

As long as lances spawned together, I think random spawns would be great and would promote more lance vs lance skirmishes on the battlefield instead always deathblob vs deathblob.

[Nicholas Carlyle]

I'm not sure the maps are big enough to pull this off in any meaningful manner.

And in addition with the lack of dynamic objectives to KEEP lances apart, most of it will be just finding the middle point and making the lances meet up.

It's a pity. I would kill for really big maps, with reasons for lances to split up.

[Rick Rawlings]

SLDF LawDog, on 28 July 2014 - 11:44 AM, said:

OK, misunderstood. A) You want it back to CB? Where all 8/12 Dropped at the same location?

If so, that would be even worse. B)Instant shoot ppl in the back to hit target, Arty/Air everywhere........

Am I still tracking wrong, or you gonna correct course again?

I am not sure why you feel that A would cause B. Can you explain? Each side would spawn together in one of 10? 15? random spots. There would be a minimum of 2? 3? spawn points between teams to make sure they are not RIGHT on top of each other. So, not exactly like CB...

[Henree]

more maps.