10 replies to this topic

[DeathjesterUK]

So, I know that I can be an abrasive arse at times. In particular I can be abrasive when it comes to the mechwarrior/battletech universe. Its something that I was literally raised on and was my first table top strategy and roleplaying experience. I am very defensive about it, almost to a fault and I hate and have hated seeing the direction that it has taken and I have...said things and treated people quite probably in a way that I shouldnt have. I apologize for that and to anyone that I may have offended and insulted.

That said, my concerns have been legitimate even if I havent voiced them properly and civilly. I havent played in months as a result of the games direction and the way that PGI have treated its customers.

I have recently spoken to Roadbeer as we are essentially part of the same competative group. VOTF is a part of FWLM and we are good friends with him. He has...asked that we give the game a second chance. He feels that the game can still be saved. While I am not so sure, I am willing to listen to Roadbeer as he is someone that I respect.

So, Im going to come back on his advice, however, I am concerned about the direction CW is taking and this is one of the reasons that I didnt want to come back and play the game. The notes and updates on CW make me very sad that an opportunity for a truly spectacular game is being squandered for pie in the sky dreams like Transverse.

From everything that I have read, all CW is going to be is an overlay for the battles that we are already fighting. The more your side wins, the more territory you control...essentially. You can attack a planet, but I dont see any real consequence nor anything really innovative. If PGI is going to repair its reputation, it needs to pull something SPECTACULAR out of its arse.

What CW really needs to be is...just like the sourcebooks for the creation, control and management of a house or mercenary company. A company should have its own bank account, supply of mechs and spare part for repair. It should have the option at later points to buy its own jump and dropships with them purchasing transport in the meantime to get too and from missions. Contracts should be generated, using the rules available from the source material, allowing companies to earn money on contracts.

The source material for making CW something amazing is all there if only PGI would crack open the books and take a look at what their product could be. Have some ambition PGI, stop settling for mediocrity and makes something impressive. Maybe then people wouldnt give you such a hard time when things go wrong, because this way, at least you are aspiring to something greater.

[Johnny Z]

I agree.

But you know what? I think they have an ambitious faction wars in development. One of the reasons it has taken so long I am guessing.

The good news is that in a few months we will see at least a large part of it in game. I of course hope its sooner......

[DeathjesterUK]

Johnny Z, on 18 September 2014 - 04:30 PM, said:

I agree.

But you know what? I think they have an ambitious faction wars in development. One of the reasons it has taken so long I am guessing.

The good news is that in a few months we will see at least a large part of it in game. I of course hope its sooner......

While I am sure that that is true, having community warfare run as suggested would mean for better persistence and in turn give us something to fight over. Imagine fighting over a planet that has a Assault Mech factory on it? If the faction that currently controls it loses that planet, they lose the ability to produce a certain mech and that mech can no longer be purchased by members of that faction. Lost tech factories, HPG wars...the possibilities are endless for a game that would require little in the way of new content outside of new mechs because of emergent behaviour and scenarios created by player actions.

[Roadbeer]

/blush

[Blakkstar]

I completely agree that CW should look and feel like running a Battletech merc company, but I'm not sure the realities of this game can support that.

Just look at contracts. Contracts to do what? There is no PvE in this game, so it's impossible to set up a contract system like in the previous MW games. Everything that the players do has to have players on the other end, and that becomes fairly limiting in a game that doesn't have a huge player base.

There also has to be a way to ensure timely games, either having fixed-time games (like World of Tanks CW), or by finding ways to fill queues quickly. Players aren't going to wait around for 20 minutes while enough players of the right faction queue into games. That also points to limited areas of operations, since there aren't enough players to fill games across hundreds of worlds.

That being said, I've been a tough critic of PGI but feel they're starting to turn things around. What happens in the next few months, especially with CW, will determine if I go all-in with this game or move onto something else and get my Battletech fix from Living Legends or MegaMek.

[DeathjesterUK]

Blakkstar, on 18 September 2014 - 05:09 PM, said:

I completely agree that CW should look and feel like running a Battletech merc company, but I'm not sure the realities of this game can support that.

Just look at contracts. Contracts to do what? There is no PvE in this game, so it's impossible to set up a contract system like in the previous MW games. Everything that the players do has to have players on the other end, and that becomes fairly limiting in a game that doesn't have a huge player base.

There also has to be a way to ensure timely games, either having fixed-time games (like World of Tanks CW), or by finding ways to fill queues quickly. Players aren't going to wait around for 20 minutes while enough players of the right faction queue into games. That also points to limited areas of operations, since there aren't enough players to fill games across hundreds of worlds.

That being said, I've been a tough critic of PGI but feel they're starting to turn things around. What happens in the next few months, especially with CW, will determine if I go all-in with this game or move onto something else and get my Battletech fix from Living Legends or MegaMek.

It really could be made to work. In MekHQ, a Java game that already has a full company command model in place so you can take on the role of a merc company commander, contracts last for months. Sure, they may need to add in randomly generated missions with some AI, shouldnt be that hard. But all the while that company is there, anyone else can turn up and cause trouble for them, maybe because the planets owners set up an opposing contract to get the attack players off of the world.

[Johnny Z]

DeathjesterUK, on 18 September 2014 - 05:50 PM, said:

It really could be made to work. In MekHQ, a Java game that already has a full company command model in place so you can take on the role of a merc company commander, contracts last for months. Sure, they may need to add in randomly generated missions with some AI, shouldnt be that hard. But all the while that company is there, anyone else can turn up and cause trouble for them, maybe because the planets owners set up an opposing contract to get the attack players off of the world.

Sounds great, somthing like a persistent world and or galaxy map. Another thing I totally agree with.

Next faction wars update wont include logisitics they "said". What P2 or phase 2 has included is anyones guess. But it appears logistics is coming in phase 3 and now is probly a good time to put forward ideas.

One thing I know for sure is although a deep interesting and immersive galaxy map and or persistent world would be awsome, and I hope they are going for that, it would suck if it was TOO convoluted or tedius etc.

Another thing i am 100% sure about is that they cant think of everything so they do skim the forums. Ideas that make sense are doable and are otherwise just down right awsome they run with.

I never came up with the dropship idea, i am not sure who did, but it was a good one and they are going with it. They do not completely ignore these forums no matter how some may try to make it otherwise by trolling and being negative.

Edited by Johnny Z, 18 September 2014 - 06:04 PM.

[DeathjesterUK]

Johnny Z, on 18 September 2014 - 05:58 PM, said:

Sounds great, somthing like a persistent world and or galaxy map. Another thing I totally agree with.

Next faction wars update wont include logisitics they "said". What P2 or phase 2 has included is anyones guess. But it appears logistics is coming in phase 3 and now is probly a good time to put forward ideas.

One thing I know for sure is although a deep interesting and immersive galaxy map and or persistent world would be awsome, and I hope they are going for that, it would suck if it was TOO convoluted or tedius etc.

Another thing i am 100% sure about is that they cant think of everything so they do skim the forums. Ideas that make sense are doable and are otherwise just down right awsome they run with.

I never came up with the dropship idea, i am not sure who did, but it was a good one and they are going with it. They do not completely ignore these forums no matter how some may try to make it otherwise by trolling and being negative.

Something else that they might like to consider is combined arms.

Now I know that they dont want to have real Aero Pilots or even Tanks in the game. What they could do however is to ensure that before a unit can use airstrikes for artillery, they purchase the units required and have them loaded into the dropship. So, they can be deployed from the dropship.

Another thing that would be so awesome is Dragoons raitings. Also, having separate characters with different skills in the CW World.

[Impyrium]

I definitely think this would be great, and would move the game from "part of the MechWarrior series" to "something new and possibly better than the MechWarrior series". On the other hand, considering what they've said before, I don't have a lot of hope that they're going to be able to implement something this complex.

The last town hall made it sound like they were quite content with their new mode and Clan VS IS, so I hope they can move beyond that once they've finished that part.

[Johnny Z]

Air strikes and orbital bombardment (we all know they are going to add this at some point, i hope they go BIG with it to "OMG get out of L7 orbital strike inbound!") availability could be determined by who has won the battle at the air field or in orbit. They can come up with tons of great scenarios that would play a role on the galaxy map, planet map and tactical(mech fights) map.

Another effect of sieging planets could be availability of reinforcements. So although the planet may have 100 battles or what ever, when that planets garrison of mechs has been depleted, the planet flips to the attackers side. On the other side if the attackers run out of mechs same thing, the seige is over, planet side anyway. (the idea of garrison numbers, I am almost 100% sure they are going with from seeing the different discussions about faction wars, again not my idea but just makes sense.)

There could be sally moves by the defenders on the attackers drop ships, maybe a fleet from the defenders side is on the way if they can just hold out long enough.

Recon drops to determine the garrison numbers on planet could also be added for another game mode. Maybe a light mechs only affair.

Edited by Johnny Z, 18 September 2014 - 06:47 PM.

[DeathjesterUK]

That brings in some interesting ideas on actual fleets laying siege to planets. I really dont see it as being all that complicated to implement. However, to to grips with it as a player could be made easy as well, while at the same time making it difficult to master, especially with Transit times. They should really look at MekHQ's Against the Bot mode for how it could and should be done.