184 replies to this topic

[Kushko]

I have to say im not a big fan of the 1 light 1 medium 1 heavy and 1 assault that we'll have to bring in the CW dropship. I would much rather it have a tonage limit and we decide for ourselves what combination of mechs to bring.

So for example 4 mechs maximum (with a chance to bring less than 4 if that is what you chose) but lets say 250 tons limit. Can bring 2 100t assaults and 2 25t lights or 2 75t heavys and 2 50t mediums or 3 80t assaults, etc... This way people would bring the mechs they are comfortable with (if you are a light pilot only, bring 4 light mechs and leave ~100 tons free if that is what you enjoy). It would also give a greater purpose to all the lighter mechs of any weight class that would let you mix and match closer to maximum tonnage.

Edited by Kushko, 25 September 2014 - 08:48 AM.

[stjobe]

Learn to pilot all weight classes, it's good for you.

[ApolloKaras]

Yes tonnage limits indeed. The 3/3/3/3 1/1/1/1 has killed 40 tonners, 60 tonners, 20/25 tonners, these mechs have no place. Why would you bring a Vindicator over a Shadow Hawk, a commando over an Ember, a Dragon over a Cataphract?

Its not about piloting all weight classes its about trying NOT to phase out half the available chassis.

Edited by Saxie, 25 September 2014 - 08:53 AM.

[Hobo Dan]

Kushko, on 25 September 2014 - 08:47 AM, said:

I have to say im not a big fan of the 1 light 1 medium 1 heavy and 1 assault that we'll have to bring in the CW dropship. I would much rather it have a tonage limit and we decide for ourselves what combination of mechs to bring.

So for example 4 mechs maximum (with a chance to bring less than 4 if that is what you chose) but lets say 250 tons limit. Can bring 2 100t assaults and 2 25t lights or 2 75t heavys and 2 50t mediums or 3 80t assaults, etc... This way people would bring the mechs they are comfortable with (if you are a light pilot only, bring 4 light mechs and leave ~100 tons free if that is what you enjoy). It would also give a greater purpose to all the lighter mechs of any weight class that would let you mix and match closer to maximum tonnage.

I take your suggestion a step further but also drop to 200ton max. No mech limit at all, so if someone wants to bring 10 Locusts, they can.

[ApolloKaras]

Hobo Dan, on 25 September 2014 - 08:56 AM, said:

I take your suggestion a step further but also drop to 200ton max. No mech limit at all, so if someone wants to bring 10 Locusts, they can.

lol! Now this is an interesting take.

[Hobo Dan]

I’m serious. Make each individual’s drop ship have a max carrying capacity of 200 tons. Whatever you can fit in that 200 tons is what you bring to battle (be it two Direwolves or 10 Locusts). When your first mech is destroyed, re-drop in your next mech, repeat.

Will some people always bring two 100 ton assaults? Sure, but they are out of the match after both are wrecked. This will encourage off tonnage mech usage because no one wants to leave tonnage on the table, so if you have 20 to 45 tons left over after picking your favorite heavy or assault, why not grab a Vindicator, BJ, Commando, or Locust? Or maybe you look at the difference between a 65 ton mech and a 60 ton mech and realize dropping that extra 5 tones will let you bring a Firestarter or Jenner that could be really powerful in the late game when drop ships are depleted and armor is sheared off.

And if you want to look at it from a business standpoint, this means people will need more mech chassis if they choose to go with lower tonnages and more available replacements. C-Bill sink and potentially Mechbay selling point. Obviously you could always round out your drop ship with trials but ewwww…

[Kushko]

Oh and another plus to the tonnage limit over the 1/1/1/1 is that it would give more meaning to the train 3 to master 1 skill system, since some people might enjoy a certain mech so much they would bring 2 or even 3 of the same chassis (like Hobo Dan enjoys the Locust ) which they would have from their attempt to master 1. So a system which i am sorry to say most people kind of dislike (buy 3 to master 1) all of a sudden has extra benefits which some of us might enjoy.

Edited by Kushko, 25 September 2014 - 09:15 AM.

[TercieI]

So at 250, I'd bring three TBRs and a Mist Lynx that I would use last if I had to. That's better how?

Edited by Terciel1976, 25 September 2014 - 09:15 AM.

[Killstorm999999]

Hobo Dan, on 25 September 2014 - 09:12 AM, said:

Will some people always bring two 100 ton assaults? Sure, but they are out of the match after both are wrecked. This will encourage off tonnage mech usage because no one wants to leave tonnage on the table, so if you have 20 to 45 tons left over after picking your favorite heavy or assault, why not grab a Vindicator, BJ, Commando, or Locust? Or maybe you look at the difference between a 65 ton mech and a 60 ton mech and realize dropping that extra 5 tones will let you bring a Firestarter or Jenner that could be really powerful in the late game when drop ships are depleted and armor is sheared off.

Yes, I like all the scenarios pointed out here! And its all so much more interesting then just 1/1/1/1. A lot of mechs will see use.

[Kushko]

Hobo Dan, on 25 September 2014 - 08:56 AM, said:

I take your suggestion a step further but also drop to 200ton max. No mech limit at all, so if someone wants to bring 10 Locusts, they can.

A dropship has max available pod spaces for mechs. Have to secure the mechs for space travel and reentry...one can not simply pile up 5 Locusts in a spot where an Atlas is supposed to be and hope for the best. I do like your way of thinking though and an endless wave of Locust or one could say a Locust plague sure would be enjoyable.

Edited by Kushko, 25 September 2014 - 09:23 AM.

[Eddrick]

Hobo Dan, on 25 September 2014 - 08:56 AM, said:

I take your suggestion a step further but also drop to 200ton max. No mech limit at all, so if someone wants to bring 10 Locusts, they can.

That would be better.

One of the problems with Tonnage Limits in MWO is, set force numbers. If there was no minimum limit to how many players a team could have or a limit to how many respawns a person could have in Drop Ship Mode. Tonnage Limits would be fine.

[Hobo Dan]

Terciel1976, on 25 September 2014 - 09:15 AM, said:

So at 250, I'd bring three TBRs and a Mist Lynx that I would use last if I had to. That's better how?

It's better because with 1/1/1/1 you only get to bring 1 TBR.

[Josef Nader]

Compromise. People must bring 1/1/1/1, but they also have to operate on a tonnage limit of 235 or so. That way, if you want to bring your Atlas and Orion, you better enjoy your Cicadas and Locusts.

[Kushko]

This system would also give an easy way to balance IS vs Clan (if at the end of the xl engine nerf/fix and quirks there still is an imbalance) by simply giving IS dropships a couple extra tons to play with.

Josef Nader, on 25 September 2014 - 09:24 AM, said:

Compromise. People must bring 1/1/1/1, but they also have to operate on a tonnage limit of 235 or so. That way, if you want to bring your Atlas and Orion, you better enjoy your Cicadas and Locusts.

In my opinion that would just be putting a good restriction on top of a bad and actually making it worse.

Edited by Kushko, 25 September 2014 - 09:29 AM.

[keith]

as much as i want to see tonnage based drops(much more fun and more choices) lore is on their side.
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Leopard
nothing about how many tons it hold, just 4 mechs.

[Kushko]

keith, on 25 September 2014 - 09:28 AM, said:

as much as i want to see tonnage based drops(much more fun and more choices) lore is on their side.
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Leopard
nothing about how many tons it hold, just 4 mechs.

I actually got a response from Russ in the feedback mail saying that he is in favor of a tonnage limit, so now we just have to convince Paul...and we all know how easy that can be.

As for strict lore, i think thats pretty much out the window with each player having their own Dropship and respawning in to a new body/running back to the dropship from a destroyed mech and coming back up to 4 times in 30minutes. Also even if we did strictly follow lore it wouldn't actually support the 1/1/1/1 either so lore is pretty much on noones side.

Edited by Kushko, 25 September 2014 - 09:38 AM.

[Hobo Dan]

Kushko, on 25 September 2014 - 09:31 AM, said:

As for strict lore, i think thats pretty much out the window with each player having their own Dropship and respawning in to a new body/running back to the dropship from a destroyed mech and coming back up to 4 times in 30minutes. Also even if we did strictly follow lore it wouldn't actually support the 1/1/1/1 so lore is pretty much on noones side.

I was about to say the same thing, I've never been a huge LoreWarrior anyways.

[Mechteric]

I think a dropship tonnage limit would be the best idea as well, still cap it out at 4 mechs max, but make it so you can choose to bring fewer than 4 mechs (for larger mechs or less than max tonnage if you prefer all lights).


Only thing I couldn't say for sure is what the limit should be. 200 seems it could be a bit low though, so maybe 250? That's just 15 tons short of if you took the max weight of each weight class, so it seems fair, and averages out to four 60 tonners which is a reasonable mass average on the field.


The only reason I think this would be better is because many people are simply better at one weight class as opposed to another. A good light pilot may be terrible in assaults, and vice versa. It doesn't seem effective to force everyone to be proficient in every weight class when they have specialties they've honed on.

Edited by CapperDeluxe, 25 September 2014 - 09:53 AM.

[WildeKarde]

It could be interesting have just tonnage with no mech limits but you could abuse it. Taking the 10 locusts for example each could have an airstrike on them. Run in, launch airstrike, possibly die. Next mech run in, launch airstrike, possibly die. etc.

Although being potentially killed 10 times in one match might play havoc with your K/D stats though

[Hospy]

I think this is a great idea and I second it.