33 replies to this topic

[TygerLily]

The Moon Hare, on 07 October 2014 - 07:26 AM, said:

So I have found this game I like but every body on the forums of this game seem to hate the game or the game makers . The scuttle butt is that the user base is so low that the game can't last .

Is this game going to last long enough for me to put some effort into getting any good with it ?

Welcome to the game dude!

[The Trumpet of Gabriel]

Welcome to the game! I would suggest you check out some to the team speak channels and find a group to run with. Most offer training for new pilots and most have a community of really fun people that are helpful and friendly. I've dropped a couple times with HHOD and currently run with the Seraphim. Both groups are a lot of fun and also have a very family friendly atmosphere. If you keep digging past the people that complain a lot you'll find a really great community of gamers here!

[Rear Admiral Tier 6]

Its just human nature to rant about everything.

[Melon Lord]

Thanks OP for making this topic, it saved me from making one exactly like it. I've been playing about 2 weeks and found the forums to have much more people ragging on the game/devs than any other forum I've been on. Which is kinda depressing since so far I LOVE the game. But to counter balance this I've also found that the community in game is easily above average compared to other games. In two weeks I've had 2 negative comments my way, one during my first game where someone called me a "lost cause" for not circling around a heavy in my light (which I was trying to do, lol), and one where someone commented on my bad aiming when I was doing an ok job circling and not dying when I was outnumbered 3 to 1. Compared to most other games I play, that's a spectacular experience for a new player. Looking forwards to many years of playing this game, and crossing my fingers for a MC sale soon.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Melon Lord, on 07 October 2014 - 03:24 PM, said:

crossing my fingers for a MC sale soon.

Should be one around Christmas time I am told.

[Koniving]

The Moon Hare, on 07 October 2014 - 07:26 AM, said:

So I have found this game I like but every body on the forums of this game seem to hate the game or the game makers . The scuttle butt is that the user base is so low that the game can't last .

Is this game going to last long enough for me to put some effort into getting any good with it ?

There was a number of overly optimistic 'timelines' given for features that took a lot longer when the development team -- before this game a low budget and inexperienced one -- realized just how much work it was.

The team has since doubled if not tripled in size since then, and lots of time was spent fixing issues with the heavily modified but early version of the CryEngine 3 (it's a far cry from Crysis 3's engine because it's a much earlier version) and network code. This prevented the primary gameplay features mentioned early on from coming into the game, which we are still waiting for (they have shared lots about the actual plans and some demonstrations of it so it really is coming around the corner in the next few months).

This and some very un-Mechwarrior and furthermore, extremely unlore-friendly to Battletech balancing decisions are rather unpopular with those who wanted a Battletech-based game (which it frequently advertised itself to be when it started). It's a very Mechwarrior game. Which is both good and bad for many reasons.

In the past 6 months after divorcing from their publisher and now becoming independent, it seems that PGI has finally been able to untie its hands. It's become as communicative as they once were in the very beginning, instead of being really slow to balance (and when they do, extremely excessive), they have begun more frequent and less random balancing decisions. It still needs work but at least it's going in the right directions.

So while there's a number of bad things that have happened, it's beginning to turn around for the better. I think it's a good time to get settled in.

[Rogue Jedi]

Shar Wolf, on 07 October 2014 - 03:27 PM, said:

Should be one around Christmas time I am told.

last year there has been a "Black Firday" sale on MC (and I think there was the same a year before but I am not certain)

[RG Notch]

The Moon Hare, on 07 October 2014 - 07:26 AM, said:

So I have found this game I like but every body on the forums of this game seem to hate the game or the game makers . The scuttle butt is that the user base is so low that the game can't last .

Is this game going to last long enough for me to put some effort into getting any good with it ?

Ask yourself this: Do games with healthy populations have to remove player choice of game modes in order for their match maker produce matches that are balanced? Also you can check the player population in the player counter...oh wait they removed that.

[Thorqemada]

MWO is a love-hate relationship - you will find out...

[Karamarka]

The playerbase is not bad, people are just a little dissalusioned about the devs since 2013... soon to turn around by december 21 or riots are going to go crazy here

[Ronin X]

I came to this game a month ago, after a long time additicted to EvE Online. This is much easier to learn that EvE, but even that game always has people saying its dying, yet they just celebrated 10 years and have on average 30K people logged in

MWO is a unique experience, one that will continue to get better as the developer introduces new content, mechs, weapns etc. They are also about to roll out Community Warfare, where opposing units can fight over sovereignty (i know they will not actual own it, but its basically temp SOV). Im really looking forward to that. The possibilities for this game are great.

Im a long time collector of the original battletech literature this games design follows. The mechs and equipment they have so far are indicative of the earlier years of the inner Schere and Clan invasion (3050). The current battletech timeline and literature is in the mid 32nd century (3145 roughly) and there are all kinds of new mechs, advanced weapons, hatchets and clubs (i know it sound stupid on a walking robot, but melee is possible) airospace fighters ETC.

Heres what I can think of just off the top of my head that the developer can introduce:

• Planet ownership/Sovereignty similar to EvE Online. The controling "Unit" would need to defend their planet, and would have the opportunity to develop industrial capabilites, IE mech production, resupply, ammo ETC and sell it on a mutual market funding themselves and supplying themselves
  
• 
  
• Mercinary contracts / Solo Pilot Contracts - Getting paid a retainer plus a cut of the winning for specific battles and or campaigns
  
• 
  
• Aerospace fighters - Not sure how it would interact but imagine being a pilot flying above the battlefield strafing an advancing lance of heavies, or maybe that Guass sniper taking pot shots. May not ever happen but its possible.
  
• 
  
• Battalion sized engagements - Right now network ability and the power of the server to handle more than 12v12 is limited, but that may not be the case forever. Imagine 32 on 32 battles on maps 3-4 times their current size. As computer tech evolves there is no reason games like this cant evolve with it.

You also need to realize that people like me get hooked on a game like this, and cant stomach grinding matches to buy an assault mech, so I spend RL money to do it. In 1 month ive spent 300 to get a good selection of chassis I can use and will most likely keep going. I doubt the developer will have any trouble paying its bills and being able to continue funding advancement of this game.

[Maver0ick]

Melon Lord, on 07 October 2014 - 03:24 PM, said:

Looking forwards to many years of playing this game, and crossing my fingers for a MC sale soon.

Shar Wolf, on 07 October 2014 - 03:27 PM, said:

Should be one around Christmas time I am told.

The MC sale was Black Friday last year and Christmas the year before that.

[IraqiWalker]

The Moon Hare, on 07 October 2014 - 07:26 AM, said:

So I have found this game I like but every body on the forums of this game seem to hate the game or the game makers . The scuttle butt is that the user base is so low that the game can't last .

Is this game going to last long enough for me to put some effort into getting any good with it ?

I can confirm that people have been saying this game will die, literally since before it was even funded. They've been yapping about it since then, and the game has been going strong regardless.

[Void Angel]

The Moon Hare, on 07 October 2014 - 07:26 AM, said:

So I have found this game I like but every body on the forums of this game seem to hate the game or the game makers . The scuttle butt is that the user base is so low that the game can't last .

Is this game going to last long enough for me to put some effort into getting any good with it ?

Short answer; yes, and you shouldn't listen to the naysayers. But if you'll bear with me, I can explain why in more depth:

This game is different from many games you may have played before in that BattleTech was a significant component of many players' early gaming experience. Dating back from the 1980s, BattleTech/MechWarrior was a part of many of our childhoods in a day and age when gaming of any kind was a much smaller subculture than it is today. Thus, many players feel an intense, nostalgia-driven loyalty to the BattleTech/Mechwarrior universe - or at least, the universe as they envision it.

Then there was the slow pace of development - PGI had intended to have Community Warfare introduced literally YEARS ago, if I recall correctly (give or take a few months,) but unforseen problems with the game engine put CW on the back burner. Past a certain point, some players decided that they were no longer obliged to be reasonable, and relations with a smallish - but very vocal - fraction of the forum (not player) population turned increasingly acrimonious. There was melodrama, there were tantrums, there were bans. That's what These Two PGI posts are related to.

So what occurred was that players who were - not without reason - impatient with the development of the game allowed their feelings of loyalty to the universe to turn into feelings of ownership of that universe. Their opinion of as to whether or not this or that individual design decision or game mechanic was Real BattleTech^tm became authoritative in their own eyes - as well as the real reason for anything and everything they felt was wrong with the game. Reasoning then became circular: what was wrong with the game were development decisions that had made the game Not Real BattleTech,^tm and anything that was Not Real BattleTech^tm became what was wrong with the game. Eventually, logic became so muddled that being dissatisfied with the game became a fact they were reasoning from - not a conclusion based on the facts.

Some of these players are very vocal about their opinions - but being loud does not make one correct, or even sincere. There are posters who will try to give you the impression that the game is "failing," and you shouldn't waste your time. Yet those players have often been playing sinceclosed beta, and they're still here! Still others have been seen posting diatribes and bashing the game when they themselves haven't played for months - or even years. To be blunt, these people are fools, hypocrites or both. How do they know how enjoyable the game is without playing it? Or if they've been playing all this time, they're obviously getting something out of the game - say "I put too much into the game to leave, but I hate playing it" and you will be justly mocked by any freshman economics student worth his salt.

There are players with legitimate, reasoned complaints out there - but these people aren't the ones who bash the game and try to scare new players into leaving the game before they've gotten to know it. Entertainment is a highly subjective media, and if you like the game - as you do - by all means spend time playing it until it's not fun any more; and if that time comes, bid it a fond farewell and move on to something else.

Welcome to MWO - and thanks for staying.

Edited by Void Angel, 08 October 2014 - 08:22 PM.