14 replies to this topic

[irony1999]

I understand that using the mechs give me a 25% increased rate of C-Bill/in game currency... but thats all I understand...

What I can't find listed anywhere is:
-How hard is it picking up a chassis of a Hunchback/Catapult/Atlas in game?
-Is this saving me any real time in-game unlocking mechs?
-Do we know what other variants there are of the 4 types of mechs?
-Is there a list anywhere of what the specs/hardpoints of the 4 mechs are?

Basically - why is it so great that I start with one of these mechs? And what the heck am I getting when I get one of them?

Its very frustrating to make a decision like this blind... and if there are "no backsies" I don't want to screw up a decision early on and be stuck with a mech that I won't want to use.

Edited by irony1999, 25 June 2012 - 07:08 AM.

[miliardo]

You only get 25% credit increased rate..you don't get increased XP (that you get through premium account)

[irony1999]

OK - gotcha.

Still don't get the total value of the package... updated the main post with my current state of confusion.

[WardenWolf]

irony1999, on 25 June 2012 - 06:56 AM, said:

I understand that using the mechs give me a 25% increased rate of XP/in game currency... but thats all I understand...

That is not correct. The founder's mechs, if that is what you are referring to, give +25% C-bills (in-game currency). They do *not* impact XP gain.

irony1999, on 25 June 2012 - 06:56 AM, said:

-How hard is it picking up a chassis of a Hunchback/Catapult/Atlas in game?

Everyone who plays will be able to start with one of the same four mechs as the Founders get to pick, depending on their playstyle preference. Other mechs after that will be purchasable in-game, via either C-bills or real money. There may be some requirement to unlock certain chassis or variants via earning experience first... no comment I know of from Devs on that, but other games have gone that way.

irony1999, on 25 June 2012 - 06:56 AM, said:

-Is this saving me any real time in game unlocking mechs?

Getting the Legendary founder pack definitely saves a lot of money that would have to go into saving up for all those mechs. The added money earned by each of them will also help save toward other mechs and equipment at a faster rate.

irony1999, on 25 June 2012 - 06:56 AM, said:

-Do we know what other variants there are of the 4 types of mechs?

We know of at least three:
1)Swayback - a hunchback with six medium lasers in place of the AC20. This will give folks a good platform for lots of energy weapons, if desired.
2)Katapult - a variant of the Catapult with PPCs instead of the missile racks, and 2 medium lasers plus 2 machine guns in the torso.
3)A variant of the Atlas with heavy lasers in the arms and an XL engine. The XL engine means less weight needed, which increases the payload options, but it comes at the cost of the engine being easier-to-destroy.

irony1999, on 25 June 2012 - 06:56 AM, said:

-Is there a list anywhere of what the specs/hardpoints of the 4 mechs are?

No, not yet. We can glean from the in-game MechLab video that there may be more hardpoints on each variant than the standard weapons load-out would indicate, but until the game is finalized we won't know exactly how hardpoints are playing out.

irony1999, on 25 June 2012 - 07:09 AM, said:

OK - gotcha.

Still don't get the total value of the package... updated the main post with my current state of confusion.

It is a combination of things: starting with 3 extra mechs, the increased earning bonus (which over the life that you use the mechs could be huge), $80 of in-game money to spend right away, the custom skin on the mechs plus the forum tag to identify you as a founder, and 3 months of +50% to c-bill and XP earning (on top of the 25% from the mechs). That is pretty huge, I think, but if you aren't sure then just hold off. This is free 2 play after all, so you can play for a while before deciding to spend money... and in fact, you *never* have to spend a dime.

[Freakiie]

Check the Mechlab video. You can see the prices off a few frames there. (Atlas something like 9 mil, Cata 6mil iirc, not sure about rest)

From what was hinted so far you will start with a set amount of C-Bills and 4 mech slots. You can buy any off the prime mechs (there are more than the 4 founder pack ones) with your C-Bills (that is if you start with enough to instantly buy an Atlas, but you probably do). The founder mech you get will be added ON TOP off those starting C-Bills, with its own garage slot.

So, if you take the mech you intented to start with anyway, it won't directly save you time, but you'll keep the C-Bills you would've spent otherwise. So say you take an Atlas, you save 9mil something C-bills and thus can invest that into new weapons or instantly buy a new frame when you unlock it, while others would first need to grind up 9mil again to buy the new frame. Furthermore the founder mechs also gain 25% more c-bills, so you make money faster, thus can get more frames/modules easier.

[Blastkowitz]

Based on numerous threads the value seems subjective at best but WardenWolf did a good job summarizing it.

As for me the value was in giving some money toward helping the devs make the game the best it can be than about am I getting xp and creds to faster. When it comes to what do I get for this money well it will be nice to have the ability to choose right off the bat from various mech classes instead of having to save to get that assualt, heavy, light or what have you.

[WardenWolf]

Blastkowitz, on 25 June 2012 - 07:22 AM, said:

As for me the value was in giving some money toward helping the devs make the game the best it can be than about am I getting xp and creds to faster.

Blastkowitz is spot-on here: the founders packs are all about supporting the game and devs. What we get in trade is a bonus or 'thank you' for stepping out in faith based on what (admittedly, sometimes little) we have seen so far. If you aren't 100% sold on this game, I would hold off till you have a chance to play it for yourself.

[xNightAngelx]

also if you arnt ready for the legandary pack yet but still want to join in on the founders program keep the vet and elite packs in mind to. You can always upgrade later why still supporting the game to some degree.

[irony1999]

Freakiie, on 25 June 2012 - 07:20 AM, said:

Check the Mechlab video. You can see the prices off a few frames there. (Atlas something like 9 mil, Cata 6mil iirc, not sure about rest)

Great tip - thanks. I also found that they posted gameplay video for each mech, so I could see the gameplay and layout for each of them.
Based off that, I'm thinking going with Elite and picking Hunchback or Atlas - I generally favor the tank/gunner classes in games - in your face, slow heavily armored mechs...

Also for the record - on the mechlab vid:
Hunchback 4G - 3.467 million CB, 600 MC - 320 armor, 13 hs, 1 ac/20, 2 ml, 1 sl
... 3 Ballistic (RT), 3 Energy (CT), 3 Energy LA, 3 Energy RA, 0 RT, 0 Head, 0 Legs
Hunchback 4P - 3.377 million CB, 600 MC
Jenner JR7-D - 3.150 CB, 500 MC
Jenner JR7-F - 3.788 CB, 500 MC
Dragon 1N - 5.035 CB, 700 MC
Catapult C1 - 5.790 CB, 700 MC
Atlas D - 9.626 CB, 900 MC

Edited by irony1999, 25 June 2012 - 08:07 AM.

[Jiri Starrider]

Also I saw someplace, from someone official (think it was Russ in one of the, "What does a founders pack get me?" threads) that the lines that lead from the prime variant mechs will be unlocked. So no experience needed to open them up. Not sure what that really means as far as non founders starting mechs go. To me it implies that maybe a non founder cannot just start with an Atlas if you wanted to, but may need to work up to it.

YMMV

[Jiri Starrider]

Found what I was looking for that Russ had posted.

Russ Bullock, on 19 June 2012 - 09:34 AM, said:

Seth, on 19 June 2012 - 09:25 AM, said:

How are the 'Mechs different from the 'Mechs already ingame other than the fact that they earn more XP and Cbills? (I'm thinking hardpoint wise)

Yes the hard point are the same. Less unique but this also means that they will take the place of the prime variant in the Mech trees so you will already be on your way with that path.


Also for clarity it is a C-Bill booster not XP

Premium account gives a boost to both but the Mech gives a boost to C-Bills.

Trust me over a lifetime of the product this is a really powerfull thing.

[Glythe]

Jiri Starrider, on 25 June 2012 - 08:18 AM, said:

Also I saw someplace, from someone official (think it was Russ in one of the, "What does a founders pack get me?" threads) that the lines that lead from the prime variant mechs will be unlocked. So no experience needed to open them up. Not sure what that really means as far as non founders starting mechs go. To me it implies that maybe a non founder cannot just start with an Atlas if you wanted to, but may need to work up to it.

Don't you think from a game model design that you WON'T have enough money to pick whatever mech you choose when you start? There's no reason to support the game if you can have an atlas from day 1; I can't think from a design standpoint they will let you start with perhaps the most iconic mech in the game. There needs to be a carrot that people work towards so the microtransaction model works (because F2p usually means a few dollars here and a few dollars there..... it rarely means free if you keep playing the game).

[Jiri Starrider]

Glythe, on 25 June 2012 - 09:01 AM, said:

Don't you think from a game model design that you WON'T have enough money to pick whatever mech you choose when you start? There's no reason to support the game if you can have an atlas from day 1; I can't think from a design standpoint they will let you start with perhaps the most iconic mech in the game. There needs to be a carrot that people work towards so the microtransaction model works (because F2p usually means a few dollars here and a few dollars there..... it rarely means free if you keep playing the game).

Totally agree, but I can't find where that is stated anywhere, so "implies" and "to me". Also how low in the standings is a stock Atlas? Doubt they are giving people, even for cash, the top mech in the game. Hopefully they will be more useful in the long run than the WoT preorder tanks were (having had better types :: cough:: Lowe :: cough cough :: become available pretty quickly). And they will dominate early battles (like the Super 6 did on WoT) but they haven't said anywhere that I've found if there will be, or not be, more premium mechs later.

[xxx WreckinBallRaj xxx]

As far as I know the Founder Mechs have no combat difference than the regularly version you can buy regularly post release. The "Founder" versions, to my knowledge, will just have a unique exclusive Founder purchase only skin and a permanent +money mod attached to using them. Neither of these will help you in combat, the first will simply make you look cooler and the second will simply earn you money faster.

[Richard Mongoose]

In Regards to the OP:

I am not an all-knowledgeable person when it comes to the game, I just spend a lot of time on the forums reading. As far as I have come to understand, there is no "unlocking" of any of the mechs. You just simply have to able to buy them. With that in mind, I haven't found stated anywhere what the cost of a mech will be (finalized costs that is, though there are some numbers from screen shots, videos and posts) so we can't know how long it will take to acquire new mechs. With the founder mechs you get a 25% CBill bonus, and 125% > 100%. We know some of the variants of the four founders mechs, but this has been addressed here already. We don't have any official ruling on what the hardpoints will be either.

And now for thoughts I had while reading the replies by some posters here. Every mech can kill every other mech. From what I have read, every player at start of the game will be able to choose a starting mech, which choices will include a mech from every weight class, Light up through Assault. The carrot, as some people have referred to it, will be advancing your own skill, improving your stats with your pilot and the mech chassis, and being able to buy other mechs or mech chassis variants. I believe that if you want to start the game in an assault mech, you should.

No reason I have been able to find to deny someone the ability to beat other people in the game with the stick size of their choice from the very start. The advancement will be becoming able to choose what that light through assault sized stick will be made of.

And that's my rant on the carrot and stick of MWO.