14 replies to this topic

[Xavier Dinelli]

So I have been thinking a lot about this suggestion. Why not allow players to have multiple Pilot „characters“ / profiles per MWO account ?
Before launching you first select the Pilot and THEN you select  the ´Mech being piloted.
For PGI:
There would be multiple advantages for PGI / from a business perspective: it would incentivize players to buy camo / cockpit items / hero ´Mechs for multiple factions. Also players would be more likely to buy Inner Sphere AND Clan Mech Packs if we would be able to switch between an Inner Sphere and a Clan Mechwarrior.  
Also – although this is maybe a minor issue – players would not have to create multiple accounts for example to be able to play both as Inner Sphere and Clan in CW (in a given time period).
Only disadvantage (for PGI) would be the overhead Cost to implement an extra „Pilot“ Layer in the game but i think the advantages outlined above would outweigh this by a large margin. Especially since it could be implemented in a rather simple way: Players would for example just pick a name for a Pilot (+ maybe a Callsign) and then assign ´Mechs to him / her. Ranks could be derived from CW.
For the Players:
From the players point of view there would be first and foremost a higher level of immersion. We could assign ´Mechs to Pilots. This would increase „Replayability“ for lack of a better term; especially when (military) Ranks get implemented in CW. Perhaps we could also earn XP for each different Pilot and it would be possible to get faction related (or faction exclusive) benefits.
I think it would be great to have for example a DCMS Pilot with a Jenner, a Kintaro, a Dragon and a Victor and on the SAME MWO account a FWLM Pilot whith a Locust, Trebuchet, Orion and an Awesome. (I play Inner Sphere).
I read somewhere that PGI wants the decision to join a faction to feel „weighty“ for CW. In my suggestion the „weighty“ decision would be which ´Mech to assign to which Pilot / Mechwarrior.
PGI could of course limit the number of Pilots per MWO account for example by linking it to the number of ´Mechs owned (by the account / player). But i would not want to see Pilot Profiles only available for MC, there should be a CB option if it´s something that can be bought.
Also, ´Mechs could be left „unassigned“ by the player so that there´s no obligation to assign them right away to a specific pilot but then they could not be used in CW until assigned.
What do you all think ?

Edited by Xavier Dinelli, 18 November 2014 - 12:42 AM.

[Johnny Z]

The way they have 1 character per account is the best way. For alot of reasons.

But the Clans should really have their own style of mech bay and skills tabs etc.

Tough call.

The idea of allowing the player to switch factions is the best way although they should make it extremely difficult to change from IS to Clan and vice versa. This is to make the most of the two different styles and faction allegiances.

Multiple characters per account cheapens the characters to put it simply.

[Darian DelFord]

Xavier Dinelli, on 17 November 2014 - 05:29 PM, said:

So I have thought a lot about this suggestion. Why not allow players to have multiple Pilot „characters“ / profiles per MWO account ?
Before launching you first select the Pilot and THEN you select the ´Mech being piloted.
For PGI:
There would be multiple advantages for PGI / from a business perspective: it would incentivize players to buy camo / cockpit items / hero ´Mechs for multiple factions. Also players would be more likely to buy Inner Sphere AND Clan Mech Packs if we would be able to switch between an Inner Sphere and a Clan Mechwarrior.
Also – although this is maybe a minor issue – players would not have to create multiple accounts for example to be able to play both as Inner Sphere and Clan in CW (in a given time period).
Only disadvantage (for PGI) would be the overhead Cost to implement an extra „Pilot“ Layer in the game but i think the advantages outlined above would outweigh this by a large margin. Especially since it could be implemented in a rather simple way: Players would for example just pick a name for a Pilot (+ maybe a Callsign) and then assign ´Mechs to him / her. Ranks could be derived from CW.
For the Players:
From the players point of view there would be first and foremost a higher level of immersion. We could assign ´Mechs to Pilots. This would increase „Replayability“ for lack of a better term; especially when (military) Ranks get implemented in CW. Perhaps we could also earn XP for each different Pilot and it would be possible to get faction related (or faction exclusive) benefits.
I think it would be great to have for example a DCMS Pilot with a Jenner, a Kintaro, a Dragon and a Victor and on the SAME MWO account a FWLM Pilot whith a Locust, Trebuchet, Orion and an Awesome. (I play Inner Sphere).
I read somewhere that PGI wants the decision to join a faction to feel „weighty“ for CW. In my suggestion the „weighty“ decision would be which ´Mech to assign to which Pilot / Mechwarrior.
PGI could of course limit the number of Pilots per MWO account for example by linking it to the number of ´Mechs owned (by the account / player). But i would not want to see Pilot Profiles only available for MC, there should be a CB option if it´s something that can be bought.
Also, ´Mechs could be left „unassigned“ by the player so that there´s no obligation to assign them right away to a specific pilot but then they could not be used in CW until assigned.
What do you all think ?

Hmmm This looks like an exact clone of a thread I saw a while back

[Xtrekker]

I agree. It almost feels like it is a missing mechanic as it is, and it would introduce at least a minimal RPG feel.

[FupDup]

The "pilot" that I "assign" to all of my mechs is myself. Why would I hire an imaginary someone else to drive the robots that I bought? They're my robots.

All this does is add an extra dimension to the grind.

Edited by FupDup, 17 November 2014 - 06:08 PM.

[Alistair Winter]

I think it would be pretty damn easy and very awesome to do faction based hangars. All the Inner Sphere hangars would be identical, except with different banners for the various Houses, or just black banners for mercenaries / lone wolves (i.e. blackguards). The Clan hangars would look different and would have different banners for the different Clans or just the Clan star for Clan loyalists.

Add a simple colour change for the UI and... Robert is your father's brother.

[Kiiyor]

Johnny Z, on 17 November 2014 - 05:53 PM, said:

The way they have 1 character per account is the best way. For alot of reasons.

But the Clans should really have their own style of mech bay and skills tabs etc.

Tough call.

The idea of allowing the player to switch factions is the best way although they should make it extremely difficult to change from IS to Clan and vice versa. This is to make the most of the two different styles and faction allegiances.

Multiple characters per account cheapens the characters to put it simply.

I'd be happy with a one-off fee for an extra account character. Really.

As it stands, I have an alt account for 'Sphere mechs, a main that has all my purchases, and a smattering of one-offs that I like to roll on every now and again in the name of SCIENCE to see how things are in new-player land.

An extra character slot would be one of those quality of life things that i'd pay for. If you had (even partial) transfer of GXP and XP between characters, I'd be down with that too.

[CocoaJin]

Devs said they ran into complications, elected to keep it a single character account. It doesn't found like they can't due multiple, just that it's not worth the effort. Too much time and resources for the return...this could mean it's not totally off the table, just low priority.

[Xtrekker]

Seems like this could open a whole new level of cosmetic income.

[Agent 0 Fortune]

I bought a clan pack, but I won't be buying any more. Not after this tournament, when I realized that I will never get to play them because my Merc unit is Inner Sphere.

[TygerLily]

I definitely wish I had a Clan alias...I made my IS "character" but I also don't want to miss out on Clans (ie competitive) by being overly lore focused! Grr!

Edited by TygerLily, 17 November 2014 - 08:15 PM.

[CocoaJin]

I might just create an alt account if I ever get the pressing desire to run Clans

[Xtrekker]

CocoaJin, on 17 November 2014 - 10:25 PM, said:

I might just create an alt account if I ever get the pressing desire to run Clans

I did. Seems silly.

[CocoaJin]

Xtrekker, on 17 November 2014 - 11:10 PM, said:

I did. Seems silly.

You doing it right?

[Xtrekker]

CocoaJin, on 17 November 2014 - 11:34 PM, said:

You doing it right?

I mean having to manage another account on another email address seems silly. I was curious about the Clans, played Clans before (CHH), and didn't want to spend c-bills from this account since it's a pretty huge monetary commitment. If I decided I liked it and wanted to play Clans in CW, I didn't want to lock up my account and never get to play my stable of IS heroes, etc., unless I wanted to tinker around in solo. So, alt account. I'd rather have one account and manage the different character profiles.