177 replies to this topic

[Virlutris]

Update:

New mastery packs are likely incoming in the March patch, to include the 5 chassis with new Champion builds.

The LCT, COM, VND, AWS, and BLR were all put up for votes in the Build-a-Champ subforum. I'll update these with the anticipated winners later.

Worth noting is that it's possible that we'll have a pricing oddity with the Awesome, as we do with the CTF-3D. There's a breakdown of this in the OP, but the short version is that the Champ's MC price is set by a flat percentage markup from the equipment in the stock loadout, not based on the equipment in the optimized Champion loadout.

This means that when the stock build has an XL engine, and the optimized Champ build has a standard, the MC prices are way out of scale (overpriced). The opposite happens when a stock standard becomes an XL Champ, resulting in Spider or Cicada flipping for massive c-bills

Whether the AWS falls victim to this depend entirely on whether PGI recognizes that the leading vote-getter in the AWS thread turned out to be a "Homeless Bill Special" AWS-8V (uses all the hardpoints, no 2 weapons the same) on one of the last pages.

If they recognize it for the troll job it was, and bypass it for the next most-voted build, we'll get an AWS-9M laser-vomit Champ that falls victim to the stock-XL price inflation phenomenon. If they don't, the pricing won't be the issue. The troll build on a Champion will.

Note: Posting this from mobile, edits to follow tonight with linkage.

Regarding voting:

Voting was done by most "likes" on a single post, because it's done by the specific suggested build, linked from Smurfy.

The Builds:

The Locust winner by a wide margin was GMan's 5ML suggestion: LCT-1E Confirmed, winner.
**Honorable mention goes to the several variations on the 6SPL concept. If they'd run on a unified ticket, they may have challenged (and beat) the 5ML candidate. As it turns out, they split the vote. Interestingly, the Mist Linx champ is sporting 4cSPL.

The Commando was a landslide, with Ninjamoose's honest-to-goodness standard-engined brawler beating everything by a country mile: COM-1D. I didn't expect a standard-engine 25-tonner to win, but it appears that yes, folks really are that afraid of it being brittle, so they made it slow and undergunned to get the benefit of surviving having a torso or two blown off. Confirmed, winner.
** I'll take the tiniest amount of blame/credit here for assisting, as I pointed out to him over on Reddit that the -1D was a better quirk fit for the weapon selection than his original choice, the -1B. I'm betting he'd been running this on the -1B forever, to make the best of it pre-quirkening.

All the Vindys with 5 or more votes were variations on the VND-1AA (#1 vote-getter is linked, but the voter turnout was underwhelming). All packed 2 PPCs, and 1 or 2 MLs, with a 250-plus engines, mostly with an XL295. Confirmed, XL295, 2PPC, head-mounted ML is winner.

#1 Vote-getting Awesome at the time the tread closed (margin was smaller at close of the "polls," it's been upvoted further since): AWS-8V
**This is a "Homeless Special," a.k.a. kitchen sink build. It was buried on page 4 of the thread.

#2 Vote-getting Awesome: AWS-9M Update, winner (pricing concerns likely inbound)
**Optimized laser vomit.

#1 Vote-getting Battlemaster now and at the time the thread closed: BLR-2C Update, winner
** Blue and green wubs

#2 Vote-getter (upvoted a bit since thread closed): BLR-1G
**AC5s and MLs
Note: These were the first 2 posted, and nothing else came close.

Updated with winners noted in bold and italics.

Edited by Virlutris, 14 March 2016 - 01:05 PM.

[VitriolicViolet]

Any ideas why the Blackjack pack costs less than the Cicada one? I run Cicadas myself, but considering blackjacks are heavier better armed and way tougher it seems odd to make them cheaper than cicadas. Not that Cicadas are bad at all but blackjacks are kind of better.

[Virlutris]

Violet Vitriol Price, on 10 March 2016 - 04:51 PM, said:

Any ideas why the Blackjack pack costs less than the Cicada one? I run Cicadas myself, but considering blackjacks are heavier better armed and way tougher it seems odd to make them cheaper than cicadas. Not that Cicadas are bad at all but blackjacks are kind of better.

Short Answer: It's the CDA-3M. It's stock build cost is significantly higher, due to the XL 320 it's packing.

Longer Answer:

The MC-only variants (Hero and Champ) in the 'Jack Pack are both slightly more expensive than those in the Cicada Pack, it's not enough to offset the enormous cost of an XL engine.

CDA Hero and Champ: 4,600 MC
BJ Hero and Champ: 5,070 MC
Cost gap: BJ +470

Meanwhile, with the stock-loadout 3rd Wheels:
CDA-3M: 2,840 MC
BJ-3: 1,605 MC
Cost gap: CDA +1,235 MC

Resulting net cost gap: CDA+ 765
*Note: My math is off somewhere, but only by 5 MC. It doesn't invalidate the larger point of the mini-analysis, and I can chase that pricing data squirrel later.

Value Added:

The cost of the XL engine results in a lot of pricing wierdness. There's some info on it in the OP that makes for a quirky situation with the price of the CTF's pack, specifically because of the way the -3D is priced. We may have a similar pricing quirk with the Awesomes, if the 9M wins its chassis' Champion Pageant.

[Virlutris]

The newly-minted ClanTech Champs are featured in the new "Killer Deals with MC (Phase 1)." I'm presuming there with be a "Phase 2" that includes the new IS Champs later on. Perhaps in the next 2 weekends.

Reading is OP: The phases are each 5 days long, and the new Champs aren't eligible rewards until after the patch that will make them available anyway. Still wondering if the IS versions will get their day in the sun, but they'll be dropping in Mastery Packs in the upcoming patch, which the ClanTech won't.

Welp, we'll see what we get!

Accordingly, links to follow tonight for the leading vote-getters for the new ClanTech Champs. (no, really)

Mist Lynx: Prime, 4SPL Confirmed, winner

Shadow Cat was a close race, not sure who was leading at close of the threads:
#1 Prime, LPLs & MGs
#2: Prime, LPLs Update, winner

Ebon Jaguar:
Winner by votes, but it has multiple builds so it's hard to tell what's being upvoted: EBJ-Prime, 2UAC10 &3ML and the post also includes a tweak of the First Runner-Up's build, below. Update: GMan's tweaked version, the second linked build in his post, won.
First Runner-Up, in case of DQ: EBJ-A, Gauss+2LPL+1ML
Close Second Runner-Up: EBJ-A, 2LPL+4ERML

Warhawk:
Winner in a landslide: WHK-C, Gauss Vomit Confirmed, winner

Now, as with the IS chassis, we wait and see who actually won.

Updated with winner noted in bold and italics

Edited by Virlutris, 11 March 2016 - 09:15 PM.

[sam wesson]

Sorry for this, just can't find the answer elsewhere.

On the mastery pack detail page it says..

"Mastery Packs offer a 50% discount on in game MC prices."

What does that mean? Is it the savings I get?

Thanks much.

Edited by sam wesson, 13 March 2016 - 06:30 AM.

[Virlutris]

sam wesson, on 13 March 2016 - 06:26 AM, said:

Sorry for this, just can't find the answer elsewhere.

On the mastery pack detail page it says..

"Mastery Packs offer a 50% discount on in game MC prices."

What does that mean? Is it the savings I get?

Thanks much.

Yep, it's the savings.

In the OP, I list the cost comparisons for the items in each pack, including the savings.

When you add up the "regular" MC prices, you'll notice the MC cost for the Pack is half that cost for the list price of the constituent parts all totalled up. That's the 50% discount.

The pack is a permanent 50% off the total cost the of goodies included. They never go on "sale" (it's already a discount of half-off), and the cost doesn't change when one of the pieces goes on sale.

This reminds me to mention in general that I'll be updating the OP with the new Bundles and Champs onTuesday night Pacific time. I'll be downloading for a while anyway, it's a perfectly good time to engage in forum warfare ops.

Edited by Virlutris, 14 March 2016 - 01:10 PM.

[Arkion29]

I want to purchase a Mastery Pack, but I already own the Hero.

Do they credit me the MC for the hero or do I pay full price?

Thanks

[Virlutris]

You pay full price, and you end up with two.

They won't trim an item, swap items, or discount it.

You have the Hellslinger, right? I think I saw your other thread/post.

You could contact support, but there are a couple flags that go up for me on that.

The longer it's been that you've had the BLR-1GHE, the less likely they'll work the account magic for you. It's more likely when it just happened, as in "I bought it yesterday, and it went on sale today. Halp!"

Support only gives one wave of the magic wand per account, last I knew. I wouldn't spend it on something like this. I've been playing 2 years, and I'm saving mine for a major issue, like "My 3-year old went random clicking when I went AFK to help my spouse bring something in from the car. She sold 100 of my 200-something mechs 0.o HHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLP!!1!"

Mastery packs are really convenient for getting a jump on the grind if you're willing to spend the cash, and the mechbays and premium time are nice too. Getting a duplicate mech isn't so bad if you can run multiple builds happily.

I'm not sure the Hellslinger is a multiple-build mech, but then again that's one of the BLRs I don't have. Then again, if you like it alright, and it makes you spacebucks consistently, this might present a nice opportunity to run the two of them for hard-grinding c-bills, even with matching builds.

Out of the match early? No prob, say hello to My Identical Twin! Mwahahahaha! At least, that's one way to do it. Granted, I'd be more likely to do it with another hero mech (Misery comes to mind, maybe a few others), but if this one's good for you, it's your call to decide if it's worth it.

Summary:

Sorry, I don't think they'll credit you back, and I'm not sure I'd spend my mulligan that way, myself even if I could. You can make the most of the two-hero situation if you want, or forgoe the pack for individual pieces, but I don't think you're getting the MC back in lieu of your second Hellslinger (you'd likely only get half the cost anyway, commensurate with the discounted pricing of the pack).

[Virlutris]

Updates for 15 March 2016:

* Added Mastery Pack listings for LCT, COM, VND, AWS, BLR
* Removed LCT, COM, VND, AWS, BLR from "What the Remaining Chassis Need ..." listing
* Updated "What the Remaining Chassis Need ..." listing to include all remaining chassis
* Reorganized "What the Remaining Chassis Need ..." listing due to size of newly expanded list
* Added notes for IS, ClanTech, Omni, and (ClanTech) Battlemechs in "What the Remaining Chassis Need ..." listing

Projects:
* The Underlining formatting gets buggy partway through the OP. At some point, I'll want to clean it up. Not tonight, though. I've done a bunch of updating. Each of those bullets above was a fair amount of shuffling and/or typing, and I want to go play with my toys

* Price-checking: I noticed a 5 MC error in one of the Bundle listings (Cidada, IIRC), so I'll want to go through in the future and cross-check these again. It's amazing how many fiddly errors sneak into simple data entry.

* The Battlemaster price seems off (low) by 50 MC. I'll want to follow up on that. Generally, the Bundle price is half the list price total, with an occasional extra 5 MC difference if it doesn't divide evenly. Here, the difference is 100 MC instead of dividing evenly.

Edited by Virlutris, 15 March 2016 - 08:41 PM.

[Virlutris]

Update (additions 19 Mar 2016):

* Added "Stuff You Can Do" section under each light and medium bundle's spoiler, which includes one or more links to chassis-specific builds.
* Links will include MechSpecs subforum for the relevant chassis, MetaMechs Mastery Guide (as available), and pertinent MWO forum threads, such as "The Underrated Locust."

I'm adding these because it doesn't look like MechSpecs is going anywhere despite rumors of its demise, and because GMan129 keeps putting up solid content on his site at MetaMechs. GMan doesn't have a Mastery Guide for every chassis, but they're solid, well-informed guides and worth the read, even if you only argue with him

GMan doesn't orient his guides around the mastery bundles, nor should he. All the variants in the mastery bundles are covered in the guide anyway. He provides meta-conscious builds for every variant, so you're covered when/if you branch out to additional variants in from a chassis after mastering your first three that you got with the bundle.

Happy 'mechsperimentation, folks

Edited by Virlutris, 19 March 2016 - 01:11 PM.

[Breender]

Want to buy the new Awesome pack.. then I see the pricing problem.... and maybe the worse hero Mech.... then I look into Victor pack, all 3 share similar hardpoint setup....

I know I will buy backjack pack next, but can someone explain the two 80 Tons pack to me?

[Virlutris]

Breender, on 31 March 2016 - 01:09 AM, said:

Want to buy the new Awesome pack.. then I see the pricing problem.... and maybe the worse hero Mech.... then I look into Victor pack, all 3 share similar hardpoint setup....

I know I will buy backjack pack next, but can someone explain the two 80 Tons pack to me?

I'll take a shot since nobody's chimed in yet.

Awesomes and Victors are in a similarly tough spot, but for somewhat (though not completely) different reasons. If there were a Zeus Mastery Bundle (has at least one serviceable variant, also smaller geo), or even a Gargoyle (What? It's actually a neat fast-ish mid-short range laser boat, also lulzy with UAC20) I'd recommend them first at the 80-ton wieght. But there aren't, so here we are.

A couple of Awesomes can at least boat lasers or missiles to min-max they're effectiveness (8Q, 9M are in the mastery pack with lasers, 8R, 8V-sorta are available conventionally and bring missiles). They're wide, and often slow (depends on engine cap). The PB though is kind of mish-mashed in terms of hardpoint types and locations.

Victors are big (dem shoulders). They have mixed-bag hardpoint combinations, which makes it tricky to build them. They're squishy, because they're also frequently running an XL to bring the best weapon loadout. Because they can actually mount ballistics, it practically forces an XL to manage the weight with whatever SRMs or energy they're paired with (not LRM-able). Running a standard engine leaves you slow and undergunned. Oh yeah, they can bring JJs too.

Both mechs have low-mounted weapons. The Victor's feel lower than they are, because it's cockpit is higher up and therefore located even further away from the weapon mounts.

I want 'em to be good. I even remember a time when the Victors were. They're just heavily disadvantaged in the current state of game balance, and the ways to fix it are limited. Structure quirks will only help so much when you're big and/or packing an XL.

Neither is recommendable in good conscience. The AWS-9M(C) has the same documented pricing issue as the CTF-3D(C) (note in the OP, reads as though you've seen it though).

If you held a gun to my head and made me choose one pack, I'd say Victor, because at least you could stand off with a Gauss rifle or screen-shake Red team with dakka. It also rolls damage better, in my opinion. I'd be sweating bullets though, because I'd still be reluctant to "recommend" either right now. Maybe the rescale (and the Awesome's remodel) will help some.

To get me to cave and say something, it'd probably take the first sounds of your hand and glove creaking against the pistol grip as you began to slowly and deliberately apply pressure to the trigger. So, only under duress, and only at the last possible moment. Not great praise

TL;DR: Better value (and price!) at 65 or 85 tons for the Thunderbolt, Jager, or Battlemaster, but especially the Stalker. Your plan to get the Blackjack is very solid.

Edited by Virlutris, 01 April 2016 - 11:12 PM.

[Breender]

Virlutris, on 01 April 2016 - 12:15 PM, said:

I'll take a shot since nobody's chimed in yet.

Awesomes and Victors are in a similarly tough spot, but for somewhat (though not completely) different reasons. If there were a Zeus Mastery Bundle (has at least one serviceable variant, also smaller geo), or even a Gargoyle (What? It's actually a neat fast-ish mid-short range laser boat, also lulzy with UAC20) I'd recommend them first at the 80-ton wieght. But there aren't, so here we are.

A couple of Awesomes can at least boat lasers or missiles to min-max they're effectiveness (8Q, 9M are in the mastery pack with lasers, 8R, 8V-sorta are available conventionally and bring missiles). They're wide, and often slow (depends on engine cap). The PB though is kind of mish-mashed in terms of hardpoint types and locations.

Victors are big (dem shoulders). They have mixed-bag hardpoint combinations, which makes it tricky to build them. They're squishy, because they're also frequently running an XL to bring the best weapon loadout. Because they can actually mount ballistics, it practically forces an XL to manage the weight with whatever SRMs or energy they're paired with (not LRM-able). Running a standard engine leaves you slow and undergunned. Oh yeah, they can bring JJs too.

Both mechs have low-mounted weapons. The Victor's feel lower than they are, because it's cockpit is higher up and therefore located even further away from the weapon mounts.

I want 'em to be good. I even remember a time when the Victors were. They're just heavily disadvantaged in the current state of game balance, and the ways to fix it are limited. Structure quirks will only help so much when you're big and/or packing an XL.

Neither is recommendable in good conscience. The AWS-9M(C) has the same documented pricing issue as the CTF-3D(C) (note in the OP, reads as though you've seen it though).

If you held a gun to my head and made me choose one pack, I'd say Victor, because at least you could stand off with a Gauss rifle or screen-shake Red team with dakka. It also rolls damage better, in my opinion. I'd be sweating bullets though, because I'd still be reluctant to "recommend" either right now. Maybe the rescale (and the Awesome's remodel) will help some.

To get me to cave and say something, it'd probably take the first sounds of your hand and glove creaking against the pistol grip as you began to slowly and deliberately apply pressure to the trigger. So, only under duress, and only at the last possible moment. Not great praise

TL;DR: Better value (and price!) at 65 or 85 tons for the Thunderbolt, Jager, or Battlemaster, but especially the Stalker. Your plan to get the Blackjack is very solid.

Thanks for your information, I already owned the Stalker pack and looking for another assault pack. so I am considering the two 80 ton mechs. Highlander or banshee are other option, but the heros of Awesomes and Victors can use my XL400 (from the Atlas pack) and that is why I am interested in them.

Still, I think that if I want to go for Victor's style, may be highlander is a better option. On the other hand, Awesomes provide some interesting idea like PPC boat, but the mechs in the pack and the costing problem have held me back.

[Virlutris]

Breender, on 04 April 2016 - 01:59 AM, said:

Thanks for your information, I already owned the Stalker pack and looking for another assault pack. so I am considering the two 80 ton mechs. Highlander or banshee are other option, but the heros of Awesomes and Victors can use my XL400 (from the Atlas pack) and that is why I am interested in them.

Still, I think that if I want to go for Victor's style, may be highlander is a better option. On the other hand, Awesomes provide some interesting idea like PPC boat, but the mechs in the pack and the costing problem have held me back.

Well, you know ...

The Battlemaster pack includes the 2 best Battlemasters (2C(C) and 1G). Even though the Helslinger's not one of the top 3 BLRs, getting the 3M or 3S would cost a ton because they have XL engines. Hero pricing is unaffected by anything but tonnage.

However, if you're into running XL400s on assaults, it just so happens that the Battlemasters can run that max engine.

There's actually a well-established practice of running these on Battlemasters. There's also an entrenched habit of criticising it. I'll let you decide which is more relevant.

I'm usually positive or neutral to a fault, but I'm going to try to level with you regarding these. There aren't enough positives or break-evens to allow myself to remain even neutral on those 80-tonner bundles. The Awesome and Victor packs are a couple of the poorest values in terms of performance for dollar right now. I'd get the Locusts long before them, to be perfectly honest. (Granted, I'm a Locust nerd junior-grade)

The unfortunate fact is that the 80-tonners are going to disappoint buyers for the forseeable future, unless their expectations are already as low as they can be, or their place in the matchmaking calculus saves them from all but the least-dangerous competition. Maybe after the rescale they'll be in a better place, but there's no guarantee of that.

If you want to use/abuse that XL400, the Battlemaster's a better fit. It's actually got better tonnage to do something with it weapon-wise than the 80 tonners too, after absorbing all that engine weight.

Now, if there's something especially significant about the 80-ton weight that compells you (CW/FP dropdeck?), I can't dissuade you except to say that you've got better dropdeck options for production with several of the more recent 70- (GHR, WHM) and 75-tonners (MAD, BL-K) than with the AWS or VTR.

To be completely candid, I'd run short weight and anchor my deck with Orions (V, Protector, maybe even a SRM-boat for brawling trick-strat decks) before Victors or Awesomes in the current state of balance. Granted, I'd pick any of the other 70-to-75-ton mechs first for that, but it still illustrates the point. The 80-tonners for which we have packs are has-beens (VTR) or never-weres (AWS).

If you're stuck, it's for good reason: In my armchair analyst's opinion, you're brain's spotting for you by trying to avoid giving you enough rope to hang yourself with, at least for the purpose of deciding whether to purchase VTRs or AWSs. The best answer is "none of the above." They're not going anywhere. No pressure.

You can wait until they're better (when/if ever that comes to pass) or of course you can get them now. It's your money after all. I'd say wait. I would humbly (but firmly) suggest that you're much more likely to get better percieved value for your real money with another mech bundle, or even from waiting until the current pack are better or a better pack comes along.

TL;DR: go BLR, go Unseen, or wait for the Resistance mechs to drop in individual mastery packs if you don't want to a-la-carte them. Even wait for the current 80-tonners to improve. I can't in good conscience recommend the Awesome of Victor unless you're already in love for reasons beyond the numbers. (Which are legit, by the way.)

Edit: Sure, you could go Highlander, but it desn't read like you're sold on those. They're far more solid than the Awesome or Victor. Even more so are the Banshee, or the Mauler (I know, no pack)

It's your cash, I want you to feel good about spending it if you choose to do so

Edited by Virlutris, 04 April 2016 - 04:07 PM.

[Breender]

Virlutris, on 04 April 2016 - 03:50 PM, said:

Well, you know ...

The Battlemaster pack includes the 2 best Battlemasters (2C(C) and 1G). Even though the Helslinger's not one of the top 3 BLRs, getting the 3M or 3S would cost a ton because they have XL engines. Hero pricing is unaffected by anything but tonnage.

However, if you're into running XL400s on assaults, it just so happens that the Battlemasters can run that max engine.

There's actually a well-established practice of running these on Battlemasters. There's also an entrenched habit of criticising it. I'll let you decide which is more relevant.

I'm usually positive or neutral to a fault, but I'm going to try to level with you regarding these. There aren't enough positives or break-evens to allow myself to remain even neutral on those 80-tonner bundles. The Awesome and Victor packs are a couple of the poorest values in terms of performance for dollar right now. I'd get the Locusts long before them, to be perfectly honest. (Granted, I'm a Locust nerd junior-grade)

The unfortunate fact is that the 80-tonners are going to disappoint buyers for the forseeable future, unless their expectations are already as low as they can be, or their place in the matchmaking calculus saves them from all but the least-dangerous competition. Maybe after the rescale they'll be in a better place, but there's no guarantee of that.

If you want to use/abuse that XL400, the Battlemaster's a better fit. It's actually got better tonnage to do something with it weapon-wise than the 80 tonners too, after absorbing all that engine weight.

Now, if there's something especially significant about the 80-ton weight that compells you (CW/FP dropdeck?), I can't dissuade you except to say that you've got better dropdeck options for production with several of the more recent 70- (GHR, WHM) and 75-tonners (MAD, BL-K) than with the AWS or VTR.

To be completely candid, I'd run short weight and anchor my deck with Orions (V, Protector, maybe even a SRM-boat for brawling trick-strat decks) before Victors or Awesomes in the current state of balance. Granted, I'd pick any of the other 70-to-75-ton mechs first for that, but it still illustrates the point. The 80-tonners for which we have packs are has-beens (VTR) or never-weres (AWS).

If you're stuck, it's for good reason: In my armchair analyst's opinion, you're brain's spotting for you by trying to avoid giving you enough rope to hang yourself with, at least for the purpose of deciding whether to purchase VTRs or AWSs. The best answer is "none of the above." They're not going anywhere. No pressure.

You can wait until they're better (when/if ever that comes to pass) or of course you can get them now. It's your money after all. I'd say wait. I would humbly (but firmly) suggest that you're much more likely to get better percieved value for your real money with another mech bundle, or even from waiting until the current pack are better or a better pack comes along.

TL;DR: go BLR, go Unseen, or wait for the Resistance mechs to drop in individual mastery packs if you don't want to a-la-carte them. Even wait for the current 80-tonners to improve. I can't in good conscience recommend the Awesome of Victor unless you're already in love for reasons beyond the numbers. (Which are legit, by the way.)

Edit: Sure, you could go Highlander, but it desn't read like you're sold on those. They're far more solid than the Awesome or Victor. Even more so are the Banshee, or the Mauler (I know, no pack)

It's your cash, I want you to feel good about spending it if you choose to do so

I already decided to stay away from Awesome and Victor pack, and you are correct, I am not totally sold on Highlander, but it certainly catch my eye with the jump jet.

Battlemaster and Banshee are out of my radar for now, I think I will wait.... as my KODIAKs are coming next month and the backjack pack should keep me busy for a while.

Thanks again for your advise, and sorry for my bad written English.

[Virlutris]

Breender, on 04 April 2016 - 10:24 PM, said:

I already decided to stay away from Awesome and Victor pack, and you are correct, I am not totally sold on Highlander, but it certainly catch my eye with the jump jet.

Battlemaster and Banshee are out of my radar for now, I think I will wait.... as my KODIAKs are coming next month and the backjack pack should keep me busy for a while.

Thanks again for your advise, and sorry for my bad written English.

I went back and re-read the earlier post. It looks like I missed your meaning. That's on me as the reader. Your written English was actually fine

You're right, those two packs really will keep you busy for a while! Did you get all the Kodiaks?

Even the basic packs have plenty to play with. Some of the additional variants (like the BJ-1X) are practically mandatory fun.

[Breender]

Virlutris, on 05 April 2016 - 04:22 PM, said:

I went back and re-read the earlier post. It looks like I missed your meaning. That's on me as the reader. Your written English was actually fine

You're right, those two packs really will keep you busy for a while! Did you get all the Kodiaks?

Even the basic packs have plenty to play with. Some of the additional variants (like the BJ-1X) are practically mandatory fun.

For Kodiaks, I get the basic pack and Hero, the NASC is too good to pass up, and the jump jets on KDK-2...... may allow me to stomp on other mechs....

The thing I like about BJ pack is all 3 models allowing different play style, and that is what I concern when I buy a pack.

[Alreadythere]

Virlutris, on 04 April 2016 - 03:50 PM, said:

The Battlemaster pack includes the 2 best Battlemasters (2C(C) and 1G).

I think you are wrong there, just checked the gift store information again, and it's actually BLR-2C(C) and BLR-1S, not BLR-1G in the pack. Pretty sure The same is shown in the ingame store, just can't check right now.

This might also your problem with the cost savings, but I haven't checked the MC values.

EDIT: It's the same in the ingame store

Edited by Alreadythere, 06 April 2016 - 04:04 AM.

[Virlutris]

Alreadythere, on 06 April 2016 - 02:40 AM, said:

I think you are wrong there, just checked the gift store information again, and it's actually BLR-2C(C) and BLR-1S, not BLR-1G in the pack. Pretty sure The same is shown in the ingame store, just can't check right now.

This might also your problem with the cost savings, but I haven't checked the MC values.

EDIT: It's the same in the ingame store

Good spot-check, there. Kind of an odd (and big) mistake.

I'm wondering how that slipped past my QA process. I probably derped my forum skill check because it was like the 5th pack and the 7th set of assorted details I'd updated that night.

The difference in the 1S MC price accounts exactly for the diference in the bundle price: BLR-1S is 2985 MC, 100 less than the 1G, which accounts exactly for the apparent discrepancy.

Much appreciated

Edit: Fixes are in, notes appended in the listing and the revision history. Thanks again for the assist.

Edited by Virlutris, 06 April 2016 - 08:51 AM.

[Virlutris]

Update:

Added Viper and Cyclops under "What the Remaining Chassis Need ..." listing.

Yes, it'll be awhile before they're even available for c-bills, but it's most straightforward to simply add them now and wait for the next move.

In this case, we know there's a Hero already. What they need for a Mastery Bundle/Packs is Champions.

When PGI decides it's time to build a Champion (probably at some time TBD after c-bill release), we'll set to work in the subforum and make it happen

For reference, mechs on the clock for Champions (post-c-bill release) include:

Invasion Wave 1: KFX, ADR, NVA, SMN, WHK
Wave 2: IFR, MDD, HBR, GAR
Wave 3: EXC

Resistance 1: PNT, GHR, ZEU
Resustance 2: WLF, CRB, BL-KNT, MAL

Origins: JR7-IIC, HBK-IIC, ON1-IIC, HGN-IIC

Standalones: UM-R, (and as of yesterday) MAD

Some of these are better mechs than people realize, and a trial could help folks notice them.

Then there are others that still suffer in the game's system and balance. I'd like to see them done whether they're high fliers or not. It's probably a combination of a completionist streak, and the fact that I don't generally agree with "fix all of this before starting/introducing that" arguments.

I understand the sentiment, and yes fixing and balancing is important. I just disagree humbly with the prioritization. It's a subjective thing: dfferent folks, different relative values.

Balance will shift anyway. I'd rather have them introduce the things (Champions, in this case) and let us play them (or not), and then re-tune them on a scheduled basis for balance changes. Could even make it an annual event to vote on which top 5/10/howevermany champs need a re-tune, then introduce the threads and let us play. Free buzz

That's enough forum ops for today, I think. Happy Mechin' folks!

Edited by Virlutris, 21 April 2016 - 08:51 PM.