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The only Battletech game I played was Mechwarrior 2 on the PSX. So please keep that in mind.
So, as the title suggests, I would love to see some strategic elements in MWO in the future. I am sure, that PGI
has some Ideas for CW and the future of MWO but I just want to share an idea I got while scrolling trough the forums.
I bet a fair amount of the people in this forum have at least heard of the Game Natural Selection or the sequel.
To explain it shortly: We have 2 teams which both have a base and a commander and a relativly large map with points to capture and structures which can be build
kinda like in Starcraft/Command & Conquer (or other RTS's). The clue is, that the units on the field are real people which get orders from their commander.
The commander has ressources and an 3D-overview over the map (fog of war should be included) and manages buildings, ressources (credits*) and gives orders to the players on the field.
On a side note, this could improve PUG matches greatly, if both parties (players and commander) are cooperating properly.
* I use the term credits instead of c-bills so that no one gets the idea that units should buy new mechs to let them drop or what ever. Its only a value to balance dropped mechs.
:: Starting Phase ::
The mode I have in mind is set up so that both teams start with a starting amount of credits which can be used to drop cetrain mechs. No 12x Direwolf push because it would
cost to much credits. I know that a set value, like credits or Battlevalue, maybe not the best way to balance things, but its purpose now is to explain it better. That way, we can balance the woth of some IS-Mechs with
the worth of some Clan-mechs and maybe even it up so that their can't be so many high tier clans. I know its a hot topic, so I won't go in details there. Make a 6 MG Jagermech with STD and without upgrades cheaper than a 3 UAC/5 Jager with modules and everything. And yes, this will mean that clanmechs are pretty expensive. So pilots should make them worth.
The following part works for units but not for PUGs.
The Match lobby before the match gives the commanders time to give players the Mechs they should play. Players won't use their own mechs because we have, by that time, the possibility to save builds in the
faction menu for the unit. Those Mechs won't be bought by the unit! Only the build is important so that we can buy it later ingame and let it drop in the match with the set currency we get at the start of the match.
Lets say our unit hast a maximum of 50 builds which can be saved. The commander can now buy those builds in the lobby before the game and later ingame. The players get to choose, which one they take.
:: Map Design - How the match will probably play out ::
With such a gamemmode, we could finally use the full potential of the big maps. No 2 deathballs which meet in the middle.
Both teams start in their bases and the first dropships can transport the first wave of mechs. The first wave of Mechs will be transported with no costs. Every ordered dropship on those landingzones will require a fee so that its not optimal to bring one mech with one dropship. Also, the dropships don't have a fixed time. They will arrive on demand and should have a cooldown.
Those mechs now venture out on the map to capture specific points on the map. Some points are generating credits (like the base does) and some allow to let more drop ships to arrive (a second dropship landing zone or jsut decreased dropship timing). When captured, the commander has the opportunity to strengthen the defense with some turrets or walls to hold
off pesky lights. Naturaly, those turrets and walls will cost credits. Credits which generate from the base and the places which the team captured. I'd like also to introduce a system in which the heavy mechs cap
faster than the light mechs. So that there are no lolcust rushes to the objectives to take it as fast as possible. That, or maybe neutral turrets which shoot at any Mech in sight.
Now, with the commander in charge of Team Blue, he can give orders to the players. Alpha should go to Point A, Bravo to point B and Charlie to point C. The opposing team, Team Red, goes with another
tactic and went with 12 players to point B. As the match rolls out, Team Blue holds A and C but lost their units at Point B. While point B generates credits, point A and C offer space for dropships.
Team Blue can now drop way more mechs than Team Red but generates less credits. I hope you understand where I am going with this.
To win the game, one team must destroy multiple parts (large generators or whatever) of the opposing teams base, which can be repaired but with a steep price. The bases are fortified with big turrets from the start which can't be repaired but replaced with weaker turrets.
I know it's just a rough concept and the implementation would require a whole lot of work. Way more than the work which went into the CW what we now have. But something like that would make MWO damn near perfect for me.
I am aware that something like this is just utopistic and maybe even the idea in itself is not worth the work because its just to hard to implement but it's just an idea I liked to share.
I also should say my thanks for reading this brickwall of text, so... thanks.
tl;dr : A Natural Selection like type of game mode would be terrific.
