11 replies to this topic

[Geck0]

Its pretty obvious most of the critical fights happen in the last hours of the cycle. This not only devalues the fights made by those whose time zone/schedule doesn't line up to the those times, but it also discourages play outside those times. Some ideas regarding this

• Rotate on a 25 hour cycle. Sure this won't fix the problem but it will at least give other time zones a chance to be part of the clutch battles.
  
• Ways to contribute to a planet's conquest that cannot be taken back. I don't mean fights that give you zones on the planet that cant be taken back but something along the lines of bonuses. More HP for your gens, supply drops, stronger turrets, faster strike cool downs, etc. These buffs would continue to apply to invasion games for the duration of the cycle.
  
• Make these "buff missions" a separate game mode. Patrols, drop zone skirmish, raid, etc. Something that would make sense to fight over but doesn't necessarily result in more ground.
  
• Start the cycle with only these types of modes and slowly increase the likeliness of getting the standard invasion zone taking mode throughout the cycle. Until you get to later part of the cycle 4-5 hours or so where you only get invasion. The reason for this is to not split the queues further.

These ideas may be a step in the right direction in encouraging fighting outside the clutch portion of the day without devaluing the very clutch matches themselves. Just some ideas.


Thoughts?

EDIT: If someone could move this to the suggestions section I would appreciate it. My Apologies.

Edited by Geck0, 31 December 2014 - 12:23 PM.

[Kraven Kor]

Step 1: Current status cannot be determined by players (ie. nobody knows a planet will flip or not flip until it does.)

Step 2: Planet flipping requires X % of total wins for the time period.

[Geck0]

Kraven Kor, on 31 December 2014 - 12:28 PM, said:

Step 1: Current status cannot be determined by players (ie. nobody knows a planet will flip or not flip until it does.)

Step 2: Planet flipping requires X % of total wins for the time period.

1: Not a solution to the issue and leaves it open to mass confusion. This leads to massive frustration as players don't know what impact they are making to the fight.

2: This just rewards units who can spam the queue round the clock

[Eboli]

Run on a 100% status with each ghost win only worth 1% and each true win worth 3%. Planet flips at 0% only. Not at some schedule.

Planets closer to the capital give less percentage for a win for the attacker and greater % if original Faction owner get a win in trying to take back such conquered planet.

Conquering faction automatically gains 10% when planet flips, rinse and repeat.

Cheers!
Eboli

[Geck0]

Eboli, on 31 December 2014 - 12:41 PM, said:

Run on a 100% status with each ghost win only worth 1% and each true win worth 3%. Planet flips at 0% only. Not at some schedule.

Planets closer to the capital give less percentage for a win for the attacker and greater % if original Faction owner get a win in trying to take back such conquered planet.

Conquering faction automatically gains 10% when planet flips, rinse and repeat.

Cheers!
Eboli

I like the idea of making the free wins worth less. However having it flip the moment it caps outside of a schedule will allow very large units to spam a planet down before it can be reacted to. Take this further, a sufficiently large push could flip a lot of planets within hours/days. This also has the additional logistical consideration of what to do with the currently ongoing matches after its been flipped. The current schedule keeps the map movement at a decent and controlled pace.

[Fate 6]

• We need a better way of applying the "counterattack" mechanic. People dropping on defense should get defense - defense is the best mode for PUGs, and mounting a successful attack/counterattack is nearly impossible as a PUG.
  
  
  -Counterattack should initiate a game of Assault or something similar, or be a separate queue from attack and defense (essentially make it a 3rd option)
  
• Grant options for less than 12 mechs. Right now we have 1-11 people just waiting doing nothing. Give us something like time trials (which might take some implementation) or less us drop on attack/counterattack as a single lance if nobody chooses to defend against it.

Geck0, on 31 December 2014 - 12:40 PM, said:

1: Not a solution to the issue and leaves it open to mass confusion. This leads to massive frustration as players don't know what impact they are making to the fight.

2: This just rewards units who can spam the queue round the clock

I agree with that. For that second point, I think what we need is a win % based on successful attacks. So if we win 7 attacks out of 10, for example, we take the planet. Right now it doesn't matter how many failed attacks we have, so long as we eventually get wins. 1 successful attack and 10 failed ones is the same as 1 successful attack. Unless I'm misunderstanding the way the system works (in which case it's not very clear how it works)

^having a successful attack % system would also eliminate the need to have counterattacks, which addresses my point above

Edited by Fate 6, 31 December 2014 - 01:18 PM.

[Eboli]

Yes, good points Geck0.

I wonder whether a mechanic needs to be put in regarding how many planets can be conquered and attacked within a 24 hour period for each faction.

At the moment it is per faction border but I am wondering whether it should be a total amount only. This can be reasoned down to war assets (available FTL vessels and drop ships). If a Faction wanted to put total effort into attacking one particular Faction it cannot therefore attack anywhere else.

I don't know how well this would work when there are many Units (and their interests) within one Faction but it could lead to some strategic play and interesting counters as well as help concentrate player numbers in order to avoid mass flipping of planets over a short period of time.

Maybe things will develop in the future when PGI adds new features into CW but at the moment it really needs to do something because it could be loosing player interest in CW.

Cheers
Eboli

[Geck0]

Fate 6, on 31 December 2014 - 01:16 PM, said:

• We need a better way of applying the "counterattack" mechanic. People dropping on defense should get defense - defense is the best mode for PUGs, and mounting a successful attack/counterattack is nearly impossible as a PUG.
  
  

Agreed. I run with large groups almost exclusively and I can tell you when we get a defense against anything other than a 12 man its an auto win. (An 8 man rush on sulfur would be the exception but that's because that map is poorly designed as per my feedback). How to do it in a way that doesn't lengthen the queue times to unacceptable levels or split the queues would be the goal. I know these are unrelated but the inclusion of a Faction chat, the ability to invite people/join groups from that faction and a VOIP would go a long way to making PUG teams more effective than a doormat.

Fate 6, on 31 December 2014 - 01:16 PM, said:

• 
  -Counterattack should initiate a game of Assault or something similar, or be a separate queue from attack and defense (essentially make it a 3rd option)
  
• Grant options for less than 12 mechs. Right now we have 1-11 people just waiting doing nothing. Give us something like time trials (which might take some implementation) or less us drop on attack/counterattack as a single lance if nobody chooses to defend against it.

I think any solution that splits the queue further shouldn't be considered. Prioritize groups to face each other, and pugs to face each other. I think these are good ideas if a MM system could be made for it. The addition of a mode that doesn't require a 12v12 would help in this. Basically letting the system choose this mode when they cannot make a good match up for 12v12 but can in a 8v8. But I think the inclusion of Faction groups will make this option harder to utilize.

Fate 6, on 31 December 2014 - 01:16 PM, said:

I agree with that. For that second point, I think what we need is a win % based on successful attacks. So if we win 7 attacks out of 10, for example, we take the planet. Right now it doesn't matter how many failed attacks we have, so long as we eventually get wins. 1 successful attack and 10 failed ones is the same as 1 successful attack. Unless I'm misunderstanding the way the system works (in which case it's not very clear how it works)

^having a successful attack % system would also eliminate the need to have counterattacks, which addresses my point above

While I agree with the sentiment there are numerous reasons why continuously bashing at a defense and eventually holding the ground should still be granted a win. After all at the end of the day even if its littered with my side's corpses if I have the planet, I have the planet. Plus this percentage would discourage fighting outside of large groups to preserve the win rate.

[Eboli]

I also tend to think in order to add variety an open map should be made as an addition to the Counter Attack. Ie - Forces have been repelled and are on the retreat to their base. Will make a nice big change to the same 2 maps we currently have and give other mechs and loadouts to have a chance being useful.

Cheers!
Eboli

[Galaxy Crusader Puppeteer]

I agree with most of your ideas you guys are puting out there, hopefully PGI has a solution for most of them.
Atm my biggest issue is that the attack/defend window for me timezone is 6am and im never around that time to contribute with my unit in CW. This game has a fairly large non US player base , which should not be pushed a side.And reason for that should never be game mechanics.

Happy New Year!!!

[Willard Phule]

Galaxy Crusader Puppeteer, on 01 January 2015 - 04:53 AM, said:

I agree with most of your ideas you guys are puting out there, hopefully PGI has a solution for most of them.
Atm my biggest issue is that the attack/defend window for me timezone is 6am and im never around that time to contribute with my unit in CW. This game has a fairly large non US player base , which should not be pushed a side.And reason for that should never be game mechanics.

Happy New Year!!!

For what it's worth, there should be someone in the CW queue, somewhere....the main question is who and where, and whether it's worth it to you to make an Alt account so you can at least play for the IS or something.

The dynamic are weird. I play at strange times as well (4am Mountain Time, US) and I've seen the queue do some strange things, but there's always someone there.

Just be careful of PUG groups, if you want to avoid the "stand around, then all rush the first red triangle you see" mentality. It's REAL bad in there. It's almost as if they concentrated the Solo Queue sometimes.

[Duke Nedo]

http://mwomercs.com/...10#entry4043810

Put some ideas here, not waterproof but could be a lot of fun!