Lets just take a look at this objectively shall we?
bobF, on 22 January 2015 - 11:21 AM, said:
This is a serious post.
All this glorious warfare, politicking, smacktalking, merc betrayal, merc loyalism, pug stomping, actual ggclose 12man fights and fun in TS seems like it's coming to a close.
I've heard this time and time again, for close to two years now, Lasers, hit detection, assault mode, this, that, you name it, someone's said this about it. It's still here, and it's still improving, things they be changing, and for some reason everyone has to tell the dev DON'T CHANGE THINGS THEY'LL KILL THE GAME! Just sit back, and watch, this has happened before.
bobF, on 22 January 2015 - 11:21 AM, said:
Dunno about you guys, but the game seems to be driving everyone off, leaving a few pugs for stomping, but mostly 12 mans (or assorted units on comms) to ghost drop on attack or wait for the new Last 15 Minute Defense to keep planets from flipping.
It's gotten so bad that both factions and mercs are coalescing into a system of cease fires and known allies, just so there's a concentration of forces to have some combat.
Think about what you're saying here, you're saying that factions are getting together, locking noggins and coordinating a strike defense or offense in a way that will gain or save them a planet, and this is a bad thing? Pug stomps might be less fun for the Pugs, but this is called "Community" Warfare. I mean, we have people acting as factions and coordinating attack windows? In a tank simulator? I can't get my coworkers to get that kind of synergy going.
bobF, on 22 January 2015 - 11:21 AM, said:
There are two important realities that everyone needs to absorb, and internalize: 1) pugs make the world go round. Every PvP game is mostly pugs. Every GAME is mostly casual players. While I will agree 9000% with some of you that these scrubs should just git gud, the reality is that people just want to play a video game on medium difficulty, and not be frustrated getting curbstomped every match. 2) PvP is competition, and someone has to lose. Just as I spoke to my fellow elite neckbeards in point 1, I now address all casual players. You're not going to always win, even if you were dropped into a perfectly balanced match. Learn to love the struggle and ultimate satisfaction of getting good at something. Reach out to those neckbeards for pro tips, or to become part of their unit. I promise you won't regret it.
I understand where you're coming from here and I respect this point of view. I think your overall viewpoint herein is verbatim what I believe.
bobF, on 22 January 2015 - 11:21 AM, said:
Those two things being said, the following NEEDS to be done to save CW:
1) THIS IS THE #1, NUMERO UNO HIGHEST PRIORITY: PGI, in order for your factional groups to come to real fruition, the game NEEDS CHAT LOBBYS. All these casual players could immediately be brought up to speed in like 5mins having a simple chat convo with a helpful vet. TS info could be readily spammed on these chat channels. Groups coordinated. Etc. PGI, this is a must-have, mission-critical feature for building community.
This is confirmed to being worked on and is slated to being pushed in a future patch From what I understand, they want to incorporate a global chat system (think wow) accessible when not in battle. So they are working to do what you say, also VOIP is at least 2 patches out, but has been indicated to possibly be in the first feb patch.
bobF, on 22 January 2015 - 11:21 AM, said:
2) the pug queue HAS to be integrated into CW. Sorry elite 12 mans, casuals make the game and to deny them participation because they can't come with 12 for instant queues (or, turret killing as it's been of late) is foolhardy. The game is doomed without effective integration of casuals. PGI, there are a ton of threads all over with excellent ideas on how to implement this. The most straightforward way is to adjust the % needed to cap a planet higher, then have a "CW" option for the general queue that contributes to the cap of some planet; you could have CW and include all the normal game modes, ELO separation and fast queues everyone currently enjoys.
First of all, doom is such a strong statement, short of kicking their users in the balls over and over until they taste testicles, I don't think PGI can truly kill this game. Which is precisely why PGI has initiatives to involve smaller groups and casuals, they have stated they're working on smaller modes like 4 mans and 8 mans with different objectives, in addition they have decided that counter attacks will be much different than what they currently are. Think Skirmish with a twist. They're hoping these modes involve more of the community, more often.
bobF, on 22 January 2015 - 11:21 AM, said:
3) 12 mans, big units, and major community contributors need mechanics to choose their own destiny. Sorry casuals, but there needs to be a high level of competitive play, and that play should be rewarded with being the biggest contributing factor to map movement. Factions need ways to choose their own attack lanes, keep track of alliances and enemies, current merc employment, and other fun battle metrics. Otherwise, we would all just switch to the CW mode proposed in point 2, because of fast matches. Which neatly brings me to point number...
I do agree there needs to be some sort of large group choice I think for lanes, and I really do think this stuff WILL be added over time, but at the same time, the coordinated efforts of 4 clan fronts spearheading towards terra, might be too strong, Think how much difficulty the FRR guys would have with 4 clans beating on them at once. I think the algorithm is there to mitigate that a bit. But, I'm unsure, I really agree with you here though, high end incentives should be there for the bestest teams (
) I'm inclined to believe they're just not here YET, not that they're unplanned.
bobF, on 22 January 2015 - 11:21 AM, said:
4) Participation in CW needs to be encouraged by the things that alter player behavior. Make a c-bill bonus for 12man faction groups that have at least 4 different units, a "pug" bonus of sorts, to encourage pugs to queue for CW. Make LP do something useful. Make unit coffers do something useful (like act as a unit bank, that unit players may withdraw funds from, with permissions admin'd by unit leadership). Give direct unit coffer rewards from factions, in addition to personal reward. Get that LP reward system in place, pugs love new mechbays, cockpit items, mechs, equipment, etc. There are many methods to get the masses into the game mode.
Again, mentioned by Russ, LP will be tied into your previous posts, they do plan on doing things with it, such as effecting players who play for certain sides, losing some if you battle against a faction you were previously allied with, unlocking clan exclusive items, unlocking badges and viewable things for your rivals and fellow squadmates to see. Coffers are coming in future patches as well to play and tie in, Almost everything you suggested, all talked about recently by Russ, who says most of that is only a couple of patches out.
bobF, on 22 January 2015 - 11:21 AM, said:
Yeah I know, why don't you guys get this done yesterday, right? I'm not ignorant to the work needed to make the above a reality, but just consider a moment what you're working on now, as requested by players (i.e. stupid **** like urbanmechs and in-game voip) versus what your game NEEDS to grow and thrive. Re-prioritize appropriately. CW has given you guys the opportunity to actually exist as long as you plan to, don't waste it.
Now, I'm going to cite my ONE source for every single thing I've said: Russ Bullock's Twitch Stream with NGNG about a week ago, the whole 2 hours is on youtube, watch it. Given the Urbanmech, Russ Indicated he cannot make out wether the community is serious on wether it WANTS the Urbanmech or not, he's not sure if its a joke, or if the community really wants to see it. So he said, we're going to give the community a chance to see if they really want it with preorders. If they do, more preorders will come in, and they'll release the Urbanmech, if not, the community will not get it at all. My sense from Russ is that they are really trying to push maps and expand CW right now, as well as trying to fix what's not working well.
They WANT to keep players, they WANT to make a good game. People need to treat this like beta, because it is. Stop throwing Doom everywhere, tell them what's working, whats not, be objective, and most of all, be PATIENT, we're not going to get everything we want right away.
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