58 replies to this topic

[Xeratul]

Hi! i would just like to know if anyone else want to see MFB's in the game, i think it would contribute to the tactical element of the game as there would be a limited # of ammo's you can fire, or even deciding who's going to withdraw from the battlefield and repair up.

[Nik Van Rhijn]

Would be useful. Certainly I think defenders should have repair/rearm bays available. Capturing and using these (or destroying them to deny the enemy their use) could be part of the mission.

[Schnuffs]

The MFB is like the mechs bathroom.....it is needed.

[Thrall]

I personally would enjoy the idea of having MFB's on the battlefield during Conquest, but not VS. Although I am not against having MFB's in VS, I would only disagree if it unbalanced the game or if players found a means to exploit this "gift".

(Pleae forgive me for my next statement, for it is an opinion only and I do not have an understanding of VS as of yet, I "presume" it will be private matches set between friends or guilds/Merc Companies.)

The problem with VS is that you could know exactly who you are fighting and possibly under predetemined conditions. Between you and your foe or the lance(s) that are sure to follow.

The idea I like most for Conquest is that you can use the MFB as bait to lure the enemy. If you have say two guards patrolling the MFB, one could easily have snipers or powered-down Mechs waiting in ambush to obliterate the enemy forces upon arrival.. or when given a signal.

MFB's would be a very good idea for many reason's, beyond the simple use of repairing your own forces or denying the enemy of its use.

Many strategies and tactics can be implemented simply due to the fact that you have targets of interest other than what objectives are set prior to the battles start.

(Add-on)

Preferably, I would enjoy seeing Mobile Field Bases randomly appear in various areas on the battlefield, that way allied and enemy forces will not know immediately where to go if their intention is to in fact camp and repair constantly.

Edited by Thrall, 27 November 2011 - 02:30 AM.

[Armored Yokai]

I would like too but it should take a couple minutes to do repairs

[Semyon Drakon]

One of my pet hates are MFB's that completely repair a mech in 15 seconds. Seriously guys, it's up to 100 tons of highly technical machinery and moving parts. It should take hours to repair, not seconds.

Why not give the attackers a dropship and the defenders a base of operations they can fall back to to make repairs and let the game go on as they do?

[Adridos]

I would rather see field bases. Fixing your mech in 15 seconds anywhere on the field just doesn't seem, nor play good.

[Thrall]

Cementblade, on 27 November 2011 - 02:33 AM, said:

I would like too but it should take a couple minutes to do repairs

Minutes would more than likely take to long, but it should not be as short as the single player campaign mode from MW4. I would recommend an extra thirty seconds, if that... But realistically, this is not AI's, but rather PvPer's we are all going to be facing. Actual players will be right on top of anyone trying to repair who are extremely damaged...

If there is going to be MFB's, we first need to know the mechanics involved and possibly test ourselves... The campaign mode took about a full minute if not more to auto walk in, repair, and auto walk out before regaining control of your own mech, but I've only know defence turrets to aim at you as you repaired in campaign... There is just too many factors to consider before even deciding how long a repair should take..

Semyon Drakon, on 27 November 2011 - 04:45 AM, said:

One of my pet hates are MFB's that completely repair a mech in 15 seconds. Seriously guys, it's up to 100 tons of highly technical machinery and moving parts. It should take hours to repair, not seconds.

Why not give the attackers a dropship and the defenders a base of operations they can fall back to to make repairs and let the game go on as they do?

I'm sure the designers have plenty of scenarios and toys in store for us players on any battlefield.

Currently I think it would be a good idea to have it in the game, I'd change my mind if the mechanics unbalance the entire idea however.

Edited by Thrall, 27 November 2011 - 05:09 AM.

[UnknownOne]

Thrall, on 27 November 2011 - 02:15 AM, said:

I personally would enjoy the idea of having MFB's on the battlefield during Conquest, but not VS. Although I am not against having MFB's in VS, I would only disagree if it unbalanced the game or if players found a means to exploit this "gift".

(Pleae forgive me for my next statement, for it is an opinion only and I do not have an understanding of VS as of yet, I "presume" it will be private matches set between friends or guilds/Merc Companies.)

The problem with VS is that you could know exactly who you are fighting and possibly under predetemined conditions. Between you and your foe or the lance(s) that are sure to follow.

The idea I like most for Conquest is that you can use the MFB as bait to lure the enemy. If you have say two guards patrolling the MFB, one could easily have snipers or powered-down Mechs waiting in ambush to obliterate the enemy forces upon arrival.. or when given a signal.

MFB's would be a very good idea for many reason's, beyond the simple use of repairing your own forces or denying the enemy of its use.

Many strategies and tactics can be implemented simply due to the fact that you have targets of interest other than what objectives are set prior to the battles start.

(Add-on)

Preferably, I would enjoy seeing Mobile Field Bases randomly appear in various areas on the battlefield, that way allied and enemy forces will not know immediately where to go if their intention is to in fact camp and repair constantly.

That's a great idea! If we will have many game modes as in BF3, it should be allowed only in Conquest type of game. Also MFB should be slow to move and with slow repair speed. Also it should be destructible and, if there is a mech inside while it gets destroyed, it should suffer heavy damage.

[Thrall]

Adridos, on 27 November 2011 - 04:48 AM, said:

I would rather see field bases. Fixing your mech in 15 seconds anywhere on the field just doesn't seem, nor play good.

MFB's are only mobile when they are taken down and packed up for travel. They have to be unpacked and rebuilt in order to even begin repairs. Same method as a traveling carnival.

Edited by Thrall, 27 November 2011 - 05:32 AM.

[ice trey]

Personally, I don't want to see them in the game.

Besides hating how arcady it is to have a 4-story tall machine of war repaired in under 30 seconds, it would eliminate the dynamic for stuff like repair costs. Personally, I want to see the repair aspect of the game come back into play - stuff like not having enough money or time to fully fix your ride and needing to go out on a field with a partially repaired 'mech.

Ammo Carriers and Coolant Trucks, however, I think would be a great addition, but I'd rather see it take at least a minute for either one to work their magic. Heck, in a repair bay, reloading a single ammo bin is supposed to take 15 minutes.

So yeah, I'm voting against the MFB. I'd rather see no respawns, and players who are too badly damaged retreat off the field.

[Basch]

I know where alot of you are comming from and it is quite odd that a 75 ton tank would be compleatly repaired in 15 sec, but i do like the idea of MFB it adds more tactics to the game. To get around the 15 sec repair its very do able, simple pick what parts you want to take with you (example: left arm) and when your left arm is damaged or gets blown off simply go to the MFB have them remove the remaing part and replace it in 30 sec to a min. Doing this would limit the repairs you can make and make you pick what parts you need to take with you for the fight as well as who gets what parts since you can only carry limited supplies. You could also do a "Preorder" and call in ahed to them and let them set up befor you arrive so thay can switch parts faster.

[Undead]

Agree that having an MFB completely repair and re-arm a mech in under 30 seconds is ridiculous. If we have MFB's, I think they should be used only for ammo reloads, and take at least a full minute to complete the job. If they offer damage repair, perhaps only allow a single location of the mech to be repaired each visit.

[Threat Doc]

How about the idea of repair levels?

I also like the idea behind MFBs, and this would work for temporary field bases, as well, but no limb or actuator replacements would be allowed, only dope and road beers, ammo and armor.

Level 2 would be the DropShip(s) -whomever has them, attackers and defenders {remember, the defenders, unless they were just dropped off, had to get there somehow}- and real field bases for the defenders, and then only actuators and minor equipment could be replaced, as well as more ammo and armor.

I'm about to say something that is going to be screamed at, but it makes sense if you take a moment to think about it... you continue to fight your 'Mech AS-IS through the remainder of your time-zone's day-time and, after 11pm on week nights and 1am on weekends, major repairs will begin, though they will take hours to complete, the eight or so hours you're asleep plus the eight or so hours during the time you're in school or working. Here's the problem... your repairs are still restricted to the parts that are available to you and/or your unit -these parts from your unit have to be approved-, including what can be purchased. This would be Level 3.

(ducks, covers head, crouches in a corner, and tries to stair around arm, the crook in the elbow)

[SGT Unther]

I've always remembered that in the mechwarrior series that if a limb is lost in combat it's gone for at least the mission until you return to the dropship or outreach.

To balance out the MFB they could go with a mechcommander 2 style repair vehicle that only has a limited amount material to make repairs with and after that you have to use your resources to call in another repair vehicle. the more damaged a mech is the more resources are needed to make the repair.

To add another element to this they could make the dropship carry a limited amount material for repairs as well. these materials would have to be restocked after every mission just like ammo in MW2 or you risk going into battle without sufficient of "repair points"

[Makaveli]

I wouldn't mind seeing it - if implemented right. My thoughts:

1. Repairs are slow. 1-2 min. is forever in gametime.
2. Repairs are limited. Sorry, cant re-attach your arm or fully repair your main torso armor.
3. MFB's have a limited amount of resources. Maybe they would be outfitted by the commander before the battle? Or just 'repair points.'
4. They can be destroyed, damaged, captured.
5. They can be moved, but cant be used while on the move.

Edit: Apparently SGT Unther and I were thinking the same thing at the same time...

Edited by Makaveli, 27 November 2011 - 08:08 AM.

[TheForce]

for respawn games they would be useful. i'd like to see the company/lance commander put them in a location of their choice. a significant amount of time should be required to repair armor, and less time should be required for reload.

[Gunman5000]

SGT Unther and Makaveli both have already said what I was planning on putting, but just to add my two cents anyways.

I agree that they should be available in specific game modes (ie, Conquest) and not others (ie VS). They should have a limited ability to repair (whether its through actual parts, simply repair points, or something along the lines of MW3 where you have a limited weight and can store different ammo types and different armour types. I also agree that no limb replacements or full repairs should be possible in field (yes I can weld an extra ton of armour on my 'mechs chest to replace what that dang PPC melted, but its just a patch, its not formed and properly attached to the structure like it would be in a real repair bay). No destroyed weapons or actuators (if they add in critical hits) should be repaired, but ammo reloads obviously make sense. I also agree that it should be long (in game terms) to repair, as in the suggested 30 seconds to a minute. Though personally I think that time does not include setting up the mobile field base, walking into the designated spot, powering down and having the field base move in to repair, or the field base moving back and the 'mech powering up. It needs to be feasible, but not unbalanced, and I think play testing is the only way to figure that one out.

[Threat Doc]

The MW3 MFB and the MechCommander 2 Repair Vehicle are, basically, the very same thing. If you look at how the individual vehicles deploy, it's the very same concept, the lifting back side, a repair platform. And, similarly, the MFB group from MW3 could carry a total of 900 tons of 'Mechs, repair parts, etc. -I agree, it's silly how they did that- and the Repair Vehicle from MC2 -I'm going to have to replay this game, again, I really enjoyed it- only had so many repair points. For my part, I would prefer the MFB group, three Repair Vehicles, and have a Commander put on the vehicles what is available to the unit at the time, as in MW3, what they're able to afford from the local market beyond that.

Likewise, the MW3 MFBs did the salvage work, and I think this should be how it is in MWO, as well, with the following difference... Once the fight is done, the Commander has a list of ALL the Salvage, current and previous, they're able to grab from the battlefield, and they pick and choose what they want and it ALL gets stored in the "DropShip", or some manner of salvage pot, as it were, and then each new fight the Commander outfits the MFBs.

Is that, perhaps, asking too much?

[DocBach]

Don't like MFBs at all and think though the concept is cool, its totally unrealistic and silly. I like the idea that damage can't be fixed during a match and has to be fixed after a match or else you drop with a 'Mech still beat up from the last drop. Don't have the c-bills to fix your arm actuator or replace your stripped armor? Oh well,

"Life is Cheap - BattleMechs are Expensive."

Edited by DocBach, 27 November 2011 - 08:56 AM.