45 replies to this topic

[Greyhart]

I like the game a lot, I've been playing for about the last 3 months and it is fun.

I know that there are things that are problems in the game but clearly the core of the game is fun otherwise it would be dead.

However the game offers none of the usual hooks to keep you logging back in. i.e. overly complex crafting or grinding for uber stuff, levelling characters.

The game is strange on how you progress in your skills.

You start off doing barely any damage and then at some point you release that you have jumped up to doing 100 per match then a few weeks later you realise that you expect to average 300 per match.

You clearly get better but their is change in the Mechs or the other players.

Anyway this all got me thinking if you were able to obtain ranks (after completing the cadets bonus) i.e. private, lieutenant, captain etc. What would you measure to gain an increase in rank?


Clearly you don't want something like just total damage or number of matches on their own (as that would cause people to play to reach that target).

So lets assume there was ranking system and that you increase in rank by achieving certain land marks or by doing X etc.

What would you have as an achievement that would let you gain a new rank?

i.e. completing 25 matches takes you from cadet to private. Or averaging 200 damage in 10 matches makes you go up a rank.

Just interested in what people think are skills that might be tracked.

NB I considered where to post this. But consider it is not a feature suggestion.

Edited by Greyhart, 27 July 2015 - 02:09 AM.

[Dino Might]

The achievement titles are an attempt at this, but they are few and far between. I think it's tough to create some sort of progression ranking system in MWO because the nature of the game. You might do only 200 damage with your Thunderbolt, but effectively distract 6 enemies while your team rolls the other 6 and eventually wins because you got the other guys out of position. How does one measure that? The game stays interesting because although each game is very similar, the dynamics of 12 v 12 create a lot of uncertainty. There's always something a little different to contend with.

There will probably be some sort of public rankings at some point, but even those will fail to really grasp what you're talking about, and they can only represent so much of what a single pilot does throughout the course of the game.

[Joseph Mallan]

I play cause I love this universe and want to see it stay around for generations to come. I spend money on the game for the same reason. I may get bored now and again, but I do really love this universe.

[Greyhart]

absolutely MWO is a strange game by modern standards as there is no concept of rank grinding only the Cbill grind.

I was wondering what things people think might be measured / tracked.

and why people keep playing

[Joseph Mallan]

Why does anything need to be tracked? I mean other than what planets each faction possesses? Does a personal win loss record mean anything when universal domination is the end goal?

Edited by Joseph Mallan, 27 July 2015 - 02:36 AM.

[CyclonerM]

Greyhart, on 27 July 2015 - 02:22 AM, said:

absolutely MWO is a strange game by modern standards as there is no concept of rank grinding only the Cbill grind.

I was wondering what things people think might be measured / tracked.

and why people keep playing

Actually, there are the CW rank progressions.. Which i do not care for, because i have my own rank in my unit while my CW rank is meaningless aside from one-time rewards..

[Zeriniel]

Joseph Mallan, on 27 July 2015 - 02:21 AM, said:

I play cause I love this universe and want to see it stay around for generations to come. I spend money on the game for the same reason. I may get bored now and again, but I do really love this universe.

Pretty much this.

[Joseph Mallan]

CyclonerM, on 27 July 2015 - 02:40 AM, said:

Actually, there are the CW rank progressions.. Which i do not care for, because i have my own rank in my unit while my CW rank is meaningless aside from one-time rewards..

I would never want to be an Officer. Im the S/NCO type personality.

[Speedy Plysitkos]

no ranks please. there are TONS of casual games, with the common boring things. MWO is different, and because of that speciality we play it.

[Triordinant]

Because it's the only BattleTech-based game that's supposed to be a 'mech simulator. The power of a monopoly.

[ice trey]

Because it's very difficult to get a BattleTech gaming group started in Japan, and there isn't even a decent Battletech-like first-person single player game out there that's been made in the past decade. No modern "Earthsiege".

So this is the one of the two possible ways to play a Battletech-universe game that I've not already played to death. This, and Megamek AtB campaigns. AtB might be mostly soulless, but at least it's not ruined by e-sports powergamers that completely ignore the lore and defeat the purpose of having a customization system by using the same few optimized chassis with the same old power-builds as the next guy.

MWO might have turned out a better had the customization system been never introduced.

Edited by ice trey, 27 July 2015 - 03:01 AM.

[Greyhart]

OK yes I love the mechwarriors games too.

But if the core game wasn't there I wouldn't be playing. I stopped playing MW4 quickly as it lacked a lot in my opinion.

Is it just that it is MechWarrior game or is there anything else that gets you playing.

for example the current challenge has got me spending more time playing. So I might say having that incentive in the game would have me playing more.

I do think people would be likely to stick with the game longer (until they get better) if there was a pat on the back from the game periodically.

However skills in the game are difficult to measure and I couldn't say what I do now that I didn't do at the start.

I was wondering if people just had one idea of a metric that could be monitored. As one shot thing.

like TAG x mechs gain a rank
NARC x mechs gain a rank.
Keep with lance for x minutes


Also the achievements are not easy to browse and could do with being looked at.

I am thinking of people who pick this up with no previous knowledge and how to keep them in the game long enough and what skills they should be directed to improve.

Edited by Greyhart, 27 July 2015 - 03:08 AM.

[TWIAFU]

Joseph Mallan, on 27 July 2015 - 02:21 AM, said:

I play cause I love this universe and want to see it stay around for generations to come. I spend money on the game for the same reason. I may get bored now and again, but I do really love this universe.

This and the numerous friends/family made in my Unit.

[Tennex]

Greyhart, on 27 July 2015 - 02:08 AM, said:

I like the game a lot, I've been playing for about the last 3 months and it is fun.

I know that there are things that are problems in the game but clearly the core of the game is fun otherwise it would be dead.

However the game offers none of the usual hooks to keep you logging back in. i.e. overly complex crafting or grinding for uber stuff, levelling characters.

Something they can definitely expand on better in CW faction progression

[JernauM]

I keep playing because I enjoy dropping with my unit and trying to become a better player.

I wish I could also say that this game gives me the illusion of participating in the BattleTech narrative, but that that is not yet the case.

[Tennex]

A lot of us are playing because we are familiar with the universe.

New players don't really have that attachment. And PGI hasn't done a good job otherwise to give them a good reason to play.

There is nothing in game about the lore of the universe. To a new player a clan mech is just another mech.
Other games have these carrot on the stick progression systems, that are just interesting and fulfilling..

[El Bandito]

I keep playing because of the events. There is nothing much else besides robo death-match. Love of BT does play its part but MWO overall has been a disappointment so far. Especially the CW that I had hoped for years.

Edited by El Bandito, 27 July 2015 - 03:34 AM.

[H I A S]

Im here to shoot Robots.

[Mycrus]

Greyhart, on 27 July 2015 - 02:08 AM, said:

I like the game a lot, I've been playing for about the last 3 months and it is fun.

I know that there are things that are problems in the game but clearly the core of the game is fun otherwise it would be dead.

However the game offers none of the usual hooks to keep you logging back in. i.e. overly complex crafting or grinding for uber stuff, levelling characters.

The game is strange on how you progress in your skills.

You start off doing barely any damage and then at some point you release that you have jumped up to doing 100 per match then a few weeks later you realise that you expect to average 300 per match.

You clearly get better but their is change in the Mechs or the other players.

Anyway this all got me thinking if you were able to obtain ranks (after completing the cadets bonus) i.e. private, lieutenant, captain etc. What would you measure to gain an increase in rank?


Clearly you don't want something like just total damage or number of matches on their own (as that would cause people to play to reach that target).

So lets assume there was ranking system and that you increase in rank by achieving certain land marks or by doing X etc.

What would you have as an achievement that would let you gain a new rank?

i.e. completing 25 matches takes you from cadet to private. Or averaging 200 damage in 10 matches makes you go up a rank.

Just interested in what people think are skills that might be tracked.

NB I considered where to post this. But consider it is not a feature suggestion.

Im at that point that even my favorite metric isnt fun anymore..


Tears per second

[Throat Punch]

back in the early 80's when i was but a wee lad I played Space Invaders, Yarr's Revenge, Pac Man, and Combat on my Atari 2600 all the time, not because of achievements. There was no crafting, no real grind (well I guess beating your own high score might be a grind but I digress) none of these "hooks or skinner boxes" to keep you playing. I played for the sheer fun of it. Now, years later, I play other games for the same reason. Because its fun. Are their goals and achievements to get, sure, but they aren't the reason why I play. If they were I'd still be playing WoW and SWTOR after they ceased to be fun.

I'm a battletech junkie. I still collect and paint miniatures. I'm teaching my 6 year old how to play using the basic quick start rules. Because it's a fun game and MWO is an extension of that fun for me. When i can't get a TT game going, or find a MegaMek game, I hop on MWO and have some fun fighting in 'Mechs. Win lose or draw its a fun game for me. And that's what keeps me playing.