16 replies to this topic

[Harman Smith]

In my excitement and jolly mood before our mechtastic fun begins, I decided to take a look at other Free to Play games, and today I observed something that has newly arrived on STEAM, from Perfect World, the makers of Star Trek Online:
Blacklight: Retribution.

And here's the deal: While they have done much of the stuff that one abhors in a multiplayer F2P shooter (spawning in front of the enemy, 99% of it seems to be buyable with cash only at first glance, servers laggy and badly prepared for their big STEAM breakthrough), one thing strikes my heart and blackens it like charcoal:

SOCIAL ASPECTS BADLY DONE.
There's a useless global chat, and the constant spam makes you feel like a game of Moonbase Alpha, just without sound. You cannot mute or block, and you need three different names on the game. One for your account, one for the forum (and it specifically needs to be different than your account name) and one for your character in game. The forums are not integrated with the game itself, and it pretty much feels like another badly done F2p shooter, kinda like War Inc.

While it is obvious Piranha is going to be wise and smart about this, it's important to know that it is unwise to venture into the great yonder of free communication, without having a system of control that one might consider akin to what Nintendo has been doing with their Wii.

With chitchat comes the need to moderate and administrate channels, something everyone can agree is unpleasant and far less comfortable than with a slower-paced forum structure.

I have no idea of how this is already dealt with within the closed BETA, and thus beg your pardon if you already know the answer, and had to facepalm from my worries.

Fellow players, I'd like to know your ideas on this matter. And if I'm right to be concerned, or just some stupid dolt with needless worries and complaints.

[combatplayer]

no facebook connectivity please..

well i guess i could just refrain from using it.. but still.



(the rest sounds ok.., i do beleive ingame PM's and other kinds of chats would be a must, in mechlab and the lobby etc)

Edited by combatplayer, 05 July 2012 - 09:37 AM.

[Grugore]

I'd like to see something like MW 3 where they have a chat room you enter before a match and can go into the mechlab to make last min changes. On the other hand, I also remember the lab rats who always held the game up. Never mind.

[Gamgee]

Global Chat, Private Messages in Game, and Steam support. These 3 are critical, if it could get on Steam its revenue stream would increase so much.

[CCC Dober]

I believe most of this stuff is about to be fleshed out very soon, being part of the Community Warfare Pillar and all that. Which as it happens is on hold for now, since it is not part of the minimum viable product as I understand it. Russ mentioned something about 90 days after release IIRC.

[Pook600]

Eve online has a decent chat system you can break out into tabs, block, whatever.
You cant create different channels and allow/block access how you wish.
And it isn't intrusive.

[Pook600]

Gamgee, on 05 July 2012 - 09:51 AM, said:

Global Chat, Private Messages in Game, and Steam support. These 3 are critical, if it could get on Steam its revenue stream would increase so much.

That may be "Once we get everything done and know specifically what we need for larger server loads" type of thing. The Founders program is well done and even the F2P players who come in off of already established content will help them get dialed in on exactly what they need to do to prepare for a Steam type launch later on.

I think Steam immediately would cause more harm then good imho. Use those who have some form of dedication/enthusiasm for the game to test, refine and perfect BEFORE opening it to the masses of Twitchers who will have no patience for inevitable launch lag, bugs, etc.

My .02

[Endrass]

Steam would be a good idea, many gamers already use it and are familiar with it. It would also allow for group chatting and voice chat, etc.

[TheOneGunslinger]

another topic on steam with a reply from Russ
http://mwomercs.com/...lable-on-steam/

[Gamgee]

Pook600, on 05 July 2012 - 09:56 AM, said:

That may be "Once we get everything done and know specifically what we need for larger server loads" type of thing. The Founders program is well done and even the F2P players who come in off of already established content will help them get dialed in on exactly what they need to do to prepare for a Steam type launch later on.

I think Steam immediately would cause more harm then good imho. Use those who have some form of dedication/enthusiasm for the game to test, refine and perfect BEFORE opening it to the masses of Twitchers who will have no patience for inevitable launch lag, bugs, etc.

My .02

Oh I wont disagree with you there, a staggered Steam release would definitely be best for this game. Point it it should be there eventually, perhaps implement it now so they don't need to do work later. That way it will be easier to finalize and get out when it is time. Then again that takes away from other things to work on, it's all a balancing act.

[Harman Smith]

Gentlemen, I'd actually be doubtful about getting STEAM backing.
I might be a STEAM fanboy and all, but after observing all the cookie cutter interchangeable free to play shooters there already, I find it perhaps no longer in the best interest of the game to have much involvement with steam. At least not until MWO has its core audience and player base settled, and happens to need more kiddies with disposable income.

Reason being the benefits (regular and fast updates, shift+tabbing, achievements, steam inventory, steam workshop, friendslisting and all that) are overshadowed by... well, hard to say that now that I've listed all those good things....

Still. I want our MWO to tread its own path. And to do that, it has to fulfil those tasks by itself.

[Wildcat]

I hate Facebook... pretty much one Big Spyware Network.........

Edited by Wildcat, 05 July 2012 - 02:33 PM.

[Bodha]

In game chat rooms, channels and PMS should be considered basics for any game of this nature.


What I would like to see:
1. Faction high command's similar to the one in World War 2 Online
2. Persistent faction warfare that is centered more on the actual fights. As in 10 Davion companies fight 10 Draconis Combine companies and whoever wins the most matches gets the prize.

[Adrienne Vorton]

god how i pray, that there will still be a few games that are not going so offensively for facebook and whatnot "social" networks...
ingame social features are all i need, like (various) chatfunctions, friendlists, "clans" (as in "guilds"...could we just call them "Units" im MWO?^^) and such things... and steam...well...i never use it, unless i need to download something there...(which happens like once in a decade)

Edited by Adrienne Vorton, 06 July 2012 - 02:32 AM.

[Cyt]

I would think that every self respecting mmo these days MUST have a multifunctional chat/social aspect. When I say functional, I mean being able to group with, invite, join, message others. Chat room creation/invitation based on in game or other factors. In short, being able to interact with the rest of the player base without the need to use other independent chat/voice/transfer clients.

[Talenvar]

I would beg that no matter what system we have, I would like to the option to turn off/disable every aspect of chat individually. The less mature, socially inept blatherskites with their curses and shuns about their sucky teams or their mothers (WoT anyone?) that *will* pervade our beloved IP won't take long to creep in their ugly heads. I, for one, would like the ability to shut them off, one chat channel at a time, in order to be able to properly ignore their crap.

'Guilds' will most likely be using their own channel as well as some type of VOIP anyways so the normal chat spam isn't needed. Lastly, anything to lighten up my bandwidth is much appreciated.

[Thalas]

Voted for most, which was cool because I didn't realize on the first few polls I've seen I could vote for multiple things, looks like it still adds up to 100% and just counts each entry as a separate vote in the tally.