33 replies to this topic

[SolarCleric]

I just found out that my absolutely favorite website for MWO; "MechSpecs" is shutting it down. I was really sad to hear this news, and it worries me about the future of MWO. I love this game mostly for its deathmatch. But in the end is that going to be enough? Is a Steam Launch going to be enough.

I want to keep this positive (if we can), and come up with ways that would really help MWO make it through the long haul.. Ideas to improve ecm, improve CW, anything you guys can think of that will keep this game going. For me even a imperfect battle tech universe is better than no battletech universe....whats your thoughts.

[Greenjulius]

I guess I didn't notice the message on mechspecs until you pointed it out. Solahma and the crew at Mechspecs have done an excellent job over the years, and I'm sorry to see it all go.

I'm not sure honestly where MWO is headed. I'd love to see PvE missions we can run solo or coop, as well as more game modes. I'm optimistic given how much progress we've had in the past year, but I can definitely see why some are discouraged.

[Spheroid]

I hope it lives on in some sort of standalone program. I much prefer the interface to the mechlab. Perhaps the configs can be saved offline as XML and traded between users.

[Greenjulius]

Spheroid, on 08 August 2015 - 11:27 AM, said:

I hope it lives on in some sort of standalone program. I much prefer the interface to the mechlab. Perhaps the configs can be saved offline as XML and traded between users.

It's not smurfy going away... it's mechspecs.

[Spheroid]

^ I always thought it was the same people since smurfy was linked to mechspecs via "discuss mechs".

[Kira Onime]

I'm not sure how mech specs closing has anything to do with the future of MWO.
The person/people keeping the site online have no interest in doing so anymore as they claim to not even play MWO anymore.


My only "irk" with all of this is that he's trying to sell the "mech specs package" to PGI. Mech specs is simply a sub community in the hole MWO community and PGI already has NGNG. What interest would PGI have in this?
To me this just feels like the owner is trying to make back the money he spent on this community.

[Greenjulius]

Kira_Onime, on 08 August 2015 - 11:32 AM, said:

I'm not sure how mech specs closing has anything to do with the future of MWO.
The person/people keeping the site online have no interest in doing so anymore as they claim to not even play MWO anymore.


My only "irk" with all of this is that he's trying to sell the "mech specs package" to PGI. Mech specs is simply a sub community in the hole MWO community and PGI already has NGNG. What interest would PGI have in this?
To me this just feels like the owner is trying to make back the money he spent on this community.

I don't blame them wanting to see if there's a potential buyer for the site. They put a ton of hard work into making it the best build discussion site for MWO. It's been a fairly important site for as long as I've been playing the game.

[Kira Onime]

Greenjulius, on 08 August 2015 - 11:34 AM, said:

I don't blame them wanting to see if there's a potential buyer for the site. They put a ton of hard work into making it the best build discussion site for MWO. It's been a fairly important site for as long as I've been playing the game.

I don't blame him either but he also contacted PGI directly to purchase it.
Why would PGI event want this website? They already have NGNG.

Also, anyone that wants to start a community forum for a game needs to realize it will most probably be run at a loss.

[Escef]

Kira_Onime, on 08 August 2015 - 11:32 AM, said:

To me this just feels like the owner is trying to make back the money he spent on this community.

I can't fault him for that. I mean, isn't that the same reason why people sell their old cars instead of abandoning them in the woods or something?

[Kira Onime]

Escef, on 08 August 2015 - 11:44 AM, said:

I can't fault him for that. I mean, isn't that the same reason why people sell their old cars instead of abandoning them in the woods or something?

Can't say I like the "car vs community forum" comparison but do read my post above yours.
I don,t blame him for trying to make some money back but what does PGI gain from purchasing this? They already have NGNG.

[Deathlike]

Hm...

I feel bad. People catch on and realize what they are being sold. It's not their fault entirely for this rut (I've been playing ARK more than playing MWO - despite doing the challenge).

While selling off the site to PGI doesn't seem like something sane (outside of trying to keep it useful for others I guess - no reason to throw everything away), I respect the fact that they were offering a service to the community, and it shouldn't have come to this due to PGI's progress.

It says more about PGI than anything else.

I can see this possibly happen with websites like this (fan dedicated), but see the thing is a community grows as the game grows. There's plenty of other websites for other games that keep growing and getting better and more interesting (like MW4 in its heyday, despite minimal MS progress - the fans and Mektek continued growing the game a bit). Stagnation does not work for everyone. That's the reality.

While I don't see everyone closing up shop anytime soon... this is a community reminder that progress must be visible, or even its loyal fans will not have the same joy when they started on this journey.

[SolarCleric]

Deathlike, on 08 August 2015 - 02:53 PM, said:

Hm...

I feel bad. People catch on and realize what they are being sold. It's not their fault entirely for this rut (I've been playing ARK more than playing MWO - despite doing the challenge).

While selling off the site to PGI doesn't seem like something sane (outside of trying to keep it useful for others I guess - no reason to throw everything away), I respect the fact that they were offering a service to the community, and it shouldn't have come to this due to PGI's progress.

It says more about PGI than anything else.

I can see this possibly happen with websites like this (fan dedicated), but see the thing is a community grows as the game grows. There's plenty of other websites for other games that keep growing and getting better and more interesting (like MW4 in its heyday, despite minimal MS progress - the fans and Mektek continued growing the game a bit). Stagnation does not work for everyone. That's the reality.

While I don't see everyone closing up shop anytime soon... this is a community reminder that progress must be visible, or even its loyal fans will not have the same joy when they started on this journey.

This is exactly what I was trying to say; only put much more elegantly. Thanks.

[C E Dwyer]

I wonder how many people here will say its a shame, and have not contributed to keep it running, any one of the community could take the costs up if they really feel it changes everything, and they need it that much.

It was a handy tool, but nothing I can do without

Edited by Cathy, 08 August 2015 - 03:25 PM.

[Escef]

Kira_Onime, on 08 August 2015 - 11:58 AM, said:

...but do read my post above yours.

I did. Right as I was finishing the post I was notified that there were already 2 more replies to the thread. Poo happens.

If he wants to try to sell his site to PGI that's his business. I doubt PGI will buy it, but I don't blame the guy for asking if they want it.

[Black Arachne]

Surprised they lasted this long

[Nothing Whatsoever]

I'm disappointed in that message left on Mech Specs. But to stay positive, I won't share more on that matter.

I think that if Mechs Specs does not continue, then the one nice thing to see be continued is the quick at a glance builds that link to smufy's site, like this one below:

[Kira Onime]

While mech spechs will be closing, NGNG will be taking over what they where doing.

[Lugh]

Greenjulius, on 08 August 2015 - 11:34 AM, said:

I don't blame them wanting to see if there's a potential buyer for the site. They put a ton of hard work into making it the best build discussion site for MWO. It's been a fairly important site for as long as I've been playing the game.

And yet I never heard of it until today? (I've been around since closed beta, played on comp teams in the past, etc) and NO ONE In the hundreds and hundreds of players I've played with, has mentioned it until I saw this thread.

I know this is perception bias. But, really if it was so good, surely someone good would have pointed it out already...

[Kira Onime]

Grisbane, on 13 August 2015 - 08:13 AM, said:

source please.. thanks.

Phil on the NGNG stream 10 minutes ago.

[Sarlic]

Lugh, on 13 August 2015 - 08:09 AM, said:

And yet I never heard of it until today? (I've been around since closed beta, played on comp teams in the past, etc) and NO ONE In the hundreds and hundreds of players I've played with, has mentioned it until I saw this thread.

I know this is perception bias. But, really if it was so good, surely someone good would have pointed it out already...

Were you under a stone or what?

Edited by Sarlic, 13 August 2015 - 08:22 AM.