129 replies to this topic

[InnerSphereNews]

POST UPDATES

09/13/2015: First phase of the Re-Balance PTS is over! We're going to make a few changes and fixes based on your feedback and metrics, but a new phase of the Re-Balance PTS will begin soon.

09/11/2015: We will be boosting all PTS accounts with additional MC, C-Bills, and GXP on Monday morning (9/14/2015) to give everyone sufficient resources for experimenting with new builds!

Greetings MechWarriors,

We're happy to announce that starting September 11th at 3:15 PM PDT (10:15 PM UTC) the Public Test Server (PTS) will be activated to give everyone a chance to get an advance look and testing session with the upcoming 'Mech Re-Balance!

This PTS session is scheduled to run until further notice, and may be broken up into phases to allow for adjustments and new testing sessions based on your feedback.

Accessing the PTS will require that you download and install a separate instance of the MWO client.

If you have already participated in a previous PTS session and still have the client installed, you will only need to apply the latest patches.

The download link for the PTS installer can be found here.

We have created a dedicated 'Mech Re-Balance Feedback forum for discussing this re-balance.

Please direct all general discussion of the re-balance into the main sub-forum.

Please direct chassis-specific discussion to the associated sub-forum for that chassis.

WHAT IS THE 'MECH RE-BALANCE?

Lead Designer Paul Inouye has written a comprehensive summary regarding this 'Mech Re-balance, which can be found in the Developer Outreach forum here.

IMPORTANT NOTES

The 'Mech Re-Balance is still a work-in-progress!

The build you will see in the PTS client may not reflect the final release build.

The crash and module errors introduced with the September 9th patch are present in this current PTS build. We are planning to roll out the recent hot-fix to to the PTS build before the weekend.

There is currently no set end-time for this PTS session. This PTS session is scheduled to run until further notice, and may be broken up into phases to allow for adjustments and new testing sessions based on your feedback.

Attempting to access the PTS session prior to September 11th at 3:15 PM PDT (10:15 PM UTC) will result in a 'Servers Undergoing Maintenance' message.

PTS CLIENT INSTALLATION STEPS

• Download and run the PTS installer (if a previous install of the PTS Client is not already present on your system).
• Run the MechWarriorOnline.exe, located in your C:\Program Files (x86)\MWO Public Test\MechWarrior Online\Bin32 folder (default install location).
• Click the Patch button.
• Accept the Terms of Use.
• The PTS Client will then proceed to download the MWO install base, which is roughly 7 GB in size.
• Once the Install Base has been downloaded and installed, the launcher will then download and apply two small patches.
• Once the patches are downloaded and installed, you should now have access to the Play button.
• Click Play!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• The sole purpose of this PTS session is to test and experiment with the 'Mech Re-Balance.
• Solo and Group queue match services will be available through the PTS client during this PTS session.
• Community Warfare will be available through the PTS client during this PTS session.
• The standard Live client will continue to function as normal.
• Your login information for the PTS client will be the same as your Live account login information.
• Any actions you take inside the PTS client, such as spending MC/C-Bills or customizing your 'Mechs, will not carry over to your Live account.
• The account that is used for your access to the PTS client is a 'snapshot' of your standard Live account. Any changes you make to your Live account while we are running the PTS session may not necessarily carry over to your PTS 'snapshot' account.

Feedback and discussion of this PTS will operate a little differently from past PTS sessions.

To help prevent any confusion with the Live environment, all general discussion of the 'Mech Re-Balance PTS session should go into the 'Mech Re-Balance Feedback sub-forum.

If your feedback is related to a specific Chassis or Variant, please place your feedback into the associated sub-forum!

We request that you please only use the 'Mech Re-Balance and Chassis sub-forums for constructive feedback and discussion of the 'Mech Re-Balance PTS.

Please do not submit any support tickets regarding issues with the 'Mech Re-Balance PTS.

Download link for the Public Test Server installer!

Discuss the 'Mech Re-Balance and post your feedback in the 'Mech Re-Balance and Chassis sub-forums!

[Sarlic]

Looking forward. Thank you for settings this up.

Now could you perhaps make one thing clear:

Is this some kind of 'going back to the drawing table and start again'? (Strategy?)

(As some users have pointed out there are practically no more weapon quirks.)

Edited by Sarlic, 11 September 2015 - 01:47 PM.

[Tarzilman]

Nice!
Talking about re-balance... erm... what about the re-scale programme?
Just asking. Maybe I missed something? o.O

[Alexander Garden]

Hey all,

Rather than have to bring down PTS later today, we are going to be delaying the start time by about 15 minutes!
We're going to be resolving the crash and module issues introduced in the September 9th patch (that were still present in this PTS build). We thought it best to do this now, rather than bring PTS down later today.

The new PTS start time is 3:15 PM PDT (10:15 PM UTC).

[Yosharian]

Quote

InfoTech (this is new, but incorporates information gathering time, target retention time, and information sharing ranges/sensor ranges)

None of which matter in this game

Lmao

Holy **** my Dire Whale will take 0.3sec longer to find out which components are damaged on my targets. Game is totally balanced now guys.

Quote

Jenner was meant to be a fast guerrilla fighter which would go on to form the foundation for highly mobile lances

Quote

A favorite tactic of Jenner lances was to gang up on larger 'Mechs and unleash a devastating alpha strike.

Hey guys let's give the Jenner sensor quirks!

Edited by Yosharian, 11 September 2015 - 02:00 PM.

[Alistair Winter]

Tina / PGI, I have a little request.

Russ explained that PGI will be collecting feedback for a few weeks and then stopping to make adjustments before the rebalance patch is finalized. As I understand it, PGI hasn't decided when the rebalance patch will be released (maybe early October) or how many PTS sessions there will be before it's released.

Could you let us know when you're done collecting feedback?

There have been situations in the past (like with UI 2.0 preview) where a lot of players were continuing to provide feedback over time, and some people put a lot of hours into making detailed suggestions, only to find out that PGI had very little time to actually use the feedback before the next patch (in this case, UI 2.0) was released. It made some people a bit frustrated that they'd wasted time making feedback at a time when PGI didn't really have time to look at it. And months later (for the next UI 2.0 improvement), people had to repeat a lot of issues that were pointed out initially.

It would be really great to get a small indication of what's going on behind the scenes. Like "thanks for your input, we've made some notes and we're ready to go forward with what we have and release the patch when it's ready". And then we can hopefully be of help with more feedback for the next PTS, whenever that is. Maybe it's useful for PGI to have fans just providing continuous feedback over time, but for the people who spend time making really detailed comprehensive feedback with illustrations, etc, it kind of zaps your motivation when you don't know if the microphone is on.

Edited by Alistair Winter, 11 September 2015 - 02:06 PM.

[IraqiWalker]

Alexander Garden, on 11 September 2015 - 01:53 PM, said:

Hey all,

Rather than have to bring down PTS later today, we are going to be delaying the start time by about 15 minutes!
We're going to be resolving the crash and module issues introduced in the September 9th patch (that were still present in this PTS build). We thought it best to do this now, rather than bring PTS down later today.

The new PTS start time is 3:15 PM PDT (10:15 PM UTC).

[Coffeen]

What the HELL no i mean 0,000000 quirks for is (headshaking) ok i now this aint finall but still U CAN'T BE SERIOUS REALLY

I mean except for internal and armor quirks this is the worst nightmare what do u mean us to be defencless ducks.

Edited by Dragonluck, 11 September 2015 - 04:16 PM.

[DevilCrayon]

MORE PEOPLE PLAY!
Wait times are so long I keep playing with JaggerXXII.

[Luscious Dan]

Downloading the test client now. Gonna give it a go, hoping the clan/IS isn't too far off

[Goose]

There's too much ECM to learn anything …

[Cranky Puppy]

Stop NERFING my Mechs that I paid with U.S. Dollars with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel like all my favorite toys I paid for are being broken by the TOY MAKER.

When you Buy a Car...the manufacturer doesn't take your Car that is in your possession and make it worse.
STOP NERFING MY MECHS THAT I PAID REAL MONEY FOR!!!!

[Ripper X]

DevilCrayon, on 11 September 2015 - 06:11 PM, said:

MORE PEOPLE PLAY!
Wait times are so long I keep playing with JaggerXXII.

Problem is there is no incentive for people to play on the test server. Give the players who participate something that is added to their live account. People will come out in droves for free stuff.

[IraqiWalker]

Dragonluck, on 11 September 2015 - 04:11 PM, said:

What the HELL no i mean 0,000000 quirks for is (headshaking) ok i now this aint finall but still U CAN'T BE SERIOUS REALLY

I mean except for internal and armor quirks this is the worst nightmare what do u mean us to be defencless ducks.

Let's be accurate here. No WEAPON quirks are in the game in the PTS. That's something this community has cried for, for as long as weapon quirks have been a thing.

Cranky Puppy, on 11 September 2015 - 08:13 PM, said:

Stop NERFING my Mechs that I paid with U.S. Dollars with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel like all my favorite toys I paid for are being broken by the TOY MAKER.

When you Buy a Car...the manufacturer doesn't take your Car that is in your possession and make it worse.
STOP NERFING MY MECHS THAT I PAID REAL MONEY FOR!!!!

This kind of thinking is very wrong.
1- You never paid for the mech's power level. You only paid to get early access to the mechs, and PGI NEVER agreed they would not nerf them at all.

2- Even when using your example, there are product recalls where the manufacturer will take back the car, and change things in it, such as replacing the hydraulic system used to open your car's trunk. So not even that example works.


So to make this clear: You NEVER paid for the mechs to remain at a very powerful level. All you paid for is early access to them mechs, and the extra goodies that came with the packs (this is coming from someone who owns pack mechs from the Phoenix pack and up. Minus R1)

[Thor 33]

I'll agree with cranky above. I've spent a lot of time getting some decent cw drop decks for both IS and clan. What's going to really burn me up is to find out that all the quirks are gone/completely different. The real reason for this seems to be that PGI wants people to re-invest money buying the now 'good' mechs. If you invalidate builds that I already have I'll have to seriously consider moving on. I've posted before about ECM and how it ruins the game. Now I'm wondering how you're going to make mech's slower or faster...like your jenner example. Does this mean a lower engine cap? A slow 'quirk' ? Hardpoint changes? More details into exactly what your plans are should be given.

Ummm....no, the 'community' has not been crying for no weapon quirks. Fair quirks-even-sure. None? Lets just go back to no quirks at all then. Guess what? Clanners win ALL THE TIME.

[SolCrusher]

Why would you give ASSAULTS negative movement quirks? I mean really -15 decel and accell on Banshees? DDC with negative turn rates? and accel and decel?

Negative torso twists on Awesomes? The brawler awesome at that! (I do like the dynamic weapons on them)

Negative rates on Direwolfs? Really? Slowest damn mech in the game and you make it turn slower? Oh that's brillant. You can take your negative quirks and shove them where the sun don't shine.

The Crabs and the Stalkers have negative turn and decel and accel rates too? So you really don't want anyone to play Assaults do you?

YOU BUFFED CATAPHACTS? ARE YOU #@$%@$%#%$??? Oh like they need any help.

YOU BUFFED JAGERS? Really they need a movement buff? This is ridiculous.

Summoners look good, not too overly buffed but it's a bad chassis and needs all the help it can get.

So MEDIUMS NEED MOVEMENT BUFFS TOO? We're being TROLLED by PGI or they are just @#$@#$!!!

LIGHTS get movement buffs? Seriously? You must want everyone to move faster.

Why not unlock engine caps then on all mechs? You want movement sacrifice something for it.



So yeah, this isn't even smart. Not much to say nor look at..........................................

[IraqiWalker]

SolCrusher, on 11 September 2015 - 08:47 PM, said:

Why would you give ASSAULTS negative movement quirks? I mean really -15 decel and accell on Banshees? DDC with negative turn rates? and accel and decel?

Negative torso twists on Awesomes? The brawler awesome at that! (I do like the dynamic weapons on them)

Negative rates on Direwolfs? Really? Slowest damn mech in the game and you make it turn slower? Oh that's brillant. You can take your negative quirks and shove them where the sun don't shine.

The Crabs and the Stalkers have negative turn and decel and accel rates too? So you really don't want anyone to play Assaults do you?

YOU BUFFED CATAPHACTS? ARE YOU #@$%@$%#%$??? Oh like they need any help.

YOU BUFFED JAGERS? Really they need a movement buff? This is ridiculous.

Summoners look good, not too overly buffed but it's a bad chassis and needs all the help it can get.

So MEDIUMS NEED MOVEMENT BUFFS TOO? We're being TROLLED by PGI or they are just @#$@#$!!!

LIGHTS get movement buffs? Seriously? You must want everyone to move faster.

Why not unlock engine caps then on all mechs? You want movement sacrifice something for it.



So yeah, this isn't even smart. Not much to say nor look at..........................................

Way to completely miss the ENTIRE point of this PTS

Thor 33, on 11 September 2015 - 08:47 PM, said:

I'll agree with cranky above. I've spent a lot of time getting some decent cw drop decks for both IS and clan. What's going to really burn me up is to find out that all the quirks are gone/completely different. The real reason for this seems to be that PGI wants people to re-invest money buying the now 'good' mechs. If you invalidate builds that I already have I'll have to seriously consider moving on. I've posted before about ECM and how it ruins the game. Now I'm wondering how you're going to make mech's slower or faster...like your jenner example. Does this mean a lower engine cap? A slow 'quirk' ? Hardpoint changes? More details into exactly what your plans are should be given.

Ummm....no, the 'community' has not been crying for no weapon quirks. Fair quirks-even-sure. None? Lets just go back to no quirks at all then. Guess what? Clanners win ALL THE TIME.

No, there have been many calls to remove weapon quirks, and especially weapon specific quirks.

By the way. Quirks were never supposed to be permanent, they are subject to change. The whole point of the quirk system is that it allows them to fine tune every individual chassis.

EDIT: I bet you wouldn't have complained if the quirk change gave your favorite mechs more bonuses.

Edited by IraqiWalker, 11 September 2015 - 08:51 PM.

[KursedVixen]

Cranky Puppy, on 11 September 2015 - 08:13 PM, said:

Stop NERFING my Mechs that I paid with U.S. Dollars with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel like all my favorite toys I paid for are being broken by the TOY MAKER.

When you Buy a Car...the manufacturer doesn't take your Car that is in your possession and make it worse.
STOP NERFING MY MECHS THAT I PAID REAL MONEY FOR!!!!

agreed and STOP NERFING CLan mecns and BUFF IS MECHS

and GIVE THE TIMBERWOLF NO QUIRKS[double underline][Boldx10] EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!![/double underline][/Boldx10

Edited by KursedVixen, 11 September 2015 - 09:02 PM.

[Threat Doc]

IraqiWalker... I want to be on your side on this one, and I think I see what PGI are trying to do, here, but while they continue to completely ignore what has been put forward, they will never GET IT, and they will continue to push their CUSTOMERS away. It took them roughly nine months after they opened the Beta to chase off all of the tabletop and computer game BattleTech veterans, those who put all of that initial money into the game, and NOW they're getting to a point where things that have been pointed out to them by DOZENS of us for better than two years, now, are finally becoming important.

Shame on you, PGI. I have so many words that are so amazingly negative for you.

Do your fix, let's see if it actually does anything and, if it doesn't, you start paying ACTUAL ATTENTION to the tactical combat simulation tabletop game, and work from that. Your 'Mech simulator is the most perfect representation of the tabletop game to-date, without needing to be a 1:1 translation. Do the same with the meta-information outside the board game, please?

Edited by Kay Wolf, 13 September 2015 - 02:28 PM.

[LordLosh]

I don't want to be negative but i have heard nothing good about this re-balance (forums, in game chat, redit etc) and I'm questioning why we are trying so hard to redesign the wheel? You just have to many variables going on here with to many variants and mechs to try to achieve a perfect balance. most strategy games focus on 3 sides. they achieve a semi balance with counters for each side. We have 8! four weight classes for IS and Clan. Then you add into the mix different mechs and variants! IMPOSSIBLE! I have no solutions for you other then we were in an alright place and we knew what mechs were OP, we should have just kept slightly nerfing them to make others more viable? hell i don't even know if that would have worked but starting over to me seems dumb.

Edited by LordLosh, 11 September 2015 - 10:09 PM.