29 replies to this topic

[Alistair Winter]

Did any of y'all try the Star Wars Battlefront open beta? Did you try the multiplayer bit?

If you didn't, let me explain briefly. There are two game modes. One is a symmetric game mode, where drop pods are landing on random locations on the map with regular intervals, and both teams rush in to cap them. Infantry only. The other is an asymmetric game mode, based on the battle of Hoth in Episode 5. AT-AT walkers, AT-ST walkers, infantry, turrets, X-wings, TIE fighters, and everything short of the kitchen sink (or tauntauns).

While the game is far from perfect, I thought the maps and game modes in SW Battlefront pretty much illustrated what I would have wanted from MWO, but we don't have.

• The maps look realistic. No silly rock formations that look hilariously out of place, just for the sake of providing cover or for the sake of making big walls around the map.
  
• The maps have no dominating features. I.e. there's no huge mountain or volcano everyone's circling around.
  
• The asymmetric map is very open. Imagine CW maps that are completely open. Sure, you have AT-AT walkers walking from A to B on a fairly straight line, but as infantry, you can basically go anywhere on the map. As the attacker, you can bring a teammate on a really wide flanking maneuver. As the defender, you can easily sneak through the attackers' lines and start attacking them from behind. It's very chaotic and very fun. You have to keep your eyes open and watch all sides for ambushes and flanking maneuvers.
  
• The game modes are dynamic! The symmetric game mode forces both teams to move all the time, because you have to capture and defend the drop pods that keep landing. You can't camp, because you'll lose. You can't spread out and go rambo, because you'll lose. You can't deathball, because you'll get enveloped and flanked and killed. You're constantly thinking on your feet instead of falling into standard patterns. The next drop pod can land on the other side of the map, or 10 meters from your feet.
  The asymmetric mode is also dynamic, and it's not just a matter of defending or attacking the moving AT-AT walker en route to destroy the rebel shield generator. You also have to constantly fight for uplink positions on the map, which can be used to call in air support. And so the focus of the fight moves back and forth between primary and secondary objectives.
  
• The asymmetric map (Hoth) has different stages, and the fighting takes place on different places as the attackers win ground. This is completely unlike CW Invasion mode, where defenders are just waiting inside the gates for the attackers to move into the meatgrinder. Instead, the fighting moves from open ground to inside and outside the rebel base and across the trenches with turrets and defensive positions.

For me, it's just another example of the things I've been talking about for MWO maps and game modes since 2012. Particularly the part about asymmetric game modes with primary and secondary objectives on open maps, where the focus of the battle shifts back and forth... that's something I wish we had for MWO. This focus on "brawling inside the gates, bro" is something I don't get at all. Seems to me like most MWO players are players who appreciate games with deeper strategy and more complex game elements.

For those who didn't have a chance to check out SW Battlefront, I recommend checking out some YouTube videos. I don't think the game has the same longevity as MWO (simply because the fundamental combat mechanics in SW:B are too simplistic compared to MWO), but it's still one of the most immersive Star Wars experiences I've had. It's up there with Dark Forces, Jedi Knight and the original TIE Fighter.

If there's a new Mechwarrior game after MWO, some day, I hope they take a look at the maps and game modes in SW:B.

[Thorqemada]

Sean Lang had it in a recent ~5h Twitchstream on his Sean Lang channel - he went back to MWO after an hour or so...

But i dont know - MWO becomes as easy with its Laserdominance...Point - Click - Boom...some Mechs are as fast and can Bunnyhop too...

[Brollocks]

Just looked like another fast paced CoD clone to me, but you are right, the maps are beautiful. Why can't MWO have those giant spherical dropships landing and taking off in the distance to give the impression of a larger battle going on. Anything else for immersion other than the bad visibility and cluttered maps we have now.

[Illya Ghost Bear]

would have loved too... but the last several such Disney Betas excluded Mexico.

[El Bandito]

No difference between MWO and SW:BF. Laser meta everywhere.

[JP Josh]

people complain about how open caustic, rpg manifold are.

maps use to be more open but people complained about guss and ppc (lrm complaints are still here) meta similar to our current high mount lazer overheat should be self nuking not happening meta is goin on.

[Johnny Z]

Maybe some valid points in the OP, but SW Battlefront is getting bad reviews from everyone.

The quality of the sim is excellent though, sound and all that, they say.

The maps recently completed in Mechwarrior Online are first rate.

But maybe there is some good ideas or what ever from this new SW Battlefront also.

[Tiger Dad]

I saw someone streaming the game and all I saw was pew pew pew. die. pew pew pew. die. sometimes walk out and just die. Confused me. Wanted to like it but I really said to myself, "What a sh*tshow."
But the maps are purty.

[Jazzbandit1313]

I played the beta all weekend, and I have to say that both maps had some terrific replay value. I had unique types of fun every single time i dropped in a match.

Look, MWO's got me using "dropped" for spawning in other games.

I think it would be cool to see more maps like Alpine (*Hoth cough*) that are super open and encourage fighting in ALL locations on the map. Not just one hill or flank location that gets used and used and used.

El Bandito, on 13 October 2015 - 06:00 PM, said:

No difference between MWO and SW:BF. Laser meta everywhere.

Heh, not for me. Cycler rifle was my main gun. Just used the D-19 for taking that last 10hp when my enemy had the courtesy of me missing the dink.

[Ascaloth]

SW:B is being developed in 2015 by EA/Dice, while MWO was developed in (is being developed since) 2012, so it's unfair to compare the terrain of a game made 3 years ago by a small company with the terrain of a recent game made by giants.

PGI is doing a hell of a good work with the new maps. Forest Colony, River City and Caustic Valley all look fantastic, also Vitric Forge. I don't think the new Alpine will look as good SW:B Hoth map, but will sure be pleasant to the eyes.

[Lugh]

Muddy Funster, on 13 October 2015 - 05:47 PM, said:

Just looked like another fast paced CoD clone to me, but you are right, the maps are beautiful. Why can't MWO have those giant spherical dropships landing and taking off in the distance to give the impression of a larger battle going on. Anything else for immersion other than the bad visibility and cluttered maps we have now.

It is. It's patently boring. Spawn sprint to capture point shoot at reds along the way. Any time spent carefully approaching is pointless.

They also did some weirdness with mixing up the spawn points for the teams so there is no clear 'order of battle' for respawning, which is HIGHLY annoying. I killed a guy. Then got killed and respawned, and the guy I had killed previously was the one to kill me at my spawn point. So utterly stupid.

[Charronn]

I tried it and sure it looked nice but thats about it.
Granted it is beta but if thats what EA can come up with with all that money I fear for gaming.If thats the way things are headed and the worst of it is players will swallow it EVERY ******* year they get what they deserve.
The game is a mess,run die repeat ad nauseum.
Oh but don't forget dlc packs and your season pass kiddies,all not free of course.
EA get a big **** off from me,it's a pity more players don't do or say the same.

[Lugh]

Tiger Dad, on 14 October 2015 - 06:17 AM, said:

I saw someone streaming the game and all I saw was pew pew pew. die. pew pew pew. die. sometimes walk out and just die. Confused me. Wanted to like it but I really said to myself, "What a sh*tshow."
But the maps are purty.

I can't like this enough. That's exactly how it played.

[Sarlic]

I havent bought any games from EA since the last 10 years i believe. Atleast yeaaaaars go.

They have became a terrible publisher. They royalled screwed multiple franchises over.

All they see is MONEY & ORIGIN (piece of utter spyware)

Edited by Sarlic, 14 October 2015 - 06:38 AM.

[Jazzbandit1313]

Sarlic, on 14 October 2015 - 06:37 AM, said:

I havent bought any games from EA since the last 10 years i believe. Atleast yeaaaaars go.

They have became a terrible publisher. They royalled screwed multiple franchises over.

Click Me!

[Paigan]

Just the other day I thought about something on the map that forces you more to move to certain location.
Not just to prevent camping, but also to prevent the stupid nascaring.

Maybe something like simple targets (factories etc.) to destroy that forces the attacker to move accross distances and the defenders to intercept them.
I don't mean 3 overtanked gens like on CW, I mean something like 10-20 smaller targets. You can't camp all them, you can't sacrifice all of them, you have to move and not just in circles.

Or something else (escorting a mobile field base or whatever).
Anything that kills nascaring.

Edited by Paigan, 14 October 2015 - 06:41 AM.

[Idealsuspect]

Illya Arkhipova, on 13 October 2015 - 05:54 PM, said:

would have loved too... but the last several such Disney Betas excluded Mexico.

Guess it was an totally open beta no ?

[Lorian Sunrider]

Despite Walker Assault and spawn points being utterly terribly done at times, I still enjoyed it far more than I probably should have. If I didn't have a bunch of buddies buying it to play co-op I would probably be more hesitant to buy it.

[Ascaloth]

Paigan, on 14 October 2015 - 06:38 AM, said:

Just the other day I thought about something on the map that forces you more to move to certain location.
Not just to prevent camping, but also to prevent the stupid nascaring.

Maybe something like simple targets (factories etc.) to destroy that forces the attacker to move accross distances and the defenders to intercept them.
I don't mean 3 overtanked gens like on CW, I mean something like 10-20 smaller targets. You can't camp all them, you can't sacrifice all of them, you have to move and not just in circles.

Or something else (escorting a mobile field base or whatever).
Anything that kills nascaring.

Think about capping on Conquest and Assault.

Done?

Now think about how much it rewards.

Okay? Now you know why we can't have other objectives aside destroying mechs.

[Wrathful Scythe]

Have played it some hours and didn't like it. This game got one thing right in my opinion and that are the graphics. It looks gorgeous and got the Star Wars feeling. Other than that its just pretty "meh".