376 replies to this topic

[slide]

Why does PGI seem to be so reticent to consider adding fundamental aspects of BT to MWO that have been asked for by many since closed beta.

A proper HEATSCALE is one such aspect which would have a huge impact on balance.
SIZED HARDPOINTS is another aspect which would help slow the steady power creep and can also be used for balancing purposes.
RETICLE SHAKE such as that when jumping to decrease accuracy at speed seems like a simple and already implemented solution to long range alpha warrior.

We continue to get un-intuitive fixes for problems, ghost heat and now ghost damage (new on the pts) being examples, that really fail to solve some of the core issues with MWO.

Examples: (going way back in time)

The Guassaput. For a time these beasts ruled MWO, cool running, big alphas and enough ammo to devastate a whole team. PGI's solution, introduce a mechanic which causes the Guass Rifle to explode when crit and reduce its hit points to nothing. This, indirectly to this day nerfs other builds and mechs whose main weaopn is a GR. Sized Hardpoints would never have allowed this monster to be built in the first place.

Ghost Heat: The 5 or 6 PPC Stalker was the driving force behind this mechanic, which has since proliferated to a great many other weapons systems (seriously ghost heat on srm2 and ssrm2 when using more than 3). A proper Heatscale would have kept this beast in check, appropriately distributed sized hard points would have also prevented it from being built in the first place. The Awesome cannot function properly in it's intended role (despite quirks, and the hit boxes has a lot to do with it too) due mainly to ghost heat running 3 ppc's with the nerfed double heat sinks is at best an exercise in frustration.

Edited by slide, 23 October 2015 - 05:32 PM.

[KGADigger]

1. When will trial mechs be rotated?

2. Will more sensor equipment be added?

[Odanan]

Question: Russ, will you continue to release more "Macross" Unseens? In standalone packs? Which one is the next? (Archer?)

About CW:

- why don't you make an option for people in a faction to attack or defend without choosing a planet? The system would choose the best planet, converging all available players there.

- please invest in bots for CW (PVE = top priority), that would eliminate ghost drops and would make queues much faster.

- add a very simple single-player mini-game (like the proposed pixel "Mini MWO") for us to play while waiting the matches to start. (dang, I will make a game design document and send you)

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EDIT: Not questions and not CW-related. Just suggestions:

- Hero Archer: Phantom (Morgan Kell's mech, with ECM).
- Hero Rifleman: Legend Killer (Gray Noton's mech).
- After those 2 standalone packs, please consider the Project Phoenix II, with Wasp (light), Phoenix Hawk (medium), Crusader (heavy) and Longbow (assault). Reinforcements: Stinger and Valkyrie.

Edited by Odanan, 24 October 2015 - 06:25 PM.

[Mcgral18]

What is the MWO balance process? What does an idea have to go through to be realized? How about an example.

To bump the MG to 1 DPS, and reduce the CoF from 3M to 0.1M, what would have to happen? To my knowledge, mechanically, you adjust two items in the Weapons.XML, but what paperwork or other events does it have to go through in the office?

Edited by Mcgral18, 21 October 2015 - 04:25 PM.

[HumpingBunny]

Bushwacker please! Also, would you at least consider rolling the timeline forward to allow for 'Mechs such as:

Sunder
Hauptmann
Blood Asp
Hellhound (the one from MW 4)
Fafnir
NovaCat
Thanatos
Uziel

Just to name a few.

[TheCrimsonBinome]

Would you consider hiding/removing kdr stats for the sake of teamwork and quality of gameplay?

[Impyrium]

Three questions, take your pick...

• Stock. Mode. Is this still on the table at all? And just to avoid confusion, I'm referring to a private match option that would revert each player's mech back to its stock loadout on game launch, not just a restriction that would disallow players to launch without a stock mech.
  
• As developers, what is your current stance and or ability to modify core game features, such as the heatscale, movement system, weapon aiming and convergence? There's a lot of areas where things could be fleshed out, and in the process add better avenues for balancing.
  
• What's your opinion on redeveloping the mechlab so that the player has the ability to rotate their view up and down and look from different perspectives, like what wast teased with the Academy? People spent a lot of money on their giant robots, let them admire them in all their glory!

[UwasaWaya]

Is there any word on a colorblind mode?

[Kanajashi]

Thanks for doing another town hall!

Now for my questions:

• With the introduction of the new tonnage system in group queue could you give some insight on the effect it has had on match quality and win loss percentage? While each person will have their own opinion of how it has changed, could you give us the raw numbers? Things such as the distribution of group sizes, weight classes within those groups, any particular chassis that are more popular now than before?
  
• Do you have any thoughts on groups running large amounts of a single chassis/weight class under the new system? I have played several group queue matches since the change, primarily in a 2 man. We found that several large groups were running mass amounts of a single chassis such as 6+ Arctic Cheetahs. While we did retain an approximate 50% win rate that evening, we both felt pressured to and eventually did switch to streak mechs in order to stand a chance against the larger teams. Would some kind of single chassis spam countermeasure be considered to go along with the new system?
  
• Would it be possible with the re-balance to see the introduction of new equipment and weapons that might help narrow the gap between Clan and IS forces? For example the light fusion engine (http://www.sarna.net..._Engine_-_Light) would allow IS mechs the same durability of Clan XL engines without the need for large amounts of quirks. While it wouldn't allow complete parity to clan tech as IS Light engine is only a 25% weight reduction compared to the 50% reduction on XL engines, it overall would be a buff to many IS chassis. Lights and mediums could trade a small amount of tonnage from weapons or top speed for a massive increase in durability (ability to loose a side torso) and any mech that typically runs a STD engine with no CT hardpoints (such as most Orions) would simply get more free tonnage to play with. Only downside is these kind of technologies are outside of the current timeline of the game (3062 for Light engines), but balance trumps the timeline right?

Edited by Kanajashi, 22 October 2015 - 12:25 AM.

[Tarl Cabot]

1. Question - Due vast difference between BT boardgame vs MWO's FPS/simulation where there are no actual engine crits, any consideration on changing how IS XL engines are handled, by removing the destruction with loss of one side torso and provide them with a greater heat penalty than Clan XL? And if need be, the need/option to add CASE to each side torso to prevent mech death w/loss of ST w/XL engine? If/when LFE is introduced, its heat penalty would fall somewhere between the two.

Reasoning - without actual engine crits the current settings prevents Clan XL engines from being destroyed unless the CT OR both side torsos are destroyed. The differences is between board game random dice rolls (XL engines=3 possible hit locations vs only one hit location for standard engines) vs pinpoint/aim at what I shoot at (FPS/simulation hits, pinpoint ability to put the majority of a mechs onto one location).

Edit:

2. Consideration on reviewing jump jet mechanics - Treat it like heatsinks for an low weight engine - min of 3 heatsinks needed (exception those with max 2 heatsinks) and reduce the gravity effect and/or increase the thrust on heavier mechs. Example Highlander 732B - 3JJ (3tons each) BT-wise it is able to jump 3 hexes = 90m. In MWO, it should be able to jump at least 45m instead of the current 19m. And that 90m distance was the distance it took for a 3/5 mech to walk (not run) in the 10sec round.

3. Review all mechs, both IS and Clan, to add additional hardpoints for those with fewer hardpoints than preferred mechs?

Edited by Tarl Cabot, 23 October 2015 - 11:08 PM.

[SirLankyIII]

Have you considered tightening the spread on LBX-ACs so that all or most pellets hit a single section (i.e. side torso) at optimal range on most heavy and assault mechs? As it stands now firing up to optimal range sees the pellets hit virtually all over the target regardless of mech size.

[Hawk819]

What are your plans on releasing Clan Second Line `Mechs? And are there any plans on release more Omni Mechs for Clan and Inner Sphere?

[eddieb]

When can we see a CW with unit/faction owned jumpships, dropships, and factories. Where capturing a planet actually has consequences, such as on mech price/weapon price.

NBT (http://mwo.netbattletech.com/) has drawn a following because it provides these features, but perhaps you'd consider adding some NBT style logistical features to CW.

Edited by eddieb, 21 October 2015 - 04:50 PM.

[Fubu Kuokano]

Will there ever be an option to change pilot name?

Are there plans for new weapons and modules?

[Kael Posavatz]

What is the state of the rebalance?

-How many more test servers?
-When can we expect it to be implemented?
-What was the rational behind the so-called 'Ghost Damage' mechanic for beam weapons?
-What changed your mind about reducing the range for clan lasers from 40% off their max range, to 20%?
-What led you to make the same changes to IS ER Large and Large Pulse Lasers?

Edited by Kael 17, 21 October 2015 - 04:57 PM.

[Wikikomoto]

MACKIE MACKIE MACKIE!?!?!?!?

[Wildstreak]

Big Jeka, on 21 October 2015 - 02:55 PM, said:

When turrets are return in Assault game mode?

They will not, Assault is fine without them.

[Soulstrom]

When is the balance to ecm coming?

[Kael Posavatz]

What made you decide to hold this Townhall on a Friday?

All previous townhalls have been on Thursdays.

[Killer Kellaine]

ARE WE GOING TO HAVE AN EVENT SOON?