61 replies to this topic

[Insidious Johnson]

Ya know, PGI can have the canon names thing. They own the rights to those names. However, they cannot limit or restrain player activities of voluntarily grouping up without being targets of validated hate. Hatred is one thing PGI cannot afford.

[Threat Doc]

LordKaos, on 10 July 2012 - 02:53 PM, said:

I see alot of groups still recuiting when they boast 40+ players and am curious of the average size of merc corps. Personally I think large merc corps could have a negative impact on the game same as if any of the factions ends up with significantly more players.

It doesn't matter how many each Merc Corps has, because the community is already more than 5.5 times the size of any MechWarrior and/or MechCommander community I've seen before.

I figured it one time, when there were just 100,000 accounts on these forums, that if there were 50 Merc Units and 5 Houses, and the accounts were split evenly, you would have roughly 1,818 people per. Now, with 195,000, at 75 Merc Units and 5 Houses, you're looking at 2,437 per. For my part, I'm hoping for between 324 and 360 only; I don't want but 14.7% of the current split number. Besides, probably about 75% of non-multiple accounts will go to the Houses, anyway, which might actually give us the proper mix of Mercs, anyway. So, I think your worry is unfounded.

[LordKaos]

Your probably right Kay, but it has been good to see some votes and get an idea on the size of some of the merc corps.

[ReconDoc]

How many should a Merc Unit have? As many as you can reasonably manage is my answer. Larger Corps can handle more contracts, and have specialty units (Lances and Stars) for specific contracts.
BattleBorn Knights have 24+ Active members and 6 auxiliary (Members active in MWO and other games) and we are hoping to grow large enough for 4 binaries.

[Guido]

Just to clarify on the subject, BWC does indeed have over 700+ members. That's on the whole. If you were to do the research on it, you'll notice right away that BWC is also a multi-game company. Meaning there are members in BWC who don't play MWO. When members of BWC say we're very large, they aren't lying, because we are. When BWC members say the BWCMWO division is very large, they are also correct, because we are.

And yes, we do exercise OPSEC which means not disclosing meaningful numbers to those not in the company, including Operation Steel. The reason behind this is our own, but to those who have put in their numbers, you have given vital information that can be used against you. I will leave it up to each of you to figure out what that means.

[Gabopentin]

I find it a little fascinating that so many large 'clans' from outside of the MWO are scuttling around seemingly trying to recruit as many people as possible to their 'clan' for a game that hasn't even gone past closed beta. Many profess to be the best and all profess to be the friendliest. Yet they all appear to have one idea in common. To 'dominate' the MWO world and smash all opposition, whilst 'having fun' doing so. Being that at the time the Community Warfare system is not going to be in place until 2 to 3 months after open beta is this not a little early for them to be 'cleaning up' the local talent. Its like advertising for employees but not having any jobs and holding all applicants 'on file'.

[Name54678]

Matches are 12v12 and it appears each unit will be limited to one world. ok. Does anybody yet know how often you're obliged to defend it?

For example, lets say I join a small informal group (15-20 people) and we typically play on the weekends. Now, say a larger group comes along and issues challenges all during the week when my group isn't around. Do we lose the world by default for failing to accept these challenges? Will a limit be set on the number of challenges that can be issued to a group?

I think it would be reasonable to mandate that a group, if it conquers a world, must defend that world at least once every 7 days. If you can't get your corp together at least once a week you're just too small.

As for too large? If you have 100, 200, 300, etc., it's still 12v12. The rest are of no consequence.

Edited by Kalyko Jak, 25 July 2012 - 12:00 PM.

[Rhyshaelkan]

Gabopentin, on 25 July 2012 - 11:32 AM, said:

I find it a little fascinating that so many large 'clans' from outside of the MWO are scuttling around seemingly trying to recruit as many people as possible to their 'clan' for a game that hasn't even gone past closed beta. Many profess to be the best and all profess to be the friendliest. Yet they all appear to have one idea in common. To 'dominate' the MWO world and smash all opposition, whilst 'having fun' doing so. Being that at the time the Community Warfare system is not going to be in place until 2 to 3 months after open beta is this not a little early for them to be 'cleaning up' the local talent. Its like advertising for employees but not having any jobs and holding all applicants 'on file'.

Well this is not Halo, CoD or any various other games. This is Mechwarrior. Battletech has history going back nearly a score and ten years. Speaking for myself, I am here for the name more than anything else. I am not even average at playing the game, but it is Mechwarrior so I bought the Founders Pack. [surely enough I spent 10 times as much on books over the years]

[Gabopentin]

Kalyko Jak, on 25 July 2012 - 11:55 AM, said:

I think it would be reasonable to mandate that a group, if it conquers a world, must defend that world at least once every 7 days. If you can't get your corp together at least once a week you're just too small.

Unworkable. This would then mean there would have to be x + x number of worlds because eventually every Merc Corps would own its own world, but, because they are not online to defend it they keep it at their convenience gaining all of the bonuses for no effort. At the weekend when they may outnumber all opposition. Because of their size they would be able to constantly attack the other Merc Corps until they took another world by sheer weight of numbers. By allowing a world to be kept without challenge for y number of days you are increasing the quantity of worlds every week. Which plays into the type of conquest that the larger Merc Corps would be able to put up and the smaller Corps would be unable to defend against. This would lead to the large Corps eventually owning all of the worlds. The smaller Corps would then be reduced to raiding and quick 'profit' attacks without the benefit of taking a world to gain the bonuses.

[Name54678]

Logic is a complete stranger to you Gabopentin. I said IF. That does not necessarily follow that each group will successfully conquer a world. A team that only plays on weekends would have far fewer opportunites for victory.

Edited by Kalyko Jak, 25 July 2012 - 01:19 PM.

[Rhyshaelkan]

A solution might be.

1. Faction, merc corps, clan, etc. registers to attack a world. Actual attack will occur X hours/days after registration. Faction, merc corps, clan leader and any officers get email of impending attack. Defenders have X hours to prepare defense.

2. More than one Faction, merc corps, clan can register at a time. Not more than 1 registration per world per 20 minutes(time limit of engagement). This will mean a world might constantly be in siege. Where larger merc corps will do well is that they could fight in shifts. Sure the fight is limited to 12 v 12. A larger merc corp can schedule members to defend.

Lineage II forts are similar to this. A rival clan can register to attack a fort. Defenders have 1 hour to prepare. A fort cannot come under siege more than once per 4 hours. Siege lasts 1 hour.


MWO worlds might come in grades too. Some being more vital and valuable. Going back to Lineage II for example.

Castles can only be under siege every other week siege lasting 2 hours. Multiple clans defend multiple clans attack.

Siegeable clan halls can only be under siege every other week siege lasting till siege goals are met. Free for all, multiple clans.

Examples for the devs for how they might handle worlds and grades of worlds.

Edited by Rhyshaelkan, 25 July 2012 - 01:27 PM.

[Gabopentin]

The seriously bad point about all of this is that it is limiting the whole game to a 'clan' based game. If your not in a 'clan' then you will not get a match. Whereas with the present 'pick up' system all people logged in will get placed in a team and will get to play. Being that not everyone who wants to play wants to also join a 'clan', the casual player is isolated and will no longer play. A very large 'customer' base forced out by 'clan' base playing style.
One particular MMO I played had 4 guilds forming an alliance with an 'army' of 4000. The opposition had 8 guilds and filled up with independents numbering 400. One particular enemy guild 'took over' a server by fielding over 1500 members in one night. This is the 'danger' of 'clan/guild' formations becoming too large.

[Rhyshaelkan]

Not really domination. Only that factions and merc corps would enjoy the benefits afforded by membership. It pays to belong to and be productive members of clubs. Or you can be lone wolves. MWO give the option, you do with it what you want. It is your life, spend it how you will. We do not even know yet how belonging to factions and merc corps will be beneficial.

[Dihm]

Guido, on 25 July 2012 - 11:18 AM, said:

The reason behind this is our own, but to those who have put in their numbers, you have given vital information that can be used against you. I will leave it up to each of you to figure out what that means.

[Firefly]

Dihm, on 26 July 2012 - 05:19 AM, said:

and also This game is going to be so much fun with you in it, Dihm. SO MUCH FUN.

Gabopentin, on 25 July 2012 - 11:32 AM, said:

I find it a little fascinating that so many large 'clans' from outside of the MWO are scuttling around seemingly trying to recruit as many people as possible to their 'clan' for a game that hasn't even gone past closed beta. Many profess to be the best and all profess to be the friendliest. Yet they all appear to have one idea in common. To 'dominate' the MWO world and smash all opposition, whilst 'having fun' doing so. Being that at the time the Community Warfare system is not going to be in place until 2 to 3 months after open beta is this not a little early for them to be 'cleaning up' the local talent. Its like advertising for employees but not having any jobs and holding all applicants 'on file'.

There are other 'Mech games out there and many of us play these games. Some of us play them in preparation for MWO. "Community Warfare" may not be out there after launch but that doesn't stop groups from organizing and circumventing the lack of CW by doing their own thing. Sure, planetary conquest may not be part of the game but direct-action will be.

As for "smashing the opposition"... this is a PvP game. It is not Global Agenda where you run around and gank NPC robots and playing co-op mode PvE. This is a combat-based game. I really don't mean this to sound as harsh as it's probably going to sound so please don't interpret this as an angry rant. I can't understand why this concept is alien to you or why your post paints the idea like some sort of gigantic troll versus players. If you want to play single-player mode and be happy friends with everyone, why play MWO? It's a game featuring big stompy robots where the object is to kick the crap out of everyone on the opposite team.

And whilst you may possibly and inexplicably desire to pug it up with random pubbies, people who are part of a unit probably wish to fight with their comrades against other organized units. Speaking only for myself, I am not interested in leading my pilots into battle against you and a buddy of yours, plus ten other random strangers that nobody else really knows except for their reputation on the interwebz. I'm interested in facing off against organized teams that can challenge my teammates and I.

As for this silly notion that 12v12 being the great equalizer, if you guys can't figure this concept out for yourselves, well... try to contain the butt-hurt when the game starts. And one planet for one merc unit? Sounds like we'll have to split into various merc units in order to make things interesting. I don't recall there being a game mechanic against that.

[Dihm]

Firefly, on 26 July 2012 - 06:04 AM, said:

and also This game is going to be so much fun with you in it, Dihm. SO MUCH FUN.

I put the F U in fun?

We actually show our entire roster (including inactive/AWOL peeps) to the entire world. We don't take opsec very srs.

[TrashcanDan]

Regardless of anyones clan/ corp/ legion / house/ guild/ group/ platoon/ company battalion./ brigade/ basket full of puppies/ whatever anyone calls them self, trying to get a # or size of said formentioned really isn't going to do you any good if your trying to scope anyone out.

12 competitive pilots versus 12 roleplayers or 12 organized vs 12 of a pick up group is always going to turn out lopsided.

I like to compete, I like to hop in a drop with 11 others like me, where we're all on comms and have some structure to us. I like to do it against another 12 thats of the same mind set. Win or lose, I like the rush of the challenge.

If I wanted to stay casual, I'd do just that.

If I wanted to argue tech stuff and this wasn't available till this year, that whatsn't available until after some made up "conflict" or whatever the name is, then I'd do that.

Same if I wanted to be a forum warrior and not really do anything in game.

The point being, there are going to be some guilds / clans/ groups/ legions/ gathering of the juggalos/ knitting circles that have a different drive to them then others. Just don't get bent out of shape if they do do things the exact same way your group does.

I used to, and have discovered many years later that it wasn't really worth it.

So if you see me in game, don't expect me to stick to any particular loadout or chassis that was timeline appropriate, or play the way some series of books say it should be played. I'll stick to the way my unit plays.

Looking foorward to seeing you all ingame, wheather your in my crosshairs or I'm in yours.

[Dihm]

TrashcanDan, on 26 July 2012 - 07:15 AM, said:

12 competitive pilots versus 12 roleplayers or 12 organized vs 12 of a pick up group is always going to turn out lopsided.

I'm not sure in this community you can really say that the role-player's can't be competitive. Heck, I'd say they're more-so in a lot of cases.

But yeah, any of these groups working as a 12 man group would stomp pugs, on average. Whether they are "casual" or not. That's just the nature of organization.

[Graives]

Dihm, on 26 July 2012 - 07:55 AM, said:

I'm not sure in this community you can really say that the role-player's can't be competitive. Heck, I'd say they're more-so in a lot of cases.

But yeah, any of these groups working as a 12 man group would stomp pugs, on average. Whether they are "casual" or not. That's just the nature of organization.

TROLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! I know we're supposed to be nice but when someone prostrates themselves in stupidity... I accept any consequences for my actions, it's worth it and I can't help myself. (LOLOLOL)

So no one gets the wrong idea, I've been known to RP here or there a bit. I've been known to help RP get kick-started. I've been known to help RP thrive and survive. Here and there, over the years. That being said, I'm not making fun of RP, just the ***** that thinks people who spend all their time playing dress-up and practicing funny accents and pretending to be what they feel is bad-***, can be really competitive against players who spend that amount of time and more, training, and practicing the actual act. Winning. Yes man, makes SO much sense now!

TROLOLOLOLOLOLOL!

Edited by Graives, 26 July 2012 - 08:39 AM.

[Dihm]

Are you high?