11 replies to this topic

[Mergatroid Skittle]

What if we could select our quirks?

Something similar to the way modules work but instead we would use points to further customize our 'mechs. The number of points could be tied to your 'mech xp level. So for instance, lets say you wanted to increase your internal structure HP by X%, or you want to increase acceleration or deceleration speed by X%, you could spend a point.

It seems like the current quirk system "sets" an ideal build for that variant so we tend to see the same builds and performance throughout.

Of course there will always be meta builds, but at least this would give the community more flexibility in customization.

[Antares102]

Yes something somilar also came to my mind.
However then you need the point system to "buy" quirks to be balanced.
The end result would unfortunatelly be even more min/maxing and more imbalance.

Edited by Antares102, 22 December 2015 - 06:29 AM.

[Scar Glamour]

Modules, anyone?

[Metus regem]

What I think we need is an actual skill tree....

Battlemechs should be quirked to support the stock equipment, if you change from stock, you should have reduced quirks, as the Mech is no longer how the manufacture intended it to be.

[Almond Brown]

Winterburn, on 22 December 2015 - 06:29 AM, said:

Modules, anyone?

How many and who what chassis/variant gets what as extra Mech Modules? How expansive would that Mod system need to be?

[Khobai]

NO. You should not be able to select your quirks. The whole point of quirks is to differentiate mechs.

however there should be a better skill system that actually forces tough choices on the player and promotes role warfare.

There should be a pilot skill tree with at least three different skill trees (command/support, strike/assault, recon/pursuit for example) if we use the classic battletech roles. The pilot skill tree would determine what modules your mech can use.

Mechs would then have different module categories like attack/defense/mobility/utility/sensors/universal/etc... and each mech would have like 6-8 module slots where you slot modules. All the current mech skills would be converted to modules, like speed tweak would be a mobility module and go in a mobility slot. The pilot skill tree that you picked would determine what modules or what level of modules you could use (for example speed tweak I might be available to all skill trees while speed tweak II is only available to recon/pursuit).

Edited by Khobai, 22 December 2015 - 07:50 AM.

[Felbombling]

This would really work out well for fans of the meta game. Sorry, I don't think this is a great idea.

[Nightmare1]

I'd like to see a Quirk System similar to Star Trek Online's Trait System. Article here:

http://sto.gamepedia.com/Trait

For those unfamiliar with the Trait System, you have Personal Traits, Starship Traits, Space Traits, Ground Traits, Other Traits, and Active Traits.

Personal Traits are player specific. A human would have a dozen traits shared between species and a half-dozen human-specific Traits. The same holds true for a Vulcan. PGI could do something similar where players pick a class of fighter (Skirmisher, Leader, Brawler, Scout, etc.). Certain Quirks could be common to all classes while other ones would be specific to class.

Starship Traits would become Mech Quirks. Basically, these are Traits/Quirks unique to that Mech that can be unlocked over time. Think of it as a version of our current skill tree that's been designed specifically for that Mech chassis/special variant. Some special ships in STO have unique Starship Traits that aren't shared with any other ships. MWO could copy that by allowing the Hero Mechs (often underpowered) to have one unique Quirk that no other Mech has.

Ground and Space Traits in STO are obtained by completing special Reputation Projects. In MWO, these could be combined into a single Faction Quirk System with Faction-specific quirks being unlocked as players progress through the ranks in CW.

Other Traits were special ones awarded for completing unique milestones in STO. PGI could do something similar by letting players unlock a special Quirk for their Achievements. You have "Little Helper?" Well, perhaps you can get a 5% bonus to XP earnings from Kill Assists. You have "Richer Than Blake?" Then perhaps you can have a 2% bonus to all C-bills earned in a match. You get the idea.

Active Traits were special Traits in STO that were awarded for fully completing a Reputation Project. In MWO, they could be the final Quirk earned by finishing a Faction-specific achievement path in CW.

All STO Traits were equippable and unequippable out of combat. So, if you were going to go do a lot of space battles, for example, you could unequip some of your species Traits that were ground specific and equip others that were space specific. If you knew you were going to fight specific enemies, you could equip Space Traits that were targeted at them, etc.

In MWO, this would translate into a Quirk System in the Mechlab that would have its own separate tab. Are you a Brawler with a Hunchback 4G? Is your Unit about to duel another Unit in an 8-Man match on Terra Therma? Well then, you may want to:

Pick out your Brawler Quirks:
Cooldown bonus to AC/20
Agility bonus to torso twist speed
Accel/Decel bonuses
Internal structure buffs
Armor buffs
Coolrun quirk

Your Mech is a HBK-4G, so:
Pick another AC/20 cooldown quirk
RT structure quirk
RT armor quirk
Pick another torso twist quirk
Fastfire quirk

You've played some CW for Steiner, so:
Select your overall armor buff
Select your overall internal structure buff

You have Guillotine as an Achievement, so:
Select your Other/Special Quirk to be increased chance to crit.

Lastly, you have "Active Quirks," but since you haven't finished your Davion CW Achivements, you have none to select from for this.

If this thread is still going when I get back from my Christmas vacation, I'll make a STO vid demo'ing the Trait System so that folks can get a better idea of what I'm talking about.

[Khobai]

Quote

This would really work out well for fans of the meta game. Sorry, I don't think this is a great idea.

Itd be fine as long as the skills are segregated in such a way as to prevent one person from doing everything themselves.

[Nightmare1]

StaggerCheck, on 22 December 2015 - 08:23 AM, said:

This would really work out well for fans of the meta game. Sorry, I don't think this is a great idea.

Not if you made the quirks mostly Mech chassis specific.

For example, I'd like ballisitc cooldown quirks on my TDR-9S because I like running dual AC/5s on it for fun. All I get are ERPPC quirks though. If I had the option between picking ERPPC and ballistic quirks, I'd choose the ballistic ones. That's not playing to the meta; it's simply allowing me another option.

I think the issue with the current system is that it doesn't eliminate the overarching meta; it just creates a lot of mini-metas and still punished players for not using the mini-metas. A dynamic system with specific, but broader, quirk selections for each chassis would provide more flavor without necessarily creating or playing to a specific meta.

[Mechteric]

They need to redo the whole skill tree anyway, I'm hoping they'll make it so it's actually like a tree where you can pick a path for your mech based on the "roles" (scout, flank, brawl, support, etc.)

[Felbombling]

Ok, I think I should clarify. It is a good idea when it comes to armour or internal structure quirks. I could even see general Mech performance quirks working out. But if it came to weapon quirks, you just know that people would gravitate toward the meta, even if that meant switching chassis to do so. If the best weapon in the game at that point in time is the Large Pulse Laser, and you could choose a Thudnerbolt with high energy hard points, don't you all think that those Large Pulse Lasers would be getting a set of positive quirks to be placed up high? Of course they would.

I'd love to see PGI go extreme and not only quirk for the original Mech load out, but quirk the specific original hard point for the signature weapons. Then we wouldn't see Mechs like the Hellbringer running around with empty, unarmoured arms. You just know the Warhammer is going to see the same treatment when it drops.