8 replies to this topic

[TheNevers]

So if the game is running an offset time line,
that some special events will occur in specific time according to canon.

I hope the design caters people from other time zones...

[dh crow]

I don't think events in Battletech always took place at 9PM.

[Fixxxer 117]

I hope they make the servers for specific regions so that people aren't in completely different time zones when playing together.

[Sly J]

When you're dealing with a universe that contains hundreds of planets, each of which has their own distinct day and night cycles, I'm pretty sure time zones won't be an issue.

[DMG Downslide]

The concept of
[quote name='PCGamer article]. Starting from just before the Clan Invasion of 3050' date=' MWO will tell the story of the Battletech universe in real-time. Each day, players will do battle on behalf of the universe’s major factions, and each day in the game will represent a single day’s action in the fictional Inner Sphere.[/quote']
worries me a bit. I can't find it now, but I thought I read somewhere in the descriptors that it would take place on A Planet. But now I'm finding the "variety of environments and climates" line in the PC Gamer article and wondering if that means climates on one planet, or different planets?

Why am I worried? Interstellar travel takes TIME. Battles/missions/campaigns take TIME. Repair, reload, overhaul, and rebuilds all take TIME. Does this mean that to go from one "hot spot planet" to another "hot spot planet" mean I will not be able to get trigger time for the 3 month trip from say Solaris to Carver V? What about logging in on Monday for a battle, and getting my <insert 'mech here> smashed like a cheap fork in a garbage disposal? Does that mean I can't get online for another fight for the week it takes my Techs to put my baby back together again?

I'm all for a time line, but I think the above quoted concept needs to be rethunk.

[PLEXI]

Quote

worries me a bit. I can't find it now, but I thought I read somewhere in the descriptors that it would take place on A Planet. But now I'm finding the "variety of environments and climates" line in the PC Gamer article and wondering if that means climates on one planet, or different planets?

I think that's referring to the progression of the universes events... certain battles happen on certain dates, assassinations, treaties etc. I'm expecting things like travel and repair to be on a separate 'game time'... otherwise I can't see it working very well.

[DMG Downslide]

plexi, on 01 November 2011 - 09:34 AM, said:

...I'm expecting things like travel and repair to be on a separate 'game time'... otherwise I can't see it working very well.

That's the problem. I don't think you can have two different "time" tracks. if they want to have the timeline "realistically" coincide with the CBT "canon" timeline of history, then at the same time they can't really have epic battles daily. Maybe I'm not explaining myself right.

[armitage]

You're over thinking it. Just as they;ve talked about, not all CBT rules translate well into a realtime first person sim the same will apply to the universe as we know it. I would venture to say they time line will be a calander of when events may happen, but that doesn't mean they are going for ultra realism with the logistics of it, Its hard to say for certain but I'd highly doubt they'd make you unable to play for days or weeks at a time if you had to travel or lost your mech. That wouldn't settle well with the majority of the player base.

[corian]

I highly doubt they are sticking to a 1:1 timeline for everything. It's more like as things happen in universe they can add in new content. Obviously the clan invasions, as an example, would be a big expansion. That and they can have a little news ticker with various events popping up. Waiting a few (real) weeks while your dropship travels from the jump point to the planet or waiting days for repairs every time your mech gets damaged is such a ridiculous notion that I have to hope we are just misunderstanding you

Something I would expect would be like the Battle of Tukayyid being a month long special event. The clan invasions themselves would allow the introduction of a few new mechs and maps every week. Things like that.