12 replies to this topic

[Tigurius]

I've seen a couple threads talking about this, but I wasn't sure if the devs were going to consider an "outside the cockpit" experience. If you were REALLY wanting to push the boundaries of the experience and get a connection with your pilot - you need to have an "Avatar" who can interact with your chosen factions, markets, merc companies.

Battlestar Galatica online tried to do this, but again - the free games budgets are lower then the paid games which created a limited and constricted feeling when running around the on-board ship environment. But still, I feel this is a needed addition to the game to give it the Lore aspect vs the mech combat (which is the core gameplay). We gamers like complex set-ups that we can sink our teeth into - as helps explain the lore to new players who have NO clue about the universe other then "I drive a death machine".

Granted, we've become jaded being around WoW, SWTOR, FFXI - but I my main love is SCIFI and Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries by far was my fav for the customization and gameplay. You cultivated teammate experiences, upgraded your mechs, and took on contracts! This cemented my love for the Mech Merc life - though I am still Pro Davion...

Again, closed BETA - I get it, but I hope the Dev's will flesh out further experiences beyond the typical deathmatches...

[Kaemon]

I think in an instanced game, this really doesn't make a lot of sense, if we were doing an Eve Online style thing (which would be awesome, but OMG expensive) obviously that would fit into that a bit better.

Hopefully if MW:O makes a bazillion dollars, they may look at something in the future that would encompass this (thinking similar to the whole WoT/WoWP/WoB conglomery).

That would be incrediblel IMO, but unless some billionaire suddenly gets a hankering for BT, don't hold your breath.

[Lord Ikka]

Not really needed right now, maybe in a couple of years.

[Fooooo]

If this were going to be an MMO-RPG I would maybe agree that "avatars" would be a good addition if it weren't already there, ie returning to a base and getting out of your mech for whatever reason.

However with the style of game this is going to be, having human "avatars" would be a waste imo.

Edited by Fooooo, 19 July 2012 - 04:33 AM.

[Pyrite]

Strangely, everyone clamored for the same thing in EVE. When it was finally instated, it failed. People decided it wasn't very convenient and it didn't really add anything to the game.

[Icebound]

Pyrite, on 19 July 2012 - 04:44 AM, said:

Strangely, everyone clamored for the same thing in EVE. When it was finally instated, it failed. People decided it wasn't very convenient and it didn't really add anything to the game.

I might be wrong but I thought it failed in EVE because you had to pay for your avatar or something, I think I remember something about a $60+ monocle for your avatar which made everyone rage really hard.

I think they should do something similar to Global Agenda if anyone here has played that, where there's basically just one small town for everyone to run around in. It would give the game a little more immersion, also the convenience factor of being able to talk to people in-game if they're not in your friends list or having to alt-tab back to the forums constantly.

[Tigurius]

I agree with Lord Ikka that it's not needed now - but seriously, even if it's not avatar's running around per se - but I'm trying to get a better idea about the World set-up since us closed BETA testers only have the small window for the MechLab/Pilot Tree and then the match. for now this works since most of us haven't had a good Mechwarrior game in awhile.

But come on, it will get stale unless more isn't added eventually. The Avatar is one recommendation - but having a battle planning map like MW4:Mercs was awesome - or if not that, galaxy map that dropships can move across to represent the galactic war the the MW universe has! The galaxy map is a simple add-on, and gives depth to the war. Think X-COM Globe map, but bigger! comments or other ideas?

[Cepeza]

I can imagine a mini game in each instance in combination with piloting and gunnery skills.

Something like this: The more mechs you kill, the better gunnery skill gets. The more battles you do not loose your mech, the more piloting skill raises. If your avatar dies, those skills are reset. If you change to a different chasis between 2 different matches your skills are reset, too. I've got no idea what specific role gunnery and piloting could play in MWO so far. Anyhow lets assume they help you kinda way the higher piloting, the less the chance to tumble. The higher gunnery the more you do autoaim, or so. Up to max of 5 points.

Now the mini game. If your mech gets destroyed and you successfully ejected, you can walk around using your avatar trying not to die and scouting the area by "using your mobile to talk to your team mates" (ven, ts, etc.) Like a very small, slow and uber fragile scout with 0 weapons.

[brento73]

Icebound, on 19 July 2012 - 04:56 AM, said:

I might be wrong but I thought it failed in EVE because you had to pay for your avatar or something, I think I remember something about a $60+ monocle for your avatar which made everyone rage really hard.

I think they should do something similar to Global Agenda if anyone here has played that, where there's basically just one small town for everyone to run around in. It would give the game a little more immersion, also the convenience factor of being able to talk to people in-game if they're not in your friends list or having to alt-tab back to the forums constantly.

You didn't(don't) have to pay for your avatar in EVE, although they have had some REALLY stupid prices on cosmetic items. The reason it 'failed' there is that, at the end of the day, no one really cared. People with slower computers had to turn off the new station environments because they couldn't handle them, and most other people didn't feel strongly about it.

For me, I think it's kind of cool, although you can't leave you room, so your character is just hanging out in their own apartment all the time. They do have a really nice level of customization, which I wouldn't mind seeing in a more avatar- centric setting.

The Global Agenda idea is nice, though, I'd be interested in something like that(walking around a little town/base/station.

[Durant Carlyle]

The devs have no plans whatsoever for any experience beyond the cockpit. This is a BattleMech simulator, simulating BattleMech combat. This is not The Sims ... with 'Mechs!™

I thought it was a dumb@ss idea when EVE came out with their Captain's Quarters too. There's no reason to have face-to-face contact in a spaceship game unless you're exchanging fire in space. I will continue to hold this opinion until one of these features actually becomes useful, and that's in no danger of changing anytime soon. They have put that on the back burner, but they will be adding to it eventually. For now they are still concentrating on actual gameplay rather than extraneous crap.

Edited by Durant Carlyle, 19 July 2012 - 08:20 AM.

[Tigurius]

Durant - Useful is subjective and each person has experiences that makes this universe special to them. For you it's the combat which we all love, but the idea is to give possible expanded features that would work, vs this sucks.

People love this game from the board game, video games, written RPG elements - so why not consider additions with screens (MW4:Merc) or X-COM vs rendering everything in 3D. Cheap and easy to do - and with a free game, this makes those possibilities available.

I know that's a departure from my Avatar suggestion - but with just a mechlab/pilot tree and sim, are the devs trying to do TF2 or Battlefield series? Yes, those situations were successful - but this is Mechwarrior! Innersphere, clans, battles across planets, merc companies and crap! I'm just saying, yes - focus on mech sim now, BUT!!! Look how to flesh it out to keep lore nuts into this!

(Off soap box)

[Durant Carlyle]

Did previous MW games have cut-scenes and such when playing the PvP mode? I only played the single-player PvE mode in them, so I have no experience with it.

I could understand storyline elements and cut-scenes if this was a PvE game. But we'll be telling our story with combat -- conquering worlds and possibly getting our exploits featured in ISN reports. Perhaps major pre-defined battles might have a cut-scene or two -- say, the battles for Luthien and Tukkayid and some others. Maybe the drive to eliminate Clan Smoke Jaguar too. But overall, you should be looking to the starmap to see your story being told.

[Rodney28021]

I have already brought this up awhile back and got shot down by Paul. Should drop the idea. I have other games for my universe immersion RPG MMO fix. Was hoping MWO would be one.