139 replies to this topic

[HammerMaster]

Bishop Steiner, on 11 July 2016 - 07:58 AM, said:

Sturmovik, or ARMA3 is more the direction I would like to see. Let PGI cater to the CoD crowd, ya know?

I love and hate this game. There is no other company even available with the Battletech license. I recently discovered in the Cockpit items. The description of the dice states : "The closest you will come to TT" This with the Island item. Marks the time where I feel they just came out and said "Ya, what you wanted in Beta as a Founder. We're not doing it." To this day there is things in Mechwarrior 3 that were LEAGUES better in SIMULATION rather than ARCADE that were never even attempted here. I love the art. Alex carries this franchise for them. The other guys, well.... So I find it harder and harder to buy mech packs when as you said, FW is a sham. Garbage mode. Quickplay is a literal roll of the dice. I have cool mechs but I am just finding other things to do with my time. Why do I want them to succeed? I love Battletech. Where it says: "A Battlech game". Serious. In Visual but not in spirit.

[Cy Mitchell]

If a collaboration happens I could see it as HBS and PGI working together for a campaign type game in which the BattleTech game that HBS is developing supplies the lore, politics, allegiances, map, logistics etc. Then the actual battles would be real time confrontations using the PGI half of the game to decide the actual confrontations.

Combining the turn based back story and intrigue with the live action battles is honestly the only way I would be interested in what HBS is creating.

I hope the rumors of a collaboration are correct and this is the way the meld the two games together.

[Navid A1]

Procurator Derek, on 11 July 2016 - 10:11 AM, said:

is it? so would that mean it was optimistic thinking when PGI gave HBS it's mech models for use?

Who knows, this is the first thing that's been thought of.

HBS needed models... they were making a game, and those models really helped them cut the development costs.

However... PGI is not doing PVE (yet), and they don't need a story.

[Bishop Steiner]

Why do people keep focusing on HBS?

HBS has their hands full. Period, the end. Looking at them to be our savior is as naive as those claiming MWO doesn't need help to develop the game into anything beyond what it is now.

[Cy Mitchell]

^^^^Because HBS and PGI already have a relationship and the possibility of expanding it into something bigger is more likely than some White Knight game developer riding out of the woods to save MWO?

[MeiSooHaityu]

Bishop Steiner, on 11 July 2016 - 10:52 AM, said:

Why do people keep focusing on HBS?

HBS has their hands full. Period, the end. Looking at them to be our savior is as naive as those claiming MWO doesn't need help to develop the game into anything beyond what it is now.

Because HBS is Battletech and they seem to have a good grasp on the franchise. People want that type of knowledge and focus brought to MWO no matter what the cost is to Battletech. MWO's populace is desperate at this point and are looking for anyone who has an experience with Mechwarrior and Battletech for help.

Again, I hope HBS will not derail and detract from their own program for PGI's MWO Single Player. If HBS did agree to help PGI, I hope that decision was made so long ago that it was scheduled before the kickstarter. That way it was worked into the HBS Battletech schedule from the start and won't cause delays or rushed work on Battletech.

Edited by MeiSooHaityu, 11 July 2016 - 11:01 AM.

[Bishop Steiner]

Rampage, on 11 July 2016 - 10:59 AM, said:

^^^^Because HBS and PGI already have a relationship and the possibility of expanding it into something bigger is more likely than some White Knight game developer riding out of the woods to save MWO?

So another small studio forming a partnership is a form of White Knighting instead of a business proposal?

Too much emotion, methinks in this thread already. Not enough objectivity. HBS has Shadowrun, Necropolis and Btech (and dunno what else in the works). They are not only not equipped for this type of game, but barring a serious change in their status quo, simply not equipped with enough resources.

So actually a "white Knight Studio" would probably be more likely than the essentially impossible chance of HBS doing it.

It's not a matter of a White Knight saving the princess. It's a matter of PGI being honest with themselves, realizing they aren't equipped to do this, and reaching out in the Dev Studio world for a potential partner that can help, so that they can focus their own resources on what they are already doing. Pretty basic business, actually.

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 11 July 2016 - 11:06 AM.

[Aleksandr Sergeyevich Kerensky]

Bishop Steiner, on 11 July 2016 - 10:52 AM, said:

Why do people keep focusing on HBS?

HBS has their hands full. Period, the end. Looking at them to be our savior is as naive as those claiming MWO doesn't need help to develop the game into anything beyond what it is now.

Also- HBS, once they finish their 3025 story, i am sure they will go straight into coding an expansion... Maybe a wolfs dragoon story line... And then into another expansion- clan invasion... And then another expansion... The clans... And another... Project bulldog...

Well... At least that what it looks like from previous games they made.

Let them do their thing! (I get so excited thinking about playing battletech)

Lets keep these two companies seperate!

[MeiSooHaityu]

PGI announces a new partner to help them further develop MWO and help provide the crucial help needed for the best single player experience possible.

PGI would like to introduce their new partner...

[Cy Mitchell]

Bishop Steiner, on 11 July 2016 - 11:03 AM, said:

So another small studio forming a partnership is a form of White Knighting instead of a business proposal?

Too much emotion, methinks in this thread already. Not enough objectivity. HBS has Shadowrun, Necropolis and Btech (and dunno what else in the works). They are not only not equipped for this type of game, but barring a serious change in their status quo, simply not equipped with enough resources.

So actually a "white Knight Studio" would probably be more likely than the essentially impossible chance of HBS doing it.

It's not a matter of a White Knight saving the princess. It's a matter of PGI being honest with themselves, realizing they aren't equipped to do this, and reaching out in the Dev Studio world for a potential partner that can help, so that they can focus their own resources on what they are already doing. Pretty basic business, actually.

Agreed. However, the likelihood of a decent sized studio coming on board to do a PVE game using the MWO assets is not all that likely either. BT/MW is never going to be a big moneymaker for anyone. There are probably a few 100K of BT/MW fans worldwide. Even if there are a million or two, many of them still are not interested in a MW PC game.

I just do not see the IP as having a broad enough appeal to attract any top level studios who would want to combine efforts with PGI. Besides that, you need someone with a strong background in the BT IP to produce a decent PVE campaign based on that. Make a few mistakes and the hardcore BT fans will burn you at the stake.

[Bishop Steiner]

MeiSooHaityu, on 11 July 2016 - 11:10 AM, said:

PGI announces a new partner to help them further develop MWO and help provide the crucial help needed for the best single player experience possible.

PGI would like to introduce their new partner...

Evil. I like it.

[WarHippy]

MeiSooHaityu, on 11 July 2016 - 10:06 AM, said:

The OP meaning you? . Referring to yourself in the third person huh? Meisoohaityu is confused .

I have always seen "OP" as being interchangeable with "original post" and "original poster". Context is key for knowing when to apply one or the other in a particular statement(sometimes both work).

As for the topic at hand I will have to agree with OP that it would be in everyone's best interest to have a partner handle a single player campaign. It takes the burden off of PGI who should be focusing on one direction for the game rather than a ongoing list of side projects, and it further unifies the franchise across multiple games which I think can only help the franchise as a whole. As for who could do it? I honestly don't know. If I could have my fantasy pick from across space and time the story at least would be handled by the BioWare of old before they were bought. As for any current studio none really stand out for me as a perfect match.

[Bishop Steiner]

Rampage, on 11 July 2016 - 11:25 AM, said:

Agreed. However, the likelihood of a decent sized studio coming on board to do a PVE game using the MWO assets is not all that likely either. BT/MW is never going to be a big moneymaker for anyone. There are probably a few 100K of BT/MW fans worldwide. Even if there are a million or two, many of them still are not interested in a MW PC game.

I just do not see the IP as having a broad enough appeal to attract any top level studios who would want to combine efforts with PGI. Besides that, you need someone with a strong background in the BT IP to produce a decent PVE campaign based on that. Make a few mistakes and the hardcore BT fans will burn you at the stake.

There's a reason I never said a decent sized studio. But there are dozens if not hundreds of HBS sized studios that would gladly use a recognized IP and Assets to kickstart getting themselves more recognition. Aside from decent AI work which can probably be ported, what said studio needs is a decent capability at scripting a story, primarily. As long as Map Assets for instance were shared between the two, PGI would be able to use Level Maps as future maps, reducing their own workload there or being able to share it at least, and the real question becomes Armor and Infantry assets, it any, which are something that HBS would benefit from being able to possibly add into Btech.

What needs doing requires more focus and direction than huge amounts of resources. Focus and direction outside of Mechpacks and ESports is what PGI seems to be lacking.

[Felio]

They could also hire people involved in respected Mechwarrior games of the past. Writers and level designers especially. It makes sense for the credibility and the whole nostalgia angle.

[Bishop Steiner]

WarHippy, on 11 July 2016 - 11:27 AM, said:

I have always seen "OP" as being interchangeable with "original post" and "original poster". Context is key for knowing when to apply one or the other in a particular statement(sometimes both work).

As for the topic at hand I will have to agree with OP that it would be in everyone's best interest to have a partner handle a single player campaign. It takes the burden off of PGI who should be focusing on one direction for the game rather than a ongoing list of side projects, and it further unifies the franchise across multiple games which I think can only help the franchise as a whole. As for who could do it? I honestly don't know. If I could have my fantasy pick from across space and time the story at least would be handled by the BioWare of old before they were bought. As for any current studio none really stand out for me as a perfect match.

This.

As for Studios..focusing on the big established ones is pointless, IMO. But a couple years ago HBS was a nobody. Lots of young, hungry talent out there. It's a matter of scouting and identifying it.

Felio, on 11 July 2016 - 11:29 AM, said:

They could also hire people involved in respected Mechwarrior games of the past. Writers and level designers especially. It makes sense for the credibility and the whole nostalgia angle.

Those past connections is what gives HBS the cachet for their game. I'll bet Weisman, from his many endeavors has contacts with plenty of them.

[Felio]

Bishop Steiner, on 11 July 2016 - 11:32 AM, said:

Those past connections is what gives HBS the cachet for their game. I'll bet Weisman, from his many endeavors has contacts with plenty of them.

Ah. I don't know anything about the franchise's history and don't know much about HBS's project. My buddy ate, drank and slept Mechwarrior growing up, so I got into MWO to play with him. Though he doesn't play anymore.

[Quicksilver Aberration]

Felio, on 11 July 2016 - 11:29 AM, said:

They could also hire people involved in respected Mechwarrior games of the past. Writers and level designers especially. It makes sense for the credibility and the whole nostalgia angle.

Or even musicians, what I would give to have Jeehun Hwang do some new music for MWO, or even Duane Decker.

Edit: My brain and words apparently are not getting along, wow.

Edited by Quicksilver Kalasa, 11 July 2016 - 11:37 AM.

[xVLFBERHxT]

hbs should make battletech and battletech ad ons (like clan invasion, dark age, mech packs and so on).

mwo is a different story for me...

[WarHippy]

Bishop Steiner, on 11 July 2016 - 11:32 AM, said:

This.

As for Studios..focusing on the big established ones is pointless, IMO. But a couple years ago HBS was a nobody. Lots of young, hungry talent out there. It's a matter of scouting and identifying it.


Those past connections is what gives HBS the cachet for their game. I'll bet Weisman, from his many endeavors has contacts with plenty of them.

Agreed. Time to start doing some interviews. Meanwhile I will work on my fantasy game studio league line up for a Mechwarrior game. Lets see.. BioWare of old for the story... John Carmack/Id for the engine design and VR integration... I just need someone to work on game mechanics and I will have a good start to a team.

[Spleenslitta]

Metus regem, on 11 July 2016 - 07:56 AM, said:

I tend to agree here, if I had to take a wile guess, I might suggest Crytek if PGI wants to stick with the CryEngine.. FarCry 1-5 have been amazing single player games, that being said, the people that do Battle Field I hear do rather well with vehicle style combat... but if I am honest, what I want is much more sim-like less FPS like, I would love to see a company like 1C that developed the IL-2 Sturmovik game.

You know what i want? It's only a farfetched dream...something that might happen in 5-10 years.
A proper mechwarrior simulator. Imagine a DCS (Digital Combat Simulator) version of Mechwarrior.
All those buttons in the cockpit has a function.

- Gotta go through the startup procedure for the mech to power it up. Bringing the reactor online. Gyro, cockpit monitors, targeting system, testing arm/torso twist response, weapons online....imagine being responsible for all that.
Trust me....it's a rush.

- If your left torsos internals are on fire you press the emergency fire extinguishers button for that body part.
- The cockpits monitors display everything from the damage on your mech as well as your locked on target, ammunition and it's location.
Radar and map display. Weapon status.

Imagine how cool it would be to really reaalllly feel like your stomping around in a giant robot.
I remember the first time i managed to take off in DCS Black Shark....i had a wide grin on my face. I could almost feel the combat helicopters power.
First time i unleashed a volley of rockets....all those switches, toggles and buttons i had to go through to get all the safeties off.
Looking at the monitors...watch where i'm flying, watch the instruments, look at my aim again...all those procedures made it feel so real.
Then i pulled the trigger and saw smoketrails going towards the trucks i targeted.....lots of explosions.

I've never been so exited for such simple things during my entire gaming career and i hadn't even seen combat. That was just practicing take offs, landings and basic targeting in the tutorial.