76 replies to this topic

[MW Waldorf Statler]

To many Fails in the last three Years ...casuals can not earn Honor and C-Bills against Ki Units in Coo-Op or PvE missions ,and can only drop in the Sharkpool ever , and ever ,and ever
Faction War is a bad Joke
MM and PSR is a Disaster
and the Rescaling ...(Nova and Catapult smaller is a good Way,make other Mechs bigger is wrong and stupid !)
=bye bye MWO

[m2wester]

I don't think wait time in solo queue can get much better than it is and I doubt very much that changing it to 8v8 will change anything. I have no idea what you do to get 3 minutes... maybe in aussie-only-queue?

There were a number of good arguments made in this thread to return to 8v8 for quick play, wait time is definitely not one of them. Player population is a problem for faction play, and it might make it somewhat difficult to match strong players with only other strong players in solop queue (there simply aren't very many of them around), but in terms of quick play wait times, I don't think there's anything to complain about. From the times I've played group queue, that one is fine as well, though I have to admit I haven't tried playing that during off hours.

[jss78]

I don't see a population issue in QP as such. I virtually never have to wait 3 minutes, even 60 seconds is unusual.

Now FP is a different matter of course, and is all but dead because of it. They couldn't sustain separate pug and and group queues in FP, yet as long as the two are in the same queue, FP will never pick up steam due to the bad games.

KHETTI, on 18 July 2016 - 08:04 PM, said:

8v8 in QP would be sweet.

IMO the single sweetest thing to improve variety in QP would be the have VARIABLE team sizes. No need to argue between 4, 8, 12, just give us all of them.

[Sjorpha]

I think the 12v12 was an economic decision as well, it is cheaper for PGI to run 12v12 matches than 8v8 matches in terms of server space. If you think about it that means the less players there are the less likely we are to see 8v8 coming back.

I don't have long waits in solo q though, it's usually less than a minute. Group queue is longer waits, and FW...yeah.

I would be in favor of keeping 12v12 in solo but switch group q to 8v8, since group q is much fewer matches so cheaper. it might also encourage more people to group up and join units which would be great.

I don't think it would help the population issue though, the only way to increase population is for PGI to improve their development so the game gets better and attracts more people.

I do think there are some people taking breaks that are prepared to come back, especially those who left because phase 3 broke FW and who are interested in playing again if it gets fixed, but it's also summer now and people are on vacations. Remember that a significant part of the battletech fanbase are middle age men with children, who are now on summer leave from school so very little time for gaming. This is certainly the case for myself.

[Mekwarrior]

They are doing everything they can to drive as many light players away as possible.

[PhoenixFire55]

m2wester, on 19 July 2016 - 02:32 AM, said:

I have no idea what you do to get 3 minutes... maybe in aussie-only-queue?

Don't know about him, but I'm getting 7-10 mins search on average in EU-only queue. It got slightly better lately in terms of search times due to the influx of tier-1 potatoes, but the other side of that coin is that matches are about as often 12-0-ish stomps one way or the other as we used to have back in the day when we had no MM at all and "evil premades" were allowed to drop alongside soloists. It kinda raises questions on why the fk do I have to wait 10 mins only to get the same results I could have gotten waiting 15 seconds without any broken MM trash wasting my time.

[LordNothing]

i dont think the population is as bad as the op claims. however when you consider adding new modes to add buckets and further divide the player base, it does need consideration.

concerning qp: worst case scenario matchmaker is simplified to just being a random selection of players. roll back to 8v8 being another option as per op.

concerning solaris: i would just do a bunch of solaris themed maps and modes and put them in quick play.

concerning fp: at some point the planet lobbies will need to be removed. planet capture mechanics replaced by leader board (which we have) and victory bonuses. factions reduced to a few alliances, each with just one lobby. at this point it would be just a click and join type thing like qp, with a minimalistic mm. so you could open it up to more modes, long playing solaris modes, extended versions of qp modes etc. probibly inheriting the vote screen too.

if there are still problems then perhaps its time to just merge all the fp and qp stuff into one lobby. two stage voting would have you vote for mode then map, so you dont have any conflicts (like everyone voting invasion and canyon network, which do not go together). but if it gets so bad you need to do this, pgi probibly wouldnt be able to fund the changes. i think the game would go under before you had to do anything to quick play, though i do see fp getting reduced a lot just to make it playable.

[Elizander]

Why not both? :3

[Bud Crue]

Low population is the consequence. The "entire problem" is bad game design which has driven old players away and made new players confounded and repulsed.

As long as PGI ignores the IP (why have licenses to the Battletech IP and then not have any substantial lore in the game, no narrative related to that lore and no aspects of game play that are relevant to that lore?), makes random and frankly detrimental decisions that affect the game (long tom, arbitrary buffs and nerfs, unit tax, etc.) and then refuses to utilize or even acknowledge a rabidly fanatical and dedicated core community of fans and players, this game will continue to have a declining population. That is what I see as "the entire problem".

Make the game something more than a generic stompy robot arena shooter (coming soon with random slot-machine style goodie crate rewards!) that utilizes the Battletech IP, has balanced weapons systems (both for the player and np (long tom)) that don't wildly fluctuate every two months, a narrative arc provided by a long term pilot skill tree and unique faction costs/benefits, and then ADVERTISE that game or those improvements and "the entire problem" is solved.

[KHETTI]

I'd like to see quick play get changed to 8v8, it be better for the average pug, easier for vets to carry and i think in this environment it would be much easier to teach and learn.

Faction play is where you unlock the ability for massive formations, 12v12, 16v16 ect ect, it makes the mode even more unique , especially in conjunction with the scouting mode.
Introduce deploy-able assets such tanks, heli gunships ect ect, add in a resource system to capturing and holding planets, make the freaking faction play mode something epic like it should be.

[Conan Librarian]

8 vs 8 Quick Play
12 vs 12 and 4 vs 4 Faction Play

Would be fun.

[Alistair Winter]

Russ has already said that Solaris will have 8v8 matches. I really wonder what their long term plan is. Will QP be replaced by Solaris? If so, how will that work? They can't have Solaris, QP and FP going on at the same time, there aren't enough players. Also, with PGI making 2v2 maps and 4v4 maps, when will this maps actually be used, if every Solaris match is either 8v8 or an 8-man deathmatch?

Also, will the small Solaris maps look like actual Solaris arenas, while the 8v8 Solaris matches just take place on the existing maps, which look like random battlefields? Doesn't that break with the idea of Solaris? And on the other hand, if Solaris only uses Solaris maps, then what happens with all the existing maps? Would they only be used by the 5 people playing FP Scout mode?

I really don't see what the endgame is.

[ice trey]

I've never had problems with getting a match in QP, though things slow to a crawl if I decide to start levelling heavies on a 60% cue.

There is a population problem in FW. Pugs don't like getting stomped, and for all the complaints units have to make about players not joining an existing unit, a lot of us just don't want the commitment.

Hell, I just wanted a single player campaign. I was even tempted to pull my money out of the HBS project if I would have been the make-or-break on whether or not they included multiplayer. I want lore and immersion, not tier lists and peensparring. As such, I play CW because it's the closest I can get to single player Mechwarrior without running MW2 Mercenaries on Dosbox. The minute that there is anything that feels more immersive and makes me feel like a part of the Battletech universe, rather than just one more grind with some richard-weed griping over voip that the team is bad, I will jump on that like a fat kid on a snickers bar.

Fixing FW, I think could be done by having two cues for each attack lane. One for groups only, one for pugs only. Also, ditch "Recon" mode and simply make it "4 on 4 skirmish". Considering that's all players wanted in the first place, that's what should be done. Also because "Recon" doesn't look anything like it should from the defenders' side.

Edited by ice trey, 19 July 2016 - 05:36 AM.

[Bud Crue]

Alistair Winter, on 19 July 2016 - 05:23 AM, said:

Russ has already said that Solaris will have 8v8 matches. I really wonder what their long term plan is. Will QP be replaced by Solaris? If so, how will that work? They can't have Solaris, QP and FP going on at the same time, there aren't enough players. Also, with PGI making 2v2 maps and 4v4 maps, when will this maps actually be used, if every Solaris match is either 8v8 or an 8-man deathmatch?

Also, will the small Solaris maps look like actual Solaris arenas, while the 8v8 Solaris matches just take place on the existing maps, which look like random battlefields? Doesn't that break with the idea of Solaris? And on the other hand, if Solaris only uses Solaris maps, then what happens with all the existing maps? Would they only be used by the 5 people playing FP Scout mode?

I really don't see what the endgame is.

Go back and listen/watch the end of the last town hall when Russ was asked about Solaris. Really watch him when they asked about it. When he stated that it was on hold because they were having trouble with making the replay function work, he was totally dismissive. My read is that Solaris will not be a feature for a very long time if at all. There was something about that exchange that made me think it isn't even being substantively worked on. Hope I'm wrong.

[Alistair Winter]

Bud Crue, on 19 July 2016 - 05:35 AM, said:

Go back and listen/watch the end of the last town hall when Russ was asked about Solaris. Really watch him when they asked about it. When he stated that it was on hold because they were having trouble with making the replay function work, he was totally dismissive. My read is that Solaris will not be a feature for a very long time if at all. There was something about that exchange that made me think it isn't even being substantively worked on. Hope I'm wrong.

If it's not being worked on, then what is being worked on?

UI 2.0 is delivered.
CW Phase 3 is over.
PVE is on the backburner, from the way they describe it. Sounds like some dude is sitting in a room, trying to make the AI work.

If not Solaris, then what is the next big project? Transverse?

[Mudhutwarrior]

I would suggest just running NA server to see how bad wait times can get at different times. Would sure support PGI giving 8v8 a go for a spell and see how it goes.

Gameplay for me at least is the worst I have ever seen it and over the years that is saying something. I know some have no issues but being a 3 Its either matched with 1s and 2s to be stomped then like match out of 2o it reverts and I am clubbing baby seals. Rarely get good fights anymore and for I its not stats, winning or loosing but instead the fight.

[nehebkau]

Bud Crue, on 19 July 2016 - 05:35 AM, said:

Go back and listen/watch the end of the last town hall when Russ was asked about Solaris. Really watch him when they asked about it. When he stated that it was on hold because they were having trouble with making the replay function work, he was totally dismissive. My read is that Solaris will not be a feature for a very long time if at all. There was something about that exchange that made me think it isn't even being substantively worked on. Hope I'm wrong.

It's pretty clear what Russ wants -- an E-sport and nothing else.

The down side of a leader with a "Singular Vision" is that they, alone, are the ones who drive it into the ground.

[Kirkland Langue]

Player population and queue issues come down to:
1. add more players.
2. Reduce the number of players needed to launch a game.
3. Reduce the number of game modes so that the number of queues go down.

At the same time, PGI wants to continue earning cash which means:
1. Add more players.
2. Keep current players paying.


It should be obvious that adding more players is both in the best interest of the players, and the developers. They tried with the steam launch - but the truth is that the game doesn't quite have the gameplay that will bring large numbers of players on board.

So what is it that would get new players to join? We all know at least one of the answers: Single Player Campaign.
And that's exactly what PGI should be focusing upon. Create a single player campaign mode that sells like a standalonegame/DLC - You can launch the single player directly from it's own executable, or from within the MWO client. Player accounts are identical in both games, meaning that funds earned during the campaign carry over to your MWO account.

PGI could reuse the same assets, which means they only need to focus upon developing an AI.

The same old same old arena style battles are pretty terrible - almost all of us existing players only like it because we want to play big stompy robots and the models do look pretty good. But to bring new blood into the mix, PVE content is a must. And then from there we can hope that some players stick around for a few battles in the arena... err... quick matches.

[Bud Crue]

Alistair Winter, on 19 July 2016 - 05:53 AM, said:

If it's not being worked on, then what is being worked on?

UI 2.0 is delivered.
CW Phase 3 is over.
PVE is on the backburner, from the way they describe it. Sounds like some dude is sitting in a room, trying to make the AI work.

If not Solaris, then what is the next big project? Transverse?

What are the things that Russ has shown excitement over?

More mechpacks, goodie crates, the tournament and mechcon.

Those are things that are likely being worked on (I guess), since after all Russ knows best.

-shudder-

[Mechwarrior Buddah]

adamts01, on 18 July 2016 - 11:58 PM, said:

When you manage to drive away players like me and them, you're definitely doing something wrong.

Well, theyve been working on that goal for 4 years, finally they did something right