MischiefSC, on 04 September 2016 - 07:14 PM, said:
 
I worked really hard to white knight for PGI after the IGP split. I did. However while the talking changed the actual results really didn't. Go to the Announcements forum, go back 4 pages and start reading. Go ahead, any post. See the discussions between devs and players? See at least the promise of engagement? Now read the last 2 pages of that same forum.
 
Yeah.
 
I would love an excuse to throw money at the game but unkept promises and failed deliveries and repeated, consistent obliviousness to player response to what they have done is the consistent hallmark that's followed the game from pre-release to the current day. The talk has changed but the walk? Still the same shuffle.
 
 
Since the split from IGP, I've seen something different than you apparently. Maybe it's opinion or perspective. I've been seeing more open communication since then, and more progress being made on the game in general.
 
I'm not sure at which point you are referencing to within the game's development timeline, but since PGI left IGP, I've been seeing:
- When they say that something is being worked on, it tends to be seen out in the game before too much longer. Less promises that never happen and more items being delivered in a more timely fashion.
- More communication between players and development. We now have town hall meetings. It may not be very fast, but it is happening. And many discussed items from the players has been getting integrated into the game. Maybe not as envisioned by the players, but I see it happening.
- Actual sales. Never saw reduction sales (for the most part) when IGP was involved. Do also recall that the Clans were pushed out because of IGP, as well as gold mechs. Half way through the clans release (I believe) was when PGI separated from IGP. When that happened, we basically got al'a'carta (spelling?) options. Also, most of our balancing issues seem to stem from Clan technology... (which we are stuck with, for good or ill.) (And I do say this knowing that Clans are popular. I also feel that the balance between the two technologies are more balanced now than they ever have been before.)
- We get fewer "it's being worked on now, you'll see it on X date" and getting nothing a year after X date without a word. Now, features that get announced tend to come in sooner. If the date is missed (such as the repair to drop decks), instead of some excuse or silence from development, we actually hear an apology about it not making it in, when it is expected to be in (next patch) and usually a reason why it didn't make it in.
 
I will comment that the promises made when IGP was around need to just about be ignored. IGP made a lot of promises that I don't think we will ever see in game. However, when I take a look at what PGI promises after the split, I've seen them delivering those fairly well.
 
MW:O had a rough start. The size of the project vs the size and experience of the development crew combined with IGP's interference was not very good. Since those early days, I feel PGI has gained experience with this type of work, and how to interact with a community on a game that is eventually "always in development". They've gone a long ways from where they started. Mistakes will continue to be made, but I feel PGI has done a lot of good in the last few years with this game. (Not saying anything is perfect, just better.)
 
Roland09, on 04 September 2016 - 10:13 PM, said:
But, but... Energy Draw is coming! Everybody wanted Energy Draw! Right? Right?? It was right there among the Pillars of Eternity, somewhere...
 
An Information Warfare, don't forget it was you players who shot that down! Russ wanted to have lasers with different range so much, depending on lock state of the target. But noooo, you wouldn't have any of that! So it's all your fault!
 
Buy a mech pack!
 
 
Actually... Though we didn't specifically ask for energy draw, it was a player concept that had some support. Energy draw is suppose to replace ghost heat, and be more effective at reducing those high pin point alpha builds. (Such as the 4-6 PPCs, dual PPCs and Dual Gauss, 4 Guass, 6+ LPLs, etc...) 
(I see your account's active date was 2016. Though I know this date can be incorrect to an accounts actual age, it leads me to ask, where you here when the 6 PPC Stalker was the big thing? Before Ghost Heat was added in? If not, let me tell you, they could alpha, hit the arm/leg of most mechs, and that mech typically died right there unless it was a heavy or an assault, and even they would be hurting. This was also before quirks, so a lot of mechs were even more frail.)
 
What more players I've heard ask for though was to have weapon convergence spread as more weapons are shooting, but I suspect this hasn't been developed/considered for several reasons. For one, HSR doesn't like slow/bad convergence. It's why we now have instant convergence on our weapons and why the elite skill Pin Point does nothing. As another point, the "skill" crowd would probably complain that the "random spread" of high alpha builds "reduces skillful play from the game". (Can't please everyone.)
 
Personally, I've been enjoying the energy draw system on the test sever. It feels good, but you can tell it's still in development as it feels a little clunky. As a replacement to ghost heat, I think it feels more intuitive and helps to diversify game play. It also can be adjusted on the go by PGI, unlike Ghost Heat.
 
 
Information Warfare was a consideration. It was tested as a concept, and was found "wanting". It was an attempt to add role warfare into the game in a more obvious manner, as some less combat related roles are punished in MW:O at the moment, so they were trying to bring those into having more effect in the game, but that can't happen unless it affects combat more, or if it is more readily built into the game modes.
 
Do recall, the Information Warfare you are discussing was implemented on a test server, and I believe it never touched the live servers (I could be wrong here, but if I am, it did not stick around). Back when IGP was involved, the test probably would never have happened, it would have been just added right into the game instead... Still, this is a good example of PGI listening to their players. They tried an idea out. Tested idea. Players voiced that they didn't like it. Proposed feature was dropped and never moved from there.
 
 
I feel that you seem to be needlessly raging about Russ and PGI at the moment. I've got no problems with someone not impressed with PGI nor the development of the game. However, I find you seem to be having a lack of information to justify your anger (or at least what you've shared here). You also seem to not exactly be adding anything meaningful to your posts. I don't mind a dialogue and talking about this. We can be of two different opinions, but right now I'm a little confused as to what you are kinda saying...