19 replies to this topic

[ThunderHart]

No games is worth playing without a good story line with UN-expected twisted and turns a continuation of Mechwarrior 4, Blacknight and Mercenary also arena challenges.

[John Clavell]

Expect to see the story unfold in a grander setting, ones which can effect the whole Inner Sphere. I never really enjoyed the stories from MechWarrior 4, they lacked grit and truer sense of the Inner Sphere. The action / sim type game has never been good at telling stories through a visual means. So they used FMV. But I find that FMV does not give the same sense of story involvement, mostly as once you get into the game it fails to viscerally feed you the story. Look at games like BF3. The single player is much better at putting you in the centre of the story, it's in your face.

Compare that to say the mission in Black Knight where the CO of the unit gets his cockpit blow to hell and dies. You might not even have seen it happening, and if it did, his mech took a shot to the torso, fell over and then some guy on the radio explains what happens. That brakes immersion. What should happen is, Your right there, trying to protect him, and you see that guass rifle slug smashing into his cockpit, exploding, hearing the screams, the silence, then the panic on over comes from the rest of the unit, trying to get the hell out of there. It's for the most part a failing in the technology of the time. But also a lack of effort on FASA interactive part in my mind. A good story needs you to feel slightly out of control in my mind, but you never feel this during any of the MW4's story.

We won't get that here in MWO, but you will get player drive story and drama, much like in EVE Online. That can be just as engaging for different reasons.

Edited by John Clavell, 12 December 2011 - 05:28 AM.

[Thorn Hallis]

Rarely any multiplayer game needs a story (and I'm not talking about MMOs).

[Woodstock]

Hello All.

... The reason is that though we all like sitting in water on a hot day ... its a bit boring to only have 30cm of water to relax in. Great for a kid ... not so great for an adult.

Now going off the average age of the player base represented here on the forums the bulk of us definitely fall into the 'adult' bracket.

We want depth. We want variety. we crave something we can explore. We are not kids who will just be happy with 'heh heh ...hit it again... yeah ... again'

Now I know there will be community warfare ... but will this just be a justification for the constant shallow battles or will it really add to the depth and will it be accessible to the majority or just those with large networks of other players (what will be the minimum corp size?). Will we be able to craft, to design, be creative artistically (mech paint jobs), make social groups that last (intuitive comms that encourage lasting interaction), etc etc.

I'm convinced that Mechwarrior Online will be visually spectacular and will have some seriously addictive gameplay. But will it be a kiddy paddling pool or Mediterranean water sports centre?


Comments guys? What would you prefer. World of Mechwarrior tm or The game that will keep you hooked for the next 5, 10, 20 years?

[Jaroth Corbett]

You want a good storyline for a campaign? You want to make players get immersed in your universe? Want to get players amped up to play your game? (look at all the details they paid attention to. in the beginning they show you the IS and the clans occupation zones. they highlight the smoke jaguar's zone & it is all correct.)



Want to have a mission briefing before sending your troops out before a battle? Want to give your troops as much intel as possible?



Go MW3 or go home!

Edited by Jaroth Winson, 12 December 2011 - 05:45 AM.

[Woodstock]

Well personally I'm with the OP here ... I want a deeper experience. not just World of Mechwarrior tm. There is so much canon law to draw upon that I have high hopes for a deep and immersive story line that evolves on a daily basis. Something that will make this more than just a first person shooter with robots.

From everything the devs have said so far I have no reason to doubt their hearts are in the right place.

[Jaroth Corbett]

Thorn Hallis, on 12 December 2011 - 05:35 AM, said:

Rarely any multiplayer game needs a story (and I'm not talking about MMOs).

That is usually the case when there is a single player campaign. The player at that point, already knows everything that is going on.

[Hayden]

First off, OP is awesome in concept. I definitely want there to be the kind of depth and maturity you describe, which is not just a function of the game but of the broader community. My bigger personal concern is professionalism (read: sportsmanship) on the battlefield. The social elements are good and fine and important, but I want a battlefield experience that is not just about blowing the other guy up, but about reacting to developing situations, having to weigh if those secondary objectives are worth trying to secure over the possibility of failing at the primary, etc. I really want a lot of possibility for mission depth, instead of just arena-style combat, which is the feel of MW multiplayer thus far in my experience.

[Kyll Long]

My take on this should be well known by now. I've been a loud (and sometimes obnoxious) voice calling for player control of events and houses with canon story line followed for major events. Course I think players( us BTers that is and I include MWers in that ) can be trusted to do the right thing with an occassional nudge from TPTB. I know a lot of people don't have confidence in themselves though and think that's a shame.

[Kyll Long]

I agree we need more depth, more control of the action and the strategic elements. Those are the things that will raise this game from a shooter to an ongoing long lasting game. I know there was a thread about needing xx number of players to be profitable. Well that is true if you're looking for a short term money maker (and some of THAT depends on your licensing agreement). But THIS game and THIS franchise if done right may not have 500k players, but it does have the capability of being around for 10 years or more with 25-50k. Balance. If done right and marketed to the right areas (heck just look at the Russian and German participation) might just suprise us all.

[Woodstock]

We seem to be on the same page.

I hope I speak for the majority here when I say I want something thats not just a twitchy shooter. A game thats primary motivator is not a kill board statistic!

It should be the sense of achievement that goes with feeling you are getting a lot for the time you spend on a game. The older we get the more valuable our time is. The more things and people place demands on our free time.

I remember my brother giving up online gaming cos he could not rationalise the cost in time against his kids, work and his relationship with his wife. The game was just too 2d to really be justified.

[crazy jake]

Although I whole-heartedly agree with the OP on depth, I having played Battletech in all its incarnations for over 20 years, I have already seen too many ADS suffering members saying all they want is an ego-shooter style MW. I would love MWO to be so in depth that I actually have to use strategy on the battlefield as well as off the battlefield, because I know I gots big brains. I do not know what the devs are capable of to be honest or what their true intentions are as well as how much input from the community they really listen to. At the moment, I am just crossing my fingers in hopes of a great strategy/combat game.

[Hayden]

woodstock, on 12 December 2011 - 06:14 AM, said:

We seem to be on the same page.

I hope I speak for the majority here when I say I want something thats not just a twitchy shooter. A game thats primary motivator is not a kill board statistic!

It should be the sense of achievement that goes with feeling you are getting a lot for the time you spend on a game. The older we get the more valuable our time is. The more things and people place demands on our free time.

I remember my brother giving up online gaming cos he could not rationalise the cost in time against his kids, work and his relationship with his wife. The game was just too 2d to really be justified.

This is something I've found myself running up against recently. I don't have a lot of family demands yet, but I keep finding myself feeling much more inclined to work on the various art projects that I engage in (the recolors and insignia on these forums being just a small part of that) than spend time on most games. For me to justify game play over a long period, it needs to be something really special.

crazy jake, on 12 December 2011 - 06:25 AM, said:

Although I whole-heartedly agree with the OP on depth, I having played Battletech in all its incarnations for over 20 years, I have already seen too many ADS suffering members saying all they want is an ego-shooter style MW. I would love MWO to be so in depth that I actually have to use strategy on the battlefield as well as off the battlefield, because I know I gots big brains. I do not know what the devs are capable of to be honest or what their true intentions are as well as how much input from the community they really listen to. At the moment, I am just crossing my fingers in hopes of a great strategy/combat game.

Totally agree here. Really hoping heat is as big of a factor as on the board game (ed: TABLE TOP GAME).

Edited by Hayden, 12 December 2011 - 06:29 AM.

[Mason Grimm]

Merged these two topics since they both deal with the whole "I want depth etc. etc. etc." commentary.

[Barantor]

I want a game that is like a pencil.

Let me explain.

A pencil can write out the simplest of ideas, like a kid learning his ABCs and writing them on a sheet of paper. A pencil can write term papers to help us learn and write things in scientific manner. A pencil can draft important pieces of law. A pencil can write out vows to a wedding. A pencil can erase mistakes.

I want MWO to be accessible and simple to get into, yet diverse and strategic the further you delve into it. I would hate to have a game where at the start looks too complex to someone who would love it if they had more of an explanation of it's intricacies. I want folks to realize it is easy to pick up that pencil, but it is capable of a whole lot more and a ton of depth and strategy.

[Threat Doc]

woodstock, on 12 December 2011 - 05:38 AM, said:

... The reason is that though we all like sitting in water on a hot day ... its a bit boring to only have 30cm of water to relax in. Great for a kid ... not so great for an adult.

Now I know there will be community warfare ... but will this just be a justification for the constant shallow battles or will it really add to the depth and will it be accessible to the majority or just those with large networks of other players (what will be the minimum corp size?).

I'm convinced that Mechwarrior Online will be visually spectacular and will have some seriously addictive gameplay. But will it be a kiddy paddling pool or Mediterranean water sports centre?

I guess the big question that needs to be asked is "How long are you willing to wait for it?"

Quote

I hope I speak for the majority here when I say I want something thats not just a twitchy shooter. A game thats primary motivator is not a kill board statistic!

It should be the sense of achievement that goes with feeling you are getting a lot for the time you spend on a game. The older we get the more valuable our time is. The more things and people place demands on our free time.

I most assuredly want a game with substance, with stories to be followed all over the place, including stories developed by those of us who've been GMs in the game, maybe forming some sort of PGI-headed designers cabal. I think the game could even be brought to the level of more-than-first-person-shooter only in BattleMechs, but to be honest I would love to have an avatar to get away from the BattleMech and explore the universe, EVENTUALLY. I have two sons, fortunately both of them teens, unfortunately none of our computers are really powerful enough for this game, right now, but my family concerns are not as much because both boys want to play MWO alongside me. However, I understand the family and real-life concerns, and my time is also pretty valuable, normally, so I want a game with depth to it.

[Hunter McGee]

Depth, then more Depth, and when in doubt, give us more DEPTH!!!

[Hayden]

Barantor, on 12 December 2011 - 06:48 AM, said:

I want a game that is like a pencil.

Let me explain.

A pencil can write out the simplest of ideas, like a kid learning his ABCs and writing them on a sheet of paper. A pencil can write term papers to help us learn and write things in scientific manner. A pencil can draft important pieces of law. A pencil can write out vows to a wedding. A pencil can erase mistakes.

I want MWO to be accessible and simple to get into, yet diverse and strategic the further you delve into it. I would hate to have a game where at the start looks too complex to someone who would love it if they had more of an explanation of it's intricacies. I want folks to realize it is easy to pick up that pencil, but it is capable of a whole lot more and a ton of depth and strategy.

I like this, and I think it's a strength of the Free to Play system, which the devs have brought up a couple times. It will allow them to correct for gameplay issues, continually add in new content, and if done right this will really help to grow/maintain a happy community. Depth is also like that of a pool: no one should have to go into the deep end, but that doesn't mean there shouldn't be one.

[Technocide Rex]

Barantor, on 12 December 2011 - 06:48 AM, said:

I want a game that is like a pencil.

Let me explain.

A pencil can write out the simplest of ideas, like a kid learning his ABCs and writing them on a sheet of paper. A pencil can write term papers to help us learn and write things in scientific manner. A pencil can draft important pieces of law. A pencil can write out vows to a wedding. A pencil can erase mistakes.

I want MWO to be accessible and simple to get into, yet diverse and strategic the further you delve into it. I would hate to have a game where at the start looks too complex to someone who would love it if they had more of an explanation of it's intricacies. I want folks to realize it is easy to pick up that pencil, but it is capable of a whole lot more and a ton of depth and strategy.

Wise words. It's reasonable to assume that the majority of people posting here at this point are mainly comprised of devotees to the existing games and genre. For the game to survive and compete against the other alternatives out there, and to draw new blood, it must accomodate many levels of interest and experience. Initially, the level of accomodation for those BT purists out there can be maintained at a local/league level, by enforcing the details before each drop is played. As with the pencil, a simple start can lead to more complicated devices (such as the keyboard on which I type) while functionality develops.

Two cents

[Threat Doc]

Barantor, Hayden, and Rex... wow... very well done. Hey, Devs, start with a pencil.