65 replies to this topic

[Bombast]

Wait, is this just "Can You Save Prince Ian Davion"-Mode?

If it is, then I may have to apologize, because I suggested this over on the HBS forums.

[Johnny Z]

RestosIII, on 04 December 2016 - 07:47 PM, said:

It all depends on how fast and armored the Atlas is, and what routes it takes, and if it will fire on enemies. Can't really know until we test it. Still think it should have been some sort of crawler/MFB instead though.

This months update. Looking forward to a dynamic game mode. Well depends if it takes different routes or not to be dynamic. But at the very least its a mobile objective.

Edited by Johnny Z, 04 December 2016 - 08:54 PM.

[JC Daxion]

RestosIII, on 04 December 2016 - 07:47 PM, said:

It all depends on how fast and armored the Atlas is, and what routes it takes, and if it will fire on enemies. Can't really know until we test it. Still think it should have been some sort of crawler/MFB instead though.

I agree on this... it should be an armored vehicle of sorts.. APC or something.. perhaps the walking atlas is just a place holder? I think something lower, something that an assault could get in the line of fire for.. ext...

[Cy Mitchell]

Gas Guzzler, on 04 December 2016 - 07:44 PM, said:

What do you guys think? My prediction is defense is going to be VERY difficult...

I am concerned. In previous Escort (Convoy) modes you had more than one target to protect and you could succeed even if you lost one or two. This Atlas better have super armor because, in the current meta, you will just have a Kodiak sporting 4 Gauss rifles sitting on a ridge and blasting it down in a few shots.

Or if it is like every other mode people will ignore the objective and Skirmish then kill the VIP Mech. It will be interesting to see how it works but with Russ saying that releasing it is a "risk" it does not give me a good feeling that they have figured out how to make it work properly.

Still, it is something that I wanted to see in the game so I am hopeful that it can add an additional dimension to the game even if it has to be tweaked a bit.

White Bear 84, on 04 December 2016 - 08:03 PM, said:

Watch as it takes a route across an open space and a dozen mechs alpha strike it with long range weapons.

Russ admitted the mode is a risk and I think he is right.. ..it would be interesting to see how it fares if there were more than one MVP vehicle & if that vehicle was not necessarily a mech, but a tank or another vehicle with a low profile. That atlas is a massive target..

I posted before I read your thread. I agree.

Edited by Rampage, 04 December 2016 - 09:10 PM.

[TLBFestus]

There are just so many possible ways of this mode being "gamed" by players, several of which are already mentioned in this thread, that I can't see it working.

Narc/missles
legging
rush the VIP

We don't know enough yet about it, but the fact that Russ says "It's a risk" doesn't leave me brimming with confidence for this new mode. Heck, PGI regularly screws up thing that they thought they had nailed down, now they are releasing a mode that they aren't confident in?

[Davers]

El Bandito, on 04 December 2016 - 07:50 PM, said:

It is gonna start out as unbalanced, heavily exploited, and will go through several balance pass afterwards.

In the end it will be an Atlas and 3 Urbanmech escorts.

I hope the Atlas gets rear firing lasers.

Maybe everyone will start bringing AMS to keep the Atlas alive?

I don't think this mode will last long. It's just too easy to win ("cheese").

[DaZur]

I guessing it'll run off an "occupy/ticket"mechanic...

As many inferred, it'd be too easy to exploit / destroy before it could ever make it from point a to point b.

[Tristan Winter]

I've always asked for a VIP escort mode. However, I wanted it to be modelled on one of the following game modes:

• Capture the Flag from Quake Team Fortress / Quake 2. To win the match, you have to grab flags and bring them back to base. You try to escort the guys carrying the flag.
  
• Plant the bomb mode from CounterStrike. One player has the bomb. He needs to be escorted to a bomb zone (or sneak his way to the bomb zone alone, which is risky) in order to plant the bomb. If the bomb goes off, his team wins.
  
• Hostage rescue mode from CounterStrike. Hostages are guarded by one team. The other team has to reach the hostages and lead them back to safety in order to win.
  
• Assassination mode from StarConflict. Both teams have a commander. As long as your commander is alive, your team gets respawns. When he dies, you get no more respawns. When one team has lost all players, the other team wins.

The key to all game modes, which are all very popular and successful, is that the VIP is player controlled. This makes it harder to exploit the game. When the game mode relies on a predictable, unthinking and unresponsive AI, it is far more open to predictable gameplay.

[ChapeL]

Sandwich the thing between Kodiaks.. the ones on the sides will just have to learn to move forward with the torso facing sideways I guess... oh and prop a 3 AMS ECM Kit Fox on its head filled with nothing but AMS ammo. Should be good.

Don't worry VIP, the clans got you covered ( literally )

Edited by ChapeL, 04 December 2016 - 09:46 PM.

[Navid A1]

Would be nice if the VIP chooses its path dynamically.

I highly doubt it that it would be dynamic based on how their levels and engine work... but here is hoping

[Snazzy Dragon]

El Bandito, on 04 December 2016 - 08:13 PM, said:

Or watch as one guy Narcs the VIP and then the rain comes.

This is a point I think PGI might have missed.. coupled with the recent LRM buff...

[The Unstoppable Puggernaut]

Counterstrike would use a player as the VIP. That person would lose all access to buying guns, receive body armour, and gets a small pistol.

The problems:
That person counted as a player in terms of balancing the team :|
That person could be someone who gets lost.
That person would be a tard and jump off or be afk.
Friendly fire.

The list goes on.

As for AI controlled. We don't know a lot of things e.g. would it count towards your 12? Does it get to fight back? Is it any good at fighting? Whats the loadout+armour+engine? What if the way-pointing gets blocked and the Atlas refuses to move any more?

I am very interested to see how this pans out, I was hoping it was a vehicle escort of some sort but lets see.

[HellJumper]

as long as its much much more armoured and takes a random route everytime then it will be interesting. if it keeps taking the same route it will be easily exploited...

[Nik Reaper]

As far as I can tell, it seems that this is an AI test bed, and not so much a real mode here to stay.

If you look at it that way, as a curiosity that will not stay long , it's a completely OK thing, the real "star" of the show is the trump mode , walls and all, and that is the one we should hope gets more attention and hopefully some AI assets other then turrets at some point.

[Yellonet]

El Bandito, on 04 December 2016 - 07:50 PM, said:

It is gonna start out as unbalanced, heavily exploited, and will go through several balance pass afterwards.

Well now, that's a mighty bold prediction!

Spoiler

OK, not really

Also, I asked for a mode like this a while back. Yay.

Edited by Yellonet, 05 December 2016 - 12:22 AM.

[SQW]

Isn't this just Critical Rocket's (youtube) Sunday live stream mode where one of the players on a team pilots a non-shooting Atlas from pt A to pt B?

If PGI's gonna steal a youtuber's idea, might as well do it properly and not use a goddamn AI.

[Thorqemada]

The Mainproblem of these Escort modes is that the Attackers only have 1 Target to blow up/stop.

Maybe it would be better to escort multiple targets so that ist not a decision to kill all targets but a decision to kill the most valuable target - which not necessarily needs to be the same type of Mech every time.

First you need to scout the Targets to find the biggest fish in Terms of value.
Than you have to kill it - or you decide you kill as much as possible with the risk of havng only low value targets.

Edited by Thorqemada, 05 December 2016 - 01:57 AM.

[Joey Tankblaster]

Please put a player into the VIP.

[MW Waldorf Statler]

Atlas mech as Escort VIP =fail ...a Convoy with some Vehicles better ,or a Player that use the Vip Part

[Bandilly]

Snazzy Dragon, on 04 December 2016 - 11:26 PM, said:

This is a point I think PGI might have missed.. coupled with the recent LRM buff...

One ECM mech counters the NARC. Direct LoS locks are going to be far more dangerous since you need massive numbers of AMS to truly stop a good volley.