154 replies to this topic

[Evil Goof]

When is the test server live?

[CptJehuty]

From what I understand, the quirks will be going away and we will be able to set up the mech the way we want, depending on how the skill tree is set up. It does look like there will have to be certain, unnecessary points spent on quirks and skills that are not needed for the type of setup you are going for.

For example I would need to unlock skills unrelated to making my light mech faster and stronger, thus causing me to spend point on things not needed which will reduce my ability to use them on weapons, armor or speed.

Additionally I would need to spend points on skills designed for scouting on a brawling mech. I'm waiting to see if they structure the skill trees so we can have a relatively easy progression towards certain skills. Even if the higher level skills need more points to unlock, I would rather see that, then unlocking unnecessary skills just to get the next level jump jet or speed tweek.

[Cy Mitchell]

It will be interesting to see the level of customization that the Skill Tree allows. My hope is that it will rein in Mechs like the Kodiak, TimberWolf, Nyte Gyr and Hunchback IIC while allowing other Mechs to catch up a bit. I hope that it is not possible to exceed the current performance of a mastered Mech in the case of the Tier 1 Mechs in each weight class as they are already too powerful IMO.

[Sjorpha]

Quicksilver Kalasa, on 01 February 2017 - 03:09 PM, said:

Tech balance shouldn't depend on a progression based system. The ideal here is for IS and Clan to be balanced without quirks AND a skill tree.

Yes, agreed.

[RestosIII]

Evil Goof, on 01 February 2017 - 03:51 PM, said:

When is the test server live?

Just... some time this month. That's all we've got.

[Gas Guzzler]

RestosIII, on 01 February 2017 - 03:58 PM, said:

Just... some time this month. That's all we've got.

Which coincidentally is the same month that it is supposed to be released. PGI doesn't add anything to patches at 2 weeks before patch date, so I'm not sure how much feedback they can implement...

[NighthawK1337]

Personally I just want to be able to use Radar Dep, Seismic, and Advanced zoom at the same time.
I didn't use heavily quirked mechs in the first place.

AMS Overload better be unlockable in the get go.

[Gas Guzzler]

NighthawK1337, on 01 February 2017 - 04:08 PM, said:

Personally I just want to be able to use Radar Dep, Seismic, and Advanced zoom at the same time.
I didn't use heavily quirked mechs in the first place.

AMS Overload better be unlockable in the get go.

Remember your skills have to make up for more than quirks. You have to make up for all the basic and elite skills that we have currently, including double basics (20% total heat cap increase!!) and speed tweak, and fast fire, and quick ignition. Also keep in mind that mechs that aren't heavily quirked will have less skill points to use because they don't need as much help, so those mechs might even end up in a worst state than they are now under the current skill/module system.

[Sjorpha]

Gas Guzzler, on 01 February 2017 - 04:07 PM, said:

Which coincidentally is the same month that it is supposed to be released. PGI doesn't add anything to patches at 2 weeks before patch date, so I'm not sure how much feedback they can implement...

Not a chance it's released in february.

[Gas Guzzler]

Sjorpha, on 01 February 2017 - 04:14 PM, said:

Not a chance it's released in february.

According to Russ's latest twitter feed, as of yesterday February is still looking good.

[Y E O N N E]

That means PTS going up this weekend, right?

[Gas Guzzler]

Yeonne Greene, on 01 February 2017 - 04:16 PM, said:

That means PTS going up this weekend, right?

Who knows lol. What will suck is that I won't be able to participate because I will be out of town.

[RestosIII]

Yeonne Greene, on 01 February 2017 - 04:16 PM, said:

That means PTS going up this weekend, right?

Nah, PTS will be up the weekend after it's added to the live server. For optimum feedback.

[Tristan Winter]

I have two concernes and they're connected.

1 - It won't really promote role warfare. That was basically the point of separate skill trees as sketched out in 2011, 2012. (Five years ago. Heh.)

2 - It won't really add any complexity or fun to the game.

At the end of the day, I think this is just going to be like modules.
Take some mech with ER PPC and gauss. If possible, level up to get speed tweak, radar derp and advanced zoom or whatever good skills are easily accessible. Add weapon skills to make your shooty guns shootier. Congratulations, your mech now... basically the same as always, but shootier.

In other games, like Star Conflict and most MMORPGs, levelling up actually means that you're adding complexity to the gameplay. Levelling up isn't just a grind to get gooder, it's actually a pedagogical tool to teach the player how to play, one step at a time. It's not necessarily a progression to becoming more powerful either. You may just unlock new abilities that come with certain costs, like trading burst damage for extended dps or whatever. But usually, levelling up means that you're getting more powerful while also enjoying more complex gameplay. An example of this would be letting scout mechs target multiple enemies at the same time or giving support mechs a crouch toggle or giving jump jet brawlers additional controls to use their jump jets (e.g. side-strafing)

My concern is that this will be a minimally viable product. Spend C-bills and XP to unlock a 1% gauss rifle range bonus. Dull. On top of that, we might get some rampant power creep, but whatever.

[Quicksilver Aberration]

Tristan Winter, on 01 February 2017 - 04:36 PM, said:

In other games, like Star Conflict and most MMORPGs, levelling up actually means that you're adding complexity to the gameplay. Levelling up isn't just a grind to get gooder, it's actually a pedagogical tool to teach the player how to play, one step at a time.

I don't know that most MMORPGs really add complexity as you level up, but then again the last MMORPG I played was Guild Wars 1.

[Piney II]

Lots of speculation, very little known facts.

The skill tree roll-out is going to be interesting..................coupled with lots of rage.

[Tristan Winter]

Quicksilver Kalasa, on 01 February 2017 - 04:44 PM, said:

I don't know that most MMORPGs really add complexity as you level up, but then again the last MMORPG I played was Guild Wars 1.

I haven't done a statistical study, but if you look at all the major ones, they typically add complexity. At level 1, you're just pointing and clicking at animals in the forest, killing 8 wolves and 4 chickens to complete a quest. At level 60, you've got 8-10 skills (or more) that you've carefully put together in your skill tree, and you'll use most of them with relatively frequency.

Now, I don't want to go down a long and hard neckbeard discussion about to what extent WoW, TOR, Guild Wars have true complexity, but anyone who doesn't recognize that they have a gradual progression of complexity from level 1 to level 60 that is very much unlike the skill tree in MWO... you're being silly.

[Big Tin Man]

No PTS yet, no discussion of what it actually is, so let's start the wagering!

Over/under dates from the Big Tin Sports Booking agency, accepting wagers on:

PTS live by 3/3/17 12:01 AM PST
New Skill tree pushed to the game May 2017 patch (under includes the feb, mar, apr patches only)
Number of PTS sessions/pts patches before going live (or being scrapped) = 2.5

And if PGI manages to push out a functional skill tree with the Feb patch, I'll buy a Javelin pack. If it's actually good, I'll either buy the hero or reinforcements to go with it.

Edited by Big Tin Man, 01 February 2017 - 05:04 PM.

[Carl Vickers]

RestosIII, on 01 February 2017 - 04:29 PM, said:

Nah, PTS will be up the weekend after it's added to the live server. For minimally viable feedback.

FTFY

[Brenden]

What I want to know is what's going on?