3 replies to this topic

[Appogee]

* The grind is tripled. 3X more XP plus 9.1M extra CBills to Master any future Mech. The "refunds" on prior Mechs/Module XP won't make help Master new Mechs.

* While grinding, we won't be building up CBills to buy future Mechs. Our earnings will be spent on the Mechs we're currently leveling.

* Time leveling sub-optimal Mechs against Mastered Mechs is worsened.

* Respec costs discourage build diversity & experimentation, key attractions of Mechwarrior.

* Incents boating single weapons. Not enough unlocks to optimise multiple weapons.

* Historical XP on uncompetitive Mechs is rendered worthless. I won't even try to earn the 136,000 XP and 9.1M CBills needed to level uncompetitive variants.

* Forces skills you don't want, to get to the ones you do want.

* Further widens the competitiveness gap between new and experienced players.

* The 91 available unlocks don't deliver the same level of optimisation as the current system.

Aside from the above, I'm concerned PGI will tank their existing revenue stream - Mech Packs - in the hope of a new revenue stream - respecing - that just won't materialise.

I spent +2$K on this game, but I won't be spending money to respec Mechs. I'll just build to meta, sell most of my other 247 Mechs for CBills, and spend my reduced playing time further grinding the additional XP needed for a few drop decks worth of the best Mechs.

[Fox2232]

How many mech can you fully skill up at start?
Can't you actually enjoy playing those fully skilled up mechs to earn C-Bills and level those other mechs without playing them in under-performing state?

Or is that because you do not even have enough XP? Does it come from fact that once you mastered mech, you played them very few games? Does that mean that till now you spent 80~90% of time on Mastering mech and only 10~20% of time enjoying actually mastered ones? Then you should be used to play mechs without Mastery.

So what about this: "Stop putting yourself in role of Bottom Feeder when you are actually King of the Hill."
Man, think and do stuff smart way.

[tokumboh]

I understand the sentiment and agree with some of the premise here but I think what we are doing is comparing what we have with what we may need

Our view of MWO seems to basically two faceted: In game Kill and Damage and doing it as fast as possible, and beyond in game mech variety

The reality is that I have bought loads of mechs that I do not and most probably will not use because of the business model that PGI have promoted. It is essentially persuading us to part with our money for new mechs. I think the skill tree changes this. It may not be idea, I accept there are lots of things that don't make sense especially the in game economics and grind issues but what I think it does is deemphasizes mech as the be all and end all.

The second issue I have is that I believe that the skill tree has done something rather more interesting under the hood. it has increased TTK by my reckoning by around 30% look at the cooldown you can achieve in 'module' it is not 12.5% it is now 5%. I have tried this out on testing grounds and it does make a significant difference and in my view a game changer.

Now I see the skill tree change as part of a wider business model change in term of PGI. It make no sense to buy single chassis mech packs now obviously and it may indeed be a point where actually there is alternative revenue model. I think it is going to be nuts that all we keep doing is buying mechs when people want more game modes more variety better objectives and the like

Now is the skill tree brilliant? Hell no there are actually good aspects to it and rubbish ones, like what would I want with Radar Dep when I have ECM and why would I be interested in ARM speed when all my weapons are in my torso and the issue of boating weapons will still persist (although I think that people are kind of over playing this the cooldown quirk is underwhelming and the only ones I would say were great are the spread on Missiles and LBXs UAC jam chance, the charge mechanic changes for gauss. The rest is not going to be game changers in my view.

Now you raise the point that you have nearly 250 mechs. We never ask Why? it is just a given. It is because that is the revenue stream and we like shiny new things and this is the easiest thing that PGI can give us. I would trade half of my mechs for more maps and better objectives. I think this may be the start of the road to that.

Personally I agree the grind is excessive and indeed PGI are not even monetising it so I see no advantage in making it so bad bt I also thing that the issue is we need to change the way we perceive the game and PGI has to come up with a better model t monetise what they have.

[Skribs]

Appogee, on 10 February 2017 - 01:25 AM, said:

* The grind is tripled. 3X more XP plus 9.1M extra CBills to Master any future Mech. The "refunds" on prior Mechs/Module XP won't make help Master new Mechs.

* While grinding, we won't be building up CBills to buy future Mechs. Our earnings will be spent on the Mechs we're currently leveling.

* Time leveling sub-optimal Mechs against Mastered Mechs is worsened.

* Respec costs discourage build diversity & experimentation, key attractions of Mechwarrior.

* Incents boating single weapons. Not enough unlocks to optimise multiple weapons.

* Historical XP on uncompetitive Mechs is rendered worthless. I won't even try to earn the 136,000 XP and 9.1M CBills needed to level uncompetitive variants.

* Forces skills you don't want, to get to the ones you do want.

* Further widens the competitiveness gap between new and experienced players.

* The 91 available unlocks don't deliver the same level of optimisation as the current system.

Aside from the above, I'm concerned PGI will tank their existing revenue stream - Mech Packs - in the hope of a new revenue stream - respecing - that just won't materialise.

I spent +2$K on this game, but I won't be spending money to respec Mechs. I'll just build to meta, sell most of my other 247 Mechs for CBills, and spend my reduced playing time further grinding the additional XP needed for a few drop decks worth of the best Mechs.

The grind, and the lack of saving for a new Mech while leveling are the biggest problems for me (as in, I'll quit if the numbers stay).

However, you can convert HXP to MXP and then use MC to convert MXP to GXP and use it on other Mechs. Not that I think it's a great solution, but there is an avenue for that HXP to be useful.

I fully agree with every other point you made, and mostly agree with the one I argued with you on.