3 replies to this topic

[Tsar Bomba]

Pilots gain increased abilities through Specializations. At the end of the starting tutorial the player chooses one Specialization to be their pilot's initial training and to promote a feeling of capability and investment right from the start.


A pilot may pick their second (Basic) Specialization at 15,000 XP.
They may then pick their third (Elite) Specialization at 45,000 XP.
Finally, the pilot chooses their fourth and final (Master) Specialization at 90,000 XP.

Each Specialization beyond the first costs 2,000,000 CBills.

Removing a known Specialization does not cost anything, nor does the player receive any refund. (Exception: A new player may freely remove and retrain their initial Specialization while the 25 match Cadet Bonus is in effect.)

To retrain in another Specialization after removing a Specialization the pilot must pay 10% of the initial experience cost again, and 2,000,000 CBills. This includes the first Specialization. If a player attempts to remove a Specialization and they do not currently possess the 10% initial experience cost to retrain it, they will receive a warning before they remove the Specialization.


Some example Specializations could be:
(NOTE: These are just examples, adjustments might be necessary to achieve parity.)

DEFENSE SYSTEM SPECIALIST
+10% Armor Bonus (DEFENSE)
+20% Structure Bonus (DEFENSE)
+2.5 AMS Damage (DEFENSE)

WEAPON SYSTEM SPECIALIST
-15% LASER Duration (LASERS)
-5% Weapon Cooldown (ALL WEAPONS)
-5% Weapon Heat (LASERS)
-10% UAC Jam Chance (AUTOCANNONS)

ELECTRONIC WARFARE TECH
+10% Sensor Range (SENSORS)
+360 Target Retention Range (SENSORS)
+45% ECM Target Range Reduction (SENSORS)

MOBILITY SYSTEMS SPECIALIST
+30% Speed Retention (MECH OPS)
+15% Hill Climb (MECH OPS)
+5/5/30% Improved Jump Jets (JUMP JETS)
-50% Fall Damage (DEFENSE)

REMOTE OPERATIONS
+20% NARC Beacon Velocity (AUX)
+30% NARC Beacon Duration (AUX)
+40% UAV Range (AUX)
+15 UAV Duration (AUX)

INTELLIGENCE ANALYST
+200 Seismic Sensor Range (SENSORS)
+3.5 Target Decay Duration (SENSORS)
+20% Capture Accelerator (AUX)

WEAPON CALIBRATION SPECIALIST
+10% Target Info Gathering (SENSORS)
+10% Weapon Range (ALL WEAPONS)
+1 Advanced Zoom (SENSORS)
-10% Missile Spread (MISSILES)

FUSION ENGINEER
+15% Max Heat (MECH OPS)
+10% Heat Dissipation (MECH OPS)
-35% Startup Duration (MECH OPS)

CHASSIS ENGINEER
-50% Screen Shake (MECH OPS)
+100 Radar Deprivation (SENSORS)
+40% Arm Speed (UPPER CHASIS)
+30% Arm Pitch Angle (UPPER CHASSIS)

SYSTEMS ENGINEER
+5% Torso Yaw Speed (UPPER CHASSIS)
+20% Torso Yaw Angle (UPPER CHASSIS)
+10% Torso Pitch Angle (UPPER CHASSIS)
+10 Magazine Capacity (MECH OPS)

DRIVE ENGINEER
+7.5% Mech Top Speed (LOWER CHASSIS)
+50% Acceleration Rate (LOWER CHASSIS)
+50% Deceleration Rate (LOWER CHASSIS)
+30% Turn Rate (LOWER CHASSIS)

The parenthesis after the benefit indicates what skill tree the benefit is from currently.

Each Specialization will give the player a very real feeling of advancement as opposed to the almost imperceptible increases skill trees often give. Instead of paying for each node and hoping they eventually pay off, the player will feel the benefit in their very next match.

A few specializations are easier to maintain and balance versus hundreds of minor nodes as well as being far easier for players to balance versus what they want from a particular mech build. Additionally, experimentation would also be similarly easier than erasing and rebuilding a large skill tree spec.

Edited by Tsar Bomba, 23 February 2017 - 12:00 AM.

[Chound]

Tsar Bomba, on 15 February 2017 - 10:54 PM, said:

Pilots gain increased abilities through Specializations. At the end of the starting tutorial the player chooses one Specialization to be their pilot's initial training and to promote a feeling of capability and investment right from the start.


A pilot may pick their second (Basic) Specialization at 15,000 XP.
They may then pick their third (Elite) Specialization at 45,000 XP.
Finally, the pilot chooses their fourth and final (Master) Specialization at 90,000 XP.

Each Specialization beyond the first costs 2,000,000 CBills.

Removing a known Specialization does not cost anything, nor does the player receive any refund. (Exception: A new player may freely remove and retrain their initial Specialization while the 25 match Cadet Bonus is in effect.)

To retrain in another Specialization after removing a Specialization the pilot must pay 10% of the initial experience cost again, and 2,000,000 CBills. This includes the first Specialization. If a player attempts to remove a Specialization and they do not currently possess the 10% initial experience cost to retrain it, they will receive a warning before they remove the Specialization.


Some example Specializations could be:
(NOTE: These are just examples, adjustments might be necessary to achieve parity.)

DEFENSE SYSTEM SPECIALIST
+10% Armor Bonus (DEFENSE)
+20% Structure Bonus (DEFENSE)
+2.5 AMS Damage (DEFENSE)

WEAPON SYSTEM SPECIALIST
-15% LASER Duration (LASERS)
-5% Weapon Cooldown (ALL WEAPONS)
-5% Weapon Heat (LASERS)

ELECTRONIC WARFARE TECH
+10% Sensor Range (SENSORS)
+360 Target Retention Range (SENSORS)
+45% ECM Target Range Reduction (SENSORS)

MOBILITY SYSTEMS SPECIALIST
+30% Speed Retention (MECH OPS)
+15% Hill Climb (MECH OPS)
+5/5/30% Improved Jump Jets (JUMP JETS)
-50% Fall Damage (DEFENSE)

REMOTE OPERATIONS
+20% NARC Beacon Velocity (AUX)
+30% NARC Beacon Duration (AUX)
+40% UAV Range (AUX)
+15 UAV Duration (AUX)

INTELLIGENCE ANALYST
+200 Seismic Sensor Range (SENSORS)
+3.5 Target Decay Duration (SENSORS)
+20% Capture Accelerator (AUX)

WEAPON CALIBRATION SPECIALIST
+10% Target Info Gathering (SENSORS)
+10% Weapon Range (ALL WEAPONS)
+1 Advanced Zoom (SENSORS)
-10% Missile Spread (MISSILES)

FUSION ENGINEER
+15% Max Heat (MECH OPS)
+10% Heat Dissipation (MECH OPS)
-35% Startup Duration (MECH OPS)

CHASSIS ENGINEER
-50% Screen Shake (MECH OPS)
+100 Radar Deprivation (SENSORS)
+40% Arm Speed (UPPER CHASIS)
+30% Arm Pitch Angle (UPPER CHASSIS)

SYSTEMS ENGINEER
+5% Torso Yaw Speed (UPPER CHASSIS)
+20% Torso Yaw Angle (UPPER CHASSIS)
+10% Torso Pitch Angle (UPPER CHASSIS)
+10 Magazine Capacity (MECH OPS)

DRIVE ENGINEER
+7.5% Mech Top Speed (LOWER CHASSIS)
+50% Acceleration Rate (LOWER CHASSIS)
+50% Deceleration Rate (LOWER CHASSIS)
+30% Turn Rate (LOWER CHASSIS)

The parenthesis after the benefit indicates what skill tree the benefit is from currently.

Each Specialization will give the player a very real feeling of advancement as opposed to the almost imperceptible increases skill trees often give. Instead of paying for each node and hoping they eventually pay off, the player will feel the benefit in their very next match.

A few specializations are easier to maintain and balance versus hundreds of minor nodes as well as being far easier for players to balance versus what they want from a particular mech build. Additionally, experimentation would also be similarly easier than erasing and rebuilding a large skill tree spec.

Interesting. there should be only one type of XP available so XP or GXP jbut not both mech and weapons are now in the same pool.
Player needs to earn 15,000 XP for advancement to next level. rather than an accumulated total since the XP might be used in other ways like a respec.would be 1500 XP and also count in the accumulated total to advance a level. 4 levels jout opf 11 .... I don't know about that.

[Tsar Bomba]

Yes, it's open enough that it could use the current XP system, the proposed XP system including historical XP, or even just simplify XP and get rid of GXP.

The system must provide a limited number of specializations from a larger field so that the player must choose what they want from this build and not be able to do everything possible.

[Tsar Bomba]

Would still prefer something much simpler, like this. Fewer choices to have to wade through, easy to make role builds, you can choose enough Specializations to fortify your build but still have to make tough compromises, and when you choose a specialization you'll actually see the improvement. Not just click a node and hope it's building up to something useful like a measly 1% at a time does.