Shiroi Tsuki, on 18 February 2017 - 11:50 AM, said:
Good discussion stuff...
[color=#959595]For example;[/color]
[color=#959595]Faction A relies on ballistic based weapons. Cannons, shells, stuff like that. While they have to aim a little higher above their target to compensate for bullet drop over long distances, they can also use this to their advantage by firing them like mortars, being able to shoot behind cover and damage enemies without LOS. Their support weapons will include artillery strikes that can do a lot of AoE but may have little effect on targets hiding behind a hill[/color]
[color=#959595]Faction B emphasizes a lot on energy based weapons, stuff like lasers and plasma rifles. Gameplay wise, they do a lot of LOS.[/color]
[color=#959595]Support wise, they can have an orbital laser platform that can shoot targets hiding behind a hill, but will have no effect against those that have cover above their heads.[/color]
[color=#959595]Just by these 2 different examples, I can already see a diverse gameplay that can rival the IS/Clans that we have right now. Now add 3 other factions each with their own unique play style, gameplay depth and variety increases a lot. Of course, they will have to introduce new mechanics and new weapons as well to add more to what we already have.[/color]
More good stuff
So basically in Example A you've just named the Federated Commonwealth which loves its AC's and has faction specific mechs like the Jagermech, Centy, Victor, Enforcer to boot
In Example B you've pretty much named Clan Wolf during the Refusal War. Which specifically chose to use energy-based weapons to defeat the ammo dependent Clan Jade Falcon.
You want a faction that does ECM and LRM support? Capellan Confederation with its Catapult/Raven combo with its people workhorse army of Urbanmechs and Vindicators
Perhaps you want a faction that does combined arms? Clan Hell's Horse. Perhaps an aristocracy with favours assaults to make up for its politically sharp and inept leadership? House Steiner.
Or maybe a Warrior bushido culture that barely manages to adapt but has networked infotech? Draconis Combine.
Lore already has the faction examples you set out. Why spend countless hours making crap up when there is a whole bunch of lore to offshoot from and build upon?
I like your ideas here but as I've seen there seems to be a polarization of opinions on Lore. Its not black or white. PGi pretty much ignores lore till its convenient to them. Ie. The Rubberback mech in which they paid off a BT writer to write fluff a week before Mechcon to suit their needs.
Lore is meant as a guide to draw the old school fans and give a new hook to the uninitiated. Its not suppose to be rigid canon that makes anything that strays from it heresy.
PGI just chose to water things down into IS/Clan, ignoring the depth that Lore can provide to increase everything from sales, to background info on planets you're invading in FP. Where as all they have to do is draw on this and add fluff text here and there to add flavour to the shallow game they have. Lore helps with depth and is a reference point and its not a rigid lock on IP.
The further someone strays from the guidance that Lore provides the more it isn't MW or BT or what have you. Ignoring it is even worse. This is where you get memorable characters like Jar Jar Binks or games like Mech Assault, But when you run with it, you get creations like MW2, Mech Commander 1-2, Rogue One, X-wing vs. TIE. All these used canon to weave new aspects of the universe and add depth.
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