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Also note, I'm not rocket scientist, but all of this information is purely from my own personal experience with MWO, and as such, If i make a screw-up on info, i'm welcome to correction
So...What is the PSR System?
For the uninitiated, the Pilot Skill rating acts somewhat like a less than helpful EXP bar, keeping track of your skill rating, and placing you into a Tier system, judged on your Wins/Losses; The more wins you get, the better you become, with damage output presumably also acting as a factor on your progression. The more you lose, and how quick you die, lowers your rating, and slowly drops you into the previous tier bit by bit. Naturally, this places you into a quickmatch pot of players similar to that skill, ensuring even player skill across the board. Tier 1 being the best of the best, with Tier 5 being newcomers (presumably) or just really unlucky players.
What is wrong with the PSR system?
Personally from my experience of 175+ Hours of playing MWO (unlogged hours from other computer), I've noted that the PSR bar doesn't really add anything to the game, or the player for them to improve their play style, or support them in any way, it's merely there as a reminder to the player that they still have a ways to go to get the to ever yearned Tier 1. Granted we have the tutorial to show them the ropes and the rest is up to them how they tear components to shreds, but there's no real incentive for them to give it their A-game, casual or hardcore.
Not only this, but behind the scenes, it seems that PGI have scrapped the PSR system on their end and the tier system no longer matters, as Tier 4 players will now be paired with Tier 1 players, making the fight either one-sided, or brings everyone down to each other's detriment. Personally, I can attest to this as I myself have played with Snuggles Time, a Tier 1 player (Shoutout Homie!), meaning that the ideology of "I'm in Tier 4 of 5, so other players must be on my player skill too" is immediately blasted out of the back of the hunchback's rear CT by 3 Atlas' worth of AC60, and splattering the internals all over the unsuspecting Centurion.
The bottom line? PSR provides no actual numbers, and is just a visual matchmaker.....that doesn't work.
What do i propose be changed about the PSR system?
- Firstly, the entirety of the PSR system needs to be ripped out. It fails to serve it's purpose as a "skill based" statistic and provides no valuable information to the player, it is merely there as a means to group up players of similar skill, which even then, fails. just keep the PUG system as open as can be, and let players run wild.
- Should an iteration of the Tier system be kept, provide the player with an incentive; Each tier increase rewards the player. Tier 1 being a "Free Mech" Token of their choice for their dedication and performance, thus increasing their playtime, making use of their gained knowledge, and let's them picked a prized mech for their time.
- It is then replaced by a more subtle screen of information that provides the player with personally set goal for the day. This information may include;
- Wins/Loss ratio overall
- Wins needed to progress to next tier.
- Percentage of wins
- Favourite weapon (Hell, just add a statistics graph at this point)
- (Personal favourite) - The Mech Rating system; Statistics of wins/kills/damage output based on MECH PERFORMANCE per individual mech. This one I would love to explain.
TBR-A = 2 LRM 20's, 2 Large Pulse
TBR-B = 4 Med Las, 4 SRM 6.
TBR-A has a 40% Mech rating while B has a 80% rating, and both mechs have played 10 rounds each. This tells you that TBR-A has had 4 games worth of success, while B has had 8, both with match losses of 6-2 respectively.
What can the player do to combat this and increase their percentage for build A?
My proposed system Gives them more of an informed opinion on their current build and judge whether it is successful or not, and change out weaponry/omnipods if necessary. it adds a more personal touch to the player and their playstyle with each mech and I believe this will add a more dedicated approach to a chosen mech and gives more of a better thought process to how players wish to play their mechs, as opposed to brazenly buying new sets altogether for the sake of "trying something new" and failing altogether. it's wasted c-bills and time at the end of it, and the player has accomplished nothing. (Did this once thinking I could buy a whole set of TBR-Prime, with the CT included in the first week of playing.....it pains).
Soon, individual mech statistics in comparison, after hundreds of games, will look like this;
TBR- 85%
CTN(NCIX) - 26%
LCT - 14%
UBM - 67&
HMN - 77%
You get the idea; the bigger the number, the better it's built, the more it's used, the harder it hits.
At the end of it, the "Pilot Skill" will ultimately come down to how they play the mechs they pick. Players will fight themselves and their buddies for a higher rating, or as close as they can to 100% as they can, while they might have a failed project in the low 20% standing by. So many projects, so much time.
Edited by RabidNinja64, 09 April 2017 - 04:22 PM.
