29 replies to this topic

[Zookeeper Dan]

So I got this idea after listing to the latest NGNG podcast. They were talking of being able to select your mech (within 5-10 tons) after map and game mode voting.

A tweak on that would be to chose your chassis when you look for a game but after voting you would get to choose the variant.

This would have big advantages:

With the new skill tree and the end of the "rule of three" there is very little reason to pick up anything other than the best variant of a mech. This would provide a reason to buy other variants (or use all the variants already owned because we had to have them to master the best variant!)

This would not give the matchmaker any problems because all your choices would be the same weight.

It would add to loadout diversity. Instead of one mech that does okay in all situations you could specialize mechs for game modes and maps.

It would add to map and game mode diversity. If you have a lazervomit mech of course you don't want a hot map, but if players had had a cooler running variant maps like Terra Therma might show up more often.

Example:
I love ShadowHawks. My default would be my 2D2 with an AC10 and SRM4's, it works well on just about any map. If a city map shows up I could then choose my Grey Death with and AC20 and 4ML's for brawling hit and runs. For cold maps I could go with my 2K with 3 ERLL's. For hot maps I would go with my 2H with 2AC5's and SRM's. I might even buy more variants: A ShadowHawk with LRM's for Polar Highlands, one with a max engine for conquest, max Jump Jets for Incursion, etc...

Any thoughts I'd love to hear them!

[Vyx]

This has been recommended before, and it is a truly brilliant suggestion.

The problem is, PGI lacks the ability to code anymore. They can model, skin, and arrange things on map.

They let their expensive coders go long ago.

Don't get me wrong -- I'd love for them to prove me wrong, and actually do what you've said.

But they wont.

[JC Daxion]

Yes, this has been suggested in the past. I personally like it. Give yourself a few optional builds of your mech. Not swap tonnage, or mech, just a different build/variant.


the nay sayers, say it is more min/max.. I say it would lead to seeing more diversity. Often you don't take a mech because it just works poorly on some maps. Or you are stuck with said poor set up and just are rolling the dice you are not going to play said map, which happens a lot.

would that lead to more LRM's and snipers on polar/alpine? would that lead to more brawlers on river city and crimson? Would cooler mechs be on terra? I would hope so, but seeing there would be limits as you are stuck in that mech i don't think that would be as bad as people make it out to.

maybe have 4 slots, you could have a short range, medium range, cool, and a jumper for example. Or maybe you have an ECM set up or what ever.


Pick map/mode, and then pick your variant from your deck.

[Khobai]

i think the voting system has already proved why democracy fails

how bout we just get rid of voting

[El Bandito]

Khobai, on 28 April 2017 - 05:18 PM, said:

how bout we just get rid of voting

Sure, lets get rid of voting and the ability to uncheck modes. Faster queue time, and less tyranny of majority. Get rid of Assault mode while we are at it, cause Incursion is flat out better than it. Oh, and get rid of Alpine, cause Polar is better than it already.

[Khobai]

i think we should combine alpine and polar into one glorious LRM hellhole

[Champion of Khorne Lord of Blood]

Honestly we could just play faction play more, they have the same quickplay modes but you pick your mechs after you see what map you are going to be on. You can even bring 4 different mechs and pick out which ones you want to use at different points in that match.

Its pretty much superior except for the groups being able to mix with solos.

[El Bandito]

Dakota1000, on 28 April 2017 - 06:02 PM, said:

Honestly we could just play faction play more, they have the same quickplay modes but you pick your mechs after you see what map you are going to be on. You can even bring 4 different mechs and pick out which ones you want to use at different points in that match.

Its pretty much superior except for the groups being able to mix with solos.

And therein lies the issue, the complete lack of MM, and group vs. solo balance. Which means it is not profitable for solo pugs to play CW.

[Mazzyplz]

i reject this. run a weaker all range build or learn to play your sniper/brawler in the map which doesn't benefit u

[BumbleBee]

If you want your Mech to perform on the map that comes up, either learn to use your Mech outside it's comfort zone, or build it with a mixed loadout so you can do a bit of both.

I'm all for bringing back full random maps and possibly modes. I'm getting sick of playing the only 4 maps this game seems to have

EDIT:
If you chose to specialise your Mech to be powerful at long range, then dont cry if the Mech is less powerful at short range, and vice versa. That's the thing about over specialising, you become weaker in other situations.

Also adding that customised Mechs in Battletech are not exactly commonplace. If you are called to fight in your Mech, you fight with what you have, not what is ideal.

Edited by BumbleBee, 28 April 2017 - 07:53 PM.

[Pr8Dator2]

Always loved this idea...should post this to the feature suggestion thread so we can support it.

BumbleBee, on 28 April 2017 - 07:47 PM, said:

If you want your Mech to perform on the map that comes up, either learn to use your Mech outside it's comfort zone, or build it with a mixed loadout so you can do a bit of both.

I'm all for bringing back full random maps and possibly modes. I'm getting sick of playing the only 4 maps this game seems to have

Lets not go back there... thats how it all started and suddenly, just like incursion on release weekend, players just grumble about nott getting certain maps and how certain maps are coming up too llitttle, then tthey created the voting system... lets not unwind tthatt.

[InvictusLee]

I like your idea, but i really think we should be able to pick maps first, then just pick our mechs from a drop deck if we decide our currently selected mech inappropriate for the map.

I believe this would be our best bet for great gameplay, and it would actually improve matches a great deal since most players will have to take map quirks into consideration while choosing a mech, such as heat, landscape, elevation and, game mode.

I feel as if anything else is put into place, the system would probably a little pointless and half hearted.

[Sumdumbum]

OMG Ive personally asked for this in the past, with everyone yelling at me for how dumb I was. I see you. This is a GREAT idea.

[Hindenhoot]

While I like the idea, it would make some maps thoroughly awful and people would only boat the weapon type appropriate to that map.

Polar would be even more of a raging lurmfest than it already is. I honestly don't mind LRMs the way some here do, but that map is already basically "whoever brings the most LRMS, wins".

Alpine? More snipers and LRMs would make for very slow rounds.

I appreciate the way the current situation forces you to either work with your current mech in less than ideal circumstances or build a more balanced mech.

[Nesutizale]

What I like about the idea:
I have found myself in the situation that I thought "no not that map with this mech"
Beeing able to change the mech has it appeal. Also giving the mechs that aren't needed with the new skill system a purpose is a nice idea.

What I don't like:
I fear that the min-max-ing would be to high. Currently you allways have a good mix of mechs that fit and some that don't. It makes the gameplay more interesting as people have to adapt.
Else I fear that polar, for example, will have LRM only mechs on it instead of a mix.

Overall I think that while it helps in some cases, gameplay wise it would lead to a much to narrow type of mechs/type-of-loadout beeing in a match.

[Zookeeper Dan]

Dahoota, on 29 April 2017 - 06:08 AM, said:

While I like the idea, it would make some maps thoroughly awful and people would only boat the weapon type appropriate to that map.

Polar would be even more of a raging lurmfest than it already is. I honestly don't mind LRMs the way some here do, but that map is already basically "whoever brings the most LRMS, wins".

Alpine? More snipers and LRMs would make for very slow rounds.

I appreciate the way the current situation forces you to either work with your current mech in less than ideal circumstances or build a more balanced mech.

I could see that.

I could also see where more ECM and AMS mechs are chosen to counter the LRMs. Then TAG and NARC to counter the ECM.

And as players min max (because that's what players do!) I think you would have less diversity between maps but less within maps. Would this lead to a more fun game? I don't know.

I know it would make more of my mechs see play instead of just looking​ pretty in their mechbays!

[Champion of Khorne Lord of Blood]

Nesutizale, on 29 April 2017 - 06:22 AM, said:

What I like about the idea:
I have found myself in the situation that I thought "no not that map with this mech"
Beeing able to change the mech has it appeal. Also giving the mechs that aren't needed with the new skill system a purpose is a nice idea.

What I don't like:
I fear that the min-max-ing would be to high. Currently you allways have a good mix of mechs that fit and some that don't. It makes the gameplay more interesting as people have to adapt.
Else I fear that polar, for example, will have LRM only mechs on it instead of a mix.

Overall I think that while it helps in some cases, gameplay wise it would lead to a much to narrow type of mechs/type-of-loadout beeing in a match.

I find it would make the game much more interesting and different, as each map would have its own meta instead of us just having the singular gauss+PPC meta that works well on every map.

Just imagine if you jump on Terra Therma and you go against mostly autocannons and gauss, then drop on polar and see ERPPC sniping and LRMs with ERLL mixed in, then go over to mining collective and everyone is running brawlers, then go to frozen city and everyone is boating lasers.

Way more difference each time you drop than just the same old gauss+ERPPC every map and if you haven't gone mad and swapped to meta yet so you don't get stuck on maps you can't do anything on, then you won't end up being useless on certain maps anymore.

[Coolant]

I like the idea. Of course what would be best is like it was in MW4:Mercs in the lobby...you knew what map and could choose your mech whatever you wanted.

[Nesutizale]

Map Meta...could be a thing but then I don't see much "meta only" in the current matches. Sure there are some people just running the meta builds but there are quite more not doing so...at least when I play but then what do I know at Tier 3, we are just the fun people, not the T1 meta overlords
Is it realy that bad in the high tiers that eveyone is just running meta? If so I hope I never move up...no fun.

BTT
I think one could give it a try and see where it leads. I thought of mapvoting also to be a good thing...now I am not so sure anymore. Some maps rarely appear, same with modes.
PGI should just put it live, test it for 3 month and then see what people make of it. When the stats show that people realy start to use it to create a map meta its fine...else just take it off again.

[Johnny Z]

I know how they are going to do it. Because this is very sim like and the easiest way.

Players choose map like now, then load the map like now, then choose mech from drop deck.

To expand on this further I think players will be able to upgrade their dropships maybe some time to have a larger dropdeck to choose from possibly.

Reasons for only being able to drop one mech are also sim like, such as the dropzone counter air being to much as just one excellent example.

Yes this is an excellent idea everyone has been talking about.

I think the lore may need to be worked on also to make this all work about how players get loaded into the dropships on the field from their personal dropships. Minor detail and already present in faction play.

Edited by Johnny Z, 29 April 2017 - 08:52 AM.