7 replies to this topic

[Goggles Paesano]

If you're like me, you're a Battletech fan. I wanted to play a Battlemech combat simulation but, more often then not, I get a playground game simulation.

These game modes are kinda lame... Two sides build forts directly across from each other so you can run to the magic battery machines to power your equipment for a moment? Or how about winning the war by standing in a circle for a minute? Really?

I don't thing PGI is big on listening to the players but here are my suggestions for fixing the game modes...

SKIRMISH: Leave it alone. This is mech combat. A company of mechs vs a company of mechs. Nothing wrong with it.

The new ASSAULT: The defending team spawns at 3 different objectives. The attacking team must destroy all three to win. On time out, if the attacking team has not destroyed all 3 objectives, the defending team wins.

The new DOMINATION: Get rid of the circle. In the center of the map is a fortification of some type. One of the teams must be in possession of the fort at time out to win. Having possession means having at least one Mech inside the fort with no enemy Mechs inside. If neither side has possession at time out, the team WITH THE MOST DAMAGE DONE wins.

The new CONQUEST: A dropship has been shot down. Before it crashed, it ejected 5 crates of supplies. The crates are scattered randomly throughout the map. You have to search for them. Each crate has a low powered transmitter that can be picked up if you are close enough to it. The idea is to find all 5 crates and bring them back to your base to win. You pick up the crate by standing near it for 10 secs. Here is the hook... Once your mech has the crate, it can't shoot because you are carrying the crate, in theory blocking your weapons fire. Attempting to fire your weapons drops the crate and allows it to be picked up by someone else. Also, crates can be stolen from your base by the other team. Game ends when all 5 crates are at one of the bases or all enemy players are killed. On time out, the team with the MOST KILLS WINS.

The new INCURSION: Get rid of the magic battery machines(What was next, power ups to make your Mech bigger or sprout wings?). Get rid of one of one of the bases. The defending team must defend their base. The defensive turrets remain but all of the other stuff is removed. Some buildings are added for cover. The main new addition is the base command center. The attacking team must enter the base and destroy the command center to win. The command center is equipped with a laser AMS to protect against missile strikes. The AMS can be destroyed or overwhelmed. Also, add walkways and gun holes to the wall to allow the base to be defended. On time out, the team with the MOST KILLS WINS.

The new ESCORT: Get rid of the enemy seeking AI!!!!!!! It had one job to do, avoid the enemy on the way to the dropship and it did the exact opposite!!! Let one of us pilot the Atlas. Yes, I know this will leave the escorting team a player short but its still better then having the stupid AI! The Atlas will now have a laser AMS and will be given 3 small lasers to defend itself. The MechWarrior will have to manage the heat with the engine all ready being pushed to move the Mech with the extra armor and the VIP passenger on board.

NEW GAME MODES:

PATROL: One team spawns with a marked route on the map with 5 points, the spawn point, three way points, and the extraction point. The objective is to have half of your surviving Mechs at the end point to be retrieved by the drop ship(sort of like scout mode in FP). Each Mech at the extraction point must have touched all 5 points, IN ORDER, to qualify. The first mech touching the third way point triggers the dropship for retrieval. The opposing team must destroy the patrol either before they reach the extraction point or before they can board the dropship. The opposing team does not know the patrol route or the location of any way points.

One thing to remember, if a fast mech leaves the team behind and runs the course, not only may you be giving the enemy an idea of the route your team must take but you may trigger the dropship when the bulk of your slower moving team does not have enough time to make it through the course.

RESCUE: I don't have everything worked out for this one yet but here are the basics... One team will be the retreating team the other will be the attacking team. The retreating team's side has lost the planet and is pulling out. Several teams of Elementals(or the IS equivalent) were out scouting and are now cut off. The retreating team must get to the elementals and bring them to the waiting dropships. The top speed of a mech is lowered by 20% when carrying elementals(does not apply to MASC). Plus each mech has a carrying capacity:
Less the 30 Tons = 1 elemental
30-45 tons = 2 elementals
45-60 tons = 3 elementals
50-75 tons = 4 elementals
75+ = 5 Elementals

If a mech carrying elementals is hit, the elementals may be knocked off and must be picked up again. They may also be killed. The opposing team wins if all enemy mechs are destroyed or half of the Elementals do not make it to the dropship. Give me a break on this one please. I literally just thought it up and I'm falling asleep.

I welcome your comments and suggestions but could we please pretend that this is a forum where all opinions and ideas are welcome? I know thats not the way this place usually works but could we pretend for once? Maybe just for a day? Thanks

[JD Wack]

I sort of warmed up to this as I read. These are some pretty exciting ideas, though I'm not agreeing with everything. If nothing else, I can tell some qualified thoughts went into this.

Anyway, as a main-gist, I think the maps in the game as well as the map-modes are generally well crafted and gets the job done in terms of giving players fun and challenging experiences.

As for the game-modes, especially after 'incursion' got implemented, I think they could do with an overhaul checking for redundancy-like circumstances in some cases ('assault' vs 'incursion' for instance) and adding complexity (like your idea for changing 'conquest' adds complexity to that gamemode - I love that idea!) in others.

And as for maps - well, the more the merrier, is actually my take on that. In fact, somtimes at night when I lay awake and can't fall asleep, I fantazise about how PGI releases some map-editting tools to the community, and how the community then proceeds to make maps that, via voting and heavy discussions, makes it from a free-for-all test server and into the final game. What a party that would be, I think at these times, and then gets pen and paper out to start sketching away till the break of dawn and well beyond ..sigh.

So,more focus on how we need more variety in maps and modes, and more focus on how the player-base is an asset in much more ways than just for opinions and feedback.

[Lily from animove]

I don't have the time atm, but many of your ideas a very flawed and would not even work. Especially domination, the abuuse I can think of ther eis just HUGE. people would mostlikely ignore the domination area pew pew it out and f no skirmish end is achieved go for a last circlejump. Thats not how "dominating" something even works by meaning, but thats surely how it will be played.

Edited by Lily from animove, 13 September 2017 - 05:27 AM.

[Goggles Paesano]

Lily from animove, on 13 September 2017 - 05:27 AM, said:

I don't have the time atm, but many of your ideas a very flawed and would not even work. Especially domination, the abuuse I can think of ther eis just HUGE. people would mostlikely ignore the domination area pew pew it out and f no skirmish end is achieved go for a last circlejump. Thats not how "dominating" something even works by meaning, but thats surely how it will be played.

Thanks for the reply. Obviously I don't agree with you, and especially with your ideas on the new Domination. The fort is the key. The team to get to the fort first has an extreme advantage because the other team will have to fight their way in to it before time is up. If both teams can get in around the same time, it will turn in to an all out brawl to control the fort. Again, I'm looking for a mech combat simulation. To me "pew pew" is what its all about. I sure as hell don't care about standing in a circle for 60 seconds or collecting magic power ups.

[Goggles Paesano]

JD Whack, on 13 September 2017 - 05:10 AM, said:

I sort of warmed up to this as I read. These are some pretty exciting ideas, though I'm not agreeing with everything. If nothing else, I can tell some qualified thoughts went into this.

Anyway, as a main-gist, I think the maps in the game as well as the map-modes are generally well crafted and gets the job done in terms of giving players fun and challenging experiences.

As for the game-modes, especially after 'incursion' got implemented, I think they could do with an overhaul checking for redundancy-like circumstances in some cases ('assault' vs 'incursion' for instance) and adding complexity (like your idea for changing 'conquest' adds complexity to that gamemode - I love that idea!) in others.

And as for maps - well, the more the merrier, is actually my take on that. In fact, somtimes at night when I lay awake and can't fall asleep, I fantazise about how PGI releases some map-editting tools to the community, and how the community then proceeds to make maps that, via voting and heavy discussions, makes it from a free-for-all test server and into the final game. What a party that would be, I think at these times, and then gets pen and paper out to start sketching away till the break of dawn and well beyond ..sigh.

So,more focus on how we need more variety in maps and modes, and more focus on how the player-base is an asset in much more ways than just for opinions and feedback.

Thanks for the reply.

I agree that the maps are well done. There is only one map that I hate, Polar Highlands, and even that I can deal with if I have the right mech(just usually I don't)

I actually have ideas for three new maps. Right now the ideas are in my head... I would have to sketch them down on paper but then I wouldn't know who to send them to or how. I think their good ideas but obviously not everyone would agree.

[Rick T Dangerous]

First off: I really like your idea for a Patrol mode. That's missing in this game and shouldn't be too hard to develop.

The current Conquest mode is about controlling the area. Your version is Capture The Flag (with more flags). So your idea is something completely different, and like your idea for a patrol mode a CTF(wmf) would be a good expansion of the modes. Regarding the current conquest mode it might change your (and other's) view if you keep in mind that it's about controlling a large area, the score is a measure for that. Forget the oil rigs, they are just props. A team is in control of an area when a mech can remain in the square for the required time without being shot at. CTF(wmf) is something different, I hope we can agree on that.

Current Domination and Assault are basically Skirmish with an annoying sidequest. Current Domination is IMHO the mode for the people that don't want to search for the reds, that's why there is a big spot on the map where everybody meets and greets.
Your version of domination isn't that much different. Basically we already have that, the fort is in a way already there, it's the hills in Grim Plexus, on Polar Highlands, and on Alpine Peaks, it's the territory and buildings on the various maps. And people complain about those constantly, because on some maps they give one team an advantage.
Your version of assault is not much different from Siege, a fun mode in Faction Play. Biggest problem I see in your version: the attacking team has a major advantage and can just go for an objective rush. The bases in assault that we have now are better than a target (or three of them) that has to be destroyed. The way it is now, the target can't be sniped or lurmed or hit with strikes from the other end of the map (we had that in MW4:Mercs, and I loved to destroy the target from far away - all hail to the mighty Heavy Rocket Launcher). At least one mech has to really get to the base and remain there for some time.

Escort: There was lot of testing on a Public Test Server, they tried what you suggested, it didn't work. Not sure, but you might still find the forum entries from that PTS and see how the tests went.

Your idea for Incursion: again only one team has a base. Well, I like the current incursion mode as it is, and both teams having bases with functionality is IMO what makes it great. The cans of Ooze you have to get don't bother me. And sorry that I have to ask: have you played some Siege matches yet? If not, you might be in for a surprise...

[Goggles Paesano]

Rick T Dangerous, on 13 September 2017 - 03:17 PM, said:

First off: I really like your idea for a Patrol mode. That's missing in this game and shouldn't be too hard to develop.

The current Conquest mode is about controlling the area. Your version is Capture The Flag (with more flags). So your idea is something completely different, and like your idea for a patrol mode a CTF(wmf) would be a good expansion of the modes. Regarding the current conquest mode it might change your (and other's) view if you keep in mind that it's about controlling a large area, the score is a measure for that. Forget the oil rigs, they are just props. A team is in control of an area when a mech can remain in the square for the required time without being shot at. CTF(wmf) is something different, I hope we can agree on that.

Current Domination and Assault are basically Skirmish with an annoying sidequest. Current Domination is IMHO the mode for the people that don't want to search for the reds, that's why there is a big spot on the map where everybody meets and greets.
Your version of domination isn't that much different. Basically we already have that, the fort is in a way already there, it's the hills in Grim Plexus, on Polar Highlands, and on Alpine Peaks, it's the territory and buildings on the various maps. And people complain about those constantly, because on some maps they give one team an advantage.
Your version of assault is not much different from Siege, a fun mode in Faction Play. Biggest problem I see in your version: the attacking team has a major advantage and can just go for an objective rush. The bases in assault that we have now are better than a target (or three of them) that has to be destroyed. The way it is now, the target can't be sniped or lurmed or hit with strikes from the other end of the map (we had that in MW4:Mercs, and I loved to destroy the target from far away - all hail to the mighty Heavy Rocket Launcher). At least one mech has to really get to the base and remain there for some time.

Escort: There was lot of testing on a Public Test Server, they tried what you suggested, it didn't work. Not sure, but you might still find the forum entries from that PTS and see how the tests went.

Your idea for Incursion: again only one team has a base. Well, I like the current incursion mode as it is, and both teams having bases with functionality is IMO what makes it great. The cans of Ooze you have to get don't bother me. And sorry that I have to ask: have you played some Siege matches yet? If not, you might be in for a surprise...

Hi, thanks for the reply...

I can live with two bases in Incursion(although I do prefer the one base) but the magic batteries have to go.

I just don't like the idea of having to sit in a square or circle on a timer in what i think should be a combat simulation. I suppose that some could argue that that is what the single player games MW 1-4(and I guess soon to be 5) are for.

I would consider it to be a victory if we could get Patrol and my Conquest(whatever you want to call it) added as game modes.

I did not know about the testing on Escort. I would accept the AI if it didn't actively seek out the other team. It has to be programmed that way because I've never seen it go away from the other team. Maybe if we could redirect it somehow. Maybe by blocking its patch or giving it a nudge?

I see my version of Domination as being more of a King Of The Hill type game. You have a structure that you must possess and that you can defend from inside. I see it as a different type of fort then Incursion. Maybe with a roof and wall around the top edge so mechs can be on the roof defending. I would also be OK with this as a new mode.

Anyway, thanks for your input. Looks like not too many people took a look at it.

[Rick T Dangerous]

The AI in escort is abyssmal. In some cases (seen it in river city) it walks into a building and keeps walking against it. In one case a player got teamkilled by the VIP.

Well, let's hope that some one at PGI sees this threat and finds inspiration for some new modes. And if they dare to admit a mistake and get rid of escort, the playerbase would be even more happy than about the Bagpipe Warhorn for sure.