4 replies to this topic

[Ranor95]

EDIT: Re-written for clarity and to be more concise.



Whilst I really like a 1v1/2v2 mode, I am concerned that it will get very stale very quickly. Splat SRMs and high alpha will likely rule the day. Personally I'm not a fan of such builds, but I can cope with them in the normal matches since variations in the match itself can still be interesting, but Solaris sounds like it's just a dogfight between two mechs... which worries me.

First, the trailer initially made me think each variant used a stock loadout from a list of predetermined mechs. Whilst the latter part is probably not true, the former is something I'd still be interested in.

A 'stock only' alternate ladder would be interesting, as fights would be more about ripping off the good weapons on a variant ASAP, followed by whittling down components and trying to maximise the strengths of what a stock loadout can manage. Rather than just splatting the CT or legs and ending the match in two or three bursts of SRMs. Plus it'd be an interesting way to introduce newer players to the game, as their opponents would be using an equal build (Or close to) and they don't die instantly as soon as they make a mistake. And it's a bone thrown to the lore-nuts who may have disliked the... excessive freedom of loadouts in MWO.

Failing that, what about a 'sponsor loadout' mode? A mode where you can potentially earn fatter stacks of bills from your sponsor, but only if you use the mech loadout they give you. The builds could be stock, or weird, unusual, or just plain garbage. Who the hell but small lasers on this Dragon?! But your opponent is also in a sponsor mech. You'd laugh at the horrendous stickers and sponsorship decals littering his paintjob, but you're also in a walking billboard for a taxi company... Not quite what's expected of a Mechwarrior, but, whatever pays...

Then, what about a weekly/bi-weekly 'crowd favourite' mode? Where current trending fads in the galaxy influence what your sponsors demand you use. The audience demands dubstep and a rave, so your crew decked you out in pulse lasers! Explosions are the 'in thing' with kids these days, boat those LRMs! Yes, even on your Atlas. Don't look at me like that, it's what the audience wants, you want to please the crowd right? Wild West movies have made a comeback, take a light, strip off all the armour and slap in a PPC, I hope you're quick on the draw! It's time to have a Ball(istics)! Boat yourself in RACs and ACs. "Hold up my engine only lets me move at 20kph in this Marauder!" yes and your point is? Your current arena hosts are a clean, sophisticated lot, they're only interested in headshots. Pinpoint weapons only, killing your opponent outside of a headshot will forfeit a large bonus. HOTHOTHOT. ALL OF THE ENERGY. HEAT SINKS ARE FORBIDDEN. CAN YOU HOLD OUT IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE?

Basically, my point is that I fear a standard 1v1 mode will quickly lose lustre among more casual players if we just see the same builds over and over and over... The stock mode I'll admit is an iffy idea but I would absolutely adore some kind of mode that made you please the crowd or your sponsors, with your opponent having to do the same. I'd even love to see player polls on what weird and wonderful loadouts we should be forced to use in this hypothetical alternate mode. MWO has generally, to me, been so heavily focused on minmaxing and metabuilds over 'fun' stuff... and I'd like to see that change, even if only in a small side-mode that could easily excuse why mechs in an arena are suddenly sporting some of the dumbest stuff imaginable?

Edited by Ranor95, 12 December 2017 - 12:31 PM.

[PanzerTC]

I like the idea of stock load outs. How will they be monitored or enforced? By PGI somehow?

[Ranor95]

PanzerTC, on 12 December 2017 - 12:19 PM, said:

I like the idea of stock load outs. How will they be monitored or enforced? By PGI somehow?

I'd imagine as you queue the game could just look at your mech variant, then temporarily swap everything out tothe stock default like you just got it from the store.

[Xiphias]

The problem with stock loadouts is that most of them are bad which means the ones that are good will become the defacto meta. Basically, anything that comes stock with single heatsinks (read most IS mechs) becomes useless. The meta would be almost entirely clan.

I think you'd end up with less variety than with custom load-outs because the mechs that have good stock loadouts are fewer than the mechs that can be good with customization. Either way it's going to end up with a small selection of mechs that are actually good.

Take the Jenner as an example:

The K and D variants have 18/4 and 20/6 CT armor and 12 leg armor, the Oxide has 20/6 ct and 12 leg armor and also comes stock with LRMs. The F variant has 30/12 ct armor and 30 leg armor. Guess which variant is the best and is going to win every time in a 1v1?

Stock doesn't fix the problems with 1v1s (other than maybe increasing TTK if the division is all bad mechs). A better idea would be some sort of restriction system similar to what some leagues have done. For example, streaks or flamers are banned, alpha must be below X points of damage, etc.

I really want FFA though,

PanzerTC, on 12 December 2017 - 12:19 PM, said:

I like the idea of stock load outs. How will they be monitored or enforced? By PGI somehow?

Private lobbies already have a stock option. You can select it as a rule and it will enforce the loadout on the mech when it drops into the game (whether or not it's built stock). Feel free to find some players and try it out. It's not as diverse or fun as you might think.

[Ranor95]

Fair argument, but wouldn't the efficiency of stocks also be subject to the division system? With 'meta/top tier' stocks being in the upper bands and lower tier or trash stocks being on the bottom bands? At least then you could pick something trash and also go VS trash.

That and what aboutt he sponsor/brawl modes?