26 replies to this topic

[FatBabyYoshi]

So been playing mwo on and off as the years go by and can say sometimes the game is stale. What can revitalize this game is the addition of new modes or game play changes. I would ask people to also give their own two cents on this.

1st idea Capture the flag but make it where mechs can re-spawn after they die. Make the game mode entirely objective based where killing all the enemy mechs doesn't matter because they can respawn after they die with time limits after each death say. 1min , 3 min , 5 min. Lets say a team wins after 5 captures.

2nd idea King of the hill: Take a conquest map and activate one flag at a time for a certain period then deactivate it and activate another on the map in random order you can only get points when capping an activated flag the more mechs on the cap the more points. We can also make this game mode entirely objective based with the respawn mechanic i mentioned earlier.

3rd Idea Add a respawn mechanic to incursion make that game mode objective based where you have to destroy the base to win.

4th Idea Hunt the squirrel. Get 5 locusts with ecm on the field max engine controlled by an A.I. the two teams have to destroy them to win. When one team kills 3 they win the match.

[CMDR Sunset Shimmer]

Why? the going reasoning here on the forums and in game is that people don't give 2 fracks about playing the game mode as intended, they just want to blow up mechs.

at this point, anything beyond a deathmatch mode, would be wasted resources... hell the best mode we have is escort, and over half the playerbase hates it.

[Khobai]

we dont need more abstract gamemodes like capture the flag

we need immersive gamemodes with objectives that actually fit the battletech universe

like a union dropship defense gamemode.

[CMDR Sunset Shimmer]

Khobai, on 26 February 2018 - 03:31 PM, said:

we dont need more abstract gamemodes like capture the flag

we need immersive gamemodes with objectives that actually fit the battletech universe

like a union dropship defense gamemode.

Except no one will play that, they'll complain just like they complain over escort.

[Khobai]

Quote

Except no one will play that, they'll complain just like they complain over escort.

so dont make it bad like escort

make it good

then people wont complain

[CMDR Sunset Shimmer]

Khobai, on 26 February 2018 - 04:13 PM, said:

so dont make it bad like escort

make it good

then people wont complain

that is subjective.

I find Escort to be quite good.

But thank you for proving my point, people would still complain.

[Asym]

Team Melee. Where 4 8 pilot teams are dropped into a FP map and fight it out till one team has conquered the rest.....

Same for Solaris. Except, the Solaris Team Melee are with Stock mechs only. If you chose a HBR-A, you get a stock HBR-A. No meta allowed.

[Prof RJ Gumby]

I would improve Escort, Incursion and Domination and Assault before creating another unpolished mode.

Assault (and all other modes) - better reward for playing for objectives, i.e. a 'strategic victory' bonus for winning by going for objectives, i.e. an equivalent of 50 raw damage to every survivor of the winning team for every mech from the loosing team left alive (can't be good to not encourage griefing like mutilating enemies and leaving them alive just for points).

Domination - bases are useless 90% of the time. Make the timer bleed (but slower) for the team that has more bases standing while the circle is contested. Like 1 point every 3 seconds for having 1 more base standing, 1 point every 2 seconds for having 2 more bases standing. That would spice things up and allow for some strategic diversions.

Incursion - batteries last for such a short amount of time, barely anything is worth wasting your time taking except that 1st radar to look up enemy formation. 2 minutes intel bonus doesn't warrant loosing one mech for about 3 minutes (what it takes the fastest mechs in the game to go for the battery, place it, return to the front line. Radar is useful once a game. Jammer is hardly useful because it's situational and too short for the legwork. Air support is virtually useless, will do 0 damage 95% of the time, 5% of the time it will do a tiny bit still not worth the legwork.

Escort - VIP and the team should start fromt the ground, not land in a dropship just to get picked by another dropship - makes no sense. VIP routes must be improved significantly to avoid exposed open spaces. Defending team must know the intended route of the VIP. <- a minimum to make this mode OKish.

The only new thing I would like to see before these are fixed is maybe free-for-all solaris deathmatch.

Edited by Prof RJ Gumby, 26 February 2018 - 05:27 PM.

[Exilyth]

Mech Academy II - explains basic strategies like sticking together and focussing fire, different types of builds, pros and cons of weight classes.
Mech Academy III - explains how the different game modes are played.
Mech Academy IV - and so on ...

Force everyone to play them at least once and qp matches will improve at least 101%. #betterNewPlayerExperience

[El Bandito]

Raid mode is a popular suggestion, where one side tries to steal resources from the other side on multiple locations, and get rewarded based on the amount stolen, on top of regular rewards.

Edited by El Bandito, 26 February 2018 - 07:15 PM.

[Alexandra Hekmatyar]

Let's first make incursion bearable before we start getting new game modes.
Cause incursion needs this:

- Higher walls
- indestructible walls
- Add gates similar to the Siege mode (that actually open for allies)
- More defense turrets

[Khaeron]

Exilyth, on 26 February 2018 - 07:02 PM, said:

Mech Academy II - explains basic strategies like sticking together and focussing fire, different types of builds, pros and cons of weight classes.
Mech Academy III - explains how the different game modes are played.
Mech Academy IV - and so on ...

Force everyone to play them at least once and qp matches will improve at least 101%. #betterNewPlayerExperience

+100

[Garran Tana]

TL'DR
Some time ago I made several game mode ideas, asked PGI if they are interested but they didn't respond. Almost evey idea has a "map" made by me to expain it a bit, but it's just a simple thing. If you are interested check the wall of text bellow.


My goals for the game modes:
Create game modes that offer the players a different playstyle other than a brawl + minor variable condition of win; that also do not take a lot of PGI resources to be made. In my opinion the only game mode that does that currently is the Conquest game mode. Just to be clear: The game mode I designed offer a lot of opportunities for combat, however the combat alone does not bring victory in those game modes.
Also keep in mind that english is not my first language.


Data extraction

Description:
Three research outposts in the area have crucial data. Get data from those locations and use friendly transmitter to send them to command.
The team that will get complete data from three locations first, wins.

Game mechanics:
There are three research outposts on the map. Outpost A, Outpost B,Outpost C.
From them, the players can download the data just like the fuel cells in Incursion game mode.
Acquired data need to be transmitted via friendly transmitter.
The team who transmits 5 data packages from each Outpost wins.
Every Outpost has a counter that indicates how many data packages have already been sent and turns green when it hits the target objective.Optional changes and tweaks:Every mech can pick up data only once from a single station. This would force more mechs to participate in the objective hunting.

Rewards:
Data download 10.000 / 100
Data transfer 15.000 / 250


Reconnaissance

Description:
Synchronise your base with recon antennas in the area to provide reconnaissance for the Command.
This game mode would provide the players some interesting dynamics where they need to move to several locations to get points, keep an eye on the base as light mechs have a perfect job for their class, and players need to fight their way to the points controlled by enemy.

Game mechanics:
Both teams have a transfer base of their own at the deployment location.
There are 5 capture points (antennas) to get (see reference map in attachment) that can be captured like antennas in Escort game mode.
Each captured antenna generates points every second.
When mech from Team A gets to the Team B Base it can capture it (like the Antennas for example) and switch every Antenna of Team B off, so they need to capture it again (if the mech is close to the Antenna he just lost, it will immediately start capturing it).
The team that gathers X amount of points wins.

Optional changes and tweaks:
Each time capture point is flipped it emits a single radar pulse lasting short time (similiar to Incursion game mode Radar).
Base acts like an UAV or turret for line of sight purposes.
Time needed to flip the capture point.
Number of points to gather.

Rewards:
Capturing antenna 5.000 / 50
Sabotage 10.000 / 150


Transmission

Description:
Crucial data must be transmitted off planet but we only got a scarce satellite net over this world. Use the satellites whenever possible and transmit data by the short range communication antennas in the area.

Game mechanics:
There are 6 short range communication antennas on the map.
Every one of them can be captured by any mech just like a beacon in Escort game mode, once captured it doesn't need any mech presence to generate points for the team who captured it.
Every minute from the start of the match the satellite is in position and every captured antenna generates a point for the team that controls it. There should be a voice reminder that satellite will be on position in X seconds.
The team that gathers 20 points first wins.
Optional changes and tweaks:
Short range communication antennas flip time.
Pause between the satellite flybys.
Number of points gathered needed to win.

Rewards:
First short range communication antenna capture 10.000 / 300
Capture the short range communication antenna again 1.000 / 10
Data transmission 2.000 / 5 for every antenna each time the satellite flies by, for everybody.in the team.

Recovery

Description:
Escape pods fell somewhere in this area. High Value Target managed to escape on board of one of those. Locate HVT and send the location data for HVT extraction.

Game mechanics:
8 escape pods are located in the central area of the map (on big, stretched out area).
Their locations are known (or not - tweak option), but the pattern is random.
One random escape pod holds HVT.
By closing in with the escape pod (like beacon in Scouting game mode) mech can search it for the HVT presence.
If the searched escape pod has no target it will disappear from the map after it has been searched.
If the escape pod that was searched has the HVT all other pods disappear from the map and a communicate goes off saying that the HVT has been located and that a dropship (from the team opposing to the one that discovered HVT locations) picked up it signal and it’s closing in to check it. The dropship does a flyby shooting enemy mechs in the area for a short moment, just to detect enemies in HVT proximity and stop instant capture of the HVT.
After finding the escape pod with HVT the marker changes into small area (similar in look to the Domination game mode circular area, but in the size of a Conquest game mode capture point.
You need to hold this area for 40 seconds (similar to Domination game mode)

Optional changes and tweaks:
The location of escape pods is not known from the start and players need to locate them visually.

Rewards:
Escape pod check 3.500 / 30
Locating the HVT 10.000 / 150

Firebase

Description:
Take control over artillery positions and send coordinates via control station to drop hell on enemy base.
I see a lot of potential for voice acting as the base under fire is the one that communicates with the players at the start of every game. As it is getting pounded with artillery shells the voice should let the players know how bad and dramatic the situation is, and announce the evacuation of what’s left from the base for the team that loses. One thing I’m not sure of is this: Should the guns hurt mechs that troll and jump into shell path, or should the ground shaking blasts be only a visual treat.
Other than the dramatic aspect the gameplay offers a centre point to cumulate the fighting but also gives a job for skirmishers and potential to last second saves by capturing enemy artillery.

Game mechanics:
There are 6 artillery positions on the map with one control station in the middle.
You can take control (flip) over the artillery position like you do with beacons in the Escort game mode.
Once controlled artillery positions are marked blue on the map, enemy artillery positions are marked blue, neutral are pale yellow as usual.
Enemy can flip the point back and takes control over it.
When you activate the control station, all friendly guns open fire resetting all those artillery positions to a neutral state. They can be captured immediately after this.
You can activate the control station the same way (it remains neutral), but the control station can be activated again after 15 second delay.
Only artillery positions that belong to the team activating the control station will fire and reset to neutral state. All enemy artillery positions remain captured until are re-captured by opposing forces or they fire via activating the control station..
The team that will fire to the enemy base X times (10 for example) wins.

Optional changes and tweaks:
Two control stations close to the middle instead of one
Time needed to flip the artillery position
TIme needed to activate the control station
Delay on the control station

Rewards:
Capturing artillery position 3.500 / 35
Activating the control station 3.500 / 35

Remember that every number is an untested estimate.

Edited by Garran Tana, 12 May 2018 - 05:32 AM.

[Vellron2005]

FatBabyYoshi, on 26 February 2018 - 10:58 AM, said:

So been playing mwo on and off as the years go by and can say sometimes the game is stale. What can revitalize this game is the addition of new modes or game play changes. I would ask people to also give their own two cents on this.

1st idea Capture the flag but make it where mechs can re-spawn after they die. Make the game mode entirely objective based where killing all the enemy mechs doesn't matter because they can respawn after they die with time limits after each death say. 1min , 3 min , 5 min. Lets say a team wins after 5 captures.

2nd idea King of the hill: Take a conquest map and activate one flag at a time for a certain period then deactivate it and activate another on the map in random order you can only get points when capping an activated flag the more mechs on the cap the more points. We can also make this game mode entirely objective based with the respawn mechanic i mentioned earlier.

3rd Idea Add a respawn mechanic to incursion make that game mode objective based where you have to destroy the base to win.

4th Idea Hunt the squirrel. Get 5 locusts with ecm on the field max engine controlled by an A.I. the two teams have to destroy them to win. When one team kills 3 they win the match.

Dude. you DO realise that MWO is not Unreal Tornament or Quake, right?

The modes you suggested have apsolutely no mech-combat realism..

While I applaud the drive for better / more gamemodes, "capture the flag" is really not the way to go here..

Think more along the lines of "Asymmetric Dropship defense", "Destroy factory", "Evacuate civilians" and the like..

Don't turn this game into rock'em-sock'em robot arcade game.. This is Battletech for flack's sake!

Edited by Vellron2005, 27 February 2018 - 12:04 AM.

[Athom83]

"FoB defence"; A mix of ViP and Incursion where one team has the base and is tasked with defending it while the other team is tasked with destroying it. The defending team not only has to defend the base itself, but external sub-bases/generators that also control/power internal functions of the base (like radar, turrets, etc). The attacking team could also have something like an artillery system(s) that periodically shells the defending team's base, but can be destroyed if it takes damage which gives something else for the defending team to do.

Yes, it sounds very much like siege. That is the point, we should have a working QP version as it really is a fun mode.

[Anjian]

FatBabyYoshi, on 26 February 2018 - 10:58 AM, said:

So been playing mwo on and off as the years go by and can say sometimes the game is stale. What can revitalize this game is the addition of new modes or game play changes. I would ask people to also give their own two cents on this.

1st idea Capture the flag but make it where mechs can re-spawn after they die. Make the game mode entirely objective based where killing all the enemy mechs doesn't matter because they can respawn after they die with time limits after each death say. 1min , 3 min , 5 min. Lets say a team wins after 5 captures.

2nd idea King of the hill: Take a conquest map and activate one flag at a time for a certain period then deactivate it and activate another on the map in random order you can only get points when capping an activated flag the more mechs on the cap the more points. We can also make this game mode entirely objective based with the respawn mechanic i mentioned earlier.

3rd Idea Add a respawn mechanic to incursion make that game mode objective based where you have to destroy the base to win.

4th Idea Hunt the squirrel. Get 5 locusts with ecm on the field max engine controlled by an A.I. the two teams have to destroy them to win. When one team kills 3 they win the match.

Here is King of the Hill on another robot game --- and yes, with respawns.

What is happening here is EXACTLY what you are describing.



Keep a note on the team health bars on top as you capture the objectives.

If you adapt this to MWO, this will spur players to use lights or other faster mechs.

Edited by Anjian, 27 February 2018 - 07:32 AM.

[Spheroid]

The same modes we have needed for years. Asymmetrical base assault and horde mode vs. A.I. tanks and VTOLs.

[Maxx Blue]

Maybe I'm just cruel, but what about making Stock-mode a game mode? You can let it play by the Skirmish or Assault rules, but instead of everyone's hyper-customized loadouts, you get dropped in the stock version of your mech? I'm sure there would be some issues with getting weapon groups set up, but it would certainly be different! Maybe make an exception for the Urbanmech and give it at least 45kph to work with! Omnimechs would be turned into to whatever their CT pod is.

Also, would changing the reward structure help encourage people to play to the objectives we have? I mean, I've participated in base rushes in Assault before and they do work, but most people tend to avoid them because the rewards are less than winning by killing 12 other mechs. Same with Incursion, although rushing the base is much more difficult in that mode. Maybe the lights and fast mediums would peel off to poke at the bases more if the rewards for winning that way weren't poor compared to killing everyone. Escort...yeah, not sure what you can do there. Maybe extra rewards for damaging the VIP? Maybe have a couple different types of mechs instead of just the Atlas? Say, a medium with less armor but that moves faster, and a heavy that is in between the two?

I'm just trying to think of things that are more like tweaks to systems we have than something that requires a larger amount of content and logic to be created from whole cloth.

Edited by Maxx Blue, 27 February 2018 - 01:45 PM.

[LowSubmarino]

CMDR Sunset Shimmer, on 26 February 2018 - 03:34 PM, said:

Except no one will play that, they'll complain just like they complain over escort.

Ppl dont really complain about an Escort scenario.

Not really.

What makes a real Escort mode where you defend a real pilot impossible, is the instability of the game.

Ppl crash basically in every game. Almost every game. Often times even 2 in the same match. By extension this inevitably means that even the vip players could and would disco. Often.

Then what?

Thats the dilemma.

And thats what ppl are ultimately complaining about.

[Anjian]

Maxx Blue, on 27 February 2018 - 01:45 PM, said:

Maybe I'm just cruel, but what about making Stock-mode a game mode? You can let it play by the Skirmish or Assault rules, but instead of everyone's hyper-customized loadouts, you get dropped in the stock version of your mech? I'm sure there would be some issues with getting weapon groups set up, but it would certainly be different! Maybe make an exception for the Urbanmech and give it at least 45kph to work with! Omnimechs would be turned into to whatever their CT pod is.

Also, would changing the reward structure help encourage people to play to the objectives we have? I mean, I've participated in base rushes in Assault before and they do work, but most people tend to avoid them because the rewards are less than winning by killing 12 other mechs. Same with Incursion, although rushing the base is much more difficult in that mode. Maybe the lights and fast mediums would peel off to poke at the bases more if the rewards for winning that way weren't poor compared to killing everyone. Escort...yeah, not sure what you can do there. Maybe extra rewards for damaging the VIP? Maybe have a couple different types of mechs instead of just the Atlas? Say, a medium with less armor but that moves faster, and a heavy that is in between the two?

I'm just trying to think of things that are more like tweaks to systems we have than something that requires a larger amount of content and logic to be created from whole cloth.

Its likely to create a meta based on specific stock builds and that would be impossible to balance.