However, I think a majority of us are MWO PUGs to excel, specifically to have a good damage output for mechs designed for damage.
In this manner, I believe the game has failed and have stopped playing as a result.
Principle - A good pilot making good decisions in a good mech built to achieve good damage should have a good game as far as damage, maybe 4 out of 5 games. The 1 bad game out of 5 comes more from plain old bad luck or a team that did not fully gel.
The ratio is about 4 out of 5. It depends on several factors like what server, what time of day, whether you had been drinking, etc. But the ratio that at least I would be happy with is ~around~ 4 out of 5.
Good damage will also be hard to agree with, but for builds specifically designed for damage, 300 for lights (who are designed less for damage and more for scouting, flanking, back damage), 400 for mediums, 500 for heavy's and maybe 600 for assaults.
Why I think the game fails the principle is a perfect storm of issues in 3 areas of the game:
- Nascar - Someone that has played more or analyzed MWO more can explain why Nascar occurs better than me. The fact is, the amount of Nascar in PUG causes failure of the principle. Either you are too slow, you took your eyes off the map for a few seconds, or you are the problem and you are trying to kill enemies that are too slow or forgetting to move with their team. In any case, if you want to keep your damage up, you actually need to contribute to the issue by moving farther ahead of your slower teammates and take advantage of the free damage against the enemy's back.
- PIRs - lightest, fastest, tanky, heatless mechs in the game. If I am in a medium, it goes through my back armor in ~3 seconds. No chance. You see half the time a PIR gets 3-5 kills in a game. While I would not call it OP, because it has its share of bad games as well, its good games definitely contribute to MWO failing the principle.
- LRMs - I may be subjective because I do not use LRMs. And I am okay with their ability. The issue is Map Picker + Polar Highlands = LRMrs using their weighted votes to have Polar Highlands chosen where they are OP. The issue with that is that brawlish types are severely handicapped in this map. Perhaps not in all modes but most of them. Trading brawls are where a lot of the fun and skill in MWO resides. LRMrs also share armor less, are less likely to be assertive and in general not play any tactics or strategies. MM adding a large ratio of LRMrs on one team causes failure of the principle.
How might I fix MWO?
- Nascar - Will leave it up to analysts much more experienced than I am to figure out how to stop nascars. Perhaps more underlying structure for assaults? Perhaps have a turret consumable or a free UAV for assaults to help them slow a rush and get some damage in?
- PIRs - Maybe machine guns should do almost no damage unless a mech is opened up, and even then the damage should be limited.
- LRMs - Remove the Map Picker or fix Polar HIghlands to have more hiding places to protect against LRMrs. Adjust MM to account for weapon types like LRMs.
Would love to hear constructive feedback. And maybe you have other areas where MWO fails the principle. Perhaps synch dropping? Hopefully you understand the intent here which is to help what I think makes MWO less enjoyable to play so people (like myself) looking to excel will want to play MWO again.
Edited by I Come In Peace, 21 July 2018 - 02:57 AM.