35 replies to this topic

[TheArisen]

Following up on the thread about why people stopped buying mech packs the dominant answer with over 50% of 171( https://mwomercs.com...ing-mech-packs/ )respondents saying they only buy mechs that interest them which naturally produces the question, what gets you intererested in buying a mech?

- Nostalgia? Your favorite from TT or previous MW games? From a book maybe?

- The mech's potential strength in game? Maybe it doesn't need to be OP but it should be strong.

- Looks? It looks cool and you just want to have a sweet looking ride; or maybe a hilarious looking one?

- It fills a unique or different roll? It can do something no other mech of a similar weight can do?

I'd expect some kind of combination of these but what is the biggest factor for you?

Poll: https://mwomercs.com...ng-a-mech-poll/

Edited by TheArisen, 16 June 2019 - 04:09 PM.

[JediPanther]

Here's what I use to look for in a mech:

1. What type of hard points does it have? i like my mixed builds as just one weapon type bores me fast.
2.Where are the hard points on the mech? Spider 5v worst location ever along with limit of hard points.
3. What can/could this mech do that my (current mech sable of mechs) can't do?
4. Is the mech of one of my favorite class(s) to play?
5. What Role (s)* can I build this mech to?
6. Does this mech copy a mech I already have? Exe: Fleas. Never bought any as I have all 7 lcts and they'd play near-identical.

Role(s) Do I want to make this mech into a scout mech focused on target and sensors etc? RIP Never added Role Warfare.

7. Does it have any thing special or unique other mechs don't such as urbie's 360 spin,lct's speed, or limited-to-that-mech-only extras such as hbk-gi's cheer leader?
8. How often will I (possibly) use the mech? If it's rather low I'll wait for c-bill release or sale.

[Mister Maf]

JediPanther, on 16 June 2019 - 05:37 PM, said:

Here's what I use to look for in a mech:

1. What type of hard points does it have? i like my mixed builds as just one weapon type bores me fast.
2.Where are the hard points on the mech? Spider 5v worst location ever along with limit of hard points.
3. What can/could this mech do that my (current mech sable of mechs) can't do?
4. Is the mech of one of my favorite class(s) to play?
5. What Role (s)* can I build this mech to?
6. Does this mech copy a mech I already have? Exe: Fleas. Never bought any as I have all 7 lcts and they'd play near-identical.

Role(s) Do I want to make this mech into a scout mech focused on target and sensors etc? RIP Never added Role Warfare.

7. Does it have any thing special or unique other mechs don't such as urbie's 360 spin,lct's speed, or limited-to-that-mech-only extras such as hbk-gi's cheer leader?
8. How often will I (possibly) use the mech? If it's rather low I'll wait for c-bill release or sale.

this basically

Also, I don't care for missile-energy combo mechs. Too hot. Would rather have ballistic-energy or ballistic-missile, or specializing in one of the three. Hence, I am not interested in the Dervish at all.

[justcallme A S H]

For me - Fun.

Is the mech gonna be fun. That to me means competitive, but it doesn't have to be the elite top tier. There are plenty of mechs for that.

However when you look at mechs like the Spirit Bear, Griffin, Locust, Atlas, MADII, Battlemaster and a bunch of others than have absolutely no FLAVOUR because they are either dump-truck handling compared to the past or mechs around the same tonnage or you played the Risk v Reward game in a 5LPL BLR-2C for instance - it's rubbish now where it used to be fun.

-OR-

No fun quirks like the Locust 1V - 1LPL.

It's stuff like that which makes the game varied and interesting but a lot of those single-mech quirks have been removed over time as well as nuking mobility. That has absolutely hurt the fun of the game. I used to run an Atlas regularly, since desync - forget it. It's rubbish... That goes for 50-100 mechs in my mechlab that just don't perform like they used too and that was when things were fun.

Edited by justcallme A S H, 16 June 2019 - 08:07 PM.

[Khobai]

nothing gets me interesting in buying a mech.

which is exactly the problem.

PGI has done a really poor job of balancing and differentiating mechs. Theres too many mechs that are either too similar to other mechs or flat out inferior to other mechs.



If PGI wants to sell me mechs they need to do the following:

1) complete pricing restructure of all mechs. youre still trying to sell ultraviolets for like $25 lol wut? even the sale prices are ridiculous. I can buy MULTIPLE better games than MWO on steam for $25. $5-$10 should be the price of a hero mech at this point in the games life cycle. Asking for more than that is !@#$ing greedy and its no wonder youre not selling mech packs anymore.

2) mechs need less generic quirks and more unique quirks, for example giving the thunderbolt multi-targeting like it has in lore. each mech needs to feel more unique. there needs to be more differentiation between mechs and unique quirks is one way to do this (these unique quirks already exist on some mechs like the cyclops with its battle computer)

3) release 1-2 new weapons/equipment or other actual content (a new map for example) along with each mechpack to keep the game from stagnating. this should be entirely possible now that the rate mech packs are coming out is being slowed down. Give sets of the new weapons/equipment for free to everyone who buys the pack and make the new weapons/equipment have a considerable extra cbill cost for everyone else for a few months after the pack's release. That way its not pay2win but youll have to pay a lot more cbills if you want the new weapons without buying the pack.

4) as a long term goal the role warfare aspect of the game should be greatly improved upon. this should be done primarily through the skill tree and dividing all mechs into 6-7 roles and giving each role its own unique skill tree (there can still be generic skill trees shared by all roles). That would help create more differentiation between mechs and more variation in playstyles which the game is desperately lacking. Examples of roles could be command, vanguard, striker, support, skirmisher, harasser, etc...

Edited by Khobai, 16 June 2019 - 08:45 PM.

[CycKath]

Nostalgia.

[RickySpanish]

Gun mounts. If their placement blows I aint buying nuffin'.

[FRAGTAST1C]

To give an e.g., the Rifeman IIC. I was interested in getting the mech but I saw the engine cap and that put me off. If there was a way for me to buy the mechs a la carte, I would've paid $40 to get the higher engine capacity variants. I seriously didn't want to spend money on variants that I had no interest in.

Luckily, the Dropship sales happened and I bought the Direwolf UV, Ebon Jag Espirit du Corps, Sunspider Vanguard, Night Gyr Jade Kite, Supernova Boiler, Rifleman Legend Killer, Warhammer Black Widow and Warhawk Nanuq. Later, I bought the Cyclops Sleipnir, Mad Cat IIB and Mad Kat Deathstrike.

When I pre-ordered MW5, I was given the Marauder II pack. Among the variants, I leveled the missile and laser variants (4HP and 5A was it?) and did not bother with the others, especially the 4A that is just a large, useless version of the what I already could do in my Bounty Hunter II.

I could've bought the Dervish 'cause I only have the Griffin Ares but there were other mechs that interested more and I could get them for C-bills like the Veagles and Bushwhackers. So, I skipped it but I will buy the Hero variant when it becomes available at a later date for MC.

[DaZur]

Nostalgia... Was. Is. Always will be.

If I strictly purchased mechs based on hit boxes, weapon mount and quirks I wouldn't own flipping mech.

Bringing the biggest gun to a fight not because you need to but because you're told it's the only way to win and doing so otherwise makes your a burden on your team... to me is the equivalent of succumbing to peer pressure.

[Kotzi]

Content that reverts the feeling of grind to enjoyable gameplay again. I dont care about mechs, all will be purchased and mastered. Was fun, but after years of stalemate contentwise i gave up.

Edited by Kotzi, 16 June 2019 - 10:53 PM.

[Sjorpha]

Nothing about the mech itself could at this point, there are so many mechs in the game now I honestly think it's enough.

I would perhaps buy mechs again if there was a significant commitment to development in other areas like FP, new maps, new game modes and so on, but even in that case I'd prefer to get some new ways to support the game other than mechs.

[Bud Crue]

Assuming I plan on playing the thing, nowadays the only thing that gets me to buy a mech is if I have at least 40K GXP saved up so I can get a good start on the skill tree beforehand; though I’m more likely to buy something on a whim if I have enough to instant level. In that case, I’m just as likely to buy a crap variant or something meta. If a particular paint scheme looks good, or if it fits a theme, or I’m responding to a dare, or something just happens to be particularly cheap due to a sale, I’ll buy whatever if I have the GXP to level it.

Without those resources though, the primary thing that will get me to buy a mech, is if it looks relatively nerf proof. I realize nothing is truly safe, but mechs with decent baseline agility and some good high (or several) hard points will often do the trick to get me to buy. Alternatively, I might bite if I hear from enough good players about how great something is, even if I suspect it will get nerfed; enough praise from the top and even I may take my chances (strategy here is to buy mechs right after a patch so as to get at least a month free from the fear of the dart board, the nerf hammer, Chris’ pretend data, etc.). I’m more prone to be tempted to buy something in this manner if it also happens to look good for brawling because these days that is all, for the most part, that I care to do (e.g. I keep buying and leveling Orion IICs and Veagles the old fashioned way because they are just so relatively easy to level and were recommended by so many).

[Flyby215]

I look for something nostalgic or unique. I picked up the Corsairs to get my hands on a quad AMS assault. Picked up the Warhammer IIC for nostalgia.

justcallme A S H, on 16 June 2019 - 08:05 PM, said:

For me - Fun.


No fun quirks like the Locust 1V - 1LPL.

So you did not like the Locust? Perhaps I misread your post.

I miss the Grid Iron's 50% Guass cooldown. That was hilariously fun.

[Thorn Hallis]

Crusader

[Ilfi]

I only buy Mechs with real money if they can field unique loadouts that are also likely to be meta compliant. Stuff like the Vapor Eagle, Pakhet, Scorch, Sleipnir, Deathstrike, Bushwacker, Bane... that's what I'm looking for.

[Y E O N N E]

1. It can do some good builds that other 'Mechs can't really do for whatever reason (too light, wrong hardpoint count, wrong hardpoint locations, etc.)

2. Chicken-walker or high mounted gun-arms

3. It looks awesome

Edited by Y E O N N E, 17 June 2019 - 03:59 PM.

[Kanil]

I don't really have any interest in buying a 'mech just because it's good. I already have 'mechs which I only care about because they're good, and I really don't need another one -- I'll wait for C-Bills.

Yet also, I don't really have any interest in buying a 'mech that isn't good. If I can't justify using it in game, then I can't justify buying it either... ... and very few 'mechs meet my standards of "worth using".

I guess I'd say a 'mech has to be one I care about outside of MWO, yet also one that is going to be good and useful inside MWO. Which is to say I don't buy many 'mechs.

[Funky Bacon]

Hmm.... well I like things that look good (Rifleman) or is just something special or different (urbie, Fafnir).

Other than that the only thing that makes me wanna actually buy something is the little extra stuff like colours and camo. Buuuut they expire super early and I really hate being forced to pre-ordering digital content that isn't even releasing for another few months. And since I prefer having as much info about a product as possible before buying it I get punished for it and therefore any and all interest in buying packs is lost. =/

However if we're talking about just buying a mech in general (as in spending C-Bills) then I would:
* Go for a mech that seem interesting to play.
* Offers a slightly different playstyle or special build options (due to quirks or hardpoints).
* Is a rarely used "underdog" or "bad" mech like the Black-Lanner or the Uziel.
* Is not meta, or at least can do interesting non-meta builds.
* It looks cool and I want it.

[Dauntless Blint]

For me it really doesn't matter. If I have to play them on identical maps that play the same way every game you could release the best mech in the world and map fatigue would make it irrelevant.

Out side of that.
1).Roll. Does it fulfill a niche roll well? Light hunting/defence. AMS support. Dakka assault, snipey skirmisher, ECM, LRMboat, Burst damage. (I tend to like ballistics)

2).Can it use mixed load-outs? building random builds for the fun of it or avoiding one dimensional mono boating for a trick or 2 up it's sleeve.

3).Looks. Can it suspend disbelief enough that I'm not playing a TT toy on a TT map.
(does it's design make some sense to me)

4).Is the Achilles Heel (if any) worth the benefits of the available builds to the chassis.

Maybe one other note seeing as I think the intent of the OP is to shed light on the self limiting monetization of 'buying more mech's', is once I have my favorite mech or (insert number) why would I buy another?

PvE campaign,Carreer paths, Pilot Character Avatar and advancement, maybe even Uniquely +/- quirked weapons that only come with a certain mech and can only have a max amount (X) of available per account. Camo's that match Biomes <reason to purchase camo's.
Something that tells a story to get emotionally invested in the particular mech for those who have no prior knowledge of the Battle Tech universe.
For me the real question is once I've got my favorite mech's what keeps me invested in the game?
Faction Warfare? nope I'm casual quick-player and can't stand wait times.
Arena battles? nope I want to be in a full pitched battle.

I think that's why I have a quiet campaign for procedural generated maps, because the business model is based around buying more mech's and they can be reduced to basically playing the same way for their class once people have 300 of them and you want them to buy more well at least the maps could be a change of scenery.

To sum up a Pilot avatar and a career, or even managing pilots. I think there is some missed healthy monetization opportunities.
Pilot quirks, one per pilot. range,cycle time,heat management, chargeup/spoolup times, rate of fire, lockon times,ECM range. movement perks... you get the picture, values that make sense for the quirk category.
Unlocked through grind or bought with MC.
It's a little more unique, flare with some minor game influence given sensible values.

Edit: Was just thinking maybe if mech's were also available behind faction warfare I'd endure the wait times?
so a certain planet has a certain mech type available to battle over?
Maybe it could have a PvE module if the client numbers get too low to salvage the work already invested in FW. Put mechs and "Pilots" behind it as treasure and new content to grind or purchase for your favorite existing mech's? Unique camo's from each world, you could take it quite far and pick up a bigger solo player base.

Defeat the boss...

Edited by Dauntless Blint, 17 June 2019 - 05:46 PM.

[LordNothing]

having a game to play. since fp is dead, and solaris is dead and qp is unplayable, there is no game to play.