Jump to content

Dual Cockpits


3 replies to this topic

#1 Ghost49X

    Rookie

  • Knight Errant
  • 3 posts

Posted 01 October 2019 - 01:10 PM

I wanted to talk about dual cockpits. The last conversation about them is almost 8 years ago so why not start a new one?
From what I gathered from that old conversation dual cockpits is a touchy subject, and instead of going with an "implant this now!" suggestion I'd rather talk about what would make a dual cockpit option fun and interesting.

A few disclaimers:
While others may bring this up, I am not for forcing dual cockpits on everyone or including a separate game mode where everyone is in a dual cockpit arrangement.
I also don't think that a dual cockpit build is worth two separate mechs. Mechs are valued mostly by the armour and weapons they bring to the battlefield and dual cockpits wouldn't add to this (in fact according to the lore they may take a bit away as the extra cockpit weighs a few extra tons).

There was some talk about having a command console option where the extra player would act as command and control, supporting the fight through organizing their team with the tools that are already in the game but few people use due to being busy piloting their mechs and shooting at the enemy. But that's different than dual cockpits.

Typically in modern combat vehicles with a crew, you have driver / gunner configurations or Pilot / Support, with support handling navigation, radar and other advanced functions to avoid overwhelming the pilot. I think the second configuration makes more sense for mechs.

Now the question is what sort of gameplay would make the second seat appealing to play for people?

#2 Koniving

    Welcoming Committee

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Guide
  • The Guide
  • 23,384 posts

Posted 02 October 2019 - 03:46 PM

Probably none for a second player.

But if a game had world of tanks /war thunder functionality of crew, the command console's second seat is useful in instances of the primary pilot losing consciousness (which can happen often in BT during intense fights, someone somewhere is gonna black out. But a mech with the command console can have the commander take over, allowing the player to still function but just not as overly aware as with both guys awake. Said machine could keep going even if the primary pilot died too.

I'd say that's worth 3 tons.

#3 Ghost49X

    Rookie

  • Knight Errant
  • 3 posts

Posted 03 October 2019 - 04:50 AM

View PostKoniving, on 02 October 2019 - 03:46 PM, said:

Probably none for a second player.

There's tons of mechanics that can allow a 2nd player in that mech and be quite fun for it. From a command console to focus on comand and control of the lance or company to advance radar or special equipment functions. Not everyone would enjoy riding shotgun but the same goes for many support roles in other games which despite not being everyone's cup of tea is the favourite role of many.

Just having a "Crew loss" like in World of Tanks would probably cheapen the game as it doesn't bring much engagement.

#4 Koniving

    Welcoming Committee

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Guide
  • The Guide
  • 23,384 posts

Posted 03 October 2019 - 07:16 AM

View PostGhost49X, on 03 October 2019 - 04:50 AM, said:

There's tons of mechanics that can allow a 2nd player in that mech and be quite fun for it. From a command console to focus on comand and control of the lance or company to advance radar or special equipment functions. Not everyone would enjoy riding shotgun but the same goes for many support roles in other games which despite not being everyone's cup of tea is the favourite role of many.

Just having a "Crew loss" like in World of Tanks would probably cheapen the game as it doesn't bring much engagement.


For a single second player in a single mech,sure. But you forget there are 11 other players that could also bring the same equipment, who would need said second players to have something to do, in a game that only supports 24 players in a single fight, in a game where the average life expectancy of a mech after the first shot fired in an engagement is 15 seconds.

Now say you're the 6th "2nd player", what are you supposed to do? How would you have fun?
Furthermore, what happens when the pilot gets you both killed in a single volley of an attack?

For every feature, there's an abuse, for every element, there's the excess. There's a lot for a second player in a single mech on a team to do.

There's nothing for the second player of the third mech to carry one to do.





1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users