9 replies to this topic

[Caldek]

Hey PGI,

I haven't played trial mechs in years. However, due to the event I am dipping back into them. Doing so, I am realizing that I am not acquiring GXP for the matches I do in the trial mechs. Why is that? It seems that accumulating GXP during the trial phase of a player's career would be quite advantageous to shortening the initial grind (which has been noted in recent forum posts). Why not give players access to that benefit? It may take a little re-coding of how GXP is calculated but it seems it would be helpful to retain the new players who dip a toe into the MWO universe.

Regards,
Caldek

P.S. The idea of using Trial mechs as the mechanism to the event is excellent. I really like the idea of occasionally incentivizing us to use mechs that we don't have skilled and kitted out. It shouldn't be an everytime thing, but once every 3 or 5 events it will be quite welcome - at least to me.

[martian]

Caldek, on 31 January 2020 - 08:50 PM, said:

Hey PGI,

I haven't played trial mechs in years. However, due to the event I am dipping back into them. Doing so, I am realizing that I am not acquiring GXP for the matches I do in the trial mechs. Why is that? It seems that accumulating GXP during the trial phase of a player's career would be quite advantageous to shortening the initial grind (which has been noted in recent forum posts). Why not give players access to that benefit? It may take a little re-coding of how GXP is calculated but it seems it would be helpful to retain the new players who dip a toe into the MWO universe.

Free-to-use Trial 'Mechs without XP earnings serve as incentive for beginning players to actually buy them and master them faster thanks their XP bonus when actually owned. And since Trial/Champion 'Mechs can only be bought for (and can be bought only for cash), those 'Mechs serves as a source of income for PGI.

[Caldek]

Exactly martian. You detailed the existing game mechanics and the purpose for using champion mechs as trial mechs perfectly.

I'm proposing that we players are able to accrue GXP. Not mech specific XP. GXP is accrued normally at a severely discounted rate on all matches and can be deployed on any mech you choose in your hanger. Why not enable that accrual in the trial space? It would allow new players to more quickly skill out their 1st mech purchase while further rewarding them for play while they use trial mechs to build their skills in the game.

[martian]

Caldek, on 31 January 2020 - 11:06 PM, said:

I'm proposing that we players are able to accrue GXP. Not mech specific XP. GXP is accrued normally at a severely discounted rate on all matches and can be deployed on any mech you choose in your hanger. Why not enable that accrual in the trial space? It would allow new players to more quickly skill out their 1st mech purchase while further rewarding them for play while they use trial mechs to build their skills in the game.

Because PGI actually wants that grind. Free-to-play games are based around the idea that players have to either spend their time and effort to grind or they can avoid that grind when they spend their cash. And that cash is going to land in PGI coffers. PGI wants new players to spend their money on mastering their owned 'Mechs, not to master them quickly without spending money. Thus that grind.

Edited by martian, 31 January 2020 - 11:53 PM.

[Prototelis]

They used to let you get XP for the variant the champion is based on.

Dumb that they stopped doing that with skill tree.

[Davegt27]

when a player is new

it used to be a good idea to play all the trials to get the 2X xp everyday

that way if and when you bought that Mech you would already have some XP built up

oh will

no incentives to play then why play

[martian]

Prototelis, on 01 February 2020 - 06:05 AM, said:

They used to let you get XP for the variant the champion is based on.

Dumb that they stopped doing that with skill tree.

Yes, that was like four years go.

Davegt27, on 01 February 2020 - 06:29 AM, said:

when a player is new

it used to be a good idea to play all the trials to get the 2X xp everyday

that way if and when you bought that Mech you would already have some XP built up

oh will

no incentives to play then why play

There are almost no knew players, so it does not matter anymore.

But anyway, this has never been too relevant since the XP is tied to a particular variant. So it would not matter how many XPs on Trial JM6-A(C) some new player has earned, if he buys "Firebrand". He has to start his grind for that one particular 'Mech. All his XP for JM6-A(C) are irrelevant and and even some small amount of GXP (if potentially earned) would not change things much.

[Davegt27]

I see

that's really to bad or sad

[martian]

Davegt27, on 01 February 2020 - 12:29 PM, said:

I see

that's really to bad or sad

In the beginning it was just a PGI's attempt to monetize game. I am not quite sure if it worked for PGI or not.

BLOODWOLF333, on 01 February 2020 - 12:51 PM, said:

And if anyone has premium time is it not a waste to spend it playing trial mechs? Seems like some anti-consumer "we hate the majority of our customers" practices IMO.

We call it a "noob trap" - something what a beginning player considers a logical or interesting thing to do, but what experienced players consider useless, time-consuming or waste of money.