13 replies to this topic

[ForceUser]

Battletech has a colossal library of characters (like 50 at least), all colourful, that is effectively untapped. From Kerensky to the Arbiter, from Grayson to Hanse. From leader, despot and ruler to cadet, pilot and legendary war hero.

Add them to the game.

Not just their mechs, but them specifically. Make it so you can select your 'pilot' or 'leader' or whatever before you go into battle.

This character will confer various bonuses to you, thematically appropriate to that character, and not just 5% more SRM damage either.

These bonuses has to be interesting while not game breaking (I know, small ask right?) and a good place to start would be something like World of Warships' admiral system.

In WoWs, while each ship has a generic admiral commanding the ship, you can also get famous admirals like Yamamoto through missions or paying money (another reason to not be game breaking) and they add special conditional powers or effects, including visual effects.

A simple example (All numbers sucked out of my thumb) would be if you have Grayson 'equipped' have a conditional trigger when your HP goes below 50%, you gain 25% fire rate on all Helm Core related weapons. Why? Because "Carlyle's Gray Death Legion discovered the Star League Library Core on the planet Helm in the Free Worlds League." He can also have a Meta game ability of increased GXP, or mech XP. Why? Because he was the leader of a merc company. He could also possibly have an aura that affects friendly mechs within 100m of damage reduction or an agility bonus. Why? Because "He is known for his innovative battlefield tactics, notably pioneering the use of anti-BattleMech infantry and guerilla tactics against larger, regular military forces."

Another example would be Alexander Kerensky has bonuses when using assault mechs (Because Atlas) or Heavy Mechs (Because Orion), has a 100m aura that increases the fire rate of all Star League era weapons (obvious) and a meta game bonus of increased supply cache points after a battle (Star league caches).

Mix and match the bonuses, you can have multiple characters have armor bonuses when piloting assaults, but have different Auras, 50% HP bonuses and meta game bonuses.

Some initial though pitfalls (obvious but worth mentioning):
- Don't make pay 2 win characters
- Regularly add characters you can get from events
- Never make Event characters exclusive to an event (add them for MC afterwards)
- Have a base stable of 5 or so characters you can buy with Cbills
- Think about adding more over time (1 for every 5 MechCredit characters)
- Have a few permanent events where any player (new and old) at any time can work towards earning some of the more notable legendary champs like Alexander Karensky or Hanse Davion.
- Iterate/balance often if one character is being used waaay too much.
- Don't make the pilots too expensive and don't make the cach exclusive, although some can be.

This isn't to replace the skill system, fyi, but will be something on top of that system or any similar system if it gets replaced.

Also, show the pilots in match. Have it be a portrait perhaps if possible when targeting an enemy mech.

[MechWarrior414712]

And the "mechdad of the year" award goes to OP

[Horseman]

A little overblown TBH, but maaaybeee there's something that could be done to satisfy at least part of these?
Having selectable pilot avatars that are displayed when the player is talking over VOIP could be a low-cost revenue stream to PGI.
Attaching small perks to these avatars (C-Bills / XP / supply cache progress / accolade) would be harmless, but I'm not so convinced about making the pilot another source of gameplay-impacting quirks - and the ones you propose sound rather overpowered TBH.

And no, no auras please.

Edited by Horseman, 12 October 2020 - 05:42 AM.

[The6thMessenger]

You mean play this like ******* FIFA with their roster?

[ForceUser]

The6thMessenger, on 12 October 2020 - 06:02 AM, said:

You mean play this like ******* FIFA with their roster?

No, Like World of Warships. I specifically pointed to that game as the template. The 'strongest' admirals are received through finishing a bunch of missions that is available always to anyone, new and old, at any time.

That's like the exact opposite of FIFA BS roster garbage.

If no in match effects, that's fine. Though the numbers were thumb sucked and specifically not meant to be taken as actual numbers. If you thought that then oooh boy... Just meta game effects can work with purely cosmetic in match effects too. *It's a suggestion*

This is a suggestion to assist with monetisation without requiring must purchase stuff like some mech packs have been in the far past that more lore focussed people (I am not actually one of them so the name calling is hilarious) would like and would spend money on. This is also potentially (from my limited programming knowledge) not a huge time investment with some monetization returns that can add new mechanics or bonusses to the game.

I think I actually mentioned 3 time (I know, some people have trouble with just 3 mentions and needs to be told 10 times) that these characters can in no way be overpowered, especially any that are sold for money or MC. NO PAY 2 WIN CHARACTERS. Enough times? More?

For those in the back, none of these characters should have OP abilities, especially if available for cash or MC. And the numbers are not actual suggested numbers geez...

Edited by ForceUser, 12 October 2020 - 09:40 AM.

[East Indy]

Mechanical bonuses are problematic but this game has always been in need of more of BattleTech's setting. This is the spirit!

[JediPanther]

If I want to play world of ______
Tanks
Planes
Trains
Cars
Jets
Robots
Warships
Boobies
Bronies
Catch-um-alz
Conflits

i'll go install and play those.

[Horseman]

ForceUser, on 12 October 2020 - 09:31 AM, said:

I think I actually mentioned 3 time (I know, some people have trouble with just 3 mentions and needs to be told 10 times) that these characters can in no way be overpowered,

...and it hasn't dawned on you yet that the exact bonuses you've described were most definitely overpowered when you were insisting otherwise?

[Monkey Lover]

JediPanther, on 12 October 2020 - 11:23 AM, said:

If I want to play world of ______
Tanks
Planes
Trains
Cars
Jets
Robots
Warships
Boobies
Bronies
Catch-um-alz
Conflits

i'll go install and play those.

ya,that's why we are dropping population like crazy because people are installing other games and playing those lol

[The6thMessenger]

Monkey Lover, on 12 October 2020 - 12:01 PM, said:

ya,that's why we are dropping population like crazy because people are installing other games and playing those lol

Fair enough.

I want a Natasha Kerenesky pilot with massive ****. Nevermind the stats.

Edited by The6thMessenger, 12 October 2020 - 02:32 PM.

[Pseudo98]

It idea is dumb, don't tempt PGI to waste development time on this asinine concept.

[Scout Derek]

Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

[Nightbird]

To bring us back to the anime roots of Battletech, I suggest we use avatars of anime girls singing unique theme songs as we dominate our foes in battle.

[JediPanther]

Monkey Lover, on 12 October 2020 - 12:01 PM, said:

ya,that's why we are dropping population like crazy because people are installing other games and playing those lol

How strange to spend time playing a video game more entertaining than mwo. Those don't exist right? Oh right I myself have a game library of 250 of which mwo is only one game. I have a lot of (better) games than mwo to play and so do those other people. Maybe if pgi didn't do such shity job "developing" mw5 and forever maintenance mode-ing mwo the pop might come back but I doubt it after seven years pgi is just going to pgi on.