63 replies to this topic

[InnerSphereNews]

Greetings, MechWarriors!

Things are getting extra busy at MechWarrior HQ (remotely for the most part). With the release of MW5 DLC "Heroes of the Inner Sphere" next month and our increased efforts towards the future development of MechWarrior Online, I've barely had time to admire my new minis from Catalyst. Fret not, I do make the time for my Alpha Lance (as pictured below).



Last Monday I posted an outline, a starting point, towards both addressing some of the current issues with MechWarrior Online, as well as considering new content and features that would enhance the game further. The goal is to make the game more fun to play, to bring players back, and to make it less punishing for new players so they stick around longer.

This week I have posted each main topic (New Player Experience, Features, Maps, et al.) in the Command Chair section of the Developer's Corner. I am continuing to work through the rest of the forum feedback from the weekend, as well as email, Discord, and social media. Please take this time to really focus the discussion on each individual topic, see what sticks, and hash out any potential major differences so that we can further the development of the plan and establish a solid roadmap. I've already added a few suggestions to the lists from additional feedback, and will continue to do so when applicable. At the same time, I will begin the technical reviews, and update the threads as I get feedback from developers.

We're looking to have a townhall-style livecast sometime in early December, where you will be able to address PGI directly with your questions and concerns regarding the final direction of this initiative. Stand by for more details on that, and more information on this entire process, as we continue further down this path towards MechWarrior Online in 2021 and beyond.

[The6thMessenger]

Where the hell is your Urbie-AIV with Nuke?

Edited by The6thMessenger, 16 November 2020 - 07:00 PM.

[LordNothing]

here we go again.

sorry i expected another 2 hour podcast.

Edited by LordNothing, 16 November 2020 - 07:22 PM.

[Galahad2030]

Are you telling us the only material work that was done was posting a set of forum questions during the last week?
Perhaps PGI should commit to and set a goal to release some subset of changes before the new year.

The new player starting tier 4.5 comes to mind.

[Daeron Katz]

Galahad2030, on 16 November 2020 - 07:23 PM, said:

Are you telling us the only material work that was done was posting a set of forum questions during the last week?
Perhaps PGI should commit to and set a goal to release some subset of changes before the new year.

The new player starting tier 4.5 comes to mind.

Nope, just telling you that this was done, not that this is all that was done.

I'm working on the cadet starting tier issue, and will update as soon as I have an answer or some info on it.

LordNothing, on 16 November 2020 - 07:19 PM, said:

here we go again.

sorry i expected another 2 hour podcast.

That's happening tomorrow I believe, but you can skip the first hour about our beards.

[Lurm God]

Daeron Katz, on 16 November 2020 - 07:27 PM, said:

Nope, just telling you that this was done, not that this is all that was done.

I'm working on the cadet starting tier issue, and will update as soon as I have an answer or some info on it.


That's happening tomorrow I believe, but you can skip the first hour about our beards.

Whilst we greatly appreciate the update. The hype is now becoming again just a meme to some of us. It would be tough being the middle man and we understand you can't make immediate change Daeron without approval. The guys above you really are stomping on the hype though from their initial podcast. It almost comes across as a lack of confidence to put someone on it to execute a few of universally accepted issues like cadet tier, colourblind overlay etc.

But if the work truly takes a dev longer than the pilots who have theorised and tested a lot of the XML changes within the first few days of the initial Russ + podcast then so be it. The few cadets (best target demographic for paying players?) from steam that decide to test MWO after MW5 steam release will enjoy being sent straight to spectator mode when hit by the T1 nascar.

Please don't take this personally just the pattern has been consistent for myself as a customer over the years. I promise I will eventually stop posting on each individual update with my cynicism at some point.

Edited by Lurm God, 16 November 2020 - 08:08 PM.

[Daeron Katz]

Lurm God, on 16 November 2020 - 08:06 PM, said:

Whilst we greatly appreciate the update. The hype is now becoming again just a meme to some of us. It would be tough being the middle man and we understand you can't make immediate change Daeron without approval. The guys above you really are stomping on the hype though from their initial podcast. It almost comes across as a lack of confidence to put someone on it to execute a few of universally accepted issues like cadet tier, colourblind overlay etc.

But if the work truly takes a dev longer than the pilots who have theorised and tested a lot of the XML changes within the first few days of the initial Russ + podcast then so be it. The few cadets (best target demographic for paying players?) from steam that decide to test MWO after MW5 steam release will enjoy being sent straight to spectator mode when hit by the T1 nascar.

Please don't take this personally just the pattern has been consistent for myself as a customer over the years. I promise I will eventually stop posting on each individual update with my cynicism at some point.

I understand the frustration. I wish things could go faster as well. Things are moving forward though, and as long as they're moving forward, I'm going to do my best to make it something great. The plan is to kick this off in January, so everything that's happening now until then will directly influence what begins in January. If we can get anything patched in quicker we will, but there are no guarantees. PGI works months in advance, and some times a simple flick of a switch is more than it appears. But in terms of cadet starting tier, as I said I'm working on it. While it feels like forever, this time is going to go by quickly. Let's focus and endure a little while longer, and it will benefit us all in 2021.

[XX Sulla XX]

Daeron Katz, on 16 November 2020 - 11:37 PM, said:

I understand the frustration. I wish things could go faster as well. Things are moving forward though, and as long as they're moving forward, I'm going to do my best to make it something great. The plan is to kick this off in January, so everything that's happening now until then will directly influence what begins in January. If we can get anything patched in quicker we will, but there are no guarantees. PGI works months in advance, and some times a simple flick of a switch is more than it appears. But in terms of cadet starting tier, as I said I'm working on it. While it feels like forever, this time is going to go by quickly. Let's focus and endure a little while longer, and it will benefit us all in 2021.

I think the main thing is that most people are past the wait and trust they used to have So people are more along the lines of prove it to me in their thinking. With maybe just a tiny bit of hope left.

[Daeron Katz]

XX Sulla XX, on 17 November 2020 - 12:40 AM, said:

I think the main thing is that most people are past the wait and trust they used to have So people are more along the lines of prove it to me in their thinking. With maybe just a tiny bit of hope left.

Yeah I get that, and we will, but it's still going to take said time. I'm fine with people doing the "I'll come back and see" thing, but I also want to make sure that anyone that wants to be a part of the influential process sticks around and does so.

[General Solo]

Your like meat in the sandwich, Don't wanna add.

But can you add a match maker topic to the rest you have just created to test the response please, as it has been talked about minimally.

The right answer ain't always popular,
Not saying I'm right...Mumbles I luv you Copernicus.

Edited by OZHomerOZ, 17 November 2020 - 01:01 AM.

[XX Sulla XX]

Daeron Katz, on 17 November 2020 - 12:43 AM, said:

Yeah I get that, and we will, but it's still going to take said time. I'm fine with people doing the "I'll come back and see" thing, but I also want to make sure that anyone that wants to be a part of the influential process sticks around and does so.

Taking part is great for sure and hopefully a lot of people do it. And I have hope PGI surprises every one with a new found sense of urgency in saving MWO.

[AnAnachronismAlive]

Fellow mechwarriors,

you know best where and what proposals you have placed into several threads all over the forum during the last couple of weeks (and you can easily extract the text via the edit-function)! So if you still feel it being of importance to you and/or the community and if you can find the time and willpower to refine it (intended outcome with some pros n cons brought up by other people) based on the discussions that may have taken place under your original post, please re-place it into one of the specified thread(s) in the Command Chair Section.

• ADD a thematic marker/hashtag in front of your former post/text, so it can be properly allocated to the fitting (sub)point.

Thank you!

Edited by AnAnachronismAlive, 17 November 2020 - 01:30 AM.

[The6thMessenger]

Daeron Katz, on 16 November 2020 - 11:37 PM, said:

The plan is to kick this off in January, so everything that's happening now until then will directly influence what begins in January.

Can I assume you people need the cash infusion of the Steam Release?

[Ruediger Steiner]

The6thMessenger, on 17 November 2020 - 02:37 AM, said:

Can I assume you people need the cash infusion of the Steam Release?

Cash infusion from 10 people?
Sarcasm?

[The6thMessenger]

Wishmast3r, on 17 November 2020 - 03:49 AM, said:

Cash infusion from 10 people?
Sarcasm?

I'm one of the 10 people. So my contribution should better be worth it.

[AnAnachronismAlive]

Would not underestimate the potential revenue created by folks only losely affililated to the Battletech-Franchise but have played some of the old Mechwarrior or Mechcommander-titles decades ago. Gotta bunch of them in my wider circle of friends / acquaintances and - despite havin' discussed the questionable quality of the product with them - a lot of 'em are going to buy it out of nostalgia, the new visuals and the co-op mode, once the game hits steam.

We gotta realize that our view of MW5 is a bit more sophisticated and/or even biased than the measurement average hop-on/hop-off gamers are going to apply - even if it is played for 2-3 weeks only and pile-shamed afterwards.

Pretty sure sale numbers are gonna be fine ...

[selfish shellfish]

And maybe the devs could read the "Feature Suggestions" subforum and the unofficial Github bugtracker. And then use their brains to figure out what can be fixed and what features are feasible to implement.

https://mwomercs.com...re-suggestions/
https://github.com/M...-tracker/issues

But that's a crazy and wild pipe dream...

[MechLord71]

I just hope they make some real updates to MWO. I tried MW5 and it was awful...lucky to get my refund. I also think it is shameful that they released that hot mess while ignoring MWO. Even worse, PGI seems to depend on the mod community to fix all the stuff they as paid developers either choose not to fix or lack the skill to fix. Love the MW and BT franchise, but...

I simply lack faith in any further promises from Russ and PGI in general. Hope they prove me wrong, but previous experience should not be ignored.

[crazytimes]

I get that most of the tabled ideas are clearly never happening. Some of the really simple stuff though, I don't understand at all why it needs to wait months. Starting tier for cadets? Surely that is literally a single entry in a configuration file- new account PSR=500 instead of =2500.

Last match I played my team had a tier 1 group, the other team had 3 cadets in trial mechs. Guess how that turned out? They were down 3-0 in the first 2 minutes. Are those cadets sticking around after that happens a few times?

[Galahad2030]

A town hall two or three weeks from now is an unnecessary delay to polling the data.

Please consider putting up voting polls on features suggestions and mechanics that are hotly debated in the Command Chair forums.

Starting the discussion of what the exact details are in three weeks will kill a lot of enthusiasm that current players are demonstrating for the upcoming updates.

Voting polls are a great way to get a pulse on the community on hot topics like price points (what we are willing to pay), new mech variants (once you've finalized the shortlists), and prioritization (unanimously we want Cadets to default to tier 4.5 for example).

Edited by Galahad2030, 17 November 2020 - 12:51 PM.