4 replies to this topic

[Wildstreak]

I will admit I missed it when I started in 2012 but I guess it took playing looter shooters aka RPG shooters like Division 1 to see it.

The whole Skill System both current and former is a RPG system in a non-RPG game thus creating a balance issue.

[Nightbird]

no

[Meep Meep]

Huh? When they switched to a skill tree from the old module system it opened up way more playstyles and viable fits for mechs. Good lord the way you had to grind three mechs just to open up levels for modules on one mech was a royal pain. Not saying the skill tree can't use a bit of refinement and expansion but as a system I rather enjoy it.

[Wildstreak]

Meep Meep, on 20 March 2021 - 03:05 AM, said:

Huh? When they switched to a skill tree from the old module system it opened up way more playstyles and viable fits for mechs. Good lord the way you had to grind three mechs just to open up levels for modules on one mech was a royal pain. Not saying the skill tree can't use a bit of refinement and expansion but as a system I rather enjoy it.

It is a RPG system both now and before using the old 'Box' skill system.

- You earn XP on your character..
- You use that XP to unlock skills that buff your character.

Thus RPG balance rules apply. Is it balanced to have a lvl 0 go against a lvl 91 even when they are the same Mech and build? Traditional RPG balancing says no so why try to change how RPGs work here? No reason to reinvent how things are done in this one case. Those skill unlocks DO make a difference in performance to give an edge to a higher lvl Mech even with the current system.

I am sure I know why no one has seen this problem before even under the old system, I admit I surprised myself upon realizing this. I think it has to do with the rise of 'looter shooters' aka RPG shooters like Division games and Destiny that were not that big or even existed when MWO came out the comparison and obvious problem has not been seen.

[FupDup]

Wildstreak, on 20 March 2021 - 07:33 AM, said:

It is a RPG system both now and before using the old 'Box' skill system.

- You earn XP on your character..
- You use that XP to unlock skills that buff your character.

Thus RPG balance rules apply. Is it balanced to have a lvl 0 go against a lvl 91 even when they are the same Mech and build? Traditional RPG balancing says no so why try to change how RPGs work here? No reason to reinvent how things are done in this one case. Those skill unlocks DO make a difference in performance to give an edge to a higher lvl Mech even with the current system.

I am sure I know why no one has seen this problem before even under the old system, I admit I surprised myself upon realizing this. I think it has to do with the rise of 'looter shooters' aka RPG shooters like Division games and Destiny that were not that big or even existed when MWO came out the comparison and obvious problem has not been seen.

People have always seen that issue but the skill maze is probably not going away. It's a mechanic that adds a bit of extra grind and skinner box mechanics intended to keep people playing more (whether or not it succeeds at that is a different discussion).

My own compromise idea on that front would be for all mechs to come with a default skill build all filled out with an even spread of nodes from every tree. People would still have an incentive to level up their mechs so they could switch out the default skills for ones that properly fit their preferences, but at least newly purchased mechs (and trial mechs) wouldn't be quite as gimped as they are now.