5 replies to this topic

[bilagaana]

I read with interest the suggestion to add an option in settings for permanent override shutdown to relieve players of the burden of remembering to activate this critical feature.

Actually, I don't think this suggestion goes far enough. As the emphasis currently is new player retention, it only makes sense to eliminate any and all impediments to that goal. I've lost count of how many friends I've introduced to this game, only to see them quit after a few matches when they find out it requires learning an entire set of unfamiliar features and tactics. This is especially true for us older players (I just turned seventy)--having to struggle to acquire, retain and act upon all this information in a dynamic and often frightening match environment. Purely to reduce stress and increase player enjoyment things need to be kept simple, so I would argue for an Auto-Pilot option in the game settings. It would be a simple matter for the devs, whose intimate knowledge of the game exceeds what any mere player could hope to grasp, to insert into the code such things as optimal firing position set-points towards which the auto-pilot would then automatically steer the mech, removing the burden on an already over-whelmed player who can't concentrate on piloting because of getting shot at by big, mean robots with lasers and missiles. Along with this, let's add auto-targeting so that it will automatically select the correct weapon system in any given situation and only fire upon mechs which are in its optimal range. Better still, make it so that the fire is directed at the most vulnerable component of the targeted enemy mech. I can't tell you how many times I've run out of ammunition before the end of a match because of wasted shots. It's really frustrating. Finally, it would eliminate one of the most baffling and demanding elements of this game if the Mech Lab were removed altogether. Let the Matchmaker decide, in the interests of balance and fairness, which mechs should participate in any given match and equip them with the correct weapons mix to make sure everyone is on a level playing field, doesn't feel picked on and has a good time.

If PGI would just listen to the community, not just those tryhard elitists, and make this game not so hard, I might decide to play it again.

[Nightbird]

I vote to add the option to pay 9.99 a month to hire a Chinese/Russian player to pilot and shoot for you, allowing you to focus on the more important tasks of issuing commands (intelligently) to the team, and taunting the other team in all chat.

[ScrapIron Prime]

Still not in favor of override being the default setting. New players will marvel at the fact that firing at others can inflict lethal damage on themselves and may ragequit the game. But they DO understand “oh I got too hot and shut down”.

[EnochsBook]

You make a lot of good points, but I don't think your ideas go far enough. I think in order to maximize the amount of new players not only staying but actually downloading the game, PGI should add an "auto-install" feature.
A simple matter in terms of programming: a script is run on Steam determining if the potential player has enough disk space to install MWO (if not, then the removal of a few files is a simple enough process). Then the game is automatically downloaded and installed, and played whenever the computer is not already in use. I can already see the game breaking World of Warcraft records in terms of player engagement.

[Vorpal Puppy]

Happy April Fools Day to you, too!

[Dozer6]

I'm no spring chicken myself, 51, but with all the whining and crying already from the self proclaimed "leets" lol, about LRM and Arty Airstrike, i can't wait for the comments on that idea.

Personally don't like it, proper firing positions should be learned by the player, not done by the computer.

Makes popcorn...