94 replies to this topic

[Neutron IX]

I'm curious to see how this affects some of the skill builds I tend to see/use. For example, I see a lot of builds that take both seismic nodes, without investing much or any into targeting info, and this system seems to mean that for the same skill build, you will have to trade out something you might have taken in other builds in order to go targeting info > seismic.

Not saying this is good or bad, just noting that it will be an adjustment to skill build strategy for sure.

Edited by Neutron IX, 22 April 2022 - 05:18 PM.

[DangerMouse53]

Super exciting!

[RaTMaN203]

I love seeing all this work happening in a game I thought was dead in terms of development years ago. This update looks great. I'm excited for this game this year and hope the player base increases.

Keep up the good work!

Thanks,
RaTMaN

[Wo1verine]

still wish I could get a refund due to the lowered price or at least a gsp refund to make up for the fact I will have to do more skill grinding anyway to get the replacements for the ones I don't want or maybe the ability to say yes I want to refund or if I wanted to refund my atlas I could refund this mech independently maybe like each mech comes with the refund option so whatever you spend is not permeant.

[Horseman]

Domenoth, on 22 April 2022 - 11:37 AM, said:

While I see where you going with this, and I like what it sounds like, I don't think this would combine well in the Quirks+Skills section.

Some Mechs have +ammo on only some weapons, so you'd end up with:

SRM Ammo +13
Missile Ammo Level +1
LBX 5 Ammo +8
Ballistic Ammo Level +2

So what's my combined SRM +ammo and LBX5 +ammo? I don't have Missile Ammo Level +1 or Ballistic Ammo Level +2 memorized and then you're asking me to do math with the extra SRM Ammo +25 and LBX 5 Ammo +8.

I think, as much as I hate how many lines it adds, I think I'd prefer to see the total +ammo values in the list

This seems like the better suggestion of the two. Always put +ammo lines at the very end of the list. Get the noisy, obnoxious skills out of the the main body of the list, but still accessible.

Honestly, because of how many there are, I think ammo quirks should only be displayed in the mech overview if the mech actually has a weapon that's affected by them. This would substantially cut down on the clutter, as the very worst case can have what, 6 to 8 different ballistic weapons?

Edited by Horseman, 23 April 2022 - 12:24 AM.

[Vladokapuh]

need a reset or there will be absolutely painful amount of grind to update my mechs

[LordNothing]

still kind of wish you could list boosts from equipment in the list as well. especially considering when i recently found myself confused about some of the boosts from targeting computers, and as a result have been using them wrong for years. npe stuff, if a veteran player like myself can be confused, the noobs will be completely lost.

otherwise still a vast improvement.

Edited by LordNothing, 23 April 2022 - 02:03 AM.

[Lepestok]

Yes! You did it!

[Meep Meep]

Wo1verine, on 22 April 2022 - 07:36 PM, said:

still wish I could get a refund due to the lowered price or at least a gsp refund to make up for the fact I will have to do more skill grinding anyway to get the replacements for the ones I don't want or maybe the ability to say yes I want to refund or if I wanted to refund my atlas I could refund this mech independently maybe like each mech comes with the refund option so whatever you spend is not permeant.

I have to imagine that the overwhelming majority of players have plenty of xp banked on their established mechs so it wouldn't be worth the effort of a global refund. It would be a long and involved change to the database that would require most of a day to complete and that would mean no servers because the player data would be tied up. The stated changes only needs a client patch.

[Voidsinger]

Without looking for a refund of XP or C-bills spent on skill points, I have a different question.

Given that the new skill trees remove much of the unnecessary tree paths to obtain certain skills, will we have an option to reset our skill trees without cost using existing skill points?

[Daemonhunter]

Thank you, PGI! I'm really looking forward to the May updates and I know I'm not alone. It's also good to see more frequent communication and the ongoing engagement with the Cauldron and wider community.

The QoL improvements to the UI are very welcome. Perhaps in future we could see a little more work done in this space (e.g. integrating modifiers from equipment like Targeting Computers, and updating the impossible-to-read optimal range/damage falloff charts) if time/resources allow.

Simplifying the skill tree will make life easier for new and old players alike, and might well encourage some former players to return. The other thing that could really help with player recapture/retention is fixing the matchmaker so it attempts to create balanced matches. I am glad that particular issue is on PGI's radar, and with the increase in activity and communication over recent months I'm starting to dare to hope that we might actually see it addressed in the near future.

I have one suggestion regarding the skills system: all newly-acquired mechs could come with a modest allocation of unassigned skill points (e.g. 20-30). This would reduce the performance gap between skilled and unskilled mechs and take some of the pain out of the grind (one of the common complaints against the skill system, especially in the context of the new player experience). The cost of acquiring the remaining skill points could be increased proportionally to compensate for the "free" ones.

This idea could potentially dovetail nicely with another notion that has been floating around for a long time: skill points on Trial Mechs. Trial Mechs could be granted the same number of SP as new mechs would get, but preallocated to an appropriate set of nodes (as determined by PGI with Cauldron/community input). This would again "close the gap" a little, putting those using Trial Mechs at less of a disadvantage and giving players a better feel for how those mechs actually play, especially ones which may lean heavily on particular features (e.g. Advanced Zoom on a long-range sniper build).

[Far Reach]

I'm actually more pumped for this quirk rearrangement than I am the Crusader!

[Seelenlos]

AND WHERE IS THE SKILL TREE FOR ALPINE PEAK SELECTION MAP?

[Seelenlos]

Though i get a lot out of these skills for my mechs, i still do not like or am comfort with the fact, that Players only Skill and have something out of a regular Mech, WITHOUT rebuilding the Mech TOO!

Lets explain:
Why get a better heat-depravation, If i have not to build in another Heat sink (yes minimum to get that skill bonus or so)?

Why get a better Zoom when you do not install at least one Targeting Computer?


You know what I mean, this makes and pushes Meta-Builds where they should be in the niche, for niche-players.

So you should stop rolling the Path and build that Perking in the Skill-Tree before release !

[Seelenlos]

And a skill tree to see how many points each match I droped or climbed the tire ...

[HGAK47]

It might seem like a small change but having it so that you can see a mechs base quirks seperate from the skill bonused quirks is such a major quality of life change. Thankyou for that.

[Drake67]

Could explain in more detail what happens to the skill points that are selected below a certain number because on most missile and ballistic builds I skip the first two cooldown nodes on the Firepower tree in the center. You mentioned in the first vlog that the system just automatically fills in to the open one. This is going to be a pain for me to fix every build I have except for Laser Vomit. Even if I manually correct the cool down it will disrupt the heat gen nodes I want. Is there a way to program a exception to count the number of nodes active and populate from there?

[TheCaptainJZ]

I don't know why skilling requires Skill Points at all. Should just be straight up XP.

[Horseman]

Drake67, on 23 April 2022 - 08:25 AM, said:

Is there a way to program a exception to count the number of nodes active and populate from there?

From what I understand, that's what's going to happen...

[C337Skymaster]

Drake67, on 23 April 2022 - 08:25 AM, said:

Could explain in more detail what happens to the skill points that are selected below a certain number because on most missile and ballistic builds I skip the first two cooldown nodes on the Firepower tree in the center. You mentioned in the first vlog that the system just automatically fills in to the open one. This is going to be a pain for me to fix every build I have except for Laser Vomit. Even if I manually correct the cool down it will disrupt the heat gen nodes I want. Is there a way to program a exception to count the number of nodes active and populate from there?

The general consensus seems to be that, upon patch day, your 'mechs will work as-is. Only when you go to re-skill your 'mechs will you have to address any "missing" skill points. I suggest banking XP on your mastered 'mechs now, while they're balanced with their peers, so you have a pool to draw on when you go to rework them in May.