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Why MechWarrior Online won't be a simulator


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#1 Hikikomori

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 07:00 AM

Mass-market appeal is the core of a successful F2P game, and the publisher/developer knows it.

I'd really enjoy exploring the depth and complexity, using my TrackIR and Joystick, reading guides and watching YouTube to understand the game better and seeing myself improve.

Casuals do not.

#2 Alex Wolfe

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 07:10 AM

That's probably true, but seeing how every other Mechwarrior game so far has been a relatively slow-paced shooter with giant robots, and bare minimum of actually required keybinds, it's not much of a revelation now is it?
In a similar vein, "why Street Fighter V won't be a sports manager".

#3 feor

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 07:17 AM

Having to read guides and watch YouTube Videos to be the best of the best isn't something that's exclusive to Simulators. I've read far more guides and watched far more videos than I care to mention when I was raiding in WoW, which is not a simulator in the least.

And I've played simulators that required zero introduction to jump into and have fun.

If they're smart they'll have both options make it a simulator that if you're a casual payer you can jump into a game and smash some metal with like minded people. And if you're hardcore you can practice and plan and play and join and game to carefully dismantle some metal with like minded players. A simple difficulty slider that causes the game to match you with players who have set their slider to the same level would be all it really requires.

#4 HanaYuriko

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 07:18 AM

You guys misread what the developers have been saying. It'll be an "Assimilator."

Not, "A simulator."

Easy mistake to make.

#5 Silent

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 07:39 AM

We've already gotten confirmation that joysticks will be supported. I am just waiting to see if they implement TrackIR.

#6 Mekslayer

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 07:51 AM

Well, I myself, have been waiting to see how any simulator is going to implement my infamous "Arm Flip" so I can easily run behind players, shoot them in the back and keep going full steam ahead.... LOL ;) ;) ;)

Edited by Mekslayer, 27 December 2011 - 07:51 AM.


#7 Tannhauser Gate

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 08:52 AM

just fyi, the devs are way past the sim vs action debate. That kind of planning is done very early in the concept phase of game design. It wont be a pure sim nor will it be pure action shooter. What the devs are doing is creating lots of action set in the BT timeline and play balancing the combat to reflect BT lore without limiting the action. In the end, the game is all about fun (and profitability) and you cant do that with a shallow shooter nor with a pure BT sim. It has to appeal to the legions of BT fans and to the action junky in all of us. The devs know this.

In the Mega interview, the devs said that lots of devices will be supported. What those devices are they didnt say but seems promising for trackir. Id be surprised if arm flip was implemented in MWO.

Edited by LakeDaemon, 27 December 2011 - 08:59 AM.


#8 GaussDragon

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 09:02 AM

View PostLakeDaemon, on 27 December 2011 - 08:52 AM, said:

What the devs are doing is creating lots of action set in the BT timeline and play balancing the combat to reflect BT lore without limiting the action. In the end, the game is all about fun (and profitability) and you cant do that with a shallow shooter nor with a pure BT sim. It has to appeal to the legions of BT fans and to the action junky in all of us. The devs know this.


As much as our viewpoints disagree sometimes, I think that in the end, you and I are on the same page and that we'll both really enjoy this game.

#9 KingCobra

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 09:06 AM

To be honest to myself i think MW:0 will be more of the same thing some of us have played for the last 10 years only with a few twists.Pure TD with 1 life and dropping on the same type of maps in 1v1 or 8v8 with borders,ect.Those who have played on the Sunder server on mektek know what i mean.I will wait and see?If its not what i want to play i will uninstall it and move on and close out my online mech pilot career sense 1995 and look for a games that bolth challange me and keeps me entertained. :)

#10 CeeKay Boques

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 09:09 AM

You're wrong, there OP, in your short generalization. Giant Mechs from a specific timeline/brand is already very niche. Their best plan is cater to the Niche, not go broad spectrum. Can MWO do for RPGs what WoW did, or skyrim is doing now? Maybe. But that can't be the goal, only a possible result.

If their main attempt is to cater to people that aren't particularly addicted to giant robots anyway, those people will fade, and there MWO will be, snubbed by the main fan base, and forgotten by the nomads.

How you could come to the "casual" conclustion after reading the devs and seeing their work direction, lets me know this is an obvious troll. Good job though, I bit!

#11 Lima Zulu

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 09:42 AM

Not every simulator is MS Flight Sim like, where you need to learn >9000 keys and keybindings to play. Not every simulator is Il-2 like, where you need to know some physics to understand your machine behavior. There are a few specific things in every MW game, allowing to call it "simulator": different weapon mechanics, heat management, zone damage, shooting multiple weapons, radar. If someone make combat flight sim like this, people would yell "ARCADE!!!!" and throw rotten tomatoes. So there are not so many ways to simplify MW gamplay after all - remove one thing, and there will become "not mechwarrior" rather than "not simulator".

But there's a diffirence between "just piloting" and "good piloting". You still need to shoot well in most cases, and it doesn't depend on "simulator" things. It's more like shooter, but dramatically slower when we come to actual killing phase - not every assault is able to instant kill every light, and battle of equal mechs could take minute.

#12 Zerik

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 09:47 AM

Whoa whoa whoa! You mean people actually read guides and watch youtube videos in order to improve their skills in simulation games?
... Whatever happened to good old fashioned hard work, determination, and getting your face stomped in until you manage to stomp back?

#13 ThunderSquid

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 09:57 AM

This was my major concern when I first heard that it had gone from a traditional game to a F2P. However, after spending some time on these forums, I've changed my mind and am now hopeful that it will be more sim-like than a certain previous game.

#14 MaddMaxx

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 11:04 AM

F2P in FPP would seem to indicate Sim. :)

#15 Adridos

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 11:17 AM

View PostHikikomori, on 27 December 2011 - 07:00 AM, said:

Mass-market appeal is the core of a successful F2P game, and the publisher/developer knows it.

I'd really enjoy exploring the depth and complexity, using my TrackIR and Joystick, reading guides and watching YouTube to understand the game better and seeing myself improve.

Casuals do not.




Does not seem dumbed down, because it is F2P. I know it is not that complex as it used to be, but it really is not that bad as you want it. :)



P.S: This is the reason I am not that active anymore.

Edited by Adridos, 27 December 2011 - 11:22 AM.


#16 Dlardrageth

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 11:34 AM

View PostHikikomori, on 27 December 2011 - 07:00 AM, said:

Mass-market appeal is the core of a successful F2P game, and the publisher/developer knows it.

I'd really enjoy exploring the depth and complexity, using my TrackIR and Joystick, reading guides and watching YouTube to understand the game better and seeing myself improve.

Casuals do not.


"Trolling, trolling, trolling, rawhide..."

Think you got some bigtime misconception about PGI's intent at the least. Better get back to WoW... :)

#17 SilentWolff

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 11:38 AM

View PostMaddMaxx, on 27 December 2011 - 11:04 AM, said:

F2P in FPP would seem to indicate Sim. :)



This.

#18 Red Beard

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 11:45 AM

Yup

#19 Rhinehart

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 06:50 PM

I think it will be what mecharrior usually is, a fairly simpleminded sim. Yet those are some of the best, both in fun factor and commercially. Dig back into memory and look at games like the Wingcommander series, the X-wing/Tie Fighter series and such. None of those could be called incredibly complex sims. Yet they were just Sim enough to be immersive without being too complex.

Kind of like every other Mechwarrior title that's been released hmm?

I think Mechwarrior Online will be true to its roots and that's all it needs to be. PGI might or might not get a gazillion subscribers that will be here one minute and then gone on to the next thing. But it will get them a Hardcore fan base that will shell out dough to keep the game rolling and have a blast while doing it. Over the long term that loyalty is what will make the game profitable.

I'll be first in line.

#20 Name140704

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 06:57 PM

I liked all the mechwarrior games, except MW4, so I'm hoping it's more like MPBT :3025.





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