7 replies to this topic

[Ashla Mason]

In about a year (give or take) the MWO setting is going to be embroiled in the clan invasion if the developers maintain their 1:1 time table, and for obvious reasons people have a lot to say about it.

The principal concern I think players have with including the clans, is not so much of the clans themselves or their technology, but rather the unholy synthesis of Clan weaponry with the IS "only thing that matters is victory" approach to combat. The thought of this (and the idea that their are certainly people who want to be clan solely so that they can do this) concerns me as much as it does anyone else, so I had a few thoughts on how to do this drawn from the lore of the setting.

The key, is emphasizing the clan "dueling" method of combat and the various rules that have evolved since nicholas kerensky founded them. By tying the clans economic system into their ability to effectively abide by the many rules present therein, Clan players will rapidly conform to the style when they realize that they can't keep riding their precious Timberwolves and Mad Dogs if they resort to such tactics as firing on mechs that have over heated, gang up, back shoot or Ram/DFA due to penalties for violating the style.

With more limited options on how they can engage enemy mechs and an emphasis on individual skill more so then teamwork, the clan players will be justified in haveing mechs and tech that are able to shoot farther, run faster and get slapped harder.

Thoughts?

[Otto Cannon]

Gosh, I wonder why nobody else has ever suggested making clan players follow a code of behaviour in combat?

Oh, wait... They have. Dozens of times.

[Saviger]

...... Really?....

[Lord Jay]

It is never a good idea to punish players for playing the way they want to play.

In canon the Clans bid against each other for the honor of invading a world. The clan that bid the lowest force wins.

Combine that with a rewards system where the reward scales up the smaller the force you deploy and you have a mechanic to help ensure that the clans will always be out numbered in any given match.

This keeps with canon and serves to balance the matches.

A bidding system is already planned for the Merc groups, it would not be difficult to expand that to the Clans.

[Thornix]

Clan superior technology can help players, but their rules can make combat more dificult. Becoming a clan player will probubly not cost real money then. It's just a diferent, but (probubly) not superior or inferior way to fight and play the game. Maybe the game will make it imposible to fire on certain targets when clan rules mean you were not suposed to try anyway.

EDIT: This way it's imposible to break the rules (so no penalty) and it will balance the game more by giving clan players a disadvantage (rules) to counteract their advantage( tech).

EDIT 2: This way also helps proper cannon so clan players can't break rules without punishment because they can't break rules at all.

Edited by Thornix, 30 July 2012 - 01:26 PM.

[Stormwolf]

Okay guys, don't rip him to shreds over this.

Anyway, it has been discussed numerous times, there have been various threads about this.

But let's get some things out of the way when it comes to honor rules:
- It is allowed to target any body part on a enemy mech
- Shutdown mechs may not be fired upon if there is no pilot inside, overheated mechs are fair game.
- Ganging up on a opponent is a big no no if they fight honorably, dishonorable warriors get slaughtered on the spot.
- Mechs with C3 networks are fair game since they are essentially cheating.
- Area effect weapons are usually shunned, but the Clans will field mechs like the Naga against dishonorable opponents (Comstar, WoB, etc)
- Retreating mechs may be fired upon unless they have been granted Hegira (the right to withdraw honorably).
- Safcon (safe passage) is to be honored if a superior officer has granted it.
- Physical attacks are seen as distasteful, but are by no means forbidden.

Show me a offcial sourcebook that says otherwise on these matters (spoilers, you will never find a rule that you can't target the head or back for instance). There are a number of lists floating around that revolve around the honor rules, but most of those are just fabricated to create a bigger handicap for Clan players.

At any rate here's what Clan combat revolves around:
- Bid lighter mechs (or lower BV) to get one up on your peers and be allowed to enter the battle.
- Coffinail once suggested a "Claim button" of sorts to pick out a target that is yours to kill (prevent any team mate from engaging them)
- Teaming up to bring down one guy should yield little to no rewards (XP, honor, etc)
- Keeping with Clan tradition and fighting honorably against other Clan players should yield rather big rewards.
- Taking down a IS mech of equal or lesser weight should only give a small reward
- Taking down a IS mech of greater weight should give a good reward.
- Taking down a Clan mech of lesser weight should net a small reward
- Taking down a Clan mech of equal weight should net a good reward
- Taking down a Clan mech of greater weight should net a excellent reward
- Taking down multiple opponents with a greater combined weight should get the best reward.

I personally think that there should be ranks, but the ranks should end at Star Colonel for players.

Edited by Stormwolf, 30 July 2012 - 01:28 PM.

[Stomp]

My body is ready, hahaha. Big clanner, love the verbage and attitude, not sure how well I'd actually do though in a 1 on 1 fight in a Jenner, but that's okay, I'll just have to get more practice.

[Stormwolf]

Stomp, on 30 July 2012 - 01:41 PM, said:

My body is ready, hahaha. Big clanner, love the verbage and attitude, not sure how well I'd actually do though in a 1 on 1 fight in a Jenner, but that's okay, I'll just have to get more practice.

Ha, I'll take you down in a Fire Moth and you will never see it coming.
Or better yet, bring a friend, I will come after you both in a Ice Ferret, we didn't slaughter all those Hellions for nothing.

Edited by Stormwolf, 30 July 2012 - 01:50 PM.