109 replies to this topic

[Merf]

Adrian Pryde, on 13 January 2012 - 08:22 AM, said:

Perhaps one could treat it almost like a raid in other MMO's. You get to compete in one bloodname trial every week, in a way a form of continual player tournament.

That I believe would lead to more blood names being around then I would care for. Granted I also have trouble swallowing the setting in the new SWTOR game just because it sort of has too many Jedi/Sith running around (yes, yes I am aware of the time period it is set in but no sorry, too many of them).

/Merf - A way will be found

[CoffiNail]

bloodname is to be special, not a once a week event. I would guess a player who has a bloodname and goes inactive for a few months may be considered 'dead' and lose the bloodname so others can compete for it. But i do not want the 50 Prydes signed up to this board all to have Pryde. there are 25 max bloodnamed per bloodname.

[Ravn]

Monthly events for the MW bloodnames. For the General/Command bloodnames - Give them to the Top 25/50/75 players based on how many General bloodnames your clan has.

[Adrian Pryde]

I feel like application of bloodnames strictly as canon to an online game such as this is severely limiting the enjoyment of the player base. The issue should not be the number, but creating a system in which players feel as if they have earned their blood name. They absolutely should not just be given to players, even if they have made their way to positions on rankings etc.

There is also the issue of how large the player base gets.

Clan Jade Falcon has 8 mechwarrior and general purpose Bloodnames (Buhallin, Helmer, Pryde, Roshak, Mattlov and Chistu, Hazen, Malthus). At 25 each, that makes 400 players. A clan Galaxy contains (very) roughly 240 mechs (http://www.sarna.net...itary_Structure), of which the Jade Falcons have 9. Even assuming this are all battlemechs we have 2160 mechwarriors. Which means about 18.5% of those warriors have bloodnames.

Granted, the exact accuracy of the math is not going to be spot on. My point really is to highlight that there is a huge difference between a game such as this and the way the Battletech universe operates. There are hopefully going to be more than 2000 players in any given faction for a server.

What we have here is a chance to create something fun in the game. Something for players to compete for and earn, not something we should bog down with steadfast adherence to canon. A bloodname tournament every week, every two weeks, whatever. Suddenly you have to win a tournament against everyone else who wants that bloodname. That means something. And I am sure players will compete every single week trying to get one.

Plus, if you do 4 bloodnames a week for each clan, 52 weeks a year and you get about 400 blood names a year for each clan. Which I feel might not be too much of a stretch of canon.

[Ravn]

Would your example have expiration dates on those bloodnames, how often would we have to defend the title?

[Adrian Pryde]

Just in terms of gameplay, I would say that once you have a bloodname you get to keep it. Which is the same in canon, once earned it is yours. If you have to continually fight to maintain and keep it, you are essentially eliminating the chance for casual players to earn them. Which is not how they are, any mechwarrior could fight for a blood name through use of the Grand Melee, not just through sponsorship. So I would feel that once it is earned, it is earned and kept. If you log in every Friday for 6 weeks or more, every time to fight through a tournament of 100 other players, when you finally win it means something. And if you want to add some more flavor to the method, have say 10 top players seeded higher in the brackets based on their honor rankings or whatever.

Now ranks, those have to be maintained even in lore. If you want to be a hardcore player and have something attached to you name which you continually defend and show off, aim to be a Star Captain or Star Colonel that is fine.

You also have to remember that in pen and paper Mechwarrior, your player base is probably going to be around 4. As a lore attached to a game mechanic, bloodnames are very approachable. You only have to defeat the challenge your friend gave you. This is a completely different scenario. Bloodnames are set as things every clanner wants, that every clan player will want, but it has not direct game mechanic effects. It is designed for role-play, for character building. And as such should be available to all players.

[MarauderDeuce]

You don't get to fight for a bloodname until your loyalty rating is high enough.

[Fiachdubh]

How about after someone earns their bloodname their Clan submits a request change of name form to the Devs/Mods/whoever to add the bloodname (could also require all potential clanners to alter name to remove any second name they already have when joining clans). This would control the use of made up/ridiculous bloodnames. A required level of playing time or some such before a Trial of Bloodright would also stop an immediate deluge of name change requests to whoever is handling them.

As to the concern of too many bloodnames there are 25 of each of 20 bloodnames (correct me if wrong) meaning 500 which should probably be enough. An expiration after long term inactivity should free some up and make the Trial of Bloodrightall the more competitive.
Another option (if 500 are not enough) would be expiration dates on all Bloodnames so every so often it is up for grabs again so the best (or luckiest) pilots at any given time will have the most prestigous bloodnames.

[Archer Pryde]

Who says there is to be a bloodname process at all. How many Davions, Steiners, Kuritas, etc... are there going to be in the other houses? Then there is the server that will be played on, the number of layers per server, etc... if you have a booldname for your character shouldn't matter, what will matter is if they are a good pilot or not. if they are good then ppl will see that the name is well deserved, if not then they can just be seen as being a weak strain in the bloodname, heck Adian Pryde's name was a weak pedigree untill he proved him self and strengthed it. Someone claiming a blood name shouldn't matter, it should be what they do with it.

[Archer Pryde]

You also can't forget that bloodnames aren't just given to warriors. Granted they are given to mechwarriors, elementals, and aerospace pilots, but they are also given to good battlefield commanders, fleet commanders, and others who have and can prove themselves in some aspect of battle. Even the scientist caste will give surnames to those who have proven their worth to their caste, even if they aren't offical blood names they are still recognized. So even if a player is a bad warrior if they are a good commander and strategist they can still be seen as worthy of a bloodname.

[Adrian Pryde]

Bloodnames are too integral to lore and too great of a potential game mechanic to just let slip when they introduce the clans. At the very least it would be part of character advancement. And Archer you are missing the fact that Bloodnames are not given, they are earned. It does not matter if you are a good commander and strategist. If you cannot win a Trial of Bloodright you will not get a blood name. That is the key.

[Archer Pryde]

Im not saying that they are given, but most of the prominent warriors also happen to be the best stratigists and tacticians the clans have. Granted that their are a number of bloodnamed mechwarriors that are very offensive and aggressive, kind of a necessity when being clan, but a greater number are also good tacticians. So while combat is a good way to determine warriors I also think that those who are also good tacticians should be able claim a bloodname. A good warrior is one who knows how fight, a cood commander is one who knows when to fight, and I think that everyone can agree that bloodnamed warriors are commanders not just warriors.

[Alekseyev]

Adrian Pryde, on 19 January 2012 - 09:37 PM, said:

Bloodnames are too integral to lore and too great of a potential game mechanic to just let slip when they introduce the clans. At the very least it would be part of character advancement. And Archer you are missing the fact that Bloodnames are not given, they are earned. It does not matter if you are a good commander and strategist. If you cannot win a Trial of Bloodright you will not get a blood name. That is the key.

pretty much my feeling

[guardian wolf]

Archer Pryde, on 22 January 2012 - 01:48 PM, said:

Im not saying that they are given, but most of the prominent warriors also happen to be the best stratigists and tacticians the clans have. Granted that their are a number of bloodnamed mechwarriors that are very offensive and aggressive, kind of a necessity when being clan, but a greater number are also good tacticians. So while combat is a good way to determine warriors I also think that those who are also good tacticians should be able claim a bloodname. A good warrior is one who knows how fight, a good commander is one who knows when to fight, and I think that everyone can agree that bloodnamed warriors are commanders not just warriors.

Aff, Archer has a point, I agree with that most bloodnamed warriors must have experience commanding underlings. I for one, am ready for any trial I must take to earn back my bloodname. Though it would make a little sense along with Archer's terms, say you have an extremely good battle, one where you not only fought tooth and claw, but commanded a group to victory, where others would have lost. That would be suitable to have a commanding officer, grant that player a bloodname for his/her valor in the field of battle. I have taken a trial bloodname a while ago, in a different league, but I was sponsored because of my actions when my binary was ambushed by a much larger force, and we had to retreat to call in reinforcements. I personally held the line, buying my Starmates time to get the hell out. The name I got was ward, but I digress.

Edited by guardian wolf, 24 January 2012 - 08:11 AM.

[Adrian Pryde]

That is simply not how bloodnames work. http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Bloodname

A warrior with a bloodname dies, and then there is a Trial of Bloodright held where individuals sponsored by other warriors with that bloodname compete for the newly opened slot. You are not given the blood name for Valor, it is not like a medal of honor. You are not granted the bloodname. You fight tooth and nail against other warriors to get it. The only part commanding skill has to play is in your nomination. Otherwise you have to fight through a Grand Melee.

[CoffiNail]

PGI is too lore ingrained to do it by a valor aspect. To gain a bloodname, you will have to go through ToB to aquire it, you will have to win through the 5 rounds. Be neat if after the bloodnames are aquired that when one player is inactive for too long or something that the name becomes available and they other bloodnamed of that house can nominate other players, very lore like. Could be interesting if done right. I know I do not want to see 300 players with a Pryde Bloodname.

[Phoenix Ward]

I can see where the issue of honor and a point of pride is to be taken into account for all players, and that earning your bloodname should not be an easy or for that matter minor detail. In the eyes of the clans it is the pinicle of your stature to be blooded. If we were to limit and impose restrictions on how many could variably be in by ToB would make for interesting and well organized tournaments, but the numbers simply have to be upped due to server population and demand.

Clansmen don't simply lay down their allegience. We fight for their logo's in and out of games, and we wear their badges in and out of game. So, it only make sense to up the amount players elligible for said titles. However, I do see the fun and the honor attatched to keeping the bloodnames as titles for competing and doing well in gladiatorial combat of kinsmen. Consistent entry would keep you in running for such titles, but only through competition and skill would bloodnames be open. The question then becomes, how would you organize the bloodnames to suit the masses, as a simple "lockout" would stress the players a bit. Its an interesting and difficult idea to impliment at the core of the matter. We are a finnicky and warring player base. We have our fun, but we also have our grudges and differences.

I dunno, I suppose now I am just repeating the net issue.

TL:DNR

I like the idea, it needs some ironing out for the implentation of an MMO style of game. I do believe it can be done though

Edited by Phoenix Ward, 26 January 2012 - 04:08 AM.

[Adrian Pryde]

Bringing up something else, F2P versus P2P, I would imagine the ability to compete for a bloodname would be a good way to differentiate without upsetting gameplay.

[Merf]

Adrian Pryde, on 26 January 2012 - 07:59 AM, said:

Bringing up something else, F2P versus P2P, I would imagine the ability to compete for a bloodname would be a good way to differentiate without upsetting gameplay.

Might end up with bloodnames being disrespected rather then respected. Sort of how some commodities are looked at as nothing but ego boosts (Proviking the "Compensating for something? O_o" reaction).

/Merf - "Lawl, you bought the cheap bloodname"

[CoffiNail]

I would be very upset if you could buy a bloodname, takes away the whole meaning of the surname among the Clans. It MUST be earned through Trials, where the best player gets the title.