52 replies to this topic

[Arikiel]

As others have pointed out between 3030 and 3050 advanced technology starts to become available. However it remains rare and expensive during this period. In games terms I'd say it should exist. It's just a matter of if you have the C-bills to actually get any of it.

[Kobold]

I suspect it will all be available, just expensive. (Though you may need to grind to a certain XP level before you can buy certain tech)


However: A lot of this discussion is actually a matchmaking discussion in disguise as a tech discussion. Consider two heavy mechs. A newbie in his stock DRG-1N dragon has 2 ML, 1 AC 5, and an LRM 20. Now consider Kobold in his "not technically a Grand Dragon, but he is trying!," where I paid (cbills or cash money) for an XL engine and Double Heat Sinks so that I could keep cool while firing a PPC, LRM 15, and 4 MLs. Clearly, not all variants of the same weight are created equal.

If the powers that be don't want to create a custom BV-like equation, they may be best off just comparing the total cbill cost of the mechs on each side. If one guy shows up with an AS7-K (or some equivalent high tech assault mech), he might find that the matchmaking system has teamed him up with a bunch of stock Centurions and Hunchbacks.

[PANZERBUNNY]

Paladin1, on 01 November 2011 - 01:21 PM, said:

Per canon, only elite units had access to advanced tech during the early stages of the Clan War. It was already coming back, but unless you were a part of an elite regiment, you probably wouldn't be seeing much of it.

What does that mean to us? I'd expect to see advanced tech that was extremely expensive at first and possibly level locked in addition to cost.

We're supposed to be the elite units.

Problem solved.

Just like in any fantasy story or RPG the players and the characters are the heroes of the tale thrust into an exceptional fate.

We are those heroes.

[Kobold]

PANZERBUNNY, on 06 June 2012 - 08:34 AM, said:

We're supposed to be the elite units.

Problem solved.

Just like in any fantasy story or RPG the players and the characters are the heroes of the tale thrust into an exceptional fate.

We are those heroes.

yeah, not a lot of people want to play as Lt. Rookie McGreenhorn, driving an ancient UrbanMech and performing garrison duty.

[Tadakuma]

Andrew Harvey, on 01 November 2011 - 02:59 PM, said:

I was sure I'd seen either the Grand Dragon or upgraded Panther in 'Heir to the Dragon' or one of the other pre-invasion books. I probably just need to re-read them. You have a point about the range; the Clan ER Large Laser has a severe range advantage, even over the IS ER Large Laser. You're probably right about the scarcity of new-tech. Not seeing it mentioned, even in an Elite Mercenary unit like the Kell Hounds, is an important sign. I just hope that it won't all be completely 'off-limits' before the Clan Invasion begins.

The original Grand Dragon was a 3025 Dragon variant, that swapped the AC5 and ammo for a PPC, 2 extra heatsinks and a Medium Laser.

The Grand Dragon you were referring to is a the 3050 upgrade that came online just prior to the clan invasion.

[PANZERBUNNY]

Kobold, on 06 June 2012 - 08:36 AM, said:

yeah, not a lot of people want to play as Lt. Rookie McGreenhorn, driving an ancient UrbanMech and performing garrison duty.

Actually..that sounds kind of fun.

When the Urbie gets released a league needs to start up where all the mechs in your lance(s) need to be the same mech, and we fight it out to determine which mech is the best mech of them all, gladiator style!!!

We could do "belts or medals" for the best mech in each weight class.

Kobold, on 06 June 2012 - 07:41 AM, said:

I suspect it will all be available, just expensive. (Though you may need to grind to a certain XP level before you can buy certain tech)


However: A lot of this discussion is actually a matchmaking discussion in disguise as a tech discussion. Consider two heavy mechs. A newbie in his stock DRG-1N dragon has 2 ML, 1 AC 5, and an LRM 20. Now consider Kobold in his "not technically a Grand Dragon, but he is trying!," where I paid (cbills or cash money) for an XL engine and Double Heat Sinks so that I could keep cool while firing a PPC, LRM 15, and 4 MLs. Clearly, not all variants of the same weight are created equal.

If the powers that be don't want to create a custom BV-like equation, they may be best off just comparing the total cbill cost of the mechs on each side. If one guy shows up with an AS7-K (or some equivalent high tech assault mech), he might find that the matchmaking system has teamed him up with a bunch of stock Centurions and Hunchbacks.

C-Bill doens't automatically = the Same BV(ish) from what I can remember.

[Skylarr]

PANZERBUNNY, on 06 June 2012 - 08:34 AM, said:

We're supposed to be the elite units.

Problem solved.

Just like in any fantasy story or RPG the players and the characters are the heroes of the tale thrust into an exceptional fate.

We are those heroes.

This is the first time I have seen someone say this, besides me. I am glad someone else gets the point.

In what ever match you are in you are an elite warrior in an elite unit. That is why you can upgrade you Mech and be stuck with a 3025 mech the whole time you are playing.

You have 9 months to figure out what Mech(s) like and how you want to mod it(them) before the Clans hit.

[Kobold]

PANZERBUNNY, on 06 June 2012 - 08:51 AM, said:

C-Bill doens't automatically = the Same BV(ish) from what I can remember.

Absolutely correct, in tabletop. Certain options in TT are ridiculously expensive (particularly XL engines) and the resulting mech never quite matches up.

However I'm just pitching that as a random adhoc way of doing it if they don't come up with their own BV-like equation. I am also assuming they aren't slavishly adhering to the prices listed in the TechManual, since those prices we never intended to be a balancing system. In a game like this, balancing is necessary between equipment.

[Grokmoo]

In my view, the "clan invasion" should consist of maybe 3 or 4 waves of new mechs and equipment becoming available to players. The devs should slightly debuff the clan stuff to be only slightly better than the existing IS stuff.

I imagine an announcement on the MWO forums "Clan Invasion", including a pack of 4 of the most iconic clan mechs, and some clan tech.

[Xantars]

you also have to rember some of the mechs they have released, and shown us have the star league tech wish is good, but its no were near as good as clan tech. So we may have have SL tech weapons. Then later as the clans come we may get the chance for clan tech.

[Jack Gallows]

Wow, this got necro'd all the way back from last November.

O_o

[Human Fighter]

as far as balancing issues go why not force the clan pilots to act like clan pilots, make them challenge an oponent, only target that oponent, and loose points for not doing that. This way they have an advantage on the field but dont get to buy more and more stuff unless they act like a clanner.

[Dark Puppy]

Your also forgetting guys outside Snod's Irregulars and the Dragoons merc outfits in the IS don't have advanced tech access. The Hounds for most of their existance struggle to maintain 1 regiment of battlemechs, it's not til the Hounds save Melissa that money is left to them to raise the second regiment. Even then they banked most of the cash as an in case **** fund. The Dragoons received periodic resupply from Clan Wolf to suppliment their own production capabilities until the Combine destroyed it.

Advanced tech didn't find it's way to mercs unless they stumbled across lost tech or the Clan Invasion when they got salvage or refit kits (well after the House units). Barring stumbling across it merc units shouldn't see it unless it's salvageable, but the Devs had pretty much said no to salvage.