35 replies to this topic

[zverofaust]

According to the recent DevBlog on Info warfare:

• Mech XP is earned in games.
  
• Mech XP is used to advance through that specific Mech's Tech Tree.
  
• After reaching certain levels in the Tech Tree, Pilot Points are awarded.
  
• Pilot Points are used to purchase Pilot Abilities.
  
• Purchasing Pilot Abilities unlocks items in the C-Bill store.

Problem: Once you've fully maxed out a Mech, and advanced through it's entire Tech Tree, it serves absolutely no further purpose in terms of advancing your Pilot's skills, abilities and gaining access to more modules.

My main problem with this is that I will not be able to continue unlocking new modules without hopping from one Mech to the next, using it until I unlock all of its Tech Tree and then selling it and moving on to the next. In an example, say I'm enjoying playing a scouty little Raven and earn enough Pilot Points and Modules to fit some ECM, advanced sensors and speed buffs. I max it out. Then I decide I want to play a more Command and Support-centric Raven, with NARC missiles or C3 network to give my long-range hitters some accuracy boosts. Nope, sorry -- I'm going to have to hop in a completely different Mech to earn the necessary PP/Modules to do that. So let's say I choose the Owens to do this; I spend all of my Owens Pilot Points and Module unlocks on C3 networks, NARC missiles and various supportive modules and player abilities. That's all cool. But, then, say, 6 months down the line I decide I want to play an Owens in a more traditional LRM missile boating role -- unfortunately, I've already used all the Owens' module unlock potential on unlocking stuff to use on the Raven.

So basically, from the sounds of it, once you commit to a certain patch for a Mech you're stuck with it -- until you buy a completely different Mech to unlock those abilities, thus locking that Mech into that path, and so on and so forth. Anyway, that's my worry.

[Rilenn]

I'm not sure your fears are grounded in the example you gave. We dont know if modules are interchangeable with other mech types (i.e. NARC missles, since more than one mech uses them). I guess we'll see as more information is released. I'm hoping that maybe they will have the tutorial available in a .pdf format or weblink to start planning how we will play the game.

Maybe one of the devs will reply to your question....It does make you think.

[zverofaust]

If modules aren't interchangable between different Mechs then it's a much bigger problem, since there will be no way to further unlock modules on maxed-XP Mechs, unless the amount of XP earned and Pilot Points awarded fulfills the exact requirements to unlock all modules for that Mech. In which case that's fine.

Edited by zverofaust, 02 February 2012 - 03:46 AM.

[Hayden]

I think you may be putting a bit more on modules than there really is. I don't think modules are going to be so powerful that they'll be game changers. An example they gave with night vision is that one module would let you see more detail, but at the cost of range. I don't think modules are intended to really add that much more power than they are intended to give 'mechs personality and maybe a bit more functionality in some areas at the expense of others?

That's just based off last month's Q&A. Just gotta wait and see what they tell us.

[Randal Waide]

Seems if you can use NARC on one mech you can use it on all mechs. That should be where pilot XP comes in, but pilot XP should be transferable from one mech to the next. I.e. pilot and gunnery skills on the tabletop game. Yes, you may not have proper skills to jump from a raven role to an atlas role, so mech skills will be low, but the equipment you qualify on should transfer. Your pilot shouldn't forget how to use an LRM or spend too much time fumbling for the trigger to use it. I guess the game could slow reaction time, torso twists, movement jump distance, targeting reticle could be floaty or to-hit chance lowered, etc to reflect basic (un) familiarity with the mech you are piloting. Only using the mech for mech XP will make it better. But you should be able to use the equipment.
So, equipment checked out on _______________.
Not sure how they can pull that off clean unless pilots have skills like the board game. I'm interested to see what THEY say about this.

[Maximilian Thorn]

To the OP, that is not how I understood the Devs' blog at all. IMHO, you would be benefitted more by playing a specific role (i.e. Scout), with a specific Mech (i.e. Raven) with role-specific modules (i.e. Radar). At this time, we don't know how the skill trees are contructed (i.e. level of skill trees' cap, level of diversity of skill trees, level of impact of skills trees on gameplay).

Who knows? Maybe there is no skill level cap...or Mech XP cap for that matter. Maybe, we will be able to continue to gain skills and XP just staying put where we are most happiest.

We just don't know enough yet to give a definitive answer as to how this is going to all play out.

[Mchawkeye]

Personally, I look at it like any other game. you play the game one way i.e as a scout. you either get bored of that or max your mech out, so you pick another chassis and start again. No different to playing a game though one way, then decideding that maybe you won't use a female Sheppard and try to make her have sex with Miranda, so you do it all again, but differently. with less predictable teenage lesbian sex obsession.

That, and since the game will be constantly evolving, mechs and classes could potentially alter frequently enough to keep it interesting in any given role.

[Fooooo]

There are 2 ways this could really be percived.....

1st is the OP's thoughts in that you will have to use multiple mechs to get to the top pilot level. (there is only 1 pilot tree to level)

The 2nd is based on the fact that we don't know if the "pilot trees" will be seperate for each mech or not.

Basically do the pilot trees stand on their own ? Like the OP's thoughts? , or is there a pilot tree for each mech ??

Basically having one for each mech means that having a jenner with a maxed out pilot tree would do nothing for your other mechs. You would have to level the pilot of those mechs also etc etc....

Think of the crew's in WoT (for those that have played it) and how you can't really transfer them to another tank at 100%...at least easily You have to "level" your new crew (pilot tree) for each tank (mech).


Though I think it may be more like the OP's thoughts, we haven't really been given any detailed stuff on how the pilot tree 'exactly' works, so im just speculating here



edit : Just read some new posts from the devblog and apparently it is like the OP has stated, you need to use multiple mechs to level your pilot tree fully and its just 1 pilot tree. Also it seems as though you can get ALL the skills / modules in the tree eventually so if you started as a scout and find you want to change you just need to get some more points and lvl up your assault to get the assault mods etc..

Edited by Foòóoo, 02 February 2012 - 05:09 AM.

[EDMW CSN]

I put my 2 cents on modules being Rank / Player XP unlocks. Same for weapons.
This is after all pretty common for most online FPSes, it is somewhat sensible after all.

Switching from mech class to another mech class might confer some penalty or bonus depending on how experienced you are with your ride.

[Denvian]

I'm a little bit more worried about my player being locked into a "role". I mean its cool that there will be roles in any given battle but I would think it would suck to be proficient only in a scouting role... I mean i sure would want to pilot a assault Mech every once in a while even if it is not my preference.

But time will tell how "Locked" your skills tree on mech or pilot will be.

Edited by Denvian, 02 February 2012 - 05:16 AM.

[Ghostrider45]

Not smart Modules for the mech should beable to be changed out between missings if your mech is loaded to the giles you may have to remove some thing to add some thing but if it does not over weaght the mech are not to big to fit in one of the Modules think mech 3 are 4 , red for lasers green for missiles yellow for cannans! if you reel lucky you'll get Black spaces you can add any thing in those they come in one space ,two spaces, up to four spaces!!! wright size and color fits then add wieght if wright it fits!! Pilot Abilites that read to be Sight sound and Commad maybe seed?

[Orzorn]

zverofaust, on 02 February 2012 - 03:40 AM, said:

If modules aren't interchangable between different Mechs then it's a much bigger problem, since there will be no way to further unlock modules on maxed-XP Mechs, unless the amount of XP earned and Pilot Points awarded fulfills the exact requirements to unlock all modules for that Mech. In which case that's fine.

http://mwomercs.com/...892#entry102892

Modules, once unlocked, can be swapped between any mech.

[Bryan Ekman]

Some of your concerns will be addressed in tomorrow's dev blog in a nifty picture.

[CoffiNail]

Bryan Ekman, on 02 February 2012 - 06:58 AM, said:

Some of your concerns will be addressed in tomorrow's dev blog in a nifty picture.

Is Paul drawing this one too?

[Dihm]

I hope the mech has a laser sword and cape this time, if it is missing hands.

[Mchawkeye]

Bryan Ekman, on 02 February 2012 - 06:58 AM, said:

Some of your concerns will be addressed in tomorrow's dev blog in a nifty picture.

For some reason I will be seeing a therapist for, I imagined all you dev types pulling something like this...

http://27.media.tumb...g87qto1_500.jpg

Edited by Mchawkeye, 02 February 2012 - 07:10 AM.

[Roughneck45]

my guess is that if you want to keep using a mech that you have maxed the xp out on, you will still get pilot points you would have got before, you are just wasting the potential xp you could be gaining using a different mech because youve already maxed out the current one.

after all, you are still piloting something, so you should still get the pilot points. maybe at a different rate or something because youve maxed out your mech, but i cant really see them penalizing someone who really likes to play a particular role and use a certain mech.

[Dataman]

I thinks it's like this

buy 2 owens, owens 1 goes to LRM role, owens 2 goes to close hit n run.

they have different modules and buffs

well... waste of c-bills, kinda...

[Kael Tropheus]

Maybe I missed something here. While i am against changing out weapons systems and such on a large scale, why would earning some modules preclude using others. We will use the Raven for example. If I remember it has a SRM rack and a pair of medium lasers. Now upgrading that i personally would find acceptable to fluff would be SRMs to the streak or inferno versions and medium lasers to the pulse or er versions. Equipment upgrades like better radar and such should be pretty exchangable since that is what the mech is designed for. Maybe have a basic recon package(the 2025 stock model) and as exp is earned you end up being able to upgrade to a type 2 radar that does x and later a type 3 that does y. Your upcoming mission likely you will need function x so you keep the type 2 installed, the next mission the stock model might be more to the pilot's advantage as maybe it frees up critical space for something. I cant see how modules would force you to buy an extra mech unless you just do not feel like customizing in between missions. Your skill upgrades obviously wouldnt change like that. This is the most common sense thing to me. Certain missions may find one weapon over the other and if you already have the gear in inventory then switching out in this fashion shouldnt be too difficult. Note weight and crit slot allocations do apply but I was generalizing.

[TheRulesLawyer]

The OP's analysis is pretty spot on to what I got out of the latest dev blog. You'll need to level more than one mech to max your pilot. Apparently more info to come though.