12 replies to this topic

[zverofaust]

The latest Devblog wasn't very clear about this: Are Pilot Skills universally and "passively" applied once they are unlocked, regardless of chassis, role or modules? For example if I unlock the Scout tree's first skill, Zoom, will every Mech I pilot from then on have this ability forever? Or will I have to "equip" these skills?

[Orzorn]

Pilot skills follow you, mech efficiencies will not.

[zverofaust]

That's what I was hoping -- I'd hate to have to unlock every Pilot Skill for every Mech. That would be... ugh.

[That Guy]

and pilot skills are only active when you have the module attached to the mech you are in. you may have maxed out your attack defence tree, but the mech only has 3 module slots.

[zverofaust]

That Guy, on 03 February 2012 - 04:43 PM, said:

and pilot skills are only active when you have the module attached to the mech you are in. you may have maxed out your attack defence tree, but the mech only has 3 module slots.

Wait, where are you getting this from? Everything I've seen points to Pilot Skills being naturally, passively applied once unlocked and Modules adding further upgrade abilities beyond that.

[Orzorn]

Edit: Ah, on second read, we're thinking of this backwards, zverofaust. Battlemech efficiencies are constant, but Pilot Skills are NOT. Pilot skills unlock modules which represent these additional capabilities (which makes sense. How does a pilot themselves have night vision?).

Just read this paragraph:
A Module is unlocked by gaining efficiencies in a particular BattleMech’s Mech-XP Tree. When a single Tier for a given chassis is complete, the player earns 1 Player Point. Once a Module on the Pilot Skill Tree has been unlocked it produces modules. These modules are purchased as an item from the Store using C-Bills. If the player wishes to use the same module across multiple BattleMechs, they will have to purchase one for each.

Thus, players get player points from battlemech tiers. Those player points are spent on pilot skills, which unlock modules which represent those skills.

Battlemech efficiencies are permanent to that battlemech, but pilot skills are in the form of modules which must be moved and purchased.

Edited by Orzorn, 03 February 2012 - 04:59 PM.

[That Guy]

Quote

ot Points that are unlocked in the BattleMech Tech Tree are then assigned to the player’s pilot avatar (MechWarrior).


Now the player can use the Pilot Points to unlock pilot abilities in the Pilot Skill tree. As abilities are purchased, Modules are unlocked in the store.


The Cost of Modules

A Module is unlocked by gaining efficiencies in a particular BattleMech’s Mech-XP Tree. When a single Tier for a given chassis is complete, the player earns 1 Player Point. Once a Module on the Pilot Skill Tree has been unlocked it produces modules. These modules are purchased as an item from the Store using C-Bills. If the player wishes to use the same module across multiple BattleMechs, they will have to purchase one for each.

there. the pilot skill unlocks a module, which can be bought and mounted

imo it is much better this way. high level pilots dont totally dominate the lower levels with tons of bonus, but only have a little more flexibility

Edited by That Guy, 03 February 2012 - 04:59 PM.

[MaddMaxx]

Skills would appear to be Passive in nature with Modules being Unlocked but require purchasing for each chassis you want to have them in. Efficiencies are Mech based and locked to the variant you apply them to individually.

Edited by MaddMaxx, 03 February 2012 - 04:55 PM.

[Orzorn]

That Guy, on 03 February 2012 - 04:52 PM, said:

there. the pilot skill unlocks a module, which can be bought and mounted

imo it is much better this way. high level pilots dont totally dominate the lower levels with tons of bonus, but only have a little more flexibility

Yes yes, after reviewing the posts I realize I was wrong, and this does indeed make much more sense. Invidiual battlemechs get efficiencies, and players get modules which they can move around. This is also balanced in that high level players won't have the ability to have missile strikes, artilery strikes, bombardments, and drones all in one match, unless they intentionally try to use as many of those modules as possible.

[FinnMcKool]

Of course the will have as many as they can , but how many times in a match can they call them , how fast will they come?
can everyone on the team play the Bombarder in chief (commander) ?

just wondering ?







nothing to distract any here.

[Halfinax]

Yeah, between Devblog 3 and 4 I'm getting conflicting accounts. 3 Suggests that you have BattleMech skills that are specific to each chassis and unlock Pilot Points (PP) which in turn unlock modules.

DevBlog 4 says that you get BattleMech XP which unlocks PP that only translate to new modules when unlocked.

Personally I found the DevBlog 3 version more appealing. If the way I interpret DevBlog 4 is correct then there are no Pilot Skills and it's just new modules instead of modules supplementing Chassis and Pilot Skills. The former adds tremendous depth to roles, and the latter not so much.

The former suggests that a Scout 'Mech could have a Scout focused pilot that also supplements their skills with Modules, and the former is just specializing a 'Mech within the role. so instead of this Super Scout 'Mech with a Scout specialist at the helm augmenting their abilities with scouting modules you, instead; end up with a Scout 'Mech augmented with scouting modules to enhance it.

The first interpretation allows tremendous depth and customization and the second allows some level of customization, but no real specialization within a given role. I really hope there was some misunderstanding or mistranslation in DevBlog 4.

[zverofaust]

If it is true, and Pilot Skills are really nothing more than placeholders to show you've unlocked a Module that will give you that ability, it's quite confusing. When/If I unlock the Scout's first Skill upgrade, 7x Zoom, I won't actually have 7x Zoom until I buy and equip the 7x Zoom Module. This also makes a suggestion I posted stupid because I posted it under the impression Skills =/= Modules.

[Nick Makiaveli]

zverofaust, on 04 February 2012 - 06:27 AM, said:

If it is true, and Pilot Skills are really nothing more than placeholders to show you've unlocked a Module that will give you that ability, it's quite confusing. When/If I unlock the Scout's first Skill upgrade, 7x Zoom, I won't actually have 7x Zoom until I buy and equip the 7x Zoom Module. This also makes a suggestion I posted stupid because I posted it under the impression Skills =/= Modules.

The module represents the piece of equipment you mount on your mech. It's just a hunk of metal until you learn to use it. All this does is say you can't buy it until you can use it.