16 replies to this topic

[Sean Lang]

www.nogutsnogalaxy.net

Episode #19: Mechwarrior Living Legends Special!

This episode is actually a bonus podcast, as we will still be recording #20 live tomorrow at our usual time. In this episode, Phil and Daeron sit down with William “KingLeerUK” and Morgan “Toth” from Mechwarrior Living Legends, and chat about all things MWLL past, present, and future. Lots of cool things coming, including new Battle Armor, new Aerospace, a new “banking” system, and hopefully more from the great Duncan Fisher!

[Kaemon]

With all respect to MW:LL (I am impressed with what they have done), I always assumed they were basically 'auditioning' for a studio to pick up the work and fully develop it as a licensed game.

Then MW:O came, and pretty much killed that for the PC platform...ok there's still the Console/iOS/mobile market available.

Then MW:TacCom came out (that sinks iOS)

Then MW:T announced (that may kill the mobile platform if they code the Unity engine correctly, it also rekills PC/iOS a bit).

RoT/Hawken/AC5 - Now the console, periphery BT stuff is diluted as well (and well as those that might want something more flexible in terms of canon, or are unhappy with the redesigns of MW:O).

So where do they fit now? Where will they fit in 2013? Their player base is very small and not growing significantly, they haven't been able (or bothered, not sure which) to secure financing to buy a game engine to move the game forward.

I'd be curious what KingLeer's response would be to the question 'Where does MW:LL fit within the 'Year of the BattleMechs' as it's been touted, and where do they see the product in 5 years?

Once again it's not to ruffle feathers or cast dispersions upon what they've done (because really it's remarkable given the constraints) but time marches on, and with 7 other mech games being available, where do they see themselves fitting in?

[Helmer]

Still a great game with fun gameplay.


And still the only combined Ops Battletech title.

[Orzorn]

Kaemon, on 14 March 2012 - 08:28 AM, said:

With all respect to MW:LL (I am impressed with what they have done), I always assumed they were basically 'auditioning' for a studio to pick up the work and fully develop it as a licensed game.

Then MW:O came, and pretty much killed that for the PC platform...ok there's still the Console/iOS/mobile market available.

Then MW:TacCom came out (that sinks iOS)

Then MW:T announced (that may kill the mobile platform if they code the Unity engine correctly, it also rekills PC/iOS a bit).

RoT/Hawken/AC5 - Now the console, periphery BT stuff is diluted as well (and well as those that might want something more flexible in terms of canon, or are unhappy with the redesigns of MW:O).

So where do they fit now? Where will they fit in 2013? Their player base is very small and not growing significantly, they haven't been able (or bothered, not sure which) to secure financing to buy a game engine to move the game forward.

I'd be curious what KingLeer's response would be to the question 'Where does MW:LL fit within the 'Year of the BattleMechs' as it's been touted, and where do they see the product in 5 years?

Once again it's not to ruffle feathers or cast dispersions upon what they've done (because really it's remarkable given the constraints) but time marches on, and with 7 other mech games being available, where do they see themselves fitting in?

I completely agree. Are they ever going to move past the (now aging) Crysis? The game still looks great, but the restrictions of not having access to the source code have obviously impeded them multiple times. I think my largest issue with MWLL is the crashes that happen. It just kills the mood when the game crashes because that means I lose my kills, my rank, and my mech. Its not fun starting all over.

MWLL is a great project, and was ambitious too, but are they ambitious enough to license (or create) an engine and really take it to the next level? Do they think they could compete with MWO?

[Sean Lang]

Their goal has never been to compete with anyone. Remember they are a combined arms game, nothing like what MW:O is going to be like, and they are not on the same playing field as MW:O.

Remember MW:LL is a non-commercial mod team, with NO need, want to gain $$ from making their game. <--think that is important to remember.

As for people playing the mod itself, I think its a great way for units, players to get ready for MW:O. The controls schemes seem very similar, and organization and management of a unit on the battlefield will be used in both.

Remember, MW:LL has various game play modes, which are available on the server: Test of Strength, Terrain Control, Solaris Arena and much more. Options like re-spawn/non and various other options are located on the server.

But you guys do have some valid responses, and some stuff I'll take notes on to ask Leer in the future! Just remember MW:LL is a community created game, and is going to stay that way in the future, they are not competing with anyone, except for your support!

[Shikari]

The only way for that game to survive in the near future is to turn it in a “not based on any other game” F2P adventure and try to compete with MW:O (not too many chances there as I see it at the moment).

Seriously. I like MW:LL. But never played it. Why? Because I don’t have the stupid Crysis Wars nor do I intend to buy it only to be able to play MW:LL.

[Siilk]

Shikari, on 14 March 2012 - 09:37 AM, said:

Seriously. I like MW:LL. But never played it. Why? Because I don’t have the stupid Crysis Wars nor do I intend to buy it only to be able to play MW:LL.

Dare I ask why? Spending $10.99 on steam for a digital copy or $10.32 on amazon for DVD is way too much for you?

[Zypher]

I think those who had a bad experience with game crashes in the past should probably try it again. When I first started playing I would get a crash to desktop about once an hour. Since that time I have yet to receive one in last few patches. As it stands now even if you do crash you don't lose your rank, cash, groupings etc, those fixes were put in several patches ago.

[Leetskeet]

MWLL runs like crap for the visuals that you get. It's incredible for a mod, and they've done great things with how restricted the engine was to them, but it's a poorly optimized mod of a poorly optimized game.

Respect for giving me a mechwarrior game, but it was an annoying experience.

[Chuckie]

I think everyone is being a bit harsh.. its still Beta for one.

I like it.. only thing I dislike (and it seems from this comment : "A new banking system") is that I have to start at the bottom each time I come in.. and I'm not as good as some there so by the time I am up to my Awesome its time to call it a night.

I love the fact it has tanks, VTOL and other arms.. ]

Overall I find it fun to play, just wish I had more time to devote to it.

[Mechteric]

Kaemon, on 14 March 2012 - 08:28 AM, said:

With all respect to MW:LL (I am impressed with what they have done), I always assumed they were basically 'auditioning' for a studio to pick up the work and fully develop it as a licensed game.

Then MW:O came, and pretty much killed that for the PC platform...ok there's still the Console/iOS/mobile market available.

Then MW:TacCom came out (that sinks iOS)

Then MW:T announced (that may kill the mobile platform if they code the Unity engine correctly, it also rekills PC/iOS a bit).

RoT/Hawken/AC5 - Now the console, periphery BT stuff is diluted as well (and well as those that might want something more flexible in terms of canon, or are unhappy with the redesigns of MW:O).

So where do they fit now? Where will they fit in 2013? Their player base is very small and not growing significantly, they haven't been able (or bothered, not sure which) to secure financing to buy a game engine to move the game forward.
...
I'd be curious what KingLeer's response would be to the question 'Where does MW:LL fit within the 'Year of the BattleMechs' as it's been touted, and where do they see the product in 5 years?

I don't get this view at all, it seems to not understand exactly what being a mod team means. Perhaps the existence of modes like CounterStrike, and Day of Defeat have blurred what it means, but suffice to say there's no intention to make money on these or personal gain. Sure it may get a foot in the door somewhere, but by and large its all done A) love of programming, love of gaming, C) love of the content aka Battletech!


Time for some education:

A) There's no shareholders to please or people's salary to upkeep. This means it will always be a volunteer game that will always be free (beyond the purchase of Crysis Warhead). So long as there's a will to participate and a community to play it, it will continue.

All forms of entertainment are competing against each other. Television, World of Warcraft, Netflix, all are also competitors to MWLL along with MWO, MWT, AC5, Hawken, so on. What makes MWLL compelling and different enough to stand on its own is that its the only Mechwarrior game which has Mechs, Tanks, Aerospace, VTOLs, and Battle Armor duking it out. Not many other games can claim this level of complexity.

C) Who cares about 5 years from now, MWLL is out now and the community will decide whether to continue playing it. To encourage them to keep playing the MWLL dev team will continue to improve and add content. Simple as that.

[Kaemon]

CapperDeluxe, on 14 March 2012 - 12:55 PM, said:

I don't get this view at all, it seems to not understand exactly what being a mod team means. Perhaps the existence of modes like CounterStrike, and Day of Defeat have blurred what it means, but suffice to say there's no intention to make money on these or personal gain. Sure it may get a foot in the door somewhere, but by and large its all done A) love of programming, love of gaming, C) love of the content aka Battletech!

Time for some education:

A) There's no shareholders to please or people's salary to upkeep. This means it will always be a volunteer game that will always be free (beyond the purchase of Crysis Warhead). So long as there's a will to participate and a community to play it, it will continue.

All forms of entertainment are competing against each other. Television, World of Warcraft, Netflix, all are also competitors to MWLL along with MWO, MWT, AC5, Hawken, so on. What makes MWLL compelling and different enough to stand on its own is that its the only Mechwarrior game which has Mechs, Tanks, Aerospace, VTOLs, and Battle Armor duking it out. Not many other games can claim this level of complexity.

C) Who cares about 5 years from now, MWLL is out now and the community will decide whether to continue playing it. To encourage them to keep playing the MWLL dev team will continue to improve and add content. Simple as that.

I am familiar with mods and mod teams, I'd like someone to name one where at least 1 dev hasn't moved on directly due to his work on the mod (MW:LL has had 2, both founders now work for CryTek). So the 'love of the IP' is a valid argument for starting it, but using it to advance in doing something you love (which is not a bad thing btw) is still a valid observation and why I made it.

A. But there is a player base that needs updates, and unfortunately this will include gfx and things beyond the ability of the current game engine in the future, hence the comment about game engines and movement toward more of a 'full game' state (beyond BETA).

B.All forms of entertainment compete for time, these games compete directly for PLAYERS, people interested in the IP and knowledgeable about the history. Without players the effort of the devs goes unnoticed, and that would be a shame.

Totally agree that MW:LL has a niche in the universe because of their complexity and varied assets they bring to the field, but this niche which has had years of zero competition, is now slowly starting to narrow, as other games start to encroach on their space.

C. I care, hence the reason I asked I also asked about 2013, and where they feel they fit into the grand scheme of things.

I'll reiterate my posts are not to degrade the work being done, but to point out the changing landscape and inquire where the MW:LL people feel they fit into this new era of Mech games.

[Mason Grimm]

So totally moved

[Siilk]

Kaemon, on 14 March 2012 - 07:56 PM, said:

A. But there is a player base that needs updates, and unfortunately this will include gfx and things beyond the ability of the current game engine in the future, hence the comment about game engines and movement toward more of a 'full game' state (beyond BETA).

Regarding graphics and general up-to-date-ness of MWLL: two words: mektek's MW4. It was there for how much? 7 years? 10? And it's still has it's player base. Not that it isn't shrinked due all that time but it's still there. And that is a mech game, not a BT combined arms, MWLL is. Of course MWLL would always be an underdog, compared to MWO or any other commercial BT game but it has it's unique feel because of all the different aspects of BT warfare, that it incorporates.

[Deathshade]

MW:LL will always be around as long as there are people that love BT and MW. The difference in the other games is that you can actually roll up your sleeves and do some work for something you love. No matter your skill, there is something you can provide to MW:LL. It is a game built by the community, for the community and that will never change. Once the average PC runs a 64bit OS and has 4 gig or more memory, you will see more and more folks playing it. The game is truly awesome and think many have learned valuable lessons already from this mod. That is why it is there. To cater to it's original creators' love of mechanized warfare and to be a platform for that love.

That being said. It should be obvious that there is no competition between MW:LL and any other games. It is truly the opposite as the devs of MW:LL embrace anything that is MW/BT. Just ask any other MW:LL Dev and see what other MW/BT games they love or have loved. There are many and that will never change.

The most obvious thing that any MW:LL dev can say is that MW:O is truly awesome and has gathered the community together to play a game we all love. Seeing the rebirth of this large community by us old guys is our greatest dream.

See you all on the Battlefield!

~S~

Deathshade

[vam]

I'll play devils advocate a bit here.

When Sean Tracey started MWLL he seemed to be trying to start a studio. He created a company in Nova Scotia called Wandering Samurai Studios, to my recollection, and had every motive to turn MWLL into a commercial project. Sean went as far as to publicly disconnect himself from other community efforts and "sell" MWLL as a professional adventure. A mod developed by professionals. And in-fact he was very successful in recruiting some really awesome professional talent to work on MWLL while he was in charge, some of which I believe actually work on MWO now. Sean and his brother (I believe his brother) then found a job at CryTek and they seem to be out of the picture now. The MWLL project was founded on a commercial whim and when the portfolio worked out for them they went to CryTek. I know from talking to Sean several times about MWLL development that they had to get "help" directly from CryTek to support development of the mod because of the restrictions impeding their efforts with the engine, at the time. Which is likely the reason they managed to get on CryTek's radar?

If KingLeer was planning to go to the next level he should migrate the existing project over to the now FREE CryEngine Dev SDK. Unless PGI told KingLeer he isn't allowed to do that or for fear of a Cease and Desist. I don't particularly understand why KingLeer hasn't done this because it would bring alot more people to his game and remove all the complaining about having to buy Crysis to play a mod. Probably remove most of the crashing issues as well. I don't believe their Microsoft Agreement mentioned anything specifically about only being allowed to develop their mod on a particular Crysis title and they did upgrade to a newer version of that game so...

There isn't any need to keep supporting Crysis. The CryEngine Dev SDK makes way more sense from my perspective for MWLL if they want to continue growing their user base. Otherwise they should probably consider moving to a completely new IP or project and doing it all again but this time as a Free to Play product or something...

[CG Anastasius Focht]

Another Gold Standard podcast, well done people.

I always enjoy hearing the MWLL devs talk about the behind the scenes efforts that go into this game, and while no computer game can ever replace CBT (the maps the figures, the highs and lows of the roll of a dice) MWLL comes as close as any to it.
Mechs, Tanks, Aerospace and Battle Armour.....

And of course its got Duncan Fisher, I never tire of hearing him shoutcast a good Solaris match.

So good to hear he will be providing more of his commentary in the future

Thanks to the NGNG team and the MWLL devs for a really enjoyable hours podcast