73 replies to this topic

[Grease Monkey]

Im going to have to agree with ItsGonRain, a scheduled battle is probably the best solution, better than my ideas anyway. My first solution is just kinda cruel, you could lose all your hard work in minutes, and lone wolves filling all the slots would lead to one man merc corps being able to have (pontentially) quite a large group of planets to themselves.

The word "occupy" keeps showing up in the dev blog so that leads me to believe that we will have to defend any planets we take and not another corp.

[Tifalia]

This is just my own thoughts on the matter, but if you invade (and subsequently win the planet) I would hope that there was a no-combatant-challenge by other forces to that same planet for a specific amount of time (perhaps a day - 1 week where no one can attack and take the planet back from you, while you are able to build up planetary defences to protect your new planetary asset.
But that said, remember that no t remember is from the same country, so there will always be people from your Mercenary Unit online, even when some of your other members are asleep that they could help to fortify your new land holdings.
I'm not really sure if that would work very well, but just throwing out ideas.

[CobraFive]

the way global agenda did it- I've heard they've changed their system since then but I'm not sure- there were specific hours of the day you were allowed to attack. Every clan came on during those three (or four, I forget) hours to attack and defend their territory. When you attacked a territory, the defenders had a couple minutes (5? 10?) to arrange a team and stop you. If they didn't, you got the territory for free.

Since you could only attack or be attacked during those hours everyone knew when it was going on and logged in. Additionally, it wasn't just one map at pre-set four hours... the map was divided into regions, with each one open for fighting at a different four hours of the day, so clans or players from all different time zones were able to compete (and I was working overnight at the time, so I played at very late hours). One clan could be a part of multiple time zones if they chose to.

[Polymorphyne]

Scheduled battle is what has already been stated by the devs.
Also, I doubt a lance of mechs is going to take a world. I figure mech companies would be required.

[Valcoer]

Strum Wealh, on 12 February 2012 - 05:17 PM, said:

From the FAQ:


Also, from Dev Blog 1:



From there, it seems (IMO) that one could indeed go to bed one night and wake up to find that ownership of a given planet has switched hands... though, it should take a substantial and concerted effort on the part of multiple units (like... a Faction) to achieve something like that for most large/populous/important worlds.

Though, the last paragraph quoted from the Dev Blog could also imply that a Merc Corp's planet(s) could not be taken easily (if at all) without the matches mentioned taking place...?

(Though... such concerns are, IMO, another reason to hope for NPC vehicles that can, with help from players' 'Mechs, act as effective planetary garrison units... )

it seems to me that before another merc unit can attack your new aquisition that they have to bid for and win a contract to take that planet. since the devs are interested in pvp it seems logical that they would not award a contract untill the regiment that owns the planet was available to defend it. perhaps that is not the way it will be / is set up but it sounds like it might be. In addition a jump ship takes time to reach a planet so there would be warning of impending attack even if the contract were awarded immediately upon the units logging out the unit winning the contract to take the planet would not be able to attack the planet immediately but would have to wait to do so untill the units were in system. how long it will take a jump ship to approach with appropriate drop ships and mechs I do not know. But I really dont want to have to wait for a scheduled battle I want to play when I want to play and not have to worry about ok Im here now but I cant play this fight till next week.

Edited by Valcoer, 13 February 2012 - 02:02 AM.

[nubnub]

This thread has got me the most excited about the entire game, can't wait to see how it pans out!

[Kael Tropheus]

Umm you are a merc not a mini-household. While a planet you captured is under friendly control, you likely will get the rewards of it. I Seriously doubt there will be scheduled attacks as there are limited numbers of planets and lots of players/units vying for them. If merc unit A wants to attack a planet you captured what will probably happen is a defense contract will be issued and any unit online and not currently in a battleground will get to bid on it, adding in Lone Wolves to fill in the gaps. I have a feeling the winner of that fight will get the benefits of the planet after that. I dont think there will be anything like defenses you can build up. I do like the idea of multiple battles to take a planet, it would facilitate multi-units fighting on a wider scale.

[Polymorphyne]

Quote

I Seriously doubt there will be scheduled attacks as there are limited numbers of planets and lots of players/units vying for them.

It works fine for World of Tanks with limited numbers of territories and lots of players/units vying for them.

[100mile]

Id say that becasue they are not "your planets" but the plants you helped take for your employer, alot of the defending of that planet would also fall to the new house (your employer). Also as you said lonewolf fill-ins, other mercs and etc.

I agree that it will be up to the house the merc unit is contracted to defend the planet..Also you need to remember time is going to be run 1 for 1 so u wont be able to take a whole planet in one round...probably even if its undefended...takes time to occupy that much real estate...

[Artifice]

Your planet will be overrun by My Little Ponies and probably some Eve-Online corporation wankers.

If you fall asleep that is..

[Jarek Kalen]

^
XD MLP invasion again? Wow the end is near for the non-Brony race!

Edit:
Not that I am actually ANTI Pony, I'm just not a Brony

Edited by Jarek Kalen, 13 February 2012 - 04:58 AM.

[Cyote13]

Bluewolf1118, on 12 February 2012 - 05:33 PM, said:

I would think that a lone merc corp of only 2 or 3 lances would have a hard time taking a planet, let alone defending it at all. You probably won't be able to take a planet unless you are a true military force to be reckoned with, not just a company that excels at raiding and harassing, and if your group is big enough to take the planet you will probably have enough people in the corp to hold it (Time-zone differences will probably mean at least a portion of your force is up at all times).

The Devs have already said that at launch the matches will be only one deep for planetary control....so it will take exactly 12 mechs (3 lances), or less depending on the defenders, to take a planet, and if the matches are scheduled and the dev blog suggests it will only take those 12 to defend. Realistic? yes a little, but multi matches will be beter when that gets added down the road. And with that there will have to be some kind of repair time added so the same 12 cant defend against an opponent over and over.

[Kael Tropheus]

Thats why I dont think mercs will literally control planets. Take them, defend them yes but only on contract and an at the moment contract. Essentially what I think will happen is for example Kurita offers a contract to take planet A, which merc company B wins the bidding on. Davion offers a defense contract on Planet A and merc company C wins it and they fight. Company B wins it and gets the rewards. A short while later Merc company D wins an attack contract against Planet A and attacks. Merc company E wins the defense contract and successfully defends it and now it gets the resources.

I seriously do not think anyone will be 'stationed' on any particular planet except for the time it takes to fight it out. All fighting for mercs will be on a contract basis(I am guessing) and I dont think the defensive merc company will always be the same unit that took the planet. I havent seen anything so far that suggests this. Any benefits of taking a planet will likely be very quick benefits until the next battle.

[AdamBaines]

Perhaps multiple Merc Units can defend planets? So Merc Unit A gets a contract to take Planet X. Planet X is taken then a new contract is given to Merc Unit B to help defend Planet X. I looked and did not see any info on planet exclusivity to a Merc Unit once taken. There is the ability for Multiple Merc Units to work together, so perhaps the Merc unit, once it takes Planet X, can hire another Merc unit to help defend it.

[MaddMaxx]

Let's break it down.

The Houses own everything (that they own) based on the 3048 IS Map.

The Houses fight in the interior (how they do that is as yet an unknown)

Mercs fight/assist the Houses with the Border Worlds via bids for Contracts to capture Planets on behalf of the Employer (Contractor)

Mercs that assist Houses to take Planets get Bonuses while that House owns said planet. (also gain LP)

Previous owner is now pissed and generates Contract to regain Planet. (Contractor cares diddly who wins said Contract)

Current owner hears of said raid and generates a new Contract to assist with Defense (does not care who wins Contract)

Now all Mercs are bidding on said Contracts, one assist defense, the other assist attack.

Rinse and repeat across the IS (Mercs can only fight/assist in the Border Worlds still)

Hopefully, not long out, it will take multiple attacks to gain or defend a planet (best % declares control)

N.B. speculation above.

Edited by MaddMaxx, 13 February 2012 - 07:19 AM.

[Outlaw2]

Valcoer, on 13 February 2012 - 01:54 AM, said:

it seems to me that before another merc unit can attack your new aquisition that they have to bid for and win a contract to take that planet. since the devs are interested in pvp it seems logical that they would not award a contract untill the regiment that owns the planet was available to defend it. perhaps that is not the way it will be / is set up but it sounds like it might be. In addition a jump ship takes time to reach a planet so there would be warning of impending attack even if the contract were awarded immediately upon the units logging out the unit winning the contract to take the planet would not be able to attack the planet immediately but would have to wait to do so untill the units were in system. how long it will take a jump ship to approach with appropriate drop ships and mechs I do not know. But I really dont want to have to wait for a scheduled battle I want to play when I want to play and not have to worry about ok Im here now but I cant play this fight till next week.

Sounds like faction world battles are what you should stick to. Battles are fought throughout the day at any time, and the planets ownership is decided by the culuminative outcome of many online matches. Or you could join a merc that trys to conquer border worlds with a "prime time" that matches your own play time...if indeed the border world system matches WoT and GA's system (which atm seems to be the case).

Edited by =Outlaw=, 13 February 2012 - 10:48 AM.

[Rugarou]

Something some of you might have forgotten is that mercs were awarded home planets by employers quite often in canon. That planet's resources often went to help out the merc unit and the unit was expected to defend said planet accordingly with help from the House. The House still owned the planet overall, but the merc unit were considered the planetary rulers with House oversite. So yes, a merc unit could control a planet on thier own and get resources from the planet, but it would still be owned by the ruling House. This is how I see the reason for merc being able to take control of a planet for themselves in MWO.

As for defending a planet when another merc company/House wants it is all speculation at this point. We know that there will be some type of scheduled battle. I'm thinking the attacker will have to choose a scheduled time to attack a couple days out from actually being able to take the planet. This gives the defenders time to get organized to defend at that time. It makes it easier for large merc companies to defend due to (the most likely) different time zones of its members. Small merc companies will have a harder time defending (due to lack of multiple time zone players) as it should be.

Of course, the House which oversees the planet would probably issue a defense contract as well if the occupying merc company cannot defend it themselves. In which case, the planet's control would go to whoever wins the battle with the defending merc company, who was unable to defend it themselves, losing control of the resources.

Hope that made sense.

[Dread Render]

woh... From what I understand this is Not a persistent world game.

Every battle for a planet will just be "An Instance" of that planet.
You and many other people will be having the same battle... just a different instance of that battle.
The only thing that will be persistent is your personal stats.
Is this not True?

[Roughneck45]

Render, on 13 February 2012 - 12:46 PM, said:

woh... From what I understand this is Not a persistent world game.

Every battle for a planet will just be "An Instance" of that planet.
You and many other people will be having the same battle... just a different instance of that battle.
The only thing that will be persistent is your personal stats.
Is this not True?

No, as far as i understand it, houses will be gaining control of planets through those battles. The Devs want each battle to actually have an effect on the universe. the real question is what benefits will come from owning these planets, and whether it will be game breaking advantages that lead to one house having too much power, or slight bonusus that give quality of life upgrades. im assuming it will be the latter.

[Nik Van Rhijn]

No, there is a persistant "meta universe" where our efforts have effects.