149 replies to this topic

[chewie]

Like a lot of folks here, I can live with the idea your putting forward, but also fear the amount of people going straight for the heavy and assaults, because they don't want to start at the bottom and work up.

Likening the way we could start to WoT missed the vital element, that in WoT everyone starts with a light tank, tier 1 in all countries.

So unless you paid for you wallet warrior tanks, you start low and work your way up.

I kinda wish they had followed a similar model to the old MPBT 3025 start up, which like WoT, meant EVERYONE had to start in a light. In this case a COM-2D.

In doing this, the field was level, regardless of skill, and you played as much as you wanted in order to gain the next mech, which could only be unlocked when you had attained enough EXP as well as C-Bills.

As an idea for now, as you gain ranks, so it unlocks the next 10T of mech available for instance. Everyone starts as a Private, and goes through till you hit the top rank in your chosen house.

This worked well in that some of the planets, as part of the planetary capture side of things, could only be attacked by forces of where up to a certain class. Light, Medium, Heavy, and Assault IIRC. It worked because it limited for a time, what worlds could be taken.

I'd hope that by allowing everyone to start in any mech they want, as stated by someone else, they will limit it to a range of mechs, although that may be counter productive at the end really. OR the start as it will rightly be.

I've chosen No because while some are going to be bad players, some are going to be good right off the bat, so at least trying to handicap them a little would make it fairer for all IMO.

However if it where to work along the lines as you've suggested OP, I think like a lot have already, going for a light to medium would be a great idea.

So as my fave mech of 45t isn't here, its Centurion for me.

[Rhavin]

I voted Hunchback, my second would be a Dragon, third Jenner. However I would most likely take any extra credits and hold on to them for purchaseing a varient of the mech I choose instead of insanely upgradeing it.

Lets face facts in that in some maps will most likely be dominated by different chassis or varients do to lines of fire, need for jumpjets, ect. On some maps speed can even be a disadvantage, same with weapon ranges. I want the option of have the mech ready to go without hitting the mechlab to swap weapons around. Also if the mechlab has any cost at all to modify a mech,(which it should!) in the long run it will save me money.

So If the above is at similar to how it will work then for me then I would purchase some combo below if possible with most of the upgrades being to armor/speed/electronics, even at the cost of some firepower. Always saving enough to fully repair a fully destroyed chassis.

3 light mechs/ varients with some minor upgrades
2 hunchback varients with some minor upgrades, (maybe a centurion or jenner too)
Dragon and a jenner/other light mech with some upgrades.


I have little desire to play the heavier heavy mechs or any assault mech released so far. Just not my style. More power to you if it is what you want, if your on my team I will work with you and your mech choice to meet the terms of the contract/TOP.

Also remember that the devs have said multiple times that if your mech is destroyed totally you can still repair enough to have it function for another match. The IF there is a big thing in my mind, I could be wrong but to me it sounds like some contracts that could be won without a single mech destroyed on the field at all (though its not likely someone won't get wrecked). If your goal is to capture x bases or destroy x com stations/ammo dumps ect. for a win then destroying all of the other teams mechs will not be the priority. This also fits into role warfare very well as you would hold back defense powerhouses like Atlas's to protect your assets while sending out scouts and offensive elements to take the priority targets out and slow down the assaulting forces.

[Darkener]

My two cents on this one , i have not played MW titles for the best part of a decade since my time on the CZ leagues so im going to come into MWO basically greener then foliage but if it comes to starting from scratch i wouldnt want X C-bills and showroom. What i would go for is a choice of four weight classes with attached tutorial in a beat up obsolete model with sub par weaponry (IE a training vehicle , bit beat up and worn out) which when you finish the course and get your training wheels taken off assuming you decide to commit to that class, you get your own personal beat up one to keep (which would be low maintenance the kind of mech you'd keep as a backup). and a starting supply of bills to cover ammo/repairs for a short while.

that way no one player starts the game with a massive advantage over another (unless they paid for the privelidge of getting something advanced early) and people can try out different styles before commiting. this allows for preferences to be found early on.

basically my preference would incorporate elements of many of the posts already here , all fine ideas in their own right but could work wonders if infused together.

[SideSt3p]

**DISCLAIMER** I didn't read the entire thread. So...

I would love to start out in a Medium 'Mech (preferably with Jump Jets PRZ PGI!!). I feel it is a great way to start because it provides a balanced start (some speed, some punch, armor to make mistakes in) and then you have lots of cash leftover to go from there and cover your weak spots.

I'm only a little worried about a starting model such as this because to a noob, they have no idea what's going on haha. So we'll just have to wait and see what system PGI comes up with

[Zynk]

Zynk, on 16 April 2012 - 04:12 PM, said:

Your First Mech should be issued to you.

What type of Mech you get depends on House and % roll chance.

20% Light Mech / 40% Med Mech / 35% Heavy Mech / 5% Assault Mech.

JadeTimberwolf, on 16 April 2012 - 05:59 PM, said:

I could see this working as well but I would modify it, instead of the % roll determining weight class the options a player picks should determine weight class and then the % roll determines which Mech in that class they get. In that sense it more closely resembles the 3rd edition Mechwarrior Paper and Pencil RPG where your characters were built on a priority basis and one of those priorities was Mech Weight Class and from there you rolled to see what Mech in that class you got.

I like the idea of picking the weight class of mech and getting a roll based on the house/weight of mech.

Also the lighter the mech you pick the more credits you get for upgrades.

If you pick 20 mech you would get enough credits to refit everything and a 100 ton mech would not get enough credits for a cup holder.

[SweeperGroup]

I think you should have to start in a light or medium mech and work up to an assualt. i would like to see servers with weight limits tho or maybe experience levels so you do not have to drop in battle one in a light or medium mech and have to navigate around an assault

[JadeTimberwolf]

SweeperGroup, on 17 April 2012 - 02:23 PM, said:

I think you should have to start in a light or medium mech and work up to an assualt. i would like to see servers with weight limits tho or maybe experience levels so you do not have to drop in battle one in a light or medium mech and have to navigate around an assault

I don't see that approach being realistic to the canon nor the feel of Battletech. In the tabletop(Battletech not the Clix) you generally play at a set weight limit what mechs you put in that limit are up to you, for example you would set the tonnage of a battle to 200 tons one player decides to run 2 30 ton mechs a 65 and a 75 while the other breaks his unit up to a 100 ton a 50 ton a 30 ton and a 20 ton. As for tonnage it is perfectly balanced, the misbalance comes in the tactics and skill involved with the game if one player has more skill that player has a skill advantage and it becomes double so if that same player utilizes better tactics.

I do however like Darkener's idea.

[Joeseph Pierce]

Probably an Awesome with some upgrades.....then grind for a cenutrion as a backup.

[Nerdbot]

I like Darkener's idea. As an avid TF2 player, class based gameplay is by far my favorite multiplayer experience. If the different mech classes are balanced so that a team of all assault mechs will get creamed by a well balanced force. It would be cool to have a sort of starter pack for each Mech class, like a choice of 2-3 different mechs per class, and enough C-bills to pay for repairs and customize the weapons a little if you so please. Also it would be nice to list the advantages and disadvantages of each mech class so new players can decide for themselves what kind of mech suits their play style. It really comes down to the player as he/she can have a good or bad game experience depending on this. If we start players too low on the spectrum they get frustrated and quit. If we start players too high then players will get bored as they already have the best mechs all decked out with equipment. Just my personal opinion however.

[Rejarial Galatan]

chewie, on 17 April 2012 - 09:36 AM, said:

In doing this, the field was level, regardless of skill, and you played as much as you wanted in order to gain the next mech, which could only be unlocked when you had attained enough EXP as well as C-Bills.

As an idea for now, as you gain ranks, so it unlocks the next 10T of mech available for instance. Everyone starts as a Private, and goes through till you hit the top rank in your chosen house.

This worked well in that some of the planets, as part of the planetary capture side of things, could only be attacked by forces of where up to a certain class. Light, Medium, Heavy, and Assault IIRC. It worked because it limited for a time, what worlds could be taken.

I'd hope that by allowing everyone to start in any mech they want, as stated by someone else, they will limit it to a range of mechs, although that may be counter productive at the end really. OR the start as it will rightly be.

I've chosen No because while some are going to be bad players, some are going to be good right off the bat, so at least trying to handicap them a little would make it fairer for all IMO.

heres the thing the tactics you NEED as a scout do NOT translate into the medium mechs. the tactics you NEED in a medium do not translate into HEAVY and so on up the chain with the bare exception being the 85+ ton mechs, but iirc those are assault anyway.

let the bad players learn on what ever mech they want and let the good players rock the field right out of the gate. It would be kinda like saying to Corporal of Horse (CoH) Craig Harrison who made a staggering 2475meter or 2707yard kill shot in afghanistan in 2009, we KNOW you can kill at a staggering range, BUT, instead of letting you use your L115A3 Long Range Rifle firing the .338 Lapua Magnum LockBase B408 bullets we are going to make you use a M24 Rifle using ONLY 7.62x51mm NATO standard rifle rounds because we dont want the rest of your unit getting jealous of your mad skills. No. Let each player use what he or she excells in right out of the gate if it was available to the game universe in 3049 and get ready for the fight to follow.

[JadeTimberwolf]

Rejarial Galatan, on 17 April 2012 - 09:10 PM, said:

heres the thing the tactics you NEED as a scout do NOT translate into the medium mechs. the tactics you NEED in a medium do not translate into HEAVY and so on up the chain with the bare exception being the 85+ ton mechs, but iirc those are assault anyway.

let the bad players learn on what ever mech they want and let the good players rock the field right out of the gate. It would be kinda like saying to Corporal of Horse (CoH) Craig Harrison who made a staggering 2475meter or 2707yard kill shot in afghanistan in 2009, we KNOW you can kill at a staggering range, BUT, instead of letting you use your L115A3 Long Range Rifle firing the .338 Lapua Magnum LockBase B408 bullets we are going to make you use a M24 Rifle using ONLY 7.62x51mm NATO standard rifle rounds because we dont want the rest of your unit getting jealous of your mad skills. No. Let each player use what he or she excells in right out of the gate if it was available to the game universe in 3049 and get ready for the fight to follow.

Beautiful comprison. BTW 80+ is assault class

Edited by JadeTimberwolf, 17 April 2012 - 09:18 PM.

[Rejarial Galatan]

I try Jade, I try <bows>

on a side note, its how I honestly feel. I mean come on, we will have role warfare. Uh if I read what they said right, it means we will NEED pilots in scouts, mediums, heavies and assaults right out of the gate yes? so, ya, let the player pick his ride and start his learnin curve from there.

thought I was right on the 80+ ton mechs XD

[Vexgrave Lars]

Rookies in assault mechs.. easy points for the Killboard.

Oh please do let them.. oh please do Clarice.

[Rejarial Galatan]

A rookie in an Atlas is just as unnerving as a scarred vet in a firemorth. Which is more dangerous? IMHO who ever gets the surprise attack first, and it may not be that Firemoth who gets the jump on surprise mind you.

[Ghosth]

Wide variety of choices for scout to med mech's. I'd very much dislike the ability to get into a heavy mech right off the bat.

I'd rather see a limited number of choices for mechs, but much more money for different weapons systems.

Also I have no idea how your going to do salvage. But I had an idea, what if your % chance of finding usefull salvage was doubled for any mech you damaged?

Then those who hide in a random battle and come out to salvage after would get much less than those who did the damage.

[Sarriss]

The devs have already said that any new player can jump into whatever Mech they want to start out with. From what I've read it doesn't sound like there will be a "Mech Tree" so to speak where you have to grind through a few lesser mechs to get to the one you want. If you have the cash, you can buy it. Does that mean every new player who has little knowledge of the series will likely pick the biggest thing he can find? Yes, and early going, it'll be unbalanced in favour of assaults but like any online focused game it'll take a while to work everything out, as balance adjustments come down and so forth. I wouldn't worry about it. Once we've become accustomed to our mech, and have 100-200 matches under our belt, it doesn't matter what the new kids pilot.

Edited by Sarriss, 18 April 2012 - 04:59 AM.

[Zhanna Kerensky]

Time for an update (please refer to the poll) ... things have gotten more interesting for those, who intend to choose a light weight model as their first battlemech ...

[Sprouticus]

Terrible idea, as I posted in the other thread, assuming repairs scale to size (more weapons to repair, more armor to buy, etc) then assaults would be doubly handicapped. They would be more expensive to buy and more expensive to repair, so lights and mediums would have a big advantage in the ability to initially customize.

Give people a choice of 4 mechs, make them run stock for a bit.Give them enough for repairs for 5-10 losses because we all will suck initially.

[Zhanna Kerensky]

According to the subsequently linked IGN video it looks, as if we will be provided with four 4 bays for mechs per player character account, and that we will just simply have to buy one of the mechs available for the launch of MWO with the C-bills given at the start of the game:

http://mwomercs.com/...deo/dPoqjslGcO0

Naturally, a lot of things can change quite a bit until the game release, but at least this is how it looks at present. Affording a heavy or assault mech right away is a greater responsibility and more of a financial risk for every new player as more armour and firepower will have to be financed. However, more damage can be dealt with those mech weight classes by comparison, resulting most likely in more C-bills at the end of each battle ... I reckon that it will be balanced overall and that each player will have to find its own role ... what suits her/him best (some people may make more bucks and XP in recon mission, while others might do better financially and in-game experience-wise in melee, support or command positions during a battle). Moreover, the configuration of heavy and especially assault mechs will be less flexible with regard to the mech lab at the beginning and that will also give those in less powerful mechs a chance to develop their combat tactics and succeed at the beginning.

Edited by Zhanna Kerensky, 19 May 2012 - 09:05 AM.

[Victor MacGregor]

A C-bill limit would make those piloting assaults and heavys a little more conscientious with their mechs, making sure they don't put themselves in a position to be overly damaged. It would also take into account the higher potential for damage that Medium and Light classes would take.