3 replies to this topic

[Strum Wealh]

I was wondering if there has been any additional, detailed information/clarification regarding any mechanical differences between MWO's implementation of Faction Units and Merc Corps.

My questions revolve around how a Faction player would actually go about joining a Faction unit

Looking through Dev Blog 1 and Dev Q&A 1 and 2, the nearest I could find to the answers I'm seeking were:

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Players can be active or passive participants in this battle by following one of three paths:

• Pledging Allegiance to a Faction
  
• Joining a Mercenary Corporation
  
• Remaining Neutral

Faction Worlds – Are fought over by Faction players. These planets buffer core and border worlds, and do not play a significant role in major historical events. Rewards for controlling these planets are directly linked to global bonuses and abilities associated with a player’s Faction.

Faction Players
As a Faction Player, loyalty points are earned by playing and winning matches. As the player accumulates loyalty points, they will gain a military faction rank at pre-determined loyalty point totals. If a player loses LPs by decay or negative actions, they will be demoted.

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Can players start a Merc Corp that is already canon? Or will you protect canon faction/unit names? I.e. I want to start the Eridani Light Horse Merc Corp, I’m the first to register the Merc Corp’s name so is it mine or will I be able to join the Waco Rangers and interact in it like I would a House unit?
[PAUL] Merc Corp names are registered names. Once it’s taken, it’s gone. As for canon protected faction/unit names, we will be locking out some of the key players in the BT timeline.

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Can a Merc players ALSO be faction player, as in belonging to a Merc Corp AND faction rank? –Agasutin
[PAUL] Once you’ve decided on your role in the Community Warfare aspect of MWO, you stay in that role. It is possible to switch but it is not possible to be in multiple roles at the same time.

Will faction affiliated players be able to play with lone wolves in the "random matches" at will? –That Guy
[PAUL] Yes. The faction players will have their ranks filled with lone wolves in the event that not enough players can be found for a given match.

Will there be sub-units to join within factions? In other words, can my friends and I join a specific regiment in order to assure that we will play together beyond lance-based formations? –Kudzu
[BRYAN] As part of ranking up players will be able to join faction units. Post launch we will support the ability for players to create their own faction units.

With regard to the answer given by Bryan, it seems like Faction units will (at launch) not be player-created units. Is that correct?
If so, would such non-player-created Faction units not (initially) be player-controlled, either? Would they eventually become player-controlled?

With particular regard to the first quoted answer given by Paul, if certain Faction-affiliated units don't (canonically) exist yet or were (canonically) destroyed-in-the-past-and-never-reformed, are those names still protected?

If several players have an interest in a particular would-be Faction unit, how would matches ("assignments"? "missions"? "sorties"?) be handled - would they work identically to the "contracts" of the Merc Corps, albeit with a different name?

In short: how (in detail) would the match-to-match, day-to-day goings-on of actually "being a Faction player" be different, mechanically/gameplay-wise, from those of "joining a Faction-loyal Merc Corp based on a (canonically) Faction-affiliated command"?

[Orzorn]

I'll try to answer as much to my knowledge.

Strum Wealh, on 05 March 2012 - 03:44 PM, said:

With regard to the answer given by Bryan, it seems like Faction units will (at launch) not be player-created units. Is that correct?

Yes, that is correct.

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If so, would such non-player-created Faction units not (initially) be player-controlled, either? Would they eventually become player-controlled?

No, it was confirmed that rank within the faction has no effect other than rewards. Higher ranked players in a faction aren't allows to command lower ranked players. Rank is just a show of how much you play and help that faction out.

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With particular regard to the first quoted answer given by Paul, if certain Faction-affiliated units don't (canonically) exist yet or were (canonically) destroyed-in-the-past-and-never-reformed, are those names still protected?

I don't know.

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If several players have an interest in a particular would-be Faction unit, how would matches ("assignments"? "missions"? "sorties"?) be handled - would they work identically to the "contracts" of the Merc Corps, albeit with a different name?

Perhaps they would get assignments.

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In short: how (in detail) would the match-to-match, day-to-day goings-on of actually "being a Faction player" be different, mechanically/gameplay-wise, from those of "joining a Faction-loyal Merc Corp based on a (canonically) Faction-affiliated command"?

Mercs choose their fights and also choose who they play with. I don't believe that faction players get these luxuries. However, mercs also have some costs, and all the management that goes along with that, to handle.

Edit: edited for inaccuracies.

Edited by Orzorn, 05 March 2012 - 03:52 PM.

[Pappy]

that pretty much sums it up, i am in command of a "faction unit", we are planning at just being a merc unit that only does davion contracts. i think that is about the closest thing you can do to be a faction unit if you want the player controlled aspect of it atleast for now

[Dihm]

Pappy, on 05 March 2012 - 04:18 PM, said:

that pretty much sums it up, i am in command of a "faction unit", we are planning at just being a merc unit that only does davion contracts. i think that is about the closest thing you can do to be a faction unit if you want the player controlled aspect of it atleast for now

Finger to nose.

Just for clarity, they've said they MAY have player-created Faction units in the future, after launch. Not guaranteed it.

No players will run the Factions, nor the units within it. If you want that kind of a set up, gotta go Merc.