64 replies to this topic

[Verminaard]

So you've all been wondering what MWO is like and for a long time we couldn't tell you. But now the NDA is gone, we're free to explain and show all we can!

Personally I've been in beta since the 10,000 (around #7000) first wave of beta keys (mid summer)

What mechs are in the beta currently?
- Atlas
- Awesome
- Dragon
- Catapult
- Hunchback
- Centurion
- Jenner
- Raven
- Commando

Each mech has 2-4 versions*

Are lights useless?
- NO! not at all, I actually prefer lights over anything else at the moment, I've gone 4-0 in a match with a jenner before, and not kill stealing either! I've beat an atlas 1 on 1 more often than I lost, recent tweaks are changing balance, but it's still 100% possiable!

Are there size differences?
-Yes, atlas stands twice as tall and twice as bulky as a jenner, a commando is tiny compared to you, and equally hard to hit.

Do the controls work/make sense?
- Entirely! These are the BEST mechwarrior controls for any game yet IMO! (I've played, MW2, MW3, MW4, etc, almost everyone)

What Game modes are there at the moment?
- Currently just "Assault (8v8)" Which is basically Deathmatch with base capture mixed in, and 4 maps. ([Arid/volcano], ice-map, city, forest) *There ARE environmental effects, Overheat more in the desert, cool-running in Icemap etc!

Does teamwork work and do people use teamwork? or is everyone just lone wolf?
- Teamwork wins matchs, hands down. If you have a team working together and one not, the team working together wins with a 8-0kd normally. Without teamwork you lose, skill dosn't matter in that case.

Can you Ram another mech?
-Yes, colliding at speed causes the slower/lighter one to fall over. (Least mass/momentum falls)

Can I be legged?
- Not in the MW3 sense, But you can have a leg destroyed and limp along slowly, you won't be on your back though.
^{** Lossing both legs results in your death**}

Money Costs
- Bigger they are, more it costs.
- Yes, you need to fix your mech with C-bills
- The founder's pack Ingame money will get you about 3-6 mechs, depending on the mechs.
- yes, you buy items you use to customize, customizing isn't free! (neither is ammo!)


Have furthur questions? Ask me and I'll answer! (screenshots can only come when I get home!)


_________________________________________________________________________________________

Other Info:

Quote

Show us your MechWarrior Online skills with a video or screenshot, by submitting your file to submissions@infinitegamepublishing.com and we will select our favorites to showcase on the front page! Get your skills immortalized and never let your friends forget about it.

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Limit 1 entry per person.
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Be sure to send us your name, full mailing address and pilot name to be eligible.
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If the NDA is not lifted the above part makes no sense, I can post video and put it anywhere, therefore a Q&A cannot be breaking my NDA, NDA is lifted as it states, If not so Mods please delete this post/thread**

I take this as lifting of NDA, as twitter their states


Also I'm copying Sprouticus's Post, it's valid and people need to understand this!

Quote

One note, as I expect some testers to start listing current issues in the beta in the not to distant future...

The game is a work in progress. PGI is shooting for minimal viable product, and I fully expect them to get there by release.

We are still in closed beta. There are still major issues to resolve. Heck, they have not even really started doing weapons balance (primarily because Endo/FF/DHS wont be implemented for a few weeks). If/when you hear about critical in game issues, be aware that they are for the most part being addressed.

PGI has shown that they have a good plan IMO, and they are knocking down the issues at a good rate. They are also not rushing things. I have been in the beta since mid June and the game has made huge strides. There are more to come, but I do have faith in PGI's ability to get the game right.


DONT PANIC!

Edited by Verminaard, 03 October 2012 - 06:11 PM.

[Redshift2k5]

Yes, you can be legged- Losing one leg leaves you 'crippled' and then if you lose the other leg your mech is destroyed.

Legs can take a fair amount of armor, though, so legging is no longer an 'easy kill' and a one legged mech can still be a dangerous mech.

Edited by Redshift2k5, 03 October 2012 - 06:59 AM.

[Verminaard]

You can be "legged" but I mean it in the sense as in MW3, if you lose a leg, you fell over and are helpless. In this game you can still walk slowly. Read it again and you'll see I mentioned this

* possiably you assumed I forgot about both legs? Then yes, If you lose both legs your mech is indeed destroyed**

Edited by Verminaard, 03 October 2012 - 07:01 AM.

[Redshift2k5]

Verminaard, on 03 October 2012 - 06:59 AM, said:

You can be "legged" but I mean it in the sense as in MW3, if you lose a leg, you fell over and are helpless. In this game you can still walk slowly. Read it again and you'll see I mentioned this

You explain one leg, but not the other.

[Bubba Wilkins]

The NDA has not yet been lifted. The contest is in preparation of it being lifted.

[Redshift2k5]

Bubba Wilkins, on 03 October 2012 - 07:01 AM, said:

The NDA has not yet been lifted. The contest is in preparation of it being lifted.

no, it really has been lifted. https://twitter.com/...480513753464832

[Sprouticus]

One note, as I expect some testers to start listing current issues in the beta in the not to distant future...

The game is a work in progress. PGI is shooting for minimal viable product, and I fully expect them to get there by release.

We are still in closed beta. There are still major issues to resolve. Heck, they have not even really started doing weapons balance (primarily because Endo/FF/DHS wont be implemented for a few weeks). If/when you hear about critical in game issues, be aware that they are for the most part being addressed.

PGI has shown that they have a good plan IMO, and they are knocking down the issues at a good rate. They are also not rushing things. I have been in the beta since mid June and the game has made huge strides. There are more to come, but I do have faith in PGI's ability to get the game right.


DONT PANIC!

-------------------------------------------------------------

Some recent changes & stuff we are expecting in October (dates are subject to change, and have been pushed back when necessary...):

TAG/NARC -in production
New version of Cryengines (3.4) with more graphical and netcode optimizations. Also, Dx 11 support. - next week
Endo/FF/DHS - mid october
Cicada- late october

[Kell Draygo]

Sprouticus, on 03 October 2012 - 07:11 AM, said:

PGI has shown that they have a good plan IMO, and they are knocking down the issues at a good rate. They are also not rushing things. I have been in the beta since mid June and the game has made huge strides. There are more to come, but I do have faith in PGI's ability to get the game right.


DONT PANIC!

Not everyone in Closed Beta would agree. Yes, they have made strides in fixing the problems in the game but there are still many huge problems that require a lot of testing and balancing. There is no matchmaking right now, which is slated for end of the month if we are lucky and that will take a lot of time to tweak and balance.

The problem is, with NDA being lifted, one can make an educated guess that Open Beta (Live) is right around the corner and to me, as well as others who have voiced their concerns, this game is not ready for Open Beta. In fact, we probably need at least four more months of solid testing, fixing/tweaking, retesting, balancing, testing again to make sure this game hits the open public smoothly.

It is just too soon and I do not blame PGI for it. It is most likely IGP pushing for the Open Beta date because they want money flowing in ASAP. And a lot of good games in the past has become lackluster because of it being rushed instead creating a good product.

[wanderer]

I was about to post this as a topic, but since we GOT one:

First off, if you are a newbie Beta player, this is NOT the right topic. Go to the Beta Forums -> Guides -> Newbie and ask there. You'll get much more of a response.

But, I'm guessing we have approximately six zillion folks out there that haven't gotten into Closed Beta yet, waiting for Open Beta to begin. This topic's for you. Before you ask a question, -please- read through the topic to see if it's been answered before by someone- and realize that betas being betas, things can (and believe me, DO) change rapidly as they're adding new bits and mechanics to the game.

I'm Wanderer, and I've been in the beta since June. Believe me, it's been through a LOT of changes over the past few months, and will see plenty more.

Some basic questions I figure are gonna get asked:

1) Right now, beta testers are working on getting maps, combat (including base capture), and 'Mechs (and their components) tested out (as of the beginning of October). That is, beta testers are blowing up giant robots. A LOT of them. Four maps are currently active, and variants that include weather and other changes are due up shortly as well for those maps and more. PGI also does internal testing as well as what we beta testers are doing, and does try and keep us appraised as to what's due next to test.

2) Even if a 'Mech is announced, it doesn't mean it's in the beta. Yet. As of October 1st, the Commando, Jenner, Raven, Centurion, Hunchback, Dragon, Catapult, Awesome, and Atlas are what we beta testers are zapping, blasting, and pew-pewing each other with. In addition, as more components come online, we get more variants to play with as well- most 'Mechs have 2-4 variants to use in the beta. The devs have been adding new 'Mechs at a steady pace- when I started, four of those designs weren't in!

3) Currently, we're testing what's called "Assault"- that is, a match where you can win either by destroying all of the opposing team, or by capturing the enemy spawn point by sitting on it unopposed. The more 'Mechs doing so, the faster a capture occurs- but if even one enemy 'Mech comes back to defend it, the capture stops. These are currently 8v8 games, but will be updated to 12v12.

4) Not all of the equipment you'd expect is in the game- again, YET. For example, endosteel, ferro-fibrous armor, and double heat sinks will show up shortly and TAG/NARC systems just came into play recently. As you might guess, with new 'Mechs and more equipment coming in on a regular basis, the feel of the game changes as well- and people do get rather creative with what's available to test out weapon systems and such. Catapult-K2's, for example have made excellent twin-Gauss/AC-20 users...because we don't have Jagermechs or Cataphracts yet.

5) New players generally start on what are called "Trial 'Mechs", which earn slightly less money than 'Mechs the player buys and hence owns- and also do not earn exp. 'Mechs are bought with MC (the "pay-to-play" currency) OR C-bills- so Founder's/people who bought MC will get into their own 'Mech faster, but there's nothing that an MC user gets that a player can't buy with C-bills instead. Yes, Trial 'Mechs tend to be less effective than owned ones, as you have to own a chassis to customize it.

6) Yes, there's some level of competitive play, even in beta. Unofficial "official" tournaments have already happened (the current champion of which is a group called the "Eridani Light Ponies" as of October 1st), and groups are commonly formed with Teamspeak or other VOIP. MWO has it's own VOIP setup currently as well, called C3. Newbies can play alone, but it's a LOT more fun learning with a group- and pick-up groups are also very common. League play is also player-driven at this point but a first season is forming up as this is being posted. Community warfare as it stands is later- when we're done testing enough 'Mechs, maps, equipment, and match styles to go with it, as a personal guess.

---

[Oderint dum Metuant]

Kell Draygo, on 03 October 2012 - 07:29 AM, said:

There is no matchmaking right now, which is slated for end of the month if we are lucky and that will take a lot of time to tweak and balance.

False there is matchmaking, else how have we already had a beta tournament that went off really well...simple because we know how the current iteration of matchmaking works to 9/10 get into the right games.

It's just very early stages.

[SquareSphere]

DV McKenna, on 03 October 2012 - 07:46 AM, said:

False there is matchmaking, else how have we already had a beta tournament that went off really well...simple because we know how the current iteration of matchmaking works to 9/10 get into the right games. It's just very early stages.

I'd clarify there is no SKILL/MECH/BATTLEVALUE style match making. What we currently have is "pool play" ie players are dropped into a match based on premade groups and the time of entry into a queue.

[Sprouticus]

Kell Draygo, on 03 October 2012 - 07:29 AM, said:

Not everyone in Closed Beta would agree. Yes, they have made strides in fixing the problems in the game but there are still many huge problems that require a lot of testing and balancing. There is no matchmaking right now, which is slated for end of the month if we are lucky and that will take a lot of time to tweak and balance.

The problem is, with NDA being lifted, one can make an educated guess that Open Beta (Live) is right around the corner and to me, as well as others who have voiced their concerns, this game is not ready for Open Beta. In fact, we probably need at least four more months of solid testing, fixing/tweaking, retesting, balancing, testing again to make sure this game hits the open public smoothly.

It is just too soon and I do not blame PGI for it. It is most likely IGP pushing for the Open Beta date because they want money flowing in ASAP. And a lot of good games in the past has become lackluster because of it being rushed instead creating a good product.

I would agree that Open beta should be pushed back if possible. But nothing is perfect.

As for your opiion, yo uare of course welcome to it. I think of myself as good at seeing thebig picture and IMO it looks ok. Are there pitfalls, sure. But PGI has come a long way in the last 3 months, I see no reason why that won't continue.

SquareSphere, on 03 October 2012 - 07:57 AM, said:

I'd clarify there is no SKILL/MECH/BATTLEVALUE style match making. What we currently have is "pool play" ie players are dropped into a match based on premade groups and the time of entry into a queue.

Matchmaking is on 'v0.2' (according to PGI). Luckily it is something they can tweak without a patch. In fact they have. When v0.2 came out we were getting a lot of 8v6 and 8v7 matches, PGI fixed that without a patch.

[EDMW CSN]

I would say no worries and get into the game for a feel if you are still new. PGI is fully capable of handling the technicalities. Once you are used to your mech of choice, you can are ready for the Open Beta

[wanderer]

This is true. Matchmaking, at the works like this:

Both teams need identical teams by weight type. That is, each could have 2 lights, 2 mediums, 2 heavies, and 2 assaults- but they don't have to be the same chassis- one team could have two Catapults for their heavies while the other has a Dragon and a Catapult. Any combination of weight classes will do- as long as both teams are using the same numbers.

The two teams launch simultaneously, meaning the matchmaker sees two groups that match and drops them on the same map. The current beta matchmaker will always try to make sure the same numbers of X weight type are in, and will drop groups together- so if you have two groups of the same weights at the same time, the matchmaker will pair them. This also means right now that a team of all heavy and assaults will only see the same number of heavy and assaults (which is NOT always for the best by any measure, as a lack of scouts HURTS many teams badly, and some mediums can throw around with bigger opponents to great effect, often killing them outright).

[Kunae]

Verminaard, on 03 October 2012 - 06:51 AM, said:

What Game modes are there at the moment?
- Currently just deathmatch, 8v8 and 4 maps. (Desert, icemap, city, forest) *There ARE environmental effects, Overheat more in the desert, coolrunning in Icemap etc!

Incorrect. The only mode currently in is "Assault", not "Deathmatch". And there is no "Desert" map yet, just "Smouldering caldera-land", nicknamed "Caustic Valley".

Edited by Kunae, 03 October 2012 - 08:17 AM.

[bert bargo]

Here's a question: Are we allowed to upload video footage of the beta yet? Does anyone know?

[SquareSphere]

wanderer, on 03 October 2012 - 08:10 AM, said:

awesome match making info

Oh that's really good news. I play mostly PUG so it's doesn't seem as apparent.

[Verminaard]

Kunae, on 03 October 2012 - 08:16 AM, said:

Incorrect. The only mode currently in is "Assault", not "Deathmatch". And there is no "Desert" map yet, just "Smouldering caldera-land", nicknamed "Caustic Valley".

Yes I know it's caustic valley, but to simplify it for someone who hasn't played, I figured Desert sums up what it is. No it's not technically a desert, but i find it fits the best for those who have never walked it. Yes it's technically an arid/volcano. But there is no lava, and the volcano is simply making heat. I'll add in a side note for you however.

[DirePhoenix]

SquareSphere, on 03 October 2012 - 07:57 AM, said:

I'd clarify there is no SKILL/MECH/BATTLEVALUE style match making. What we currently have is "pool play" ie players are dropped into a match based on premade groups and the time of entry into a queue.

False again. Matches are created matching 'mech classes in this early iteration. In other words, a team of 3 lights, 1 medium, 2 heavies, and 2 assaults will face another team of 3 lights, 1 medium, 2 heavies, and 2 assaults.

Now, that's not saying that the 2 Awesomes won't be facing 2 Atlases, but 4 Jenners and 4 Ravens shouldn't be facing 8 Atlases.

[Bitslizer]

Verminaard, on 03 October 2012 - 08:29 AM, said:

Yes I know it's caustic valley, but to simplify it for someone who hasn't played, I figured Desert sums up what it is. No it's not technically a desert, but i find it fits the best for those who have never walked it. Yes it's technically an arid/volcano. But there is no lava, and the volcano is simply making heat. I'll add in a side note for you however.

problem is the NEXT "new" map will actually be "Desert" and its supposed to be much larger than even Caustic Valley