235 replies to this topic

[Kunae]

Dirus Nigh, on 11 October 2012 - 08:44 AM, said:

I just logged in today at noon. My FPS is 4 in mechlab and in game. There are only 1600 players on right now. This should not be happing. I tried deleting the shaders file, no luck.

Did you turn off Ambient Occlusion, globally, in your drivers? (And shaders is a folder, not a file. If you deleted shaders.cfg or similar, you deleted the wrong thing).

[Haroldwolf]

Open Beta is the showcase time. I'm not sure how impressed the public will be with few playable maps and mechs. Once you lose somebody, they are gone for good. Look what happened to Star Trek Online and Star Wars:The Old Republic when they didn't live up to marketing hype.

To keep the public happy you will have to step up the release of maps and mechs and improve the game play from the current mech version of "Whack a Mole".

[CCC Dober]

From a Founder's perspective this is unacceptable. We fronted that money so we would see the game succeed and move forwards. The last patch was like several steps backwards. Now the game goes live and our premium time starts to tick down? Are you serious?

Is this how you want to run business PGI?

[Korz]

Tired? I am not tired. I have not log in much cause I log in on patch days bang away finding bugs and things that need to be fixed. Test out the new stuff added and then wait for the next patch.

You add a mini patch that you do not bother to even tell us what changed.Then you add a patch that requires most people to reinstall to get the patch working. Then you add a graphics patch that breaks for many and introduces a new bug on purchased mechs and no armor.

You can't even patch the game without breaking it. Yet you feel you're ready for open beta? Are you guys delirious?

You can't even get joystick/game controllers working a basic.
We have no radar.
No double heat sinks or ferro.
Weapons still not balanced.
Heat dissipation still not working as it should.

If the testers are tired it is not with the game but the development or lack of it.

[RaNDoMPReCiSioN]

While we appreciate closed beta is coming to an end and that its time in the devs minds to let the public in, I really feel the game is nowhere near ready to be spending my bought MCs. An extra map and game mode won't go amiss, that is true, but surely we can't be expected to accept all our premium time is getting used before the full game takes its shape. That would be absolutely pointless.

If it's not bad enough the founders programme (which was started as a time limited offer, then extended and extended again) is still running until the last gasp, the founders tag has been devalued tremendously in the process. Hands up anyone else who bought in during wave 1 and now feel duped (just like this post to show your support.) Consideration must be made towards those who've pumped a good few dollars into the development programme.

In what way shape or form are we (the closed beta testers) fatigued by closed beta? There are stacks of issues and bugs we report and are are happy to keep doing so. Personally speaking I can't see how this is ready for open beta when the last patch alone introduced so many more glitches and bugs. Here's a small example of some persistent and current problems:

Client locks when closing (have to end the process from task manager.) Game crashes to desktop intermittently. Textures do not fully render on certain maps. Mech getting stuck between buildings on certain maps. Framerates unstable. Server lag (new issue) affecting all players during a match. Loadouts still not saving properly in mech lab. Matchmaking system starting matches with unbalanced teams (seen it start 8v1, 8v0.) Random and spontaneous suicides (within boundaries.)

As you guys (the devs) are going ahead with this ridiculous open beta theory, I would suggest suspending MCs and Premium bonuses until the game is complete in the real sense (i.e. worlds/maps, mech corp integration, community warfare, etc.) At the moment the game consists of nothing more than a series of deathmatches on a limited supply of glitchy maps and I fail to see how adding another gamemode and map will change it all that much.

DirectX 11 integration is on the horizon but this is again untested. More maps to come - each with thier own glitches. While we're happy to report such things as per the testing process, there will be many more new players to the scene in open beta who will not care about such things, rather to shout abuse in chat and upset a lot more in the process.

It was also fine to try out the buying mechanism during CB but I'm not prepared to waste it on an intermediate stage of development that's not any different or worthy of my currency in the real sense. If this is the game at 95% readiness (which is what the devs defined as open beta in previous announcements) then there's not a lot going for the future of game with 2 modes of play and a small handful of maps. I want to see my MCs and premium membership kick in at the start of the proper game, not during extended testing (open or closed.) This is really bad PA guys - don't do it.

Do tell us there's gong to be more to it (and by that I mean lots and soon.)

ps. one other thing while I'm here: Why is it the US PC Gamer subscribers are getting in game freebies and the rest of the world get nothing?? I sincerely hope all founders and closed beta testers get something too.

I really hope PGI are reading these posts. Take heed devs - we testers are convinced it is not yet time for OB. We want to see it shine for all it is worth too but you are opening the floodgates way too soon.

Edited by RaNDoMPReCiSioN, 11 October 2012 - 02:07 PM.

[Spawn1992]

We, Closed Beta Testers and Founders, are patient (at least, most of us) and we hope this game to be a success. Unfortunately, there won't be only people like us playing this game. You know, there's always the stupid ones to point out the game is s*it for missing things, and that there's bugs and everything, and that the game shouldn't even exist. There's players like this everywhere, and we'll have to deal with it. There will be profanity directed at developers, people who don't even know how to draw a circle at MS Paint criticizing the game - as if it were easy to develop a game without at least a single graphics' bug -, etc. And the game magazines, as Vulture2k said, will "boost" the wrong view, with their stupid game critics repeating what the haters said.
Wouldn't be that bad to wait one or two weeks focusing on existing bugs and try to fix it. Maybe it would be even better to launch the patch once it's ready. You don't need to wait for the Tuesday scheduled maintenance, just launch it right now (for example) if it's ready, and give us 2 weeks to "hunt the bugs". This will be a great patch, wouldn't be nice to risk yourself, launching it exactly the same time when the haters join the game.

[Solothkar]

Hi there

I know it has been said that with the open beta the pro time starts ticking but actually I have thought the game would be way more advanced at that point. I do not really understand why everybody can not decide for themselves when they want to start theit pro time. it should be controlable on a monthly basis. it does not make sense if people have the 1 month pro time on their founders account and are now going for three weeks on vacation. There was no way to know when the open beta would start. So why not make it so that people can turn their pro time on or off (on a monthly basis to also be fair to the company). Meaning if people want to wait, they just wait and others can trigger their pro time if they like.

Just my two c-bills.

Solothkar

[Applecrow]

I love that we will be able to create custom art, as I have a tag I've used in many games and would love to stick it on my mech. Also my color scheme is pretty out there...

I'm pretty lenient/liberal in my tolerance, but then again, there are people who will use the decals to post deliberately offensive material relying on anonymity. Primarily racist or sexually graphic decals.

I do hope that such a process allows for reporting players who use offensive material, because allowing custom decals WILL cause people to use offensive material simply because they can.

[Aratan]

[SmithMPBT]

Deathwarrior, on 11 October 2012 - 04:33 AM, said:

Does anyone else see the irony, of an online multiplayer free2play game, transitioning into open beta, that doesn't allow for social/community interaction aside from random matchmaking battles and a simple friends list? The essence of what makes an online game an "online game" isn't available to us, yet we're still able to move into Open Beta.

If this gets addressed in the October 16th patch, I think now would be a good time to let us know, otherwise we have 2-3 months of random battles before even the first hint of community warfare shows its' face in December.

Well said! Start with the Lobby. Its been mentioned, I know. But with this game not being an Open World MMO, chat lobbies are necessary. The only interaction we have now are with faceless opponents for a short battle.

[NormlDotOrg]

Scratx, on 10 October 2012 - 01:59 PM, said:

Anyone gets to own mechs. C-bills or MCs. The founder mechs only differ from the mechs they're based on in two ways.

1- Unique skin
2- Permanent +25% c-bill earning bonus

I suspect #2 may be available in "Hero mechs" in the future.

There is nothing we can do with our founder mechs that nobody else can't. If you really believe otherwise, then it shows how much you (don't) know.

Finally, there's been plenty of threads discussing how to defeat LRMs and their launchers. I could throw in some of them here, but I don't think this thread is appropriate for that, so I'll refrain. They're easy to find.

We that did not pay for mechs have to get them the hard way. ENDLESS HOURS AND GAMES WITH THE CHEAP MECHS. The trial mechs do not support customizing payloads/weapons. NO.

So take your "go to the forums for anti-LRM" cookie cutter build and shove it.

If I pay for a founders mech I would pick the biggest one that allows for the bigger payload/amount of weapons and stock the crap outta some LRMs and stand on a mountain. SPAM SPAM SPAM. The noobs who have to work their way up from having no cash to being able to buy a mech that can be outfitted with anti-LRM countermeasures (and still have room for ACTUAL WEAPONS among other things) is lame. Sorry.

The game is not finished enough for even open beta. NO character. All games will roughly be the same. Mechs dancing in a circle. First game will be the same as all others. Lame.

"Its open beta/beta!!" Who cares? Its very obvious this game will never get much better and you that paid got rolled, most of you that got the "Legendary" got rolled for twice the price as a lame xbox game!

Spout some more like a person backing a lame duck politician. Yawn.

This "game" does ZERO justice to the BattleTech/MechWarrior franchise. Disgraceful! Shame!

Edited by NormlDotOrg, 11 October 2012 - 12:47 PM.

[Ultrabeast]

NormlDotOrg, on 10 October 2012 - 11:02 AM, said:

Aww he thinks hes funny! Cute but that doesn't fix a broken game. Nice try tho! BTW my feedback is realistic whether you choose to accept it or not. It sucks man. Trust me I wanted the game to be killer. Its just not and we are all human and humans will default to spamming LRM with assault mechs. What are you supposed to do? Close the distance with said LRM campers and chop them with an energy sword? I have been in 40 matches or so and out of those at least 25 + there were 3 assault mechs standing almost arm and arm spamming/camping LRM. Its a loser/skilless tactic. Light/Medium mechs are no match for this and it cannot/will not be fixed but to try and flame/name call me is just poor taste and lacks class. Your banter is typical of someone endlessly supporting a lame duck politician and basic "running of the mouth". Lame. Sorry.

Wow you've played 40 matches? I've played 500+ matches and know that LRM's are very easy to counter. Kill the enemy's scouts so the LRM boats can't target you, use AMS, and stay behind cover. Not sure what you're smoking, but usually LRM's don't travel through solid objects. Stand behind something. You must be playing in Pugs and getting stomped by premades.

[NormlDotOrg]

40 matches is all I need brother...first off I wasn't bragging about how many I have played.

Like I said before, we HAVE to start off with the cheap mechs....in turn the cheap mechs just happen to be the light mechs. They don't support much room and I don't want to HAVE to equip AMS. LRM all fly over objects. Nice try on the flame. "Not sure what your smoking" Now with the stereotyping. I support Cannabis reform as my user name suggests so I must be some couch locked moron? Nice try, however you slice it LRM camping is a huge problem. It reminds me of the many times we all had that friend that used some OP/no skill tactics in other games and had the balls to say "What? Its in the game!?!?! So its a valid tactic" (Rocket launcher on infantry ring a bell?)

I'm sorry I come off as a troll but I have wanted a new mech game for A LONG time. (Mech Warrior 4). High hopes dashed. Angry!

Edited by RAM, 11 October 2012 - 06:35 PM.
insulting

[Ultrabeast]

NormlDotOrg, on 11 October 2012 - 01:20 PM, said:

40 matches is all I need brother...first off I wasn't bragging about how many I have played fool.

Like I said before, we HAVE to start off with the cheap mechs....in turn the cheap mechs just happen to be the light mechs. They don't support much room and I don't want to HAVE to equip AMS. LRM all fly over objects. Nice try on the flame. "Not sure what your smoking" Now with the stereotyping. I support Cannabis reform as my user name suggests so I must be some couch locked moron? Nice try, however you slice it LRM camping is a huge problem. It reminds me of the many times we all had that friend that used some OP/no skill tactics in other games and had the balls to say "What? Its in the game!?!?! So its a valid tactic" (Rocket launcher on infantry ring a bell?)

I'm sorry I come off as a troll but I have wanted a new mech game for A LONG time. (Mech Warrior 4). High hopes dashed. Angry!

1) I'm not your brother
2) If you believe LRM's are traveling through solid objects, you must be smoking something.
3) You are pugging against premades, has nothing to do with LRM's. If it wasn't LRM's, it would be gauss rifles. If not gauss rifles, PPC's. ETC, repeat whine and rinse. Get on TS3 server and stop being an *****.
4) I don't care about your lame politics.
5) You are a very vocal minority, nobody agrees with you. Posting the most whines doesn't make them true.
6) Maybe lay off the weed before your next post so you make a little sense.

[Purplefluffybunny]

I don't believe the reasons that are being given for the move to open beta status. I believe it is more the case of wanting to generate more revenue.

[Arathena]

It's too soon for open beta. I say this from the standpoint of a game developer. I work for a major gaming company. The game is pretty solid, but with so much left to implement and the overall performance of the game during peak periods on the closed beta. I can honestly say MWO needs to stay in closed beta for another month. Now I know this is not going to change anyones mind nor will open beta be delayed, but I will say we are in for a rocky time when they open the doors. I know this to be true no matter when they decided to open the gates, but in my opinion it is too soon. I know the game will succeed no matter what. However I would like to see a bit more spit and shine for the general public. This is just my opinion and you know what they say about opinios. Just wanted to throw my two cents in. Happy hunting.

[NormlDotOrg]

Ultrabeast, on 11 October 2012 - 01:24 PM, said:

1) I'm not your brother
2) If you believe LRM's are traveling through solid objects, you must be smoking something.
3) You are pugging against premades, has nothing to do with LRM's. If it wasn't LRM's, it would be gauss rifles. If not gauss rifles, PPC's. ETC, repeat whine and rinse. Get on TS3 server and stop being an *****.
4) I don't care about your lame politics.
5) You are a very vocal minority, nobody agrees with you. Posting the most whines doesn't make them true.
6) Maybe lay off the weed before your next post so you make a little sense.

1) No, really? Your making me feel unwelcome now that I know we aren't related.
2) I CLEARLY said LRMs fly over objects. Nice reading comprehension. Gauss rifles do not "heat seek" OVER objects. Neither do any of the aforementioned weapons you so graciously included. Sorry, your not going to make me out to be some whiner/sore loser. I'm so sorry for your loss.
3) I work in teams. Nice try.
4) Yet you bring up stereotypical statements. More imbibe Cannabis then don't. Sorry times have changed.
5) Vocal minority with a valid point no matter how many of you toadies try to make it invalid/non issue
6) Funny I have not smoked "weed" (Cannabis) for over a year, I just support the impending regulation/taxation.

You try way too hard to sound like your some kind of MechWarrior hardass, yet you lack the class to call this game what it is. No character. No depth. Same ol, same ol.

You bring out your frustrations with the game through deflection and it just so happens I am getting said deflected banter. Yawn and yawn. Your "points" (wow you numbered them, how professional!) only had ONE issue that I presented. LRMs. They are op not due to power but their inherent "seek-over-objects" ability.

No need for you to try and sound like you are. Your Toady style kung-fu is no match for my Zen style.

Edited by NormlDotOrg, 11 October 2012 - 02:07 PM.

[IntruderAlert]

Russ,

Are you reading this? Are you listening to us?

Investors/financers : This game stands to make a ton of money if implemented correctly.
However, if done incorrectly it will not only bomb, but put the final death blow in any future
Mech/BT online game to ever be created in the future.

Russ: I KNOW you have played other previous versions of MECHWARRIOR.
and I Know you have played other online games.

I don't care about losing a little money or resets or having to wait a little while for the game to get running
smoothly.

What I do care about is blindly marching forward and letting the viral social media that will rip you and this game
apart if you try to go open beta at this point in time.

My suggestion:

Shut the servers down. <<<<<<<<<<<<
Send everyone on vacation for a week.<<<<<<<<<<
When you come back (servers still down) spend the next week or two re-playing all the older versions of
MECHWARRIOR, and some other Online games (even crysis)...
Look at what you have at "Beta", compare it to everyone else's Alpha and pre-alpha, compare it to what
people are used to seeing...and see what Basic functionality and expected options are obviously missing
in your current game.

Sure the investors are interested in the Bottom line, and you are interested in funding the project and not losing your tail
in the process. The investors have to understand that your previous expectations of getting this game rolled out
within 1 year was a little too progressive compared to most game of such caliber taking 2, 3 and sometimes more
years to reach a "beta" stage.

Unless you have some huge purple monkey hiding up your sleeve..it's not at all ready to open up to the general public.
Basically, in social conscious Open Beta means Launch..letting the whole world judge you.
Don't let this happen. Not yet.

If there is a financial reason for launching now, and it's at a critical stage, then you have too few investors, or the wrong ones.
Appeal to the general public..ever hear of Kickstarter.com?

Additionally, I have found that an extrememly large amount of your "founders" are also deeply involved career-wise in the same
functions as most of your DEV's, Admin's, and Graphic/Game Designers are attempting to do with this game.
You might consider tapping into them. It's always ok to ask for help.

Most of the issues with the Game, as it is, seems to be SERVER related...not user's systems related.
Consider the need to outsource your game host to a more professional (larger) hosting company (Sorry PGI..)

Beta Launch requirements that should never be left out:

#1 In-Game Tutorial (many people will never use the forums)
#2 In-Game Trial area/map (possibly a training map)
#3 Smooth running game all kinks/issues worked out
#4 Interface functionality without the game-within-a-game fighting with the Launch/Group/Friend buttons (currently this is just BAD programming)
#5 all graphics engine components worked out and functioning (IE DX11 tested, implemented and working)
#6 Full funcitonality of the Options menu for keybinding and joy-stick controls. The Cry3 engine comes with them

It doesn't matter that there are only a few maps, or mech designs yet...all games add things later.
It doesn't matter that there is no music , but it would be nice later.

It Does matter that there is no desgnated area to test your mech build BEFORE you are getting shot at in-game.
It Does matter that there is no Training map/ Group Training map to work on strategies with your lancemants.

I, and a lot of people on here, understand the phenomenal undertaking you have staked your names on to get this
project out the door. And yes there is a lot of whining in the forums...because that is human nature.
(It doesn't really mean they all hate you...)

Personally, I have had a blast playing with what we have already...I can't complain.

Most every person in Closed Beta and most every person currently on the forums have a profound desire to see this game succeed..even the whinners.
There are probably a Lot of people (founders) that have talents you could tap,... that would enjoy helping.., but there does not seem to be any pathway for them to make that connection happen.

Having started and operated several businesses in various industries, some successful, (some not so much..) I can empathize with the challenges and frustrations needed to be surmounted to be successful in any given project. And during those trials and tribulations it is easy to loose sight of the original dream and concepts due to external pressures and internal tunnel vision.

The final product at Launch must be polished, functional, and sparkley....we are not there yet

-[FWLM] IntruderAlert

admin@mech.net
MECHNET Gaming Systems, Inc.
Original mechnet! kali MW2 host on Jay Cotton's Kali Network.
Also, licensed and authorised regional host and game launch/tournament site for almost every game put out from EA, Microsoft, Activision, and a few others from 1998 to 2009 both PC and Console games. Some games were a hit, a lot were flops.

Biggest first time player turn-off switches:

1. Playability ...the reason counter-strike lasted so long even after Steam2 came out was that it didn't leave a larger portion of the potential playing community behind (worked on average computers..not just advanced game rigs). Same was true with Medal of Honor and other such original titles. This was also before the economy tanked. Where MMORPG's like WoW originally supported "the most common computer" when it first came out, Blizzard started losing users in droves when the game started requiring at least a dual core computer just to play the game. In today's economy many people might be able to justify $15/mo for entertainment, but not another $1000-$3000 for a new computer to play a specific game when there are so many out there that do not require it. (this also includes Game servers that can't handle the launch /patch load).

2. Understandability, control function familiarity. MWO is funtionally familiar (WASD), however there is nothing in game to tell people what controls/keys do what without manualy typing each key to see a result or looking at the options menu which lacks lisitng several options
which are actually already embedded in the game (like the "Lance chat" key) (need a training area or in-game tutorial)

3.Lack of Engagement, The game needs to engage the new player with the "excitement" of being immersed in the virtual reality we are presenting.
Almost every singel game produced in the last 15 years and every form of video enterainment to date has some kind of theme based
music as part of the presentation. (even though there should be an option to turn it off). Today's games are a "movie in which the player interacts". In-Game story lines and music adds tons to that projected reality and excitement.

4. Unexpected results: Several times I have purchased a mech, and with remaining c-bills loaded it out, only to save and have a bare mech and no c-bills left. Today's society is all about instant-gratification, and if you make them hold off with a grind that ends in frustraiton your going to end up with a lot of people pee'ing themselves.

5. Player base. If your player base is not large enough to keep the game going 24 hours a day...(so everyone can drop into a game when it is convenient to them)...your going to loose to other games that do. While there is a huge (albeit aging) BT follower base...the real money that will make the game endure is the larger base of un-tapped new and younger players that may have no idea of what BTech is. Need more than relying on them typing "wiki mechwarrior" into a web page and hoping they find out from that. they need to feel like this is their home from the instant the game launches and how to get more information/help if they do not. (see points #1,2,3,4 above)

I am really sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes here..it's not the intent.

I just don't want to see this thing die a horrible death when it does not have too.

Take a vacation, shut the servers if necessary...we will still be here waiting.

-IA
-[FWLM] IntruderAler http://housemarik.enjin.net

[zer0imh]

^this guy knows what he's talking about.

[Dogan]

No kidding right? (about starting premium timers) If anything that stress test tonight proved its not ready as a commercial product yet.