11 replies to this topic

[Darth JarJar]

Forgive me if this has been covered already, but the Dev blog that discussed modules and pilot skills left me with a few burning questions.

It has been stated that mechs will be leveled up within the role tree that has been picked for it, and pilot skills are unlocked by moving through said tree. Does this mean that the pilot skills are locked into the mech role?

In other words: If I have a Commando that is leveled as a scout, and my pilot has skills that are off of that tree, and I also have an Atlas standing by in a dropship, will my pilot just be a 'scout' stuffed into a 'not very scouty' mech? Will my pilot skills allow me to switch roles with appropriate pilot skills whether I'm driving my scout or my assault-specced Atlas?

Since we are allowed only one account, and I have seen no info on dual-speccing (ala WoW), I am wondering how this will work out.

If I missed this info somewhere, please feel free to link me the appropriate thread.

Cheers!

[Heronimus Bosch]

The following link should answer your question :
http://mwomercs.com/...post__p__118778 .
It is the role warfare Q&A.

Edited by Heronimus Bosch, 23 March 2012 - 10:15 AM.

[Slyck]

From what I've seen there is no Role tree for the mechs, just seperate trees for each variant. The vaious Roles only exist within the Pilot tree.

[Felix Dante]

Slyck, on 23 March 2012 - 10:21 AM, said:

From what I've seen there is no Role tree for the mechs, just seperate trees for each variant. The vaious Roles only exist within the Pilot tree.

Also,
Mechs can be improved for certain roles with the bought "Modules" that may lean in favor of certain roles, but any module can be used by any player in any mech for any roles as long as they have the space for those modules in a particular mech.

Edited by Felix Dante, 23 March 2012 - 10:35 AM.

[Aegis Kleais]

von Bremerhaven, on 23 March 2012 - 10:07 AM, said:

Forgive me if this has been covered already, but the Dev blog that discussed modules and pilot skills left me with a few burning questions.

It has been stated that mechs will be leveled up within the role tree that has been picked for it, and pilot skills are unlocked by moving through said tree. Does this mean that the pilot skills are locked into the mech role?

In other words: If I have a Commando that is leveled as a scout, and my pilot has skills that are off of that tree, and I also have an Atlas standing by in a dropship, will my pilot just be a 'scout' stuffed into a 'not very scouty' mech? Will my pilot skills allow me to switch roles with appropriate pilot skills whether I'm driving my scout or my assault-specced Atlas?

Since we are allowed only one account, and I have seen no info on dual-speccing (ala WoW), I am wondering how this will work out.

If I missed this info somewhere, please feel free to link me the appropriate thread.

Cheers!

The way I know things to be:

Each Mech has an EFFICIENCIES TREE, this tree is divided into different roles, however when you gain Mech XP (MXP) you can put it into any role within that efficiency tree. Roles are not methods that force the Mech to play in a certain way, however if you've fully fleshed out your Mech's Scouting role, you'd have more scouting benefits with that chassis should such a time arise when you need them.

In your example, your Commando's current variant could have its Scouting Tree maxed. The Scouting perks are applied to the Mech variant, not the pilot. The same pilot can then pilot a chassis that has, say Offense AND Scout maxed out, and that chassis will just get those perks when in use, no matter if you're doing offensive, scouting, etc.

Each Mech Variant's Efficiencies Tree can be MAXED OUT in all roles.

I don't play WoW so I have no idea what dual-specing is (you didn't explain it, you just assumed we knew what it was)

[Aegis Kleais]

Let me give you an example. Let's say there are Scouting / Assault / Defender / Command roles.

Let's say I have a Timberwolf called PRIME.

As I play the PRIME variant, I gain MXP which I can then use on that variant to buy perks in any of the roles I want. (It's smarter to get perks that are in the role that you'd use the chassis for first out of the way)

As you continue to spend MXP and play games, you earn XP. XP can be used to unlock the PILOT'S SKILLS TREE. These are perks that stick with YOUR pilot no matter WHICH Mech he's piloting (remember, the pilot CANNOT DIE) Once you unlock these perks for the pilot, they're with you forever.

As you gain more XP, you unlock MODULE SLOTS. Each chassis you pilot has it's own maximum amount of modules it can accept, and you buy modules from the store that alter that Mech's abilities in game.

If I fully unlocked my Timberwolf Prime and sold it. If I buy ANOTHER Timberwolf Prime variant, it will have all the tree unlocked already. HOWEVER, if I make changes to the variant and create a NEW one, that Timberwolf's tree is FULLY LOCKED and I will need to use it in battle, gain MXP in order to unlock it.

Efficiency Trees are basically representations of how efficient your pilot is with that specific Mech variant. Selling a fully unlocked Mech variant to another player does NOT give them all the perks unlocked because THEIR pilot isn't efficient in that Mech, only you are.

[Nick Makiaveli]

Aegis Kleais™, on 23 March 2012 - 10:46 AM, said:

I don't play WoW so I have no idea what dual-specing is (you didn't explain it, you just assumed we knew what it was)

Dual speccing is a Warrior could spend all his points on Tanking skills, and then dual spec by spending those points in the DPS tree. Then he could choose either role for a particular dungeon.

As to the OP's question, to an extent what you ask is exactly what should happen. The first time a Commando pilot gets into an Atlas, he wouldn't be an expert Atlas pilot. So you would have a scout pilot in an assault mech. But any skills you had as a pilot would carry over and some might be useful even in a completely different mech.

Also what AK added as I was typing this.

[Aegis Kleais]

Nick Makiaveli, on 23 March 2012 - 11:37 AM, said:

Dual speccing is a Warrior could spend all his points on Tanking skills, and then dual spec by spending those points in the DPS tree. Then he could choose either role for a particular dungeon.

As to the OP's question, to an extent what you ask is exactly what should happen. The first time a Commando pilot gets into an Atlas, he wouldn't be an expert Atlas pilot. So you would have a scout pilot in an assault mech. But any skills you had as a pilot would carry over and some might be useful even in a completely different mech.

Also what AK added as I was typing this.

Thanks for the clarification.

I think the one thing they stated was that you WILL be able (though probably at a lower rate) to spend MXP that is earned in 1 chassis on another. ie. If I earned 1000MXP in a Timberwolf Prime, but I have it fully unlocked, I might be able to convert that to say, 200MXP and put towards another chassis, even though I did not gain the MXP in the chassis that would get the MXP.

The point is, don't pigeonhole yourself into thinking that a Mech is bound to a role. Every Mech has perks in Every role, and in time, you can fully unlock every perk in a Mech's Efficiency Tree. At that point, you are as efficient as you can be in that variant, and only modules will further modify what that Mech is capable of. Each Mech will have a max number of modules, and who knows, there may be module slot TYPES, further limiting what a Mech can/cannot do.

[Darth JarJar]

Ah, so! Thanks for the link and the interpretations thereof. I think I have a better grasp now.

<S>,
Bremer

[VarietyOfCells]

On the topic of pigeonholing, I wonder what effect c-bills will have on a pilot's ability to change up his play style based on how expensive it will be to buy new weapons and new mechs.

It has be said a few times that it will cost c-bills to repair your mech after each match. I wonder what percentage of your average earnings that will take up. 20% for repairs? 50%? Will you have to buy more ammunition? Then, I wonder how easily you'll be able to purchase new weapons and new mechs. If I suck, will I be stuck with a jenner for a week as I save up for something else? Or after six or so matches will I be able to afford an assault? Will it be more expensive to repair and re-arm an assault mech? And if so, will the situation ever arise where I get blown to bits immediately and don't have the funds to repair my mech to working order, in which case I'm forced to sell my broken assault for scrap and get something cheaper?

So many money questions. Very curious to see how they balance all that. I like the idea of having to really earn your big expensive mech, but at the same time it doesn't quite seem fair to force people who are terrible to be scouts just because they can't make enough money to buy a bigger mech. Then they continue to be one-shot killed due to their aforementioned terribleness and rage quit the whole game without a chance to get better. Maybe if mechs were priced a bit more on quality vs tonnage that would help people get to their desired role quicker, and then save up from there for something better within their weight class.

[Soviet Alex]

FAO: VarietyOfCells: The devs have said in several threads that every mech will be available to a player at the start. So whatever floats your boat, you won't have to work up to it (unlike previous Mechwarrior titles). Of course, if you blew your entire starting budget on an Atlas, you might be stuck in that until you can afford to buy a second chassis.

As for the in-game economy, mission rewards vs. repairs, etc, we'll just have to wait & see. I would imagine that a large part of the closed beta testing is going to be campaign economics.

[Slyck]

Wehenver I read "every mech will be available to a player at the start" I always append "with a small RL investment" to the end of it. I don't know if that's just me or the impression was planted in me ealier.