34 replies to this topic

[Woodstock]

Hey

I have been wondering for a while now how the game will alter the major universe altering battles/campaigns that dramatically moved the boarders of the great houses.

I would love to be part of them ... but at the same time adding that hugely random element to them would potentially alter the outcome.

How do you see them being handled?

my thoughts are:

Option A - We are informed of them through news reports. (safest for the timeline)
Option B - We are involved but we are only used in minor skirmishes. ie we get sent to a flank or a smaller starport and end up 'missing' the major battle.
Option C - Free reign ... if we win the battle then the timeline shifts. Ooops.


Thoughts?

[Hayden]

I like the notion of oops... *whistles*

[William Petersen]

I like this idea, and hope it comes to fruition. I'd love to actually participate in the battle for Tukayyid... And I'd *really* love to see the clans win this time. >=-)

[Gastorious]

I think the devs stated some where, no idea where, that players would be locked out of major events in canon, with some planets becoming briefly inaccessible until the event has passed. So most likely A with maybe a bit of B.

[Lancehead]

I think we might get to play major events, but only if we are playing on the correct (err winning) side.

For the Battle of Tukayyid, you might have to be a Comstar Guard for the devs to even consider letting you join. Prepare to be blown away by awesome Clan Tech, and hope you do not get pitted against Clan Ghost Bear, Clan Wolf or Clan Jade Falcon...

[El Loco]

I would love that third option... but keep in mind that some of the great battles involved great warriors like Kai Allard-Liao, Victor Steiner-Davion or Grayson Death Carlyle. Giving players the option of participating in the main events of the battles would have to be done without involvement of the original (i.e. canon) protagonists or we need an AI.controlled unit. Some battles, e.g. Twycross, will become a little weird without Kai Allard-Liao's great move of burrying an entire Cluster of Jade Falcons in the Great Gash. It could even get worse, imagine every second player turns into a Kai Allard-Liao look alike, trying to perform the very same maneuver. Either way the fight would be a sure loss for the IS forces, not very appealing.

Anyhow... I can sit and wait for the devs to announce their take on the great battles. If I can't be part of them, fine... there's thousands of planets where I can fight a good fight. It would be less immersive, but so be it

[Nik Van Rhijn]

Dev's would seem to have opted for A at launch with maybe some B later.

[Togg Bott]

they will do the story line.. EVE style... brief announcments that "GUIDE" you towards the correct outcome.... after that... the balls in the air

[Trevnor]

Well, as a loyal FRR citizen, I'd like to be able to alter the outcome, just because I'm in the FRR... But, fighting large canon battles would be cool, so long as the outcome is correct.

[Righ]

I'd prefer it to be our own universe that we can change and alter depending on what we do. Obviously REALLY big battles would be locked, but I want everything to be affected by everyone.

[Woodstock]

I seriously doubt that we will have any chance to alter the timeline. But it would be nice to be 'on planet' taking out some supply depot when the 'Big boys' are going head to head.

[Seabear]

My guess is that anything to do with the great battles will at best be periphery attacks and raids that will not change the outcome but will allow for some participation. By sticking to the timeline, the game will be much easier to develop.

[FinnMcKool]

I hope we have a chance to play them out ;even if the out come is wrong for the Canon/History,

and after all is said and done ,(people get credit, awards honors ect.ect...) then the devs reset the map

according to the proper time line / history/ canon.

[CeeKay Boques]

Sticking to the Timetable:

Pros: We get to meet and greet and relive the BattleTech Story. Little Dev input required, just stick to the rails.

Cons: Stagnant Universe, a “fake” backdrop to facilitate Mechbattle. Everyone knows what happens next, no thrills..


Player "controlled" Universe

Pros: Emotional investment, layers and layers of multiplay and communication. Feels more like a "league", people and places mean something. Watching the game even when you're not playing so you can see the IS change hands, supply lines cut etc... it is not just Battletech, its War.

Cons: Creating truly adaptable Innersphere map, lots of Dev input and creation neeeded, player in-fighting... BT Lore hounds disappointed in mental movie not playing out correctly.


I think we should change the Universe. This means factions and factories planning and attacking together. Meetings, Strategy, alliances, everything is real. If you ask the 6^th Crucis Lancers to bring their mechs up 3 jump points, and they DO NOT, you will not have enough mechs to win the day if faced with a battle of attrition. You will lose ground. You will yell in the forums about loyalty and other such things. It’s a planetary league, exciting and demanding, addicting and real.

Without that, I’m happy to skip with you holding hands with Victor until we run into Blakey. That’s cool too. But not as cool.

Edited by Technoviking, 28 March 2012 - 01:38 PM.

[Gremlich Johns]

William Petersen, on 27 March 2012 - 10:06 PM, said:

I'd love to actually participate in the battle for Tukayyid...

The power of retrospect is with the Clans in MWO - that battle will never happen

[FinnMcKool]

Technoviking, on 28 March 2012 - 01:33 PM, said:

Sticking to the Timetable:

Pros: We get to meet and greet and relive the BattleTech Story. Little Dev input required, just stick to the rails.

Cons: Stagnant Universe, a “fake” backdrop to facilitate Mechbattle. Everyone knows what happens next, no thrills..


Player "controlled" Universe

Pros: Emotional investment, layers and layers of multiplay and communication. Feels more like a "league", people and places mean something. Watching the game even when you're not playing so you can see the IS change hands, supply lines cut etc... it is not just Battletech, its War.

Cons: Creating truly adaptable Innersphere map, lots of Dev input and creation neeeded, player in-fighting... BT Lore hounds disappointed in mental movie not playing out correctly.


I think we should change the Universe. This means factions and factories planning and attacking together. Meetings, Strategy, alliances, everything is real. If you ask the 6^th Crucis Lancers to bring their mechs up 3 jump points, and they DO NOT, you will not have enough mechs to win the day if faced with a battle of attrition. You will lose ground. You will yell in the forums about loyalty and other such things. It’s a planetary league, exciting and demanding, addicting and real.

Without that, I’m happy to skip with you holding hands with Victor until we run into Blakey. That’s cool too. But not as cool.

This is a very strong argument, I must admit I like your vision ,,,,,,

wish we could have the cake and eat it to. maybe a reset of map at certain predetermined times , Still giving those who fought and won bragging rights.

[Evil Ash]

If you don't think about it hard enough, you can go with opt. 3. In MW4V you have the choice to save Joahnna, but in MW4BK they decide that you decided that for you.

[William Petersen]

Gremlich Johns, on 28 March 2012 - 01:35 PM, said:

The power of retrospect is with the Clans in MWO - that battle will never happen

The power of retrospect is with the clan players. The campaign-level leadership are NPCs. =P

[slide]

You could think of this as more of a little fish in a big pond.

Your lance or company is attached to the attacking/defending forces for some large scale historical battle. As we cannot field anything more than a company we are assigned some sort of objective. You fight to the best of your ability and win or loose. However the rest of the force win/loses depending on historical out come. It's a sort of "you won your battle but everyone else lost the war", type deal. As long as no one is keeping score of the whole battle the results can be "fixed" to the historical outcome whilst everyone feels they have done their bit.

[Wraith 1]

I would like having option C almost as much as I'd like a single player campaign.