119 replies to this topic

[Garth Erlam]

This thread is for questions you guys have about the MechLab blog (and only MechLab - other questions will be skipped) - we will answer next wednesday, and will answer one question per person.

So write out those questions!

[Curon Hifor]

How will engine upgrades (or downgrades) be handled in the MechLab?

[Mason Grimm]

Can we upload custom unit decals and how would that be handled?

[Helmer]

Will weapon changes be visually represented?

Edited by Helmer, 04 April 2012 - 10:09 AM.

[Hartsblade]

Mason Grimm, on 04 April 2012 - 09:53 AM, said:

Can we upload custom unit decals and how would that be handled?

To add to Mason's question. Will the ability of custom paints/patterns be concidered. There is a lot of nice work in the Repaint thread that I would love to see come to life ingame.

[Opus]

Are Structure Points, and Armor points similar or Separate from each other, within weight allowances? ?

[omegaclawe]

Alright... only one question, shame. I got a good one, though:

Some mechs have variants that replace ballistics with energy weapons or vice versa (AC10 Swaps for PPC's come to mind). Will this be handled through a similar system to MechWarrior 4's "Omni" slots, or will different variants have different weapon slot configurations? If otherwise, please elaborate.

I actually like the latter style; makes unlocking variants more important and wot. Strikes a good balance, I think.

Edited by omegaclawe, 04 April 2012 - 09:58 AM.

[Kenyon Burguess]

will i be able to add arm and hand actuators to a mech and change its appearance?
if i replace the flamer on a hermes II with a med laser will the outward look of my mech change?
will i be able to make changes immediatly upon game release or will i have to wait for certain variants of mechs to release to be able to change them. example: the jumpjets on the clint.

[Mechteric]

Lets say I take an Awesome, normally with 3 PPCs, 1 small laser. Then I modify it to its maximum theoreitcaly extent, that is to say 10 medium lasers. Will this be possible, or could the hardpoint system further restrict so there's a maximum number of smaller weapons that could replace a larger one to help prevent crazy boating? For instance maybe a max of two lasers could take the place of a single PPC even though its 3 crits?

[Rutok]

Isnt this system a little rigid? If i got this right you can only downgrade weapons because you couldnt fit a bigger weapon into the hardpoints even if you reduced armor.

To use the example from the dev blog: even if i reduced the armor of the mech (or took out another weapon from somewhere) i still couldnt fit the ppc into the arm?

[Nik Van Rhijn]

Are the hardpoints "size" limited in any way or is it just the limitation of weight and total available crits within the hardpoint type. If there was an AC2 fitted and you removed other weapons/armour etc could you fit an AC20 or is there some other limitation. Are there "equipment hardpoints or do things like ammo, AMS, BAP etc just fit in "empty" crit spaces?

[El Loco]

How is the number of hardpoints per location and variant decided? It becomes important to have more than the minimum required number of hardpoints when you remove the jump jets from a variant capable of jumping, thereby freeing tonnage.

[Skwisgaar Skwigelf]

With the hardpoint system controlling weapon types does that mean that we can expect variants to have different hardpoints types? For example, one Catapult variant with LRMS/missile bays and another with PPCs /energy bays? One Dragon with AC5/ballistic and another with PPC/energy (Grand Dragon)?

[Thorn Hallis]

Quote

What about Jump Jets?

Jump Jets in MechWarrior Online are chassis specific. If a BattleMech comes with Jump Jets, then a player can add/remove as they wish.

What about variants? For example, the original Cataphract CTF-1X and CTF-1K have no jumpjets, while the upgraded CTF-3D has them. Are they counted as the same mech or as different mechs like with the hardpoints?

Plus the CTF-3D features 2 ballistic hardpoints for its main weaponry, while the -1X and -1K would have 1 ballistic and 1 energy hardpoint each. Are them treated as different mechs?

Nevermind.

Edited by Thorn Hallis, 05 April 2012 - 01:08 AM.

[Dihm]

Will there be an in-game monetary cost associated with altering Mech in the MechLab to represent the time/cost for the Techs to complete the changes?

Edit: D'oh, reading comprehension failure! You already mentioned this in the blog.

Alternate question: Will parts be purchased automatically and freely available, or will players need to purchase them from a "parts market" which may have, for instance, fluctuating prices or availability depending on what the other players within the game are buying?

Edited by Dihm, 04 April 2012 - 10:19 AM.

[Karl Streiger]

How will you handle major variants of some BattleMechs - i don't mean the exchange of a weapon but a complete redesign?
For better understanding: Charger - 1A1 to 1A5 or Banshee 3E towards 3S
For those who are no TT cracks: 1A1 is a fast 80ton mech with a armament of 5 light laser while the 1A5 is a real assault mech with AC 20 and two heavy SRM packs...

Edited by Karl Streiger, 04 April 2012 - 10:14 AM.

[Scanlon]

Can I not use all my armor points or not fill all the weapon blocks to reduce overall weight/tonnage and increase speed/acceleration?

[Daneiel]

I have 1 question -> how do you restrict changing of some weapons with different ranges but with the same size like Gauss Rifle and AC/20 or replacing 2 MLs with 1 LL ?

Edited by daneiel varna, 04 April 2012 - 10:14 AM.

[Felicitatem Parco]

When viewing weapons that could possibly fit into a slot (like your small laser, medium laser, PPC setup described in the examples), will we have access to quick-facts about those other weapons (such as a brief overview of their size/weight/dmg/heat/range)?

[BarHaid]

Are hardpoints limited by the weapons that come stock with the mech? By that I mean will there be hardpoints available on a chassis that a particular configuration doesn't use?