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[InnerSphereNews]

Hey Everyone

I would like to address this to the core community of MechWarrior Online. You guys are absolutely the most loyal community in all of gaming, intense! But far and away the most loyal. To explain what I mean by loyal let me start out with a huge thanks to all of our Founders. The program was quite obviously a huge success, in fact at 5.2 Million it has set a new high bar for these types of programs. That is a huge statement to just how amazing the MechWarrior franchise and it’s unique and exciting play mechanics are, and now a whole new generation of gamers are about to learn that. These founders have made it possible for us to make the game better and to make better choices these past 4 months, with each of those choices leading to a better overall product.

Since we have just today announced Open Beta for Monday October 29th, I wanted to address that with the community. During this past year we have learned an incredible amount when it comes to listening and managing a community. Over the course of that year we have listened, learned and then reacted to many topics that have come up. One topic that has always been a major point of conversation is the topic of Open Beta and when the product would be ready for it. This one in particular has always been fascinating to me, for the most part I wondered why people in the community even cared when the product went Open Beta, after all they were already playing the game and enjoying it, what did it matter to them when the product went Open Beta? Of course after studying the subject you start to understand and list off the various reasons people have. But I was also filled with the belief that each of those concerns is very easily addressed, and I will list off a few here:

• 1) I don’t want to spend money on the game until it has more content – This one is very easy to address as Open Beta launch will represent the FINAL data wipe, therefore players will be starting over one last time. This also means that all of their MC, if they have purchased any, or the entirety of the Founders rewards will be reimbursed completely: therefore you get to choose when the time is right to spend your MC currency.
• 2) I don’t think it’s fair that my Founders premium account should start at Open Beta - At an estimated Nov 13th patch all Founders will have their premium time reset once again (two free weeks of premium time!) and be given a “button” that allows Founders the opportunity to choose exactly when to start their premium time. It will not start counting down until you, the Founder, decide it is worth it.
• 3) Oh no it can’t be Open Beta because the game still does not have X Feature or Y piece of content, I can’t believe MWO will not said feature or content – I think all of us get caught up in the retail product mentality. Just because MWO is going Open Beta in no way means we are finished making the game or that we will even slowdown in the slightest. We already have nine months of work lined up in front of us and frankly there is no end to the work in sight. We could easily delay Open Beta endlessly to just wait for one more feature or one more piece of content which could easily become a black hole.
• 4) I love MechWarrior and I want the whole world to love it too, but if it goes out too soon that may not happen – This is a great point of passion that we share with you, but there are just limits to what we can do and how long we can hold off on launching the product. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that the core MWO experience is a ton of fun. All of the media previews from PC Gamer to Penny Arcade agree, the core experience is extremely addictive and fun - we already have what most games never end up finding. Now we just need to add more content and more features, that’s great we can do that and will.

Now that I have talked about some of the feelings the community has expressed regarding Open Beta, let me try and explain some of the reasons why we feel the time is right:

• 1) We just can’t ask more of our closed beta testers - The closed beta testers have done an amazing job, but many of you - including many founders - are just plain fatigued at having their data wiped. In fact according to our data we even have 10’s of thousands of Founders that are just waiting for Open Beta to play again so that their play time is not wasted. It is time for us to get into Open Beta and stop the data wipes.
• 2) We can’t effectively test certain things any further with our current community – In many ways we can’t effectively test systems both in back end infrastructure and game systems without both more and different types of players. We need to bring in new non-core players to determine what aspects of MWO interface, etc need to be changed and exactly how they should be changed. We can’t make proper headway in these areas without Open Beta.
• 3) Customer Support, server stress – we just need to take the next step in our player base to be able to stress and then take these systems to the next level.

In the end there are many reasons across all aspects of running a large game like this that tell us we need to take the next step in order to continue to improve the product at the pace we want to. I hope this information helps you guys in the community understand more clearly the reasoning behind our decisions. I know that almost all the questions and concerns we get from the community is because you care a great deal about this product and really desire to see it successful. Many of you wonder what it is you can do to help make this game a success. Of course many of you purchased Founders packages, which was an immense help, but how else can you help? Please be a huge positive force on the forums, social feeds and most importantly in the game. If you see a new player needing help, take the time to inform them on the nuances of MechWarrior and how they can get better at the game. Help us spread the word and bring new players to the game. Continue to submit support tickets with any issues or bugs you find in the game, as well as continue to provide us your feedback but strive to keep the emotion out of your opinions.

I hope this has been helpful, and once again thanks for your support. I will talk to you again soon.

Russ Bullock President Piranha Games Inc.

[Redshift2k5]

Looks awfully familiar

[Marvyn Dodgers]

Yup, ISN must be running on no sleep

Oops, looks like they reposted a bunch of stuff today, probably forum issues.

Edited by Marvyn Dodgers, 01 November 2012 - 03:42 PM.

[Tennex]

New players should have access to mechlab either through customizable trial mechs(takes away from authenticity of BT defaults?) or be given enough C-Bills to buy a light mech

[AlfalphaCat]

Tennex, on 01 November 2012 - 11:33 PM, said:

New players should have access to mechlab either through customizable trial mechs(takes away from authenticity of BT defaults?) or be given enough C-Bills to buy a light mech

Spend 15 bucks on MC and you can buy most 'Mechs, and some to spare for bay slots.

[Banto]

Tennex, on 01 November 2012 - 11:33 PM, said:

New players should have access to mechlab either through customizable trial mechs(takes away from authenticity of BT defaults?) or be given enough C-Bills to buy a light mech

No one should have access to the MechLab anyways and should have to play with the StockMechVariants as they are.
No more whining about GaussCats, StreakCats, SLSwaybacks and every other upcomming cheesebuild. All gone, in one action.

Except for the huge crying about how everyone wants to customize their Mechs, cause the StockMechs are to less powerful and nobody can rape PUGs anymore.

But I give you the point, that new players should get a free Mech, like the Commando or the upcomming Flea and to choose one Variant. Plus, the TrialMechs should stay the way they are (except with changing the given models every week, not every patch), to give new players an option to get familiar with other Mechs and to see, what kind of Mech the like.
Advantage of this: New players can use a "real" Mech, can customize it if they want and get a grip of the MechLab. Additionally, they can earn some XP with them and if they earn GXP with it and then want to get another Mech (which is pretty possible), the may spend MC to convert der XP on this Mech.
Fun for everyone.

However, this would only make sense, if the lagshielding and all the other issues with the light/fast Mechs would be resolved.

[Enigmos]

I concur it would be better for the game to permit a first free mech in an owned mechbay for free accounts to tinker with/optimise. Much of the fun of the game is in building your best mech and it will provide incentive to achieve elite skills once the basic skills have been populated.

I think a choice of Hunchbacks would be best for that.

And as has been said leave the trial mechs as they are, changing each or every other week.

[Haroldwolf]

AlfalphaCat, on 02 November 2012 - 12:14 AM, said:

Spend 15 bucks on MC and you can buy most 'Mechs, and some to spare for bay slots.

Sounds a lot like "Pay to Win" even if I can't buy Gold Ammo for my AC/20

[SmithMPBT]

OriginalTibs, on 02 November 2012 - 07:47 AM, said:

I concur it would be better for the game to permit a first free mech in an owned mechbay for free accounts to tinker with/optimise. Much of the fun of the game is in building your best mech and it will provide incentive to achieve elite skills once the basic skills have been populated.

I think a choice of Hunchbacks would be best for that.

And as has been said leave the trial mechs as they are, changing each or every other week.

One free mech is a great idea. But make it a Commando. They can tweak and test stuff, but would still be have to fight to earn money for better mechs. Give em a taste of the good stuff and get em hooked. BTW even the LoLTraktor in World of Tanks is upgradeable.

[Banto]

Quote

Haroldwolf, on 02 November 2012 - 07:26 PM, said:

Sounds a lot like "Pay to Win" even if I can't buy Gold Ammo for my AC/20

How the hell is this "Pay2Win", for ***** sake?!

Pay2Win means, you can buy stuff with real money that gives you significant advantages over everyone that does not buy this stuff. like the "Gold Ammo" you mentioned, from World of Tanks. You can't buy it for in-game currency. It allows you to penetrate thicker armor than the available standard ammo. It gives you a significant advantage.
THAT is P2W!

Except for the YenLoWang, you can buy everything with C-Bills. If you earn this C-Bills with time or real money is up to you. The YLW is not P2W either, cause it is just another variant of the Centurion, not better, not worse than others.
Things like MechBay-Slots you don't have to buy. You can play this game without them.
And yes, it is Free2Play. I really don't like that kind of games. But I can understand that PGI somehow needs to earn money. And as long they do this with stuff that doesn't grand significant advantages for paying customers, I'm good with it. And so should you, instead of crying "Pay2Win" the whole time without realizing, what it actually means.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending PGI much over the last few days, cause I think this whole OpenBeta was rushed and you can call many of the things they did over the past few weeks ******.
But I really don't see how anybody could say this game is Pay2Win.

Edited by Banto, 02 November 2012 - 12:03 PM.

[Scratx]

SmithMPBT, on 02 November 2012 - 10:39 AM, said:

One free mech is a great idea. But make it a Commando. They can tweak and test stuff, but would still be have to fight to earn money for better mechs. Give em a taste of the good stuff and get em hooked. BTW even the LoLTraktor in World of Tanks is upgradeable.

Except WoT works very differently from MWO. In WoT every upgrade is a real upgrade. In the sense that everything that you upgrade to has better stats (which also means fully upgraded tanks always have the same loadout, too... very few exceptions exist, and those usually merely mean you have the choice between two guns). Plus, the tiering system makes any higher tier tank markedly superior to a lower tier tank of the same category. And with enough tiers of separation you're effectively immune, because weapons have to penetrate your armor to damage you. No such mechanic in MWO.

In MWO, customizing means swapping gear around which may or may not have better stats. You being more effective in it usually reflects not an inherent advantage of the gear itself, but the focus you give it and your ability to pull it off.

Put another way, a Jenner can take out an Atlas one on one. Try taking out an IS-3 with an A-20. Yes, you can be matched against it, IIRC. (tier 4 light vs tier 8 or so heavy, no contest... even an all flamer jenner has a better shot at killing an atlas)

Comparing the WoT and MWO progression systems isn't really going to work because they're too different. Mechs don't have tiers which artificially make them have better stats than lower tiers, anybody can damage any mech, you don't need to grind XP to unlock mechs, even with c-bills you get them faster... (except perhaps when going from Loltraktor to the next step up)

My suggestion is to just not bring up WoT. Very different beast, despite the similarities on the surface.

[SmithMPBT]

Scratx, on 02 November 2012 - 12:20 PM, said:

Except WoT works very differently from MWO. In WoT every upgrade is a real upgrade. In the sense that everything that you upgrade to has better stats (which also means fully upgraded tanks always have the same loadout, too... very few exceptions exist, and those usually merely mean you have the choice between two guns). Plus, the tiering system makes any higher tier tank markedly superior to a lower tier tank of the same category. And with enough tiers of separation you're effectively immune, because weapons have to penetrate your armor to damage you. No such mechanic in MWO.

In MWO, customizing means swapping gear around which may or may not have better stats. You being more effective in it usually reflects not an inherent advantage of the gear itself, but the focus you give it and your ability to pull it off.

Put another way, a Jenner can take out an Atlas one on one. Try taking out an IS-3 with an A-20. Yes, you can be matched against it, IIRC. (tier 4 light vs tier 8 or so heavy, no contest... even an all flamer jenner has a better shot at killing an atlas)

Comparing the WoT and MWO progression systems isn't really going to work because they're too different. Mechs don't have tiers which artificially make them have better stats than lower tiers, anybody can damage any mech, you don't need to grind XP to unlock mechs, even with c-bills you get them faster... (except perhaps when going from Loltraktor to the next step up)

My suggestion is to just not bring up WoT. Very different beast, despite the similarities on the surface.

So you're saying we'd be giving newbie players too much power with a Commando? I know there players who make it work in Commandos, but with a new player skillset they are not going to drop your atlas. Plus the issue is giving players a taste of the later game without handing them mechs they havent earned. They'll still grind, or go premium or buy MC if they have a Commando. But more importantly they will continue to play, which is what we as the Community and PGI as the dev want.

[Scratx]

SmithMPBT, on 02 November 2012 - 01:11 PM, said:

So you're saying we'd be giving newbie players too much power with a Commando? I know there players who make it work in Commandos, but with a new player skillset they are not going to drop your atlas. Plus the issue is giving players a taste of the later game without handing them mechs they havent earned. They'll still grind, or go premium or buy MC if they have a Commando. But more importantly they will continue to play, which is what we as the Community and PGI as the dev want.

No, I'm saying WoT comparisons are a bad idea because this isn't World of Mechs. Regarding the idea of giving a mech away, I would frankly prefer if a discount towards the first mech was done instead and let them earn the rest of the money with playing trials. Not everyone is fit to play light mechs (I'm a heavy/assault player, for example, though I can pilot a light when I'm in the mood) and giving everyone a commando would mean lots of commandos around. To the point of silliness.

Low-spec players would also not appreciate being given something they can't effectively use. I could go on a bit longer but, essentially, what I'm saying is that a free commando is not a "one size fits all" solution.

[G SE7EN7]

Leave it as is. The system works, if you dont want to spend real cash you dont have to, grind away for your first mech, it really doesnt take that long, I bought my first cat with Cbills from grinding. If I was given a commando I would not have used it. Def better to let players choose their own first mech. You want something better then a commando, grind a bit longer.

The idea of offering a concession for the first mech is not a bad idea tho.

[Shiney]

It's fine and even though I didn't think I'd spend 'real money' I've already eaten away at my founders MC [in game cash] so I wouldn't have to grind and could get to mechs I want to play in. This is good for the game, it means that people 'will' pay to not 'have to' grind away. I still grind to purchase new engines and equipment and it's fun really.

Whilst I fully understand [and passionately prod/suggest/demand] that things aren't done, I think within a year, this will be 'THE' most remarkable Mechwarrior to date and really it already is.