21 replies to this topic

[Woodstock]

Hey

Just wondering if our choice of house loyalty will effect the mechs we have access to?

It tells you all over the tech read outs which houses had access to which mechs ... E.g. The dragon and grand Dragon were kurita mechs built on Luthien.

So maybe a Liao mech pilot wont get the chance to pilot one?

It would make salvage even more important. To gain access to another house's mech you have to defeat it and hope its salvagable. (and that the owner doesn't ransom it back.

Edited by woodstock, 03 November 2011 - 04:46 AM.

[Brixx]

I personally like this idea. But I think I am to hardcore dedicated to the franchise. But due to reasons of finances... maybe this is to inaccesible for many players. Especially the last paragraph you wrote. "Not ransom it back." Thats a real fun killer if your mech just gets taken away from you. But... as we can dream... maybe something like in Diablo 2? A hardcore mode?

[Woodstock]

Brixx, on 03 November 2011 - 04:49 AM, said:

I personally like this idea. But I think I am to hardcore dedicated to the franchise. But due to reasons of finances... maybe this is to inaccesible for many players. Especially the last paragraph you wrote. "Not ransom it back." Thats a real fun killer if your mech just gets taken away from you. But... as we can dream... maybe something like in Diablo 2? A hardcore mode?

The ransom comment is a reference to another thread. The idea goes that when you die YOU get the option to ransom back your mech. If you dont have the cash (a set amount) or you don't need it anymore then you lose it ...and the mech that killed you gets it. (hmmm or maybe the mech that did the most damage to you. to stop kill poaching.)

[Brixx]

Wouldn´t that kick out like most of the new players? This way it would be really hard to get in for new players after ... lets say the game is out for three months? I don´t like that idea... but that is just my opinion. It is too hardcore.

[Jack Gallows]

Brixx, on 03 November 2011 - 05:04 AM, said:

Wouldn´t that kick out like most of the new players? This way it would be really hard to get in for new players after ... lets say the game is out for three months? I don´t like that idea... but that is just my opinion. It is too hardcore.

Not really, because by that time if there's an in game market for selling weapons or mechs, then after a couple missions or help from a guild you're going to be piloting what's needed anyway.

As I said in the thread about this in the suggestion section, I'm all for it as long as it's balanced.

[Paladyne]

I wouldnot mind keeping certain chassis to certain houses, makes the game more interesting IMHO. Something else to consider is house units should not get salvage though, maybe a pay bonus to compensate or something along those lines.

[BarHaid]

I like that. It gives people a reason to join House units over mercs. You get better pay as a House unit, but more chance for salvage as a merc.

[Stahlseele]

Hmm, If we have a small selection of chassis, the tech trees could allow to get other variants of the base chassis for example.
so, you get to medium mechs, you have the hunchback, you start with the basic AC20, small laser and 2 mediums, and then you can research, for example, the swayback version 4P . .

[Daneiel]

I agree with Brixx - ransom will drive away some of the new players (personaly i prefer salvage insted simple buy option) - but i can sugest something that can be much more reasonoble - you can buy a mech from other house but on much more higher price then the normal one.

[SquareSphere]

I like the discounts for your house's mechs. Sounds reasonable to me. I

[Barantor]

I like discount or full House specific mechs and equipment but despise the idea of a tech tree as it would then make the 'lower mechs' obsolete when ALL mechs are useful in roles on the battlefield.

Don't try and use the WoT idea where the leichtraktor is the first one and can't handle fighting with the 'big boys' at the top of the tech tree. Commandos and light mechs are just as useful in their defined roles as an Atlas is and I would hate to find out the game is all 100 ton Assaults at the 'end game'.

[Stahlseele]

Hey, no dissing the Loltraktors . .

[Barantor]

stahlseele, on 03 November 2011 - 07:50 AM, said:

Hey, no dissing the Loltraktors . .

Nope, just the way that WoTs works as far as tech trees. Even the oldest mech in has a place on the battlefield in this game. They aren't as common and need to be utilized.

[Halflight]

daneiel varna, on 03 November 2011 - 07:30 AM, said:

I agree with Brixx - ransom will drive away some of the new players (personaly i prefer salvage insted simple buy option) - but i can sugest something that can be much more reasonoble - you can buy a mech from other house but on much more higher price then the normal one.

Much would depend on how new players are introduced to the game and the difficulty of acquiring enough money to cover potential losses.

If, for example, new pilots are given 'starter' mechs to work with, they can just have them replaced if they lose one. When they are comfortable enough, experienced enough and wealthy enough to buy their own mech, that's when they get introduced to the more cutthroat aspects of the game such as ransom. They shouldn't be thrown into the deep end of the pool until they are actually ready to swim. Hopefully, at that point, there will be other avenues available to them to help offset costs such as lucrative house or merc contracts which *may* provide stipulations for mech ransoming or replacement. Pure speculation there.

Also, going along with ransoming, combat could be designed so that the end result doesn't necessarily end up with a field full of burned out mechs. Introducing a mechanic for retreat is quite viable. When we played tabletop, retreat was *always* an option and dispossessed pilots remained a rarity. Pilots shouldn't be losing their mechs after *every* loss. Ransoming is the safety net that kicks in when retreat fails, but still requires pilots to be responsible for paying for their retrieval. Of course, the payment (based on salvage value plus a percentage) goes to the victors.

Edited by Halflight, 03 November 2011 - 08:46 AM.

[TheRulesLawyer]

I hope they have they have a whole in sim economy going on. Complete with consequences and benefits for joining each house. It'd be great.

[Brixx]

daneiel varna, on 03 November 2011 - 07:30 AM, said:

I agree with Brixx - ransom will drive away some of the new players (personaly i prefer salvage insted simple buy option) - but i can sugest something that can be much more reasonoble - you can buy a mech from other house but on much more higher price then the normal one.

My thoughts. Main goal should be playability consesus with the canon. But not overdo things... I mean... the game needs to be funded somehow or they will just use their kill switch for the servers sometimes. A few hardcore fans can´t throw in enough money to keep the game going and by features like this... I don´t think there will be that man players.

[DFDelta]

No losing your mech if you die, that would drive away more then a few players.
The WoT system of damage and repair cost would be totally sufficient.


On topic of house specific mechs:
I want that.
They should become unlocked if your merc company (or you yourself if you're a lone wulf) stays with the same employer for a prolonged time. Something like a bonus for mercs who have shown some kind of loyality to their house. They could also become available after you have fought enough of them, but that should take even longer and cost a horrid price (on top of that the mech is battlefield salvage, and thus most likely pretty beat up at first).

If I see someone in a Panther I should be like: "Yup, thats a veteran Kurita Pilot, all right."
And if I see a Drac in a Valkyrie I should know that this guy is a very successful fighter against House Davion.

[Stahlseele]

Well, the Drac in the Panther could also be a house member noob, because the panther is, after all, their line/light mech. .

[DFDelta]

This is why I said it should take a while of constant service to the dragon to get one.

Newbies get the generic mechs, but the specific mechs are for the people who served their house.

They don't even have to be better or something, just a symbol of long and dutyful service.

[Creel]

stahlseele, on 03 November 2011 - 11:32 AM, said:

Well, the Drac in the Panther could also be a house member noob, because the panther is, after all, their line/light mech. .

noobs don't generally get lights. lights are far less survivable, and tend to fill important/challenging roles. It's safer to put inexperienced pilots in a medium or heavy until they prove that they have the skills to take a 25 ton machine on a recon against 10 times their tonnage.