79 replies to this topic

[gregsolidus]

This is one of those changes.

[Ricama]

technoviking, on 09 November 2012 - 11:48 AM, said:

It's annoying, but the pace of the grinding Economy is built around the fact that you MUST purchase these Mechs. Somewhere there is spreadsheet that includes a 2-5 million dollar money bleed for buying each chassis. That said, I "Ho-hum" bought the K-2, but wasn't going to spend the money to transfer the 10s of thousands of XP from my founders, and suddenly found that I really like driving that Mech too... So: To Cryptic not Specific (TCNS): 1. The Economy is built around the fact that you will buy these mechs. Its a money sink. 2. "Try our other Chassis, you might like it" is a good thing to force.

This, you have 4 choices:
1. Buy the other mechs with MC and convert the xp for the 2 additional frames you need.
2. Buy the mechs with MC and grind the xp.
3. Grind the mechs and convert xp.
4. Grind all the things.

The "try it, you may like it" argument is the same one parents give to their children, but as the above poster found out, sometimes you realize you can't taste the rhubarb in strawberry-rhubarb pie.

[Draco Argentum]

Ricama, on 10 November 2012 - 02:35 AM, said:

The "try it, you may like it" argument is the same one parents give to their children, but as the above poster found out, sometimes you realize you can't taste the rhubarb in strawberry-rhubarb pie.

I've always thought this was a stupid thing to say. If you can't taste it why put it in?

[Sir Wulfrick]

gregsolidus, on 08 November 2012 - 05:31 PM, said:

I demand more discussion. This is a legitimate thing to discuss that doesn't involve LRMs or premades.

He he that made me actually laugh! Far too many meaningless whining threads on this board.

As for the initial question, the obvious solution to expending XP on a chassis would be for one variant to be unlocked to elite to take 3x the experience. That PGI have not implemented this makes it fairly obvious that forcing encouraging purchases of 3 x chassis variants is one way in which they've chosen to monetize the game. I can't say that I take issue with this - if we really expect to see new content in MWO for a decade or more (real time remember?) then the dev team needs a steady stream of income, even from players who join years from now.

Maybe a possible solution would be that above a certain level unlocking skills for a chassis would cost XP and MC, provided that no other variants of that chassis are owned. If so, then proceed as the system currently works. That way nobody would be forced to spend CB or as much MC on purchasing chassis that they have no intention of ever seriously using, but it would still provide a much needed revenue stream for the dev team.

[Leetskeet]

Speaking of general experience I accidentally popped like 2500 of it on a pilot skill and I was disappointed

[Ricama]

Draco Argentum, on 10 November 2012 - 02:51 AM, said:

I've always thought this was a stupid thing to say. If you can't taste it why put it in?

It cuts down the overwhelming sweetness of the berries, and adds bulk to the pie for less money (strawberries were expensive at one point).

[Tarman]

Leetskeet, on 10 November 2012 - 02:54 AM, said:

Speaking of general experience I accidentally popped like 2500 of it on a pilot skill and I was disappointed

This is my biggest concern with mech GXP, I've done this before in CB and I'm paranoid-careful with the button now that I've racked enough live XP to burn by mistake. The button placement is poor for that slip with this silly windowed control panel. Slightly differently toned yellows are also poor button indicators for a potential waste of your GXP.

Edited by Tarman, 10 November 2012 - 03:04 AM.

[gregsolidus]

Ricama, on 10 November 2012 - 02:35 AM, said:

This, you have 4 choices:
1. Buy the other mechs with MC and convert the xp for the 2 additional frames you need.
2. Buy the mechs with MC and grind the xp.
3. Grind the mechs and convert xp.
4. Grind all the things.

You missed 5.
5. Pay MC and transfer GXP to variants you would never have paid MC to purchase anyhow, thus allowing PGI to make a profit while being that much more convenient for me as a consumer.

Sir Wulfrick, on 10 November 2012 - 02:52 AM, said:

...if we really expect to see new content in MWO for a decade or more (real time remember?) then the dev team needs a steady stream of income, even from players who join years from now.

What part of "I'm still giving them my money" do people not understand?

Edited by gregsolidus, 10 November 2012 - 11:54 AM.

[Nikohki]

Quick question ultimately related to this topic: Are old aspects of the game that existed prior to open beta still locked by the NDA, or is there no retroactivity/grandfathering of the closed beta NDA?

*edit* Also, this topic is relevant to my interest, because I too think it rather silly that I have to invest in other variants just to "be better" at the one I want. Surely, it makes no sense to say that you can only start/shutdown, shoot faster, aim better, or move quicker in your old mech, but using another mech. IOW, how does Dale Earnhardt Jr. get better at driving his stock car, by driving Kyle Busch's stock car???

Edited by Nikohki, 11 November 2012 - 01:10 PM.

[MrLee]

Have they not said they want to rework how the mech and pilot trees work anyways? this might all be a moot point in a few weeks...(or months).

[Draco Argentum]

MrLee, on 11 November 2012 - 04:18 PM, said:

Have they not said they want to rework how the mech and pilot trees work anyways? this might all be a moot point in a few weeks...(or months).

They said its placeholder but we don't have any info what they mean by that. It could be anything from placeholder numbers to placeholder absolutely everything.

[Ultrabeast]

gregsolidus, on 08 November 2012 - 10:40 AM, said:

While I wholly understand the rationale behind the Pilot Tree and the use of multiple variants to that effect, I must ask that if I am willing to accumulate three variants worth of experience or more on a single variant of my choice and am willing to pay real currency to have this experience converted, should I really need to waste C Bills and hanger space on two or more other variants that if given the choice I would not pilot nor even own? I have been unable to see the harm in given players this option should they find one variant far more palatable than its brethren and, as such, putting it forth for consideration.

It only takes like 2 days of playing to unlock 3 variants and get elites.

[gregsolidus]

Ultrabeast, on 12 November 2012 - 12:40 AM, said:

It only takes like 2 days of playing to unlock 3 variants and get elites.

I don't care.

[gregsolidus]

Bump.

[Jabilac]

I think the Elite skills should be available at 4x or even 5x the cost if a person only owns one Variant of any given Chassis with no access to Master level. I understand the idea behind owning three Variants to really "Master" a chassis but if a pilot puts in 4 or 5 times the time in a single Variant then it makes sense they would be "Elite" with that particular Variant.


Edit: Spelling errors

Edited by Jabilac, 22 November 2012 - 09:39 AM.

[StORmTrAin]

How about this: Level your first mech thru the basic skills, after which an option unlocks to pursue another variant in case you don't care much for the current variant. There could be 2 routes to go at this point, a "yes" route to purchase another variant and continue with the basic unlocks for that variant to which point a person reaches the new variant unlock option to begin grinding out basic again. If the player happens to like the the first variant and chooses "no keep do not purchase next variant" then the remaining tree xp should triple so that everyone reaches the "required" skill level to obtain master. I would also create a variant option after the second mech tree as well. This is a summary of course and I'm sure the details could be worked out on paper. This is StORmTrAin and i approve this message.

[Wizard Steve]

If you're prepared to grind 170,000xp and spend the 4600 MC to convert two thirds of that to GXP then I hardly see a few million CBills as being a problem.

[gregsolidus]

Wizard Steve, on 22 November 2012 - 10:28 AM, said:

If you're prepared to grind 170,000xp and spend the 4600 MC to convert two thirds of that to GXP then I hardly see a few million CBills as being a problem.

Its a matter of convenience, I happen to have a sizable amount of MC but don't have a lot of C bills to waste on variants I don't even want and it would be insane to waste that MC buying a chassis and then selling it off.

[Jonas]

gregsolidus, on 08 November 2012 - 11:16 AM, said:

Not entirely true, I have nearly enough experience for two variants of the Centurion yet only have 4 million C Bills.

I am in the same boat as you, but I am a Commando COM-1B driver and well I spent the bulk of my C-bills on a Cataphrat. But I dont like having to by 3 mechs to elite one I rather just spend more XP or GXP to Elite out a chassis. Once I max out that chassis I would just use turn the XP to GXP for everything else.

As for C-bills I know I am not he best Pilot ( so I don't earn massive amounts a match ) but between repairs and Mod's you can spend them faster than you can get them.

I mean I bought my 1B and invested ( in upgrades ) over 6 million easy. I know to get the other to elite you can just run stock but I'm not a stock kind of guy.

I know they have to make money I would use MC's to Elite out my Chassis but the fact I have to buy 3 Chassis sucks. Granted most Chassis have 4 variants and 2 of each are different enough yet close enough for me to like but 3 that a bit much.

Edited by Jonas, 22 November 2012 - 01:45 PM.

[gregsolidus]

Very true.