35 replies to this topic

[Kanatta Jing]

Now there is the Inner Inner Sphere with the 4 Houses.

There is the borderlands between them where planets change hands between the houses in response to players blowing up each others mechs.

Then on the outside edge of the Inner Sphere is the Periphery where planets will be owned whole sale by Merc Corps. And they will kill and exterminate each other in a highly Darwinian fashion.

Now, to me this looks a bit like EVE. Without the mining, missioning and PVP being cash rewarding instead of cash debilitating.

So what is a suitable reward for succeeding at taking and/or holding a world for a House? For an hour, or a day, or a for week?

What is a suitable reward for doing the same in the Periphery?

Are there penalties for loosing a planet? Or is it bad enough to simple stop receiving the reward?

How important should the outcome of our battles be?

[pursang]

Where's the "all of the above" option?

[Rejarial Galatan]

rewards should come as c-bills, gear, and mechs. All battles should be equally important, but, polls being polls, I had to choose what I chose. I think the fun is in BOTH taking AND keeping a planet. The longer you can hold, the more fun and the longer you take to capture, the more salvage!

[Gun Bear]

It should be just as rewarding to play for a House as it is for a Merc Unit...

[Mistwolf]

I think it should vary while still being equal.
Like for example, Merc will earn more C-Bills with a contract than a House Unit (who would have their regular salary), but House units would be rewarded with more LostTech/mechs from their High Command (which they would withhold from merc units who's loyalty is considered for sale.)
Result, the Merc unit has more C-bills to spend while the House unit has easier access to certain equipment.
As for taking or holding a planet, same thing. Holding maybe gets more C-bills and covers repair costs, while taking, rewards better salvage and bonus equipment.

[Zakatak]

C-Bills from the contractor.
Weapons salvaged from the field.
Mechs can only be bought.

Depending on what game mode you are playing, you will get a certain bonus if you win. If you are fighting over a Star League supply cache, the winning team should get a nice haul of ER-PPC, Streak SRM, ERLL, and LBX Autocannon.

[Threat Doc]

Rewards should be in both C-Bills, for the contract, and negotiated salvage percentage. The salvage needs to be a random listing of things brought from the battlefield, as influenced by the types of 'Mechs actually in the fight. Salvage should not be winner takes all, but winner gets 2/3rds, loser gets 1/3rd. If an attacker cannot complete their contract, there should still be hazard pay they get, or about 30 - 35% of the contract payout. Otherwise, a mercenary unit will never go anywhere. I can't wait to see what the developers have for this. In the aforementioned salvage percentage, there should be a chance to get LosTech.

Taking a planet should pay a great deal, as an attack/invasion contract, but holding the planet should pay more over time as the unit holds the planet, through a garrison contract with a combat pay bonus, per the BT TT rules. I would like to see the most robust contract 'economy' possible, per the tabletop rules as they are; it would force commanders to train their people toward being asset/resource minded when they go into combat. That will, of course, be diminished by the fact that no one will ever lose their 'Mech, but I understand why that mechanic is in play and, frankly, it makes the best possible sense to me, since this is not a "real-world" economy.

Each company type fought for will have their own bonuses/penalties, and their own individual rewards, in the way of ranks, 'Mechs, etc. I can't speculate on what those are or how they will turn out.

Edited by Kay Wolf, 06 May 2012 - 07:27 PM.

[Rejarial Galatan]

as long as real money isnt involved, color me happy with your idea there zakatak.

[Hayden]

Holding a planet should bring some kind of long-term steady reward. Maybe not huge or earth-shattering, but good enough to make holding the world worthwhile.

[Rejarial Galatan]

slight derail here, anyone else, with this specific thread, getting a bug that keeps making it seem like you have NOT read this thread after Hayden or now myself posted even though you DID read the final post here? on topic again: Hayden is perhaps right.

[Kanatta Jing]

It turns unread when someone votes in the poll.

[Rejarial Galatan]

ok then, that is gonna bug me, must ignore that then. thanks kanatta

[Sassori]

Kay Wolf, on 06 May 2012 - 07:26 PM, said:

Rewards should be in both C-Bills, for the contract, and negotiated salvage percentage. The salvage needs to be a random listing of things brought from the battlefield, as influenced by the types of 'Mechs actually in the fight. Salvage should not be winner takes all, but winner gets 2/3rds, loser gets 1/3rd. If an attacker cannot complete their contract, there should still be hazard pay they get, or about 30 - 35% of the contract payout. Otherwise, a mercenary unit will never go anywhere. I can't wait to see what the developers have for this. In the aforementioned salvage percentage, there should be a chance to get LosTech.

Taking a planet should pay a great deal, as an attack/invasion contract, but holding the planet should pay more over time as the unit holds the planet, through a garrison contract with a combat pay bonus, per the BT TT rules. I would like to see the most robust contract 'economy' possible, per the tabletop rules as they are; it would force commanders to train their people toward being asset/resource minded when they go into combat. That will, of course, be diminished by the fact that no one will ever lose their 'Mech, but I understand why that mechanic is in play and, frankly, it makes the best possible sense to me, since this is not a "real-world" economy.

Each company type fought for will have their own bonuses/penalties, and their own individual rewards, in the way of ranks, 'Mechs, etc. I can't speculate on what those are or how they will turn out.

I agree with this in general, but, I do think that as long as people have access to say, a centurion for example then lost mechs should be lost, especially if there is salvage in the game. It creates a real money sink which may be necessary depending on how much repairs cost and the like.

In EVE (I know I know different game) when you lose a ship, you lost that ship. In theme, Mechwarriors get disposessed all the time. Maybe doesn't even have to be a Commando, maybe it's a 40 tonner, or a 60 tonner, who knows. There's just so much more adrenaline when there's a real sense of risk and loss involved.

Going to miss that. I'm also a little worried that since we never lose mechs that we're going to end up with billions of c-bills eventually which... is kinda bad for private citizens. Breaks things.

[Rejarial Galatan]

IF by some chance we end up with 'billions' of c-bills, you can buy every mech, every weapon, and make as many variants as you want, i see a TON of customization in the future like that, but, the years of MMORPGs and various other RPGs has me jaded, I DOUBT we see players winding up with THAT much cash. millions? maybe, billions, nah.

maybe a limit of 999,999,999 c-bills....

[Yeach]

All of the above?

[Kasiagora]

I'm thinking that a House mechwarrior could be getting flat salary with bonuses for fights (perks and such), and many of the repairs and up keeps provided for by his house. He'll still have to upgrade himself, and I could see companies in real life saying, "No, we're not providing you with AC/20 ammo because that is not what comes on your mech." So maybe something like that too. He'll have a steady pay, slightly slower ability to upgrade, but job security.
A mercenary might not have anything provided for him except what can be afforded by his company's communal coffers in the event of emergency. What he gets, however, is high pay when it's there, salvage rights, and the freedom to choose his contracts and employers to an extent. The rewards may be high, but the risk is greater too.
Especially if there were an Eve-like permanent loss of mechs! Imagine, if you will, a magnificent place! With lush fields of green, gilded palaces of ivory and spires rising up through the clouds, and the sweet smell of gun powder tingling your nose!

Sorry, sidetracked myself by using the word imagine at the beginning of a sentence. Really though, Think if the House you work for were to provide you with a base line mech of your choosing to a certain extent. You get a Jenner, Centurion, Dragon, or Banshee for example. You can save up and upgrade your mech, buy a better mech even, and if you lose it then that's bad, but your house sees fit to provide you with one of these cheap replacements because you're a valuable asset to them. Even if you do lose mechs more than you should. You could save up to have a savings and join a mercenary unit if you choose.

Why join a mercenary unit? Because that's where the real money is (for a very few, but the tales of glory never talk about that)! Your pay is higher, and if you're lucky enough to head-shot a mech you've got yourself a practically new mech (Sans head)! The thing is though, you're going to want to hold on to that mech. You need it. Because in a mercenary company, unless you're one of the top ranking members, you don't have that security of having mechs provided for you. If you lose your current ride, and haven't saved some money, your next fight might see you running in an Awesome with a quirky leg actuator and missing one PPC. If things don't go your way in the company, you just can't make the cut, you''re going to have to go back to joining up with a house for a while until you get back on your feet.

Anyway, I don't see this really happening, it's just something I cooked up while I was typing that first paragraph. But it would be interesting none-the-less!

[Fresh Meat]

bad poll....

[Rejarial Galatan]

a poll with very dark things that COULD happen

[Togg Bott]

on the point of money for holding a planet. lets say x planet is supposed to generate y income. well when you first take the planet, there is going to be confusion, anarchy and general resentment to "YET ANOTHER" goverening body. so income at first may only be 50% of y. hold the planet a week and maybe it goes to 70% of y.... so on and so on with the largest rewards to those that can continue to hold the planet .

my 0.02 C-Bills

*EDIT* fer schpellun

Edited by Togg Bott, 06 May 2012 - 11:25 PM.

[Judochop]

Naturally the bids, at least for Mercs, should be set by whoever assigns the battle, and there should be some variety. One mission may pay out in C-bills, another may not have a cash reward but will give exclusive salvage rights, meaning you will end up with some of the enemy's equipment which is then split among the surviving team. You could also have a raw XP bonus instead, like doing a job "pro bono" but with an incentive to take the mission. Perhaps there could also be a "loyalty bonus" for completing a series of missions for one house.

House units should be paid in C-bills based on mission difficulty and importance, but not as much as an identical merc squad. Some salvage at the end of every mission as well, but again, not as much as a merc unit that gets paid in salvage. Payouts increase with rank (ie. your level). Basically give the House units a little bit of everything, instead of a lot of one or the other. This seems rather believable given the differences in structure between hired guns and standing militias, and it also creates a gameplay choice. Do you take increased risk vs. reward as a merc, or do you take slower, steadier gains as a member of a Great House?