51 replies to this topic

[Fresh Meat]

What do you guys think about hero mechs? I don't know much about them but if they are "premium" I think we should discuss it. My understanding is that they have different hard points, armor, and speed. However I was wondering if these mechs are subject to the same checks and balances, ie more armor less weapons and speed, or are they better all round mechs?

[Manthony Higgs]

I interpreted it as a already souped up, uncustomizable 'Mech.with a unique paint job and name. Like, "THE BOUNTY HUNTERS MARAUDER" and it's all green with C-Bill signs on it.
EDIT: oh god the colors

Edited by Manthony Higgs, 16 May 2012 - 07:16 PM.

[Kanatta Jing]

Probably better, but hopefully not that much better.

Maybe an extra module slot.

[Verminaard]

I would assume as Jing sugested, an extra module slot. It would be a customized version of a mech with a unique paint job and loadout (that can be swapped if wanted). Still balanced in every way however, just slightly different set-up. They won't unbalance it in anyway I hope, that would suck, even though i am planning on buying stuff in game. I hate winning because Ive paid.

Also it would probably have a unique arm or bodypart(s) with a different apperance than the standard. Say an atlas with a unique head, like a daemon instead of a skull. who knows.

Edited by Verminaard, 16 May 2012 - 07:29 PM.

[Fresh Meat]

Exactly, with FTP models the word "premium" makes me nervous, I worry that these special mechs will out class their counterparts by adding unbalanced characteristics. I want to buy things but I don't want to feel I need to.

[Fresh Meat]

Verminaard, on 16 May 2012 - 07:28 PM, said:

it would probably have a unique arm or bodypart(s) with a different apperance than the standard. Say an atlas with a unique head, like a daemon instead of a skull. who knows.

That I like allot.

[Kasiagora]

It'd be cool if it just had different hard points from standard and you could give it your own name. Say your average Centurion has a ballistic hard point on the arm and on people's sensors it comes up as "Centurion CN9-A" but yours is a 'Premium Hero Mech' that you put a PPC and a third medium laser in that arm instead. It's got a Marauder arm and it shows up on people's sensors as "Have You Unseen My Arm?"
Or it could just be buying unique mechs like the Yen-Lo-Wang or the afore mentioned Bounty Hunter.

[theginganinja]

Kasiagora, on 16 May 2012 - 09:25 PM, said:

It'd be cool if it just had different hard points from standard and you could give it your own name. Say your average Centurion has a ballistic hard point on the arm and on people's sensors it comes up as "Centurion CN9-A" but yours is a 'Premium Hero Mech' that you put a PPC and a third medium laser in that arm instead. It's got a Marauder arm and it shows up on people's sensors as "Have You Unseen My Arm?"
Or it could just be buying unique mechs like the Yen-Lo-Wang or the afore mentioned Bounty Hunter.

Why should it be one or the other? Based on the talk in the thread so far, I figure a decent solution would be to simply offer unique 'Mech designs (i.e. Yen-Lo-Wang), give them the unique paint job and all that, and let people customize them with a different set of hardpoints than normal (So in the Yen-Lo-Wang example, you'd have a larger ballistic hardpoint at the cost of having no missile points).
Alternatively, offer two versions of each hero design - one version that has the 'Hero" paint job and designation (Yen-Lo-Wang) but a permanent loadout (no customization), and offer one that lacks the special paint job and has an alpha-numeric designation rather than the name (So it would just be "CN9-H" or something), but that can be customized

Edited by irishwarrior, 16 May 2012 - 09:38 PM.

[Kasiagora]

Sounds good to me. I just think people would like the little extra thing of adding their own name to the mech that others can see even if this does lead to a lot of people using "Trololol" and "My Little Brony."

Edited by Kasiagora, 16 May 2012 - 09:53 PM.

[Ian Williams]

hopefully the term "premium" will only apply to cosmetic items, maybe one more mod slot, but not anything more. i won't lie, Pay To Win will turn me away from this game almost immediately. i am looking forward to winning/losing because i have either outsmarted the enemy or because they outsmarted me, not because they are some rich boy who was able to buy his way to the top with some god-mech.

[Juiced]

mechanically it should be no better. Also the item should be able to be gotten in game with C-bills for a reasonable amount. Now as others have said cosmetic changes though (i like the idea about the Atlas head) id be all for.

[Arbhall Sommers]

I would much rather pay for a premium mechanic.
A guy who gets better or more salvage from mechanical at the end of each match, which would fold neatly into the coming clan invasion. Further it would make clan equipment and mechanical, something you would have to work for. This could add a layer, allowing only those who have a certain tech rating to become clan players later.
That's my two Cress.

Sorry for the spelling. On tablet.

Edited by Arbhall Sommers, 16 May 2012 - 10:34 PM.

[Alfred VonGunn]

I figure they will be something lik eteh Premium tanks in WoT. Stock only with maybe addons/upgrades to Ammo/Optics ect... You make a bouns amout of exp and C-bills for battles in them.. Just a guess but based on the free to play concept that is likely..

[Ian Williams]

Arbhall Sommers, on 16 May 2012 - 10:32 PM, said:

I would much rather pay for a premium mechanic.
A guy who gets better or more salvage from mechanical at the end of each match, which would fold neatly into the coming clan invasion. Further it would make clan equipment and mechanical, something you would have to work for. This could add a layer, allowing only those who have a certain tech rating to become clan players later.
That's my two Cress.

Sorry for the spelling. On tablet.

^^^ i agree ^^^ minus the part about it restricting the players who can go clan later on, perhaps make it easier, but not be the only possibility

Edited by Ian Williams, 16 May 2012 - 10:49 PM.

[Belisarius1]

If they have different hardpoints, hero 'mechs are on very, very thin ice with respect to P2W.

I'm hoping they're just cosmetic.

[Fresh Meat]

Belisarius†, on 16 May 2012 - 10:50 PM, said:

If they have different hardpoints, hero 'mechs are on very, very thin ice with respect to P2W.

I'm hoping they're just cosmetic.

well seeing as different variants have different hard points I wouldn't mind that, however if the hero mech has more tonnage to work with then i shall name mine shenanigan.

Edited by Fresh_Meat, 16 May 2012 - 10:55 PM.

[Bloodshed Romance]

as long as its not like.. (gundam refrence) Gundam vs standard mobile suit difference between the paid stuff and the FTP stuff...
I love the whole FTP idea of this game.. just not so sure how their gonna make their monies worth trying to turn a profit at the end of the day.
I just don't know about "premium mechs"

[Belisarius1]

Fresh_Meat, on 16 May 2012 - 10:53 PM, said:

well seeing as different variants have different hard points I wouldn't mind that, however if the hero mech has more tonnage to work with then i shall name mine shenanigan.

No but that's the thing; if they're allowed to have different hardpoints there's the risk that they have better hardpoints, and as soon as Yen Lo Wang is superior to the other centurion variants - even just within a specific situation - you've introduced pay to win. It's just too slippery a slope to risk walking.

[Mercurial]

I guess it could be anything, but honestly the most likely answer is the 'famous' mech variants from canon, the obvious example people are tossing around being Yen Lo Wang (which may not be otherwise feasible with the hardpoints the stock model has--though off-hand I don't see how), the Daishi Widowmaker (you know, if and when the Daishi ever shows up), etc. I sincerely hope they're not mechs with even small advantages over 'stock' models, simply because small advantages have a way of adding up in team games.

Of course, this could get into scary 'Hero Mechs have access to otherwise limited technology' (Insert anything from Triple Myomers to ER technology--pre clan here!--to crazy crap like ECM suites)--but I doubt it. They have to make money off this, true, but they're trying to build a fan base for future mech titles as well--probably not the best idea to scare off its fan base.

So far, the dev team seems to be pretty aware of concerns like P2W and there are far simpler answers to what it is, so I'm not all that worried yet.

[Arbhall Sommers]

What if hero premium mechs are, unsellable, unmodifable, with a slight advantage alike a coolant flush or extended range radar range,.or even surplus parts, which save on repairs.
They should be good we are paying real.money for them after all. But they should only offer a slight not significant advantage.
They should definitely come with sweet paintjobs.