425 replies to this topic

[pesco]

An Interview with Russ Bullock appeared yesterday on themittani.com:
http://themittani.co...eo-russ-bullock

Among other things, it contains the following quote, cut down some for brevity:

Quote

Russ: [...] I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that trial mechs are no good [...]

For the trial mechs, all they are for the most part is just stock variants and theres a lot of stock variant BattleMechs that are extremely good. So I think for the most part people playing in trial mechs are not at a disadvantage because they’re in stock BattleMechs, they’re at a disadvantage because they’re being put up against extremely advanced and experienced players. So once we get the matchmaker going where we get brand new players are being matched up against other brand new players they’re gonna do fine.

I'm going to quote somebody from another thread here:

Alex Wolfe, on 02 December 2012 - 08:20 PM, said:

Despite what mr. Bullock said, trials are not fine and they're not fun (because stock configs from TT don't work with 3x heat generation of MWO). No wonder people suicide their way to an actual mech instead of a paper-armored, low-ammo carrying, slow, mobile coffin-slash-oven that doesn't even get XP

This is true. Russ, what are you talking about? The first thing to do on any stock Mech, currently, is to remove something and put in more heat sinks. Or switch to DHS on a chassis that should have no need for it.

What about the K2 for example? A DHS K2 is an order more effective than stock. Similar situation with the Hunchback, the Swayback, the Jenner, even the missile Catapults. In the interview, you mention the Cataphract 4X. How many people run that variant with the two stock AC5s?!

If you play Mechs stock you are putting yourself and your team at the proverbial deliberate disadvantage. So how can you state the exact opposite, that "people [...] are not at a disadvantage because they're in stock BattleMechs" and "a lot of stock variant BattleMechs [are] extremely good" (emphasis mine)?

It has been my opinion for a long time that MWO's heat system needs an overhaul.


PS: Um yeah, so some people said the Awesome AWS-9M doesn't suck. I took some measurements, on Forest Colony Snow: Firing the PPCs brings you to ~70% heat and it takes ~15s to cool back to 0. The AC/20 on a stock HBK-4G takes 4s to cool. You can do the math yourself:

Two Hunchbacks that never fire their lasers do as much damage on average as five Awesomes. Two AC/20 vs. FIFTEEN PPCs.

Edited by pesco, 03 December 2012 - 05:22 PM.

[Glory in the Highest]

The Trial Mechs are horrifying. I feel bad for anyone who uses them.

They need fixing.

[Taizan]

Its all in the last sentence. Technically they are feasible and trade off many advantages of an owned mech due to zero upkeep.. A trial mech is not supposed to be on par with an owned mech, so in that sense, they are fine where they are for when final MM phase arrives.

[BFalcon]

Hmm... can we get confirmation from a non-Goon source that he actually said this?

Having said that though - my Atlas and my Hunchie were both stock, so some are actually pretty good mechs.

Others are just horrendous though.

[S3dition]

Actually, when you don't take his quote out of context, he's right. There are a lot of good variants. But no variant can top a custom made mech, no matter how good that variant may be when compared to others. He's also right about skill. A custom mech will always lose vs an experienced player. How many new players are saying "hey, I can get 3 more large lasers if I strip my heat sinks!!!"....

Yeah, sometimes a game needs to rubber pad the new players to protect them from themselves.

[Redshift2k5]

The issue with underpowered trial mechs/new players will be solved in phase 3.

[Purlana]

The trial mechs blow.

Oh, and keep giving new players mechs with XL engines. The experienced players love blowing out side toros...

Seriously 2 times in a row the trial assult mechs have XL engines.

Edited by Purlana, 03 December 2012 - 07:20 AM.

[OpCentar]

Yes trial mechs are bad vs highly customized variants but are they really that bad when matched vs other trials?


I think they will be fine if they match trials vs trials only.

Edited by OpCentar, 03 December 2012 - 07:23 AM.

[Erik Jast]

I just started and the four starting Mechs the game gives me don't appear to be that good. I was excited when I saw the Awesome and the three ER PPCs, but they don't appear to do much damage and I always get heat warnings. Is it like this for every Mech?

[Redshift2k5]

not neccesarily trial vs trial but rookie vs rookie, on a proper skill-based scale.

[EyeOne]

Russ is right though. I own several mechs but use Trials often. I don't really have a problem with it. People seem to think that a trial Awesome 9M is works worse than an Awesome 9M that you buy. Assuming you run it as it is.

You just have to adapt to the mech instead of adapting the mech to yourself.

Edited by EyeOne, 03 December 2012 - 07:28 AM.

[Fetladral]

The trial mechs themselves arn't bad it's that when compared to bought (and maybe customized mechs) they are bad. But being stuck with them does teach you how to deal with all the limitations and actually manage your heat. Because well I was stuck with the trials till I bought my catapult.

[Purlana]

EyeOne, on 03 December 2012 - 07:27 AM, said:

Russ is right though. I own several mechs but use Trials often. I don't really have a problem with it. People seem to think that a trial Awesome 9M is works worse than an Awesome 9M that you buy. Assuming you run it as it is.

You just have to adapt to the mech instead of adapting the mech to yourself.

Stock Awesome 9M is a death trap...

[Captain Midnight]

I kinda got scared for the future of the game when I heard Russ said that honestly.

[Sifright]

Taizan, on 03 December 2012 - 07:12 AM, said:

Its all in the last sentence. Technically they are feasible and trade off many advantages of an owned mech due to zero upkeep.. A trial mech is not supposed to be on par with an owned mech, so in that sense, they are fine where they are for when final MM phase arrives.

thats not how you balance a combat battle.


It's okay guys it was a balanced fight.

My mech with no legs costs nothing to run and that guy with 10 guass rifles HAD TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY!!!

it was a fair fight!

Edited by Sifright, 03 December 2012 - 07:30 AM.

[BFalcon]

OpCentar, on 03 December 2012 - 07:23 AM, said:

Yes trial mechs are bad vs highly customized variants but are they really that bad when matched vs other trials?


I think they will be fine if they match trials vs trials only.

I think they're trying to drop the hint: Learn on the lighter mechs first... for one thing, they earn more money when you have your own...

I'd sooner see BVs brought in - let stock (and near-stock) mechs face the trials... they're comparable and still balanced (otherwise you risk dropping some poor begger in his first owned mech against everyone else if you make the Trial/Non-Trial division).

[Sifright]

EyeOne, on 03 December 2012 - 07:27 AM, said:

Russ is right though. I own several mechs but use Trials often. I don't really have a problem with it. People seem to think that a trial Awesome 9M is works worse than an Awesome 9M that you buy. Assuming you run it as it is.

You just have to adapt to the mech instead of adapting the mech to yourself.

By adapt to the mech do you mean play incredibly badly and be a hinderance to your own team?

Trial mechs are so badly built for MWO I openly laugh at them when i fight against them.

Edited by Sifright, 03 December 2012 - 07:32 AM.

[BFalcon]

Captain Midnight, on 03 December 2012 - 07:29 AM, said:

I kinda got scared for the future of the game when I heard Russ said that honestly.

It's a Goon source - you always need to read between the lines when you read Goon material... they like to cause mischief sometimes with emphasising some parts and forgetting to mention others. Just think of them as Loki or Pan...

[EyeOne]

Purlana, on 03 December 2012 - 07:29 AM, said:

Stock Awesome 9M is a death trap...

Oh dang, no one told me. I guess all those kills I got with it don't count.

[Purlana]

EyeOne, on 03 December 2012 - 07:33 AM, said:

Oh dang, no one told me. I guess all those kills I got with it don't count.

Say farewell to your side torso, oh and your entire mech.

Bye!

Edited by Purlana, 03 December 2012 - 07:36 AM.