13 replies to this topic

[JohnnyC]

I was thinking about how vehicles and infantry could be incorporated into the game in a way that would make sense... so here's what I came up with:

Having players play the vehicles and the infantry didn't make any sense to me, however, having them on the battlefield would be interesting to me. So I was thinking each side in the fight would be given a specific amount of AI driven vehicles and infantry. These vehicles and troops make their way into the battle and will attack enemy mechs, vehicles, and troops.

If both teams did absolutely nothing, the AI controlled units would end up meeting somewhere in the middle of the map and duke it out. Casualties would be pretty much exactly even, however, there would have to be one remaining (unless the last two kill each other at the same time).

If players choose to stay near their vehicles and infantry (I'll call the combined vehicles and infantry "ground units" from here on for simplicity), they could help protect them and they might live longer and help that team finish off the enemy. The damage output from the ground units would be minimal, but they would help some.

Additionally, targeting, destroying, and/or assisting in the destruction of enemy ground units would provide some small amount of experience+bonus C-bills. They would also give machine guns a better purpose.

I also considered that the ground units might be able to receive general instructions such as "defend here" or "move to this location", but I'm not certain that giving players much if any control over them is a good idea.

My though here is that they would add a little to the complexity and immersion in a match, give the players some more targets to shoot at, flesh out the battle a little more and make the field of battle feel more "alive" and less "ghost town"

So what are your thoughts about something like this being put in the game in the future? I fully realize this would be a "way down the road" kind of addition, but I think it would be a cool addition to the game.

Please feel free to add your own ideas on top of this if you think you have a good one. Or if you see some fatal flaw in the idea, or have an idea to overcome a flaw, please share that as well. Brain storm and pipe dream away.

[Vassago Rain]

You're confusing mechwarrior with DoTA.

[J4ckInthebox]

^this.

however, it would be nice to see some NPC's shooting at each other as a backround.

[Grimnir79]

I for one think it would be cool to be have infantry and vehicles as part of the game. Not sure how it should work out, but I would love to see it as long at it doesn't take the focus away from the mech-combat.

[JohnnyC]

Vassago Rain, on 10 December 2012 - 02:40 AM, said:

You're confusing mechwarrior with DoTA.

No, I'm actually thinking more about Battletech, the tabletop game. When I used to play, our game master used to run various ground units on the map as well for us to deal with. Sometimes they were the objective. Sometimes they accompanied our mechs and enemy lances. Overall I just think they would breath some life into our generally lifeless environments.

[Vassago Rain]

Grimnir79, on 10 December 2012 - 02:43 AM, said:

I for one think it would be cool to be have infantry and vehicles as part of the game. Not sure how it should work out, but I would love to see it as long at it doesn't take the focus away from the mech-combat.

This ruined living legends.

[Ewigan]

Well, as a logical next step from me piloting Commandos i would suit up....
.... in an elemental suit and rip those fatlasses apart

[JohnnyC]

Grimnir79, on 10 December 2012 - 02:43 AM, said:

I for one think it would be cool to be have infantry and vehicles as part of the game. Not sure how it should work out, but I would love to see it as long at it doesn't take the focus away from the mech-combat.

I don't think it would. I think they would add some "fodder"... fun things for us to destroy besides just the other team.

[J4ckInthebox]

Quote

No, I'm actually thinking more about Battletech, the tabletop game. When I used to play, our game master used to run various ground units on the map as well for us to deal with. Sometimes they were the objective. Sometimes they accompanied our mechs and enemy lances. Overall I just think they would breath some life into our generally lifeless environments.

The devs stated several times that it will be a mech-only game.

they said it would be a FPS-only game too, but that's another matter.

Edited by J4ckInthebox, 10 December 2012 - 02:47 AM.

[JohnnyC]

J4ckInthebox, on 10 December 2012 - 02:47 AM, said:

The devs stated several times that it will be a mech-only game.

Even if they were environmental, it would be nice to see more than the occasional rocket in the background to give us that "battle scene" feel. I'm also not at all suggesting that the Devs would actually do this, just wondered what other folks thought about it.

[Khanahar]

JohnnyC, on 10 December 2012 - 02:53 AM, said:

Even if they were environmental, it would be nice to see more than the occasional rocket in the background to give us that "battle scene" feel. I'm also not at all suggesting that the Devs would actually do this, just wondered what other folks thought about it.

Been to River City lately?

(There are artillery batteries to the east and northwest that trade fire with one another.)

[Stormwolf]

Would love to see vehicles and infantry, they are more numerous in the setting then mechs. But alas, the devs told us that they would focus on mechs only.

[Streeter]

Vassago Rain, on 10 December 2012 - 02:45 AM, said:

This ruined living legends.

I like the idea of tanks and infantry. I havent played living legends, how did they do it wrong?

I would have thought a little NCP base defense would help stop that lone annoying raven from capping a few minutes into each game.

infantry would also help with the sense of scale.

[Terror Teddy]

Vassago Rain, on 10 December 2012 - 02:40 AM, said:

You're confusing mechwarrior with DoTA.

I'm not so sure that would be a BAD implementation.

Add the following:
-Total tonnage drop per side
-Difference between max tonnage and actual drop tonnage of team becomes match resources.
-Resources can be used to buy fixed defense turrets, AI tanks that work with your mech and anti-mech infantry.

It sure as hell would change the strategy of the game. You could suddenly face a whole team of commandos that are heavily supported by tanks and LRM carriers while they have TAC and NARC launchers.

Perhaps something they can use later when the community warfare and much larger maps are in place.