7 replies to this topic

[Christan Drake]

I am relatively new to MWO. I have only been playing a week. However, I play a lot of MMO's and have always had a thing for the Battletech Universe so I am not unfamiliar with the lore and theory behind the game. I still suck, but I am slowly getting better.

First of all, kudos to PGI for this ambitious game. So far, I really enjoy the battles, even when I am getting obliterated, which happens a lot. I fully expect that the game will include a reasonable MM to balance the games by mech tonnage and/or class, so I am not too worried about match imbalance. My big concern is the long term playability of MWO. Somehow there has to be a 'hook', or progression that buffers and trains the new player, while rewarding committment to the game.

Take World of Tanks as an example, the baisc HW and battle mechanics are consistent at every level, but there is a progression (or reward) for grinding and levelling. New HW platforms, new weapons, new maps are all available as one progresses. This creates a gentle, more forgiving introduction to the game, and allows new players to learn the basics or hone their skills separately from the more experienced players.

I this may be lore breaking, which is always a concern, but maybe setting the mechs up in tiiers and allowing progression through the tiers will provide a 'hook' to improve the long-term playability of the game. For example.

Tier 1 Mechs (Medium and Small Lasers) - JR7-F, SDR-5D, SDR-5K, SDR-5D
Tier 2 Mechs (Introducing Large Lasers & SRMs) - All Commando's, JR7-D, JR7-K, RVN-2X, RVN-4X
Tier 3 Mechs (Med Mechs, and ECM) - CDA-2A, CDA-2B, HBK-4P, HBK-4SP
Tier 4 Mechs (Introducing LRM, AC's and PPC's) - Rest of the Meds
Tier 5 Mechs (1/2 the heavies)
Tier 6 Mechs (other half of the heavies, & Gauss, ER LR, ER PPC)
Tier 7 Mechs (half the Assaults)
Tier 8 Mechs (other half of the assaults)

This kind of progression will faciliate learing the game and keep the player engaged longer by opening up new classes of mechs and new weapon technologies as a reward for experience.

The problem with the current syystem is that you are rewarding experience with really intangible mech attributes like "Cool Run' and 'Torso Twist.' To me these are like AA's in the original Everquest, They certainly add up to make a big difference, but they are just not as viscerally rewarding as your first PPC bolt or LRM barrage. I want to hear someone say in chat "Only 15k xp until Gauss Cannon, yowza!"

I also have concerns about the current exp system. Forcing people to play 3 variants of the same mech is frustrating. I understand the theory and the lore behind it, but in the real world of gamer ADHD and instant gratification, forcing a player to master 3 variants of the same mech is not a good idea. IMO, you will lose players from this setup.

So thats my idea. Obviously it is just a concept, but I really think MWO needs some kind of progression to nurture your newer players and maintain the appeal of the game over time. Good luck and keep up the great work.

Chris

[Theobald Hauser]

It's an "older mechwarrior game thing", sadly, where bigger was better, the lights aren't any less good than assaults especially with ECM, lights are even some king of a counter to assaults...
That's not even a progression, in fact. That's like making some rpg but arbitrary deciding that warriors are only available after a full mage and a full cleric games.

[Christan Drake]

I understand your analogy, but I think a better one would be warrior weapons or Mage spells, A lvl 1 warrior cannot wield the Legendary Sword of ***-Kicking, not can a lvl 1 Mage cast a high end nuke. Everything in its time.

[GoldenTongue]

Quote

I also have concerns about the current exp system. Forcing people to play 3 variants of the same mech is frustrating. I understand the theory and the lore behind it, but in the real world of gamer ADHD and instant gratification, forcing a player to master 3 variants of the same mech is not a good idea. IMO, you will lose players from this setup.

yeah 3 variants of the SAME mech?
why would i ever wanna do that?
thats crazy!

who made this stuff up?
there must be better more creative ways to make money out of this game, without making players super annoyed at it.

look at league of legends for example.
everybody happy.
the paying.
the none paying.
the casual players.
the hardcore players.

for a game F2P game to grow it must be good for everyone.
without exaggerating in ways which will make people hate the process.

good design focus on how to make players LOVE the game.
not how to milk them with frustration mechanisms.

if MWO to be a success, it must be redesigned to encourage players to think good of it.
i for one am very dissapointed with the akward profit based illogical progress design.
as a veteran hardcore gamer, i know better designs are possible.
for the game sake, i hope it will be realised in time.

[Morang]

I came here from WoT, having played it since Open Beta. I'm very happy that there's no tier system here.

Need to master 3 variants is OK for me too. sometimes there's almost more differents between variants than between models.

[Agent CraZy DiP]

I've never been a fan of the whole 3 variant thing. I suggested Class XP, Variant XP, and General XP. Class would be for the "basic" Skills, Variant would be for the "Elite" and "Master". I also suggested they knock it down to 2 variants... but they really want it to be a grind to get to the modules. Personally... I think they should just make the modues themselves grindy, not what leads up to it.

[Adridos]

Come here monkey, here's your bannana. - Today's games progression system in a nutshell.

There is progression outside of getting better (the mech skills), but thankfully, it's minor right now. Have you never touched a real game? I feel bad for you...

[Theobald Hauser]

Christan Drake, on 25 January 2013 - 10:06 AM, said:

I understand your analogy, but I think a better one would be warrior weapons or Mage spells, A lvl 1 warrior cannot wield the Legendary Sword of ***-Kicking, not can a lvl 1 Mage cast a high end nuke. Everything in its time.

And that's a really bad analogy.
Atlases aren't +12 Vorpal Swords. They're in no way better than any other mech.