41 replies to this topic

[Bhael Fire]

MegaZordTrololo, on 29 January 2013 - 11:59 AM, said:

3. More complex maps with a great number of height levels

I'd REALLY like to see more varied elevations. Right now the Frozen City is the only map with any (noteworthy) elevation variance...but I'd like to see even more drastic elevations to make jump jets useful.

Also, it would be nice if there were objectives placed at varying elevations making jump jets an asset to the team.

[Steven Dixon]

Demoned, on 30 January 2013 - 02:12 PM, said:

PR is probably 1 of the most expensive things to do, another reason no matter how poo a game is, some company's/magazines will still give it a 9/10, 10/10. its all about how much cash is thrown about.

and i think PGi need to send what they have fixing things, when all is stable thats when they can start the PR runs
(not a dig at PGi by any means, i for 1 think they are doing a very good job so far, and i know the quote i took was also not a dig at them as well)

just my 2 cents

Oh I agree, and unfortunately neither PGI or IGP really has the budget for a huge PR push but their are ways to do PR on the cheap. As I mentioned in my post they could coordinate with Catalyst (also a small company unfortunately) to help them in a PR push and create some cross merchandising potential. Viral marketing is another avenue, encourage the fans to create things like machinama and the like (they have a strong core of hard core fans that can be a strong resource).

Now things like this aren't really critical at this stage, priority #1 right now is getting the core game polished, but these things take time to set up and coordinate so they need to be started early. This isn't to say they have been doing a poor job, things like podcasts are a good way to help foster a strong community and they have been doing good with NGNG, they did the PC gamer skin, ect, Im just giving a few more suggestions.

[Demoned]

Steven Dixon, on 30 January 2013 - 02:44 PM, said:

Oh I agree, and unfortunately neither PGI or IGP really has the budget for a huge PR push but their are ways to do PR on the cheap. As I mentioned in my post they could coordinate with Catalyst (also a small company unfortunately) to help them in a PR push and create some cross merchandising potential. Viral marketing is another avenue, encourage the fans to create things like machinama and the like (they have a strong core of hard core fans that can be a strong resource).

Now things like this aren't really critical at this stage, priority #1 right now is getting the core game polished, but these things take time to set up and coordinate so they need to be started early. This isn't to say they have been doing a poor job, things like podcasts are a good way to help foster a strong community and they have been doing good with NGNG, they did the PC gamer skin, ect, Im just giving a few more suggestions.

very well said +1

[Suko]

Steven Dixon, on 29 January 2013 - 11:44 AM, said:

They could do things like give away a free BT novel for purchasing X MCs (or a 50%off deal), ect, or a custom skin if they buy a TRO from Catalyst (like the PC gamer skin). Catalyst could create a new novel set during this time period and everyone who purchases it gets a free month premium time in MWO. Or buy a hero mech and get a free mini of the mech (like the ones that came in the boxed set).

Freakin' Brilliant. I would be MUCH more likely to buy hero mechs and related media if there were cross-promotions like this.

You could do what Halo 4 did with Mt. Dew and offer double XP codes with the drinks. MWO could do this with Battletech novels, TROs, etc. Each could include a 1 week premium time code that you could redeem and use in-game.

Steven Dixon, on 29 January 2013 - 11:44 AM, said:

For example perhaps at the beginning of the mission you get a short video (with a community college actor) telling you that your mission is to capture a losttech cashe in the middle of a frozen city but be careful there is an enemy merc unit also going after it.

Not even that. Just a splash screen that shows the planet name/date/local temperature, climate stats/ local governor...Hell, you could almost copy+paste the info at the bottom of this page (http://mwomercs.com/.../caustic-valley) and then add a random blurb about rooting out an enemy presence or something. I don't need FMVs or real-life actors, just SOMETHING. Hell, just do what XCOM does while it loads the mission. (see first 20 seconds of this video: )

Edited by ShadowVFX, 30 January 2013 - 03:21 PM.

[anonymous175]

It is kind of odd that they're not working with Catalyst to do more stuff to do crossover promotions. It's a goldmine for getting more moneys from current BT fans and introducing new people to the lore. I mean that's part of whats exciting about it is the universe that this thing revolves around.

[Eddrick]

MegaZordTrololo, on 29 January 2013 - 11:59 AM, said:

Other things MW:O could do with that Hawken has:
4. A ridiculously huge budget

This makes a big differance. But, does not exactly make the game better. They just have more of everything. Because, they have more resources.

[Jake Stark]

Why would they spend advertising money on a game still in Beta? lol

Edited by Jake Stark, 30 January 2013 - 03:29 PM.

[Fastidious]

The only thing I think Hawken does much better is having a short tutorial. The training videos for MWO aren't bad but they aren't in game either. Hawken was getting good press until it went open beta, now the press is mixed at best (I'd say negative actually). PC Gamer gave it a 79/100 which is practically failing; as 7-9 is the regular scale for review sites. I guess it isn't game of the year after all...

http://www.pcgamer.c...-year-nominees/ - notice this came out 1 day before Hawken open beta

Hawken supposedly has ~$30 million or so in investment behind it so they were probably throwing some of that weight around before launch for positive press but now that the game is out I haven't seen anything overwhelming positive. After Hawken launched they were forced to do double XP weekends because everyone stopped playing immediately. Not the sign of a successful game.

I actually think it's a good thing MWO isn't getting lots of press. It isn't yet in a state to be reviewed officially but maybe sometime in 2013.

[Steven Dixon]

Ya, the only thing that I think should really be included right now is basically the tutorial level, the cross merchandizing and lore ideas and a media blitz should be saved until the game is closer to 'launch', so the press can give a more favorable review. Staying under the radar can actually be a good thing at this stage. But these things take a long time to prep, so I made the post now. Hopefully someone at PGI will read this and maybe get an idea or two or they might have already considered some of these things.

[Deathshade]

Hawken is a dumbed down robot game with arcade type weapons from what I saw in the trailer. It is obvious that they spent their time on the environment as the bots seem to be walking junk piles with legs. No real weapon selection imo. MWO is doing all at once with environment, mechs and weapons. It makes more sense that Hawken would be ahead in other parts of the game.

[Flawless]

Another Hawken Spy is trying to infiltrate MWO. We must not let him succeed!

[Major Derps]

Tennex, on 30 January 2013 - 01:47 PM, said:

a tutorial level is necessary. if its in most CoD simple shooters. it needs to be in this complicated nonconventional shooter even more so.

Also like an offline training mode I think would be good. Just my opinion.

Kylere, on 30 January 2013 - 02:19 PM, said:

This, this is what the worst players in the game are trying to do to MWO with their respawn and 3rd person nonsense.

I would like to see the drop ship game mode though.

Green Mamba, on 30 January 2013 - 01:05 PM, said:

Well if it isn't close why is Hawken getting all the good press while MWO is not?

Like op said, it's a lot like CoD with mech skins, better PR, and a lot more newbie friendly.

[Steven Dixon]

Flawless, on 30 January 2013 - 08:45 PM, said:

Another Hawken Spy is trying to infiltrate MWO. We must not let him succeed!

And I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for you meddling kids and that mangy mutt. But please sir don't make me go back to that game I promise to be good. Seriously this is a far better game.

Edited by Steven Dixon, 30 January 2013 - 09:07 PM.

[AceTimberwolf]

I'd be pretty pissed if money was shifted to PR instead of Game Development. Yea you need PR but Marketing Costs don't outweigh development costs. EA banks on Marketing to sell their games instead of quality of the game IE:Medal of Honor. (Though they are lucky to have Dead Space and Mass Effect and a few others)

[Steven Dixon]

AceTimberwolf, on 30 January 2013 - 09:13 PM, said:

I'd be pretty pissed if money was shifted to PR instead of Game Development. Yea you need PR but Marketing Costs don't outweigh development costs. EA banks on Marketing to sell their games instead of quality of the game IE:Medal of Honor. (Though they are lucky to have Dead Space and Mass Effect and a few others)

100% agree, which is why I gave some suggestions that were pretty low cost (the film thing was just for fun). That's why they need to get creative. Of course such things are really IGPs responsibility, and they still have plenty of time. But I come from a business background and I've seen some great products and companies totally fail because of bad marketing. Now I don't think that they should necessarily cater to the masses, this is a game that somewhat caters to the niche, but to succeed in such an endevour they still need to enlarge their player base and they need to keep them loyal and fanatic. One way to do this is to get new players involved in the whole BT universe rather than simply the game, which is why I made some of the suggestions I did.

[Chavette]

tldr

[Steven Dixon]

Chavette, on 30 January 2013 - 10:21 PM, said:

tldr

TLDR version:

• MWO is a far better game than Hawken
  
• MWO should add a tutorial
  
• MWO might want to consider cross merchandising with other BT products like novels, comics, TROs, ect
  
• ?
  
• Profit

[Zaptruder]

In the interactive tutorial, they need the Death's Knell leading the player around.

[AceTimberwolf]

Steven Dixon, on 30 January 2013 - 09:58 PM, said:

100% agree, which is why I gave some suggestions that were pretty low cost (the film thing was just for fun). That's why they need to get creative. Of course such things are really IGPs responsibility, and they still have plenty of time. But I come from a business background and I've seen some great products and companies totally fail because of bad marketing. Now I don't think that they should necessarily cater to the masses, this is a game that somewhat caters to the niche, but to succeed in such an endevour they still need to enlarge their player base and they need to keep them loyal and fanatic. One way to do this is to get new players involved in the whole BT universe rather than simply the game, which is why I made some of the suggestions I did.

Yea, I have a Econ/Resource Management Background and looking at Hawken their main focus is Marketing. if you actually sit back and look at their content it is not what everyone thinks it is but because they're made to believe it is what it is you can see that their marketing is working. Also Hawken had a head start in development so it would seem that they have more solid content but they had been working on it for a while. They also got 10 mil early on once they started showing their game around and IGN did the first video from their project.

[Mechwarrior Buddah]

I think theyre banking on the IP being the attractant here more than anything else.
Worked on me! lol

AceTimberwolf, on 31 January 2013 - 02:21 AM, said:

They also got 10 mil early on once they started showing their game around and IGN did the first video from their project.

Ya, they only got about half that from the founders in CB here