19 replies to this topic

[Bhael Fire]

Yes...another thread on Clans. This is how I'd implement the Clan Invasion:

1. Players will be able to select an Inner Sphere faction AND a clan faction.
2. Both IS and clan mechs will be available for purchase by all players (see below).
3. Clan mechs, weapons and equipment will be purchased with "Honor" points (instead of c-bills) as well as MC
4. Clan tech will NOT be compatible with Inner Sphere mech chassis. That is, you will not be able to fit your CPLT-A1 with 6 SSRM/6s (even if the weight/crit slots allow for it).
5. When you select a clan mech to launch a match, you will be teamed up with other clan mechs against IS mechs. My guess is it will be 1 star vs two or three lances (i.e., 5 vs 8 OR 5 vs 12).
6. When you win a match while playing with a clan mech, you will gain Honor points instead of c-bills...as well as XP.
7. Trial mechs will include clan mechs as well (so new players can earn Honor).

Honestly, I can't really see any other way working out...unless they decide to not let players play as clans (making the AI controlled in cooperative play...which is highly unlikely).


TL;DR

The important thing to take away from this is:

1. IS mechs will always outnumber clan mechs to balance the match.
2. Clan tech will NOT work on IS mechs.
3. Clan mechs will ALWAYS be teamed up with other clan mechs.

[Novakaine]

If they stick to the cannon maybe.
The Clans were wiping out every IS Mech they came up against in the beginning.
It was'nt until the lostech was recovered that an IS mech was even on par with a Clan Mech.
The Lostech redress the balance somewhat.
Gamewise however everybody will be driving a Madcat the second Clantech becomes available.
According to cannon only the IS superior numbers and the lostech saved the IS from destruction.
So I don't envision Clantech for a long time, not playerwise at least.

[Biruke]

Bhael Fire, on 30 January 2013 - 06:58 PM, said:

Yes...another thread on Clans. This is how I'd implement the Clan Invasion:

1. Players will be able to select an Inner Sphere faction AND a clan faction.
2. Both IS and clan mechs will be available for purchase by all players (see below).
3. Clan mechs, weapons and equipment will be purchased with "Honor" points (instead of c-bills) as well as MC
4. Clan tech will NOT be compatible with Inner Sphere mech chassis. That is, you will not be able to fit your CPLT-A1 with 6 SSRM/6s (even if the weight/crit slots allow for it).
5. When you select a clan mech to launch a match, you will be teamed up with other clan mechs against IS mechs. My guess is it will be 1 star vs two or three lances (i.e., 5 vs 8 OR 5 vs 12).
6. When you win a match while playing with a clan mech, you will gain Honor points instead of c-bills...as well as XP.
7. Trial mechs will include clan mechs as well (so new players can earn Honor).

Honestly, I can't really see any other way working out...unless they decide to not let players play as clans (making the AI controlled in cooperative play...which is highly unlikely).


TL;DR

The important thing to take away from this is:

1. IS mechs will always outnumber clan mechs to balance the match.
2. Clan tech will NOT work on IS mechs.
3. Clan mechs will ALWAYS be teamed up with other clan mechs.

I think there should be something different:
1. Privateer parties (mercs, probably) with mixed IS and Clan Mechs for some fun missions (pirate raids, hold-ups, bank robbery).
2. Not quantity but tonnage opposing for IS vs Clan (2to3). Which will mean if you drive 5 MadCats, be ready to meet 5 Atlases and a Dragon.

[Iacov]

Novakaine, on 30 January 2013 - 09:16 PM, said:

Gamewise however everybody will be driving a Madcat the second Clantech becomes available.

i'll never pilot a madcat...love my mad dog too much
and if they don't implement the vulture (what is nearly impossible) i'll stick to my catapult

but on topic:
canon wise you should team up clan vs IS - especially as soon as we have faction warfare
but for the "normal" assault game mode you should mix clan and IS mechs on the teams
i'm very looking forward how they solve the "problem" with the superior clan tech
everyone wants the clan mechs, but nobody wants to get stomped even more...

[Bhael Fire]

Iacov, on 30 January 2013 - 11:33 PM, said:

but for the "normal" assault game mode you should mix clan and IS mechs on the teams

I really don't think that's ever going to happen. Clan mechs will fight along side other clan mechs, even in non-CW game modes. The balance issues would be unmanageable and unfair otherwise. "Oil and water" as they say...

Iacov, on 30 January 2013 - 11:33 PM, said:

i'm very looking forward how they solve the "problem" with the superior clan tech
everyone wants the clan mechs, but nobody wants to get stomped even more...

They will most likely balance it by only allowing clan mechs to team up with other clan mechs. Also clan teams will be probably be drastically outnumbered by IS mechs (e.g., 5 vs 8 or even 5 vs 12).

Edited by Bhael Fire, 31 January 2013 - 07:55 AM.

[Sedant]

Easiest solution to solving clan tech issues... Fast forward to 3058, problem solved for the most part.

[Hotthedd]

Mixtech and Lostech can balance IS and clan 'mechs, and both are canon.

[Khanahar]

Hey Bhael! Nice write-up.

I posted a very similar suggestion a little bit ago. You might find it interesting (linked in my sig).

Main difference is that mine includes a mechanism for limiting the number of players in Clan 'mechs to make sure the player base doesn't end up skewed 90% Clan v. 10% IS. I'm very open to suggestions as regards this mechanism.

But in almost every other aspect, I agree wholeheartedly with your plan, and would be very interested in your feedback on my write-up!

[StalaggtIKE]

Sedant, on 07 February 2013 - 02:35 PM, said:

Easiest solution to solving clan tech issues... Fast forward to 3058, problem solved for the most part.

This would be the most uncomplicated and balanced way.

[Gremlich Johns]

Novakaine, on 30 January 2013 - 09:16 PM, said:

If they stick to the cannon maybe.
The Clans were wiping out every IS Mech they came up against in the beginning.
It was'nt until the lostech was recovered that an IS mech was even on par with a Clan Mech.
The Lostech redress the balance somewhat.
Gamewise however everybody will be driving a Madcat the second Clantech becomes available.
According to cannon only the IS superior numbers and the lostech saved the IS from destruction.
So I don't envision Clantech for a long time, not playerwise at least.

the term is "canon", not cannon.

The former is the Lore, the latter is a weapon.

Seriously. And do not say people know what you mean when you use "cannon" to indicate the Lore. That may be true, but your usage is still incorrect.

I predicted that the Clans will enter the game in Spring 2014.

And it is called a Timberwolf, not a Madcat.

Edited by Gremlich Johns, 03 March 2013 - 12:30 PM.

[Gremlich Johns]

Hotthedd, on 08 February 2013 - 10:28 AM, said:

Mixtech and Lostech can balance IS and clan 'mechs, and both are canon.

Mixtech was inefficient (also noted in canon) and in-game it would need to be highly selective vis-a-vis what weapons are "mixed" and a pain in the posterior to effect.

[Hotthedd]

Gremlich Johns, on 03 March 2013 - 12:32 PM, said:

Mixtech was inefficient (also noted in canon) and in-game it would need to be highly selective vis-a-vis what weapons are "mixed" and a pain in the posterior to effect.

Mixtech was not inefficient, Weapons salvaged from Omnimechs were inefficient. The initial invasion did not include as many Omnimechs.

Why would it have to be "highly selective"?

[Bhael Fire]

I think it's highly unlikely they will allow mixtech, if not for the fact that clan tech is not reverse engineered for another 8 years, but for the fact that it would be extremely cumbersome to balance properly (see below). Besides, until salvaged clan tech is reverse engineered and IS versions created 8 years from now, any clan tech salvaged would be reserved for scientific study...not wasted carelessly on the battlefield.

However, if they do allow mixtech, I can see it being incorporated as part of the endgame material in conjunction with a system similar to the one outline in the OP. Basically, if you earn clan components through salvage (or whatever) you will only be matched against other players using clan tech as well (that is, if your loadout consists of clan parts). But even something like this seems like it could lead to major matchmaking problems.

Edited by Bhael Fire, 03 March 2013 - 02:45 PM.

[Gremlich Johns]

Hotthedd, on 03 March 2013 - 02:18 PM, said:

Mixtech was not inefficient, Weapons salvaged from Omnimechs were inefficient. The initial invasion did not include as many Omnimechs.

Why would it have to be "highly selective"?

Seriously? You made my point for me.

Mixing the tech (meaning putting clan tech on IS necha - which gave us the term "mixtech", duh) was a problem for the power systems. That impacts triggering systems for ballistics, missiles and lasers and, with respect to lasers, providing the power they need to operate - think of running a computer that requires 120V/60Hz but being able to only plug it into 220V/50Hz power grid or vice versa.

You could allow mixtech, but how long clan weapons could function on an IS chassis before not working or exploding due to incompatibility issues would be the equivalent of a dice roll. IS tech on Clan mecha might be easier to do, but why bother.

Edited by Gremlich Johns, 03 March 2013 - 03:00 PM.

[Hotthedd]

Gremlich Johns, on 03 March 2013 - 02:59 PM, said:

Seriously? You made my point for me.

Mixing the tech (meaning putting clan tech on IS necha - which gave us the term "mixtech", duh) was a problem for the power systems. That impacts triggering systems for ballistics, missiles and lasers and, with respect to lasers, providing the power they need to operate - think of running a computer that requires 120V/60Hz but being able to only plug it into 220V/50Hz power grid or vice versa.

You could allow mixtech, but how long clan weapons could function on an IS chassis before not working or exploding due to incompatibility issues would be the equivalent of a dice roll. IS tech on Clan mecha might be easier to do, but why bother.

Not all Clan mechs are omnimechs.

[tarlison2k11]

I would suggest keep the clan mech as is but they cant custom any of their gear except for two Omni ports armors engines and other weapons are not customable but Omni port can hold any type of weapon as long as space and tonnage requires it, aside from that they may add ammos aside from that everything is fix and not customable that is my suggestion, the ports might place in different parts of the body like the timber wolf omni port might be the one holding his 2 LRMS..etc. This way it would be rare to find a clan that is boating some type of weapon, so no clan mech boating should i say 6x streak srm-6

Edited by tarlison2k11, 04 April 2013 - 04:28 PM.

[Stijnovic]

I like this idea. But I would tweak it a little. As everyone wants to play in Clan mechs, there needs to be a mechanism to make people keep playing in IS mechs as well:

1) Buy Clan mechs same as IS mechs
2) Earn "Victory Points" by winning matches in IS mechs (or buy with real money)
3) Playing in a Clan mech costs you Victory Points per match

Still doesn't sound optimal though... need to think about this a bit more...

[Nick Drezary]

Okay now the question is: who wants to be a cannon fodder versus dominating clantech?

[Bhael Fire]

Nick Drezary, on 01 July 2013 - 04:54 AM, said:

Okay now the question is: who wants to be a cannon fodder versus dominating clantech?

I'm not so sure the IS will be cannon fodder. The Clans are going to be outnumbered (most likely 5 vs 12), so their tech advantage will diminished.

[Bhael Fire]

Stijnovic, on 01 July 2013 - 04:42 AM, said:

I like this idea. But I would tweak it a little. As everyone wants to play in Clan mechs, there needs to be a mechanism to make people keep playing in IS mechs as well:

1) Buy Clan mechs same as IS mechs
2) Earn "Victory Points" by winning matches in IS mechs (or buy with real money)
3) Playing in a Clan mech costs you Victory Points per match

Still doesn't sound optimal though... need to think about this a bit more...

I suspect they will limit clan numbers in the queue by placing a cooldown timer on the player's clan mechs after each match played with a clan mech.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if clan mechs required GXP to unlock efficiencies...or at the very least, require almost twice the amount of XP per chassis.