UltraMek, on 29 December 2011 - 06:35 PM, said:
Its ridiculous that people are throwing out assault of even heavy mechs. Its pretty much a forgone conclusion that we will be given a light or medium. It should be something like a Jenner, Commando, or Chimera that is flexible in terms of its loadouts and speed.
Corsair114, on 29 December 2011 - 06:51 PM, said:
Duke Pitt, on 29 December 2011 - 06:58 PM, said:
I dunno, if they really are going to broaden the use of lighter mechs then it might not be that big a deal. Also in that case at launch it will be like assault mechs mysteriously don't exist. This will also make it so that people will jump on assualt mechs as an "earned" thing which would be contradictory to the general sentiment that MWOnline should not be a race to get the biggest mech.
I can't find the exact quote, but here's a couple snippets from some
game previews:
Bullock highlights some of the MechWarrior roles and what the team is shooting for with MechWarrior Online: “Each of the mechs have a specific and useful role. A Lance unit in the MechWarrior lore is made up by four mechs and we really want that Lance unit to be a strong aspect of gameplay. You’ll want to make up that Lance with the appropriate types of mechs, both scout mechs and medium, heavy, and assault mechs.”
This emphasis on role warfare and the persistency of the world as factions battle around the clock is the heart of what Piranha Games hopes to add. “That brings a level of modernization to gameplay that MechWarrior hasn’t had before. Before, it was a fairly unapologetic arms race to the heaviest of mechs, but our design will be quite different,” says Bullock. He doesn’t want players to spend countless hours grinding for the supposed “best” mech. Without going into too much detail, he emphasizes that players will be rewarded for focusing on teamwork and playing their roles appropriately.
It's important to note that each mech will have a specific role in the game; a lance (a group of mechs) will be made up of a mix of different mechs that each fill in a different role. Some players will prefer to run in a lighter, faster scout mech, while others will aim to stomp around in a massive assault mech. Either way, groups of players will have to find the line-up that best suits their playstyles and strengths. Past incarnations of the game relied on what was essentially an arms race for the largest mechs. This new version will rely on roles, and the fulfillment of those roles, to drive gameplay forward.
I can't find the quote I'm looking for, but I vaguely remember them confirming that you will be able to start in any weight class you want - light, medium, heavy, or assault. Bigger is not always better.
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