9 replies to this topic

[Antasius]

I posted this in Suggestions first, but General Discussion is probably a better place to post this.

When I picture training (having grasped the limitations and strengths of the game - no small feat eh). I picture a REAL training ground. A map made to look like a refection of military training grounds all around the world today. And made to 'feel' like a place to learn too, what I mean is this:

Picture big, pop-up mech-targets made of wood and sandbags on a de-forest tree-line. Now picture standardized trail mechs with a matching monochrome colour scheme; all your new buddies, all with bright orange "safety caped" weapons - paint ball ballistics, when the paint balls are the size of football - and lasers that will just shoot bright, mostly harmless light.

This puts the player into a state of mind that is fun and safe, no panicking, it's time to just horse around with buddies.

The other team is a different colour, but they are still your mates... this is important for first immersion. I won't go into the logical reasoning behind it, but it's important to make this fun before it becomes about winning and losing.

The two teams run all over the place (once they figure out how to run) and eventually run at each other and everything else in the training ground. Targets are knocked over and paint balls make pretty patterns all over your buddies. And a fun time is had by all - in the end, not because one side obliterated the other, but because players had time to find the chat options and talk, period. You can even think of this as a sandbox chat-room... Wow , wouldn't that be cool.

My point here is this, It would be easy to implement and we 'could teach each-other' how to play - just make it feel like training and the community will do the rest. Hell, you could even have experienced pilots pop-in to lend a hand in an environment where no one gets to be the first KIA.

Please add to this idea if you can!

Cheers Mechwarriors!

Edited by Antasius, 08 February 2013 - 09:44 AM.

[BLUPRNT]

A great idea. Most have suggested some sort of solo play training ground while this one suggests a team play. I like the idea of using colors. Perhaps water cannons instead of laser to wash the paint off a target much like striping armor. And paint balls to plaster your target each player having thier own unique color so at end of match you can tell who hit who the most and where. Pop up targets using water cannons and weapons by Nerf toys, lol. Dodgeball anyone? I would definatley spend some time here to hone my skills. This like you said would eliminate the pressure of being killed. Hope the devs read this.

I'm not very tech savy but this may be harder to implement than we think.

Edited by BLUPRNT, 08 February 2013 - 10:30 AM.

[Antasius]

Great ideas BLUPRNT! The "hotspot" effect is already in the game, so why not make this a paint spot eh? It's about playing around and figuring stuff out, so the effects (although maybe slightly altered) should be very close to what happens in an actual match. Maybe brightening the lasers slightly (they have played with brightness a lot to get it right so far). and have the hits "light up" receivers on the target-teams mechs... like laser tag. Fun, fun.

Ooo! What about taking your water cannon idea and apply it to flame throwers! ...sweet.

Edited by Antasius, 08 February 2013 - 10:46 AM.

[Antasius]

So to reiterate and clarify.

This would be just like any other drop-in match - accept there would be no PuG groups losing after 3-5 minutes... with a score of 0-8.

You can blast way, and learn to get better at the game by default - just running around in a training 'play' ground like this will teach new players without the frustrations we now have. Give the training ground a time limit of 10-30 minutes or so and tally screen to show "what would of happened" information and we are laughing. Good times had by all. ;D

[BLUPRNT]

Yes, Antasius to confirm.








Bump

[Antasius]

You have inspired me to write the short story part. Off the top of my head mind you,

Buzz Jokarwick was the Mech Trainer on this quite rock. Buzz "McBonkhead" as he was known to most, either said to his face by old veterans of the Succession Wars, or cursed aloud by wise-*** rookies in their bunks, far from his sharp ears;

Ears that heard the whistling misses of neon-green paint balls the size of oranges over his trainer Atlas's cockpit - and the distant thumps as the rounds found the ground off behind him.

"Terrible shooting pilot!" he boomed, "Common now - how am I supposed to NOT put this massive AC\20 paint round between YOUR little Commando's eyes if my cockpit isn't rockin' and rollin' from YOUR little pop-gun!? Eh!?"

"Oh well" McBonkhead said into the mic, "Time to learn a hard lesson."

Buzz loved this hard lesson, he loved drilling green pilots in the head with his electric blue AC\20 paint round the size of a bathtub. It made the little mechs look all... uniform. And most of all, it taught the new guys about trajectory and range, it was followed by a humbling review of where the MG rounds landed, the pattern that they landed in, and how to fix it - that's what really mattered - Why he was really here.

But that Atlas rocking recoil from that really big paint ball made him smile. Made him smile every time... Time to sound less happy and teach these kids about critical hits.

To be continued?

Edited by Antasius, 13 February 2013 - 07:23 AM.

[Remissus]

This sounds pretty dang fun.

+1.

[Antasius]

All right mechwarriors, if you're inspired and think we're on the right track here, please add to this thread!

I'll put a hook out and ask for advice from the RL warriors (former-current-retired Military, Police, Fire-fighters, etc) that have been through REAL training. What should training be like?

What would be nice to hear is anecdotal stories about Training that would work well with imaginary, giant robot training. And to absolutely anyone out there with fun idea's of your own for this, please contribute!

Here's some more hooks:

Lazer tag "flash-boxes" - A blinking light (activated by the training lasers) at each hard point signifies enough hits to really damage that part if they were "actual" lasers. A mech walking around 'lit-up like a Christmas tree' would be REAL BAD at avoiding laser fire.

Big wood Mechs go boom - Let's entertain the idea of 2 diffident kinds of training grounds. Safety Training and Live-Fire. The first implementation of destructible terrain could be done in a Live-Fire training ground... the one you go into after getting your Mech covered in paint and blinking lights.

More to come boys,

Edited by Antasius, 14 February 2013 - 08:22 AM.

[orion0117]

The MWO wacky weapon post on facebook made me think of something like this for training.

I'd like to see a training ground simulator where everything functions as in a real match, except there would be no damage and no collisions. There would be a post match screen summarizing the simulated damage you did with what weapon to what mech and where, to give you an idea if what you're doing is working. Instant feedback in the chat box would be better, a message such as Weapon:AC/10 Damaged:Playername Location:Rear Torso Amount:10. Players could communicate back and forth about what's working and what's not without the pressure of being in a real battle.

Maybe have these matches last 6 minutes or so to keep things changing. Maybe also have the option to choose whatever map you want and stay as long as you want. That would be nice for learning the maps.

If the light mechs want to spar they can do so until they get bored, then run off and do something else. While they are sparring other mechs can practice shooting at the fast moving lights.

If you want you can run to the top of the mountain to practice sniping with your new PPC and not get killed in 3 seconds. Practice whatever you want for as long as you want. Trying something new in a real game can be an immediate disaster, in the training room there's no penalty to you or your team for doing/trying something new or stupid.

A paintball match could be fun, and something different to break up the regular games. You would take simulated damage from every hit from a paintball, after you're damaged to your threshold your paintball gun is disabled. You're free to walk around and observe, or spectate in other mechs, mechs out of hitpoints would show in IFF as non-combatant to those still fighting.

I wouldn't expect to see anything like this anytime soon, and then only after the game is really successful for a long time. They have their hands full getting the current content working to its potential.

Right now I'd be happy with a basic single player training map with destructible objects to practice in.

Edited by orion0117, 22 February 2013 - 09:31 AM.

[Antasius]

~Woot, woot! Thank you MWO for the new training grounds eh! I'm looking forward to some good schoolin'