8 replies to this topic

[Philldoe]

Many people on these forums are begging for this. I can understand why.

When playing MW4 a player would see a new map rotate in on the lobby screen. Players were usually given 1-2 minutes (IIRC) to choose a mech. Players on the opposing team could see what class of mech a player chose, but not the exact chassis.

MWO players have pleaded for this. I am right there with you in wanting this to happen, but the fact of the matter is that it can not work out. PGI wants each game balanced by mech class and player ELO score.

I can think of one easy way this can be done, and invite everyone to add their own constructive ideas to this thread.

My own Suggestion...

Hero selection in many DOTA based games allows only one instance of a hero. PGI should be able to throw players into a lobby with teams and maps pre-selected with a mech chassis counter much like the RHoD league. IE 2-2-2-2 or 2-0-3-3. 2 Assaults, 0 Heavies, 3 Mediums, and 3 Lights. each team is forced to follow by these rules and it is served on a first come first serve basis. IE the first 2 people to choose a light in a 2-2-2-2 match up get to use them while others must select from a different weight class.

One downside I see to this is that it forces people to carry a wider range of mechs. I understand there are players who only play with 2-3 chassis and never bother with others. This method does alienate them, and I doubt they will be happy being forced to use a Trial mech.

An alternate way would allow the players to vote on which chassis rotation to use, but that does not really prevent players with a small chassis selection from being stuck in a trial mech.

I've pondered over this a fair bit so please add input!

EDIT This method does not allow for selecting a map. it only allows selecting a mech once the server selects a map for you.

Edited by Philldoe, 20 February 2013 - 11:46 AM.

[Corpsecandle]

I've been sold by the "random maps discourage boating argument". Someone suggested a mechanic to remove 1 or 2 maps from a players possible rotation which could be nice, but I think allowing people to select mech with map knowledge, or selecting maps in general will lead to barren maps. Or create a situation where you start running into the same mech roles over and over on a given map.

I do think it would be nice to be able to select our camo before a drop though.

[Mechteric]

I prefer the idea of using the 4 selected mech slots as what you can choose from, that way you don't just get free range choice of all your mechs.

Ngamok, on 20 February 2013 - 11:31 AM, said:

I agree, being able to pick from one of the 4 mechs in your drop ready bay would be the obvious choice to make once the map is chosen / revealed.

only problem of course is that then matchmaking based on weight becomes next to impossible.

Edited by CapperDeluxe, 20 February 2013 - 11:42 AM.

[FerretGR]

Corpsecandle, on 20 February 2013 - 11:39 AM, said:

I've been sold by the "random maps discourage boating argument".

But people boat now and we have a variety of maps, and people boat both long and short range weapons. I'm certainly not going to change any of my loadouts just because we got a bigger map.

One reason I'd like to see the ability to choose a mech (aside from being able to choose a mech closer to heat neutral for Caustic) would be about camo. Given that half of our maps are snowy, I'd like to use some snowy camo, but that wouldn't exactly help on the green/brown maps... for now I just make everything red and black, but some variety would be nice!

[Wintersdark]

Corpsecandle, on 20 February 2013 - 11:39 AM, said:

I've been sold by the "random maps discourage boating argument". Someone suggested a mechanic to remove 1 or 2 maps from a players possible rotation which could be nice, but I think allowing people to select mech with map knowledge, or selecting maps in general will lead to barren maps. Or create a situation where you start running into the same mech roles over and over on a given map.

I do think it would be nice to be able to select our camo before a drop though.

This, absolutely.

A: random maps discourage boating and encourage flexible loadouts.
B: choosing what map you drop on would fragment the playerbase and hurt matchmaking.
C: the tears of splatcat players taste delicious.


There is a reason practically every stock mech loadout has a wide range of weapons. Re-outfitting a mech is an extremely difficult and time consuming process. In the case of Inner Sphere mechs, it didn't really happen at all. That we can is a fun bonus (and a necessary one IMHO, because choosing mech builds is awesome fun) but it doesn't mean that we should be able to fit a mech specifically for each map.

I, for one, am very happy to see a marked decrease in the number of a lot of cheesebuilds - particularly, but not limited to - the splatcat.

Mostly, the most OP weapon in the game right now is the SRM. It was previously the best weapon, ton per ton, on ANY map. The more you could take, the more dangerous you were.

Now, taking scads of them risks leaving you largely useless.

[Philldoe]

CapperDeluxe, on 20 February 2013 - 11:40 AM, said:

I prefer the idea of using the 4 selected mech slots as what you can choose from, that way you don't just get free range choice of all your mechs.




only problem of course is that then matchmaking based on weight becomes next to impossible.

That is actually a great idea.

EDIT To others. With my method the server always randomly selects the map. Players have no control over map selection.

Edited by Philldoe, 20 February 2013 - 11:47 AM.

[Lukoi Banacek]

Corpsecandle, on 20 February 2013 - 11:39 AM, said:

I've been sold by the "random maps discourage boating argument". Someone suggested a mechanic to remove 1 or 2 maps from a players possible rotation which could be nice, but I think allowing people to select mech with map knowledge, or selecting maps in general will lead to barren maps. Or create a situation where you start running into the same mech roles over and over on a given map.

I do think it would be nice to be able to select our camo before a drop though.

To never have to play RC Night again....oh the rapture!

[Kurshuk]

I'm of two minds. I'd like the ability to select the map myself, but I can see the problems it can cause.

Someone wanted to have it where you would 'ready for launch' and it would tell you the map attached to a 1 minute timer. After that one minute you'd lose the map lock. So this isn't something you could waste a whole team's time selecting a mech, but if you have a couple loadouts with different camo/ranging you could click the mech and ready. Once all players in a group are ready, or for a solo player click launch. Then MM happens.

I'm pretty ok with this because it allows the random matchmaking from the server side, but breaks the groupings into 6 queues and MWO still retains the power over which maps we play, we just get to know before.

I'd be ok with a system like this since it allows planning based on mapsize, primary colors, arms, etc. Some people seem to fear that people will 'exploit' the system by picking a mech suited to the map. Which is what every other mechwarrior game was. I have no fear of people 'exploiting' the system because I want to have a tough battle and the toughest battles are the ones where both sides are equipped to the maximum effectiveness for the map. If that means we see more PPCs, gauss, LRMS, AC2, AC5, UAC5s, LL & the ER kind, on Alpine then I'm ok with it.

Likewise I have no bones about facing down a pack of CAT-A1s on frozen. Or some AC20 SRM MPLAS atlas. Or any of the other extremely effective brawler builds. I know that's a small map and should gear accordingly. If everyone has the same opportunity then there can be no advantage from selecting mechs unless the mechanics of tactical mech simulation aren't well known by the player. (Noobs)

I think it has a ways to go before we see some real MWO viable answers, but I think this kind of system could work pretty well. This was going to be a post about why I didn't like your system OP, turns out I think it's pretty neat.

Kurshuk
Alexi.Kurshuk@gmail.com

[Commander Kobold]

be great if you could choose your mech *after* you knew what map you where going to, especially since now the brawler mechs (90 odd percent of the game) can get really fuckter clucked on alpine