Mechwarrior Online (Previously MW5/MW3015)

[Chaotic42]

Having this thread bumped did not seem interesting when I noticed it but It did get my interested in reading the latest updates.

summery

new mechs
new cockpit items


changes to the web site noticed
2 or 3 new maps since I last played.
mech description area of the web site just gives an error looking page with just data (seems the table is reading in raw format).

nothing else

IIRC, the last time I played I pretty much has the feeling the game was balanced in one area. It was not possible to repair all damage on a normal mech after a match. you needed a boost to the money or be driving a purchased mech which came with a default boost. At the time it was definitely a pay to win (get ahead / upgrade) game.

I do not think the developers would have changed that part of the game at all.

You used to have to get your mechs repaired? Interesting. Glad they took that out.

 

[Fallen Kell]

You used to have to get your mechs repaired? Interesting. Glad they took that out.

Yeah, that was a core mechanic from some previous mechwarrior games (well at least the original mechwarrior 1989). In the very beginning of that game you started with a damaged mech and didn't have the money to repair it. Depending on how well you did in the first couple missions/contracts you picked up, you might not have been able to repair you mech fully and had to decide on what was important to fix (i.e. do I fix that gun or the armor, or the joint so that I can move properly...)

I don't know. I still crap on this game only because it had so much potential and they have simply ignored the simple fixes that would have vastly improved the game.

 

[MongGrel]

I bought the founders version of this and was so disappointed in beta I've never even played it.

Last time I'll ever do that again, I'm sure it's changed a bit.

*shrug*

Used to play MW2 even on the Grand Council ladders over Kali.

 

[Ns1]

I bought the founders version of this and was so disappointed in beta I've never even played it.

ouch.

 

[ThinClient]

So, with the new patch coming out Tuesday to give quirks to the Inner Sphere mechs, is anyone still playing this?

I'm running an ECM Spider, BJ-1, and JM6-DD.

And, for fun, here's a Direwolf with 8 PPC's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7io0wHyFX4U

 

[Chaotic42]

Yeah, I tried an 8 PPC Direwolf. It was... warm.

 

[norseamd]

How does this game and HAWKEN compare in complexity and gameplay?

 

[Fallen Kell]

Well, if you are not looking for a battletech/mechwarrior game, then Mechwarrior Online really isn't too bad of a game. They still have all kinds of balance issues with different weapons/mechs/ammo/heat/speed, but they have gotten better. Unfortunately if you are looking for a battletech/mechwarrior game, just don't even both with Mechwarrior Online. It is so completely far from the universe's rules that it will just infuriate you and make you shake your head in shame looking at all the balance issues they have as a direct result of the choices they made to not follow the universe rules.

 

[Gunbuster]

It is so completely far from the universe's rules that it will just infuriate you and make you shake your head in shame looking at all the balance issues they have as a direct result of the choices they made to not follow the universe rules.

Kind of harsh. While I think the ghost heat was a super bonehead thing to add I have to say they seem to be doing much better at things since they split up with IGP.

 

[Elcs]

I spend all of my MWO time watching that "Mechwarrior 5" video with the Warhammer and the Atlas...

It's better that way.

 

[greenhawk]

Kind of harsh. While I think the ghost heat was a super bonehead thing to add I have to say they seem to be doing much better at things since they split up with IGP.

I had to do a bit of reading to see what that was about seeing as I have not been keeping track.

I found this rant page that seems to do a reasonable job of covering a lot of points, but take it with some salt.

http://www.dyadicparagon.com/paragonpress/2014/9/19/the-pgi-shuffle

though the links to the game PGI are ment to be crowd sourcing appears to be dead for me currently

http://www.transversegame.com/


In short, it does not sound like the split was all that real when some employees get moved over and some of the rest get shown the door. Sounds more like a closing down / cherry picking of a dieing company.


And knowing how hard it is to get a new team to come along and pick up on a piece of software, I do not believe for a second that the game is going to get updates faster. If anything I have to lean towards what appears to be the negative comments from fans, the game is dieing.

As to the whole reddit issues, I can not see why they moved off their own forums, unless they had the idea of being cheap (less hosting costs) or they wanted to be step away from the over moderated / dead place it had become (yes, I use to use those forums before I gave up on the game).

Anyway, back to ignoring this thread for another few months until something else happens. At this rate, 50/50 expecting the closure of the game currently.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

I would say, good let it die a horrible death, but then people will be pointing to this steaming pile of crap for the next 5 years as to why a Mechwarrior game isn't viable. -_-

 

[SLU Aequitas]

I would say, good let it die a horrible death, but then people will be pointing to this steaming pile of crap for the next 5 years as to why a Mechwarrior game isn't viable. -_-

If only they had stuck with BT. I really wish they had gone with their initial SP promo concept, oh well. 1/2 of my favorite genres made a comeback.

 

[HydroSqueegee]

Still dont understand the hate this game gets. Its a fun mech arena shooter currently. I really have no complaints. Still play a couple nights a week as long as i have time.

The Transverse fiasco was an eye opener for them i think. No one wanted another space type game. That money ship sailed and everyone gave their cash to Mr Roberts.

PGIs split from IGP has really helped them. Communication is much, much better and it seems avenues of customer service are open that they couldnt take before. This past weekends Halloween event was a blast. Great prizes and fun times.

 

[HydroSqueegee]

I had to do a bit of reading to see what that was about seeing as I have not been keeping track.

I found this rant page that seems to do a reasonable job of covering a lot of points, but take it with some salt.

http://www.dyadicparagon.com/paragonpress/2014/9/19/the-pgi-shuffle

though the links to the game PGI are ment to be crowd sourcing appears to be dead for me currently

http://www.transversegame.com/


In short, it does not sound like the split was all that real when some employees get moved over and some of the rest get shown the door. Sounds more like a closing down / cherry picking of a dieing company.


And knowing how hard it is to get a new team to come along and pick up on a piece of software, I do not believe for a second that the game is going to get updates faster. If anything I have to lean towards what appears to be the negative comments from fans, the game is dieing.

As to the whole reddit issues, I can not see why they moved off their own forums, unless they had the idea of being cheap (less hosting costs) or they wanted to be step away from the over moderated / dead place it had become (yes, I use to use those forums before I gave up on the game).

Anyway, back to ignoring this thread for another few months until something else happens. At this rate, 50/50 expecting the closure of the game currently.

Transverse was a half baked idea by PGI for a new IP. No one wanted to fund it and the project was completely independent of their publisher, IGP.

IGP is now out of the picture for PGI. Piranha bought out and kicked IGP to the curb, so all of the limitations IGP put on Piranha are gone, and its been a very noticeable change. PGI is still making money and still developing MWO.

 

[Midwayman]

Still dont understand the hate this game gets. Its a fun mech arena shooter currently. I really have no complaints. Still play a couple nights a week as long as i have time.

Because it is in no way a battletech/mechwarrior game. Its a mediocre at best mech themed game with a bad battletech skin slapped on top.

 

[Elcs]

Because it is in no way a battletech/mechwarrior game. Its a mediocre at best mech themed game with a bad battletech skin slapped on top.

Agreed. It is no Battletech nor Mechwarrior game and their tasteless remodelling of the classic mechs (hello Mr Cylon Centurion and Hunchback, no longer with Futurama's Bender-like arms).

Very much disagree on this point. It's still more fun than any other robot/mech shooter out there at this time. It leaks coolant all over something like Hawken.

The thing that kills the game for almost everyone is the fact that it professes to be Battletech, uses all of the right words but the looks are warped and the mechanics are no longer Battletech.

 

[Midwayman]

Agreed. It is no Battletech nor Mechwarrior game and their tasteless remodelling of the classic mechs (hello Mr Cylon Centurion and Hunchback, no longer with Futurama's Bender-like arms).

Very much disagree on this point. It's still more fun than any other robot/mech shooter out there at this time. It leaks coolant all over something like Hawken.

The thing that kills the game for almost everyone is the fact that it professes to be Battletech, uses all of the right words but the looks are warped and the mechanics are no longer Battletech.

I'd care a whole lot less if it wasn't trying to use the battletech IP, that's certain. However even without that they made some design decisions that are bad at a base level. Mostly making everything strike the exact center of the cross hair. That's the root of a ton of balancing issues. At least coupled with an armor system where its not the whole target sharing HP. Its the same issue that has been proven repeatedly not to work well, but they went with it.

 

[Fallen Kell]

I'd care a whole lot less if it wasn't trying to use the battletech IP, that's certain. However even without that they made some design decisions that are bad at a base level. Mostly making everything strike the exact center of the cross hair. That's the root of a ton of balancing issues. At least coupled with an armor system where its not the whole target sharing HP. Its the same issue that has been proven repeatedly not to work well, but they went with it.

Agreed. A simple statistical aiming->hit location system or a weapon system based offset would have done wonders for the game. Adding the ability to place modifiers to that based on movement (stationary, slow walk, medium walk, full speed, jumping/falling/climbing, etc) would resolve a LOT of issues (no such thing as poptarting if you can bairly hit something point blank range, let alone across the map with any direct fire weapon system). It would also add more strategy to the game (i.e. do I risk running faster across this open space, knowing I won't be able to really hit those targets out there, or do I take it a bit slower allowing me to do some damage, while risking getting hit myself for being a slower moving target).

 

[Midwayman]

Agreed. A simple statistical aiming->hit location system or a weapon system based offset would have done wonders for the game. Adding the ability to place modifiers to that based on movement (stationary, slow walk, medium walk, full speed, jumping/falling/climbing, etc) would resolve a LOT of issues (no such thing as poptarting if you can bairly hit something point blank range, let alone across the map with any direct fire weapon system). It would also add more strategy to the game (i.e. do I risk running faster across this open space, knowing I won't be able to really hit those targets out there, or do I take it a bit slower allowing me to do some damage, while risking getting hit myself for being a slower moving target).

Yup. Plus is would have given another factor for weapon balance. A large laser could have a fairly small base circle, but longer shrink, while a small would have a larger one, but rapidly shrink. You could vary expansion rate per weapon. Heck, heat could make base circle expand like its supposed to. It would have been a much better system. There is a reason why its used in pretty much every FPS these days.

 

[lupi]

Updated my installation and started playing for the first time in years while waiting for Mechcommander 3 at the end of the month. My original lance of mechs is pretty crappy in this new post clans world. And wow does everything seem crazily expensive. Guess I could just toy around in some of the clan geared trial mechs I have as I'd probably have to do research on all the new systems anyway for using my own mechs to be useful.

 

[DigDog]

How does this game and HAWKEN compare in complexity and gameplay?

in hawken the fights are much more close range. The maps have a massive 3D factor to them while MW maps tend to be basically flat, with a few obstacles here and there.
MW fights are mostly conducted long-range, and mechs can basically only walk, while in Hawken you can effectively dodge.

Hawken in general is much closer to an FPS, while MW is like World Of Tanks, you get a lot more time to make decisions and FPS aim and reflexes count for much less.

In MW you pretty much always take damage when you are dealing damage; being able to decide situations where you deal more than you take is what constitutes the majority of the gameplay. In Hawken you try to deal dmage without taking any, closer to your typical arena FPS.


i haven't played hawken in years .. but i doubt the movement mechanics have changed much.

 

[JTsyo]

The Crysis mod Living Legends was pretty good for a mech game.