blahblahblah introductions herpderp. I've been playing Hawken for blah blah yeah.
In light of recent statements made by Vana, I've concentrated my reactive salt into the following post. Fair warning, lots of salt.
Hawken has a definitive lack of FPS elements that, if present, would otherwise attract the average FPS player. These include, but are not limited to: the turn speed cap, massive AOE on weapons combined with large hitboxes, and poor map design.
With that being said, I feel that the game's movement has always stood out in comparison to other games in similar titles. That's why I play the game. It's why I've dedicated so much time to Hawken. I never really liked the low TTK shooters with restricted movement and "whoever sees who first wins" type of gameplay. Hawken offered something different from other games, and now the game seems to be headed in a different direction. The speed increase made a difference, but on top of the other changes, it’s just not enough.
Tonight’s episode of the cockpit struck me the wrong way, especially after Vana made the following comments:
"Mobility in Hawken is super, super strong. Period. It's the strongest thing. Remember when we used to have skill trees? No one gave a 'fuzzy bunny' about offenses or defenses. They went straight into mobility... We stored all that on our database... It was almost always, even when we went into ascension. It was the same thing. Mobility, mobility, mobility, unless that mech did not have mobility. Mobility was just the strongest thing in Hawken, and it needs to be limited."
So… everybody specializes in mobility, and your response is to nerf mobility and reduce movement options? That doesn't seem right. Aside from the missing details in that argument (note: offensive and defensive trees being utter garbage for well over 6 months into OB), I don’t believe that that approach will sit well with a large portion of the existing playerbase. Why not balance the classes around high mobility? Why not increase the mobility of classes that aren't mobile enough?
Many of you already know about the recent #RemoveTheDelay debate. Due to the lack of additional movement options, the jump-to-bypass the weapons raise after boost had been incorporated into gameplay by those that knew about it. It was the go-to mechanic for offensive approach, which is (already) disadvantageous due to boost locking down weapons. Now that the delay has been fixed in the post-boost-jump-state, there is always a delay before you can fire after you boost. It cannot be bypassed. The delay lasts for roughly 0.55s, which is HUGE in the middle of a combat engagement. Since you essentially lock down weapons for both the duration of your boost and half a second after boosting, this reduces both the offensive and defensive capabilities of boosting during combat. This means that players can either A. Dodge (predictably), B. Walk/Run and shoot back, or C hold spacebar. In either of those scenarios, the mech with the most health will most likely win the engagement. Mid-combat mobility has essentially been reduced since this update. The ability to boost around and trick opponents with movement has been hampered by this change. By imposing a restriction as small at 0.55s delay in weapon firing after boost, the game’s movement has effectively lost a layer of depth (mainly to those who used the bypass prior to its removal).
Were it 0.2s or 0.15s, I don’t think it would be too much of an issue. Over half of a second, though? With no noticeable gauge or indication of weapons being locked down? Seems like overkill.
Of course, Vana’s statements above reflect the team’s response to feedback from average players. In the past, they’ve specifically stated that they’re balancing the game for the average player. “You don’t balance for the competitive players. That doesn’t make money.”
True enough, but there is a reasonable middle ground.
Speaking of the average player, let’s examine some mechanics of Hawken that don’t mix too well with the average new player.
As many of you know, Hawken is an FPS. Most FPS titles do not enforce a turn speed cap. In fact, Hawken stands out in that regard. This turn speed cap, to new players that may not understand how it works, is not intuitive. This could easily be one of the factors that contribute to average players critiquing the game: “not being able to hit fast A-classes.”
Then again, when has an increase of the turn speed cap ever been received poorly? The Steam update was a step in the right direction in this regard, imo.
Instead of addressing that, the reduction of movement options is apparently the new solution.

THE SALT IS REAL
Is it possible that the turn speed cap works against the game more than it works for it? I’m not suggesting a complete removal, but why have it in the first place if you’re balancing for the “average player” that probably doesn’t care for it or even understand it? Many new players (both experienced FPS veterans and new players in general) try out Hawken and immediately give it up due to its lack of intuitive mouse controls.
The mechs have rocket thrusters. Suppose that were tied into the lore somehow to make faster turning (note: faster, not instant) possible. I mean, fuzzy bunny, Shift+S already does exactly that. Hawken could still have a turn speed cap, but it could be faster to promote more intuitive aiming mechanics.
This is not a rage post. I'm just confused about some of the design directions and would like some clarification or even a discussion with Vana or other designers. I think it'd be great to see their reasoning and actually have a chance to discuss some features with them, instead of the usual "Vana responds and only a few people get to speak with him about that response."
I still love Hawken, but change after change and I'm starting to see the game differently. I can't say whether or not I'm supportive of more changes that "limit mobility," unless it's made up for somewhere else. That's really the one thing that's been keeping me here for so long :/
Mobility is key to Hawken, and always has been. Limit that, and you're closer to the MWO end of the spectrum. To be fair, MWO is simply a better mech sim (note: sim, referring to the game's genre). It's possible that other mechanics may need to be looked at to keep the average player interested. Why settle on removing something that will result in making a fair portion of your dedicated players unhappy?
Edited by Xacius, April 02 2014 - 10:08 PM.

 

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			 I'm just kidding, I agree for the most part, not on everything though but I made that clear already. I believe that the hawken team is going down the route of Chromehounds, oviously there are huge differences but thats what I thought when they lowered the speed. The only way that would work though is if they made the maps HUUUGGEE like chrome hounds. The whole "slow mech thing", gave chromehounds that "realism" feel but still keeping it arcady with the aiming<-not a bad thing. The only reason Chromehounds died was because of microsoft, gg. As for the direction of where Hawken is going..well I can't say since I don't work there. I can say this though, if they lowered the turn speed restriction and allowed you to turn faster. They could make the game as fast as they wanted really, of course not spaz fast but you know what I mean. All things in good time though, I don't know exactly what the devs want but I'll wait and see what happens.
 I'm just kidding, I agree for the most part, not on everything though but I made that clear already. I believe that the hawken team is going down the route of Chromehounds, oviously there are huge differences but thats what I thought when they lowered the speed. The only way that would work though is if they made the maps HUUUGGEE like chrome hounds. The whole "slow mech thing", gave chromehounds that "realism" feel but still keeping it arcady with the aiming<-not a bad thing. The only reason Chromehounds died was because of microsoft, gg. As for the direction of where Hawken is going..well I can't say since I don't work there. I can say this though, if they lowered the turn speed restriction and allowed you to turn faster. They could make the game as fast as they wanted really, of course not spaz fast but you know what I mean. All things in good time though, I don't know exactly what the devs want but I'll wait and see what happens.
					
					
 
				
				
			 
				
				
			









 
								




