74 replies to this topic

[bacon_avenger]

http://www.pcgamer.c...d-clan-support/

A few comments I thought of as I was reading it...

Quote

...we’re constantly tweaking, testing, and listening to community feedback. The players have the power to add or improve things and help shape the game, which I think they like.

Very much so, it's refreshing to actually find a developer and publisher that actually listens to the players, much less posts in the forums!

Quote

The counter-measures we have now are a first pass at a mechanic we hope to make a lot of improvements to. We’re testing them out and will make changes according to the feedback we get from players. Regarding pay-to-win, all the counter-measures are available through Hawken Credits which are earned in-game at no cost.

*looks at the cost, looks at the MC only HC booster, coughs*

Quote

Yes, I’d say we’re exploring the possibility of melee weapons, but in a controlled way that fits into the Hawken universe. We wouldn’t want to see every mech running around punching or swinging swords at each other, or have a long-range sniper class staying in close to melee. I’d like to see specialized mech classes or balanced weapons that incorporate melee, but at the cost of ranged attacks or something along those lines.

While I applaud the note of not wanting to see mechs running around with swords, overall, no, just please no.  The technician mech, which has been brought up previously, is questionable as is.

Quote

...but player-created custom designs are a little harder to implement. At the moment I think it would require too much oversight on our end, to avoid offensive material. Contests where player designs get elected and promoted by the community might be a good way to incorporate that though.

Or, for a starting point, how about having the player-uploaded decal be the same one that is used for our forum avatar_  There is already some kind of vetting process, being publicly viewable, so I would think it would be the 'safest' option to start with.

Thoughts on the article_

[Disparity]

Hearing about spectator mode and tournament support makes me happy. Watching future tournaments should be very exciting.

[DieselCat]

Are you looking to implement a server browser, or a more effective matchmaking system to balance sessions_
Yes! We do currently have a matchmaking system in place, and it was just recently updated to be more effective. The matchmaking will be constantly improved on as part of our Beta process. In fact, we intentionally removed the server browser so we could properly test and evaluate the matchmaking system. Unfortunately that has caused a bit of pain amongst the community, since players really want to see the server browser return. But we consider it a necessary step to make sure the game is in its best possible state on our full release. We’ll be putting an improved server browser back in place once we reach our goals in that area.

Edited by DieselCat, January 22 2013 - 03:41 PM.

[RedVan]

Quote

How will visual customisation improve_ Any plans for a decal system, or to let players create their own designs to make mechs unique_
As more mechs and new content gets added, there will be more and more options for visual customization. Parts, thrusters, paint, and camo schemes will keep being rolled out regularly. We do have plans to introduce decals or things like clan insignias, emblems, etc., but player-created custom designs are a little harder to implement. At the moment I think it would require too much oversight on our end, to avoid offensive material. Contests where player designs get elected and promoted by the community might be a good way to incorporate that though.

Hopefully, along with the clan system, people will be able to "donate" meteor credits to a "clan account".  This clan account can then be used to purchase things like custom decals for the clan, decals made by the clan, approved by the devs (hence it costing meteor credits).  That would help keep the workload down for the approval process.

Once a clan has a decal purchased, it becomes available to use by everyone currently enrolled in the clan.

[RespawningJesus]

DieselCat, on January 22 2013 - 03:35 PM, said:

[font=arial, verdana, sans-serif]
Are you looking to implement a server browser, or a more effective matchmaking system to balance sessions_[/font][font=arial, verdana, sans-serif]
Yes! We do currently have a matchmaking system in place, and it was just recently updated to be more effective. The matchmaking will be constantly improved on as part of our Beta process. In fact, we intentionally removed the server browser so we could properly test and evaluate the matchmaking system. Unfortunately that has caused a bit of pain amongst the community, since players really want to see the server browser return. But we consider it a necessary step to make sure the game is in its best possible state on our full release. We’ll be putting an improved server browser back in place once we reach our goals in that area.[/font][font=arial, verdana, sans-serif]
*+[/font]

Please don't use black lettering against a dark–gray background. Nearly impossible to read. (I see you changed it to yellow. Much better.)

The article was very interesting. Tournament support is getting me excited though.   It'll give new players a chance to see how the better players play.

Edited by RespawningJesus, January 22 2013 - 03:46 PM.

[cpl_bradders]

It's a great article, and to agree with you:

Quote

Very much so, it's refreshing to actually find a developer and publisher that actually listens to the players, much less posts in the forums!

It really is a rare treasure

Quote

Or, for a starting point, how about having the player-uploaded decal be the same one that is used for our forum avatar_  There is already some kind of vetting process, being publicly viewable, so I would think it would be the 'safest' option to start with

A great idea

[skywarp00]

sweet this feedback and insight is awsome

[ReachH]

Chris Lalli talks about HAWKEN Beta:



My Experience with HAWKEN Beta:

Edited by ReachH, January 22 2013 - 03:55 PM.

[marshalade]

ReachH, on January 22 2013 - 03:53 PM, said:

My Experience with HAWKEN Beta:

I lold, but think of me as the guy in the black shirt behind you looking down at you, because SUCK IT UP, CUPCAKE.

Edited by marshalade, January 22 2013 - 04:08 PM.

[Wasabi_Wei]

Me too, but I was thinking "Wow, that guy who got hit must have been quite drunk! Everyone around him has their guard up, and he catches a bat to the jaw like it was invisible."

Nice article. Thanks for the link. I was not particularly surprised by anything besides the possibility of melee weapons. When I started playing Hawken I thought that would be a natural choice for the devs at some point, but now that I have played more melee seems like a bad direction to go.

[Guiotine]

bacon_avenger, on January 22 2013 - 03:16 PM, said:

Or, for a starting point, how about having the player-uploaded decal be the same one that is used for our forum avatar_  There is already some kind of vetting process, being publicly viewable, so I would think it would be the 'safest' option to start with.

I would love to have sir schmoopy (the character in my profile pic) on my mech.

Edited by Guiotine, January 22 2013 - 04:47 PM.

[Sabata]

Quote

Quote

...but player-created custom designs are a little harder to implement. At the moment I think it would require too much oversight on our end, to avoid offensive material. Contests where player designs get elected and promoted by the community might be a good way to incorporate that though.

Or, for a starting point, how about having the player-uploaded decal be the same one that is used for our forum avatar_  There is already some kind of vetting process, being publicly viewable, so I would think it would be the 'safest' option to start with.

Not everyone posts on the forums. It's no more visible than in game.

[h0B0]

Quote

The community is fantastic, our forums are a collection of some of the most constructive and helpful gamers I’ve ever seen... There are also a lot of serious hard-core players that genuinely want to improve the game and see Hawken succeed, so that’s awesome.

Look they are talking about me.

Edited by h0B0, January 22 2013 - 05:32 PM.

[erathic]

Awesome article!

btw, "melee" does not necessary mean gundam pink sword-fights, knife/tomahawk easy oneshot kills.
I could easily imagine a new secondary weapons like a pneumatic powered chained demolition-ball launcher like THIS
with a balanced cool down and dmg output it would work the same as a FLAK
but the animation could be super cool as the dodge experience.

Or maybe some kind of Hookshot, to bring a enemy closer to your Flak optimal range, or crush him into the pillar he was using to  dance arround
etc..

Edited by erathic, January 22 2013 - 05:17 PM.

[bacon_avenger]

Sabata, on January 22 2013 - 05:01 PM, said:

Quote

Quote

...but player-created custom designs are a little harder to implement. At the moment I think it would require too much oversight on our end, to avoid offensive material. Contests where player designs get elected and promoted by the community might be a good way to incorporate that though.

Or, for a starting point, how about having the player-uploaded decal be the same one that is used for our forum avatar_  There is already some kind of vetting process, being publicly viewable, so I would think it would be the 'safest' option to start with.

Not everyone posts on the forums. It's no more visible than in game.

Good point.  Hpwever, I really want to be able to upload my own image vs having a limited selection to pick from (which I probably wouldn't use).  But this is OT and has been discussed previously via older threads.

[Decoy101x]

Quote

Are you considering the addition of melee attacks and / or melee weapons_
Yes, I’d say we’re exploring the possibility of melee weapons, but in a controlled way that fits into the Hawken universe. We wouldn’t want to see every mech running around punching or swinging swords at each other, or have a long-range sniper class staying in close to melee. I’d like to see specialized mech classes or balanced weapons that incorporate melee, but at the cost of ranged attacks or something along those lines.

NO

Edited by Decoy101x, January 22 2013 - 05:36 PM.

[[HWK]Deuy]

bacon_avenger, on January 22 2013 - 03:16 PM, said:

Or, for a starting point, how about having the player-uploaded decal be the same one that is used for our forum avatar_  There is already some kind of vetting process, being publicly viewable, so I would think it would be the 'safest' option to start with.

That's a possibility, but then there's issues with copyright/trademark violations and knowing what non-offensive content is user-created vs taken from an existing IP.  It can get messy, but that's a bridge we'll cross after we get a basic decal system available to everyone.  Baby steps

Decoy101x, on January 22 2013 - 05:33 PM, said:

NO

Care to elaborate what you don't like about the idea_  What I was picturing is basically a secondary weapon that has the properties of an extremely close range "melee" instrument, like a spike or pneumatic hammer.  It wouldn't be terribly different from just having a flak cannon that's more effective at a much shorter range but basically has no damage potential at any other distance.  Seems like a reasonable trade-off to me, and it's a far cry from laser swords or roundhouse kicks (also in development > ).

[Decoy101x]

hmm thats not such a bad idea. HOWEVER the game is fast paced and Close quarters enough that it would be a bad idea. Picture underneith the missile silo on Titan...that would turn in to a melee spam fest. If you want to have melee, even with the actually-no-so-bad-idea you had, you would need maps that catered towards this new mechanic.  Im sure the ones now would work towards it but On sarah unless your underneith the silo youre melee is gimped. on uptown youre going to be god. I think if this is implemented it would have to be done right and very carefully.

/flamesuit on

[Beemann]

Because it's much easier to close in than it is to escape in Hawken. It's actually worse if it's spike damage, as you remove the need for predictive movement in CQC (because dodge cooldowns)
If you ask me, the Flak Cannon on the scout is already problematic, for the same reasons

Also what would the primary be_ The Flak and TOW combo has a bit of a range trade-off in terms of not wanting to eat your own rockets, but there aren't that many explosive primaries to provide the same dilemna (and they don't do as much damage)

Edited by Beemann, January 22 2013 - 06:29 PM.

[Nitris]

[HWK]Deuy, on January 22 2013 - 06:18 PM, said:

Care to elaborate what you don't like about the idea_

Do a search for "melee" and take your pick from the hundreds of threads regarding it. Almost every one of them has loads of reasons for and against. I guess it is up to you guys to decide from there.

[HWK]Deuy, on January 22 2013 - 06:18 PM, said:

and it's a far cry from laser swords or roundhouse kicks (also in development > ).