3 replies to this topic

[Frenotx]

Weapon Customization- This topic has been discussed here and there,
but I feel it's important enough to warrant its own dedicated thread.
Being able to tailor your machine to closely fit your play style is
not only a lot of fun, but also gives the user a sense of ownership
over, and attachment to, their mechs. Those feelings are important,
because they play a big part in a person's propensity to buy cool
stuff (paint, different repair drones, new body parts, etc.) for their
mechs.

Problem:

        While the optimizations and internals do have a significant effect on
a mech, I believe most people would agree that the most defining point
of how a mech plays, is its weapons load out.

        At current, the weapon selection customization system is extremely
weak. Each chassis has a fixed ability, secondary weapon, and primary
weapon- those three things can never be changed. The only weapon that
you can swap is the alternate primary. Each chassis has a specific set
of alternate alternate primaries (meteor really should come up with a
different name for that) available to it, ranging from 0 to 2 options.
These alternate weapons are only available for purchase after leveling
that chassis to 20.

        This system has some major flaws. I posit that one of the largest
deciding factors when a player is choosing which mech to buy, are the
weapons that are attached to it. For instance, I really like the EOC
repeater. This beta granted me with 2 choices: Play a c-class with the
hellfire as a secondary >:| , or play many, many games using weapons I
don't enjoy that much (assault rifle / HEAT) to unlock the EOC on the
infiltrator.

Solution:

Players need to have more weapon selection choices early on. On the
other hand, you don't want EVERYTHING to be available to a mech, right
off the bat- player progressions is important. In addition, there are
some mech / ability / weapon combos that could be pretty obnoxious.
Here's what I propose:

1) Each chassis's ability and secondary weapon are static.

2) Each chassis has its own inventory of primary weapons. These
weapons can be placed either in the primary, or alternate primary
slot.

3) When you first buy a chassis, it only has two available slots in
the aforementioned inventory, which are filled with the two weapons
that come with the chassis

4) As you level, you unlock additional inventory slots. Ideally, you'd
get one additional slot fairly early in the level progression.

5) Whenever you unlock a new inventory slot, you have the option to
purchase one additional weapon for that chassis's primary weapons
pool.

        This system minimizes the amount of time a player has to spend using
weapons they might not like, yet also enforces player progression.
Don't like the weapons on you mech_ In a few levels you can try a new
one. It keeps the progression smooth. I'm sure I'm not alone in my
preference of "something, something something" over "nothing, nothing,
everything".

        Note that you unlock inventory slots, not specific weapons. This
gives the player the power to decide the order in which they unlock
weapons, decreasing frustration and increasing ownership of the
process.

[DM30]

Yes. That is all I have to say on this.

[Frenotx]

Thanks for your support. You should "like" the post, in case that sort of thing helps draw attention from the devs.

[Frenotx]

Fack. Double posted.

Edited by Frenotx, November 14 2012 - 09:19 AM.