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Why Do We Still Have Level Locks on Internals and Items?

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#1
ticklemyiguana

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Internals and items provide an advantage. Period. It's debatable how much of an advantage they provide, and it's debatable how good one has to be to make much of a difference with those advantages, but they do provide a real advantage.

 

I can understand having to buy internals and items with credits. I can't understand why AC is still level locked behind 20 hours of playtime. It strikes me as very silly, distinctly unpopular, and I do have a hard time getting my head around why after a year or so, there's been no real statement on this kind of thing despite it being one of the most common things asked to be changed about the game. At least, it was. But a year of relative inactivity definitely grinds on anyone's desire to propose any sort of change.

 

However, within this thread, I do not believe even one person will argue for keeping certain internals fully locked behind levels any more than someone might argue to keep certain mechs locked behind levels.

 

With the unanimity of the following consensus, I aim to request this be looked into and addressed - at least verbally. Seriously. Verbally. Just say "hey yeah we're aware of the issue and we're looking into what can be done" or even "we're aware of the issue and don't really care to change it."

 

This is not what the playerbase wants.


Edited by ticklemyiguana, 15 March 2016 - 08:27 PM.

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#2
ATX22

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About the only reason that comes to mind for me as to why the AC is time-locked.. to keep the damage a really good player who is willing to not only smurf, but completely wreck new players, somewhat limited.  Yeah, I know, it probably doesn't amount to a huge difference, but it's about the only thing I can think of.


Edited by ATX22, 15 March 2016 - 08:43 PM.


#3
CounterlogicMan

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-snip-

 

 

In many of the interviews with josh this has been brought up. Every time he has said that he agrees that it should be changed. As to why it hasn't happened yet. There hasn't been an update to the client.

 

/thread


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#4
ticklemyiguana

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In many of the interviews with josh this has been brought up. Every time he has said that he agrees that it should be changed. As to why it hasn't happened yet. There hasn't been an update to the client.

 

/thread

thank you. I generally don't have the time to watch these videos, and I've never seen a real response on the forums. It's nice to know, but you know... the bigger issue... that good ol' lack of communication...

 

Even still. I'd like to be updated on the status of it, but then again, there are a million issues we'd all like to know about.


Edited by ticklemyiguana, 15 March 2016 - 09:12 PM.

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#5
-Tj-

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The strategy behind level-locking items and internals was probably a money-making scheme due to the free-to-play nature of the game. Players who want to play the game and level up faster had the option of paying to unlock stuff faster without having to actually level anything up. While I don't agree with this kind of strategy, I can see why it was done.

 

Honestly, I'd much rather have seen Hawken cost $30-60 up front with no subscription fees (along with some kind of ability to manage one's own servers), or with some kind of low-cost subscription with a small one-time purchase and regular updates. It would be nice to see the level-locked stuff go away, but I do wonder if they'll keep it as some kind of income thing.


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#6
dorobo

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Money-making scheme is what fuked it up. If you have a scheme for a good game money will come naturally. No need to sell million different things. One plain color cammo for a dollar would make more money if there would be million players in love with the game.


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#7
Hyginos

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The strategy behind level-locking items and internals was probably a money-making scheme due to the free-to-play nature of the game. Players who want to play the game and level up faster had the option of paying to unlock stuff faster without having to actually level anything up. While I don't agree with this kind of strategy, I can see why it was done.

 

At the same time, you would still have to grind the credits out, so even without the level lock there would still be at least a little bit of incentive to MC some internals/items. With that said the grind is only steep right now in context of buying and outfitting a whole mech. Each internal/item is pretty light by itself. Perhaps it would be a good idea to offer more packages much like the test drive and SS complete packs that allow someone to get a kitted out mech for a lump sum of MC.

 

Personally I am still of the opinion that a huge variety of cosmetics is the best approach, especially since paint jobs and icons could be pretty low effort, as could cockpit items if all the rigging is there already.

 

 

About the only reason that comes to mind for me as to why the AC is time-locked.. to keep the damage a really good player who is willing to not only smurf, but completely wreck new players, somewhat limited.  Yeah, I know, it probably doesn't amount to a huge difference, but it's about the only thing I can think of.

 

Loaded assault comes with AC now IIRC, so that level 20 lock is only really meaningful to zerk smurfs.

 

The leveling system as it is needs some work anyway.


Edited by Hyginos, 16 March 2016 - 05:47 AM.

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#8
StubbornPuppet

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Still, to this day, even in a world of Freemium gaming, the most successful games are those with an up-front retail price and minimal, cosmetic only DLC.


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To be serious for a moment this is just a joke

 


#9
MomOw

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Still, to this day, even in a world of Freemium gaming, the most successful games are those with an up-front retail price and minimal, cosmetic only DLC.

 

Talking about HC cost + player for internal, it also seems to me that stuff are rarely unlocked from the beginning, but it often comes with player progression / gameplay learning.

 

BTW I think that :

- the HC grind is OK, beside the fact that 1 additionnal equipped mech should be welcomed to new players (appart from the salt)

- playing ~10 hours should be long enough to unlock every items / internals

- playing ~10 hours with a mech should be enough to unlock all weapons (I grinded XP playing only coop TDM to keep stats blank unless prestige was unlocked and that was pretty long).

- there should be at least one server limited to low MMR and low level

- remove underdog peanuts to scores but drastically increase MMR growth during the first few matches (4 matches should  enough to identify a smurf and give him a 1700MMR that would remove it from the specific server).

- correct the internals / items description (IIRC some internals adjusting speeds are not accurate), and add tips when you chose them for the first time (i.e. explain how to use it in a build).


Edited by (KDR) MomOw, 16 March 2016 - 06:14 AM.

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#10
Hyginos

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Still, to this day, even in a world of Freemium gaming, the most successful games are those with an up-front retail price and minimal, cosmetic only DLC.

 

I don't think I would call the cosmetic options in LoL, DOTA, or CSGO "minimal" or even "DLC". Also note that the first two are utterly lacking in an up-front price of any kind.

 

You would also be hard pressed to argue that those three are not among the (if not simply 'the') most successful games right now.


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#11
_incitatus

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About the only reason that comes to mind for me as to why the AC is time-locked.. to keep the damage a really good player who is willing to not only smurf, but completely wreck new players, somewhat limited.  Yeah, I know, it probably doesn't amount to a huge difference, but it's about the only thing I can think of.

 

Yet, if they removed the level requirement new pilots would be able to equip the same internals and the playing field would be more even. 

 

AC or not, smurfs will stomp if they want to.  I don't think it makes a difference to the smurf.  But in the eyes of the new player, they can't compete because they don't have access to the same internals.


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#12
harmless_kittens

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I can vouch for the fact that when I was a brand new player, having EMPs (that I could not afford or even buy) constantly dropped on me almost made me quit the game.  I second the idea that brand new players need to have the option to spend our credits on those "neat little toys".  More choice is ALWAYS better, IMO.


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#13
dorobo

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fkn meteor..






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