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The Freeman
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Developer Interview 3: David Bradley, Bryan Ekman, Paul Inouye
Part 2/3, scroll up for beginning.
Part 2/3, scroll up for beginning.
MWO: Which is your favourite of the past MechWarrior games?
[DAVID] I think the only past games I’ve played for any significant amount of time were MechWarrior 2 and MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries back in the day. So let’s go with those.
[PAUL] MechWarrior 3 tops my charts, I like the gameplay more than the rest and it was bringing us a more detailed environment and really making use of those new-fangled “texture maps!” The original MechWarrior still holds a place in my heart as well. It was the first MechWarrior and the first to immerse me into a 3D-vector based game.
[BRYAN] MechWarrior and MechWarrior 2 and the expansion packs.
MWO: How is making a Free to Play game different from a ‘normal’ game?
[DAVID] There are a couple of different aspects that I like the best. The first is that, being a free game, there’s no barrier to entry for a new player. If someone wants to play it, all they have to do is create an account and download the game, so we have a chance to reach a really wide audience. The other aspect is that we can launch with a solid core game but then continually improve and add to it with regular updates. This allows us to not only get in new features or ’Mechs that we want to see, but we can respond to the needs of the community as well.
[PAUL] There are a few aspects that are key to the differences between developing a normal boxed game and a F2P title.
First off, the difference between a new F2P game and MechWarrior® Online™ is twofold. First and foremost, MechWarrior is an established franchise with a very deep and rich history. Second, MechWarrior® Online™ is one of the first titles to push the technology envelope by using CryENGINE 3™.
Next, we need to look at the wide audience we’re going to draw. The biggest benefit to developing a F2P title is that the game is (as the acronym suggests) free. If a game is free, why wouldn’t you give it a shot? After getting the first impression from a player, it’s very important to keep that player interested in your title. With F2P, the player who is playing for free has no invested interest in continuing to play if the quality and content of the game, as well as the community, isn’t up to their expectations. A player doesn’t have to pay to be invested into the game as long as they feel like they’re part of a community or league that has a lot of fun playing the game. In order to pull this off, we have to be sure that the game is solid, has the right features at launch, has a continual stream of new content and is accessible to the new and veteran player alike.
Does this mean we dumb the game down for the casual, new player? No it doesn’t. We just need to make sure the new player has an enjoyable time while they learn the ins and outs of the game as well as the intricacies of customizing a BattleMech.
Lastly, addressing the Pay-to-Win argument that plagues so many F2P communities is something that we keep at the front of our design discussions. What is purchased with real world currency and what is purchased with in-game currency is the question that is in the back of my mind when looking at any item put into the game.
There’s a fine line between Pay-to-Progress and Pay-to-Win. Obviously we don’t want the latter but the dangers are there for every item we look at. What you may think has no implication on gameplay can and will have an effect in one way or another when it comes to anything that alters the properties of a BattleMech. We even run into this situation dealing with Information Warfare and Role Warfare items. All we can do is make sure that we’ve covered our bases and watch how things fall into place during testing/public beta testing.
[BRYAN] Nothing much more to add here.
MWO: Was it a total shock when you became the MechWarrior project owner?
[DAVID] I’m the project owner? Wow, that is a shock; I honestly had no idea. I thought that Bryan was the project owner and… Oh, wait, this question was probably meant for him. I think that maybe I should just let him answer it.
[PAUL] I’m the Project Owner????!??!!?! I need to renegotiate my contract!
[BRYAN] Don’t look at me. Maybe Matt Newman is the project owner.
MWO: If you had to pick a favourite ‘Mech, which would it be? Ok, one Inner Sphere, one Clan.
[DAVID] Well, I feel like I’m almost required to say the Balius, but that’s only because that answer would annoy Paul. Or the Piranha, for obvious reasons. But really, the Hunchback was the first ’Mech to get redesigned as well as the first to get into the game, so it’s really grown on me. And, as for Clan ’Mechs, I like the Kodiak. I suppose I just like being able to run up to an enemy, point some big guns at it, and watch it hopefully explode.
[PAUL] InnerSphere – Catapult… as stated in the forums… I fought for this puppy and whined to Bryan more than I ever have in the gaming industry. Clan – Blood Asp, just cause it looks cool and is armed to the teeth.
[BRYAN] Wow tough choice. Right now IS – Centurion and Clan – Loki. Ask me again in 12 months.
MWO: Which games were you influenced by for MechWarrior Online? Which features did they have that you liked?
[DAVID] Well, the obvious answer is all the past MechWarrior games. Some of their features have provided great templates, or at least starting points, for developing our own.
[PAUL] Battlefield 2 for the BattleGrid, RISK for the Inner Sphere conflict/border wars.
[BRYAN] EVE Online, Battlefield, Call of Duty, MechWarrior (1-4), BattleTech, Warhammer 40K, Warmachine, World of Tanks, and League of Legends.
MWO: How will different playstyles be encouraged in MechWarrior Online? (And what are your preferred playstyles?)
[DAVID] It’s a combination of making sure that the weapons and equipment that a player needs to suit their playstyle are available, as well as giving them the ability to unlock and install modules that will further enhance their role. We also need to reward actions and objectives beyond the standard “kill your enemy until he’s dead.”
In games I usually prefer a combat role, but one that I can use on the front lines to support my teammates. I’m happy [to] jump in the way of enemy fire if it means that my teammate can capture the flag or hill or whatever the objective is. (And this way I can also pass the blame on to them if the enemy captures it instead.) So I’ll probably be playing a medium ’Mech that can get me to where my buddies need help, and then have enough fire power to at least distract our enemies and have them focus on me.
[PAUL] Information Warfare and Role Warfare are our 2 motivators to have mixed class BattleMechs on the battlefield. Everyone here at Piranha loves a good co-op feel when playing multiplayer titles. While we won’t be having co-op in MWO, we will have some really cool team based gameplay that will become apparent in the next few months. ?
Contrary to what my co-workers think (they think I’m a griefer due to my vulgar trash talking), when I play competitive online games outside of work, I’m more into the team play aspects rather than running and gunning trying to prove something. If you were to look at my BF2 stats, you’d see that my K/D ratio isn’t the greatest but I did a crazy amount of objective completions. I’m always the assault/support class pushing the frontline forward and I’m sure that’s how I’ll be playing in MWO. Probably a Medium or Heavy class Mech balanced between armor and weaponry. I’ll be the one capturing points, or defending a location, or defending the scout or commander class Mechs. I’ll be monitoring all communications to see where I can help out the team.
[BRYAN] I’m all about quick precision strikes. Get in, get out. I like to balance max speed, stealth, and damage, not unlike a Ninja.
MWO: Can you guys explain how the Battlegrid works?
[DAVID] The BattleGrid is essentially a version of the minimap that has expanded to fill your screen and provide you with the ultimate tactical view in the game. From here you’ll be able to see your location, the locations of your allies, the location and status of objectives, the location of enemies in your line of sight, etc. You’ll also see any information that’s being shared by your allies. The BattleGrid is going to be the commander’s best friend when it comes to planning tactics, issuing orders, and calling down artillery strikes.
[PAUL] Imagine looking at a map of the environment you’re in. The more information fed to you from scouts or the commander, the more you’re going to see. Scouts will be able to relay tactical information to the commander who then relays that information back to everyone else on the field. The commander has the ability to issue orders, call-in support fire and recon sweeps. The more information shared on the battlefield, the more prepared all players will be when approaching hot spots on the map. All players will have access to the BattleGrid but only the commander will have interactivity with it. It would be in your best interest to keep him protected at all times.
MWO: Is there a favourite faction around the office, or are allegiances pretty evenly spread?
[DAVID] I’m not really sure where everyone’s allegiances stand. Maybe we should physically divide up the office to match the Inner Sphere map and everyone will have to move their desk into the area of their favourite faction. Then we put up electric fences along each border. The only downside is that all the Clanners would have to find room in a building across the street.
[PAUL] You know what? I’m not really sure. I refuse to acknowledge anyone who is not aligned with Kurita.
Update: Just took a poll… we’re kinda spread even across the board but the small majorities are Kurita and Marik in that order
MWO: How does the Line Of Sight/Display work?
[DAVID] The basic rule is that if you don’t have line of sight on an enemy ’Mech, then it’s not going to be targetable or even show up on your radar. Now, there are exceptions to this rule. The first is that if you see an opponent and then they disappear behind a building, there will be a few seconds before their information decays and disappears. The other exception is that teammates will be capable of relaying their information to you, and vice versa. There’s also support units, such as UAVs, that can be deployed to act as spotters for your ’Mech. On the whole, this is meant to increase the value of tactical information as well as the role of scout ’Mechs on the battlefield.
MWO: If I want to play MechWarrior Online as a Jenner pilot, am I going to get creamed by Atlas pilots? How do you go about balancing different ‘Mechs of different weights?
[DAVID] In a one-on-one fight in an open field, that Jenner pilot is probably going to have to pull off some very fancy piloting and pray that they don’t get hit in order to stand a chance. However, in MWO, the smart Jenner pilot is going to try and avoid that situation. If they have to take on an Atlas, they’re going to want to try and do it in an area with a lot of cover, like a city, where their superior speed and maneuverability will allow them to weave between buildings to flank the Atlas. But the real balance between a Jenner and an Atlas isn’t just about their effectiveness in combat, but rather what they can bring to their lance as a whole. An Atlas is undeniably an effective killing machine, but a Jenner is an equally effective scout. It’s fast enough to get ahead of everyone else, where it can start relaying the position of enemy ’Mechs to its lancemates, deploy various sensor equipment, and act as a spotter for LRM strikes.
[PAUL] Depends on your skill level. If you’re standing in one spot acting like a turret, you’ll get hit so hard you’re grandkids are gonna have black eyes. If you’re aware of your surroundings, know the limits of your Jenner, you’ll probably have a decent chance of making that Atlas realllllly hurt if not take it out.
