0.3.2 What do you want?

[Cyberdogs7]

So I had a big task set aside for 0.3.2 (part rotations) and I thought it would take most of the week. Well I got it working in a few hours (just needs a few minor bug fixes).

So I ask you, what do you want me to spend the time on for next weeks release? More weapons? A special weapon? Parts? Some game play element?

Let me know!

[LegacyElite84]

Weights of weapons re-balanced to give them a more Chromehounds-like weight. This has been bugging me for a while with all the weights up and down the wall for all parts, and they had a decent balance in Chromehounds.

The ability to rotate around the M.A.V. in the Garage. I have tried right click dragging, but it does not move.

Increase the range of the majority of the weapons before bullet drop take effect. Mainly referencing the majority of Sniper Cannons which drop with so little range.

Increase the speed of the projectiles for non rocket/artillery, for they move painstakingly slow, and yet still soar through the air with the greatest of ease.

For the Parts Filter, have a section that allows the player to separate the weapons between weapon type, instead of going on that long hunt for them in the mix.

A check box would be appreciated for the Log-In menu.

Four Weapon Slots and Weapon Systems for all the cockpits for the time being. This is killing all my builds! Incorporating System Chips could play with the amount of Slots and Systems available for use.

Cockpit weight and leg load weight re-balanced, again, Chromehounds had their stuff down, but just needed a few fixes here and there.

SIngleplayer and Multiplayer separated for the time being until the lag issue is reigned in for Multiplayer, or a Trial Sortie of sorts that uses the original Singleplayer settings, free of servers and such.

Xbox 360 controller support.

Multiplayer typing communication / microphone use.

And Cannons, because who doesn't love cannons.

Just my two cents on what could be. Amazing work and progress so far. Can't wait for future updates.

[Edit after testing 0.3.1]

Full rotation around the M.A.V. instead of just to the left and right and only the front portion.

Separation of Singleplayer and Multiplayer. The lag is just too much for gameplay testing.

The Help and Options buttons have a use besides a cool glow-like feature.

The credits given at the start are more, mainly for testing purposes, to be able to test out different setups without having to earn more credits to test something later.

On a side note, good start with the treads on a hillside and organization of the weapons menu.

[Krashner]

Here's a few things that I'd like to see.

-The ability to double click a part to add it

-filter parts by type, like LegacyElite84 said.

-On the login screen, make the tab button switch the input boxes

-What about the ability to have multiple premade mavs, so as the match advances and i want to upgrade i don't have to always rebuild.

-I never see any servers up, so what about hosting a dedicated server, that way there would always be one up.

-allow A and D to rotate mav during customization

[Cyberdogs7]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

-On the login screen, make the tab button switch the input boxes
-allow A and D to rotate mav during customization
-A check box would be appreciated for the Log-In menu.
-Multiplayer typing communication / microphone use.
-Cannons, because who doesn't love cannons.

These will go in for 0.3.2

Don't think your other suggestions went unnoticed though, they have all been added in one form or another, I just can't promise the timing of it.

The main goal of the 0.3.x releases are to get all part types represented. 0.4.x will see work move towards the levels and expanding the weapon generation. Don't think these 90 weapons are the end all of the weapons.

There will also be major UI improvements that take place (I struggle with ui) because the current system will not be able to handle the number of parts I am planning.

Separation of Singleplayer and Multiplayer. The lag is just too much for gameplay testing.

There is actually a technical reason for this right now that I don't have a solution for. I am not giving up on it (and really if you are having lag in singleplayer, that is a problem) but, something that might help with you wanting to test build would be a simple 1v1 map with unlimited money. Is that something you would want as a secondary single player mode?

[LegacyElite84]

Separation of Singleplayer and Multiplayer. The lag is just too much for gameplay testing.

There is actually a technical reason for this right now that I don't have a solution for. I am not giving up on it (and really if you are having lag in singleplayer, that is a problem) but, something that might help with you wanting to test build would be a simple 1v1 map with unlimited money. Is that something you would want as a secondary single player mode?

The lag bewilders me as well, but it mimics the same effects as playing in Multiplayer. And with any Trial Sortie that you could get together, would you be able to make it like Singleplayer was before Alpha, while still keeping the full Singleplayer connected with Multiplayer so you could do your thing? If so, I could get some actual gameplay, non-Garage testing.

[Cyberdogs7]

yeah a trial sortie would work that same as pre-alpha. The technical problem is when you want to go back to the garage in single player but still have the gameplay level continue without you. I think this will be solved in time with a proper level format so I would just save it all out and it would be 'paused' until you came back.

[Anvildude]

There is a LOT of stuff I'm wondering about, worried about, and hopeful about. I'll try to list some of them, some of my ideas, some of my thoughts.


First off- Story. There needs to be something concrete. I'm working on writing up a little backstory plot, based around the TCC- Terran Corporate Conglomerate, and the FSE- Free States of Europa. Both would provide their own supplies, but both would also be supplied by what would essentially be the remains of the world governments, trying to rest control of civilization back from the Corporate, Capitalist trusts that've managed to take over. This is just my own headcannon, but it relates and has shaped the ideas I've had to further refine the game.


Basically, long before the game goes even into Beta, it needs a much more extensive framework of what the game will be- not so much how it'll work, not even a lack of bugs- Beta is for Bug fixes and balancing- Alpha is for building the foundations of the game itself- the look and feel, and the primary mechanics.


To that end: Factions. In my own headcannon, there'll be two major factions, noted above. These factions would be permanent choices for player profiles (though you could probably have separate profiles pretty easily, or possibly a mechanic to 'turn traitor' maybe...). This would, I think, help in balancing them out. And the Faction choice you made would have a tangible effect on game mechanics. The TCC would get larger cash incomes from each battle, allowing them the ability to buy more expensive parts- they'd have an ammunition allowance, meaning they dont' have to pay for a certain amount of ammo each battle (if they go over that, they still pay). But, since the TCC doesn't control Europa as completely as it could, it takes longer for supplies to come in- any new parts they buy have a waiting period before they get delivered, and their in-match drops (if that remains a thing, and defenses aren't just going to be Nanited away) take longer and are more expensive to call down (would still work with specific arms, for things like turret and defensive wall placement).
Things like the Ammo allowance and larger 'paycheck' also change the build meta, since that would promote (though not to exclusivity) heavier, higher damage, slower firing weapons systems.

The FSE, on the other hand, are the 'home boyz', and thus have near instant in-battle calldowns- but they're fighting against the very corporation that managed to 'enslave' them through Company Store policies, and so don't earn as much per battle. However, their ammunition will be less expensive (though they have to pay for it themselves) with bulk 'discounts'.

The effect of these differences would be that the FSE, once they get some momentum in a fight- a couple kills, earn some battlecash resources, would become harder and harder to stop- they'd be able to use turrets and defensive walls and orbital strike things and inventory stations to turn the tide of the battle- but the TCC would start off in a much stronger position, with 'better' gear and higher Alpha Strike damage out the door- making every battle feel like a fight between scrappy revolutionaries and the 'big bad' corporations.


To that end, there needs to be different looks and different statistics divided between the two major fighting factions, and the 'third Faction' of arms brokers/mercenaries (which could be a playable option, perhaps, with a balance between the two). And there needs, I think, to be a more definite "This is MAV, and not AC/Mechwarrior/ChromeHounds/MetalGear/whatever other Mech game" feel to the aesthetics and gear choices. Things where it's not just a 'shotgun' but is instead a device meant to spread explosive charges over an ice field- it's not an 'anti MAV pile' but a repurposed rock drill. But the TCC, the 'professional' gear, would in fact be a Shotgun and an armour penetrating pile.

In addition, there needs to be a fully-realized system for after-battle rewards- whether it's collecting 'scrap' and prizes that drop from MAVs (which could be an awesome mechanic- if you blast a weapon cluster off without destroying the attached weapons, you get to collect them) or a player by player 'locker' and payment screen. A more robust score tracking system would be necessary as well, to keep track of individual player data from match to match, and between Story and Multiplayer modes.


There need to be characters- a way to get the Computer to have a higher skill AI with a preset MAV and AI order systems- for the story mode.

There also needs to be basic versions- even if it's just a single option with no further modifications- of each kind of planned part- a set of some kind of quad-legs, a set of some kind of Hover, a set of some kind of Hexapod- as well as things like an example Heavy Weapon, at least one proper Spacer type part- examples of Attachments and how the new modified Power system will work... Numbers aren't needed- you could have the hex legs with unlimited weight, for example, or give the hovers incredible speed and turning- because just having them in will allow you to pick out the bugs of the basic coding, and recognize how they might be exploited-

You need systems in place for cutscenes, if not the cutscenes themselves, to stand as the building blocks of campaign modes.


The Broad Strokes need to be put down, before the blending and detailing can even begin, really- we need to see what MAV is, in its entirety- see that the overall shape and proportions are statuesque, even if the facial features remain a little homely for the time being and the skin's rought.

We need a Mind and a Spirit, to go along with the developing Body already in the works.

[LegacyElite84]

Just to chip in on this Necro, and bouncing off of Anvil here, the one thing that I have noticed that really hooks gamers are either Music and Story and/or Multiplayer, but I've only seen Halo pull off this Trifecta.

The framework for Multiplayer now is built off of what we already know is for a loyal, and potentially large, fanbase.

Where Chromehounds crashed and burned was in Singleplayer, which was the equivalent of watching paint dry. I probably could make a better Campaign.

The music was on par, but not over-the-top. Music truly does make games. Take Halo 3 and Halo 4 for example. Both Campaigns were amazing, but with Halo 4, the music was disappointing compared to the original Trilogy music, and that's what made Halo 4 lower than Halo 3, even though I think they did amazing on Campaign, possibly being superior to Halo 3.