General Discussion

I am really looking forward to this game.  There is a need for a mech MMO, I do have a question though.  Will there be an engineering (crafter) class in the game?  One of the things I loved about PRE CU Starwars galaxies was it's complex crafting system.  I can see engineers taking salvaged pieces and altering them within spec (ie making armor plating lighter but giving up protection to do so, or the other way around)

Question for the community here:

Would you like to see the Mechs (and vehicles and aircraft) can only "disappear" from the environment if they are parked in a Hanger of sorts?  If you leave the fighting units, while in the environment, the unit still stays there until you return to it.  (Granted, in case of character death or something, the fighting unit will be picked up and transported back, or something like that)

Originally posted by Jenneroflok

I am really looking forward to this game.  There is a need for a mech MMO, I do have a question though.  Will there be an engineering (crafter) class in the game?  One of the things I loved about PRE CU Starwars galaxies was it's complex crafting system.  I can see engineers taking salvaged pieces and altering them within spec (ie making armor plating lighter but giving up protection to do so, or the other way around)

There is no classes in use or skill limitations.  Rather, it will be up to the player to decide on being an engineer.  Depends on the skill selected and advanced.  And there is no limit to the number of skills that a character can have (you will not need to drop skills to learn new ones).  So it is possible to be both a combatant and an engineer, as well as a medic, and who knows what else.  Depending on how you want to spend your time and interests.

One of the innovative crafting features we're planning for in phase 2 centers around how (and where) you get the resources to craft with, and what you do with the item you manufacture.  To be honest, our take on that has changed slightly over the past 3 years, but the core of our efforts remain the same:  No item grinding. 

Most crafting systems would have you spend X number of hours searching for resources (or to make the money to buy them), and when you have attained both the skill and the required resources, you are able to make that item.  The same item, every time.  Over and over again.  For example, SWG allowed for experimentation but you had variable resource attributes, so if you had "the best" stats on your resource, you could make an item with "the best" stats for your customer.  Since experimentation was universal, essentially every crafter in the game capable of making an item would make the same item if they had the same resources, it just took a little more time and effort to get those last few stats.

If we're true to our lore, massive corporations would surely have the ability to make available something as mundane as copper or steel, wouldn't they?  And not every "master armorsmith" would be a clone of 25,000 other random individuals, even if they had the same training and materials, because some people just have more talent (or patience) than others.  Through the player driven creation of new alloys and new techniques, our players *should* be able to make unique items for themselves or their house/guild.

Pardon the Star Trek pun here, but the strategy we'll be implementing will please both the hardcore crafter/explorer (who wishes to seek out new mines and new materials) as well as the combat jock who can make due with a decent item he makes himself from quality materials that are easily obtainable, and boldly (or quickly) go where no Mech jock has gone before, with slightly fewer stats.  When the game is centered around the skill of the player rather than the amount of money he has to grind, there's a lot more room for fun!

TexMechs
Wardog Studios, Inc.

Originally posted by Hamilton-WDS

Question for the community here:

Would you like to see the Mechs (and vehicles and aircraft) can only "disappear" from the environment if they are parked in a Hanger of sorts?  If you leave the fighting units, while in the environment, the unit still stays there until you return to it.  (Granted, in case of character death or something, the fighting unit will be picked up and transported back, or something like that)

 

Originally posted by Jenneroflok

I am really looking forward to this game.  There is a need for a mech MMO, I do have a question though.  Will there be an engineering (crafter) class in the game?  One of the things I loved about PRE CU Starwars galaxies was it's complex crafting system.  I can see engineers taking salvaged pieces and altering them within spec (ie making armor plating lighter but giving up protection to do so, or the other way around)

There is no classes in use or skill limitations.  Rather, it will be up to the player to decide on being an engineer.  Depends on the skill selected and advanced.  And there is no limit to the number of skills that a character can have (you will not need to drop skills to learn new ones).  So it is possible to be both a combatant and an engineer, as well as a medic, and who knows what else.  Depending on how you want to spend your time and interests.

I have been wanting a mech mmo for ages. THANK YOU!

1,Now then, if a player climbs down from his cockpit to stretch his legs, the mech should stay there towering over him looking all awesome and powerful, but if another player comes along in his mech he should be able to attack it.  I almost said hijack it too, but a player should only be able to pilot one mech at a time, and stealing another guys ammo is a little petty so. So, yes, the mech should stay in the environment.

2, If a player parks in a hanger and leaves his mech, I think its very acceptable that the mech leaves the environment until he comes back. Maybe there should be a crane or some other system that whisks it away into storage or something.

3, attacking other mechs and then salvaging parts... I LOVE that kind of stuff. Especially if I can craft my own upgrades/mechs/weapons etc.

4, There absolutely MUST be human avatars in the game, and I'm glad you said there will be, but I think you could lose lots gamers early on if you add this in phase 2. You must have it in phase 1 to show people that it really is there and not just a promise. People are not very trusting these days, SHOW them, don't promise to show them. Put it in the start to let players have a taste of what they will be getting.

If you have to limit human avatars in phase 1, so be it. I can accept that. Have the pilot's avatar at least go to and from the hangar-maybe to a bar to get info or hang out. Also, crafting should be done at the player's own workshop (player owned) as a human avatar.

5,...wow did you say aircraft too? I mean... that is excellent!!

Originally posted by impulsebooks

 

I have been wanting a mech mmo for ages. THANK YOU!

You are quite welcome!  To make sure that your ideas, thoughts, and dreams make it into the game, be sure to participate in our forums at www.forceofarms.com

I like the idea of salvage as well.  And come to think of it, if a player gets out of his Mech, the thought of the limited use of sniping is implied, isn't it?

Originally posted by impulsebooks

 4, There absolutely MUST be human avatars in the game, and I'm glad you said there will be, but I think you could lose lots gamers early on if you add this in phase 2.

As Hamilton mentioned earlier, there will be avatars in Phase 1.  It may simply be a cockpit avatar, but there are many in our design team who are working towards mobile avatars.  Like you, there are days when I get home and want nothing more than to really whip the crap out of someone, then get out of my Mech, and make some tea, as it were...

Originally posted by impulsebooks

5,...wow did you say aircraft too? I mean... that is excellent!!

Who would say something silly like aircraft?  Nah, there's not going to be any aircraft in Force of Arms..  "Dual Purpose Infantry" is the correct term . 

Hey TexMech..

   I see you talking about the human avatars and the 'limited' role they would play.  It seems that your plan is to make the human avatars only useable outside of 'combat'.  Ie: When your chilling in the Dome cities or your guild hanger, crafting, etc.

  Are their any plans for small units like the old Battletech 'Elementals'.  Like.. small highly agile and mobile powered armor suits that are there to swarm and harass enemy mecha.   With weapons like like Magnetic Mines, Remote explosives,  Weapons that increase heat buildup,  EMP, etc...

It would definitly add another deeper element to the game to allow the challenge and strategy of using smaller more mobile units and give those avatars another place to play.

I think a picture (though concept art) should help to explain things.

This is of the Genoma Personal Armor Line (Body Armors (Flex and Rigid); and Battle Suit (Powered)).  There are plans to provide Battle Armor (adds about 1ft in height) and Combat Armor (basically mini-mechs).  Powered Armor is going to be preferred (almost required) when assaulting Mechs or vehicles.

Ok, here is a bonus body armor image

Sweet...This just got a slot on my 'to look out for' list most definitely...