f13.net

Was looking for the real, full resolution arts but so far this Madcat is all we got.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3584773/MWO%20Timber%20Wolf.png.jpg)

Preface:
Hi folks, just wanted to update you all on the topic of Clans and their technology/role in MWO. As we’ve stated numerous times, we do not want to bring Clan Tech into the game without seriously examining the potential for breaking the game in terms of overall balance.

Clan Technology was initially implemented in BattleTech Table Top rules as a base around a new breed of warriors that adhered to a certain set of combat “rules”. The term “zellbrigen” refers to a style of combat which restricted the type of activities a MechWarrior would do during a fight. MechWarrior Online does not include this rule set for two main reasons. First off, it is a rule set that not everyone will want to adhere to, and secondly it would not be very fun to anyone not familiar with the rules in the first place (a much broader audience). Even through lore, zellbrigen was essentially phased out due to non-adherence by the Inner Sphere MechWarriors on the field of combat.

It is due to lack of this rule set, and the fact that forcing players into a fixed way of doing battle would just not be fun, is how Clan Tech really becomes a balance issue. Past MechWarrior titles were primarily single player experiences so over powered Clan Technology was not really an issue. The other titles that had multiplayer components became arms races to get Clan Tech and once achieved, nothing changed from that point on. Inner Sphere technology became obsolete at that point if a player wanted to be competitive in a match. This is something that we do not want to happen in MechWarrior Online. We are aiming to make sure that all types of gameplay are available while keeping all current BattleMechs viable on the battlefield.
I want to ensure you that we will still allow the Clans to have their unique flavor without any type of knee-jerk, heavy handed nerfing. We (the design team) feel that laying out the design approach as we look at the incoming technology would help alleviate some of the concerns you may have while at the same time stir up some constructive discussions around Clans and how they can be a fun and functionally addition to MWO.

-Paul

Disclaimer:
While the descriptions below are the most up to date plans for Clan Tech, please be advised that ALL numbers and examples are for demonstration purposes only. Any number or description can be changed in the future, but these are the most current plans for Clan Tech and we wanted to show you the plans for clarity and transparency.

Clan Tech – Design Approach
Clan Technology in the BT universe has always been an over-powered set of weapons and BattleMech builds. This encourages an arms race to get to Clan Tech equipment and makes Inner Sphere Tech rather obsolete. This is something we do not want to see in MechWarrior Online and we have decided to take some heavy hitting steps to make sure that this arms race does not come to fruition.

Balancing – Raw Numbers
The key elements that make Clan Tech overpowered include size reductions, tonnage reductions, range increases and damage increases over similar Inner Sphere weapons. The best way to discuss this is to look at some examples.

e.g. 1 – ER Large Laser
Inner Sphere Tech:
Heat: 12
Damage: 8
Range: 570m
Tons: 5
Crit(Slots): 2

Clan Tech:
Heat: 12
Damage: 10
Range: 750m
Tons: 4
Crit(Slots): 1

It is very easy to see how the Clan version of the ER Large Laser is significantly more advantageous than the Inner Sphere equivalent. The Clan ER Large Laser does 2 more damage, has 180m more range, weighs 1 ton less and takes up half the amount of space while maintaining the same amount of heat generation.

There are mechanics already in MWO that help us normalize the impact of this weapon without drastically changing the flavor and uniqueness of the Clan version.

As an example, what would will probably be applied to this weapon is the following:
Reduce the max range but still give it a slight edge over IS tech. Change from 750m to 660m for a 90m increase over IS tech.
Increase the beam duration of the laser to spread damage over more time.
Make the Heat Scale slightly higher than the IS version.
What the above changes allows to happen is that the Clan ER Large Laser still gets a reach buff, still gets to have higher damage, still gets the tonnage and space reduction but requires the player to hold targets longer and it will generate much more heat when Alpha’d. i.e. The weapon still keeps its Clan properties/feel but requires better skill and heat management to operate.


We will be applying this same design philosophy across all Clan weaponry and equipment as it makes its way into the game.

Balancing – Weapon System Upgrades
Things start to get a little trickier when dealing with weapon systems that are outright increased in their standard operation. For this example, let’s look at the Streak SRM/6. Yes, we all knew they were coming, and yes, the potential is deadly but let’s take a step back and see what can happen with current mechanics.

e.g. 2 – Streak SRMs
Inner Sphere Tech:
Always hit as long as the target is locked.
Fires 2 missiles dealing 2.5 damage each (total of 5 damage)
Clan Tech:
Always hit as long as the target is locked.
Fires 2, 4 or 6 missiles dealing 2.5 damage each (total of 5, 10, 15 damage respectively)
As you can see, this is a much bigger conundrum than changing some numbers like the previous section. This is where we may step out of the comfort zone that some players might not like to make sure we don’t bring in heavily overpowered missile launchers.

The following will probably be applied to this weapon:
Allow only 2 projectiles to leave the launcher at any given time. SSRM-4 will fire 2 volleys of 2 missiles. SRM-6 will fire 3 volleys of 2 missiles. This will stagger the incoming missiles allowing AMS to take down more if the targeted Mech has AMS.
Increase the cooldown period of refire on the larger launchers and allow the above staggered shots to happen during this time.
So again, the flavor/feel of the weapon is still there, it’s just going to require better trigger timing and the hope that AMS will not deter your volleys too much assuming that the enemy has AMS to begin with. An additional side effect is that people will be more inclined to carry AMS on their BattleMechs and at the same time, these bigger launchers will need more ammunition to counter the AMS effect.



Balancing – New Mechanics
Along with the above 2 sections, another cause for concern is a change in basic mechanics of a given weapon system. In this case we can discuss Clan LRMs.

e.g. 3 – LRM-20s
Inner Sphere Tech:
Heat: 6
Damage: 1.1 /missile
Min Range: 180m
Max Range: 1000m
Tons: 10
Crit(Slots): 5

Clan Tech:
Heat: 6
Damage: 1.1 /missile
Min Range: 0m
Max Range: 1000m
Tons: 5
Crit(Slots): 4

The fact that the Clan version of LRM-20s have no minimum range is a huge problem. What you effectively now have is a Streak SRM-20 available to you if we cut minimum range to 0. The fact that this weapon weighs half as much and takes up 1 less slot makes this a significantly over powered system.
The following will probably be applied to this weapon system:
Base heat increase to [7]
Minimum range stays at 180m but LRMs can be fired. The damage ramps from 0 to 1.1 in an exponential curve. i.e. Damage is minimal in the

• -[100]m range and increases to full damage between [101] and [180]m ranges.

Possible adjustment to [7] tons.
Now the weapon system still keeps it “no-minimum” range property and it still keeps a weight reduction and generates a little more heat. Again, this will translate into better piloting skills, fire timing and heat management to take full advantage of the Clan LRM-20.


That being said, when dealing with core values like tonnage or crits, we risk the chance of breaking a standard build in a future Clan BattleMech in terms of its weight capacity or space capacity. This is why this third area of balancing new mechanics takes the longest time and will have to be revisited now and again.

Now on to a more exciting informational release… I've asked David B. to explain how Clan BattleMechs will be built and customized...

Clan BattleMechs and How They’ll Be Built/Customized
First, let’s get the obligatory disclaimer out of the way. As with all works in progress, our OmniMech design is subject to change, especially any of the smaller details. Balance is key, as we wish for OmniMechs to be neither inadequately nor overly restrictive, and explained below is the path we aim to take to get there.

We will be designing and allowing customization of Clan OmniMechs in a manner similar to the OmniMech rules that are implemented in the BattleTech tabletop game. In the BattleTech lore, OmniMechs are capable of capable of mounting weapons and equipment in modular pods that can be swapped around with relative ease between battles. This is in contrast to standard BattleMechs where virtually every weapon and system is hardwired and fully integrated into the chassis, slowing repairs and especially hampering customization.
Because the standard Mechs within MWO are already essentially capable of instant repairs and a wide range of customization between battles, it’s been a little tricky to figure out how to introduce Clan OmniMechs that keep their Omni flavor. In the end we decided on a system that essentially uses modular hardpoints.

With a standard MWO BattleMech, you buy a variant of a particular chassis, for example, a Hunchback HBK-4G. The Mech comes with a set of default weapons and equipment as well as a fixed set of hardpoints in each location. You can customize your loadout however you wish, but will always be under the restrictions of hardpoints, critical slots, and tonnage.

With an OmniMech, instead of buying a variant, you’ll buy a configuration. The Clans tend to designate their configurations as Prime and then A, B, C, D, etc. (e.g. Mad Cat A). Buying a configuration is much like buying a variant. You’ll get a Mech, the default weapons and equipment, and a set of hardpoints in each location. However, not only will you be able to customize the weapons and equipment, but you’ll also be able to customize the hardpoints. Once you own the Mech you’ll be able to swap out each location (e.g. head, left arm, right torso, etc) with that of another configuration. This allows you to change the hardpoints within that location.

For example, let’s say that you purchase the imaginary OmniMech, the Irate Tapir. You decide to purchase the B configuration because its default loadout fits with your play style. However, it doesn’t have any missile hardpoints and you really want to be able to fit a Narc Beacon to help out your teammates with their LRMs. What you can do is swap out the B left arm, which has two ballistic hardpoints, for the left arm from the C configuration, which has a missile and an energy hardpoint.

This sort of swapping can be done for all locations except for the center torso. The CT will be what identifies the Mech for purposes such as XP and Mech efficiencies. You also will not be able to choose any hardpoint combination that you want, but rather the choices will be set, and determined by the design team, based on the canon configurations for theMech.

Now there wouldn’t be balanced unless it came with a cost. In this case, the ability to customize hardpoints comes with the tabletop OmniMech restrictions. All the configurations of a given OmniMech are based around a base configuration (not to be confused with the Prime configuration). This is the core of the Mech, with all the modular bits stripped out, and what remains cannot be customized at all. These include:
The engine type and rating
The number and placement of a minimum number of heatsinks
The amount and distribution of armor
The armor type and the location of any critical slots occupied by Ferro-Fibrous
The internal structure type and the location of any critical slots occupied by Endo Steel
Enhancements such as MASC
The occasional weapon or other piece of equipment (e.g. jump jets) that is included as part of the base configuration
We aim to follow these as closely as possible, but the restrictions may be eased if gameplay and balance require it.


We’re also looking at tying in systems unique to MWO, such as our quirks system, into OmniMech design, in order to even out certain configuration’s locations that may be seen as better to use than others. For example, each part of each configuration could have its own effect on the overall quirks of the Mech. This could mean that your choice of which configuration’s part you use in each location could change how your Mech plays.

Summary:
We are being very careful when implementing Clan Tech and we hope this "Design Approach" post helps you understand the issues and how we will be dealing with them as we move ahead.

MadCat & Timberwolf.  :heart:

Hint; the clans were terribad from the very start.

Hi Ghost Bear avatar man.  :oh_i_see:

Hello MechWarriors!

Over the past few days we have received numerous viewpoints on our Clan Collections. We would like to thank everyone who took the time to provide their feedback; naturally we hope that everyone will be able to participate in the Clan Invasion.

Today we are introducing new purchase options that offer more flexibility in Mech purchase choices. You can now choose to purchase up to 6 different Clan Mechs “À La Carte” without a need to purchase a full Collection. Each Clan Mech also includes two standard variants and all MechBays required to house your Mechs.

In addition, when you buy 4 or more "À La Carte,” you’ll get bonus Premium Time. Full details are available on our Clan Collections website.

Standard Clan Collections provide a great value and will continue to be available.

Golden Khan Collection will now include the top tier of our Clan Collections, the Masakari Collection. For those of you who purchased a Gold Khan Collection and a Standard Collection, please contact Support (or if not we'll contact you in the coming days).

We recognize that some players want a specific `Mech and the value of a Collection, but they don’t necessarily want every `Mech in some of our top tier Collections. We hope this additional purchase choice will empower those who would like to own a custom Collection while keeping the value offered by bundling together multiple Mechs.
For example, those who would like a Timber Wolf can now purchase it individually for $55 or in their “A la carte” bundle at an even better value, instead of paying for a full Mad Cat Collection at $210.

We hope that the New Year brings you many C-Bills much honor and glory for your Clan and we’ll see you on the Battlefield!

Hey there everyone,

Below is a summary of our design for OmniMechs and other aspects of Clan technology related to Mech construction. As a result, this doesn't cover any of the rules or stats pertaining to Clan weapons beyond how they would be equipped on an OmniMech.

And, of course, there is always the big disclaimer: Things may change as design, tuning, etc progresses. But this is the path that we are currently set to implement.



OmniMechs

OmniMechs in MWO will be built and customized in a manner based on the OmniMech construction rules of the tabletop game, with changes made to best suit the systems that we already have in place.

Configurations

Instead of buying a variant of a chassis, OmniMechs are bought as configurations. On the surface, configurations are essentially the same as variants. The difference is that an OmniMech comes equipped with an OmniPod in each location (head, left arm, right torso, etc).
When the player purchases a configuration, they receive:
A complete 'Mech.
All weapons and equipment that are a part of that configuration’s default loadout.
The configuration specific OmniPod in each location.
E.g. The Mad Cat A comes with the Mad Cat A left arm OmniPod, the Mad Cat A left torso OmniPod, etc.
After purchase, OmniPods can be interchanged and can change aspects of the 'Mech, such as which hardpoints are available in each location.





OmniPods

The defining feature of the OmniMech is the OmniPod system. For an OmniMech to be legal to bring into a game, each location on the 'Mech must have exactly one OmniPod assigned to it. The OmniPod is not a piece of equipment, but rather it changes the properties of the location as well as the 'Mech as a whole.

OmniPod Rules

OmniPods obey the following rules:
An OmniMech may only equip OmniPods made for its chassis.
E.g. A Mad Cat can only equip Mad Cat OmniPods.
OmniPods are specific to a location.
E.g. Left arm, right torso, etc.
The OmniPod in a configuration’s center torso cannot be changed.
This helps to identify the 'Mech as being a particular variant for XP and other purposes, as the player will be unable to completely change one configuration wholly into another.
OmniPods can exist for configurations that we do not sell as complete 'Mechs in the store.
E.g. The Black Hawk D only has 2 hardpoints, and could be hard to justify making as a 'Mech on its own, but the hardpoints are unique compared to other configurations. So the OmniPod of the Black Hawk D’s right arm OmniPod could be made available to place on other configurations.
Equipping an OmniPod



OmniPods are equipped in the MechLab.
OmniPods are equipped in the Loadout section of the MechLab.
OmniPods are listed as their own category of item.
i.e. Similar to Equipment, Ammo, Engines, etc.
Each location can have up to 1 OmniPod equipped at a time.
The currently equipped OmniPod for each location is displayed in a slot above the location’s equipment/critical slots.
OmniPods are not placed in a location’s critical slots.
The desired OmniPod is dragged from the inventory/store section to the slot on the loadout.
Any currently equipped OmniPod is returned to the player’s inventory.
OmniPods can be purchased with either C-Bills or MC.
If the player already has a copy of the OmniPod in their inventory, that item is used before buying a new one.
Equipping a new OmniPod returns all non-fixed weapons and equipment in that location to the player’s inventory.
This is to prevent conflicts with changes to hardpoints, actuators, etc.
OmniPod Properties



Each OmniPod has a set of properties. When an OmniPod is equipped to a 'Mech, its properties are applied to the location and/or 'Mech (as appropriate).
The chassis to which the OmniPod can be equipped.
The location to which the OmniPod can be equipped.
A set of hardpoints.
A number of jump jet slots.
A number of module slots.
A set of quirks.
The individual quirks on an OmniPod can be set to 0, to have no effect on a 'Mech.
OmniMech Quirks



Based solely upon canon hardpoints, some OmniPods are outright better than others.
For example, the right arm of the Mad Cat’s Prime configuration has 2 energy hardpoints while the right arm of the Mad Cat’s A configuration has 1 Energy hardpoint. Based on this alone, this makes the Prime configuration’s OmniPod the straight out better choice.
To balance this out, each OmniPod can be given its own set of quirks that will apply to any 'Mech that has it equipped.
Each OmniMech’s base configuration has a set of quirks in the same manner as a normal BattleMech.
Each OmniPod has a set of quirk modifiers.
These are positive and negative values that are added to the respective value in the base configuration
Each quirk of an OmniMech in-game is equal to the sum of the quirk’s value in the base configuration and all quirk modifiers in all equipped OmniPods.
Currently, all the quirks in the quirk system are movement related. When we introduce the OmniPod quirk system, we hope to have a greater variety of quirks were added to the game. This would allow for better diversification among 'Mechs. Potential new quirks would involve aspects such as heat generation and loss, weapon cooldown times, increasing/lowering damage taken, etc.





Clan Technology

The following are differences between Clan and Inner Sphere technology as it pertains to 'Mech construction. Rules differences specific to OmniMech construction are also noted. Differences in Clan and Inner Sphere weapons are detailed in other documents as they have no bearing to 'Mech construction.
Clan XL Engine
Same weight as Inner Sphere XL engines.
Only occupies 2 critical slots in each side torso. (Compared to 3 slots in each side torso for Inner Sphere XL engines.)
Destroying a 'Mech via engine destruction requires the destruction of either both of the side torsos or the center torso.
Clan Endo Steel
Provides the same weight saving as Inner Sphere Endo Steel.
Occupies 7 critical slots on the 'Mech. (Compared to 14 slots for Inner Sphere Endo Steel.)
On an OmniMech, the location of the critical slots is fixed.
On a standard 'Mech, the location of the critical slots is dynamic.
Clan Ferro-Fibrous
Provides 1.2 times more armor points per ton than standard armor. (Inner Sphere Ferro-Fibrous provides 1.12 times more armor points than standard armor.)
Occupies 7 critical slots on the 'Mech. (Compared to 14 slots for Inner Sphere Ferro-Fibrous.)
On an OmniMech, the location of the critical slots is fixed.
On a standard 'Mech, the location of the critical slots is dynamic.
Clan Double Heat Sinks
Provide the same heat loss as Inner Sphere Double Heat Sinks.
Each Clan Double Heat Sinks occupies 2 critical slots.
CASE
Clan 'Mechs automatically receive CASE in any location where ammunition or an explosive weapon is placed.
This CASE does not take up tonnage.
This CASE does not take up critical slots.
This CASE has no cost.
This CASE otherwise behaves the same as Inner Sphere CASE.
OmniMech Rules and Limitations



In keeping with the tabletop rules, and to provide a balance to both Clan technology and the customization allowed by the Omni technology, OmniMechs have several limits to their customization that are not present in standard BattleMechs. Each configuration of an OmniMech is built upon a base configuration. The base configuration is what remains when all the customizable weapons and equipment of an OmniMech are removed, leaving only that which is permanently fixed in place.
In all OmniMechs, the following are determined by Design on a per chassis basis and cannot be changed or customized in any way:
Engine type.
Standard vs XL.
Engine rating.
Internal structure type.
Standard vs Endo Steel.
The location of any critical slots occupied by the internal structure.
i.e. Instead of freely floating as they do in standard 'Mechs, slots occupied by Endo Steel are assigned specific locations that cannot be changed. (The slots still compact to provide as much continuous free space as possible. Just the location [left arm, etc] is fixed.)
Armor type.
Standard vs Ferro-Fibrous.
The location of any critical slots occupied by the armor.
i.e. Instead of freely floating as they do in standard 'Mechs, slots occupied by Ferro-Fibrous are assigned specific locations that cannot be changed. (The slots still compact to provide as much continuous free space as possible. Just the location [left arm, etc] is fixed.)
Heat sink type.
Single vs Double.
A minimum number of heat sinks (varies per chassis) have specific locations they must occupy and cannot be moved or removed in any way.
Customization involving adding additional heat sinks beyond the minimum number is allowed.
The heat sinks still compact to provide as much continuous free space as possible. Just the location (left arm, etc) is fixed.
Heat sinks cannot be added within the engine unless they are part of the minimum number that is included in the base configuration.
Canon OmniMechs generally place at least the 10 heat sinks required for all 'Mechs as part of the base configuration, but they do not always place enough to fill extra space in engines rated 275 or greater.
Whether MASC is present.
If not present, MASC cannot be added by the player.
If present, MASC cannot be removed by the player.
If present, the location MASC occupies cannot be changed.
Some OmniMechs, as determined by Design, have specific weapons or other pieces of equipment (such as jump jets) as part of their base configuration.
These weapons and equipment can be neither moved nor removed.
In addition to the limitations of the base configuration, the following rules apply when customizing any OmniMech.
If any of the following weapons are equipped in an OmniMech’s arm, any Lower Arm Actuator or Hand Actuator that was present in the base configuration is automatically removed:
Any Gauss rifle.
Any autocannon.
Any PPC.
OmniMech XP System



OmniMech configurations earn XP in the same manner as standard BattleMech variants.
An OmniMech always counts as the same configuration as it was originally purchased, regardless of which OmniPods are equipped to it.
The center torso OmniPod of the 'Mech cannot be changed, to help aid in the identification.
E.g. A Mad Cat A is always a Mad Cat A, regardless of the other OmniPods equipped to it.
Each configuration has its own pool of 'Mech specific XP, in the same manner as standard 'Mech variants.
An OmniMech receives an XP bonus if all OmniPods equipped on it, including the center torso, match.
Each configuration has its own 'Mech Tree, in the same manner as standard 'Mech variants.
A player cannot reach the Elite level of the 'Mech Tree of a configuration without first completing the Basic level for three configurations of the same chassis.
This is in the same manner as standard 'Mech variants.
A player cannot reach the Master level of the 'Mech Tree of a configuration without first completing the Elite level for three configurations of the same chassis.
This is in the same manner as standard 'Mech variants.
Additional Clan 'Mech Rules



While the OmniMech rules apply to all Clan OmniMechs as well as any Inner Sphere OmniMechs we may make in the future, there are also rules that apply to all Clan and Inner Sphere 'Mechs, dictating the use of Clan technology.
Clan 'Mech can only equip Clan weapons and equipment.
Clan 'Mechs cannot equip Inner Sphere technology.
When customizing a Clan 'Mech, only Clan technology is shown in the player’s inventory.
Inner Sphere 'Mechs cannot equip Clan technology.
When customizing an Inner Sphere 'Mech, only Inner Sphere technology is shown in the player’s inventory.

Provides the same weight saving as Inner Sphere Endo Steel.
Occupies 7 critical slots on the 'Mech. (Compared to 14 slots for Inner Sphere Endo Steel.)
On an OmniMech, the location of the critical slots is fixed.

Other than "table top had mechanics with these names so we also need to find a use for these words for some reason!" I'm not sure I see the point of all that.

Feels like a lot of unnecessary and probably undocumented complexity for its own sake.

Thanks, I do my best. This game is probably dead for real thanks to pathetic decisions and poor skills in too many departments, but it'll always be very dear to me and I guess until they pull the plug there's still hope for things to improve.

The Clan release schedule is up.

While pre-orders for the Clan ‘Mechs remain underway, set for delivery on June 17th, 2014: We are pleased to put forward the future release schedule of these ‘Mechs for regular and sale in the Store. You still have an opportunity to take part in the pre-orders now, so please consider joining now while you still have the chance to you be amongst the first in these ‘Mechs!

June 2014

    Week 3
        Clan Collections - All Pre-Ordered Mechs Delivered!

July 2014

    Week 2
        Kit Fox available for MC
    Week 4
        Nova available for MC

August 2014

    Week 2
        Summoner available for MC
        Kit Fox available for Credits
    Week 4
        Dire Wolf available for
        Nova available for

September 2014

    Week 2
        Adder available for
        Summoner available for [C-Bill]
    Week 4
        Stormcrow available for
        Dire Wolf available for

October 2014

    Week 2
        Timber Wolf available for
        Adder available for
    Week 4
        Warhawk available for
        Stormcrow available for

Movember 2014

    Week 2
        Timber Wolf available for
    Week 4
        Warhawk available for

They said way back when that different mechs would have different limits for ghost heat based on their default loadout.  If that wasn't bullshit,

Has anyone gone for a clan pack?