The Fate of MWO

[Wrangler]

I wish they had dedicated coders like they did with MW5.  I'd like see those AIs added to fill in as counters to lack of players to fight on Missions or Solaris matches.   
I would think it would be better way handling the drop off in popularity verses lack of players fighting.  I know bots defeats purposes of having MMO, but i am firm believer of filling those holes where you need them.  The AI should be matched to how the players level is. 

[martian]

... The AI should be matched to how the players level is.

PGI can never program bots to be on the same level as skilled human players. They can give them very accurate gunnery skills, program them with some rudimentary reactions and that is about it.

But those bots would be never able to formulate battle plans or adhere to their team's battle strategy, react to enemy battle plans (even if they are obvious) or act on their own. Game modes like Conquest, Incursion or Domination (well, pretty much any game mode) would mean automatic defeat for any team with those bots.

[GoGo Yubari]

Any bots they put in should be vehicles imo. Not that it's ever going to happen, but one can dream!

(I also really, really want an online MechWarrior game where I can play as infantry vs 'Mechs... I mean, a game that mixes Titanfall with MWO. So much potential in this franchise, but unfortunately I do feel we've been underachieving for a long time when compared to what the top of the line games can deliver)

[martian]

Any bots they put in should be vehicles imo. Not that it's ever going to happen, but one can dream!

Many maps are not suitable for vehicles anyway.

(I also really, really want an online MechWarrior game where I can play as infantry vs 'Mechs... I mean, a game that mixes Titanfall with MWO. So much potential in this franchise, but unfortunately I do feel we've been underachieving for a long time when compared to what the top of the line games can deliver)

Well, PGI is no first class studio.

[Wrangler]

Many maps are not suitable for vehicles anyway.
Well, PGI is no first class studio.

Its only one making/sustaining a form of video game based on the BattleTech universe.  So there that. Hairbrain Schemes essentially no longer is.

[martian]

Its only one making/sustaining a form of video game based on the BattleTech universe.  So there that. Hairbrain Schemes essentially no longer is.

PGI is no longer independent too and the team working on MWO is very small.

[YingJanshi]

Its only one making/sustaining a form of video game based on the BattleTech universe.  So there that. Hairbrain Schemes essentially no longer is.

Are they? Last I heard PGI was being switched over to work on LotR Online...

[Cyc]

Are they? Last I heard PGI was being switched over to work on LotR Online...

The current MWO team of PGI has been tiny for ages with the rest focused on MW5. I'll doubt that will change and MWO will keep trucking along like it is for a while longer especially as EG7 is live service focused (LotR Online) for example. Guess we'll have to see if the Russian localised MWO beta will have any effect.

[Cyc]

So Maintenance Mode Redux...

https://mwomercs.com/forums/topic/283518-matt-and-daeron-on-ngng-podcast/

• 3D artist Mark Nicholson left = no new mechs until they hire a replacement. Not even new variants, so expect just more Platnium 'Mechs packs...
• Map designer/redesigner Francois Tremblay left = no new maps until they hire a replacement. François last map will be an overhauled Terra Therma classic due out September, volcano replaced with a multi-level setup meant to be more fun to play.
• PGI are hiring! If you are a 3D artist or map designer put your hand up... showing you skills with old school Cryengine of course.
• Basically too few people left to do anything really with game so...
• Population is maintaining, positive about upticks and revenue and how did that happen?
• The Power of Lore Compels People = Crusader Pack sold REALLY well, one of the best selling packs. But no way to repeat it anytime soon.
• PGI don't like Incursion. Thinking about removing entirely, bit hard to do so just reducing to lowest likely appearance percentage.
• Daeron is running event queue and monitoring how it's going when it's up.
• PGI still looking into matchmaker but no real progress, might be pushed to Q4. Phil suggested dropping groups as a stopgap to 3-mans but PGI not convinced.
• Thinking of adding a new game mode(s) to QP.
• Annual rewards are gonna be generous, will include Platinum 'Mechs (new or existing?).

[Wrangler]

I like the positive news about the franchise, but I don't see the key to people that hold up the entire moving forward part leaving good sign.

I know they're hiring, however they didn't sound too convinced they're going to find someone easily because of the software being so old that the engine of Mechwarrier online. And they are completely convinced they cannot get a MechWarrior online to 2.0 happens. I suspect that the license that allows them to even run the game at all is tied to game engine their using.

[BATTLEMASTER]

From talking to Mark Nicholson on the MWO forum, it seems like the work environment at PGI for MWO is pretty lousy.  Been there, done that - employers aren't going to find or retain talent if they can't be respectful of that talent.

[martian]

I like the positive news about the franchise, but I don't see the key to people that hold up the entire moving forward part leaving good sign.

I know they're hiring, however they didn't sound too convinced they're going to find someone easily because of the software being so old that the engine of Mechwarrier online. And they are completely convinced they cannot get a MechWarrior online to 2.0 happens. I suspect that the license that allows them to even run the game at all is tied to game engine their using.

Well, in 2022 you can not expect to build the new MWO 2 on the old CryEngine.

And as for building it on the basis of MW5:Mercs, Russ Bullock said that MW5:Mercs is not designed with the massive network gaming (read MWO) in mind.

[kato]

Well, in 2022 you can not expect to build the new MWO 2 on the old CryEngine.

To be fair that's more about the specific version, i.e. CryEngine 3 for MWO from 2009. Current version of Cryengine is 5.7.1 released May 2022 based on CryEngine V released 2016. While you can still find the SDK released for free for CryEngine 3 on the net you need a Crytek account created a decade ago to properly work with it. Consequently you will not find developers for it.

The UI elements having been written in ScaleForm are a bit easier to find someone able to do something with (incl. inhouse), since it's basically modified Flash. That's why e.g. they could relatively easily put together a launch menu for Event Queue or the new interface for the skill table without actually touching the spaghetti code of the underlaying game.

[martian]

To be fair that's more about the specific version, i.e. CryEngine 3 for MWO from 2009. Current version of Cryengine is 5.7.1 released May 2022 based on CryEngine V released 2016. While you can still find the SDK released for free for CryEngine 3 on the net you need a Crytek account created a decade ago to properly work with it. Consequently you will not find developers for it.

The UI elements having been written in ScaleForm are a bit easier to find someone able to do something with (incl. inhouse), since it's basically modified Flash. That's why e.g. they could relatively easily put together a launch menu for Event Queue or the new interface for the skill table without actually touching the spaghetti code of the underlaying game.

That's what I meant. The PGI's "customizations" of their old version of the CryEngine have made further work with MWO difficult, and impossible in some cases.

[BATTLEMASTER]

That's what I meant. The PGI's "customizations" of their old version of the CryEngine have made further work with MWO difficult, and impossible in some cases.

Like how electricians and mechanics charge extra for fixing someone else's kluged-together fix for a recurring problem    Except it seems that's not in the budget for PGI.

[martian]

Like how electricians and mechanics charge extra for fixing someone else's kluged-together fix for a recurring problem    Except it seems that's not in the budget for PGI.

The PGI's problem is that they are stuck with their "adjusted" version of the game engine. 

Switching to a different game engine can PGI hardly afford.