Battletech

[majestic]

Peppering enemies with LRM 20s never gets old though. The way the game handles missile accuracy and stability damage makes them perfect for setting up called shots. Even the large lasers have a point when you can PPC/L Laser called shot spam everything from very far away.

 

At least until the point where you can field pilots with maxed tac skill that can essentially two shot everything with the heavier ACs.

[Lexx]

Actually I found sensor lock to be more useful in late game than in early game (when you still need all the firepower of your mechs). Especially when I'm setting up a killzone and my mechs are waiting for the enemy to arrive, there is plenty time to use sensor lock and rain some LRMs or long range lasers. You got about 1 or 2 turns to weaken the armor. Works for me.

 

It's especially useful once you see incoming vehicles which can't see you yet, but you want them gone ASAP.

 

 

 

Other than that, I just finished the campaign. It's.. well, nothing to brag about. It works for what it is. The game is open-end after that, though, so you can keep on farming mechs, etc. I can really see them adding more content via DLCs. Would be great at least... you know, some bigger expansion packs. More events, more maps / terrains, some new story chains, etc... Worst they can do is mech / skin DLC. That would suck a lot.

 

/Edit: Apparently I've played for about 62 hours, what the hell.

Edited May 2, 2018 by Lexx

[majestic]

Paradox is involved, you can bet your ass that there will be mech skin DLCs. Both free and otherwise.

[213374U]

First update.
 
 

Release 1.0.1 Notes, 5/2/2018

• Trial fix for an issue where save games could sometimes fail to appear upon re-launching the game.
• Trial fix for some occasional crashes when loading back into the sim-game scene.
• We now immediately apply changes to the windowed mode and fullscreen monitor selection settings.
• Added the ability to change the Callsign associated with your multiplayer profile.
• Fixed issues with the Vsync setting sometimes not applying correctly.
• Setting Vsync to be ON by default.
• Capping framerate at 120 when Vsync is OFF.
• Fixed an issue where redeeming a valid unlock code could cause a long loading screen.
• Fixed an issue where 'Mech model variants unlocked using an access code could be seen clipping through other Argo UI screens, after selecting the unlocked 'Mech in the Mech Bay.
• Fixed minor graphical issues with the pre-order Shadow Hawk Umbra skin.
• Fixed an issue where enemy AI could sometimes act slowly during Defend Base contracts.
• Improved loading sequence stability when alt-tabbed.
• Support for non-standard Steam install directories (directory paths with special characters like "=" in them.)
• Removing debug F6 pilot-injury hotkey.
• Adding version number display to the Main Menu.
• Adding protections for errors in the GOG Galaxy client when playing through GOG.
• Making DirectX 11 a required component in Steam and GOG installers.

Known Issues
If you are fielding a Shadow Hawk with the Valhalla paint job, all combat missions will fail to load. This includes loading combat save games as well as dropping from your Dropship. To work around the issue in Skirmish, remove the Valhalla Shadow Hawk variant from your lance. To work around the issue in Campaign, change the Shadow Hawk paint job to one of the base options. We will fix this asap (v1.0.2).

Apparently it can break mods (overwrites SimGameConstants.json), as is customary with Steam auto-updates. It's not on GOG yet, as far as I can tell.

[Malcador]

Well, it's updating via Galaxy, didn't see any downloader links at the time.  Ok...it's just stuck at verifying files, so maybe it's in the middle of something right now.

Edited May 3, 2018 by Malcador

[Orogun01]

I get the feeling that some missions are just set up to fail. Has anyone successfully finished a defense mission and how?

[MrBrown]

A base defend? I've never found them that hard, though the enemies will destroy some buildings unless I give them easier targets...

[Lexx]

I've only played two or three defense missions. It's stressful, but manageable... depending on your mech setup. It's important to hit every enemy at least one or two times to attract them to your mechs. Also you have to stay closer to the enemy then, otherwise they switch target again back to the buildings.

[213374U]

I've only played two or three defense missions. It's stressful, but manageable... depending on your mech setup. It's important to hit every enemy at least one or two times to attract them to your mechs. Also you have to stay closer to the enemy then, otherwise they switch target again back to the buildings.

 

Enemy targeting seems just... random. They'll ignore the brawler kicking them in their shiny metal backside to run and take a shot at the spotter 200m away. Unless they have a shot at a knocked down mech. Then that becomes top priority target, to the exclusion of everything else, self-preservation be damned.

 

Anyone ever see the AI eject?

[Lexx]

Nope, ai doesn't eject, which sucks. Some situations are so hopeless, it feels bad when the ai keeps on going. They should really add this to the game to make it feel more alive.

[MrBrown]

I lost a mission because I had to destroy some buildings, one had 3 hit points left, and I was out of ammo. Can't melee attack buildings, apparently. :D

[Lexx]

How can you not have at least one small laser on any mech? Guess the developers never expected something like this to happen.

[MrBrown]

How can you not have at least one small laser on any mech? Guess the developers never expected something like this to happen.

My lance was one scout mech with only small lasers and 3 missile boats with only LRMs... The Scout mech was down at this point, unfortunately.

[Lexx]

Man, even my LRM boats have at least one laser.

 

 

One thing about the endgame content:

The game now has shifted to almost all 5+ skull missions wherever you go, which means you're mostly fighting assault mechs. But even the very few 3 skull mission that remain active will have you fight assault mechs.... just fewer of them (a lance of e.g. 3 mechs instead of 4 + reinforcements). This kinda sucks. There is no way for you to drop with only lights or lights and mediums at this point, as every other mech is far superior. Also it's pretty much always the same... an Orion here, a Highlander there, two Grasshoppers at once, every once in a while there will be a Cataphract....

 

I'd really wish for them not to add level scalling to every place, so you can go back to whatever stage you like to deal with right now. I mean, I've got enough money now anyway, so there's no point in farming low tiers for money or something. At worst, you'll do it to level up your new recruits.

 

Damn, I wanted a full lance of laser Hunchbacks, but it takes ages to find them now.

Edited May 3, 2018 by Lexx

[Chilloutman]

turn game on

jump into mission

got 2 shotted to head on first contact

closed game xD

[Oner]

I'm trying to customize mechs. I dunno, maybe I managed to grab the wrong ones but it always feels like I don't have enough space to put stuff on them.

Edited May 3, 2018 by Oner

[MrBrown]

Man, even my LRM boats have at least one laser.

 

Hey, one laser is one ton less ammo.

[Lexx]

Meh, this setup for my Catapult usually gets me through a whole match. It's about 15 rounds of constant missile throwing. Only at the very end I tried my hands on a newly aquired Stalker. Worked good, but is too immobile for my taste. On the other hand, your LRM boat should sit far behind the frontline anyway.

 

My Grasshopper is just wrecking everything. Either via aimed shots at vital bodyparts (anything that stores LRM ammo, etc), or when I get into the back of a mech... it's just game over. I could probably drop one or two heat sinks and add more small lasers or flame thrower... hmm.

Edited May 3, 2018 by Lexx

[213374U]

One thing about the endgame content:

The game now has shifted to almost all 5+ skull missions wherever you go, which means you're mostly fighting assault mechs. But even the very few 3 skull mission that remain active will have you fight assault mechs.... just fewer of them (a lance of e.g. 3 mechs instead of 4 + reinforcements). This kinda sucks. There is no way for you to drop with only lights or lights and mediums at this point, as every other mech is far superior. Also it's pretty much always the same... an Orion here, a Highlander there, two Grasshoppers at once, every once in a while there will be a Cataphract....

 

I'd really wish for them not to add level scalling to every place, so you can go back to whatever stage you like to deal with right now. I mean, I've got enough money now anyway, so there's no point in farming low tiers for money or something. At worst, you'll do it to level up your new recruits.

 

That sucks. Is that also the case in the starting systems? If what the gameplay designer said is true, early planets should have low difficulty ratings assigned to them—it stands to reason that a 1 skull mission shouldn't throw an Atlas with a company of Demolishers as "reinforcements" at you, regardless of what stage of the campaign you're at.

 

It's a shame because if you're fighting assaults, lights and mediums (barring gimmick builds*) simply don't pack enough of a punch to be viable. Hopefully this game will be what DMS was to the Shadowrun games, and we'll see all these kinks ironed out.

 

*max Flamer and JJ Firestarter is pretty lulzy considering how heat oblivious the AI is

 

 

I'm trying to customize mechs. I dunno, maybe I managed to grab the wrong ones but it always feels like I don't have enough space to put stuff on them.

 

Yeah, I'm in the same boat. Stock configurations simply carry too much crap, and pack too little armor, so in comparison you can never fit as much in your own builds. This probably has to do with the fact that since you're outnumbered 100% of the time, you will be taking more hits than the opposition unless you abuse LRM knockdowns from BVR all the time, and therefore need more armor to survive.

[Lexx]

Yes, the starting systems remain "low skull" for the most parts, but I haven't found anything < 3 skulls anymore now. Though, like I said, even 3 skulls missions will drop assault, or at least heavy mechs at you... it's just less of them.

 

 

About default loadouts, yeah, just drop whatever you think you won't need. It looks complicated at first, but just remove everything down to the bare minimum and see how it goes. Usually you can't pick up enough heat sinks anyway to be able to alpha-strike all the time and still get some armor left on your mech. IMO it's better to shoot more often than harder. There is no point in picking large lasers and a couple mediums if you can only fire one of them per turn due to heat generation....

[Gfted1]

BattleTech is a more tactical, punishing view of mech battling.

[Orogun01]

I think I'm done with CRPGs and developers inability to come up with a fair combat system for a game that is 90 % combat. It all just reeks of dumb arbitrary rules and I have to do somersaults to enjoy these games. It all gets a bit tiring after a while.

[Lexx]

But what does Battletech have to do with CRPGs? :>

 

The game is not an RPG. Even the character creation is pretty much pointless. Except for your surname / callsign, nothing gets ever addressed anywhere in the game. Also there are no choice & consequences outside of the few random events that can happen while traveling - and their outcomes are just marginal at best as well.

[213374U]

I think I'm done with CRPGs and developers inability to come up with a fair combat system for a game that is 90 % combat. It all just reeks of dumb arbitrary rules and I have to do somersaults to enjoy these games. It all gets a bit tiring after a while.

 

I may be misreading what you mean, but to have a really "fair" system—and system here also necessarily encompasses scenario design—you would need an AI that is capable of challenging a human on an even footing. That's not only probably not cost-effective in today's day and age, it's also exceedingly difficult from a practical point of view, if you consider the wide range of human ability.

 

As an aside, the game does do a terrible job of explaining the mechanics and rules to the uninitiated. I still don't know what exactly ±1 difficulty means percentually on a to-hit roll, for instance. Is there a bonus for firing from high ground? There is apparently. Exactly how much damage do you take when performing a DFA? Is the max amount of evasion you can gain hard-capped or it depends on mech speed and piloting skill? Etc. The game doesn't come with a manual that explains the rules, which is a serious problem in a wargame, and it doesn't have an in-game encyclopedia where you can find answers either.

 

As a finished product, it's in need of a lot of polish. I have faith that this game is simply laying the groundwork for bigger, better things down the line. Now with Paradox as their publisher, we'll have to wait and see if they take the nickel-and-dime route, or do right by fans and backers and put out some actual expansions with good value.

[Chilloutman]

Is there any indication how well BattleTech sells?