Mechs and Vehicles

This forum welcomes information specific to booster packs
User avatar
Chrisax
President
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:08 pm

Mechs and Vehicles

Post by Chrisax »

Mechs and Vehicles

How many types of Mech are there

There are three base units, the pre-order exclusive mech, a scout mech and an assault mech. Each can be upgraded with several levels of armor and weapons meaning there are several different visual looks for each variant.

Will we be allowed to use Mech only for PvP or also for PVE, for example some hunting on Rubi-Ka or inside new dungeons introduced by the expansion?

The Mechs and vehicles will only be really useful in PvP at the time the expansion launches. They are designed to combat each other and would be too powerful for us to allow them to be used anytime, anywhere against anybody as it were without restrictions.

How will different mechs work? For example, will they be customizable with different plating, weapons

The different mechs will have different strengths and weaknesses, from lightly armed, but speedy scout mechs, to heavier armed but more lumbering assault mechs. Mechs will be upgraded through the global research system. So if for example your side has researched one additional armor upgrade and two additional weapon upgrades the next time you summon a mech it will come with those upgrades already installed.

How do we get access to Mech’s?

Mech’s are summoned from the new vehicle section of the GUI. The GUI element will display what types and variants of mech your side has already researched and you will be able to summon a mech.

Will we require new skills to use the mechs?

Nope, mechs are summoned directly and there are no skill requirements to use them.

Is there a limit to how often we can use a mech?

Yes, once you have summoned a mech or vehicle you can’t do so again for five minutes (the actual time might be tweaked during beta). This is to avoid people ‘hot swapping’ in and out of mechs to gain an unintended advantage.

Will mechs be profession based and will they only be available to higher level players?

No, mechs wont be profession based and will be available to players of most level ranges. There might be a minimum level due to possible skill requirements but the intention is that they will be available to players of all level ranges. Mechs are summoned at your level, so your level affects the power of the mech you get

Is there any plan to see aliens or any PVE opponents using Mechs against us? In few words, some PvE and Mechs versus Mechs

Although as mentioned above there won’t be when the expansion launches, the new vehicles will certainly feature in some way in content we produce going forward after the expansion launches, so in the future we will definitely be considering this type of content.

Will the mech combat operate using the game's regular combat style and battle scroll or will it use some new FPS style combat?

The new vehicles will use the standard combat mechanics found in the game today. There will of course be new tactics involved, but they will still use all the regular targeting and combat mechanics.

Can a level 1 character use mechs to fight against level 220 characters in mechs or are there level restrictions?

The normal PvP level restrictions will apply when in any of the new vehicles

How will players use rocket launchers / other anti-vehicle weapons? will they have to buy the rocket launchers, or the ammo? and will anti-vehicle weapons have a limited amount of shots, or will they have to be supplied by the user, or will they be self- supplied?

The anti-vehicle weapons will have limited ammunition. The ammunition or even in some cases the weapon itself will have to be repurchased after each use. These heavy weapons are not designed to be quick to reload or be able to ‘spam’ attacks, they are specifically designed to give foot troops the ability to be useful against vehicles.

On the new notum wars towers, will they be stationary like existing towers or not?

The towers themselves will be stationary, however some of them, like the anti vehicle turret or the anti personal turret will be ‘mountable’ meaning that a player must mount the turret and actively use it against their foes, it doesn’t just stand there and fire at a target like the existing towers do.

Will it be possible to use your perks, items or special attacks when you are using a mech?

No, when a player is in a mech, the type of mech they are in dictates their available actions. You will not be able to use any other actions other then those that the mech allows.

Will Mechs be able to be effected by normal attacks, nano-programs, debuffs or thing like roots and calms?

No, whilst in a mech, the dangers to you are other mechs, other vehicles and other installations like the anti-vehicle turrets. In addition players will also get access to special weapons (like the rocket launcher) that can be used to specifically target a mech, so whilst a mech can wade through a great deal of unprepared opponents, if the other side has a team full of people with rocket launchers lined up it might find itself in trouble fast!

Lost Eden PvP will thus add a great tactical element to tower battles, everything will hinge on how well prepared each side is and figuring out the right balance in terms of what you need in a certain situation. As above if you have that team ready with their rocket launchers that’s a team of people that aren’t as ready for an infantry attack as they are for the possibility of mechs being deployed. We think it will add a great deal of variety to the Notum wars battles!

Will there be specific nano programs that will be able to harm Mechs and will these programs be available to everyone, or a few select, nano proficient, classes?

As above mechs will be harmed by other vehicles and special weapons, the only requirement for using those items and equipment will be the skills required to use them. At this stage we aren’t planning on locking anything profession wise, but obviously if say the rocket launcher uses the ‘heavy weapon’ skill, those profession that naturally have lower costs to those skills will of course be able to use them slightly easier then others.
Last edited by Chrisax on Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Mrfreeman
Big Leet
Posts: 250
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 8:33 pm
Location: CA, US

Post by Mrfreeman »

"Will Mechs be able to be effected by normal attacks, nano-programs, debuffs or thing like roots and calms?

No, whilst in a mech, the dangers to you are other mechs, other vehicles and other installations like the anti-vehicle turrets. In addition players will also get access to special weapons (like the rocket launcher) that can be used to specifically target a mech, so whilst a mech can wade through a great deal of unprepared opponents, if the other side has a team full of people with rocket launchers lined up it might find itself in trouble fast! "


so, can we now hop in a mech, and blitz a mission now, or are mechs only albe to be called in certain areas, and will zoning remove them say if you enter a building or such? jsut an idea :P not sure if it was answered else where.

MrFreeman
Once upon a wave of summer,
I saw a bright, blue, cloudless sky
Before I felt blessed with thunder,
Then I was nuked- the end is nigh
- Solidstriker (AO Forums)
User avatar
Chrisax
President
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:08 pm

Post by Chrisax »

Mechs can be used:

- on Battlestations

- At ICC landpad, ICC base, and in Andromeda

- Borealis (Don't ask me why! For street PvP maybe)

- On any towers site (in PvP state or not)
Mrfreeman
Big Leet
Posts: 250
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 8:33 pm
Location: CA, US

Post by Mrfreeman »

ah ok :) just checking :P thanks boss
Once upon a wave of summer,
I saw a bright, blue, cloudless sky
Before I felt blessed with thunder,
Then I was nuked- the end is nigh
- Solidstriker (AO Forums)
User avatar
Hyde
Hyde!
Posts: 3477
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 5:26 am

Post by Hyde »

I ran all over both PW and WW in a mech killing things. You can't loot while in the mech though.
User avatar
Chrisax
President
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:08 pm

Post by Chrisax »

And once can't re-equip any vehicle or turret during 5 minutes after you left one.
Mrfreeman
Big Leet
Posts: 250
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 8:33 pm
Location: CA, US

Post by Mrfreeman »

outta curriosity, what happens when you zone in one? does it prevent you from zoning, kick you out or nothing?
Once upon a wave of summer,
I saw a bright, blue, cloudless sky
Before I felt blessed with thunder,
Then I was nuked- the end is nigh
- Solidstriker (AO Forums)
User avatar
Sillanto
Leetissimo!
Posts: 1314
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:35 am
Location: Bristol, UK

Post by Sillanto »

Not sure about that atm :P

Currently on zoning the mech is unequiped. But you can immediately resummon one. This is currently considered an exploit as the resummoned mehc has full HP.
You want it made ..... See me
You want it broken ... See me
You want it fixed....... Send your hampster to FC
User avatar
Alphacenta
Leetissimo!
Posts: 3200
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:05 pm

Post by Alphacenta »

Hyde wrote:I ran all over both PW and WW in a mech killing things. You can't loot while in the mech though.
Solo Dustbrigade, get an alt to loot it? :D Or do the mobs instarot? :(
Lupusceleri L220/24 Agent.
Silversmith upcoming TL5 twink.
Wolfseye L110/12 Adventurer (towertwink).
Lysdexic L90/9 Agent (Mimic Enf towertwink).
Aesculapias L21/2 Doctor (ancient).

Aaaand various other alts.
User avatar
toewiggler
Strong Leet
Posts: 164
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:58 pm
Location: Sweden

Post by toewiggler »

How does armor work in a mech, can you heal, or are you boned once the armor gets low?

What kind of damage are we looking at?

How fast do they go?
User avatar
Alphacenta
Leetissimo!
Posts: 3200
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:05 pm

Post by Alphacenta »

toewiggler wrote:How does armor work in a mech, can you heal, or are you boned once the armor gets low?

What kind of damage are we looking at?

How fast do they go?
If you get killed in a mech, do you go to reclaim or are you kicked out of the mech?
Lupusceleri L220/24 Agent.
Silversmith upcoming TL5 twink.
Wolfseye L110/12 Adventurer (towertwink).
Lysdexic L90/9 Agent (Mimic Enf towertwink).
Aesculapias L21/2 Doctor (ancient).

Aaaand various other alts.
User avatar
Chrisax
President
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:08 pm

Post by Chrisax »

I don't think the ACs of your armor count when you are in a mech. They shouldn't but it's something I need to make sure of.

Your weapons skills don't count.

The mechs use Burst, Full Auto, Fling Shot specials, and regular range attacks ("Q" key).

I think you can roughly compare them to the runspeed of average levels 60ish... The scout mech is faster than the assault mech, and it seeems the LE preorder mech is even faster (but relatively weak). We'll need to test the runspeed on Live.

All the mechs are clearly slower than a 200+ character with runspeed maxed or trained a lot anyhow.

Mechs can't jump either.

If you are killed, you lose the mech and go to the last save spot, except in battlestations where you go back to the decontamination room where you get instant full healing and nano recharge (50k nano + 50k heals every 5 seconds or so), plus a huge nano init boost allowing you to almost insta-cast any nano..
User avatar
toewiggler
Strong Leet
Posts: 164
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:58 pm
Location: Sweden

Post by toewiggler »

So in andromeda, can you actually kill mobs in a mech?

Would be cool as hell :)
User avatar
Chrisax
President
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:08 pm

Post by Chrisax »

In beta you could.
Mrfreeman
Big Leet
Posts: 250
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 8:33 pm
Location: CA, US

Post by Mrfreeman »

another question :) what about warps? will a engie warp remove the mech or is it impossilbe to be warpped when one is equpied?

mrfreeman
Once upon a wave of summer,
I saw a bright, blue, cloudless sky
Before I felt blessed with thunder,
Then I was nuked- the end is nigh
- Solidstriker (AO Forums)
Post Reply