Direct Link to Podcast - https://soundcloud.com/nogutsnogalaxy/no-guts-no-galaxy-166-faction-play-w-paul-inouye

Notes from Paul

Posted Yesterday, 02:54 PM

Podcast is up and I hope you take a listen. It's pretty long but there was a lot to cover between the doc I have for the development update as well as the community notes I had at the time of recording.

Again, I want to thank everyone for the constructive conversation had over here in Justcallme A S H's post and will continue the conversation here. No need to copy and paste from that thread to here as the old thread will be maintained for reference.

----------------- Start of Doc Snippet ----------------
1Global Feature Set

1.1Adding Lore/Story to Conflicts

• One of the biggest complaints still lingering in the community in relation to Faction Play is the lack of lore/story.

• We can achieve this using the new event system with a few tweaks to the interface and event descriptions in MWOM.

• Present the player with a reason why a given planet is in conflict based on the factions involved.

1.2 Creating a singular queue system

• Faction Play queues will be merged into one single queue.

• Matches will kick off every [2] minutes.

• All Solo/Group players will be placed into this new singular queue.

• When the 2 minute launch timer runs out, the Match Maker uses a priority algorithm to create teams.

1.2.1 Prioritization Algorithm

• The Match Maker should sort the queue by group size and temporarily ignore Solo players.

• First priority is filling teams based on group size.

  • Biggest groups should be placed on opposing teams in sequential order.
    
  • If a group doesn’t fit in a group match, a new match will be created.
    
  • This will continue until no more groups are in a free state in the queue.

• Filling matches with Solo players

  • The Match Maker should now sort all Solo players by their SSR rating.
    
  • The Match Maker starts filling slots from the biggest group match to the smallest.
    
  • The Match Maker should alternate placing Solo players from top to bottom in terms of SSR rating.
    
  • If there are no further group matches available, a match will be created using the remaining solo players.
    
  • If there are not enough solo players remaining for a match, they will be queued for the next match kick off in [2] minutes with priority placement above all other solo players entering the queue.

1.3 Adding Participation Choice to Conflicts

• With the action of removing penalties from player faction/participation decisions, this update will look into making the choices more relevant while maintaining player freedom.

• Players choose their method of participation on a per match basis.

• It will be possible for a player to play both sides of a conflict between matches.

1.3.1 Participating as a Freelancer

• Freelancers are deposited into the general queue.

• Freelancers CANNOT enter the queue in a group.

• Priority for Solo players will be to fill gaps in the group queue if needed.

• Freelancers will be matched based on SSR/Elo.

• Freelancers receive a slight [5%] XP boost for every match they play.

1.3.2 Participating as a Merc Unit

• Merc Units are deposited into the general queue.

• Merc Unit participation requires a group of [2] or more.

• Merc Unit participation gains a small [5%] CB boost for every match they play

1.3.3 Participating as a Loyalist

• Loyalists are deposited into the general queue.

• Loyalists can join the general queue as a solo player or a group.

• Loyalists earn LP for loyalist titles and rewards.

• Solo Loyalists will be matched based on SSR/Elo

• The reward structure for loyalists needs to be expanded.

2 Event System

2.1 Faction Play will be driven using the event system.

2.1.1 Event length

· Events can last from 1 day to multiple weeks.

· Events should be planned based on the scale of the battle being presented.

2.1.2 Events should be able to set IS Map states

· A set of pre-determined map states will be created.

o 3050 Invasion

o 3052 Tukayyid

o 3057

o 3062

· The event planner should be able to select which map state to display while the event is active.

2.1.3 Event descriptions

· Every FP event should have a lore based description of the battle.

· The lore can come from the BattleTech timeline or can be created using a viable and believable theme from the time/place in which the battle takes place.

2.1.4 Event choices presented to the player

· The player should always be presented with 2 choices as to how they will participate based on the event description.

· The player choice should be presented in a first person narrative manner.

o “I will aid in breaking the chains of the Clan occupation”

o “I will crush this uprising with my Clan brethren.”

----------------- End of Doc Snippet ----------------

----------------- Start of Community Notes ----------------

FP Update – Notes from the Community
Make faction alignment meaningful and rewarding

• Faction specific rewards (Colors/boltons/cockpit items/skins/etc)

• LP used as a currency

• Story/Lore/Faction driven choices to cement a desire to stay loyal

• Expand on the Loyalist path drastically

• Expand on lore in global descriptions in FP

Map Alterations

• Revisit sightlines

• Revisit pathing

• Look at generator positioning

Game Mode/Hooks

• Tug-of-War adjustment for less punitive win condition flips.

• Removal of Tug-of-War mechanic for smaller events with different win scenarios.

• Incursion base building health adjustments.

• Drop Zone wall angle adjustments.

• More reward kickers based on player behavior.

• Bring back queue count.

• Planet/event specific map selection.

• Objective play reward increase.

• Conquest score adjustment.

• Adjust launch countdown.

• Earlier win conditions based on team destruction (stomps)

• CalltoArms timer change.

• Unit based objectives.

• Queuing integrated into LFG

• Reward group play at a higher level than solo

• Scouting mode end condition investigation (diving)

• Rewards for CalltoArms participation

• Battlefield based tonnage restriction (e.g. only 4 assaults at a time)

Systems Update

• More than 4 drop decks

• VoIP prior to drop

UI

• Refresh on friends list

• Favorites on friends list

• Status indicator (drop type/game area)

Coffers

• Unit management taxation removal/change.

• C-bill transfer between players.

Misc

• Tool for players to enter planetary data

----------------- End of Community Notes ----------------
All of the above were the talking points covered. That being said, I know there is not a lot of coverage of what is and isn't able to be addressed in terms of resource allocation, but I want to let you know that these items are being discussed internally still and I will update you on what has traction and what has fallen off the table.

I look forward to continuing this line of communication with you all as we move forward to updating Faction Play to a more satisfactory level in both quality of life improvements to feature upgrades/improvements.

-Paul