Paul_PGI

hmm.. how to format this... bleh.. whatever...

• Collisions are still under development. We are working hard on the physics and how things interact with each other (like those "space" trees that never fall down... did I say that?). We want a nice polished product and until collisions work properly, we are going to be chipping away at it.

• BAP and ECM are 100% placeholder for now. We had to get them into MechLab to ensure that they equip properly and we will be adding their functionality soon. When we do implement them, you'll see the differences between them in terms of their capabilities. Remember these items can get modified by equipped Pilot Modules. Every Mech variant will be able to carry only so many modules and not every chassis (like the Jenner for example) will be having the same number of module slots.

• Community is something we are definitely focusing on in terms of communication and metagame involvement. It's just a matter of us getting the time to get this massive chunk of code and pretty art work done and implemented. As Russ mentioned in his one Dev Upate a few months ago, Community Warfare is pushed back on the timeline, not off the project. It is something we see VERY valuable to the longevity of MWO and is also something we, the developers, are looking forward to playing ourselves. But if you want Barrens chat... I'll Chuck Norris your Mechs out of all your matches.

• Our plan to unjam the Ultra AC/5 is to include a DDR dance mat with any MC purchase you make and you will have to score 350,000 points or higher on Difficult setting while doing the Gangnam Style dance.... okay okay... serious... We know it's an issue... no one likes it... I tried it and threw my keyboard across the studio. We are looking at possibly just making it a time penalty to firing the weapon again instead of playing DDR.

This was one of the questions I anticipated so HA!...

We are looking into how we can ensure the Founder's can be happy with their purchase in terms of the Premium Account timeline and when does the time start ticking away. This is a business decision that is out of the realm of my design bubble, but I can assure you that both Garth and I made sure that Bryan and Russ knew about your concerns (Garth did a dance).

That being said, they ARE going to address the issue. Both the hotdogs will be back from their business trip to discuss the actual final plan. I've seen all suggested solutions and all of them are definitely in the best interest of the Founder's packages.

Ahhh... the infamous "netcode" that encompasses everything that you see wrong in the game...

We have been addressing this monster the entire time since we first saw happy skippy Jenners flying around the levels. It is a time consuming and detail oriented process that requires the focus of some dedicated engineers on our end. This is improving in various levels on a day to day basis. Some patches you see noticable improvements, and other days you can't even tell we've done anything. Trust us, it's something that is being addressed every day.

As for some major sweeping changes that are apparent... well the funny thing is, the problems with the current patch (the disconnects and lag spikes) are covering some major updates with our netcode. We are madly addressing the lag issue (which directly relates to the disconnects) and once that's cleared up, you'll see some big improvements.

Are we saying that we're done with netcode after this patch? Not by any means. We will be continually working on and tuning until the cows come home.

First part addressed and I too like the other questions... so here goes:

• Personally, I don't mind the lore breaking Mechs, assuming that they're even breaking lore. For every rock in our game, there is a paper and scissor. There are some factors (weapon mechanics) that will be affecting those who rely on a single weapon system to succeed. This is one of the reasons the AC/2 now fires a very fast projectile at a high fire rate. The AC/2 isn't the only weapon that is going to have adverse effects on single weapon reliant Mechs, look for a future tweak to PPCs that will also have a similar effect on other Mechs.

• Denying the Clan Invasion is something that Bryan AND Russ never wanted. It's a big point in the timeline and it's a very relevant scenario in which we can all have a lot of fun partaking in. People can fixate on whatever they want. It's part of the immersion that even Internet forums can play a role in. Some people shoot for the stars in what they'd like to see and we'd like to see it too. We'll roll out more information as the time comes... but do not discount the first sightings of the Clans that will make their way into the game.

• Segregating teams from the general random groups isn't ideal. A skill based system of match making is what we're going to be aiming toward but this takes a lot of design and implementation time to get right. Personally I don't think that if you started playing the game with a group of friends, we shouldn't stop you from being able to play in a group. If you're all beginners, then you should be matched with beginners and it will be in-game metrics that will move you up in brackets so you're not always stomping all over new players. More information coming on this soon.

• Brute force huh?.. man.. loaded question. I would say our Community Warfare. It drives so much of the game and even takes care of the Lone Wolf, Faction Player and Merc Unit Players needs. It's a beautiful system on paper and even in just concept, but it's a matter of time to get it in. Everyone will have a part in the InnerSphere's conflict and that will be reenforced when the Clans arrive. Exciting times.

Why must you do this to me? What did I do to you?

FlyingDebris IS doing an awesome great job at redefining the looks of the classic Mechs. When it comes to the unseen/reseen designs, there is always the question of legal matters. No, we don't need to go pointing fingers at anyone but it's the reality of the situation. Our fearless leaders Russ and Bryan would be the only ones to be able to make the call on the inclusion of those Mechs. There's nothing really technical keeping us from including them, it's a matter of making sure the variant/chassis we come up with is worth the time and money needed to invest in getting them done.

Now I came in here promising myself not to dodge any questions but from the bottom of my heart... yeah yeah.. trolls have hearts... I am not the one to answer this question for you.