Would you come back or play more if a Solaris arena match went live? What would you like to see in an arena type match? Free for all skirmish? Games per weight class?
Solaris would totally make me play more. Having something that actually MEANS something? A seasonal league or something? Something to strive for other than planets with names on it that change regularly or attach corridors that are controlled by Paul at PGI. Right now they are trying to be an MMO with a Deathmatch game. Be a deathmatch game for a deathmatch game. Make it a ladder for entrance and then cycle through it once per month or however they want to work it.
Oh the things one could do...we have all the basic components but for a interface for many of the following ideas. Solaris - need some cool intros, George Ledoux voice magic. 1, Deatmatch drop on a regular map (custom would be nicer but wtf, let's take a regular map and pick 4 cut down areas from each and randomize them). Assign points on a ladder, make it premium only so you can use private match functionality, titles to wear for season Champions. Do weight class limitations, stock loadout presets required etc. Run those as a event to get population, stream live from spec point of view? 2, Remake Conquest with random cap point placement. 3, Add AI escort missions where you have to protect a convoy from point A through point E. The convoy will have to be able to take a lot if punishment to balance high alpha strikers. If they ignore the escorts and just go for the convoy, they should fail (as in have to work at the convoy for a solid minute). 4, Defend dropship/installation. 5, Give us more fluff around companies, planets and goals to earn/spend credits on. Long term stuff so even the deathmatches gain meaning. ...have to get back to work so may come back later to this post.
Solaris would bring so many possibilities to the game besides being a welcome variety. Think about seasonal ladders and tournaments for 1 on 1, 2 on 2 and 4 on 4. Think about drop restrictions regarding tech level or time line. Consider an in-game wager system. Think about a mech package containing classic melee mechs like Hatchetman, Axeman and Berserker as soon as PGI got the melee mechanics right. And so on and on. All in all I think Solaris would rejuvinate quite some interest in the game or attract new players. IF PGI gets it done right...
I have not gone... I like @Lan ideas, but first could we please have a redesign of mech and pilot skills, I look at the tech tree and upgrades on other games for example World of Warships and Armoured Warfare and wonder how on earth PGI can get away with the skill weed that is in MWO.
Solaris would even pique my interest in the game. It would be what it is, a ladder style deathmatch without the smoke and mirrors of being a persistent universe blah blah blah. I also agree that it would breath some life back in to the game and attract a whole league of players. MWO could become more e-sport related with built in functions supporting it.
To be perfectly honest, you could have the framework for Solaris externally in a Ladder format on a third party site even. You would not have ingame rewards, beyond MC prices or manual PGI injections.
I would really like Solaris, and maybe a weekly ladder. Even an 8 person Solaris I think would be fun. I think assaults will be out classed on most Solaris maps, but there are just so many builds that could work really well, that it would be hard to tell. For Solaris, 2 types of drops, your current weight class and open weight class. Something to be said about the fun of a free for all.
I would be happy with a six man free for all (or six teams of two) with existing maps using the current six drop zones.
Not a big fan of 1v1, or 2v2 or 3v3.. Rounds would be either too fast, or (if Maps are too big) too long. If Solaris then 8v8v8 or 4v4v4v4 with Leaderboards. Simple to implement. It's about damn time! Classic Solaris Mode would be good for nostalgia, but i'm also favoring some new experiences if we had E-Tournament Arena Mode. E.g. I would be happy to have a coop-Arena Experience against endless Waves of A.I. Mechs (zombified) and a Daily Leaderboard (records). Also a weekly Tournament Event to let Teams with similar performance scores smash each other in the Arenas. Prices could be anything. Could do a bigger Event monthly to get Cash Rewards. Also an all Deathmatch Mode like "Last Man Standing" would be interesting, but can't imagine that this works with good Fun Experience for a slow paced shooter without Respawn. I see Jumpsnipers everywhere and many frustrated players. There are endless possibilities to refresh this Game with more Arena Elements. Just needs creativity
Blag, Solaris as a free for all.. That would be my Phase 1. 8 mechs enter (or 12, or 24) only 1 mech leaves. We can move to lance combat after. Also, taking a page from CW, you can have a 4 mechs in your stable, last man with a mech standing wins. (ECM mechs will probably win this one)
