.png){kind=avatar}
Greetings!
First of all i want to say, again, - i love this game, thank you HBS!
Also, some spoilers may be present, so if you did not finished Restoration campaign, do not read.
As devs said, this is "in success", and "we'd also love to release a larger paid content Expansion or two". And, in my humble opinion, game needs more story content.
Such content can come in two forms - new storyline sequel (like XCOM2 to XCOM:EU), and sideway story subplots for existing story (like story dlcs for XCOM:EU/EW, with Operation Slingshot, EXALT and stuff).
I think subplots with couple of missions are better left for free updates. Lets talk big paid expansion. In this topic i want to give few suggestions about possible story, and transition problems from old story to new one.
First of all, transition problems - what to do with "old" player character and his top skilled mercenaries, now probably with many assault mechs? If they can play "new" content, it will be slightly boring to play mostly heavy fights on assault mechs. And you will bring assault mechs to a fight, cause this way it's easier to win, and there are no penalties.
So, fresh start is preferable for new story content. What can you do:
1) Completely new character and new mercenary company. Easiest way, but it really sucks to say farewell to your old character, in the same game.
Only reason to do this, is to incorporate "old" character into future stories. So you could meet "old" company as allies on battlefield, or maybe as your employers, or enemies. Sort of like Dragon Age series - all games have different main characters, but older ones have story presence in final game.
Eventually you'll have to do this, but for now there are other solutions.
2) Take away "old" stuff. Cruel, but it will give you a fresh start with old character. Lets say "Locura" somehow gets the ship, Argo is destroyed, with all your stuff. Only characters on battlefield mission survive, with you Leopard dropsip. Dramatic, but it can work.
Or ship become haunted by Ostergaard's ghost, and everyone runs away in fear, leaving old stuff behind.. =)
Next player have to start anew, from one lance and Leopard. Later on player will get his/her hands on a Union class dropship (would be very classy to have this iconic bubble ship), and can improve and upgrade it.
So fresh start with an old player character is solved, with possible presence of some old characters (someone had to pilot the Leopard, some may have been in rumble seats in battlemechs, for story reasons). Some old characters could go down with the Argo, or they could escape and survive. Main point - old stuff (mechs, ship upgrades) are gone. Some mechwarriors will leave, most of your money will be spent on something (buying/leasing Union dropship?).
Not sure what to do with player's skills. Maybe Commander was wounded, and got him/her -self mechanical limbs, like Yang, and so have to train skills again? Don't know.
I think it will be the best solution for very first story expansion.
3) Not necessarily as separate option, but as addition to both of them: make fielding good stuff cost more. Increase maintenance fees for battlemechs - more mech weights, more you have to pay for upkeep.
Also, more tons you drop on a battlefield, more money you have to pay. For fuel, for example. Let's call it "drop fees". So you'd have an economical interest in dropping optimal weight for mission difficulty.
This way player can keep "old" stuff, but be more restricted in using it. Also, there could be "new" stuff to grow for - more LosTech, new 'mech variants with FerroFibrous upgrades, etc. So "old" top stuff would no longer be the best stuff.
I think it will be tolerable solution for second story expansion, not the first one. Just because "end-game" mechs and gear are better the further timeline advances.
_________________________________
But what about plot suggestion? Here it is:
Restoration campaign ends roughly in times of 4th Succession War. This war have some good points of interest, but none of them is near our region of periphery. Maybe just usual frontlines between Liao and Davion space, but i believe generic missions can cover that.
However, lets look at Andurien Crisis.
4th Succession War is over. Duchy of Andurien rebells against Free Worlds League (Marik) and allies itself with Magistracy of Canopus (Centrella). They start a war with Capellan Confederation (Liao). Free Worlds League tries to reconquer Duchy of Andurien.
First years of war are very successful for Andurien-Canopian alliance. But 3034-3035 are disastrous, and war is lost.
(Detailed read can be found on Sarna.net by search of "Andurien Secession")
So. Aurigan Restoration is successful. In light of coming events, Magistracy of Canopus demands Aurigan support in beginning war. High Lady Kamea denies official involvement, as Aurigan Reach is still very weak after civil war. But she dispatches her elite mercenary company into canopian service. Commander and crew have their doubts, but let's face it - they are mercenaries, and war is their business. Canopian contract accepted.
Andurien Crisis begins. After few jobs for Ana Maria Centrella, Commander meets Emma Centrella, and participates in her invasion of Capellan Confederation.
Somewhere by this time **it happens and Commander loses the Argo, (see transition solution 2). Survivers launch a daring attack against Liao forces, and capture a Union-class dropship. Sadly, dropship is severily damaged because of combat action; and mercenary company suffers losses in the attack.
Commander retreats from the frontline, to apply repairs and reorganise his company. Year have passed. (that's our fresh start).
Soon Commander is contacted by Emma Centrella, and returns to the frontline. Emma does not support the war, and publicly opposes it, but still does her military duty.
Meanwhile, war goes badly. Capellans counter-attack, and push canopians away. Canopian forces are in retreat, and Commander assists them to not be completely destroyed.
Soon after canopian space is threatened by Liao mercenaries (McCarron's Armored Cavalry), Commander helps Emma, who leads army personally, to defend against this raids.
Sometimes after very strange evens happen (non-canon prequel to Emma's assasination attempt), with seems to be accidental backstabs on Emma's forces. For example friendly-fire artillery barrage, or/and order to neighbouring regiment to retreat, leaving flank unguarded.
Treason is suspected. Commander leads series of covert missions to find evidence and disrupt this assasination attempts. Emma is grateful, but she suspects her own mother behind this events. Maybe even she was responsible for the destruction of Argo? Hmm...(end of non-canon)
After Andurien Crisis ends, Emma silently leaves to her home planet, without major public presence. She would be dead several times if not the Commander, though.
Aftermath:
Andurien Crisis ends. Peace settles in Rimward Periphery. And peace is good, but it's not what mercenaries need.
War of 3039 begins. Commander travels to Rasalhague, to participate. It's a long flight. Meanwhile, Commander gets news of new attempt on Emma's life, and how she was ordered to be brought in chains. Thankfuly, old friends in Royal Guard refuse this order, and assist Emma to depose her mother and become new Magestrix.
This epilogue is important to give more meaning why Commander sticks with this character through the war.
The end.
Major events in Rimward Periphery are over, transition from Periphery to the Inner Sphere is plotted.
Next expansion can be War of 3039. Why there? To relocate Commander closer to what would be Clan Invasion frontlines, if clans will come as an expansion. Though better if they come as new game, Battletech 2, or better "Battletech 3050", then we'd probably start with new character. Trained by old mercenary commander. Guess who. =)
Anyway, War of 3039 can be interesting playground, on its own. As second expansion. But no point to talk about it before first one.
__________________
Thank you for reading.
First of all i want to say, again, - i love this game, thank you HBS!
Also, some spoilers may be present, so if you did not finished Restoration campaign, do not read.
As devs said, this is "in success", and "we'd also love to release a larger paid content Expansion or two". And, in my humble opinion, game needs more story content.
Such content can come in two forms - new storyline sequel (like XCOM2 to XCOM:EU), and sideway story subplots for existing story (like story dlcs for XCOM:EU/EW, with Operation Slingshot, EXALT and stuff).
I think subplots with couple of missions are better left for free updates. Lets talk big paid expansion. In this topic i want to give few suggestions about possible story, and transition problems from old story to new one.
First of all, transition problems - what to do with "old" player character and his top skilled mercenaries, now probably with many assault mechs? If they can play "new" content, it will be slightly boring to play mostly heavy fights on assault mechs. And you will bring assault mechs to a fight, cause this way it's easier to win, and there are no penalties.
So, fresh start is preferable for new story content. What can you do:
1) Completely new character and new mercenary company. Easiest way, but it really sucks to say farewell to your old character, in the same game.
Only reason to do this, is to incorporate "old" character into future stories. So you could meet "old" company as allies on battlefield, or maybe as your employers, or enemies. Sort of like Dragon Age series - all games have different main characters, but older ones have story presence in final game.
Eventually you'll have to do this, but for now there are other solutions.
2) Take away "old" stuff. Cruel, but it will give you a fresh start with old character. Lets say "Locura" somehow gets the ship, Argo is destroyed, with all your stuff. Only characters on battlefield mission survive, with you Leopard dropsip. Dramatic, but it can work.
Or ship become haunted by Ostergaard's ghost, and everyone runs away in fear, leaving old stuff behind.. =)
Next player have to start anew, from one lance and Leopard. Later on player will get his/her hands on a Union class dropship (would be very classy to have this iconic bubble ship), and can improve and upgrade it.
So fresh start with an old player character is solved, with possible presence of some old characters (someone had to pilot the Leopard, some may have been in rumble seats in battlemechs, for story reasons). Some old characters could go down with the Argo, or they could escape and survive. Main point - old stuff (mechs, ship upgrades) are gone. Some mechwarriors will leave, most of your money will be spent on something (buying/leasing Union dropship?).
Not sure what to do with player's skills. Maybe Commander was wounded, and got him/her -self mechanical limbs, like Yang, and so have to train skills again? Don't know.
I think it will be the best solution for very first story expansion.
3) Not necessarily as separate option, but as addition to both of them: make fielding good stuff cost more. Increase maintenance fees for battlemechs - more mech weights, more you have to pay for upkeep.
Also, more tons you drop on a battlefield, more money you have to pay. For fuel, for example. Let's call it "drop fees". So you'd have an economical interest in dropping optimal weight for mission difficulty.
This way player can keep "old" stuff, but be more restricted in using it. Also, there could be "new" stuff to grow for - more LosTech, new 'mech variants with FerroFibrous upgrades, etc. So "old" top stuff would no longer be the best stuff.
I think it will be tolerable solution for second story expansion, not the first one. Just because "end-game" mechs and gear are better the further timeline advances.
_________________________________
But what about plot suggestion? Here it is:
Restoration campaign ends roughly in times of 4th Succession War. This war have some good points of interest, but none of them is near our region of periphery. Maybe just usual frontlines between Liao and Davion space, but i believe generic missions can cover that.
However, lets look at Andurien Crisis.
4th Succession War is over. Duchy of Andurien rebells against Free Worlds League (Marik) and allies itself with Magistracy of Canopus (Centrella). They start a war with Capellan Confederation (Liao). Free Worlds League tries to reconquer Duchy of Andurien.
First years of war are very successful for Andurien-Canopian alliance. But 3034-3035 are disastrous, and war is lost.
(Detailed read can be found on Sarna.net by search of "Andurien Secession")
So. Aurigan Restoration is successful. In light of coming events, Magistracy of Canopus demands Aurigan support in beginning war. High Lady Kamea denies official involvement, as Aurigan Reach is still very weak after civil war. But she dispatches her elite mercenary company into canopian service. Commander and crew have their doubts, but let's face it - they are mercenaries, and war is their business. Canopian contract accepted.
Andurien Crisis begins. After few jobs for Ana Maria Centrella, Commander meets Emma Centrella, and participates in her invasion of Capellan Confederation.
Somewhere by this time **it happens and Commander loses the Argo, (see transition solution 2). Survivers launch a daring attack against Liao forces, and capture a Union-class dropship. Sadly, dropship is severily damaged because of combat action; and mercenary company suffers losses in the attack.
Commander retreats from the frontline, to apply repairs and reorganise his company. Year have passed. (that's our fresh start).
Soon Commander is contacted by Emma Centrella, and returns to the frontline. Emma does not support the war, and publicly opposes it, but still does her military duty.
Meanwhile, war goes badly. Capellans counter-attack, and push canopians away. Canopian forces are in retreat, and Commander assists them to not be completely destroyed.
Soon after canopian space is threatened by Liao mercenaries (McCarron's Armored Cavalry), Commander helps Emma, who leads army personally, to defend against this raids.
Sometimes after very strange evens happen (non-canon prequel to Emma's assasination attempt), with seems to be accidental backstabs on Emma's forces. For example friendly-fire artillery barrage, or/and order to neighbouring regiment to retreat, leaving flank unguarded.
Treason is suspected. Commander leads series of covert missions to find evidence and disrupt this assasination attempts. Emma is grateful, but she suspects her own mother behind this events. Maybe even she was responsible for the destruction of Argo? Hmm...(end of non-canon)
After Andurien Crisis ends, Emma silently leaves to her home planet, without major public presence. She would be dead several times if not the Commander, though.
Aftermath:
Andurien Crisis ends. Peace settles in Rimward Periphery. And peace is good, but it's not what mercenaries need.
War of 3039 begins. Commander travels to Rasalhague, to participate. It's a long flight. Meanwhile, Commander gets news of new attempt on Emma's life, and how she was ordered to be brought in chains. Thankfuly, old friends in Royal Guard refuse this order, and assist Emma to depose her mother and become new Magestrix.
This epilogue is important to give more meaning why Commander sticks with this character through the war.
The end.
Major events in Rimward Periphery are over, transition from Periphery to the Inner Sphere is plotted.
Next expansion can be War of 3039. Why there? To relocate Commander closer to what would be Clan Invasion frontlines, if clans will come as an expansion. Though better if they come as new game, Battletech 2, or better "Battletech 3050", then we'd probably start with new character. Trained by old mercenary commander. Guess who. =)
Anyway, War of 3039 can be interesting playground, on its own. As second expansion. But no point to talk about it before first one.
__________________
Thank you for reading.
Last edited:
Upvote
0