Flashpoint balancing

[jj284b]

While i like the direction this game is going, must say, flashpoints are a bit unbalanced in career mode. My first Flashpoint was Steiner one, with Hatchetmen as "prototype", and missions were quite cool for 2 and half skulls, anyway rewards are completely out of whack... I got 1 million c-bills, some ++ weapons, Griffin and ASSAULT MECH.. (Banshee)... why??? If anything, reward could have been that Hatchetmen with some items... but getting 95ton mech that early? its very weird... considering all that talk how Career mode will be harder than Campaign, because you wont get "free mechs".. yet first assault you've got practically in the middle of campaign, (highlander)...

 

[mjbroekman]

Wow. That's some pretty epic RNG rewards for you. With 1 exception, I never got a full mech for a flashpoint reward and I've run 8 different flashpoints.

 

[jj284b]

really? I saw exactly same Flashpoint mission recently played by xwynns, and he got exactly same reward... Assault mech for 2.5skull mission.. its extremely unbalanced no mater what RNG is involved..

 

[MeiSooHaityu]

I can understand how such a reward can be linked to the Flashpoint, however I also see how it might not be a bad idea to change out the Banshee for a smaller mech (Medium or Heavy).

The Flashpoints seem to have been intended as post-campaign content, so I could see where winning a Banshee wouldn't seem out of the ordinary. The player would have been exposed to Assault mechs at this point and is most likely running a lance of them anyway.

On the other hand though...In Career Mode, I'm guessing that for most players, 'Joint Venture" is going to be their first Flashpoint due to the 2.5 Skull Rating and that they are most likely going to attempt it with Mediums in their lance (and maybe a Heavy). At that point, a Banshee would be rather generous of a reward.

At least it isn't as OP as salvaging the Madcat in MechCommander 1 in I think the second or third missions into the game . I mean, we are talking about a Banshee here. It is essentially the Yugo or Trabant of Assault Mechs after all . I am kidding of course.

I think that rewarding the player with a Hatchetman might have been cool (although the dialogue should probably be shifted around a bit in that case). I think it could even have been a heavy mech (captured Capellan Cataphract maybe ).

 

[jj284b]

I can understand how such a reward can be linked to the Flashpoint, however I also see how it might not be a bad idea to change out the Banshee for a smaller mech (Medium or Heavy).

The Flashpoints seem to have been intended as post-campaign content, so I could see where winning a Banshee wouldn't seem out of the ordinary. The player would have been exposed to Assault mechs at this point and is most likely running a lance of them anyway.

On the other hand though...In Career Mode, I'm guessing that for most players, 'Joint Venture" is going to be their first Flashpoint due to the 2.5 Skull Rating and that they are most likely going to attempt it with Mediums in their lance (and maybe a Heavy). At that point, a Banshee would be rather generous of a reward.

At least it isn't as OP as salvaging the Madcat in MechCommander 1 in I think the second or third missions into the game . I mean, we are talking about a Banshee here. It is essentially the Yugo or Trabant of Assault Mechs after all . I am kidding of course.

I think that rewarding the player with a Hatchetman might have been cool (although the dialogue should probably be shifted around a bit in that case). I think it could even have been a heavy mech (captured Capellan Cataphract maybe ).

not all of them are post-campaign... that flashpoint in particular was 2.5 skulls... If you took after-campaign lance to it, you would have absolutely no problem beating it...


2.5skull flashpoint should give 2.5skull "rewards"... if it gives you assault mech, something is wrong...

 

[Edmon]

Lets be fair here, yes the Banchee is an assault mech...

It also has less firepower than most mediums and a lot less than a great medium (like a discoback).

So I can see it being a method to make people consider deploying the banchee... since when you normally it get, it is garbage.

 

[Amechwarrior]

Lets be fair here, yes the Banchee is an assault mech...

It also has less firepower than most mediums and a lot less than a great medium (like a discoback).

So I can see it being a method to make people consider deploying the banchee... since when you normally it get, it is garbage.

That's a good point, it might be the only time actually using one is a good idea.

 

[MeiSooHaityu]

not all of them are post-campaign... that flashpoint in particular was 2.5 skulls... If you took after-campaign lance to it, you would have absolutely no problem beating it...


2.5skull flashpoint should give 2.5skull "rewards"... if it gives you assault mech, something is wrong...

I think you misunderstood me a bit. I didn't disagree with you, I just said I understood how that reward could have ended up in there.

Remember, all Flashpoints are post campaign if you are playing in the Campaign Mode, however of course they are designed to work with both Campaign and Career Mode.

So, I could see how the reward wouldn't have seemed out of the ordinary if it was being tackled in the Campaign mode, post campaign. It was an easy missions that was rewarded a sub-optimal Assault mech. From that standpoint it seems appropriate.

From a Career Mode standpoint, yeah it is a bit OP of a present. As @Edmon pointed out though, it isn't exactly a beast of a machine either. I am pretty confident that, given a Kintaro, Centurion A, or even a Hunchback 4P I could defeat the Banshee in a 1 v 1 engagement.

 

[scJazz]

Haven't gotten this far yet... would appreciate the use of SPOILER btw!
But yeah... if I get it in my Career Mode run it would be the FIRST time I didn't instantly sell a Banshee and might even end up being the first time I actually use one in a Lance.

 

[mjbroekman]

Do not disparage the Banshee. The -3M is a servicable laserboat and brawler. 8 Medium Lasers and 5 Small Lasers or 7 Mediums and 6 Smalls is nothing to sneeze at.

 

[jj284b]

It doesnt matter if Banshee is effective or not.. the whole point was that reward was just waaay too big.. getting all those items, two mechs and 1million on top of standard salvage is just too much.. I would be more than fine if that reward was just a single special item... instead of 10+ two mechs...

 

[jj284b]

ok, just finished second Flashpoint called Steel Beast and must say it was a lot better, and reward was adequate! No Assaults as reward this time, but nice bundle of interesting equipment. Which kinda makes me think that devs should really fix that first Flashpoint rewards and instead of assault mech, give player Hatchetman.

 

[AncientRaig]

Honestly, the reward seems fine to me. The Lyrans are known for tossing money and mechs around like they grow on trees, and the Banshee is only really viable in the early game (at least until we get the 3S variant) when its thick armor is enough to make up for its lack of firepower. Flashpoints are intended to give you a decent number of high quality rewards, and TBH even in the early game I'm not sure I'd take a Banshee over something like a Centurion or a heavy mech.

 

[Chester Rico]

It must be random; I think I got a Quickdraw for that FP (almost as useless as a Banshee... almost.)

To me, it was more jarring that everybody mentioned how cool that Hatchetman is while my lance was 2 Atlases and a King Crab.

 

[AncientRaig]

It must be random; I think I got a Quickdraw for that FP (almost as useless as a Banshee... almost.)

To me, it was more jarring that everybody mentioned how cool that Hatchetman is while my lance was 2 Atlases and a King Crab.

Funny little fact actually. In stock configuration, once you strip out all the weapons, the Banshee actually has a ton and a half more free space to play with than the Quickdraw (22.5 vs 21).

 

[BrianDavion]

It must be random; I think I got a Quickdraw for that FP (almost as useless as a Banshee... almost.)

To me, it was more jarring that everybody mentioned how cool that Hatchetman is while my lance was 2 Atlases and a King Crab.

the atlas and king crab are ancient mechs, the Hachetman is a brand new design, with an actual technological innovation, in 3025.. yeah that is kind of a big deal.

 

[Nakkivene]

Heh, some innovation. Let's put an axe on a mech!

 

[theCarthaginian]

Heh, some innovation. Let's put an axe on a mech!

I think that is the point... they have lost SO MUCH TECH that putting an axe on a 'Mech DID seem like innovation.

 

[mjbroekman]

Heh, some innovation. Let's put an axe on a mech!

Indeed, that was innovation. Mechs, as a rule in lore, did not engage in melee except as an absolute, desperate, last resort. Usually, when you ran out of ammo / burned out your lasers / whatever, you negotiated between forces to disengage ... because Mechs were valuable and avoiding unnecessary damage was the order of the day. The Hatchetman was more than just a mech that excelled at melee (like the Charger), it was a mech designed from the ground up to close and engage in melee with a specially designed hatchet.

 

[Jonathan8883]

I think I need that Banshee BEFORE the flashpoint. I got that one as well (I think it's an intro flashpoint) and the second mission (base defense) threw the prototype and my 3 mediums up against what I believe is 9 enemy mechs and 3 support vehicles in 4 rounds of combat, none of which have any of the armor debuffs applied. One of the buildings was down by round 9 (before I could see all of the enemy vanguard lance to shoot them). The 'running prototype' Hatchetman was dead by round 7, and I'm pretty sure it's going to be mission failed or lance destroyed by round 3.

Oddly enough, the Liao attack lance also contained a Hatchetman. Someone in intel needs a new job.