Mech Games, A survey.

Great survey!

My answers:

1. Preferred Platform 
C. Mobile - One of my gripes with PC gaming was the constant need to upgrade and buy the best components. Gaming became very expensive. Console gaming slows down the need to upgrade somewhat, but whenever new consoles come out, the previous one becomes a boat anchor. In mobile gaming, developers have to be very careful of game requirements so game life tends to last longer. Plus, older games are still available to play on newer phones so I can always go back and relive some glory days.

2. Customization
C. Mixed - I like to have some ability to make my mech my own. Changing the weapons on a chassis also changes the role of the mech and the playstyle and this makes for some interesting builds. I also like the ability to change the appearance of my mech with different paints/logos/skins. This is an easy way for developers to keep people interested and also provide some additional income for "rare" appearance modifiers. Keep mech and weapon performance fixed to a point. I understand the need for "progression" in a game so as long as the performance is balanced in a way to discourage or prevent seal clubbing, I'm good.

3. Mech Composition
C. Tanks on legs - This one is tough as I love and enjoy mechs of all kinds. But, if I had to pick one for a game, I'd go with Tanks on legs because I find them to be more realistic in terms of being functional and somewhat achievable in real life, ie, if the militaries were ever to develop mechs, the most likely would be tanks on legs. And it doesn't even have to be on legs. One of my favourite mech games of all time was Phantom Crash, and that game had just the right amount of customization, composition and play. You could have 2 legs, 4 legs, legs with wheels, hover platforms.

4. Combat
D. Quick firefights. Multiple mechs, single spawn of each mech - I find this more realistic too because in a real live battle scenario, the first solid hit in combat usually spells doom. Plus, there's a reason why I have a hangar full of different mechs. I want to use them all as much as possible! Who wants to stay in the same mech all the time??

5. Weapon Counts
A. Flexible - I would add: be realistic to the platform of the game and it's limitations. I wouldn't want to have 5-10 weapons on my phone's tiny screen. That would be silly. But, that was one of the things I liked about Mech Warrior IV. It carried over some elements from previous games but added limiters in terms of mount point capacities and such. 

6. Bot mobility
C - Scaled - Again, I draw some stuff from Phantom Crash. In that game, you could theoretically throw ANY weapon config on your chassis, but if you overload, you move like molasses. This falls a bit into the customization purview but I like modular designs in mechs. For example, you could throw a huge engine on a light chassis and it would make it super fast, but if the chassis isn't strong enough to mount heavy weapons, then doing so will rip your mech apart when you tried to fire. There should be warnings given during the build process, but you should be able to ignore them if you want.

7. I'd like to keep certain elements of the game simple. This is where War Robots is failing because it's becoming too complex. I also like some solo type of play where I go up against the AI. Story progression is a great way to draw people in. The environment should also play a part in any mode. For example, did you know some maps on Mech Arena can kill you?
[Yes] Status effects: Simple (damage/ speed modifiers)

[No ] Status effects: Complex (Weapon damage / Range modifiers)

[ Yes] Player v Environment: Story

[Yes ] Player v Environment: Defense against horde waves, team or solo.

[Yes ] Non-Mobility based abilities inbuilt to the Mech.

8. I understand the need for upgrades and progression. Plus, I know that if a game's gear were all unique, then before you know it, we have hundreds of different types of gear and a never ending scavenger hunt for the best gear with a P2W element for the best stuff.
[ No] Level ups on gradual scales. Easy to get, time consuming to upgrade

[ Yes] Level ups with static costs per level. Moderate to get, costs are static across all levels.

[No] No level ups, all gear are unique pieces.

[No ] Tuning, only small select statistics about items can be changed. Adding to one stat creates a negative on other stats.

9. 
[ 2] Capture the Flag

[ 1] Control points: Domination, no beacon respawns. Hold more beacons for longer to win.

[ 8] Contol points: Attack/ Defend, players fight on asymmetrical maps, where one team has to defend control points until the timer runs out. Captured points cannot be retaken by the defending team. Matches are best of 3 where teams switch roles between round.

[ 3] Control points: Beacon spawns.

[4 ] Battle Royale

[ 9]King of the hill: ONE control point in the center of the map that doesn't move.

[ 7] Deathmatch : Free for all

[ 5] Team Deathmatch.

[6 ] Multi-Team Deathmatch: 3+ teams.

[10 ] Oddball/ Juggernaut: Asymmetrical PvP. One player is supercharged, and the abilities that come with it get passed on to the player that killed them.

10. Pay up front or free to play with pay options
There's something to be said about the pay up front option. I would ONLY prefer this if there was some sort of immersive solo play that can keep me entertained. So, there would have to be a Story/Campaign mode and some sort of Wave mode. If a game doesn't have those, then it has to be free to play with pay options. We know the pitfalls of this model, but hey, developers have got to eat so I'm ok with it as long as they balance to game somehow.

I'll take Walking War Robots (not the pixonic crap today) on console please

Also, I found Armored Core, while fun, way too complex in terms of build and customization. I never could figure out how to build an AC with infinite flight like the ones I kept fighting against.

I really liked the mechs in Front Mission 3. Just the right amount of walking tank/customization/modular parts and ease of control.

Well that figures! Sheesh, I remember some frustrating games trying to kill that stupid White Glint mech as it zipped around the sky while I was stuck on the ground! I never did manage to destroy the last boss...that For Answer fortress. I watched a tutorial of it and it was brutal.

Well...I never said I was "good" at these games! 

So, with the hankering for a good mech game, and Armored core unfortunately being a dead series (FROMSOFT PLS), I wanted to do a little data collection for Mech battle games, and what people genuinely want from them.  Feel free to add anything I may have missed at the bottom of your answers!
Consider it a distraction from current events, and something to pinpoint the disappointment in the mech battle genre in it's foray of the current gaming era.


Things I don't need to ask about: Clans, obvious yes. Shaders and paint, obvious yes. Emblems and decals, Obvious yes. Ranked tournaments, obviously yes.


1. Preferred Platform?

D. No Preference but mobile is my main for now.

2. Mech games come in different shapes and sizes, with different kinds of customization and loadout constructions. There's complex, such as Armored core, where every extremity and function of your mech is determined by their equipment. There's simple, where the Chassis is fixed, and the weapon loadouts are the only customizable options. There's no customization, where the bot and it's weapons are fixed(Super Mecha Champions). Then there's something in between, where the bot is fixed, and has both weapon selection and minor modifiers/abilities as customizations for mech performance. What do you prefer?

Full customization. From body parts to internals.
I love customizing stuff, Armored core was always a favorite of mine to watch and learn about because of the raw customization capabilities.

3. Mech composition. While it relates to the previous question, it also has to do with appearance. There's ridiculously anthropomorphic like Gundam, Battletech, or Super Mecha Champions. There's Humanoid, but closer to actually appearing like military hardware, like Armored Core. There's tanks on legs, like Titanfall, Hawken, Mechwarrior etc. Then there's stylized, where mechs tend to follow the same design philosophy as "Tanks on legs" but have cartoony elements such as War Robots, Mech Arena, Mech battle, and Robot warfare. If you had to pick one?

B. Humanoid Hardware
C. Tanks on Legs
I enjoy the Titanfall and Armored core style mechs a lot, If I had to pick one I’d move more towards the humanoid hardware side (which I think titan falls mechs fit into a lot better) though I love the tank like appeal of Hawkens mechs.

4. Combat varies from game to game, predominantly due to the ratios of weapon damage and Mech health. They range from slow and methodical, where engagement and positioning are the most important part of the fray, all the way to snap reflex combat more akin to traditional first/third person shooters. The prior has players in multiple engagements throughout the battle, where the game relies on one active bot in the battle, and dying means elimination. The latter causes one and done confrontations, which tends to have the game focus more on respawns and multiple bots/setups throughout  a single match. What kind of engagement pace is preferred?

D. Quick firefights. Multiple mechs, single spawn of each mech.
Fast and in your face is my preferred play style. Right next to wading into swaths of enemies and soaking damage like a sponge.

5. Weapon counts, how many guns should bots have?

D. Multiple mounts, but active weapons are limited to up to two at a time. active weapons can be switched during combat (Armored Core, Exteel)


6. Bot mobility. Ignoring the limitations of mobile, how mobile should bots be?


B. Limited mobility: Bots move appropriate to weight class and role. extra mobility outside of ground speed is ability dependent.
Once again, customization. Everything comes with pros and cons, sure I can equip that superheavy howitzer type cannon but it will really give me a hit to my jump jets.

7. Yes/ No. Which of these concepts are acceptable / Important in a PvP centric game.

[Y] Status effects: Simple (damage/ speed modifiers)
[Y] Status effects: Complex (Weapon damage / Range modifiers)
[N] Player v Environment: Story
[N] Player v Environment: Defense against horde waves, team or solo.
[N] Non-Mobility based abilities inbuilt to the Mech.

8. Yes/ no. Gear Progression:

[Y] Level ups on gradual scales. Easy to get, time consuming to upgrade
[N] Level ups with static costs per level. Moderate to get, costs are static across all levels.
[Y] No level ups, all gear are unique pieces.
[N] Tuning, only small select statistics about items can be changed. Adding to one stat creates a negative on other stats.


9. Rank the following game modes 

[3/10] Capture the Flag
[5/10] Control points: Domination, no beacon respawns. Hold more beacons for longer to win.
[n/a] Contol points: Attack/ Defend, players fight on asymmetrical maps, where one team has to defend control points until the timer runs out. Captured points cannot be retaken by the defending team. Matches are best of 3 where teams switch roles between round.
[n/a] Control points: Beacon spawns.
[8/10] Battle Royale
[3/10]King of the hill: ONE control point in the center of the map that doesn't move.
[10/10] Deathmatch : Free for all
[10/10] Team Deathmatch.
[9/10] Multi-Team Deathmatch: 3+ teams.
[2/10] Oddball/ Juggernaut: Asymmetrical PvP. One player is supercharged, and the abilities that come with it get passed on to the player that killed them.

10. Your thoughts on anything I missed. I'm anti P2W, so no need to go off on pay to win game economy grumps.

While story is important, its not exactly needed. Especially in a game focused on multiplayer gameplay, when and if there is a story, It would be important to remember the overall tone of the game, what’s going on in it? Is the game a gritty war torn future or a more laid back one. More in the style of War Robots where there is infighting but people seem to be getting along pretty well, why are we fighting? In Titanfall the IMC is fighting to take over the Militias planets, they are seen as the villains because they are the invading force. From their point of view, the Militia isn’t letting them get the things they need but this is also true in vice versa, resources are scarce and mechs are the most efficient way to take down large swaths on enemies leading to their creation. Basically

Why do the mechs exist and in what world do they exist.