piranha
Latest
Piranha Games on why MechWarrior Online is getting a third-person mode
Sometimes you find yourself railing against something at one point only to support it later on. That's the process that Piranha Games president Russ Bullock went through regarding a third-person viewing mode in MechWarrior Online. Bullock addresses player concerns about the inclusion by detailing his own experience with the project and how he went from vehemently opposing a third-person view to arguing that its inclusion is necessary for the long-term health of the game. One of the key elements to understand about movement in MechWarrior Online is that your machine moves more like a bipedal tank with an independently rotating torso. Bullock states that he's watched new players trying the game in first-person and third-person modes, and being able to see how 'Mechs move on the screen instantly translates to better play. He also remains adamant that the inclusion of this new view mode is not meant to unbalance the game by allowing players to see things outside of their normal fields of vision. [Thanks to Dire Phoenix for the tip!]
MechWarrior Online discusses the state of the game and the road to launch
MechWarrior Online has already gone into open beta with a functional cash shop, but the game still isn't officially launching until September. So how's the road to launch looking so far? According to creative developer Bryan Ekman, it's going quite well. Despite summer traditionally being one of the slowest times for games like MWO, the community has been strong and growing. The development team is also thrilled that response to the game's first charity drive was immensely positive, with Sarah's 'Mech raising over $40,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society on the first day of release. So what comes next? According to Ekman, the development is currently split into two teams, one focused upon major features and the other on content. A revamped UI and the Community Warfare system are the two biggest elements for the feature team, while a new map, Terra Therma, is set to debut next week. Third-person mode is also in testing for those who prefer to see their multi-ton death machines from the outside. Players would be well-served to look at the full letter for more dispatches about the game's future as September creeps closer.
MechWarrior Online launches Sarah's Jenner in honor of 5-year-old cancer victim
Five-year-old Sarah Parries loved the Jenner in MechWarrior Online. She and her father would sit and play the game, with Sarah loving the streak SRM variant so that she could lock on and move quickly. Unfortunately, Sarah was a victim of cancer, but her story made an impact on the developers of MechWarrior Online and led to the creation of a new champion 'Mech crafted in her image, the appropriately named Sarah's Jenner. Sarah's Jenner will set you back $10, but the team at Piranha Games won't be seeing a nickel of it. Minus sales tax, all of the proceeds from the sale of this 'Mech will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society, supporting others suffering from the same ailment as the girl who inspired this decor. You can take a look at the machine in action just past the break, and if you're an experienced 'Mech pilot you should consider picking up a special machine to honor an unfortunate victim. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
MechWarrior Online runs the numbers and announces a launch date
There are a lot of people stomping around in MechWarrior Online right now. More than one million, according to a recent dispatch by Piranha Games, which puts the total number of registered accounts at about 1.1 million. These players have collectively logged 9.6 million hours to the game, destroyed a total of 46 million 'Mechs consisting of 80 billion tons of metal, and fired more than 12.6 billion missiles alone. It's a bit of a violent game, in short. It's also a game about to finally shed the open beta title. Piranha Games has announced an official launch of September 17th, 2013. How much will actually change versus the current open beta is up for debate, but it's good to see a game fixing a launch date and sticking to it. So if you're a die-hard MechWarrior Online fan, get out there and start raising those destructive totals one 50-ton target at a time. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
The Daily Grind: What's your pre-order spending limit?
I was paging through the comments for our recent MechWarrior Online Phoenix Project post yesterday, and it struck me as somewhat nutty that Piranha has basically been operating the game for a year, has already offered a $120 founder's program, and is now offering what amounts to another pre-order program on top of that. I get that companies need to make money, but I'm also glad that MechWarrior isn't one of those IPs I care enough about to drop hundreds of dollars on a beta and various avatar skins! So, how about it, Massively readers? What's the most you'd spend -- or have spent -- on an MMO pre-order program for a game or a franchise that you really love? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
MechWarrior Online reveals Project Phoenix pre-order program
If you're one of those peeps who loves pre-ordering video games, and you've got a soft spot for the MechWarrior IP, you'll probably want to look into MechWarrior Online's limited edition pre-launch Battlemechs. Project Phoenix offers fans "the chance to nab rare, beloved, and perk-wielding 'Mechs" at prices ranging from $20 to $80. Package purchasers will take delivery on October 15th, and Piranha Games says that the special edition rides with custom exteriors and camo schemes will never be available again following the completion of the pre-order sale. You learn more about all of the available 'Mechs on MWO's official website. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
Quickdraw added to MechWarrior Online's hangar
It can be hard to get close to someone. Especially in MechWarrior Online, where the people you want to get close to are riding walking battle tanks designed to vaporize you at long range. But the newly added Quickdraw is all about getting in close, at which point it can unleash the full might of its short-range missile launchers and medium lasers. Which is probably why people don't want to get close to one another in the first place, really. Fortunately for Quickdraw pilots, the machine is quick, jump-capable, and generally very able to get in close and unleash its payload. This new 'Mech is available in three variants alongside the new Champion Hunchback, and you can take a look at the precise loadouts in the patch notes. Or you can take a gander at the preview video for the machine embedded just past the cut. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
MechWarrior Online brings out the Firebrand
MechWarrior Online's latest update is burning up the charts (or really anything else it comes in contact with), as the game has introduced the Firebrand version of the JagerMech for players to try out. This new hero 'mech is all about dual weapons and long-range damage. It's also water-resistant -- or at least we assume from the video. This patch includes several other little odds and ends, including a World War 2-themed Sherman tank pattern for 'mechs that want to hunker down and pretend that they're a totally innocent hill. Players also have an even larger library of trial 'mechs to test, including the Spider, Hunchback, and Atlas. You can watch the Firebrand trailer after the jump!
MechWarrior Online introduces new map in which players can die painfully
MechWarrior Online's newest map, the Canyon Network, is riddled with slot canyons, steep drops, and high plateaus. As part of MWO's latest update, the Canyon Network is meant to provide a playground for snipers and strategic thinkers. The Blackjack has been named as the new Mech of the Month, with the Jenner donning the mantle of Champion Mech. As part of the content update, new cobra camo patterns and faction cockpit medallions have been added to the store. Skip below the cut to check out videos of the new Canyon Network and the Blackjack in action. [Source: MWO press release]
MechWarrior Online introduces the Misery with Update 15
Misery loves company, they say (look it up), but will people actually go seeking it? Piranha Games hopes players will, as it has introduced the Misery 85-ton 'mech into MechWarrior Online. The metal beast has an armament that includes plenty of lasers, a Gauss rifle, and an SRM-6 (again, look it up). The new update goes beyond the debut of the Misery. There are four additional trial 'mechs to test out, color customization for Hero 'mechs, and a crazy Buccaneer premium pattern. Read up on our preview of Update 15 and don't miss out on the video showing off the Misery in action after the jump!
MechWarrior Online devs talk Update 15, new UI, new mechs
Mechwarrior Online is about to hit its fifth month of open beta, with promises of a late summer launch. With that launch comes continued production, new content, plenty of bug fixes, and tweaks. With all of the new content -- said to be delivered on a regular schedule -- comes plenty of challenges for the developer team. We sat down with Piranha Games' creative director, Bryan Ekman, and president, Russ Bullock, to talk about how things have been going and where they're going in the future. Not only did we get the scoop on the next community-designed Mech to be released, but we also found out about new HUD improvements, aid for players who suffer from high ping, and much more. Click past the cut for all the details!
Look forward to MechWarrior Online updates through April
If you thought that April would bring an overhaul of MechWarrior Online that turned the game into a robust farming simulator... well, no. Why would you even think that? But it will bring a whole lot of other updates to the game as outlined in a new letter from the game's creative director, starting with improved team functionality and UI improvements. That goes along nicely with the addition of air strike and artillery consumables, allowing players (especially scouts) to bring down a little extra firepower in a match. The development team is also introducing a new class of special 'Mech, the Champions, which are custom configurations that sport a permanent 5% experience boost. That's in addition to improvements to the game's overall performance and more community events for MechWarrior Online players the world over. So that's a no on farming, but a yes on several improvements that should make your days of stomping around in an enormous walking tank more enjoyable.
PAX East 2013: Say hello to MechWarrior Online's new trailer
There's nothing quite like convention season for bringing out a bumper crop of new videos and trailers. Today we're bringing you MechWarrior Online's new PAX East 2013 trailer, which shows off some new gameplay and highlights the title's newest features and perks. MechWarrior Online went into open beta late in 2012 and has had six major content patches since then. New testing grounds, cockpit items and consumables, a whole passel of UI and user control updates, and new 'mechs and maps have been added to the game since the open beta launch. March will also see several in-game events going on, which folks are invited to sign up to enjoy. Skip below the cut to check out the newest trailer.
MechWarrior Online adds Jagermech, Tourmaline Desert map
MechWarrior Online's March patch has dropped, and with it came a few tons of new hardware and an inhospitable map with which to play around. The new 'Mech is the heavy Jagermech, a stout piece of machinery with impressive statistics. Whether or not you pick up the Jagermech, Piranha Games has added a ton of new options for all pilots, including gas pedals, better joystick controls, a new consumables system, and more cosmetics for the cockpit. The new map is the Tourmaline Desert, an arid map that's mostly rock, giant crystals, and abandoned BattleMechs. Heat management and possible sniper attacks are two of the biggest challenges that this map presents for players.
Mechwarrior Online has big plans for March
March is upon us! March has actually been upon us for a handful of days, but those days were lame. Now is the time of awesome days, and those days will be full of updates and new features for MechWarrior Online. Creative Director Bryan Ekman has laid out the team's plan for the coming month. Training grounds, an offline game mode that loads a player into a random map with eight enemy targets to test out their current 'Mech, will be made available. This game mode is "just the beginning" of an incoming wealth of training options. Consumables will extend the module system and will be available for C-Bill and MC purchase. A host of UI, user controls, and statistics-tracking improvements are coming in, as is Tourmaline Desert, MWO's largest map to date. The ability to acquire fuzzy dice for one's cockpit has been hinted at. You know what to do, soldiers.
MechWarrior opens up a big map and a medium 'Mech
In the destructive world of MechWarrior Online, every 'Mech has its niche. Some machines thrive on maps with tight corridors and small boundaries, allowing them to get up close and personal. Others live on the ability to reach out and touch their targets at extreme ranges, preferably with missiles. It's the latter type that will enjoy the game's newest map, Alpine Peaks, which is the largest map yet added to the game. As the zone is filled with snowy vistas and sniping points, close-range machines will fare poorly here, but anything with good ranged capacity will find a lot to love. Not coincidentally, the most recent update also adds a new 'Mech for pilots, the Trebuchet. Available in five variants, this 50-ton machine features twin LRM-15s in all but one variant, allowing players to pack quite a punch at range. It's the perfect sort of 'Mech for tromping around in a snowy environment and spreading damage over a large range, so we can imagine it'll see some use on the new map. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
MechWarrior Online shows off its pretty new baby
Would you call your multi-ton death machine a pretty baby? If you're playing MechWarrior Online you just might, especially since that's the name of the newest hero 'Mech introduced to the game. Considering the machine is loaded with an LRM 15, a PPC, two lasers, and a high top speed for a 80-ton 'Mech, we can see why you might coo affectionately that it's your pretty little darling yes it is. But maybe your existing 'Mech is already the apple of your eye. That's all right, there's still plenty to like in February. The team at Piranha Games is working on a UI overhaul for the MechLab to allow players a clearer picture of what happens when upgrades are slotted in. There's also the third phase of matchmaking, new patterns for decorating your machine of choice, and performance improvements for all computers. But if you're still excited at the thought of a pretty new machine to pilot, you can check out a trailer for the prettiest of all babies past the cut. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
Massively Interview: Piranha Games' Russ Bullock talks MechWarrior Online
Is there anything more fun than massive suits of mechanical armor smashing into one another and firing lasers all over the place? MechWarrior Online, the free-to-play MMO-like set in the MechWarrior universe and developed by Piranha Games, would argue that the answer to that question is pretty obvious. Piranha has just today announced the addition of a new Command Hero Mech, christened Death's Knell. The mech is tiny by MechWarrior standards, weighing in at only 25 tons, but it packs four powerful lasers on each arm and is quite fast to boot. Piranha also confirmed the addition of the familiar Bitching Betty startup sequence, which should give longtime MechWarrior fans a jolt of nostalgia straight through the eardrums. We sat down with Russ Bullock, president of Piranha Games, to talk mechs, MMOs, and the future of MechWarrior Online. Check out the full interview and a video of Death's Knell in action after the break.
MechWarrior Online creeps you out with the new Spider mech
OK, so MechWarrior Online's new Spider mech may not look particularly creepy in screenshots, but when you see it in action, you may have a flare up of the old arachnophobia. The Spider is "one of the most maneuverable and agile of the Light Mechs" complete with eight jumpjets and an unmatched turning radius. In addition to the new mech, Piranha Games and Infinite Game Publishing have announced the game's first double XP event running from Friday, January 18 at 10 a.m. PST until Monday, January 21 at 10 a.m. PST. Previous XP bonuses are stackable with this event, so gather together those Founder benefits and premium game time boosts to get the most out of the weekend. Also be sure to check out our MechWarrior Online gallery below, complete with five new screenshots of the Spider mech and two of the upcoming Commando Hero Mech known as Death's Knell, available on January 22.%Gallery-154551% [Source: Piranha Games press release]
MechWarrior delivers whopping update with twin dragon 'Mechs
Right in time for the holidays, Piranha Games has delivered a whopping gift for all of its players in the form of the year's largest content update for MechWarrior Online. Let's tick off the list, shall we? First up is the brand-new conquest mode, which allows players to capture and hold five different locations. Next is the addition of three new 'Mechs: the Twin Dragons and the Stalker Assault. Following that, players will enjoy an economy update, a bonus to currency acquisition for new players, a night map of River City, new ways to customize a 'Mech's look, and cool holiday items. Finally, the team's throwing in plenty of bug and performance fixes free of charge. If you give one of the new 'Mechs a try, definitely let us know how it handles! We've got the trailer for this update after the cut. [Source: Piranha Games' press release]
