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View Full Version : MechAssault 2 -> Massively Multiplayer Online Mech Game



Circ
10-18-2004, 03:31 PM
Wow (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/556/556969p1.html). =P~




Conquest utilizes all of the different multiplayer games and places
them into the context of a persistent battle for domination of the
galaxy. There are five warring houses and each house can have a large
pool of members so that Conquest is overflowing with players eager for
a match. It begins with a map showing several dozen planets all ripe
for the taking by any of the houses. You'll be able to see which
planets your house controls and any adjacent planet can be attacked.
That's where the battles take place with any available members of your
house (up to six on each side) taking members from the opposing house
in different game types to see who will rule the planet.


Each planet on the map has a specific game type and rules
associated with it, so that conquering the entire map will require your
house to be adept at a variety of game types. One planet will be
decided by a Team Destruction match, the winner of the match earning
the planet. Another may be a Battle Armor only Capture the Flag
contest. As planets are taken, the server updates real-time data,
letting you know the outcome of every battle in case you are away from
Xbox Live for a few days.



Since your house will have a large number of overall players,
you will almost always have enough players online to start a game
against another team. While waiting for a game to start, you can cruise
the 3D online lobby, talk to other players and use different emoticons
to wave hello to someone or tell them to talk to the hand 'cause the
mech pilot ain't listening. All of the characters from the
single-player game are available as avatars, which basically means
you'll have several choices for the skin of your character.




<!--start image table --><!--end image table -->Conquest puts some context to multiplayer games.
They are, essentially, the same games you could play outside of
Conquest, but each battle now matters. In the span of fifteen minutes,
you could lose a planet and momentum. It will also, hopefully,
encourage players to get online to play MA 2 as much as possible to maintain defense of their planets.




The map will constantly be in flux as will houses, as players can join
Conquest or even switch house affiliation at any time. Should you
decide to switch houses, all of your stats will be wiped. This is good
for great players who want to help the underdog team, but it could
backfire in terms of game balance with a weak house having its players
quickly jump to the house with the majority of planets. We'll have to
wait and see how it plays out online, but Day 1 will be watching and
can adjust the number of planets on a map, game types used, and
possibly the ability to switch houses if it's abused.



Being part of a house should not be confused with being part of
a clan (which should never be confused with being part of The Klan). MechAssault 2
makes full use of Live 3.0 and you can set up your own clans of up to
99 friends, which your own emblems and clan name. While your clan can
choose to enter the same house and fight together, you can also use
your clan to easily find friends for regular multiplayer games.




Jesus H Christ in a chicken basket.

Wyvern13
10-18-2004, 03:45 PM
Wow! Sounds complicated. And cool...

Anonymous
10-18-2004, 03:46 PM
To qoute Keanu Reaves: "Woah".



When is this thing commin' out?!? :smt007

Circ
10-18-2004, 03:48 PM
It ships December 28, 2004 (use the Xmas gift certs to buy the game).

Anonymous
10-18-2004, 03:51 PM
I was reading that article, and it sounds awesome and ... addictive!!!
The next two months.. I hope I will get some sleep :smt015

vicious696
10-18-2004, 03:54 PM
nice find and it comes out the end of the year as the Halo 2 hype will be winding down

ZenReaper
10-18-2004, 03:59 PM
:smt007 Ooooohhhh! I can't wait. We can have battles for the AGE galaxy. Sweet.

soul embrace
10-18-2004, 05:15 PM
also if you capture a lot of planets you can lose those planets
even if you are not playing. as in you can't capture 25 planets and
then don't play for 2 months and then start playing and expecting to
have all your planets

Jurassic MG
10-19-2004, 05:42 AM
also if you capture a lot of planets you can lose those planets even if you are not playing. as in you can't capture 25 planets and then don't play for 2 months and then start playing and expecting to have all your planets


Dear God! Just what I need. Stress in my gaming life too. #-o

MetalSiren
10-19-2004, 05:55 AM
Sounds Great... just like what used to happen in WWII Online for the PC. We would take a control point and then during the night when we were not playing someone would come along and "capp" our control point....



I love it..... its like the battle is always going on.

Anonymous
10-19-2004, 06:52 AM
Oh, God... Might as well tell my wife to start seeing other people... #-o

OLEerror
10-19-2004, 09:27 AM
Hold on.... 5 houses... 6 players per house... Will this thing support 30 players in a game? :smt103

Gennataos
10-19-2004, 09:38 AM
That sounds pretty damn cool. Can't wait to jack my first mech!

SymChris
10-19-2004, 10:47 PM
I've played MechAssault for all of about 1 minute... I think I should give it another shot :-k

Circ
10-26-2004, 04:42 PM
TeamXbox has a write up (http://previews.teamxbox.com/xbox/898/MechAssault-2-Lone-Wolf/p1) on what they call "arguably the best Live game mode ever."




The key thing to understand is that Conquest mode is a persistent game
mode; a living galaxy in which you can jump in and out of battles are
your leisure. But there obviously a few ground rules that need to be
laid down before all these battles take place.





Conquest: The Rules




As intense as the Conquest mode can be, there are still a few
rules that apply to ensure a semblance of order. Here are a few of the
general rules pertaining to Conquest:
<ul>
Your House can only attack a planet if you won two planets that are
linked to the target planet with trade routes (marked by the lines on
the Galaxy Map).


To destroy a planet’s defenses and take it over, a House must win several games on the planet.



Each victory gains the winning House a point on the planet.



Each planet has a minimum number of Planet Points that a House must gain before the planet is conquered.



If the defending House reaches the point total first, all point values are reset and the attackers must try again.



If an attacking House reaches the point total first, the planet changes hands and all point totals are reset.

[/list]

Being that points are specific to each planet, control can change hands
several times. Again, each planet also has a specific game type (Base
War, Snatch It!, CTF, etc.) which means that the members of a House
will need to be well rounded Mech Warriors. Also, game types require a
set number of players, so don’t expect to jump into a Base War match
when everyone is asleep and score an easy victory.





Here's a screenshot of the planet map...



http://media.teamxbox.com/games/ss/819/1098829809.jpg



And a shot of other stuff I don't understand (yet!)...



http://media.teamxbox.com/games/ss/819/1098829807.jpg



must... stop... the .. drooling....

OLEerror
10-26-2004, 07:00 PM
Damnit! I was hoping to be able to pass this game up. One more "must have" game. I'll have to quit my job to be able to have enough time for all of them.



Strangely, I'm kinda mixed on that.

Wolfrat
10-26-2004, 07:13 PM
Jesus H Christ in a chicken basket.



You forgot to attribute this quote to Neil Armstrong. :smt005

My brother Wyvern and I saw this game at GameOnNY and it looked great.

Anonymous
10-26-2004, 07:22 PM
Damnit! I was hoping to be able to pass this
game up. One more "must have" game. I'll have to quit my
job to be able to have enough time for all of them.



damn... I agree completely OLE. I hadn't planned on purchasing this at least not right away. But now.... :-k