This topic was triggered by the new rule we have for PACT III. The limitation on part use really made me think.
The root of most people being biped-centric in their designs, aside from trying to emulate the look of their favorite mecha, comes from the inherent advantages offered to them by the biped model, as well as the ease with which they can be used/piloted. I think this cuts across all the AC games so far (well, everything except AC4). With that said, one has to believe that when a player gets more and more acquainted with the game and finishes that early inclination to make mechs and pretend that they're Gundams of some sort, he or she will make smarter decisions as to what parts to use, as well as really develop a playstyle of his/her own. However, like all AC communities show, a large part of them still choose to use bipeds, and go with the prevalent style of play.
Even when compared against the backdrop of the jumping prowess of RJs and the stability offered by quads and tanks, a majority of players, myself included, patronize the biped legset and play with generic and pretty much overused weapons. Is it because they're just used to the basic design, and aren't willing to pilot anything else?
While that may have an effect, I think style balance has a part to play as well.
In the original ACs play was skewed heavily towards bipeds and RJs employing a certain amount of stun. Tanks didn't stand a chance, really, what with their turning speed and the presence of certain weapons called the Moonlight and the HG235, except for maybe a light tank equipped with one of the grenade launcher arms (forgot the name, or even if they were grenade launchers; basta the ones that shot out beams that exploded on impact). Not to mention generally claustrophobic areas to fight in.
AC2 tried changing the landscape, giving us more open arenas and giving RJs quick turning so you couldn't out-turn the little buggers while they shot you from the sky. With energy weapon arms. With the Limiter Released. HEAT HEAT HEAT OPD OPD OPD OMGMYAPISDOWNTO0.
AA gave you quite the same, although with a little more subtlely to it (which is why I constantly ramble on about it, it's my favorite out of them all).
3 and SL, well, speed was the weapon. Hit hard, hit fast. Equip the rifle on one hand, the sniper rifle on the other, and you were good to go. If you didn't want speed, maybe you wanted defense. Wow-defense-level-stacking is all I can say to that. >_>
NX and NB, which is where I really spent a lot of time relearning the game, had some heat in them, making you go for the coolest parts while striving to keep up your mobility so you wouldn't get hit, while at the same time packing a lot of heat yourself (literally).
EDIT: Forgot LR. Attack from range.
My question is, with every new game that comes out, is it already skewed towards an imbalance in different playstyles, statistically? Could you really use one AC with all the right ingredients and run over everything else with it? To a lesser extent, in the games where other legsets were brought up to a comparable level with bipeds, was there any real point to use them aside from aesthetics? Could AC really exist with just bipeds to play with, the question of variety notwithstanding? Am I asking too many questions?
Discuss.
Oh yeah, personally, I think every game as a whole is skewed, towards one style or another. I don't think From intentionally programs one game to skew this way or that way though. To me, it's just a case of the different numbers interacting. And maybe some incomplete game testing.
The root of most people being biped-centric in their designs, aside from trying to emulate the look of their favorite mecha, comes from the inherent advantages offered to them by the biped model, as well as the ease with which they can be used/piloted. I think this cuts across all the AC games so far (well, everything except AC4). With that said, one has to believe that when a player gets more and more acquainted with the game and finishes that early inclination to make mechs and pretend that they're Gundams of some sort, he or she will make smarter decisions as to what parts to use, as well as really develop a playstyle of his/her own. However, like all AC communities show, a large part of them still choose to use bipeds, and go with the prevalent style of play.
Even when compared against the backdrop of the jumping prowess of RJs and the stability offered by quads and tanks, a majority of players, myself included, patronize the biped legset and play with generic and pretty much overused weapons. Is it because they're just used to the basic design, and aren't willing to pilot anything else?
While that may have an effect, I think style balance has a part to play as well.
In the original ACs play was skewed heavily towards bipeds and RJs employing a certain amount of stun. Tanks didn't stand a chance, really, what with their turning speed and the presence of certain weapons called the Moonlight and the HG235, except for maybe a light tank equipped with one of the grenade launcher arms (forgot the name, or even if they were grenade launchers; basta the ones that shot out beams that exploded on impact). Not to mention generally claustrophobic areas to fight in.
AC2 tried changing the landscape, giving us more open arenas and giving RJs quick turning so you couldn't out-turn the little buggers while they shot you from the sky. With energy weapon arms. With the Limiter Released. HEAT HEAT HEAT OPD OPD OPD OMGMYAPISDOWNTO0.
AA gave you quite the same, although with a little more subtlely to it (which is why I constantly ramble on about it, it's my favorite out of them all).
3 and SL, well, speed was the weapon. Hit hard, hit fast. Equip the rifle on one hand, the sniper rifle on the other, and you were good to go. If you didn't want speed, maybe you wanted defense. Wow-defense-level-stacking is all I can say to that. >_>
NX and NB, which is where I really spent a lot of time relearning the game, had some heat in them, making you go for the coolest parts while striving to keep up your mobility so you wouldn't get hit, while at the same time packing a lot of heat yourself (literally).
EDIT: Forgot LR. Attack from range.
My question is, with every new game that comes out, is it already skewed towards an imbalance in different playstyles, statistically? Could you really use one AC with all the right ingredients and run over everything else with it? To a lesser extent, in the games where other legsets were brought up to a comparable level with bipeds, was there any real point to use them aside from aesthetics? Could AC really exist with just bipeds to play with, the question of variety notwithstanding? Am I asking too many questions?
Discuss.
Oh yeah, personally, I think every game as a whole is skewed, towards one style or another. I don't think From intentionally programs one game to skew this way or that way though. To me, it's just a case of the different numbers interacting. And maybe some incomplete game testing.
"Let's fight... like gentlemen." - Dudley, SF3
