MechWarrior Online Interview

The folks at MMORPG.com had the opportunity to chat up Piranha Games’ Russ Bullock, and as you might have guessed, the interview questions all revolve around their forthcoming free-to-play MMO, MechWarrior Online. A pair to start you off:

MMORPG: How can players work with their pilots? Are there ways to spec pilots for different styles of game play?

Russ Bullock: In MechWarrior Online we have a concept of Role Warfare. Unlike past MechWarrior games, it won’t become an arms race where only the largest and heaviest Mechs will be effective on the battlefield. Scout Mechs and every other size and class will be effective on the battlefield through match making as well as abilities and roles those Mechs bring to the battle. All of this is further supported by the concept of spending pilot points in a way that compliments the play style you want to support on the battlefield. In summary, if you want to become the best scout pilot possible you will spend your time playing scout Mechs, earning and spending experience points (XP) on those chassis and spending your pilot skill points in a manner to support that further.

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MMORPG: What different options do you allow on a Mech Warrior suit for players? Are there lots of customizations?

Russ Bullock: In MWO we have a full-featured Mech Lab experience. Players can change their weapon load outs, armor amounts, engine sizes, etc. MechWarrior is a balancing act where players find just the right combination that suits him/her best.