Mech Combat School?

[Cowboy]

Many, many, many years ago I ran the House Steiner Blackjack School of Combat.  Looking at the needs of individuals who are looking for units to join, what kind of support would there be for a similar project if it was not tied to any House or Clan?  Basically, giving pilots the basic skills they will need to survive in the 31st century battlefield in each vehicle class, therefore making them more attractive to unit recruiters.  This should also help with the rather uncomfortable learning curve for new players, and will help indoctrinate them into the culture.

Just my thoughts, what are yours?

[Frostiken]

Basically, the Irregulars from Tactical Gamer.

It's basically a 'clan' for people who don't have the absurd time dedications some clans require, or the inevitable drama that pops up. They're just as good as most unit players and understand the teamwork and game concepts enough to really be in any clan. Basically something like 60% of the MWLL players would fit in here.


I'm game.

[=KoS= Tripod]

I'm cool with Frosty's idea

[Cowboy]

Not quite what I was thinking, Frosty.  I was thinking more of answering the several posts in the Recruitment threads from folks wanting to join a unit but wanting to get some training in the game first.  Mech School would essentially just be a short training period that would teach basic piloting, weapons use, and tactics before letting them loose in the big wide world.  Think of the Sakhara Academy without House affiliation, churning out Mechwarriors who are no longer "green".

[-AAA-]

I really quite like this idea, as it serves as an entry point into the community as well as a way to improve your skills without having to dredge through the inevitable cheese-fest that public server rounds eventually degrade into at this point.  I'd even volunteer as an "instructor" of sorts, and I'm sure there are plenty of other vets willing to do the same.  I think we'd see much better new player retention with something like this.

[~SJ~ Atlessa]

I'd even volunteer as an "instructor" of sorts

Count me in... 

I could also play the "training drone" 

[Frostiken]

Well I don't think I explained the Irregulars good enough.

Basically, the average Joe Pubber is not going to have any interest in your school. That's just how it works. It takes a certain attitude and dedication to the game to want to persue schooling. Irregulars has no impact on the schooling, but it's more like a trap of sorts - you find the people who are motivated (and maybe don't know anything about a school), you lure them in the fence, and slam the gate behind them

Okay, not quite that diabolical, but people are going to learn more and stick with something the more vested an interest they have in it. Average Joe Pubber would quit this game randomly out of the blue and forget about it forever. A good player who is able to find good teamplay opportunities will stick with a game longer than just a good player who's stuck on trashy pubs. Toss in a community as well, you got them. Irregulars snags up everyone from untagged members of this forum to new players who are expressing interest.

You do have to put a bit of a filter on it via basic applications to stop it from getting uncontrollably huge (and acting more like one of those MMO guilds that just invites everyone, and nobody knows each other), but the idea is the same - a 'casual' clan. The end result is you end up with a pool of players who work together a lot, develop skills together, and thus you achieve your original goal - you have a prime stock of clan-ready recruits.

Not knocking the school idea, I like it, but school works a lot better with a classroom, you know? That's what the Irregulars are.

Short version:  Mech School are just lessons - Irregulars is the MWLL Sibko. I wouldn't call them 'Irregulars' though because that's kind of TG's "thing". Sibko doesn't roll off the tongue really well and implies youth. So I'm stuck on that. Bedtime though.... maybe something will come to me.

[SquareSphere }12thVR{]

I like the school idea and should come in handy for the wars influx of new players.  Now how many of these people post on here, who knows.  count me in as volunteer drone as well :3

[=KoS= Tripod]

Few name ideas:

The Loungers
Those Guys
The Sorta Clan
Once in a Whiles

They suck, but better than nothing. My bedtime too, so maybe someone else will have better luck...

[xInVicTuSx]

Making a half ass clan is not the point, this is not some random FPS that TG plays.
The school should be a neutral body that will train anyone who asks (to a certain point).
That means more BTU units running around with good people, in fact, graduation could include signing opportunities with a unit or clan.
Plus clan and IS instructors could have some school rivalry.

Could be a SLDF academy or some such, something IS and Clan can both relate to.

[Focusboy]

Im game... Once 0.4.0 comes out im itching to play before i deploy... oh and off topic here but (TLL)-AAA your avatar makes me smile so hard it gets stuck... Just saying

[(TLL)Sky_walker]

Very nice idea If it comes to life and you'll need some promotion - poke me, I can organize something

[MerfMerf]

Sounds like a good idea.
Would need some work on how to schedule things. One set recurring time could end up with half-assed sessions. Not so fun for an instructor to dedicate time to something and no one shows up. Neither would it be fun to be a participant and it ends up with just you and the instructor. Sort of limits what one can do.

I would definitely be down for helping out though if needed.
Just drop a PM. Could be the perfect way of getting some fun out of MWLL during this slow down in activity.

/Merf - Approves of anything that could increase the skill levels on the servers.

[PapaFade]

I like the idea. I'd be happy to support the concept any way I can. All I can offer at the moment is a dedicated board on the TDS forum for announcements of training dates and Q and A's etc. Once the server is up I'd also be happy to offer locked server sessions.

[Cygma]

Great idea, especially considering that some things in MWLL are hard to try out without coordination

I'd help out too if this comes to life.