MechWarrior Online Patch Notes - 1.4.88 - 15-NOV-2016
Greetings MechWarriors,
The Linebacker has arrived, and is now en-route to the MechBays of eligible MechWarriors. At a top speed of 97.2 KPH the Linebacker outpaces all other Clan Heavies currently fielded by the Clan forces in MWO, and is even capable of keeping pace against lighter Clan 'Mechs such as the Stormcrow. Decently armored and boasting two high-mounted hardpoints, the Linebacker is likewise capable of utilizing a decent variety of potential Loadouts.
Since the release of Clan Wave 1, Hero variants for each of those Wave 1 Clan 'Mechs have been a common request, and we hope you'll enjoy the eight brand new Clan Hero 'Mechs being released in this patch. These Hero 'Mechs were designed with a focus toward offering new Loadout options for these classic Clan OmniMechs, and we expect them to be a formidable addition to the Clan arsenal. We look forward to see what you can do with them!
An array of Weapon and Equipment balance changes are arriving in this patch, brought over from or informed by the various Energy Draw PTS sessions. These Patch Notes include a rundown on all of these changes, with design notes where necessary. Energy Draw itself is currently on-hold however, and may be re-approached in the new year.
This patch also includes Quirk adjustments for a total of two Inner Sphere 'Mechs and ten Clan 'Mechs.
This patch features the release of 99 new decals, comprised of another set of the usual lore-related Decals, but additionally includes a few new Symbol, Signage, and Word Decals. We're also going a step further in this patch with the release of much-requested alphanumeric Decals (a-z, 0-9). Support hasn't seen a significant impact on in-game moderation since the release of Decals, and we're hoping the introduction of numbers and letters will allow for more personalized customization of 'Mechs, with a (hopefully) minimal amount of abuse.
It's worth pointing out that Support can audit player Decal placements, and will take action as needed for things that cross the line.
In this patch all variants of the Banshee, Kintaro, Locust, Orion, and Shadow Hawk 'Mechs now have full Pattern support. The Art team continue to work on Pattern retrofits, so keep an eye out for more retrofits in future patches.
In the October patch notes we called that month out as fairly light in the grand picture, and November is much the same in that regard. Behind the scenes however we continue to work on a few 'banner' features planned for release either in December or in the coming months.
We know everyone is eager to hear what these items are in further detail, but Mech_Con is almost here, and with it will come much more detail about what's in store for December and the new year.
Some of these in-development items, such as the Skill Tree revamp, the latest update to Faction Play, the Assault Game Mode revamp, and the brand new Quick Play Game Mode have been touched on briefly in previous posts and Town Halls, but there's much more to come in the way of details and surprises.
In the meantime, read on for all the details of this November patch, and we'll see you on the battlefield!
- The MechWarrior Team