Warhammer 40k MMO balance issues?

[Testosticore]

We've all heard about the MMO in development based on the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and I think it would be fair to say that alot of people are excited about it. Me especially, being the Ork-Pajamas-Wearing-Fanboy that I am. But I fear the worse when the topic of Race Balance comes up.

If youre familiar with the universe, you know that Space Marines are genetically perfected war machines that wear armor that can take more damage than most tanks and weapons that fire miniature missles. Their reflexes are honed to such an extreme, that their accuracy is matched only by that of the eldar. You also know that Orks get so excited about punching things, that they often forget they even HAVE a gun, much less know how to fire it in a straight line. Even then, one on one, a space marine can take down an ork without even trying [unless its a Nob or something].

All I'm saying is that one of two things have to be brutally murdered for the sake of the game. Either the Canon is being stoned to death [in the biblical sense, you high-ons] and all of the races will be more or less equal for the sake of the game [but you give the finger to the fanbase], or balance will be crucified in the sense that Space Marines will be beat the snot out of most orks [but then people will only play as the most overpowered race, and then no ones having fun anymore].

What are your opinions, you extravagant beasts?

 

[Yokai]

They made it pretty clear you can't be a Space Marine from the get go, and if you play as the Imperium you start out as a regular human. Of course, it still fucks with the fluff if you can become a Space Marine at age 35 or whatever, but it's better than nerfing the hell out of them, I guess.

Orks are perfectly designed for leveling up, as they get physically bigger and stronger the longer they live. They start out only slightly stronger than the average human, and higher-level ones will doubtless be great hulking nobs.

There's going to be a very delicate balance between story and gameplay in the MMO, and I'm really hoping they don't screw it up.

 

[Testosticore]

They made it pretty clear you can't be a Space Marine from the get go, and if you play as the Imperium you start out as a regular human.

Woah, I mustve missed that bit. Thanks for the update.
Anyhow, youre telling me that space marines, the poster boys for the entirety of Warhammer 40k, are unplayable?
Wait, what about in the Trailer where they show space marines trudging around blowing shit up? Have I been LIED TO?!?

 

[Doom-Slayer]

I wonder if I can go from Imperial guardsman to Space marine to Grey Knight...if I can then this will probably be the first MMO I ever play. But seriously, they are going to have to tone things waaaaaaaaaaaay down.

 

[Testosticore]

I wonder if I can go from Imperial guardsman to Space marine to Grey Knight...if I can then this will probably be the first MMO I ever play. But seriously, they are going to have to tone things waaaaaaaaaaaay down.

This would be my first MMO aswell. I had a brief romance with WoW but that was just one night in paris... I mean a free trial that I quickly got bored with. So here's to third person shooter MMOs!

 

[Stoike]

I'm hoping that they make it fair without nerfing the space marines, because if one gets nerfed they all will be nerfed in some way screwing the canon so hard it won't be able to sit still unless say as a spacey you get 1(one) of you and as an Ork you get like 12(twelve) with the rest Bots obeying your orders

 

[teebeeohh]

what could solve balance issues is if everyone who is not a space marine will become an officer and have a bunch of NPCs with them at all times. This would make IG be a viable option, sure i am just one man but at the click of a button my 20 guardsman bodyguards will their pewpew destruction on your ass.

 

[Zorak the Mantis]

I think if they make Space Marines playable they should have it so that you start out as an initiate, then progress through the ranks (scout, battle brother, veteran, etc.) Also Space Marine players would probably have to be greatly outnumbered in most PvP scenarios for it to work properly.

 

[Mirror Cage]

If the other races are really that weak then how has the Imperium not destroyed everyone already? There must be some weakness in the astartes that the other races can exploit. The fact that they frequently don't wear helmets would be my guess.

Anyway, my guess is that they will have some similar advancement for the other races:

Given: Imp. Guard >> Space Marine

Then:
Chaos: Heretic >> Chaos Marine
Ork: Choppa Boy (or something) >> Nob
Eldar: Whatever-the-heck-they-call-their-infantry >> Exarch
Tyrannid: Thermagaunt >> Warrior Brood
Necron: (Im not familiar with the necron units, forgive me)
Tau: Fire Warrior >> Battlesuit Pilot
You get the idea.

I wonder if the canon expressly states that the other races are that inferior or if we just assume that the space marines are so much more powerful because they're the ones that the canon tends to focus on...

 

[Gather]

There will be balance (At the expense of the story). Betting the 40k MMO will get the "Non-Canon" seal of approval like Warhammer Online from the writers upstairs.

 

[Testosticore]

If the other races are really that weak then how has the Imperium not destroyed everyone already? There must be some weakness in the astartes that the other races can exploit. The fact that they frequently don't wear helmets would be my guess.

snip

I wonder if the canon expressly states that the other races are that inferior or if we just assume that the space marines are so much more powerful because they're the ones that the canon tends to focus on...

Space Marines ARE better, the downside is that they CANT make any more of the gene seed. There will never be any more space marines than there are right now. The other races have the benifet of numbers and, basically, not much else. Eldar can pierce the armor, orks usually have power weapons if they get serious enough that space marines have to take care of them, gaurdsmen could make a 1 in a million shot that nicks them in the neck or whatever. The point is, as long as the other side can keep reproducing troops, they will always have the advantage in the long run.

 

[Neverhoodian]

If the other races are really that weak then how has the Imperium not destroyed everyone already? There must be some weakness in the astartes that the other races can exploit. The fact that they frequently don't wear helmets would be my guess.

It's quite simple, really: Space Marines are anything but expendable.

There are only around 1,000 Space Marine chapters, each of which only has 1,000 Marines (assuming it's at peak strength). That's only 1 million Space Marines against quadrillions upon quadrillions of enemies. Moreover, it's hard to replace Space Marines lost in battle, as it takes years of brutal training and risky surgical augmentation. Only the best of human stock is selected for the process (they have to be in their teens for their body to accept the implanted organs and chemical injections), and even then the vast majority of them die before they can become full Marines.

It is the far more expendable Imperial Guard that shoulders the brunt of the fighting. Often conscripted and equipped with ineffective flak armor and lasguns, your typical Guardsman's life expectancy is often measured in hours.

I wonder if the canon expressly states that the other races are that inferior or if we just assume that the space marines are so much more powerful because they're the ones that the canon tends to focus on...

Opinions vary on the matter. Some take the stories at face value, while others view it as exaggerations for propaganda purposes (nearly all accounts are told from the Imperium's perspective, after all). Regardless, it's still the general consensus that Space Marines are capable of feats far beyond that of a normal human.

Personally I'm more concerned about the factions in the game. An early press release stated that allegiances would be split down two ways, Order and Destruction. This caused my inner 40k fanboy to rage, as alliances between factions is nearly unheard of. Yes the Imperium has joined forces with the Eldar and Tau on occasion to fight a common enemy, but once that's taken care of they go right back to slaughtering each other.

 

[Testosticore]

Personally I'm more concerned about the factions in the game. An early press release stated that allegiances would be split down two ways, Order and Destruction. This caused my inner 40k fanboy to rage, as alliances between factions is nearly unheard of. Yes the Imperium has joined forces with the Eldar and Tau on occasion to fight a common enemy, but once that's taken care of they go right back to slaughtering each other.

Can't deviate too far from the WoW formula, I guess.

 

[reidrokz]

They have stated that order and destruction will fight amongst each other on a small scale. (I hope they go through with that statement)

About balance: The old republic had a good idea of sticking true to the fluff of jedis and what not while having non force users compete. A jedi starts the game as a novice and the troopers, smugglers, bounty hunters and agents start out as elites.

So a space marine would start out as a scout before specializing (Apothecary-Healer,Techmarine-Support,Devastator-Range DPS etc.) An imperial guard would start out as a veteran and an ork would be a young nob.

This does make pvp a little funny though as armies of elite crack soldiers go at each other with no light infantry supporting them.

even though no classes have been released, what would you guys want to play?

(Apothecary btw)

 

[Testosticore]

Ork Kommando all the way, baby. We'z da sneakiest!

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

Adeptus Arbites Stormtrooper would be cool, albeit unlikely. Kicking ass and taking names among the heretic scum.

 

[Sir Boss]

Yes, balance issues could be quite major, certain races would have to be nerfed to hell (Necron) and others buffed up (Orks)

Unless, all players play as middle>>high tier units surrounded by a bunch of bot low tier units respective to the power of the player. Tyranid players perhaps play as warriors always surrounded by Gaunts and Rippers, whereas the Adeptas Asartes/Sororitas would be one player with maybe two bots as followers.

 

[Lt_Bromhead]

Anybody else thinking that Space Marine might be playable like the Death Knights of WoW?

Start at level 50 (or whatver) straight off, but you've already had to level another character to 55 before they're unlocked.

This makes some form of sense to me. Though why you can't just do what everyone else has said and start out as a Space Marine scout is beyond me... :/
Though it might be to do wiht the fact that SM scouts can still capably kick the snot out of most other race's basic troops...



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