I am working on MCO for nearly 3 years, maybe even longer.
Here is what I plan to do:
First of all MCO will have to be ported to newer, better engine.
1. Command Center Screen
- Campaign (contract) selection (campaigns can be one or more missions long).
- Mech modifications
- Mech and Component purchasing,
- Commanders email
- News
2. Field Command Center
When you select and commit to the contract there will be no Mech and Component purchasing and no modifications, only repairs.
2. In mission shop - mission designer can set a shop for mechs or components.
3. In mission dialog with options.
4. In mission Repair and Modification center, repair or modify mech in mission for a price...
If you capture repair facility from the enemy, you can repair for the same price as in your command center. Or you may take repair facility from locals, but they will become hostile and may deny some useful info...
5. Mechwarrior guild - hire mechwarriors in mission. Or maybe even local mercs with their mechs...
6. There will be no solo or campaign missions. All contracts will be campaigns with at least one mission and a date: month-year. Each campaign will appear in campaign selector 6 months before its date. Each mission in a campaign takes one month. If you dont select campaign before its date it will be removed (expired) from campaign selector.
7. If you select for example planetary assault campaign with 3 strategic points (3 missions). All will be accessible on planetary map. Player will have to take and defend all 3 strategic points in order to win that campaign. When you win one mission (map) it will be saved and you can revisit later if you want to talk to someone or visit a shop or repair facilities. Or the enemy may attack and you must go back to defend it...
8. Talking to locals in mission may reveal some info or locations of interest or additional (optional) missions on the planet (current contract or even on another planet).
9. Non linear grand story that will force you to some freelance missions to expand the plot. Plot related missions will have no expire date...
Unfortunately this is a big project and I cant do it alone and no one will work on MCO for free. I even hired two people on my own a few times to do some work. I have been approached by some people (over email and through forums) with suggestion to bring it to kickstarter to collect some funds if possible to bring this project to higher level. Although I am not sure about that because there is very little interest in Mech Commander these days.
I am not good in managing free project where most, if not all people who come and say they want to work, do nothing or very little more then talking. Wasted more then a year and a half of my time and energy managing "virtual" MCO team. Most of them did only talking and demands. Overall contribution of all "MCO team members" who came and went until I decided I had enough is less than 0.01% in the project with exception of Karl. Even Wolfman, who was our "enemy" at the beginning contributed much more to MCO.
What I do know is how to organize my time and how to manage paid team of professionals. Will have to hire 2 programers and 1 3d artist for the beginning. Job of those 2 programmers will be to port MCO engine to one of existing free engines, or update the engine to dx9 or later. Job for the artist will be to redesign all existing MC2 objects to a higher level - buildings and other things.
I am asking all of you, what do you think?
