BattleTech! MechWarrior!

[thunderfoot]

New MechWarrior game by Smith&Tinker. Which was founded by Jordan Weisman. He is one of the original members of FASA and also one of the creators of BattleTech. Game dev is Piranha Games. Release date: TBA.

If the game is even half close to what we see in this trailer, I will cheerfully spend any amount of cash for a new PC which will run this with everything turned on to the max. 'Nuff chatter. Go watch the vid. Best 2:56 of 2010 for me so far. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJZnejcp-qoWarhammer and Atlas FTW!

:Y

 

[CABAL]

:YI'm gonna need a more powerful PC. :drools on keyboard: And a nw kyboard.

 

[Starfox1701]

I belive this may be a reboot as there was a Stalker in there too and the Stiner flag looked 4th War too me. No mater I will so be there.

 

[Terra_Inc]

AWESOME!

Whenever that game is released, I will get it ASAP.

 

[Terra_Inc]

BTW, there's some news for the MW4Mercs players. The new patch .0024 will soon be released. Lots of new features in there, including a new 'mech: the Battle Cobra. Check mektek for more information about the upcoming patch.

 

[dinosaurJR]

The new Mechwarrior game sounds awesome, sadly my internet at work doesn't allow for streaming media - so I havent had a chance to watch the vid - but I will...

As for MW4Mercs - I am SO downloading that!!

I also recently, while ferreting around at the back of my 42" LCD TV found a handy vga socket...

Also, next weekend, my other (and better) half is taking a girls trip to Stockholm...

Im thinking of a weekend marathon of MW4 in 42" surround sound is in the offing...

God - Im excited...

 

[thunderfoot]

Mercs on a 42" screen? With surround sound? Gawd! Where do I sign up?

 

[Amateur]

Party at Dino's

Like the look of the new Mechwarrior, that's another game I'm waiting for now...

 

[thunderfoot]

Amateur, I'll bring the seafood. You bring the beer.

I was overjoyed to see the 3015 date on the trailer. Nice to see House Kurita as the enemy instead of the endless overwrought, emo soul searching of the Fed-Com Civil War. Migawd! Is this BattleTech or Twilight? I like the Clans, really. but when they came out, everything seemed to revolve around them and everything else was kicked to the curb rather ruthlessly. Kinda nice to see an Atlas which does not have ER weapons or special missiles or any of the usual things people "improve" it with. This 'Mech design was heavily influenced and supported by General of the Star League Army Aleksandr Kenrenskii himself. It is supposed to be a regimental commander's unit. From the trailer, I can surmise it has the AS-7K weapons loadout which means it is lethal at all ranges and has very few weaknesses other than its very slow movement speed and torso twist. The Warhammer shown is a first run unit which was developed by House Kurita. This is a throughly nasty piece of work. If the PPC shots had all hit and impacted the Atlas at the same spot, the engagement would have had a very different outcome.

The in-cockpit views also seem to conform more to the game materials and descriptions in the novels as well. I was particularly pleased when I saw the Warhammer pilot look to his left and then the 'Mech turned that way as well. Looked like the aiming reticule has been freed from the viewpoint once more. Hallelujah!

 

[Terra_Inc]

I was overjoyed to see the 3015 date on the trailer. Nice to see House Kurita as the enemy instead of the endless overwrought, emo soul searching of the Fed-Com Civil War.

To be honest, I didn't like the whole idea of the FedCom Civil War. I mean, okay, having two of the most powerful Successor States battling each other is an interesting setting. Especially if those two States were both more or less on the "good side" before (although good and bad are pretty much mixed in the BT universe). People have to choose sides and show their true colours.
What I didn't like is the idea of having the Lyran Alliance (the nation formerly known as Commonwealth) fight against the Federated Suns. I mean, everyone knows that the Federated Suns are pretty much anglo-american based, while the Lyrans are based on the Germans and parts of Western Europe. I'm not sure what the inventors of the FedCom Civil War thought about it, but when playing the games (MW4 and MC2) I really felt like the Civil War was a cheap excuse for having a WWII-like setting. Katherine Steiner-Davion's thirst for power aside, the Lyrans were mostly depicted as TEH EBIL. And that is something American game and movie producers are far too fond of: Having heroic Americans battle evil Germans. It was even in Enterprise ("Storm Front" - ****piest episode ever). TF would say, is this BattleTech or Call of Duty? What do you think about it?

I like the Clans, really. but when they came out, everything seemed to revolve around them and everything else was kicked to the curb rather ruthlessly. Kinda nice to see an Atlas which does not have ER weapons or special missiles or any of the usual things people "improve" it with.

I know what you're talking about. MW players think "Okay, clan weapon: more powerful than IS weapon. So, I'll take clan weapons." The whole idea of clan tech being more advanced than IS tech but far more rare, expensive and heat-producing got lost somewhere on the way. Especially because of the way MW4 multi-player evolved - up to the horrible practice of jump sniping (or "pop-tarting").

Looked like the aiming reticule has been freed from the viewpoint once more. Hallelujah!

I wonder, how will they manage this? If they simply add it on top of MW4's control structure, it will be pretty hard to manage. The gamer will have to control 'mech movement, torso movement AND reticule movement. That is pretty hard to do with mouse & keyboard.

 

[thunderfoot]

To be honest, I didn't like the whole idea of the FedCom Civil War. I mean, okay, having two of the most powerful Successor States battling each other is an interesting setting. Especially if those two States were both more or less on the "good side" before (although good and bad are pretty much mixed in the BT universe). People have to choose sides and show their true colours.
What I didn't like is the idea of having the Lyran Alliance (the nation formerly known as Commonwealth) fight against the Federated Suns. I mean, everyone knows that the Federated Suns are pretty much anglo-american based, while the Lyrans are based on the Germans and parts of Western Europe. I'm not sure what the inventors of the FedCom Civil War thought about it, but when playing the games (MW4 and MC2) I really felt like the Civil War was a cheap excuse for having a WWII-like setting. Katherine Steiner-Davion's thirst for power aside, the Lyrans were mostly depicted as TEH EBIL. And that is something American game and movie producers are far too fond of: Having heroic Americans battle evil Germans. It was even in Enterprise ("Storm Front" - ****piest episode ever). TF would say, is this BattleTech or Call of Duty? What do you think about it?

I know exactly what you are speaking of here, Terra. The whole WWII derivative thing gets old pretty fast. The problem is in our oh-so-very-politically correct society on this side of the Atlantic, it is very hard to find someone who is not instantly offended by whomever or whatever a game dev or film maker does or makes. As an example, the Jar Jar Binks character in Star Wars. There was real outrage over his(?) language and bearing. It got really ridiculous years ago. The game devs and film makers walk a very thin line most days because tolerance for anything which may be viewed as demeaning is near zero. Right along with everyone's sense of humor. And there are attorneys who make a very good living off of people over here who wear their feelings on their sleeves.

I know what you're talking about. MW players think "Okay, clan weapon: more powerful than IS weapon. So, I'll take clan weapons." The whole idea of Clan tech being more advanced than IS tech but far more rare, expensive and heat-producing got lost somewhere on the way. Especially because of the way MW4 multi-player evolved - up to the horrible practice of jump sniping (or "pop-tarting").

I like Pop Tarts. Especially the part where they stop moving upward and begin descent. There is a .45 second window where they are motionless and it has a randomness to it so it never occurs at the right moment. Further, weapons in the arms and torso are always pointed downwards here so they must be significantly moved to be quickly placed accurately on a target. Unless this is practiced regularly, it is very difficult. All I can say about Pop Tarts is this, "PULL!"

As to the rarity of Clan weapons, since everyone knew they were better, everyone wanted them and the game devs acquiesced to this. Clan weapons with their extended ranges and improved firing times should be far rarer than they are. On the order of about a tenth as much as they are now. There are some mods out there which fix this but on the whole not very well. In TT BattleTech, mounting Clan weapons on IS 'Mechs is much more involved and costs a great deal more. Then there is the problem of power and control interfaces between the weapon and the 'Mech. I am afraid we'll have to live with this for now. Most casual gamers want the best weapons so they probably will not purchase a game(and disrespect said game at every public opportunity) where the very best weapons make up about 1% of the available loadouts.

I wonder, how will they manage this? If they simply add it on top of MW4's control structure, it will be pretty hard to manage. The gamer will have to control 'mech movement, torso movement AND reticule movement. That is pretty hard to do with mouse & keyboard.

Indeed it is. MechWarrior 3 had the option for disconnecting the aiming reticule from the forward center view. MW3 also suggested a joystick and keyboard rather than a mouse and keyboard. I preferred this beause it is more 'canon' to the BT universe. (Migawd! He used the 'c' word! lol) Any good quality joystick which has a coolie hat on it should be able to do this handily. For people who prefer mouse and keyboard, I would suggest using a mouse pad with a grid on it. The mouse is actually much more precise because it a has a totally free range of movement, so it is more adaptable but it will be far easier to overcontrol. I grew up when every PC game was joystick/keyboard, so this is as natural to me as mouse/keyboard is to most others. Just takes a lot of practice with either to get the results you want. The nice thing about disconnecting the reticule from the forward view is it will expand the firing arc of all my weapons. it also gets rid of the 'tunnel vision' effect. Rookie MechWarriors normally get a bad case of target fixation in combat. They almost never see the 'Mech which kills them until it is far too late. If your head is not on a swivel and at the end of the match your neck isn't sore, you're doing it all wrong. Fighter pilots and tankers both have a saying, "He who sees, wins." I am delighted to see this return to the PC MechWarrior universe. Which is why I got so very excited about what seems to be such a minor thing. I suppose there will be a way to lock the reticule to a forward center viewpoint. But I cannot help but think people who will fight this way are really missing out on something.

 

[CABAL]

I personally think that the Clan weapons should have more significant drawbacks. The IS and Clan PPC's are, in my opinion, a good example of what the differences between the tech types should be like. The Clan version has range and damage boosted but the longer time between shots and the drastic increase in heat output means which one is better is up to your personal style.

For controls, I like to use a joystick and mouse, but my stick is having calibration issues at the moment. I put throttle, turn, and target selection on the stick with look up/down, torso twist, and weapons on the mouse (I don't use jump jets). If the reticle will be separate from the torso controls I may need to change the set up, though. It could also be that the torso will follow the reticle once it moves near the edge of the screen. I think that would work without over complicating the controls.

 

[thunderfoot]

Might need to get a new set up for this one. Looks like a Sai Tek X52 Flight Controller(proof once again of the iconic power of some numbers) might fit the bill nicely. One of the things we trained really hard on the M1A1 was what we used to call 'switchology'. Namely, knowing where every single control toggle or button was and how to move/use them correctly without looking away from or disturbing the sight picture. This looks to be similar. Looks like all that hard work will pay off some here.

I like the fact the Warhammer launched a scout drone. If the information war is to be part of the battlefield in the new game, I am all for it! You should have to scout and guess and do all those other things to find the enemy. I'd like to see more of the collateral damage side of things incorporated into the game as well. One of the tenets of the BattleTech universe are the Ares Accords. This is a series of treaties signed by and adhered to by all of the Great Houses. These pretty much state combatants will do what is reasonable to prevent unnecessary damage or casualties. In the novels and TT game reference materials, people who ignore these suffer some very severe penalties and consequences. I cannot remember which novel but there is one where Houses Kurita and Steiner called a truce long enough to hunt down a merc unit hired by Steiner which had blasted a Kuritan hospital to very small pieces. This is also something I hope to see in the new game.

The reason for this is the BattleTech universe is in a declining state. There are automated factories which churn out weapons and such. But no one knows how to repair the factories. Worse, no one has a clue how to get the factories to make something different. The Star League era is looked upon as the good old days when people could make new stuff. ComStar is busy collecting up all the knowledge and information it can and destroying any technology or information it does not have under direct control. I have a mental image of someone returning to base after a routine patrol, dismounting from his Shadow Hawk and riding a horse to debriefing because no one knows how to repair the numerous jeeps and staff cars which are all sitting around rusting.

I hope they keep is the tempo and pacing shown in the trailer. I saw some comments posted by others on the trailer at other sites besides this one who seemed to want the action sped up. Why? Real combat does not occur at the speed of thought. Real warriors do not move as quickly as people seem to do in the virtual world. One of the other things we trained for was when to move quickly and when to slow down and take an eye blink or two to sort things out. Sometimes, you can easily defang people who are so intent on running wide open, they rush right by and center their rear torso armor neatly in the reticule. On second thought, who am I to encourage others not to run? Y'All go right on ahead and race about all Y'all want to. I'll just be over there. All set in my spider hole, waiting on Y'all, rofl.

 

[Starfox1701]

Agreed Faster pace would just be wrong. Mechs need time to cool down.

I personally think that the Clan weapons should have more significant drawbacks

Why. Clan tech to IS tech is like comparing a Shermin's tank gun to a M1 Abrams gun. There is not suppose to be a drawback. The clan gun is newer and more advaced equipment. It should be superior in every way. The balance is in the cost and culture.

 

[Terra_Inc]

If the reticle will be separate from the torso controls I may need to change the set up, though. It could also be that the torso will follow the reticle once it moves near the edge of the screen. I think that would work without over complicating the controls.

They did it like that in AT1. Another fine BT game from mektek, one that I can't play because it's more MW2-like. Which confuses me as someone who is used to the MW4 control structure. I'll have to puzzle it out some day.

 

[thunderfoot]

From the personal journal of Leftenant Erik "Stryker" Masters.

Okay, here's how it goes around here. Corvatti mines the crystals. Corvatti then refines them into whatever it is people use them for. Both the raw crystals and the processed ones are valuable to someone for some reason. The pirates figured this out and are hard at work trying to grab as much as they can as fast as they can. Corvatti is far too cheap to put up a proper sat net and this is too big a rock to find and hot drop onto the biggest concentration of pirates without one. The magnetic fields which screw up the sensor suites so badly are also the reason the crystals grow bigger here than anywhere else. On this rock, "long range sensors" means a pair of Eyeball, Mk 1s behind the biggest set of binoculars one can find. The pirates are out there somewhere hidden by all that terrain and static on the radars and lidars. So this means we pull as much time scouting as we do anything else.

Corvatti has a few aerospace assets here, but these are valuable and expensive. Therefore, they cannot be used for important things like hunting down the people trying to put them out of business. Corvatti also wants us to minimize our contact with the miners and refinery personnel as well. The last bunch of mercs were billeted at the sites they were assigned to protect. This worked out great until someone let slip how much the Mechwarriors were getting paid. The miners were a little upset and there were some hard feelings between the groups. A few fights as well. Miners think they're the toughest sons a guns in the Inner Sphere. So do mercs. I guess somebody had to find out who the real alpha dogs were around here. It didn't get to the point where someone went to the hospital with broken bones, I think. It also wasn't too far from this either. We've finally gotten Corvatti to accept their vehicles are safer in escorted convoys moving from one secure location to the the next rather than all over the place, when and as they please. There is some grumbling about lost productivity from the managers but the miners themselves are being cooperative. Probably comes from the fact they get paid the same rate waiting as they do working. And with a convoy system there will always be waiting.

The Old Man was in Tac Ops tonight when I reported for O group. After Major Kelly published the op and as I was double checking the graphics, he came up and told me I'd be getting the next replacement to fill out my lance. Good news, actually. Running one man short makes it kinda hard to place everyone correctly and it means somebody is always over worked just a tad. Plays hell with the schedule, too. I don't mind running a little short on sleep. Comes with the officer's tabs. But it surely will be nice to have the opportunity to catch up on some. Replacements come in all flavors and sizes. Even if the lance gets a bad one it is better than not having one at all. A bad newbie can be swapped out with someone from another lance. Bad in this case doesn't mean he is a screwup. It means he doesn't fit the team perfectly. Lances are teams. Teams win fights, not single Mechwarriors.

Speaking of situations, Mandrill, Major Kelly, says we may be starting to narrow down the area where the pirates are, thanks to Hammer lance. Hammer reported contact with a group of pirate AFVs during their last patrol. From what Alan said in the Mess, the bad guys were running a counter recon screen instead of hunting for miners with crystals. Hammer was at the far end of their patrol loop and well away from any support. Alan wanted to engage, but thought it better at the time to observe and report. Good man, Hammer is. A scout's most dangerous weapon is not his lasers, it is his radio. A lot of people forget they are the Old Man's eyes and ears when they are scouting. Sure they'll pop the bad guys. And popping the bad guys is what we get the Big Money for. But watching what the bad guys are doing and then telling someone else about it is probably more important. A battlemech battalion with a slice of supporting units is myopic and brutal at the same time. Can't see past the end of it's own LRM range. On the battlefield, he who sees, wins. It really is that simple.

Hammer also reported the pirate tanks seems to be in poor condition. This could be a deception, but I don't think so. Unless someone over on the other side is a real pain in the arse about it, I think very little maintenance gets done on their equipment. No one has seen any pirate 'Mechs yet, but there has to be some. Please God don't let them be Clan. Clan 'Mechs are dangerous for a lot of reasons. Better weapons with better ranges is just the tip of the iceberg. Some warriors who've never faced the Clans in combat just freeze up or stop thinking when they see one of those ****able Omnis for the first time. People riding a Clan 'mech just know they're in the hottest ride on the battlefield. This tends to make them do things regular Mechwarriors do not. Like wade into the enemy fearlessly. Do far more damage than is needed to win the fight. Refuse to withdraw when they've lost. Shoot people in the back after the fight is over. There are lots of reasons the pirates having Clan 'mechs is bad.

I'm kinda of two minds about this, though. Part of me does not want to fight any harder than needed to run the pirates off this worthless rock. Don't get me wrong, I'll do whatever the Old Man needs to make the Legion come out on top here. The other part of me really wants to face Clan 'mechs. To take all that vaunted superiority, shine it up real nice, and then jam it sideways where the sun don't shine. I enjoy nothing better than showing everyone else Clanners and their 'mechs are not the be all and end all on the battlefield, The Clans owe me one Lance Sergeant. And as long as one of them is still alive, the bill has not been paid in full yet.

 

[CABAL]

Why. Clan tech to IS tech is like comparing a Shermin's tank gun to a M1 Abrams gun. There is not suppose to be a drawback. The clan gun is newer and more advaced equipment. It should be superior in every way. The balance is in the cost and culture.

I just mean with how easy Clan tech is to find in MW4 it makes IS tech almost irrelevant. If they had more drawbacks or if they were harder to find it would balance it out. Another possibility would be if the Clans excelled in one weapon type while the IS excelled in a different weapon type, such as missiles for one and lasers for the other.

I guess what I'm saying is that Clan tech is OP for it's cost and rarity relative to IS tech.

 

[thunderfoot]

There is some attempt at balance. I've noticed the IS weapons in MW4 usually recycle about 1 second faster than the equivalent Clan weapon. They also generate a lot less heat. They should run a little cooler since they're not trying to reach as far. Few people consider the effects fire control systems or training have on weapon ranges. In either Real Life or when gaming. Most people assume because a weapon can reach out to "X" metres, it will always be used at this range.

During World War II, Russian T-34s mounted a 76.2mm main gun. This was used on the A, B, and C models. This was and still is a very effective tank weapon when employed properly. Its range was actually superior of the German 75mm/L48 which the PzIVg and PzIVh models mounted. However, Russian crews were not given enough gunnery training to effectively kill targets out to this range. Further, until the C model, the tank commander was also the gunner which meant he had too many things to think about at once. Russian fire control optics of the time were poorly made and overly complicated to use as well. Not quite as complicated as the German system, but then German tanks had someone whose only job was to aim and fire the gun. The net result of this was Russian tank crews seldom hit anything beyond about 450-550 metres without expending a lot of rounds. They were okay with this since the 76.2mm gun had the same penetration capabilities as the German 88mm/L36 at ranges of 500 metres or less. They also had a lot more tanks than the Germans most days. Russian armour tactics of the time were centered on mass fires on a target, mass movement, and closing the range as quickly as possible. They were playing to their strengths.

In MW4 I have seldom seen anyone playing online who did not close to around 500 metres or so before engaging. Except for Pop Tart snipers riding Gladiatiors. And unless these displace to an alternate firing position after every shot, every enemy 'mech on the map will smother any place the Pop Tart might be hiding with an Alpha Strike. Probably won't hit him, but the thought of him possibly getting hit is usually enough to keep his head down behind cover or concealment. If he is defensive, then he is reacting to my tempo and pacing. And in this case, it matters not at all his weapons reach a paltry 200 or so metres further than mine. I like to brawl. The only way to ensure I hit an enemy 'mech is to place him all the way across the cockpit viewscreen. At 500 metres or less with IS energy weapons, I am doing more damage per minute, than a Clanner can. Because my Large Lasers recycle faster than his ER Large Lasers do. And I'll be able to sustain fire longer than he can because my weapons generate less heat. IS weapons are not inferior to Clan weapons in any respects other than weight and range. And if the guy drivin' that Black Knight around trains hard and knows his weapons, the poor Clanners don't stand a chance.

 

[thunderfoot]

Seem to be in a fanfic frame of mind today. Almost like the story is telling itself.

From the personal journal of Leftenant Erik "Stryker" Masters.

The op went okay overall, I think. Ben and Izzy went after those Swiftwinds like a starving dog goes after fresh meat. Fine by me. Meant I got to keep the tanks all to myself. Only two of 'em anyway, not enough to share. Alan was right about the pirates' maintenance procedures and policies. One of the tanks never even tried to fire his main gun. Just kept popping missiles every time he thought he was in range. The other one wasn't moving right. Seemed to have a problem keeping up with his lancemates. Then I gave him a bigger problem. Me. A Wolfhound may not be the baddest walker on the battlefield. But with a large laser and three medium pulsers to back it up, it is a long sight better than a crawler. Why'd anyone want to ride in one of those tin cans is beyond me anyway. Some people, eh?

So Stryker Lance was all here, engaging the enemy with derring do and having a grand time of it. Then one of the tanks found a couple of Inferno missiles he had forgotten about. Ben began screaming bloody murder over the comm. I pivoted, and saw his Raven was awash in flames. That took all the fun out of it for me. No cockpit breach, thank goodness, but not for lack of trying on the Bad People's part. Not really enough atmosphere on this planetoid to be able to go outside without wearing some sort of suit. And the primary puts off enough UV rads you can sometimes feel it prickling your skin when you walk by a window which isn't tuned properly.

Nobody gets into me for a lancemate. Not anymore. Not ever again. And I felt the familiar tide of cold anger rise up from the Valley of Shadows to sweep me along like a boat in a hurricane. This is the part of me I am just a little bit afraid of. The part that likes what's going to happen next. The part that gets a little sad and is upset when there are no more enemies to left to shoot. This is the me I want to be all the time yet every time it is over I never want to be again. Here we go. I became the darkest shadow in the Valley. God help them. Because I cannot.

The missile firer went first. Caught him in the right track and spun him around. My next shot with all three pulsers hit near the main fuel tank. The armour breached and all those megajoules of energy instantly flared the remaining diesel into a white hot fireball. The target had CASE, so most of the blast vented away from the crew compartment. But still, who enjoys being inside a steel box which has just been kicked in by a giant? One of the Swiftwinds circled behind me and opened up with a machine gun. Trying to cover his mates. So I pivoted and shot him with the large while keeping the hatches on my first target covered with the pulsers. The large took the top of the Swiftwind's crew compartment off and fried everything inside. Target down.

The hatches on my first target opened and the pulsers seemed to fire all by themselves. They died a whole lot faster and cleaner than what they had tried to give Ben. Izzy and Ben were moving up fast to rejoin and the comm was abuzz with something that sounded like, "Ell Tee! Nooo!". But who listens at a time like this? Still enemies to kill and if I didn't hurry, Ben and Izzy were going to take my share. Greedy, that's what they are. One Swiftwind and one tank left. Blew the tires off the scout with the pulsers and cored the engine compartment on the tank with the large. Nice shot, too. Moving away at speed with a rapidly increasing range and a large deflection angle. Not everyone could make a shot like that. I can. Anytime I want to. Sometimes it seems so easy.

Used the pulsers to strip everything off the hulls of both vehicles. Boxes. Antennas. Water cans. Survival gear. Probably spalled some of the armour off the inside, too. No one in either wreck seemed to be in a big hurry to dismount. Which is kinda odd because I know it had to be blistering hot inside. It was hot inside the Wolfhound as well. The large and the pulsers draw a lot of current off the fusion pile. The coolant vest kicked in and sent a shiver down my neck. Well, this is awkward. The Bad People had stopped shooting, but hadn't tried to give up yet. So I turned on the PA speaker and keyed the mic.

"Attention, scum. This is the Black Legion. Open the hatches and come out one at a time. Do it slowly or join your buddies. Pick one, and I don't care which one, either. Those Inferno rounds your dearly departed comrades used have really ****ed me off today. Let's go. I don't have all day to waste."

The shadows are my armour and my friend. Because they whispered into the back of my mind, I saw the belly hatch open on the tank and just knew something that long and bulky had to be a shoulder fired something or other. Stupid. Especially since if he timed it better, we would have been distracted by his buddies waving at us from the top of the vehicles while we did a quick head count. There were five of them all together. Before I opened up with the pulsers again. The hero and the last two out. The pulsers just about parted the hair of the first two.

"Stryker, this is is Lead. Form up on me and prep to romeo tango bravo. Weapons are hold status. Sitrep, over."
"Lead, Two. That Inferno burned through some controls. Left leg is lagging a little every now and then. Request we keep road march speed under four zero kay pee aitch."
"Any other problems, Two?"
"Negative, Lead. I should be able to move if I have to, I just don't want to lock up out here. The wrenches would never let me live it down."
"Lead, Three. Three is redcon one. Confirm weapons hold. I'll take point if you'll ride drag and cover Two."
"Roger Three. Move, Stryker."
"Lead, This is Two. What about them? Over."
"What about them, Two? You wanna give 'em a ride back to their place or what?"
"It's just...I mean. Aren't we gonna do anything for them?"
"Two, this is Lead. I did do something for them. I gave them their lives back. What they do with them from here on out is their business. Not mine. The Old Man pays me to shoot at the Bad People, not run some sort of halfway house. Lead, out."

It was really quiet all the way back to base. Other than routine comms, I left Izzy and Ben to their thoughts and hoped they would return the courtesy. Fortunately, they did. So now Stryker Lance has "seen the elephant". And maybe something else they shouldn't have.

 

[dinosaurJR]

Wow - you have a real talent for fiction TF.

This thread is getting me really interested in MW (MW4, the new MW and the whole universe as a whole)

also - I tested the vga socket to my tv - it was a success!! Stock A2 in 42" really shows up the blemishes on those 9 year old models...

I was wondering though - Is MW2 fully moddable? In so far that if the fancy took me, I could bash together my own Mech design and install it into the game...?? Assuming that I had the correct plug ins in my modeling software??

 

[thunderfoot]

Don't know about MW2. Never played it. Yes, Virginia, there really is a MW2. It too was called Mercenaries and was state of the art for its time. Long out of print, it had a couple of expansion packs as well.

MC2 is moddable. MC2 'mechs average about 275 - 350 polygons apiece. They are built in sections and the sections are animated individually and then combined. The file format for the models is something called '.ase'. I suspect it is something made up just for the game and has been converted from other more well known model formats. The biggest problem seems to be putting the models together correctly. There are more than a few added "Mechs which are severely pigeon toed and have little detail to them. I am unsure about MW4's models, although the game must be moddable as well, considering all the things people over at the MekTek site have done to the game over the years.

 

[dinosaurJR]

Hmmmmm - curiouser and curiouser...

I must check this out - I always get a kick out of seeing my models rendered in game - no matter the game or the subject matter...

(as of now, I think I have mod teams using my models in Sins of A Solar Empire, Freelancer, A1 and A2...)

Plus I always wanted to learn how to animate... A2 just never gave the scope for it really... plus the MS3Dexporter cant handle it, and I'll be blowed if Im gonna hand out hundreds of USDs on 3d Max, just so I can export animated models into A2...

 

[Starfox1701]

ASE stands for Ascii Scene Export. Its is used for MC2 as well as unreal and probably for some of the other mech games too. I cant speak for all mech games but I have learned some about moding MC2. The main hold up to braod moding of this game is that there are limits to the max amount of stuff you can put into the game and and major changes like adidng weapons or mechs you have to recompile the game and you need to be able to code some things in C+ and C++. Also most thing are defined in multiple system files and there is no master list telling where or what those files are.

 

[thunderfoot]

From the personal journal of Leftenant Erik "Stryker" Masters.

Yesterday was a little unpleasant at first. At morning formation, Ben and Izzy were desperately trying to cover their uncertain feelings about what went on the day before. The uncertainty comes from the fact they are unsure whether or not they approve of my actions during the engagement. I do know the rumor mill wasted no time at all in telling the rest of the Legion all about Leftenant Master's actions. Major Brodie, the XO, seemed quietly pleased during the AAR brief. Comes from being a fringe world citizen, I suppose. Grew up hiding from pirates and raiders and he rather likes it when they get paid back.

As for me, I am uncertain how I feel about what went on. Bulldog was the first time it occurred. It never seems to happen during training or in the simulators. But during combat, the first time I get really angry or frightened, it is like a whole other me comes to the fore. This version of me never makes a mistake. Well, once it did. But only once and later on I spent some time with the head docs trying to get rid of the nightmares and other stuff. What they told me worked, mostly. I can go for months at a time sleeping normally without the slightest hint of the nightmares. But something always happens to bring them back. I've learned to live with them and work around them and just slog through them when they occur. But they are still ****ed unpleasant. The MechWarrior heroes in the holovids blast enemies by the score and lose at least one lancemate or friend per episode. But the 'vids never show them suffering from the stress of unpleasant memories. Probably why I've never been able to watch the things. Never mind the fact no one in their right mind would bunch up a lance that way in combat. Or how often their enemies miss them from point blank range.

Mandrill gave me a surprise chewing out about my conduct. Major Kelly seems to think it will make the pirates fight harder and be less prone to concerns about collateral damage to the miners. She's also worried every single pirate on this rock is now itching to mount my scalp on their 'Mech. Bull. The pirates have done far worse to the miners for too long. 'Bout time they ran into someone who understands ruthless better than they do. They're thieves and liars who are pretending to be warriors. All I did was go all in. Sooner or later the price will be more than they want to pay. They are fierce indeed when the opponent has no chance of fighting back. And now they know exactly how helpless those opponents feel. I've never liked bullies.

In the Mess, Alan came over to my table and asked if he could join me. Pierre was with him. Pierre used to run Badger Lance. Well, he did until some hotshot Sholagar jockey misjudged his closing speed on a bombing run. Knocked Badger's 'Mech flat when the fighter impacted. Then his ammo cooked off. The feedback through Pierre's neurohelmet did some permanent brain damage. Nothing serious or life threatening, mind you. But just enough to permanently down check him as a MechWarrior. When he's not thinking about it, Pierre's hands have a slight twitch which is uncontrollable. So now he's Major Kelly's assistant. Deputy S3 for the Black Legion sounds impressive as a job title. Everyone likes him and he's got a huge collection of really awful jokes. But he ain't one of the gang any more, so he gets treated different. If Alan hadn't brought him over, he never would have come by himself.

Alan and Pierre wanted to point out to me despite the official reaction to my patrol, Corvatti and the Old Man were pretty happy with how I handled things. Corvatti Corp wasn't happy enough to give me a bonus check or anything like that. Nonetheless I was now on their radar as someone who gets things done. Colonel Lawhorn seemed to be thinking of me as someone who needed another opportunity to excel as well. Great. Just what I need. Now I have to work on doing some things to convince the Old Man I was happy being an ordinary line dog. Line dogs live longer than people who draw special assignments. All that "Special Ops" stuff is dangerous and usually performed well out of range of any support. It means doing things where hand to hand combat and sneaking around behind enemy lines are a regular part of the workday. My idea of hand to hand combat is having both hands in close contact with the controls of a 'Mech. Preferably an assault class which mounts maximum armour and at least two B.F.G.s. Being some kind of hero guarantees getting shot and sent home in a very small box.

Alan and Pierre wanted chat about somebody over in Gamma Company maybe locating where the pirates were storing their Oh Two and water supplies. If they can't breathe and are thirsty all the time then they can't fight. Pop the stores and maybe the pirates leave without any more fuss. Always a good idea to deny the Bad People supplies. Badger had a big ol' grin on his face when he mentioned the Old Man was planning on 'sending a message' to the pirates. Then he asked if I could keep a secret. I told him, "No.", and he laughed. He said the Old Man was thinking about putting me on the team which got this tasking. Said the Old Man was thinking I had the right size backbone and stuff. Oh darn. I really need to start working harder on being the underachiever I always wanted to be.

Who am I kidding here? One of the reasons I always seem to draw these sort of assignments is I never learned how to underachieve. I see something like this and I just have to make sure it gets done right. And the only way I know to make sure it gets done right is to do it myself and closely supervise anyone helping me. Izzy is always complaining about my talent for micro managing the lance. Sure, I ride her and Ben pretty hard about details sometimes more than I should. But as long as she's around after the op to moan about it, I'll keep doing it. I dislike having anyone else clean up after me.

 

[dinosaurJR]

Well - I took the plunge, D/L'd and now am the proud owner of a Black Knight with twin PPCs and a brace of Medium Lasers... all IS tech, or course -
I AM a member of the Northwind Highanders, you know... (what else could I possibly be??)

At the moment, Claymore Company (My Company) are fighting off Capellan aggressors on the planet Styx... Great fun!!

 

[Terra_Inc]

Well - I took the plunge, D/L'd and now am the proud owner of a Black Knight with twin PPCs and a brace of Medium Lasers... all IS tech, or course -
I AM a member of the Northwind Highanders, you know... (what else could I possibly be??)

At the moment, Claymore Company (My Company) are fighting off Capellan aggressors on the planet Styx... Great fun!!

Kewel, that's one of the good planets. But the best is yet to come. When you're done on Styk, you can play the Mech Works Defense missions. When you're a Davion supporter, you'll be supporting Kallon Industries... when you play the Steiner path, you'll be working for Defiance Industries. Either way, you'll see some hot prototype 'mechs.

Oh, and the other merc sponsor choices are great as well. For example, if you choose Wolf's Dragoons, you can start with clan tech. Or, the Kell Hounds are kewel just because they are kewel. Of course, there's also the GDL, which will grant you early access to LosTech. They're all great!

 

[dinosaurJR]

Yeah - its an awesome game alright!!

My favorite mission so far is the Guard Duty mission on Styk, you have to go it alone vs three enemy mechs to defend the Delegation (its a Hellspawn, an Osiris and a Raven) What a brawl!! Crushing cars, collapsing buildings.. great fun... I even caught the Raven full in the face at point blank with linked PPCs... knocked it flat on its back... BOOM!!! (it DID get back up though...)

 

[Terra_Inc]

Yeah - its an awesome game alright!!

My favorite mission so far is the Guard Duty mission on Styk, you have to go it alone vs three enemy mechs to defend the Delegation (its a Hellspawn, an Osiris and a Raven) What a brawl!! Crushing cars, collapsing buildings.. great fun... I even caught the Raven full in the face at point blank with linked PPCs... knocked it flat on its back... BOOM!!! (it DID get back up though...)

Don't forget the Argus' and the TONS of light armor the Capellans throw at you. But yeah, that map is fun.

 

[dinosaurJR]

So, what are the chances of hooking up for some multi player carnage this weekend?

Any takers?

Does MW4 even HAVE Multi player??

How does it all work?

What is the point of the Flea Mech anyways...?

Who borked my Xbox...?

Why so many questions...?

Answers on a postcard please...

 

[Terra_Inc]

Well, since you asked for one...

[POSTCARD]

So, what are the chances of hooking up for some multi player carnage this weekend?

Haven't played online yet, but there are always a few running dedis out there, open to everyone who wants to play.

Any takers?

I wouldn't mind. Weekends aren't fun without bloody mechanical killing rampages.

Does MW4 even HAVE Multi player??

It does.

How does it all work?

The MekMatch system consists of five servers, each one is set up for one or two continents so that the people can find players from their timezones more easily. AFAIK there is one for Europe, one for America, one for (I think) Asia and so on. But as stated above, I haven't played yet so I don't exactly know. I'll have to ask over at mektek.

What is the point of the Flea Mech anyways...?

Having a point is not the point of the Flea. It's fast, it's light and it's easy to kill. Can't imagine why one would want to pilot one.

Who borked my Xbox...?

Bill Gates.

Why so many questions...?

Those who don't ask won't get an answer.

[/POSTCARD]