379 replies to this topic

[Spokes]

I don't know.

In theory, the sudden influx in new traffic might attract some new writers. In practice, the MWO forum isn't exactly a high traffic area these days.

Taking advantage of the merge would require a serious effort to build and maintain a directory thread. While it could be done, given the state of things I'm not sure I can muster enough "give a damn". I need to think about it.

[Sparks Murphey]

The tag system should help that, but we need to be proactive in tagging our threads so we can find them.

Speaking of which, Rogue: tag this as fan fiction! You have the power!

[RogueSpear]

Done. Additionally, Vodka made a thread with a list and short description of the RPs. If we can scrounge it up, that'd be a good head start on making a new one.

[NautilusCommand]

I've been lurking for a long time with the RP threads, just wished there was a RP thing that was going on over TS rather than just writing. Either way I have no say in this matter, it's just a thought.

Edited by NautilusCommand, 18 April 2014 - 06:38 PM.

[RogueSpear]

It's been suggested a couple times, unfortunately we all write from different time zones. Finding a time we can all get on has proved almost impossible on a weekly basis.

[Sparks Murphey]

NautilusCommand, on 18 April 2014 - 06:38 PM, said:

I've been lurking for a long time with the RP threads, just wished there was a RP thing that was going on over TS rather than just writing. Either way I have no say in this matter, it's just a thought.

A few of us have given it a shot over Skype before, but the differing timezones really plays havoc with finding a time to get all the players together at once.

[NautilusCommand]

Sparks Murphey, on 18 April 2014 - 07:09 PM, said:

A few of us have given it a shot over Skype before, but the differing timezones really plays havoc with finding a time to get all the players together at once.

I thought as much, but hey I'm willing to give it a shot I'm a stupid teen with too much time on my hands.

[Thom Frankfurt]

Or we can just bite the bullet and deal with..this?

[Listless Nomad]

Bumped for visibility's sake. This is dumb.

[Sparks Murphey]

Listless Nomad, on 23 April 2014 - 08:05 PM, said:

Bumped for visibility's sake. This is dumb.

Click the "Fiction" tag at the top, and it reappears. Or this link: http://mwomercs.com/...arch_app=forums

[Thom Frankfurt]

Thank you for that useful tidbit of information, Sparky.

[The Shepherd]

I'm going to pre-empt the action a bit and start writing Cees' thoughts and actions pre-battle. I need to feed my cra-I-mean-writing addiction

[Spokes]

We had a brief discussion about the sim pods tonight on Skype. . .I'm reposting the excerpt here so everyone can see it and chime in.


[8:55:39 PM] Spokes: And actually, I did have a question vis-a-vis the sim pods.

[8:56:55 PM] Spokes: There was something in the description about them being open from above, to facilitate training and feedback from observers? How does that work with simulated heat build up? Should we have our characters putting on their piloting gear (cooling vests, etc) or is that not an issue?

[8:58:28 PM] Gammadin: What era simpod are you working with?
[8:58:38 PM] Gammadin: Starleague? Sec war? 3050? Clantech?

[8:59:15 PM] Spokes: They're aboard a jumpship Gamma, so presumably some concessions have been made.

[8:59:18 PM] RogueSpear: They're 3050ish

[8:59:46 PM] Gammadin: have they been retrograded?
[8:59:52 PM] RogueSpear: Retrograded?
[8:59:53 PM] Gammadin: Or like a "stock" 3050 unit
[9:00:02 PM] Gammadin: Retro Tech upgrade
[9:00:03 PM] Gammadin: losttech
[9:00:06 PM] Gammadin: retrograde
[9:00:17 PM] Spokes: I, also, don't really understand what you mean.
[9:01:10 PM] Gammadin: Losttech upgrades are refered to as retrogrades, using "ancient" (star league) tech to get a better working piece of equipment
[9:01:30 PM] Gammadin: Specifically in the book Imminent Crisis you get a retrofit simpod

[9:02:37 PM] RogueSpear: My mental concept for these was essentially your standard arcade racing game kind of setup. Computer + screen in front of you with all your controls, your chair in front of it. Obviously mech controls extend above the screen and to the flanks, but from the rear sides and directly rear and above, you can see the pilot's screen

[9:03:01 PM] RogueSpear: For heat, hot air is simply blown from fans at the pilot and the seat heats up
[9:03:35 PM] RogueSpear: Fans being embedded to the side of the seat, under the rudders, and flanking the headrest

[9:04:09 PM] Spokes: We probably don't need the cooling vests and such then.
[9:04:31 PM] Gammadin: http://cdn.ubergizmo...m-simulator.jpg
[9:04:37 PM] Spokes: That would keep the pods from having to provide coolant hookups too.
[9:07:24 PM] Gammadin: https://www.google.c...52F%3B300%3B168

Of you wanna use the real 90's pods thats what they looked like

[9:08:38 PM] Gammadin: also every single firestorm pod
[9:08:41 PM] RogueSpear: The gundam pods are near perfect. If you guys want to use proper pods like the second link, those would make more sense. I did mention vidscreens showing the action as well, I think
[9:08:48 PM] Gammadin: smelled like vomit
[9:09:09 PM] Spokes: Ha! True to life then.
[9:09:47 PM] Spokes: It would make more sense to me for the pods to be enclosed.
[9:10:04 PM] Gammadin: In the books any military grade pod is fully enclosed
[9:10:10 PM] Spokes: Yeah
[9:10:16 PM] Gammadin: what features they have depends on era made
[9:10:24 PM] Gammadin: Star League ones might as well be "real"
[9:11:41 PM] Spokes: http://www.robotviki...09/06/mech3.jpg
[9:12:08 PM] Gammadin: The only place still operating them in the IS is WAM and Sanglamore. the next closest are the "high quality" 3050+ models that have all the things you'd expect and are described to looking just like the Firestorm pods, but with gull wing doors
[9:12:49 PM] Spokes: Wolf's Dragoons have a pretty slick set up as well.
[9:13:09 PM] Gammadin: Yeah they have the clan ones which i think are better than the star league ones
[9:13:26 PM] Gammadin: but I can't remember them ever getting a ton of description
[9:13:34 PM] Spokes: I need to go back and reread the description of the pods in the actual thread.
[9:13:46 PM] Spokes: If I can find the actual thread.
[9:15:12 PM] RogueSpear: http://mwomercs.com/...18#entry2361718
[9:16:49 PM] Spokes: Gratzi

[9:16:57 PM] Spokes:

Conor pointed at the high ceiling, beginning to guide the gaggle of bewildered mechwarriors onto the maze of gantries that made up the room. “We knocked out the two decks above and below. . .

. . .“Then we built up the sim pods. They’re raised off the ground now, which makes it easier to get in at the units themselves for programming and maintenance.” He said, leading them down a grill staircase running parallel to the nearest station. It held four pods in a cross, on a grill platform. Underneath could clearly be seen the guts and workings of the pods, the gyroscopes, server banks and hordes of cables. A short staircase ran up to each face of the square for ease of access. Surrounding them was a nest of gantries and catwalks bristling with benches, desks and armchairs. “Threw in the gantries when we started hiring the place out as a training center. Let’s us camp a mentor anywhere they want to be so they can see exactly what their student is seeing, watch their actions in the cockpit, whatever. Proved to be pretty popular.” He turned to grin back at the Terrors. “And all the seating lets the rest of us pop by to watch and bet. Watch careful lads, you’ll have an audience by the time yer match starts.”

“There’s three groups of three of these things, in lanes. We divide them up by company. Then all the way up there,” He pointed through the maze to a glass walled tower. “We’ve got another eight machines rigged up to monitor and interfere with the scenarios. So if we really want to surprise some poor b*stard, there’s no warning to be given. No gantries over the booth, so can’t see their screens and you can’t see another set of pods suddenly get occupied.”

He pivoted to walk backwards up a ramp, bridging onto a long sim deck. It’s three crosses were evenly spaced out a half dozen metres or so from each other in a long line. A few technicians tinkered with the guts of the pods and another couple lingered around on some of the benches hovering over the station. “Now these pods have just about every single mech configuration to roll out a factory anywhere in the ‘Sphere before 3058 and most of the ones after that. Even got a decent selection of clan mechs to choose from. They’ve also got every personal config we’ve ever put in, but I’ve locked those out so ye’re all on the same foot. Wouldn’t be fair to have the Angels roll up in their favourite toys at you, would it? Just choose what you want from the library and get used to the controls.”

[9:19:24 PM] Spokes: So. . .the picture I have in my head is a + shaped, metal catwalk with a pod in each corner. Each pod is below the catwalk, and you have to step down into it.

[9:19:25 PM] Listless Nomad.: seems to me like they are enclosed
[9:19:29 PM] Listless Nomad.: but have CCTV
[9:19:58 PM] Spokes: Either that, or they have some kind of clear canopy that closes off the top of the pod.
[9:20:37 PM] Spokes: Maybe a one way canopy so people outside can see in, but the pilot cannot see out?

[9:21:29 PM] RogueSpear: Hmm.
[9:21:58 PM] RogueSpear: Standard clear canopy
[9:22:44 PM] Spokes: k
[9:23:18 PM] Spokes: Can the pods rotate on their own? If a pilot falls over, what happens?
[9:25:03 PM] Spokes: I don't think it would be too much of a stretch to have the pods able to pitch and roll 90 degrees within the frame of the catwalk.
[9:25:55 PM] RogueSpear: The pod itself only rotates to 60, but the suite inside can be rotated to any angle

[9:27:12 PM] RogueSpear: Keep brainstorming and I'll review and approve ASAP

[9:29:49 PM] Listless Nomad.: I think it'd be funny to have shep not in the battle
[9:30:01 PM] Listless Nomad.: and just glaring disapprovingly down at all of us through the clear canopy
[9:30:59 PM] Spokes: That's an option, I think.
[9:31:31 PM] Spokes: Give Cees an opportunity to be creepy.

[9:34:04 PM] Spokes: So, Nomad, yeah or nay on the cooling vests?
[9:34:11 PM] Listless Nomad.: ummm
[9:34:27 PM] Spokes: I'm thinking, with an enclosed pod, yes to the vests.
[9:34:39 PM] Listless Nomad.: wheeler would probably wear his because it feels unnatural to be in a cockpit without it
[9:34:46 PM] Listless Nomad.: even if it was open
[9:34:51 PM] Listless Nomad.: if its closed then definitely
[9:35:02 PM] Spokes: It's not like you carry your vest around with you though.
[9:35:20 PM] Listless Nomad.: no but its in the madcat on the dropship
[9:35:22 PM] Spokes: I'd kind of been left with the impression that we didn't really know that we were going to be running sims.
[9:35:32 PM] Listless Nomad.: I could run and go grab it
[9:35:54 PM] Spokes: That would be kind of a hike I think.
[9:36:21 PM] Listless Nomad.: well then maybe that will contribute to wheeler's discomfort in being a fighter again
[9:36:24 PM] Spokes: But if the pods are enclosed, there are probably lockers with the vests and neurohelms in them nearby?
[9:38:09 PM] Spokes: Just basic gear that stays with the simulators. And probably smells more than a little.
[9:47:01 PM] Spokes: Alright, I'm going to clip out the relevant bits and put this up on the OOC thread so Shep and Thom can chime in.

[The Shepherd]

Great productivity guys!

Gives me a much better feel for the suite as well. And as suitable as it would be to have your XO glaring creepily down at you while you perform, Cees hasn't been at the helm of a mech in combat since the Battle of Coventry. He needs the practice more than you guys do.
Agree with Spokes on having stock gear for each pod. Adds atmosphere and an excuse to grouse.

"Dammit Hudson, you've just earned your chicken**** bee-hind 3 hours in the sim pit seven!"
"But sarge! The helmet and vest still have Hicks' barf all over it from yesterday!"
"You think I know that Hudson? Arseholes and elbows, lets move!"

Having hissing coolant hookups and sumps adds to it all as well.

I'll work this into what I have

[RogueSpear]

You guys did know you were going for a sim run, although you may not have thought to bring your own gear. If you did, congratulations! You might be almost comfy. For everyone else, there's plenty of stock gear.

Thom + Shep, do try and stop by the Skype chat on occasion. You are both in it

[The Shepherd]

Huzzah! Movement at the station!

Also Thom, you should probably know I'm going to be both drooling and green with envy the whole time the TR-2 is on the field.


The first BT novel I ever picked up in my youth was Binding Force. Aris Sung was the first Mechwarrior I got to know and I love the Wraith more than any other Medium in any era.
I gadabout in my Griffin GRF-1N in MWO mocked up as one. If it weren't so awesome, it'd be sad

If the Terrors do anything in another campaign in the future, I'd roll a new character just to be your 55 ton scout pilot

[Thom Frankfurt]

I dig that mech for Aris Sung as well. Binding Force was one of the first BT novels I read as well, and I gotta say that I LOVE that freakishly fast, bell bottomed, roach antennae sporting mech. Like I told Nomad (I hope that's who it was.) earlier today, err, yesterday now, that everytime I field the damned thing it seems to draw gauss slugs like a magnet. And they always seem to peg the left or right torso and ONLY the side torsos.... and well we all know what happens with IS XL engines...

It's just a fun mech to play with. That movement profile is very, very, respectful.

As for future plans with the Terrors... I was thinking of them heading to Solaris right after S&S for some R&R and find themselves right smack dab in the middle of the Solaris Riots. I've been hinting at tensions there in some of my posts. Not too long after the riots die down, the Woobies show up and start shooting the place up, and after that I'm thinking that the Terrors will be ground down so far after that that they have to disband or take contracts from Stone or whomever else to go hunt down Woobies wherever they're hiding out. That was in the bio I sent to Dal for the possible RP he was going to run but never got around to doing...

The New Adventures of Old Thom accompanied by one (or more?) of his b*stards. Figure by then he's in a customized BJ-O that he calls 'Super Swampthing.'

Edited by Thom Frankfurt, 01 May 2014 - 11:34 PM.

[Listless Nomad]

Thom prefers the D

[Thom Frankfurt]

I'm never going to live that down...

[Spokes]

Ah, here it is, back on page six!

Mulling over something now, will probably have Li floating about in the northern part of the map, maybe on that island or near that little park in the NE corner.