34 replies to this topic

[Valaska]

Alright you MechWarriors' and Warrioresses! The last GREAT developer who has worked on the MechWarrior Franchise (MekTek) for sometime is at it again with a brand new project, Heavy Gear! This was the game that competed with our own Mechwarrior 2/3! Heavy Gear 1 and 2 were published back in 97 and 99 by our very own activision.



Heavy Gear was given ratings in upward of 90% (thats a lot for back in the day young ones, it actually used to mean something!) back in the day and was lauded as the best game of its Genre by most critics, and was based on MechWarrior 2 Mercenaries' engine. You can still get, and play, Heavy Gear 2 in compatibility mode and I highly recommend it! Though Heavy Gear 1 was much more suspenseful and tension. Heavy Gear would have never came into existence if Activision hadn't lost the rights to MechWarrior after MechWarrior 2 Mercenaries.

History lesson over!



They're back baby! The team that kept MechWarrior 4 alive for over a decade. Free content patches having various BattleMechs' and Equipment, to board game rebalances! They also created Assault Tech 1, a re-imagining of MechWarrior 2 in modern times which unfortunately they dropped, but why for did they drop it?! To bring us this!



http://www.youtube.c...d&v=-CdcMXSbHFQ

Heavy Gear Assault so far has the misnomer of "e-sport", which is actually hurting the project to be honest! But regardless here's what it actually is! Heavy Gear Assault is a coliseum based mech simulation, featuring an in depth customization system much what we are used to, but as Gear's (what the mechs are named) are more agile and human like, weapons are hand held/shoulder mounted.

We will be fighting for "fame and fortune" as the developers have put it! Think Solaris from NBT/W!O/MW4 single player, players will be able to watch each others performances and replays of their matches, or even spectate realtime from the stands! Placing feeds etc, it will be much like the BattleDomes in the days of Battletech!

Features:

Customization

Heavy Gear has always been in competition with BattleTech since the beginning, and it has shared a similar customization system. So far you will be able;

Weapons

Gears use hand held weapons, these vary from one handed pistols, SMG/Assault Rifles, to even rocket launchers or grenades. They also have the ability to use Melee weapons, one handed Vibro Knives to two handed VibroKatana's/Axes. Shoulder mounted missile launchers and some body mounted weapons are also present.

Tuning

At current they state you will be able to tune your gear's performance, this will be done by hired mechanics for your Gear bay, as you will have a support team in this game!

Cosmetic

Cosmetic customization to set you apart from your enemies! Or to blend in? At any rate, you will be able to make a name, and an image for yourself! Can you say neon green with tribal markings!? Well... Maybe you won't but I sure will!

Apparently you will be able to change model pieces as well, as in the Jaeger's shoulders from road house to less road house (minus the spikes from the shoulders.)

CPU

Gears are equipped with Learning Computers (AI), and as you fight the AI will "level up" per say, allowing you to use it for abilities! It was even said if playing in hardcore mode, once your gear goes down you will have to eject, grab the CPU, and try to make it out of the arena before the other players try to kill you!

Support Team

Technicians, PR Managers, "Fixers" (Black Market salvagers/batelanders), Arena Clowns to Cheerleaders! Hopefully Cheerleaders can facilitate all these rolls... I want to have an awesome staff, you know... Not awesome at their jobs, just, always wearing skirts and bikini's.

Gameplay

Gameplay will be a first person simulated mech experience, you are not the mech! These are MekTek, they are heavily experienced in this field, you will be a pilot/systems operator, and not Hawken/Armored Core where you simply feel like an extremely armored human, or armored core's extreme fast pace and twitch combat.

MekTek is working in conjunction with a Joystick manufacturing companies, which assures joystick compatibility! This is a team who have run through the MW4 code a few times if we all remember, meaning they know how to program joystick compatibility!

This is no "E-sport"! You are the pilot, no send out your NPC's to run down a field its a true simulation of mech on mech action! The E-Sports mislabeling is simply due to the fact it is an arena you will assemble a team of support staff, and ascend (or... Descend...?) the ranks, create an actual person based fanbase etc!

Destructible Environment!?



http://www.youtube.c...d&v=GwAhHsVBc8M

Using unreal 4 this game will feature a destructible environment, from their video it seems each missile hit interacts with the bridge in a way reminiscent of Red Faction 1's destruction on terrain, but each hit seems to contribute to an architectural structural collapse! Which is much like Red Faction Guerilla's building stress point destruction! Physics based destruction woot!

Destructible Mechs!



More'so than any MechWarrior since Mech Warrior 3 mech's will be truly destructible! Instead of a meger graphics change/state, relive the glory days of old where an arm would come clean off and tumble on the ground like back in MechWarrior 2!

But that's not enough you say!? Oh gosh, well... How about! Being able to pick that limb up and bludgeon the so called pilot that was fool enough to challenge YOU to a fight!? Like back in the board game BattleTech, that historic image of a Kodiak picking up its own blown off arm and planting it into the head of an Atlas, just as that Atlas swings the leg of a Kit Fox into the fusion core of the Kodiak! Mech parts melee! Yummy!

Social Networking Stuff...

Which, not gonna lie I hate, but lets actually read this... Hmmm... Able to create a profile, have fan subscribers... Well thats kinda neat... Now what else here, stream your matches to the masses? Rate players on their performance, sportmasnship, teamwork or style!? Now this is pretty bloody ace! Oh wait, facebook/twitter? Meh, but the rest sounds awesome!

Mobile Integration ie updates through your cellphone, or eating up massive ammounts of data to watch live matches is also on here... Oh, where you ask!?

Military Campaign

A full single player with story on launch! This feature was asked of, and demanded by the user base and MekTek has delivered unto us what the Mech Genre has been lacking for ages! Not only that but they have stated co-operative campaign modes, does this mean Tour of Duty like from Heavy Gear 1? I don't know but either way a campaign, and a co-op one at that has me upping my pledge amount already!

http://www.kickstart...-0/posts/490704

Dedicated Servers/Map Tools!

MekTek was started because of Microsoft graciously giving them access to map tools, and giving the community dedicated servers! MekTek in likewise will be giving premium members the ability to use both dedicated servers AND map editing tools! Use made maps and missions? More than a possibility! A reality!



Kickstarter! Pledge now, or peek about and pledge later through kickstarter if you would like! The link is;

http://kck.st/114Y7oz
https://www.heavygea...er?ref=5b1e3747 My referral to their website

They have a ways to go yet! But either way this game -WILL- be made! This is MekTek, they kind of have a reputation for letting things go easily... I mean, holy crap, a decade of MechWarrior 4 and keeping Leagues worth playing? Nice stuff.

Alternatively you can check out their main website which they've already been accepting pledges on, the ammount garnered from there is not known but it is located at!

http://www.heavygear.com/game/faq

I recommend checking out the spinning Hunter gear here, http://www.heavygear.../universe/gears not only because its cool but because screw the South, Northern domination!!! Honor, Duty, Discipline! Southern Freeborn Surats! Oh wait, I mixed a couple of universes there for a second... At any rate! Check it out guys, this is a true MechWarrior rival from back in the day, and even though I was on the MechWarrior side of the fence through those ages, I did have a little love affair with a Kodiak... No not the Clan Kodiak, I love the Clans but, screw the Kodiak, the Heavy Gear Northern Kodiak! I'm trying to say I played Heavy Gear 1 and 2 and used a Kodiak.

It was good...

Anywho, check it out! Pledge it up if you like what you see, join their forums and talk about it there or lets chat here! Any old Heavy Gear AND BattleTech fans here? This should be a squee worthy moment!



Does anyone else miss the MW2 Clan Drill Instructor? And if you'd like refer Valaska@gmail.com on their site, much obliged if you do!

Edited by Valaska, 25 May 2013 - 01:25 PM.

[Purgatory22]

I am looking forward to this!!! Finally someone who will give us dedicated servers and map editor on day one!!! For those 2 facts alone I pledge! I hope my money actually creates something worth playing as I look at my yellow Legendary Founder badge here and hit save in disgust as I haven't played more than a few hours periodically since open beta hoping things have improved only to be let down once again. Money not well spent, here is hoping for a different outcome this time around!

Edited by Purgatory22, 23 May 2013 - 09:06 PM.

[Valaska]

Thanks Purgatory, I have merged your reminders in with the main topic! Also, I have just updated the article to include their confirmed single player/co-op campaign!

http://www.kickstart...-0/posts/490704

[Tempered]

Valaska, I am as excited as you are about the return of heavy gear as a pc title, but you have to realize that they are NOT promising single player at launch. What they have said is that they will include a single player episode IF they reach a stretch goal of $800,000 dollars. That is quite a bit of money and only a few games have reached that amount. It could be a very long time down the road after releasing their arena game that they are able to do the single player portion.

I do hope they succeed, but I certainly don't want to see people misinformed either.

[Valaska]

Do bear in mind with with the websites pledges they are at 142,000, it may be a stretch but this is hardly a large stretch goal for kickstarter! One way to make it happen and that's to help, at any rate they are promising episodic single player, if the kickstarter doesn't take then undoubtedly the entire game will take a longer development as all kickstarters do, so in fact if they reach their goal this will be a single player, if they don't reach their goal the game won't release on the specified date but take longer. Meaning single player will either be at kickstarter launch, or at the failure to reach their goal launch.

Hope that cleared things up for you.

[ChapeL]

This game universe and your take on it have alot of potential. Bumping

[Valaska]

Thank you Bull Frog, more information for you guys.

The Campaign will start off during the War of the Alliance, after the Sandstorm. This is a time where the Terra Nova inhabitants were being massacred by the CEF's invading forces, their hover tanks in open terrain out armor, and canon's can punch through a trooper gear in one shot. One tank was nearly equal to 2-3 trooper gears.

As the Terra Novan defenders fight for their lives against the CEF, their petty infighting between the North, South, and Badlands sandwiched together has to stop. The War of the Alliance begins, none of the defending forces can afford to fight a three front war, so they band together to repel the CEF and their liberation of Terra Nova! Regardless, there's a massive learning curve to fighting the extreme technology brought by the CEF, and a dark time in Terra Nova's history begins, despite the sudden step towards peace between the North and South.

--

Also some game modes for you guys and gals.

There are multiple tournament types;

Manufacture Tournament Exhibitions which limit by manufacturer's which give you the awards of a Trophy, Entry Token (Used to enter tournaments), and the option to purchase powerful weapons, fame, and credits in that order of value. The tournaments are tiered and have their own ladders.

Tournament are the top tier tournaments where pilots bring their own Gear's, weapons, tuning and abilities. The main rewards are Trophy's and Entry tokens, free weapons, credits and fame! These matches do not factor your pilots skill into the TV (BV basically), so whoever can tech up the most and fight with their gear best go the spoils, expect Kodiak Assault Gears fighting Strikes, Recons and even paltry Southern Troopers like the Jager.

Manufactur Exhibition are matches that allow you to use a company sponsored gear, you don't fix the gear, you don't tune or level it up, its provided and you are afforded the option of purchasing manufacturer specific tech, small amounts of reputation and even smaller amount of credits! TV isn't considered, but it will tend to try and match TValues together.

Regular/Random has neural net progression (AI leveling), gear tweaking/customs, and are general regular aerna matches earning you ladder positions. Injuring an unarmed pilot will come with a HEAVY credit/fame penalty, you have to pay the medical bills! If the pilot is armed, there is no penalty.

Sim is aimed at "casual" players, who don't want to risk pilot death/repair costs/AI destruction, it runs like regular but does not carry the harsh penalties of defeat. Killing a pilot has no penalty, and doesn't knock the players out for the match and simply gives them a time penalty. Private matches with friends must be sim.

Sorry guys but I am just gonna copy paste this next part ._.

Gametypes

Deathmatch
Simple player versus player 1-on-1 or multiple player free for all – points gained and winner established by the amount of damage dealt with small bonuses for kills. Kills awarded to person who did most damage to player overall (if they’d done damage recently). Small bonus for being the last man standing.
Team Deathmatch
As above, but damage totals and kill awards determined by whole team, not individual player.

Close Sparring - variant
Variant of base mode, but with no guns – only melee weapons. Scoring is done in the same fashion as the base match type with the exception of the gear type having an inverse relationship with points scored – a big gear that has an easier time of doing 100 damage with a vibroblade will earn less points than a little one that does 100 damage with a vibroblade: this is to encourage people to use the otherwise poorly matched gears (maybe use arm strength value to calculate this modifier). Not affected by weapons equipped.
Run and Gun - variant
Another variant mode – no indirect weapons, only melee and direct-fire weapons (rifles and rocket type weapons). No bonuses for anyone in this mode (gears should be fairly equally disadvantaged here).
Honor Duel - variant
Another variant mode on 1v1 or team v team, this mode everyone has to take the same weapon into combat, and only that weapon. An option is provided (and default) for simple weapons to be identical and provided by the arena, exotic weapons like lasers can’t be used in that mode (you have to bring your own). Defaults to standard weapons+vibrorapier
<img width="560" />
Block and Run – Capture the Flag (North style)
Almost team deathmatch, as seen in most FPS games (2 flags, get the enemy flag to the flag in your base). No flag teleporting, have to take your flag home.
Block and Run – Capture the Flag (South style)
Almost team deathmatch, this mode is like the capture the flag more common in real life – one flag in the center of the map must be collected, then taken to the enemy base. No flag teleporting either, but it wouldn’t help anyone here anyway.

Stalker and Prey
One player is the Prey and unarmed, the other is the Stalker and is armed. The game is played in two halves-each taking a turn as stalker or prey, with points only awarded after both players have played both rounds. A time limit is set, during which the stalker must find and disable the prey. Over time, the points shift from the stalker to the prey until either they run out (and the prey wins) or the stalker disables the prey and the current balance on the score bar is awarded to each player. The prey can earn bonus points by knocking down the stalker, this doesn’t change the score/timer bar and is additional points. At the end of both rounds scores are tallied and a winner declared.
Lone Wolf
In this mode, the Wolf gets to pick standard weaponry and the stalkers (enough to double the threat rating of the Wolf) only bring in a single melee weapon. The Wolf enters the field first, and has 30 seconds to move to a position – the stalkers are then allowed entry to the field. Points are awarded to the stalkers for dealing damage to the Wolf, and points are awarded to the Wolf for damaging the stalkers in return (bonuses for knocking them down or disabling them).
The entrance everyone came in is the only exit, and the Wolf must make it back out of there in order to keep their points – if the wolf is disabled without escaping the points they earned are simply lost. If they do escape, the reward for the stalkers is significantly reduced. The pot for the Wolf is determined by the damage they dealt (modified by threat rating, picking on weaker opponents yields less ponits).
If the stalkers disable the Wolf, points are distributed with a bonus for damage dealt and a penalty for damage taken, the pot is determined by the threat rating of the Wolf and divided amongst the stalkers based on their scores. (this makes the defending task less penalized score-wise than if it was just damage based)
Deathrace - Stretch
Individual players race around a track. Most points given for final placing, bonus points given for dealing damage to people modified by overall position (so if you’re jockeying for first place and fighting a lot you’ll both rack up a lot of bonus points, though only enough to switch first/second place if the first placer doesn’t fight back much). Dealing damage to someone more than 2 places behind you earns a penalty rather than a bonus, increasing toward the back of the group. Going backwards around the track is not a viable strategy to win, as the bonus points aren’t significant enough to make that much difference, but they might push you half-way up the board if there’s no fighting by the people above you.
The race finishes 30 seconds after the first racer crosses the finish line. Racers that cross the finish line have their weapons disabled but are free to try to block other players with their gear. Score balances determine share of the pot.

Team Deathrace - Stretch
Players race around a track like in the above example – this time, however, there’s an advantage to be had in having a team-mate or two hold back or go the wrong way around the track in big gears in order to slow down the opposing teams leading racers – there’s a race to be as far back as possible by these ‘blockers’ so that if the leading racers hit them they incur the maximum amount of penalty points, as well as scoring for themselves the most points for their team.
<img width="560" />
The race finishes 30 seconds after the first racer crosses like in the last example, though this time the weapons stay live which creates a brawl at the finish line while people fight to help their teammates finish. Scoring/penalties are added across the whole team to determine the winner.
More than 2 teams can race at the same time in random matchmaking (team player numbers must match), but only 2 teams at a time in organized racing (to prevent a third team from favoring a side).

Restricted Model Deathrace - variant
A type of deathrace, in this mode all racers must use only one type of gear (or its other faction equivalent), but bring their own to the match (they’re not standardized). This mode also allows for weapon restrictions.

King of the Hill
A standard FPS mode. Game variables include points for controlling, uncontested control, moving hill, and any modifiers while on/off hill (eg. people on the hill can only use melee weapons to defend or assault it, people outside can shoot in).

[Sephlock]

Sounds nice.

[Valaska]

A little update here.

Another example may be multithreading. Our game will ship with a 64bit executable which needs to be optimized for the latest Intel processors. In one scenario we found that our game code was only utilizing two cores of a 4 core Intel i7. We performed an assessment on an i5 and i3 and we found the issues and addressed it.

[Blackfang]

This is shaping up to look really nice I've pledged to Southern Duelist level, can't wait to get in my Jager and give you northies a run for your money in the arena.

[Valaska]

Haha, the Jager's concept art is really looking up to be something special to be honest, as a Northerner I am a little jealous... But we still have the Tiger to be released and its always been the sexiest Gear out there, other than the Kodiak of course.

[Blackfang]

All I'm going to say is "Spitting Cobra and Black Mamba"

[DocBach]

can't wait to hear the calls to nerf the White Cat EWH

[Valaska]

Southerns, its all about the snakes.

[Xenois Shalashaska]

[Valaska]

Yeah I wouldn't post up those episodes as an example of this game, thats a gross oversimplification with shoddy story lines.

http://youtu.be/PY0sH4vn5lI

[Anjian]

I still remember Heavy Gear 2. Played many hours online with it. One thing that is interesting, is that mech crazy Japanese gamers never really liked the Mechwarrior games to appear in large numbers, but Heavy Gear, whose designs and play styles were much more in line with Japanese preferences, flocked to it. Probably reminded them of Armored Trooper Votoms. At certain times of the day, the Japanese would dominate the game, then comes their sleep time, and those in North America and Europe takes over. Then the sleep cycle comes to the Westerners and the Japanese were back in force again.

http://en.wikipedia...._Trooper_Votoms

[Coastal0]

Love the Heavy Gear franchise. Grew up on the first two games!

[Narcissistic Martyr]

As far as I'm concerned this is the only other game that has the potential to draw me away from MWO. Either way I'll probably end up playing both to an extent.

[DocBach]

there is like, no chance they will make their kickstarter goal.... they're at like 37k out of a proposed 800k. I threw in for Northern Ace because the Strike Jaguar is awesome, but even with the MW2 team (especially Hwang's soundtracks) onboard I dont see them meeting their quota.