17 replies to this topic

[Stephen Hell]

Its obvious that for the first time the different mech chassis and models will have different physical appearances based on the particular variant you are running (we have already seen this in game play vid-clips). My question is if you customize a mech in the mechlab with weapons that don't appear on any known variant will this manifest itself in the game visually? For instance, If you put an AC20 on an Archer would it look different that a stock one? (one big cannon barrel poking out of one side, etc...)

[Praetorians]

remember that only weapons of the same type that are mounted in an area can go there.. so if you are thinking of the base archer with LRMs in the torso you would not be able to put an AC20 there unless there was a machinegun mounted there as well . also im not shure if there will be critical slot restrictions based on the original load out so if it has an mg there may only be one balitic critial available... i have posted this question to the devs but i belive they said that there would be some differences in apperance.

[Stephen Hell]

Ah, well there it is then.
<drats>
Thanks Praetorians for the into. I was kinda hoping that we could have cart blanche to modify at will (like we could in WM3 and 3) but I understand the "logic" of keeping the different hard-points associated with specific weapon types (with the exception of omni slots, but that is a discussion for a few months/years down the road)

I just remember how fun it was in WM3( I think that was the one, had an MERCENARY expansion pack before WM4 did it IIRC) to load up an assault mech with like 40 machine-gun racks and just grind enemies to confetti.

[Adridos]

As Praetorians said, you can't put an AC on a mech if no AC/ LBX is present on the variant and therefor visually present on the model.

The little changes like switching a med laser in hunchback for a small one won't be visible, though.

[Shadowscythe]

Stephen Hell, on 16 June 2012 - 01:14 PM, said:

Its obvious that for the first time the different mech chassis and models will have different physical appearances based on the particular variant you are running (we have already seen this in game play vid-clips). My question is if you customize a mech in the mechlab with weapons that don't appear on any known variant will this manifest itself in the game visually? For instance, If you put an AC20 on an Archer would it look different that a stock one? (one big cannon barrel poking out of one side, etc...)

it is actually a decent question...If we take a hunchback and take the AC20 off of it completely and don't replace it with anything, will the big hole go away?

If we replace it with a Gauss rifle or a machine gun. does it change.

My guess is no. but I can hope

I will search and see what I can find

Lets see. So far in the mechlab vid going from AC20 to AC5 doesn't change at all

still looking..unfortunately most of the vids are using stock mechs...
Or just downgraded ACs..... haven't seen a gauss gun at all

Edited by Shadowscythe, 16 June 2012 - 02:44 PM.

[Adridos]

Shadowscythe, on 16 June 2012 - 02:32 PM, said:

I will search and see what I can find

This useless variant is exactly what I thought of when I read your post...

Edited by Adridos, 16 June 2012 - 02:43 PM.

[Stephen Hell]

Shadowscythe, on 16 June 2012 - 02:32 PM, said:

it is actually a decent question...If we take a hunchback and take the AC20 off of it completely and don't replace it with anything, will the big hole go away?

If we replace it with a AC/2 or a machine gun. does it change.

My guess is no. :Dbut I can hope

Ooooooo, I hadn't even thought of that. <smacks head>
What would a Catapult with no LRM20s look like if you don't replace them with anything? (besides a castrated Stalker)

[Adridos]

Stephen Hell, on 16 June 2012 - 02:37 PM, said:

What would a Catapult with no LRM20s look like if you don't replace them with anything? (besides a castrated Stalker)

Uhm... maybe like this? No LRMs -> the missile "doors" will never open.

Edited by Adridos, 16 June 2012 - 02:46 PM.

[Stephen Hell]

Nah, that be like welding the locks on the back doors of a sedan and then calling it a coup. If you take off the LRM20s then there's nothing to put there. It wouldn't make any sense to wade into battle wearing two empty shipping containers like eppaulette.

[Shadowscythe]

Stephen Hell, on 16 June 2012 - 02:55 PM, said:

Nah, that be like welding the locks on the back doors of a sedan and then calling it a coup. If you take off the LRM20s then there's nothing to put there. It wouldn't make any sense to wade into battle wearing two empty shipping containers like eppaulette.

Odds are since those are considered the "arms" of the mech, they probably won't be removed if the LRMs are gone

Edited by Shadowscythe, 16 June 2012 - 02:57 PM.

[Stephen Hell]

Shadowscythe, on 16 June 2012 - 02:56 PM, said:

Odds are since those are considered the "arms" of the mech, they probably won't be removed if the LRMs are gone

Wouldn't be the first armless mech. You could slap a couple machine-guns on there and use the extra crits and tonnage to fill in the torso and shoulder mounts with a s___-load of beam weapons and have what amounts to a slimmed down Stalker.

[Shadowscythe]

Stephen Hell, on 16 June 2012 - 03:00 PM, said:

Wouldn't be the first armless mech. You could slap a couple machine-guns on there and use the extra crits and tonnage to fill in the torso and shoulder mounts with a s___-load of beam weapons and have what amounts to a slimmed down Stalker.

Well, that is true....But there is a difference between designed not to have arms and missing arms

Actually you wouldn't be able to put machine guns in the catapult "arms" because I doubt there are balistic hardpoints there

using the PPC varient. sure

If someone wants to see the PPC version of the catapult there is one in the lightweight vid (the person runs by a PPC varient at 0:23 and on in the vid http://mwomercs.com/...deo/4gEQkyLbCjE)

or if you want to see it shooting at you, you can watch the assault vid.. http://mwomercs.com/...deo/YXZ7HKpaEHc

and in the medium.....Although I don't see it shoot its PPCs. but the guy never target's it to see if it has PPCs or not...it does shoot lasers out of the "arms" though http://mwomercs.com/...deo/eJ0UqfFdcRA

Looked like they all had the 2 big barrels also

Edited by Shadowscythe, 16 June 2012 - 03:22 PM.

[Stephen Hell]

aaarrrggg!, ok, fine, you cant put MG in the "arms"
just scrap the arms and make it a big walking metal phallus.
done

[Shadowscythe]

Stephen Hell, on 16 June 2012 - 04:04 PM, said:

aaarrrggg!, ok, fine, you cant put MG in the "arms"
just scrap the arms and make it a big walking metal phallus.
done

LOL it could happen

[Original ArchAngel]

I for one, can not WAIT to get into that mechlab and make some of my legendary variants hehe

[Skadi]

Stephen Hell, on 16 June 2012 - 04:04 PM, said:

aaarrrggg!, ok, fine, you cant put MG in the "arms"
just scrap the arms and make it a big walking metal phallus.
done

lmao... now what would that look like when it opened XD

[Kreisel]

On the one hand, I think it's great we're going to have 40 variants to pick between right at launch, so an average of 4 variants per Mech, perhaps some with more, some with less... but part of me wonders about how much variation we'll actually see between some of these variants. Like on the Jenner, what the heck does the F have the D doesn't? Hopefully extra energy hard-points or something, but just going on the stock stats from TT the Mechlab would render the F it a redundant downgrade... Since a D could build into one. Yet, both are confirmed in the game, which is a surprise.

Then again, if you keep to only the stock models that are around at this time frame, it starts to become tricky NOT to add redundant variants (if you want more than one chassis for several of these mechs). Case and point, the D Jenner could be the F or K, and far as I know, those are all the Jenner types at 3049. So unless they break away from basing the hard-points entirely on what the variant has, and instead spread out the hard-points so that between all the current Chassis you can potentially build all the chassis that come later, it would dead end as... whats the point?

Edited by Kreisel, 17 June 2012 - 04:46 AM.

[Shadowscythe]

Kreisel, on 17 June 2012 - 04:43 AM, said:

On the one hand, I think it's great we're going to have 40 variants to pick between right at launch, so an average of 4 variants per Mech, perhaps some with more, some with less... but part of me wonders about how much variation we'll actually see between some of these variants. Like on the Jenner, what the heck does the F have the D doesn't? Hopefully extra energy hard-points or something, but just going on the stock stats from TT the Mechlab would render the F it a redundant downgrade... Since a D could build into one. Yet, both are confirmed in the game, which is a surprise.

Then again, if you keep to only the stock models that are around at this time frame, it starts to become tricky NOT to add redundant variants (if you want more than one chassis for several of these mechs). Case and point, the D Jenner could be the F or K, and far as I know, those are all the Jenner types at 3049. So unless they break away from basing the hard-points entirely on what the variant has, and instead spread out the hard-points so that between all the current Chassis you can potentially build all the chassis that come later, it would dead end as... whats the point?

My guess, Money Sink...Make people buy a new mech just for the sake of having to level the varient.