14 replies to this topic

[NWHHarrier]

Been lurking since winter and made a profile not long ago in anticipation of beta. Up until recently I've been in what I suspect is the minority of fans, namely those who have zero experience with the franchise in any form at all. I'm in my late 20s and am starting to wonder how this awesome IP has slipped me by!

These forums and Sarna have been a huge help in sorting out what's what in the BT universe, especially the 3049 era for MWO. I wanted to post my impressions on how this all looks to an outsider/newcomer, and I'd be highly interested to read impressions from the other newbs!

FD's redesigns: All amazing. I can understand the nostalgia felt for some quintessential mechs out there but to a newbie, they have all been for the better without exception.

Favorite mech from announced lineup: Centurion followed closely by the Raven, no specific variant (yet!). I like a combo of ammunition-dependent and energy weapons. Plus the Centurion concept looks so cool!

IS or Clans?: I'm IS all the way! I found it funny the reaction I had upon first learning of the clans and the 3050 invasion, I immediately viewed them as invading space jerks that got by on their CrutchTech! Then I was very interested to observe the faithful clan followers out there on the forums. Can't wait to see how the invasion plays out. Oh and I think I'm one of the few that hates the timber wolf! There's no denying the high quality of the mech itself I just dislike it for some visceral reason. Like I'd love to be able to core it out and use that ridiculous greenhouse of a cockpit and plant vegetables in it

House, merc, or lone wolf?: I started wanting to go Steiner, purely because I saw in a very tiny blurb that a sizable portion of it's citizens speak Scots-Gaelic. Then I read about the Northwind Highlanders merc group and was hooked! Due to recent events we won't be the Northwind Highlanders though. Shameless plug: for those interested in coordination, teamwork, and fun regardless of skill level, check here! http://mwomercs.com/...ne-highlanders/


TL;DR
Overall I can't wait for the game, the IP is awesome, and the caliber of fans as I've seen on the forums gives me high hopes for the game's community as a whole.

[Adridos]

Northwind Highlander, so ex-Capellan. More "ex", than Capellan, but still better than a simple Fed Rat.

Nice to see you enjoy the universe as much as we do.



Good luck on the fields of battle, be it in the game, or RP on the forums.

[Hakija]

good to have a new face and new perspective around. I'll enjoy fighting alongside you, or blowing you up, whichever.

BTW, greenhouse crack at the timber wolf's cockpit almost made me snort my drink.

[Merrik Stryfe]

I only just discovered the 'verse and I love it completely, but great Buddha do you guys have a lot of lore built up. It's like Warhammer 40k only I'm actually going to play this game.
Things I like:

• The mech designs are big, mechanical, stompy, and full of explosives and overheated electronics
  
• So many mechs
  
• Multiple diverse factions that aren't based around what kind of tech they produce and use (obligatory Steiner Atlas joke, we're walking, we're walking...)
  
• Game speed: slow and tactical. FPS skill level: high. Beautiful combination
  
• Generally friendly and welcoming community
  
• Amazing and hilarious trolling across House lines
  
• Amazing and hilarious trolling from the game devs

Things I don't like:

• Massive amounts of tech info to absorb with no easy "sum up"
  
• Massive amounts of lore to absorb with no easy "sum up"
  
• The game starts in an established period of fictional history with a pre-determined near-future. No room to change outcomes on a large scale. Makes RPing a pain in the butt too, eg right now FedCom is doing great but it's hard to get invested in it when there's a literally inevitable civil war coming.
  
• Tight-knit communities from previous games are a little bit alienating.

Negatives aside, I'm really looking forward to getting into the game and community. I'm also working on a newbies guide to help with those first two dislikes because I'm a problem solver type.

[NWHHarrier]

Funny you mention WH40k in that way too lol, I can tak fluff about that stuff til kingdom come but I can count on one hand the number of times I've played TT version.

[Toothman]

Merrik Stryfe, on 31 May 2012 - 10:33 AM, said:

I only just discovered the 'verse and I love it completely, but great Buddha do you guys have a lot of lore built up. It's like Warhammer 40k only I'm actually going to play this game.
Things I like:

• The mech designs are big, mechanical, stompy, and full of explosives and overheated electronics
  
• So many mechs
  
• Multiple diverse factions that aren't based around what kind of tech they produce and use (obligatory Steiner Atlas joke, we're walking, we're walking...)
  
• Game speed: slow and tactical. FPS skill level: high. Beautiful combination
  
• Generally friendly and welcoming community
  
• Amazing and hilarious trolling across House lines
  
• Amazing and hilarious trolling from the game devs

Things I don't like:

• Massive amounts of tech info to absorb with no easy "sum up"
  
• Massive amounts of lore to absorb with no easy "sum up"
  
• The game starts in an established period of fictional history with a pre-determined near-future. No room to change outcomes on a large scale. Makes RPing a pain in the butt too, eg right now FedCom is doing great but it's hard to get invested in it when there's a literally inevitable civil war coming.
  
• Tight-knit communities from previous games are a little bit alienating.

Negatives aside, I'm really looking forward to getting into the game and community. I'm also working on a newbies guide to help with those first two dislikes because I'm a problem solver type.

The tight knit groups you mentioned are not The Black Company. You are always welcome with us. Unless you behave like an asshat then you have to deal with me in a bad mood :-)

[Merrik Stryfe]

Toothman, on 31 May 2012 - 10:43 AM, said:

The tight knit groups you mentioned are not The Black Company. You are always welcome with us. Unless you behave like an asshat then you have to deal with me in a bad mood :-)

Asshats deserve nothing more.

It's not that I've found those tight-knit groups unfriendly or hostile to newcomers, it's just intimidating trying to break into a group that has a long history.

[NWHHarrier]

Merrik Stryfe, on 31 May 2012 - 12:57 PM, said:

Asshats deserve nothing more.

It's not that I've found those tight-knit groups unfriendly or hostile to newcomers, it's just intimidating trying to break into a group that has a long history.

I think the newcomers benefit by coming into the fold with a bunch of mature fans already waiting, I can't think of any instances of hostility toward newbs taking place on these boards. Now, say if you're trying to break into a video game community such as Heroes of newerth, different story altogether...

[Theal Swena]

I'm not a complete noob to the series, I played MechAssault awhile back. I liked that a lot.

[Adridos]

Theal Swena, on 01 June 2012 - 06:01 AM, said:

I'm not a complete noob to the series, I played MechAssault awhile back. I liked that a lot.

Don't confuse Mechassault with Mechwarrior.

Only thing that those two games have in common is the design of mechs.
Their functions, handling, weapons, usage are vastly different in the real Mechwarrior.

Edited by Adridos, 01 June 2012 - 06:24 AM.

[Toothman]

Theal Swena, on 01 June 2012 - 06:01 AM, said:

I'm not a complete noob to the series, I played MechAssault awhile back. I liked that a lot.

Make sure you put on your asbestos jumpsuit before you say that :-) That statement can bring some hostility from some people. As adridos stated MA is a vastly simplified and sped up version of MW. Not to discourage you, we love all the new people, but just to have you ready for the differences.

[Felicitatem Parco]

A project I'll be starting soon is a Layman's guide to BattleTech Tech. Just give me some free time - hahaha - and I'll eventually get around to it. Hopefully it'll be useful and amusing as some of my other ramblings...

A good Lore summary could be obtained from reading the following 3 Sarna.net articles:

Inner Sphere
Star League
Aleksandr Kerensky

Don't worry yourself about "Clans" yet because, from our perspective in the 3049 Inner Sphere, we've never heard of Clans yet... so you can just sit back and not worry about them after they arrive in-game...

Edited by Prosperity Park, 01 June 2012 - 06:43 AM.

[Randalf Yorgen]

I've noticed the "Tight-Kint" old rosters starting to dominate the threads myself. 1 out of three are something along the lines of "Bob is that you? have you seen the other guys, we need to get them in here so we can reform and get the unit going again. The guys will love it."

Now although that's not saying that they are excluding new people from joining them they are sending a pretty clear message saying that they want their old friends from a different game back first and for some people that can be a turn off.

I wish more threads went like this, "Bob, is that you? I'm forming a Unit based on what we did in MPBT3025 and would love to get some of the old guys in the new unit. Do you have contact with any of them? I'm recruiting right now and I would love to see them. Oh BTW, you want to be 2IC? I'll save it for you"

This is more open and inviting and would get you a lot of applicants, granted many of them would be Green Warriors but hey we all start somewhere.

Beyond that, from what I have experienced here this is a very good community, if you have questions about Lore just ask, someone WILL know. If you are unsure about something there will always be someone there to help you. I have even come across a few instanses where someone from another faction has come over and helped out, that's something you don't see a whole lot of any more.

Welcome to the BT Universe, you're in for the RIDE of your life

[Adridos]

Randalf Yorgen, on 01 June 2012 - 07:06 AM, said:

I've noticed the "Tight-Kint" old rosters starting to dominate the threads myself. 1 out of three are something along the lines of "Bob is that you? have you seen the other guys, we need to get them in here so we can reform and get the unit going again. The guys will love it."

Now although that's not saying that they are excluding new people from joining them they are sending a pretty clear message saying that they want their old friends from a different game back first and for some people that can be a turn off.

I wish more threads went like this, "Bob, is that you? I'm forming a Unit based on what we did in MPBT3025 and would love to get some of the old guys in the new unit. Do you have contact with any of them? I'm recruiting right now and I would love to see them. Oh BTW, you want to be 2IC? I'll save it for you"

I think it's like in class meetings a lot of yeras after you finished school.

They simply want to have the same good time as they did 10 yers prior.


For newcommers, many merc corps'es/ houses could tear themselves apart just to get 1-2 more.

[Trevnor]

Well, I can say for one, that we here at the Skjaldborg: Sheildwall of Rasalhague are a open, laid back, and inviting unit. You need only look at our Recruitment thread to see that

Also, nice crack about the Timbe Wolf, lol

Edited by Lt Trevnor, 01 June 2012 - 07:15 AM.