152 replies to this topic

[Skylarr]

It was already stated that minor world will be changing hands multiple times. But, the major worlds will stay as they are. We will have a minor impact on events. Not enough to change the out come of major conflicts that are stated in canon.

So we will not be rewriting history. We will be editing the fine details that was only a footnote.

[Shootanoob]

Personally, I have a thing or two which I would have gone in a different direction, concerning the Mechwarrior universe. And for sure I would like to have the possibility to influence them to "go right at least this time". And I also would like to be part of the Mechwarrior universe not only as a bystander, but a force who can impact the fate of the whole universe - hell, who would not like that.

And within this, here lies the problem. Its most likely my 2 things to be changed to be completely different from yours, or yours or even yours. Chances are, that two of us would like to change things just into direct opposite directions - and what to do then? Make a poll and let the winner have his way? And after that? And that?

There is not enough space in the Mechwarior universe to satisfy the (hopefully millions but surely) thousands of Kai Allard-Liaos and Phelan Kells and Aidan Prydes to be the saviour of their chosen party - let alone some of them being quite contradictionary. And with my 2 things happily changed in the direction I would have liked them, who would gurantee me that I was about to like the now 2 million other things which changed because other people got their 2 changes done also?

So now, with all what you and I now know about how the possibility to make a bigger impact on the canon storyline I ask you: would you rather be entertained by the universe we all like to some degree (for else we would post the forums elsewhere) or would you prefer this very universe being torn apart to please the whims and whishes of thousands of people to a most uncertain outcome?

Where would the love that we all bear for this Mechwarrior universe end up with, if we allow for that universe being treated after the flavour of the month liking of some ? What to say to those who like things just as they are and do not need anything to be changed at all?

We might come from different backgrounds and have different ideas of how perfect gaming entertainment may work - but the unifying factor, the factor on which the whole economic success of this project is based, is the canon. Take that away and we will end up with nothing and soon after also with no game at all.

So for our common love towards the Mechwarrior universe, Battletech and this game here (or at least its potential to be loved by us once we can play it) - please let us stay out of the canon and don't interfere with that matter anymore.

Edited by BigPuma, 10 June 2012 - 11:29 PM.

[Blackfire1]

They have the master Battletech LORE man himself working on this.

Because of the player controlled nature of the game. Cannon will be rewritten ONLY for this game. They already said that.

[Warskull]

I think most people can agree the battletech canon is mostly good, but occasionally steers itself into stupidity. An alternate timeline where it mostly follows the original storyline, but cuts out the bad stuff (dark ages) could be great. Remember part of the canon is due to FASA losing control of the universe and less competent people taking over.

[Sychodemus]

There is nothing inherently wrong with alternate timelines. Players have been doing that since the beginning in TT campaigns or when they write fan-fiction on a universe-altering scale.
But the keyword is "alternate." It does not, in fact, change the actual canon universe.

I do remain a proponent of officially supported "What If" supplements if TPTB ever feel so inclined

What if the SLDF didn't leave?
What if Ian Davion had lived and continued to rule the Federated Suns?
What if Frederick Steiner had died and never became Anastasius Focht?
What if the Clan never invaded?
What if Clans attacked en masse or individually approached the Successor States as allies?

These are simple questions that would send massive ripples throughout the canon universe. Any change you make must be done with a careful appreciation of repercussions, especially in a setting as tangled and well-defined as Battletech.

If you are going to change something, you really should understand what you are talking about - what it is you want to change, to what you want to change it to and all the side effects of that choice. You cannot not arbitrarily yell, "Let's change stuff!!!!!" and expect the result to be anything other than destined to fail.

[The Basilisk]

I played MW MechCommander and other installments BECAUSE they are clinging to the Battletech Storryline.
The Battletech Universe is definitly one of the most detailed and realistic SF- Universes I know of.
And thats what makes it simply beautyfully awsome.
The other big point already mentioned by some posters above:
There are only a few minor retcons in BT history in contrary to other large SF-Universes like StarTrek and StarWars. (And I must admit some of their retcons were realy realy *piiiiiiiiieeeeeeep*)
And why are there only few minor retcons in BT ?
Because its just fine as it is.
So why would i choose to ruine it with player made chaos, folowed up with nerdrage, whine threads and a broken, splintered community?

[CCC Dober]

OP:

Personally speaking, I would hope that more of the IS and more of the Clans get directly involved in the titanic clash that is about to come. This would prolong the conflict without a doubt and there would be no need for crutches like a truce, allowing the IS to catch up slowly. They may very well catch up way faster in terms of technology than they did canonically and I wouldn't hold any grudge because the gap still existed afterwards.

Another thing that I may have read between the lines is the following: the devs stated somewhere that they intend to stay as close to canon as possible. Thinking about it, there can be no doubt that certain changes will affect the timeline and rate of progress. This game will have a life-cycle as most products will. The devs have stated that the game will progress in realtime. We have decades of lore ahead of us and content to be delivered regularly to keep things fresh. So it is a logical consequence that time jumps may happen in order not to violate the realtime requirement too much and expand content options. Think about the Clan invasion ahead. The truce that was achieved by the Comguards basically denied the Crusader Clans their ultimate goal and sent them into stasis (more or less). It was to last 15 years IIRC and that would totally suck if it was to happen in realtime. It is much more likely that we may see the first time jump at this point, fast forwarding events to the day when the truce expires. Either that or events take a different turn on or before the Battle of Tukkayyid (where the Clans got stopped by the Comguards in canon). Makes for a more interesting game and keeps people involved.

[Tincan Nightmare]

CCC Dober, on 11 June 2012 - 12:56 AM, said:

OP:

Personally speaking, I would hope that more of the IS and more of the Clans get directly involved in the titanic clash that is about to come. This would prolong the conflict without a doubt and there would be no need for crutches like a truce, allowing the IS to catch up slowly. They may very well catch up way faster in terms of technology than they did canonically and I wouldn't hold any grudge because the gap still existed afterwards.

Another thing that I may have read between the lines is the following: the devs stated somewhere that they intend to stay as close to canon as possible. Thinking about it, there can be no doubt that certain changes will affect the timeline and rate of progress. This game will have a life-cycle as most products will. The devs have stated that the game will progress in realtime. We have decades of lore ahead of us and content to be delivered regularly to keep things fresh. So it is a logical consequence that time jumps may happen in order not to violate the realtime requirement too much and expand content options. Think about the Clan invasion ahead. The truce that was achieved by the Comguards basically denied the Crusader Clans their ultimate goal and sent them into stasis (more or less). It was to last 15 years IIRC and that would totally suck if it was to happen in realtime. It is much more likely that we may see the first time jump at this point, fast forwarding events to the day when the truce expires. Either that or events take a different turn on or before the Battle of Tukkayyid (where the Clans got stopped by the Comguards in canon). Makes for a more interesting game and keeps people involved.

Actually if they keep us in real time without time jumps none of us will ever see the dark ages, and the jihad would be happening when I'm in a retirement home . Win for me right there. We don't need to JJ Abrams the BT universe because, as the saying goes, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.' I would love to wash the wobbies and dark ages (though some people like this) down the trash, and rewrite the Fedcom civil war so Victor regains both halves and reunites them, but as someone already pointed out my views may not be shared by everyone else so who picks the right outcome? For some players that means no Clans ever, for others it means Clans everywhere attacking the entire inner sphere. Who decides? And if a large but minority group doesn't get there way do they just stop playing, and diminish the player base? With the established timeline we all know whats coming, and no one can really get mad if it 'goes like its supposed too.'

[CCC Dober]

There are lulls in the timeline and the conflict with the Clans. While it may be interesting to iron out the history of the IS in minute detail with all the subtle and not so subtle power moves, the real meat grinder, namely the Clan border, is a more logical choice to concentrate on. Let's face it, the IS was more or less in a deadlock before the Clans arrived. Stagnant and rather ... shall we say boring?

[Vhyle]

Well, I wouldn't say boring, they were all fighting in the Terran region for a very long time. Remember, there is a zone surrounding that area, it's quite large too, where it's pretty much a free for all in there. I can't remember exactly how large the area is, but I remember in one of the books where Victor and Kai were doing stuff together, that it mentioned a map about that area. That's a volitile place.

Mercs are used extensively from everything from corporate wars to actual governments targeting installations on rival planets. You also have the periphery powers and needing forces to deal with them. The borders were usually always in some sort of fight. One power was usually constantly at war with another power.

There is more than enough going on. The lore writer for BT is on the team as well from what I understand, so there is so much that can happen, whether through cannon or new cannon that is written by the guy that writes it. In my eyes, that guy is basically the guy that has the final word on what really is cannon and what isn't, since ya know, he writes it.

Edited by Vhyle, 11 June 2012 - 02:50 AM.

[Thorn Hallis]

Those things can work in a private run planetary league where it doesn't matter (financially) if a faction is "killed" or not.

[Badfinger]

Why not start where LORE left off? New stories, New Canon, New Machines, New Technology, a leap in to the mega future!

[CCC Dober]

Vhyle, on 11 June 2012 - 02:48 AM, said:

...
There is more than enough going on. The lore writer for BT is on the team as well from what I understand, so there is so much that can happen, whether through cannon or new cannon that is written by the guy that writes it. In my eyes, that guy is basically the guy that has the final word on what really is cannon and what isn't, since ya know, he writes it.

I was under the impression that it was a lot more than one guy that was responsible for the lore (back in the days). There were groups that regularly came together to discuss and decide on how to proceed with their novels IIRC. Just to name two of the more known authors: Stackpole and Coleman. That's two authors of the top of my head and I do know there are tons more. Are you absolutely, 100% sure that the responsibility for the lore has been centralized in such a drastic manner? I have serious doubts tbph.

[JHare]

Because the last leap into the mega-future when it came to battletech provided the FecCom Civil War, Jihad, and Dark Ages. So not a good track record

[Adrienne Vorton]

Badfinger, on 11 June 2012 - 03:08 AM, said:

Why not start where LORE left off? New stories, New Canon, New Machines, New Technology, a leap in to the mega future!

sure, no problem... in another game ...that i don´t want to play so badly like MWO right now...

Edited by Adrienne Vorton, 11 June 2012 - 03:24 AM.

[Tyra]

Badfinger, on 11 June 2012 - 03:08 AM, said:

Why not start where LORE left off? New stories, New Canon, New Machines, New Technology, a leap in to the mega future!

Because they've chosen 3049. It's too late.

They probably did a lot of research to pick a time with the largest fanbase.

[Randalf Yorgen]

rewrite the history, what is this, star trek? if they rewrite the canon history, i'll rewite my checks to a different company. nuff said

[Badfinger]

I was speaking of the storyline for new lore, not for a new game!

[Amarus Cameron]

We have been told multiple times that story events will be driven by the devs and important planets will NOT change hands, what opportunity is there for an alternate time line when the important things do not change. Maybe instead of complaining about this game being driven some 'obscure' books as you say you should read them and realize what you are saying before you say it. If you call the books something along those lines then it is obvious you never read them.

Pics for fun...








^just some obscure books that no one reads of course (also these pictures are months old, those are only 10 of my clusters worth of minis, and I have double the source books as ALL of the novels, including the sword and dagger)

Edited by Amarus Cameron, 11 June 2012 - 03:37 AM.

[Adrienne Vorton]

i think some ppl here are just jealous that many ppl here know things they don´t have a clue of... so they cry for a "lore yet to be written", so they don´t have to read all the good stuff up

i wanna play mechwarrior in the universe that i got to love, the reason why i NEVER touched something like dark ages or what ever... sure it has mechs, but that´s not the only thing that makes BT BT and MW MW... gods, i want a new P&P campaign

BTW: nice collection up there now I AM jealous

Edited by Adrienne Vorton, 11 June 2012 - 03:50 AM.