13 replies to this topic

[Bishop Steiner]

So, a little background. The Griffin was always my 55 tonner of choice in TT Of course, I usually stuck 10 SRM tubes on mine to make it more "all purpose"). I mostly just liked how it looked. Anyhow, the Project Phoenix ShadowHawk got me excited. Then, seeing Pacific Rim made me really want to re-visit a more old school Anime / Ultraman feel.

So, I said heck with it, and decided to try to recapture the feel of the Griffin from my old 1st Edition Rules of Warfare book. This is a rough, and will be getting "tuned" more (specifically the forearms are not what I want yet), but I got the basics for what I want.



A few "anime" elements made it in, aside from the flat armor and lankiness. But those features, like the "bell bottoms" serve a purpose. (That is a shock tower, allowing lateral play on the impact absorbers. Important for a 55 ton machine leaping 150 meters at a pop at 80 kph)

The Cockpit "single panel" instead of the classic Dome Glass came from a picture either on my old Rules of War or Black Widow Company sourcebook, i forget which. Also, I intentionally stuck the launcher on the "wrong" shoulder, intentionally, to keep the mech from getting too easily disarmed.

Input, please?

*as an aside, if you look above the armored "collar", I also intentionally made the dome on a swivel turret like a gun dome on an old WWII bomber. The Shock Couch/Ejection seat is is designed to swivel with the face panel, allowing the pilot to scan with "Sensors Mark " in the event of a failure to other scanners. This is kind of a throwback feature, since the Griffin is such an ancient design, to a time when sensors were not always as combat reliable. After all, Griffin Danger is ANALOGUE!

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 19 July 2013 - 01:50 PM.

[Mindwyrm]

I like. Especially how, when you made a change you had a good reason. "Bell Bottoms" is funny but your explanation made sense. As for the missile tube shoulder, it's a logical reason, yet in my Yen-lo-Wang, I find it useful to have all the LT and LA area used as a "shield". That's my personal play style though, I can see how other play styles would want weapons spread out too.

[Epic Weasel]

I like it. Excellent work. I concur with Mindwyrm on the launcher placement. I would guess it was the reasoning for the original design. But I can't imagine that looking as good moving it. I was wondering where the jumpjets were? I don't remember offhand, but would they be visible from that perspective. I'd drive the tar outa that thing. Nicely done

[BrokenDog]

Like, love and want! Weapon move is fine. Can but hope and wait!

[POOTYTANGASAUR]

I actual play TT ocassionally. I have a few griffins one of which is a hero and it is very useful in fights. Its lrms are devastating. I very much like your design. I wish i had more experience with GIMP or photoshop so i could make a render of this. Like MWO concept style. That would be super sexy.

[Bishop Steiner]

Epic Weasel, on 19 July 2013 - 01:23 PM, said:

I like it. Excellent work. I concur with Mindwyrm on the launcher placement. I would guess it was the reasoning for the original design. But I can't imagine that looking as good moving it. I was wondering where the jumpjets were? I don't remember offhand, but would they be visible from that perspective. I'd drive the tar outa that thing. Nicely done

JJs are also torso mounted on GRF-1N.

[BarHaid]

Dang Bishop, you hit this one out of the park! I LOVE the legs. I'm trying to give some constructive criticism here, but it ain't coming. Well done!

[LastKhan]

nice job Bishop! i like it.

[William Chase Davion]

Looks good. Nice work

[Soku Yamashita]

cool! this is my first battlemech during my tabletop days!

[Magik0012]

Griffin Danger, indeed! I dig it!

[Bishop Steiner]

Thanks. I did go of a little bit of the primitive, old school look since the Griffin is supposed to be a very early battlemech, when it debuted it was actually considered an "Assault Mech".

crazy, right?

[Dirus Nigh]

The cockpit window could be a little bigger. Maybe extend it a little to the sides and on top. The Griffin gives the pilot a very good field of view. IT should at least have a similar view as the quickdraw has in MWO.

The missile launcher is rather large and boxy. It looks good, all of the box shaped weapon mounts are getting to repedative in MWO. Would a hexagonal cylinder be more eye catching? It would also give a more visual range to the mechs. As well as having a slightly smaller profile for being targeted.

I like your ball turret idea for the head. However the way the caller is shaped it not look like the head can look down. If a target was bellow them, and the pilot tilted the head down the window would slip behind the caller.

Over all I think it looks great.

Edited by Dirus Nigh, 23 July 2013 - 11:07 AM.

[Bishop Steiner]

yup, no up and down, just simple left and right. since no other mech in MWO and such can do that, seems fine by me. Also, most mechs do articulate to some degree at the waist.

Haven't decided on the glass yet. As noted, I based it off a first ed picture. I won't be going all fishbowl though, that is for certain. Side panels? A possibility.