402 replies to this topic

[LoveLost85]

to all the people so jaded about each and every MWO thing that comes out. http://youtu.be/k1JEvcFw41c?t=18s

[Grendel408]

I love the new design... I prefer what Alex is doing with the designs for these 'Mechs... yes they do deviate from the TRO's... but honestly... how functional would those TRO 'Mechs be versus what is being designed by MWO to implement into the game we play?

As for 'Mechs looking similar? Think of it in this perspective... the Successor States have been more of less in a state of warfare for 300 years... factories are bound to make equipment of similar appearance to other 'Mechs... this is why salvage tends to work on other 'Mechs will a little bit of fine tuning... like Firebirds and Cameros being the same, just different on the exterior.

[SteelPaladin]

Cache, on 02 August 2013 - 10:38 AM, said:

SNIP

Now this is a very well thought out and nuanced analysis. I will gladly concede those points.

[Bernard Matthaios]

This is such a huge improvement over the original. Love the new look. Alex's re-visions do not disappoint.

[Skyefox]

So many tears in River City tonight.

[Odanan]

Cache, on 02 August 2013 - 10:38 AM, said:

Curves have nothing to do with the problem. Most of the changes can be done with the textures. A few are actual model changes.

Let's start with the head. We were given a Spartan helmet or Doom space marine--period. Want to keep the original flavor without rounding it, add this:
(1) Face grill. The two put on either side of the head don't cut it, and we know they're possible to do, yet we get the minimal homage that is there.
(2) "Ears". Did the face grill and these get merged into those bits on either side of the head? Why?
(3) "Horns". There is one knot on the head now, and it's in the center. Why not two in the same location as the original, then put the antenna on them?
(4) Armor seam. There should be one seam going down the center of the head. This is not a problem to add.

Spoiler

Arms: The wiry upper arms are not there. A large armor panel was added to the upper arms to beef them up. The rings are the only part vaguely recognizable. I'm going to assume the renders showing the RA lasers stacked rather than side-to-side are an error that will be fixed. Lowers are good otherwise.

Torso: I can see the homage to the CT curves (blue line). The torso is squished a bit, along with the head.
(1) Lines to either side of the laser are there. Good.
(2) Laser... looks raised a little but that's more the upper part of the torso being squished down. Good.
(3) Vent is there, mostly. Good.
(4) Integrated 'rib' vents are gone and tacked on as a 'scoops'. Not good. Go back to them as an internal part of the side torso, and narrow the sides a little.

Spoiler

Legs:
(1) Hip skirts are there, just minimized to the extreme. I would assume to allow arm movement, but the arms don't bend down that low. Make them larger.
(2) The 'dangly bits' shouldn't be dangly. I'm assuming they are now tie-downs for transport. In the original they are wedge shaped pieces pointing forward. No curves involved, no limb clearance issues.
(3) Upper leg armor panels are completely different. You don't need curves to mimic the horizontal lines of the original.
(4) Knees are good but lower leg armor panels are completely different. Again, you don't need curves to mimic the original.
(5) The claws on the toes don't have to stand out. The 'toenails' we were given could run to the top of the toe, and be added to the inner and outer foot.

Spoiler

Agree with everything, but I'm afraid the model is already done.

About the Kintaro art, it is good. But it also could be closer to the original, for giving the mech character.

[Ridersofdoom]

another mech who lost personality, many MWO mechs look so similar, lame job.
Cache is right.

[Cache]

Odanan, on 02 August 2013 - 02:58 PM, said:

Agree with everything, but I'm afraid the model is already done.

Yup. But I can always hope they take this into consideration for the rest.

[Der BruzZzler von Wiesndoof]

Xeno Phalcon, on 02 August 2013 - 06:18 AM, said:

Origin of Golden Boy at least as far as japanese folklore goes. (Note on each arm is writen "Gold" and across the chest, Golden Boy is written. )

[Odanan]

Ridersofdoom, on 02 August 2013 - 03:36 PM, said:

another mech who lost personality, many MWO mechs look so similar, lame job.
Cache is right.

Cache, on 02 August 2013 - 03:51 PM, said:

Yup. But I can always hope they take this into consideration for the rest.

I think Alex Iglesias is overwhelmed with work and some mechs are consequently becoming homogeneous. You cannot expect someone to be genius forever, not without some time to breath.

This Kintaro design, for instance, could be saved just by doing some small changes to the legs, specially by adding the characteristic skirts. Right now, the legs are totally generic.

Overall, I think it was a bad choice of a mech for MWO. It is done, however, and we can't do nothing about it.

I would choose the Guillotine instead of the Quickdraw.
And I would choose any medium instead of this Kintaro. (Assassin would fit well)

[Laserkid]

You guys probably haven't noticed but certain mechs are being pushed around the schedule likely for the faction warfare benefits aspect of CW. Like House Liao getting discounts on Ravens, Pults and whatnot. So expect a few more signature Kurita and Liao mechs filling out the faction weight classes.

[SteelPaladin]

Laserkid, on 02 August 2013 - 09:25 PM, said:

You guys probably haven't noticed but certain mechs are being pushed around the schedule likely for the faction warfare benefits aspect of CW. Like House Liao getting discounts on Ravens, Pults and whatnot. So expect a few more signature Kurita and Liao mechs filling out the faction weight classes.

That doesn't exactly jive. The Quickdraw was an everybody/Kurita (for the 5K variant) mech, when Kurita already has a signature mech in-game (the Dragon). It bumped the Orion, which is commonly associated w/the FWL (who have no signature mechs currently in the game). Kintaro is another Star League-era mech w/Davion and Kurita variants. Victor... Really, all of the recent mechs have been either Star League designs and/or Davion/Kurita love. They're not really balancing the signature mechs out very well, if that's their intention.

[Richee]

the arms look like twigs

[Billygoat]

Saw the announcement, was really excited. Love the goofy looking Kintaro.

Saw the concept art, was less excited. Pretty generic, lacking in the character that made early-ish Battletech mechs endearing. Workable, except...

Saw the in game model, was disappointed. Talk about dull. And probably going to be enormous to boot.

I think Alex is out of juice. At least for the moment. Time to let somebody else do the redesigns for a while and let the poor guy recharge.

[MrTarget]

So the Kintaro is a 55 ton, along with the griffin, wolverine and shadowhawk.

Is this a way of making the medium mech more popular?

[Brakkyn]

All of these designs are reimaginings, based on the originals, with the hopes of improving upon them. The original model is a train wreck compared to this one. But design aesthetics are relative and vary from person to person based on style, so everyone has their own thoughts on what should and should not be re-represented on the 'Mech from the old to the new version.

[pencilboom]

While I'm really excited about the golden boy kintaro model, the concept art is just really uninspiring..

[Dadrick]

I think this mech looks great. I'll definitely be taking one for a spin when it comes out.

[Gremlich Johns]

MonkeyCheese, on 01 August 2013 - 12:24 PM, said:

So? Skipping lights again are we?

There are enough lights until the Clans show up in a year or so....

[Odanan]

SteelPaladin, on 02 August 2013 - 10:16 PM, said:

That doesn't exactly jive. The Quickdraw was an everybody/Kurita (for the 5K variant) mech, when Kurita already has a signature mech in-game (the Dragon). It bumped the Orion, which is commonly associated w/the FWL (who have no signature mechs currently in the game).

There are lots of FWL signature mechs: Flea, Cicada, Hunchback, Trebuchet, Quickdraw, Orion, Awesome and Stalker.
Frankly, FWL produces most of the mechs in Inner Sphere...