46 replies to this topic

[Sybreed]

Yes but not all the time

[Joseph Mallan]

Sybreed, on 25 February 2014 - 06:45 AM, said:

Yes but not all the time

Of course not.

[Sybreed]

Joseph Mallan, on 25 February 2014 - 06:51 AM, said:

Of course not.

To my defense the op wasn't exactly precise in what he wanted!

[carl kerensky]

Just the mere fact of adding something similar to this even if it were toned down is always a step towards a more immersive game. So find a way to bring it in game. Do it in a way that would not wipe out a ten mile radius.

[Gyrok]

Mackman, on 30 September 2013 - 12:23 PM, said:

NO RANDOM EXPLOSIONS WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU.

If it happened every time under a set of particular circumstances, fine. But you can't have a potentially game-changing event like that happen on a random basis.

Like your mech getting headshot while entirely *PRISTINE* by an Artillery strike that hits nothing else on your mech...

I agree...

[GreyGriffin]

I actually like the idea of it being a modest heat spike and a cool visual if you die from massive engine crits.

[Moromillas]

No, Stackpole isn't all that bad. It's actually quite quaint.

[SaltBeef]

There should be a 2 to 5% change if the reactor is heavily damaged and fusion reactor shielding fails The mech should explode in a sizable explosion damaging all targets near the mech blast to include a visual graphic shockwave. Getting hit by a cart-wheeling arm or leg should do damage to hit mechs.

Edited by SaltBeef, 27 February 2014 - 12:31 AM.

[Malcolm Vordermark]

I voted yes because I love the idea. I still voted yes despite understanding it would create many problems that would far outweigh any benefits or coolness factor.

[BlackJack21]

Yes, of course they should explode. Machine guns and Flamers are worthless but at least they're in the game. Just add simple, understandable rules. Legging, Head shots, or killing a powered down mech should not cause an explosion for example. It doesn't even have to do any damage (I prefer that they stick to the lore). They could even charge MC for different colors or animations.

[Tarogato]

^ quasi-necro.

I do like the idea though. It should only occur under specific conditions, say... a 20% chance of occurring when the 'mech is destroyed by CT but only if his heat is above 80%. The blast would create a visual flash that would blind everybody momentarily in a 100 or so meter radius and cause 1-2 damage to all unarmoured components within a 70m radius without the chance of critting or actually destroying anything. So it's functional, pretty, but it can't kill anybody. All numbers completely arbitrary, of course.

[CocoaJin]

This would be a wasted novelty as it inevitably devolves into a anti-climatic cliche of overly used and mundane game cheese.

I'd be ok with occasionally seeing some fusion reactor specific discharge for when the mech is cored, plus secondary explosions of ammo when applicable....but not some giant detonation.

[Skunk Wolf]

Visual effect: Metallic steam cloud.

Physical effect: Heat, no damage. Maybe the heat effect of a fired ISLPL within 30m radius.

[CocoaJin]

Are there any details on the construction and operation of BT fusion engines in mechs? I'd like to see the indication of a core failure be reasonably accurate, to lore and physics. I'll get back if I find something.

[CocoaJin]

SARNA.NET said:

Fusion engines usually will only shut down if damaged or if heat is uncontrolled. Unlike popular belief, there is absolutely no risk of a fusion engine accidentally becoming a nuclear weapon. [17] There have been a number of cases of fusion engines being "over revved" and exploding with devastating force, but this is more akin to a boiler explosion than a true nuclear explosion. More often a destroyed engine will be punctured by weapons fire. Because the plasma is held in a vacuum chamber (to isolate the superheated plasma from the cold walls of the reactor; contact with the walls would super-chill the plasma below fusion temperatures), a punctured reactor can suck in air where the air is superheated. Normal thermal expansion of the air causes the air to burst out in a brilliant lightshow often mistaken for a "nuclear explosion". This thermal expansion damages anything within 90 meters of the destroyed 'Mech.

Such dramatic failures are rare, though. It is difficult to sustain the fusion reaction and very easy to shut down. Safety systems or damage to containment coils will almost always shut down the engine before such an explosion occurs. The massive shielding of the engine (in the case of standard fusion engines, this is a tungsten carbide shell that accounts for over 2/3 of the weight of the engine) usually buys the safety systems the milliseconds needed to shutdown the engine when severe damage is inflicted.

So I'd like to see the occasional high pressure stream(s) of venting of plasma, white hot to violet in gradient that lasts for a couple of seconds, then perhaps small pyrotechnic secondary explosions for some cored engines. This would suggest a punctured core and the temporary "backdraft" of sorts as the ambient air is drawn into the vacuum chamber, rapidly heated and ejected out of the core.

On the other hand, a very rare critical failure might show a sudden rush of air and a small, localized collapse of the mech's torso, followed rapidly by a white hot explosive expansion of light and heat with a concussive ring and rolling dust cloud...no earth shattering mushroom cloud, just a gutted mech after the bright flash.

Edited by CocoaJin, 24 August 2014 - 10:32 AM.

[Sev Armath]

I would love some visual effect indicating that something big and massive just died. Seeing them just collapsing doesnt make me as happy as i could be after gutting them. Or after getting gutted.



btw: could somebody explain the meaning of "stackpoled" to me?

[CocoaJin]

Sev Armath, on 24 August 2014 - 01:45 PM, said:

I would love some visual effect indicating that something big and massive just died. Seeing them just collapsing doesnt make me as happy as i could be after gutting them. Or after getting gutted.



btw: could somebody explain the meaning of "stackpoled" to me?

I disagree, I'd say it's beautifully poetic to see some monstrous, mechanical Golem suddenly rendered inoperative and moot. It's like forcibly yank the ghost out of the machine, turning the anthropomorphic man-beast and rendering it into an inert hunk of lifeless metal that goes crashing to the ground with absolutely no fanfare. It's a symbolic way taking a fearsome force of nature and making it a "nothing"...just some random falling tree you turn your back on and dismiss seconds after you vanquish it.

Like a Samurai that strikes such a swift and deadly singular blow that he can wipe and sheath his blade before his adversary even hits the ground. Death that comes so swift that your disembodied soul can watch the final seconds of your corpse's fall in defeat.

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

'Stackpole' with reference to Mech explosions, is a term from the novels by the BattleTech author Michael A. Stackpole.

To add drama to his BattleTech books he described an effect of the Mech's engines 'going critical' and exploding in a great 'near nuke type' of effect. Even with the Lore stating this could not happen. It was coined 'The Stackpole Effect'.

His BattleTech trilogy's are nearly mandatory reading if you want to understand some of the Lore of this Verse.

- Warrior Trilogy

• 1988 Warrior: En Garde (FASA, ROC reprint)
  
• 1988 Warrior: Riposte (FASA, ROC reprint)
  
• 1989 Warrior: Coupé (FASA, ROC reprint)

- Blood of Kerensky Trilogy

• 1989 Lethal Heritage (FASA, ROC reprint)
  
• 1990 Blood Legacy (FASA, ROC reprint)
  
• 1991 Lost Destiny (FASA, ROC reprint)

- Other BattleTech Spine Novels

• 1992 Natural Selection (novel) (ROC)
  
• 1993 Assumption of Risk (ROC)
  
• 1994 Bred For War (ROC)
  
• 1996 Malicious Intent (ROC)
  
• 1997 Grave Covenant (ROC) - Twilight of the Clans series #2
  
• 1998 Prince of Havoc (ROC) - Twilight of the Clans series #7

- Mechwarrior - Dark Age setting

• 2002 Ghost War (ROC/WizKids)
  
• 2007 Masters of War (ROC/WizKids)

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia....el_A._Stackpole
http://en.wikipedia....ttleTech_novels

9erRed

[Loganauer]

I vote yes, and I might suggest it be implemented as a small explosion for the aesthetic. When a fusion reactor is being destroyed, there should be an explosion. Maybe mini-nuke for future implementation. In every Mechwarrior cinematic there has been an explosion in 'mech death, it'd help with emersion even if it was a small one like in the 'Mech Commander intro. The intro for -this- game had it!

If it is implemented for damage, explosion size/damage should be proportional to 'mech size, with a clear pause before it explodes. It dosn't really punish light 'mechs who use MG, SL, and Flames because they can get out quickly. It punishes heavy/assault brawlers more than anything.

Edited by Loganauer, 25 August 2014 - 05:28 AM.

[The Massive]

I'd like to see reactor critical explosions. Mainly because reactor explosions are cool. Also so mechs stop face hugging each other in the brawl.