13 replies to this topic

[StompingOnTanks]

So I was watching some mecha anime today and this thought crossed my mind.

How are a Mobile Suit's controls supposed to work? It's never really explained in the animes, at least the ones I've seen, but I've been looking at images of the Zaku's cockpit and trying to make sense of it.



So there's two joysticks which look like the primary controls.

Now to me, it seems to make sense that it would be something like a Playstation 2 First Person Shooter control scheme, but applied to joysticks instead. The right stick is used to turn and look around, with buttons on it to change views, switch weapons, lock on to targets, fire, etc. While the left stick is used to move and rotate, with buttons to jump, crouch, go prone, fire thrusters, and so on. While the dashboard and other buttons would be used to control secondary functions and minor systems.

But that still doesn't explain how Mobile Suits are capable of intricate, precise movements, like picking up an object, or all those fancy melee combat moves they pull off. Plus, in the anime, the joysticks can slide back and forth like throttles. So what purpose would that serve?

Any of you guys got lore books or something on this?

[Nothing Whatsoever]

If you're interested you can take a look at this article, this section starts with the cockpit and then controls after.

Another page from sarna.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Those cover Battlemechs - but I imagine the mechanics are somewhat similar

[Nothing Whatsoever]

Shar Wolf, on 17 February 2015 - 06:23 PM, said:

Those cover Battlemechs - but I imagine the mechanics are somewhat similar

Yeah, they call their's Psycommu, which is like the BT NeuroHelmet, which is used along with various other cockpit controls.

Here's a link I found for the MS cockpit.

I don't know much more about Mobile Suits, but there are enough parallels from what I've been able to find so far.

[Cyberiad]

StompingOnTanks, on 17 February 2015 - 05:01 PM, said:

So I was watching some mecha anime today and this thought crossed my mind.

How are a Mobile Suit's controls supposed to work? It's never really explained in the animes, at least the ones I've seen, but I've been looking at images of the Zaku's cockpit and trying to make sense of it.



So there's two joysticks which look like the primary controls.

Now to me, it seems to make sense that it would be something like a Playstation 2 First Person Shooter control scheme, but applied to joysticks instead. The right stick is used to turn and look around, with buttons on it to change views, switch weapons, lock on to targets, fire, etc. While the left stick is used to move and rotate, with buttons to jump, crouch, go prone, fire thrusters, and so on. While the dashboard and other buttons would be used to control secondary functions and minor systems.

But that still doesn't explain how Mobile Suits are capable of intricate, precise movements, like picking up an object, or all those fancy melee combat moves they pull off. Plus, in the anime, the joysticks can slide back and forth like throttles. So what purpose would that serve?

Any of you guys got lore books or something on this?

They work via suspension of disbelief.

[StompingOnTanks]

Silicon Life, on 17 February 2015 - 06:54 PM, said:

They work via suspension of disbelief.

Not what I was hoping for but damn, you're right.

Edited by StompingOnTanks, 17 February 2015 - 06:55 PM.

[Cyberiad]

Check out footage from gunbuster.... press all these buttons in this combination to punch something.

[Anyone00]

Like the following:


Although this Gundam Pod game seems to be all land based stuff and the mobile suits in the UC operated more like aerospace fighters in a zero-g environment (they just had the option of preforming missions in colonies or on Earth). Also this works off about the same hardware as the newer Star Wars Pod game; so a software change and some interconnecting and, boom, Star Wars vs. Gundam.

Or you could just upgrade to a mobile trace system.

[Slepnir]

I would suggest watching gundam 0083 stardust memory, much of the show is about testing new suits and systems, it's also one of the realistic style side story series from the war story universal century time line.

In short some movement is based on pilot head movement, however much of it is pre-programmed action activated by a combination of buttons on the control handles combined with the handles and foot pedals.

as an example the foot pedals control forward and reverse movement and the velocity based on how far you press them to walk or run. they also control jump when you trigger the jump toggle combined with hard stepping the foot pedal or pedals.

Just as on the ground there is a pre-programmed "auto balancer" that simplifies movement control thrust in a zero G environment. you get a fine example in the show of what happens with the wrong program installed.

[Lily from animove]

Praetor Knight, on 17 February 2015 - 06:44 PM, said:

Yeah, they call their's Psycommu, which is like the BT NeuroHelmet, which is used along with various other cockpit controls.

Here's a link I found for the MS cockpit.

I don't know much more about Mobile Suits, but there are enough parallels from what I've been able to find so far.

Praetor Knight, on 17 February 2015 - 06:44 PM, said:

Yeah, they call their's Psycommu, which is like the BT NeuroHelmet, which is used along with various other cockpit controls.

Here's a link I found for the MS cockpit.

I don't know much more about Mobile Suits, but there are enough parallels from what I've been able to find so far.

Lol reading this means IS siths ther ein bikinis and shorts? because Sauna feeling in the mechs cockpit rofl xD

Amenities? lol steiner cockpit:




I never understood this Neurohelmet thingy, Why do we even have a joystick and stuff if we have that helmet? So the mech is doing all the controling of the myomer muscles, but then, how does a pilot properly use a hand of a mech, beause that is actually fairly difficult. or is a hand a simply open and close grab and bash tool?

[timaeus]

Lily from animove, on 18 February 2015 - 01:49 AM, said:

I never understood this Neurohelmet thingy, Why do we even have a joystick and stuff if we have that helmet? So the mech is doing all the controling of the myomer muscles, but then, how does a pilot properly use a hand of a mech, beause that is actually fairly difficult. or is a hand a simply open and close grab and bash tool?

The neurohelmet for B-tech is mainly just for keeping the mech balanced when overextending the mechs own self balancing systems. More advanced versions allow for a "sense of positional self" in relation to where the mech is in the world and where parts (eg. arm) of the mech are in relation to say a tree, a building or other potential obstacles. EI, DNI, and later VDNI are the tech that "make you one with the mech", but with some serious consequences.

EI, DNI, and VDNI seem to be more often reflective of how it works in anime mecha. Just without all the bad side effects.

Seems like a lot of knowing how to pilot a mech is knowing when to let the mech do it's own thing and when to actually override what it thinks is what needs to be done. "Yes computer, I know that wall is there. I still really want to shove my autocannon through that wall so I can shoot that Madcat in the head as it stops to get its bearing in the city."

As for the hand thing, waldo gloves are apparently used for in some mechs whereas simple switches that toggle how other controls work are in others.

Edited by timaeus, 18 February 2015 - 05:38 AM.

[Lily from animove]

timaeus, on 18 February 2015 - 05:36 AM, said:

The neurohelmet for B-tech is mainly just for keeping the mech balanced when overextending the mechs own self balancing systems. More advanced versions allow for a "sense of positional self" in relation to where the mech is in the world and where parts (eg. arm) of the mech are in relation to say a tree, a building or other potential obstacles. EI, DNI, and later VDNI are the tech that "make you one with the mech", but with some serious consequences.

EI, DNI, and VDNI seem to be more often reflective of how it works in anime mecha. Just without all the bad side effects.

Seems like a lot of knowing how to pilot a mech is knowing when to let the mech do it's own thing and when to actually override what it thinks is what needs to be done. "Yes computer, I know that wall is there. I still really want to shove my autocannon through that wall so I can shoot that Madcat in the head as it stops to get its bearing in the city."

As for the hand thing, waldo gloves are apparently used for in some mechs whereas simple switches that toggle how other controls work are in others.

Hmm yes makes sense, maybe it's the pictures and stuff that most of the times ignore this features and don't show them made me not think of this.

[StompingOnTanks]

Anyone00, on 17 February 2015 - 07:38 PM, said:

Like the following:


Although this Gundam Pod game seems to be all land based stuff and the mobile suits in the UC operated more like aerospace fighters in a zero-g environment (they just had the option of preforming missions in colonies or on Earth). Also this works off about the same hardware as the newer Star Wars Pod game; so a software change and some interconnecting and, boom, Star Wars vs. Gundam.

Or you could just upgrade to a mobile trace system.

I require exactly 50 of these.

[Lily from animove]

StompingOnTanks, on 18 February 2015 - 02:09 PM, said:

I require exactly 50 of these.

too bad they have not continued this with the BT pods, or upgraded them to better graphics, because in the end BT core emchanics is still the same as in the first MW game.