28 replies to this topic

[Zigeunerskat]

So, inspired by Mechwarrior I have been reading a lot in the BattleTech Wiki.

Looking at the official artworks of many Mechs I noticed that for many of them, head and torso seem to be able to face in different directions. I wondered if this was something that could fit in MWO as well?


I get that there are technical limits and Mechs in video games are generally far less agile than portrayed in other Battletech media (where they can roll over their shoulders and such), but this little detail seems like it could actually work in the current engine.


The idea of implementation would be rather simple - for example, hold a button and your head gets locked in place while your mouse only rotates your torso. This feature could help a pilot to keep an enemy in his view while twisting his torso into a defensive position and would likely benefit brawlers the most. Then, combine it with torso lock to twist away from your enemy but keep arm mounted weapons on him. First, this could help to add another layer of skill to the game. Second, it also would give Mech chassis another aspect to differentiate them since there are Mechs with free standing heads which could rotate their cockpits and Mechs with cockpits inside or sticking out of their torso which could not do that. Also it would make arm movement range more important and could eventually lead to more usefulness to lower arm articulators (-> let them increase arm movement range).


So, what are your thoughts on this?

[Hans Von Lohman]

I can't really see this as a feature that is needed. Certainly I see that it could be fun, don't get me wrong.

However, I actually would like the ability to move my pilot seat around in the cockpit so I can see up and down to look out the windows rather than move the whole head.

[Khobai]

isnt free look kindve the same thing? dont see why we need this.

[Bishop Steiner]

players have enough trouble with their legs and torsos, turning independently. Adding a 3rd rotational axis? There isn't enough 3pV and other hand holding crutches PGI could implement to help 90% of the playerbase figure that out.

If half the people on here had there way we'd be side strafing instead of torso twisting.

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 14 May 2014 - 03:40 PM.

[CeeKay Boques]

Its too bad that we no longer think about all the cool things that could be added, just whether or not they will get in the way of base game.development. I'm guilty myself, VOIP bah.

This would be cool, and could be coupled to headtracking/free look for extra immersion.

[Risko Vinsheen]

I much prefer the mechs they've redesigned to not have rotating heads (Centurion and Victor for example). They just make more sense to me. A neck is too exposed and weak to work for a war machine. Torso twisting and free look are good enough.

[Nothing Whatsoever]

We have free look, I understand the idea you have, but what I'd like to see instead is allow specific torso weapons on certain mechs variants to move with the arms (or at least up and down) instead of just being fixed.

For example, Locust and Wolverine torso / head lasers could track up and down instead of being locked to the torso crosshair / reticle.

Otherwise there could be a quirk where certain chassis have fixed torsos and have arms and heads that rotate and track instead.

[Alex Warden]

lol they used the inability of people to properly use the torso as an excuse for 3rd person view... now you want another part to be twistable? satelite view incoming xD

on a more serious note: artwork is artwork and barely has anything to do with the actual game ... both MW and BT

Edited by Alex Warden, 14 May 2014 - 04:30 PM.

[Pygar]

It's not really useful for anything, and as far as "neato" factor is concerned...it's not really that "neato".

[El Bandito]

Zigeunerskat, on 14 May 2014 - 03:24 PM, said:

So, inspired by Mechwarrior I have been reading a lot in the BattleTech Wiki. Looking at the official artworks of many Mechs I noticed that for many of them, head and torso seem to be able to face in different directions. I wondered if this was something that could fit in MWO as well? I get that there are technical limits and Mechs in video games are generally far less agile than portrayed in other Battletech media (where they can roll over their shoulders and such), but this little detail seems like it could actually work in the current engine. The idea of implementation would be rather simple - for example, hold a button and your head gets locked in place while your mouse only rotates your torso. This feature could help a pilot to keep an enemy in his view while twisting his torso into a defensive position and would likely benefit brawlers the most. Then, combine it with torso lock to twist away from your enemy but keep arm mounted weapons on him. First, this could help to add another layer of skill to the game. Second, it also would give Mech chassis another aspect to differentiate them since there are Mechs with free standing heads which could rotate their cockpits and Mechs with cockpits inside or sticking out of their torso which could not do that. Also it would make arm movement range more important and could eventually lead to more usefulness to lower arm articulators (-> let them increase arm movement range). So, what are your thoughts on this?

I like the idea, but rotatable head will only apply to certain types of mechs.

[iHover]

I was hoping my TrackerIR would provide this. Tracker IR provided PGI with the APIs to do it but these A$$ hats couldn't code it.

[Hexenhammer]

So people will have to remember where their feet, torsos and head is pointed?

Didn't we get PV3 because people aren't capable of keeping track of their feet and torso? What'll we get if they add head? 6PV?

Edited by Hexenhammer, 14 May 2014 - 08:09 PM.

[Veranova]

Don't need to over-complicate it.
Just make the head follow the arms reticle. Done. Your vision already follows the arms reticle, they're just need to make the cockpit move with it too, and then tie the head on the 'mech model to the same raytrace as the arms.

I doubt it would be even require more coding. Holding control would let you move that head around too as the system is already there.

[Durant Carlyle]

More complexity in this area is not a good thing. We already have too much complexity for some players with the torso/leg movement.

The artists simply did their duty and took artistic license.

If we had the same targeting systems that BattleMechs do in the lore and in some art, we'd be able to aim the LA weapons at Target A, RA weapons at Target B, and torso weapons at Target C. We aren't going to get that in the game either.

[Mycrus]

Lol then this game will need 6dof controls... well not really.

[Risko Vinsheen]

Mycrus, on 14 May 2014 - 06:06 PM, said:

Lol then this game will need 6dof controls... well not really.

"Why are there 6 pedals when there are only 4 directions?" - Caboose

http://youtu.be/lDVfLh_O0LA?t=1m24s

(Can't figure out how to embed a YouTube vid, so... link above. Adult language warning if you watch the rest of the video.)

Edited by Risko Vinsheen, 14 May 2014 - 07:30 PM.

[Hexenhammer]

I'd rather see arms play a bigger role in the game.

The left and right arm are tied together. Make it so we can am further to the right and left and when we fire, only that arm fires.


And complexity doesn't make for a better game. UI2 anyone?

[BourbonFaucet]

Can the heads rotate 360 degrees?

We 'Mechs can see EVEEEEERYTHING.

[FupDup]

[Karl Streiger]

Turning heads... i have to think at the "Deva" - when you see into his eye - you are about to get a PPC shot in your face