191 replies to this topic

[ThermidorFallen]

Bishop Steiner, on 10 August 2014 - 07:02 AM, said:

thoughts?

I'll take three.

[SgtMagor]

they build a 10+ jump jet variant that can run and jump fast as a Spider, instant no brainer purchase for me

[Escef]

Bishop Steiner, on 10 August 2014 - 07:02 AM, said:

updated art to better follow original profile of the ASSASSIN, by narrowing the side torso/shoulders, and delineated "idealized" hit boxes.


thoughts?

Something with those hitboxes, provided it had an ok torso twist, would be really tanky with a standard engine. Lack of head or CT hard points would be the only thing stopping it from trying to pick up the Centurion's pre-hitbox change zombie crown.

[Bishop Steiner]

SgtMagor, on 10 August 2014 - 07:21 AM, said:

they build a 10+ jump jet variant that can run and jump fast as a Spider, instant no brainer purchase for me

they build that, they'll make it as big as a Centurion, lol.

Escef, on 10 August 2014 - 07:41 AM, said:

Something with those hitboxes, provided it had an ok torso twist, would be really tanky with a standard engine. Lack of head or CT hard points would be the only thing stopping it from trying to pick up the Centurion's pre-hitbox change zombie crown.

don't think the side are particularly larger than a Spiders, tbh. I think if it was kept closer to Firestarter size (But more spider narrow), it could do well, with an XL still, especially at it's speeds and using the JJ hops to juke.

the dark yellow part of the hitboxes are actually like the sts on the Stalkers as they are almost invisible from the front, but are more hittable from the side.

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 10 August 2014 - 07:46 AM.

[Canas]

My question is........how would they work the spiecial "Stealth" armor that was produced for the sin exclusively?

[Lefty Lucy]

Bishop Steiner, on 10 August 2014 - 07:45 AM, said:

I think if it was kept closer to Firestarter size (But more spider narrow), it could do well

Of course that would make it smaller than a Firestarter, which would be pretty inappropriate given it's a 40-ton mech.

Make it a bit bigger than a Firestarter if you want it to be very thin, and that would be fair, especially considering how lights (especially spiders) will be totally out-classed by a medium.

[Coralld]

Bishop Steiner, on 04 August 2014 - 09:51 AM, said:

I think it safe to say MOST of us are waiting, and speculating as to when we start seeing more Inner Sphere mech designs, and what ones those will be. We have various levels of confirmation that we will be seeing the Vindicator, Mauler and King Crab, eventually.

We hopefully will see another Heavy, before any of them, IMO. But as a Medium Jock, (and thus admittedly biased) I want to see the Assassin. Badly.

Why?

Medium Mechs are supposed to be y far the most common. Admittedly, even with far better game balancing, I doubt we will see that reflected by actual in game numbers anytime soon, as in general, Mediums greatest strength, versatility, is also their greatest weakness, especially in a minmax game like MWO. And most people feel anything at the low end of a weight class are a total waste.

As a class, Mediums are entirely too top heavy. We need more 40-45 tonners, IS and Clan.
There are 3 timeline variants (ASN-21, 23, 101). 101 was in extremely limited numbers (as Strum will likely excoriate me over) but limited availability has not really stopped PGI yet (HGN was not exactly common, in any form, and outside of Comstar and the Clans the 732 was extinct)

Fast. Very fast. Should have a 340 engine cap, same as the Cicada (by the 1.3 multiplier, it would be 360-365, but by the 8.5x limiter, a 340). 151 kph with speed tweak.

VERY Jump capable. Second only to the Spider. In fact, following the typical JJ inflation, I expect some 9-10 JJ capable versions. With .5 ton JJs.

In theory, it should have a VERY small, compact frame, not terribly larger than a Spider, or Firestarter, at worst. (Of course, we know PGI will screw this part up, and it will be at least as big as a Centurion)

Typical hardpoint inflation should make some nice possible weapons variants.
-ASN-21: 4 Missile hardpoints (2x each torso) and 2-3 energy in the RA.
-ASN-23: Reduced missiles (2-3 in RT?) same 2-3 energy, but great candidate for ECM and enhanced JJs. (Cicadas, Atlases and Commandoes never had ECM in the versions PGI chose, either). Also all weapons on one side for those that like to "shield".
-ASN-101: 2x Missile hardpoints (1 each ST), 2x Energy in the RA, 1x Energy in the RT, LT and H. Reduced JJs, but as a "special" limited test version of the Assassin, even more likely a candidate for ECM due to the NAIS (introduced in 3024, in the early days of lostech recovery, and a House Davion redesign), and very likely the torso lasers would be relatively high mounted, making a good candidate for light jump sniping.

So, in a nutshell, blazing fast, great jumper, small size and profile should make it relatively tough to target, with 3 variants that should (conceivably) actually feed into VERY different roles and playstyles.



Anyhow, not saying it is THE must have mech to be released, just making a case for why it would be a good addition.

Flame away!

Updated basic concept, narrowed the side torsos to bring it's silhouette and hitboxes more in line with the original line art. Also highlighted "ideal" hitboxes.



thoughts?

Can I mount wrist blades?

You know what, screw it, I'll take one and call it Ezio.

[Bishop Steiner]

Lefty Lucy, on 10 August 2014 - 08:06 AM, said:

Of course that would make it smaller than a Firestarter, which would be pretty inappropriate given it's a 40-ton mech.

Make it a bit bigger than a Firestarter if you want it to be very thin, and that would be fair, especially considering how lights (especially spiders) will be totally out-classed by a medium.

Bishop Steiner, on 10 August 2014 - 07:45 AM, said:

I think if it was kept closer to Firestarter size (But more spider narrow),

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 10 August 2014 - 08:33 AM.

[Escef]

Canas, on 10 August 2014 - 07:59 AM, said:

My question is........how would they work the spiecial "Stealth" armor that was produced for the sin exclusively?

No such animal, as far as I know. I think your thinking of the Chameleon Light Polarization Shield used by Star League Exterminators.

[Avimimus]

...and if you wanted to do the chameleon LPS for a mech you'd just need to 1) take up a crit in each section 2) add 6 base heat 3) add some alpha channels to give it a bit of visual stealth...

[Canas]

Escef, on 10 August 2014 - 09:12 AM, said:

No such animal, as far as I know. I think your thinking of the Chameleon Light Polarization Shield used by Star League Exterminators.

Right,my bad. Got the two mixed up.

[Bishop Steiner]

OK..... Vindicator kinda disappointing. Back to wanting this.

[Hagoromo Gitsune]

Look's like Axeman/Hatchetman.

Edited by Hagoromo Gitsune, 30 August 2014 - 08:14 AM.

[Xarian]

I'm fully on board with this idea.

The only hangup is that some of the variants have leg lasers. Hasn't PGI said before that lasers on legs are hard to deal with?

[Bishop Steiner]

Xarian, on 30 August 2014 - 08:51 AM, said:

I'm fully on board with this idea.

The only hangup is that some of the variants have leg lasers. Hasn't PGI said before that lasers on legs are hard to deal with?

The Cicada also had leg weapons. They just move those into the corresponding side torsos, same as the Cicada or with the rear firing lasers for the Atlas/Battlemaster.

[Vassago Rain]

Bishop Steiner, on 30 August 2014 - 06:50 AM, said:

OK..... Vindicator kinda disappointing. Back to wanting this.

After what they did to the vindicator, no thanks.

They need to get a new guy to size things over there at PGI.

[Quicksilver Aberration]

Bishop Steiner, on 30 August 2014 - 06:50 AM, said:

OK..... Vindicator kinda disappointing. Back to wanting this.

QFT

[Bishop Steiner]

Vassago Rain, on 30 August 2014 - 09:14 AM, said:

After what they did to the vindicator, no thanks.

They need to get a new guy to size things over there at PGI.

Well, the new "45 ton size" WAS smaller than the "55 ton size"...... So I figure a 40 tonner would only be a LITTLE bigger than a Hunchback......

(and yeah, the scaling is freaking ludicrous in this game)

[J0N3S]

Whats wrong with the Vindy Bishop?

Drove a 1AA fully mastered on the Test Server.
Good Hitbox at 116KPH worked fine for me ....

[Bishop Steiner]

J0N3S, on 30 August 2014 - 09:32 AM, said:

Whats wrong with the Vindy Bishop?

Drove a 1AA fully mastered on the Test Server.
Good Hitbox at 116KPH worked fine for me ....

wrong? not wrong as much as just not right. Hitboxes are decent, speed is decent if one sacrifices any ability for decent firepower.

Should have been built more along the lines of a smaller Centy, another, tough as nails trooper mech. Sure it would not match the firepower due to 5 tons lighter, but the JJs are a good trade for that. But in part because of meh hardpoints and limited HP inflation, average hitboxes and average Medium Mech speed, it just kind of...is MEH.

I have some very functional builds on my Blue, 1AA and 1X (thx test server!) but there is nothing in any of them that my BJ-1, Arrow, Centurions, or such can't do better, leaving me with little reason other than looks, to drive one. It does have good agility, but even then it is outshone one the ground by my HBK (because...ac20) or faster and such by my GRF.

It's just like it's ALMOST there in so many ways...but just missing the mark, to me.

A lot of which could have been overlooked had they at least scaled it correctly.