35 replies to this topic

[UBCslayer]

I see a lot of talk on here about the tabletop version of BT, and of course MW2 which a lot of people cut their teeth on. This thread is specifically in regards to the original PC game labelled simply `Mechwarrior``, which was released by Activision in 1989. Who is old enough to remember playing it, and what do you remember from it?

To jog your memory (it's been 23 years after all), here is some background info and screen shots from the game that I consider the best MW game ever produced, and not just for sentimental reasons.

http://www.localditc...mech/index.html

[ScrapIron Prime]

The original PC game was Crescent Hawk's Inception, which predated Mechwarrior by little over a year (and whose sequel, Crescent Hawk's Revenge, came out just AFTER Mechwarrior). Inception was a turn based game that combined the classic infocom/westwood text based adventure game with rudimentary mech combat.

I do think, however, that mechwarrior 2 was a superior game in terms of combat simulation. But Mechwarrior [1] had an excellent system for being a mercenary unit, in terms of travelling, negotiating contracts and earning reputation. I wasn't fond of buying and selling mechs from one world to another as a source of profit, though. it seemed a bit too... mercantile... for a merc unit.

[UBCslayer]

Never had the chance to play Crescent Hawk, but now that you mention it I'm going to have to try and download it.

As for MW1, I just have to say I'm glad that the developers are bringing back the Jenner as one of their founders mechs... My earliest memories of playing Mechwarrior was running around in my Jenner, flanking heavy and assault class mechs and legging them to death. I know, not the most honourable method, but when you are in a Jenner against a Battlemaster you are left with little other choice!

[Mantis]

UBCslayer, on 26 June 2012 - 09:12 PM, said:

http://www.localditc...mech/index.html

I was only 3 when it came out, but I remember playing it a little while after that on our brand new Pentium 90, being a kid, and being the 90's, game demo's were all the rage, and a mind blowing game called Mechwarrior 2 came out and I'm pretty sure I played that one for months years.

Very fond memories of both these games, I am looking forward to whatever comes next with MWO

Edited by mantis, 26 June 2012 - 09:42 PM.

[Clan Warrior]

I still have and remember well Mechwarrior, before MW2. The Crescent Hawks' Inception and revenge.

MW2 was very immersive I could really get into it. The Clans were well explained, game play was very realistic for its time more than MW4.

But my favorite MW game was MW2 Mercenaries. I loved to travel all over looking for lucrative contracts and when I found one often it was too good to be true. Missions could turn from easy to very hard. When I frist played during one mission the opposite side asked me "Hey You! Forget them we can double what they pay you! If you join us" Sometime I did switch sides after all I was a merc and it was lots of fun.

Repairing mechs, checking on mech pilots and see if you can get better pilots. Even hiring Aero pilots to fly over and help you out. I can't believe it how cool that MW game was. Immersion and freedom was unbelievable in MW2 Mercenaries.

This is the only MW game that I truly miss.

[UBCslayer]

mantis, on 26 June 2012 - 09:39 PM, said:

I was only 3 when it came out, but I remember playing it a little while after that on our brand new Pentium 90, being a kid, and being the 90's, game demo's were all the rage, and a mind blowing game called Mechwarrior 2 came out and I'm pretty sure I played that one for months.

Very fond memories of both these games, I am looking forward to whatever comes next with MWO

I was 8 years old at the time, and let me tell you... when Santa Clause left a brand new Pentium computer with a game callled "Mechwarrior" sitting on top of it beside the Christmas tree, I had no idea that I would be hooked for life on the BT franchise.

[Luciora Genki]

Loved Mechwarrior. Lots of pleasent memories of legging Locusts and other Jenners with a nice 4 med laser alpha, and the SRM4 toggled off so you wouldn't shoot the missle in mid flight. Also taking out the Death Wing out in a Phoenix Hawk. All head shots. For a sim, it was the most true to tabletop damage of weapons to armor, except the head, for balance reasons. Still my most favorite of the Mechwarrior series followed by 3. 2 was ok, never really cared for the clans, and 4 was just too much of an arcade type sim to me. Loved the Crescent Hawk series to death as well.

[light487]

I definitely remember playing a turn based Battletech game before Mechwarrior 2 (which was the first Mech sim I played).. no idea if it was the one mentioned here.. but it was a decent game. MW2 and the other 'sims' that followed it were and still are awesome..

[icCertainDeath]

Am I the only one who thought MW3 was the best version?

Sure, MW2 got me hooked, WAY hooked, but MW3 had immersive, consistent (unlike MW4) graphics, a better mech lab and MFBs, which were fun to have. One thing I liked about MW2 was the ability to hit the diagonal jump jets while running to turn faster. Makes sense to me, and it worked like a charm.

MW4 was the ruinous time, when the game turned into a slow, first person shooter. Ugh. Yeah, with photo real skies, cartoon-rendered ground and raster mechs. Seriously? The consistency got better with MW4 Mercenaries, but by then I was jaded. Not in the Clan Falcon sense. Plus it was still a slow FPS. After that I switched to Starcraft. I sure hope MWO turns out to be as true as it appears!

MW4 did have 2 good points. The protagonist's name was Ian (which is my real name, thus making the campaign more personal) and the mech lab restricted weapon placement. Oh the ridiculous things I did in the MW3 mechlab to keep a torn up mech functional! Oh Mr laser legs? LOL.

- Ian

[Falcor]

I started with Mechwarrior 1 when I was a kid too. Loved it. Of course... it has given me a love for those specific mechs, from the locust to the battlemaster. I hope we will get to play those in MWO. I'm hearing of some kind of stupid lawsuit keeping us from being able to enjoy them though.

[Elkarlo]

Personally i had an Amiga so only saw from the old Games Crescent Hawk.
But when you read the Report about Mechwarrior PC Game, then you see why some poeple think it is even better than
MW2. It's the same why MW3/4 is someway a downgrade: the Basic Games have a strikt stories and no real Choice in outcome.
I played MW2 and MW2 GBL, but the best ever Mechwarrior game Imo is simply Mechwarrior 2 Mercenaries.
Because it gives you the Freeplay feeling, you can do some Awesome Stuff which was cancled in MW3/4 and we won't even see it in MWO for the moment.
You got inferno missles, the Weapon of Choice against Clan mech's, it gives you a good variety of 3025 Mechs and some 3050 Clan and SLDF Mechs, MW3/4 never had. You had the opportunity of Phsyical Attacks: ( Nor arm or leg but a least Ramming and Death JUMP's with the Awesome Bottom View option). You could go into Arena Matches and so on.

I have nearly all MW2/3/4 games with ad on, but till my old PIII 800 collapsed i used to go through MW2Mercs. Which biggest flaw is that it won't run under Windows XP. MW3 and Mw4 are nice Grafics but they don't feel "right" in some way.

And i think thats what most Poeple which played Mechwarrior 1 adore's it feelt right because it had everything what makes BT, And that FIRST what came with MW2 Mercaernaries about 2 Years later in the Mw2 series.

[Clan Warrior]

icCertainDeath, on 26 June 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

Am I the only one who thought MW3 was the best version?

Sure, MW2 got me hooked, WAY hooked, but MW3 had immersive, consistent (unlike MW4) graphics, a better mech lab and MFBs, which were fun to have. One thing I liked about MW2 was the ability to hit the diagonal jump jets while running to turn faster. Makes sense to me, and it worked like a charm.

MW4 was the ruinous time, when the game turned into a slow, first person shooter. Ugh. Yeah, with photo real skies, cartoon-rendered ground and raster mechs. Seriously? The consistency got better with MW4 Mercenaries, but by then I was jaded. Not in the Clan Falcon sense. Plus it was still a slow FPS. After that I switched to Starcraft. I sure hope MWO turns out to be as true as it appears!

MW4 did have 2 good points. The protagonist's name was Ian (which is my real name, thus making the campaign more personal) and the mech lab restricted weapon placement. Oh the ridiculous things I did in the MW3 mechlab to keep a torn up mech functional! Oh Mr laser legs? LOL.

- Ian

With regard to MW3 I liked it and it could have been probably the best MW game but it was just too short for me. Also replay value was not as good as say MW2 Mercs. In MW2 Mercs entire campaign was made up of random missions with some scripted story missions. That means every time I played MW2 Mercs was different in a way. I did play it for years to come in and out.

Yeah I agree with MW4 been arcade game and didn't feel like MW game to me at all. At first I didn't know what to say I just play it a little, then some more. I was like looking at it with my eyes wide open and then that was it. No more playing MW4. LOL

MW4 mech colors they just fraking killed me. It looked like Cartoon Network, Tom & Jerry mech a like fight.

Realistic play and atmosphere goes to MW3. However, replay value goes to MW2 Mercs.

Edited by Clan Warrior, 26 June 2012 - 10:42 PM.

[ScrapIron Prime]

Oh, and let's not forget... the MW2 Mercenaries soundtrack is STILL worth listening to.



And some of the cutscenes, while primitive by today's graphics standards are just CLASSIC.

Edited by ScrapIron Prime, 27 June 2012 - 05:05 AM.

[xxx WreckinBallRaj xxx]

I started with the first MW2 game and hit every game from then on. Being born 1988, I was a kid of the late 90s and had games in that decade. I thought MW3 and MW4 were awesome at the time when they improved the graphics. I need to go pick up that free MW4 copy from MekTek and play it again so it is all fresh in my mind. MW4 Mercs still looks pretty nice if you max out its graphic settings. You can DL and play it for free off a website. This is not illegal as the franchise was abandoned and left to open source/public domain. MekTek picked it up and re-coded MW mercs which now works for 64bit Windows.

http://www.mektek.net/projects/mw4/
(If DL link doesn't work, try this one:)
http://www.gamefront...ader_v__1_0_3_5

[Gonzo007]

as i remember Crescent Hawk was more like Mechcommander style, and there was also one that was rpg)

[Nian]

Yes if you want to start from the beginning then Battletech if your first port of call,my advice is to not bother with the DOS version but instead download WinUAE and try the Amiga, a much better experience.

Ahh the fond memories.

http://www.lemonamig...ails.php?id=142

[OICU812]

I believe this was the basis for the multiplayer version that came on GEnie in '93.

[Romulus Stahl]

icCertainDeath, on 26 June 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

Am I the only one who thought MW3 was the best version?

Sure, MW2 got me hooked, WAY hooked, but MW3 had immersive, consistent (unlike MW4) graphics, a better mech lab and MFBs, which were fun to have. One thing I liked about MW2 was the ability to hit the diagonal jump jets while running to turn faster. Makes sense to me, and it worked like a charm.

MW4 was the ruinous time, when the game turned into a slow, first person shooter. Ugh. Yeah, with photo real skies, cartoon-rendered ground and raster mechs. Seriously? The consistency got better with MW4 Mercenaries, but by then I was jaded. Not in the Clan Falcon sense. Plus it was still a slow FPS. After that I switched to Starcraft. I sure hope MWO turns out to be as true as it appears!

MW4 did have 2 good points. The protagonist's name was Ian (which is my real name, thus making the campaign more personal) and the mech lab restricted weapon placement. Oh the ridiculous things I did in the MW3 mechlab to keep a torn up mech functional! Oh Mr laser legs? LOL.

- Ian

MW3 had the best control options, being able to move an arm out to the side to aim was a huge step forward, combine that with torso twist and you could shot behind yourself.

[Deathshade]

I played MW1 around 91-92 on my first IBM compatible with Windows 3.11. I beat the game a number of times and figured out that you could kill the endgame match mechs of 4 Battlemasters by using the Maruader to headshot them at range. I believe you actually had to beat three lances of Battlemasters to win the game. But it has been awhile as you said

[Arganosh]

Played Mechwarrior when it came out. I peed a litle the first time the Marauder came after me. It was a blast after having palyed Crescent Hawks.

Being 51 years old, I have waited oh so long for there to be somethign like this. While playing the AI can be a challange, playing against people will be so much of a challange and so much fun making them eject.

Edited by Arganosh, 27 June 2012 - 06:03 AM.