20517 replies to this topic

[Olyndicus]

Is it just me or does the Highlander mech look like Walle from that Disney movie, after I made this comparison it became painful to look at that mech. If it plays well then it doesn't matter. I hope I don't steer anyone away from what may be a good mech, it is aesthetically disappointing. https://www.google.c...4FsvvrAHFz4CwBA

[Norris J Packard]

Olyndicus, on 28 December 2012 - 05:30 PM, said:

Is it just me or does the Highlander mech look like Walle from that Disney movie, after I made this comparison it became painful to look at that mech. If it plays well then it doesn't matter. I hope I don't steer anyone away from what may be a good mech, it is aesthetically disappointing. https://www.google.c...4FsvvrAHFz4CwBA

Just you.

[HAV0C]

<S> Greetings all.

So what's the consensus?

I'm looking at 60% probability we'll see the Banshee next, and 40% probability we'll see the Zeus.

It would normally be skewed a little heavier in the Banshee's favor, however if you take into account the raw number of people who are very big fans of the Zeus it warrants a little more of an even spread of percentage.

Now, moving forwards, after this next 'mech is announced do people expect another round of four I.S. 'mechs, or should we start to expect clan 'mechs being announced after January?

Here's my predictions for the next round of 'mechs for both sides:

I.S. 'Mechs:

Light: Panther (Or Wolfhound)
Medium: Dervish (Or, Assassin? Fast Medium with jump jets, could be fun)
Heavy: Grasshopper (Or Guillotine?)
Assault: Zeus (Or Banshee if the Zeus is announced next)

Clan 'Mechs:

Light: Uller (Kit Fox)
Medium: Ryoken (Stormcrow)
Heavy: Madcat (Timberwolf. Though I'd personally like to see the Summoner/Thor first myself. )
Assault: Daishi (Dire Wolf. Though, once more, I'd personally like to see the Gargoyle/Man 'O War if I had my choice.)

Just my thoughts. <S> See y'all Dirtside.

-Colonel Andrew "Havoc" Davis
Death's Hand Brigade Mercenaries

Edited by HAV0C, 29 December 2012 - 10:55 AM.

[Odanan]

HAV0C, on 29 December 2012 - 10:53 AM, said:

<S> Greetings all.

So what's the consensus?

I'm looking at 60% probability we'll see the Banshee next, and 40% probability we'll see the Zeus.

It would normally be skewed a little heavier in the Banshee's favor, however if you take into account the raw number of people who are very big fans of the Zeus it warrants a little more of an even spread of percentage.

Now, moving forwards, after this next 'mech is announced do people expect another round of four I.S. 'mechs, or should we start to expect clan 'mechs being announced after January?

Here's my predictions for the next round of 'mechs for both sides:

I.S. 'Mechs:

Light: Panther (Or Wolfhound)
Medium: Dervish (Or, Assassin? Fast Medium with jump jets, could be fun)
Heavy: Grasshopper (Or Guillotine?)
Assault: Zeus (Or Banshee if the Zeus is announced next)

Clan 'Mechs:

Light: Uller (Kit Fox)
Medium: Ryoken (Stormcrow)
Heavy: Madcat (Timberwolf. Though I'd personally like to see the Summoner/Thor first myself. )
Assault: Daishi (Dire Wolf. Though, once more, I'd personally like to see the Gargoyle/Man 'O War if I had my choice.)

Just my thoughts. <S> See y'all Dirtside.

-Colonel Andrew "Havoc" Davis
Death's Hand Brigade Mercenaries

There will never be a consensus, but I strongly believe the next wave is of clan mechs.

About your listed mechs:

Light mechs:

• Panther: too slow for a small mech, all variants are the same thing.
  
• Wolfhound: no minimum 3 variants.

Medium mechs:

• Dervish: too similar to the Trebuchet, barely has 3 variants.
  
• Assassin: fun mech, but barely has 3 variants - and one of them is known to have only 3 mechs produced.

Heavy mechs:

• Grasshopper/Guillotine: strong candidates to appear in the game (but not both, as they are too similar).

Assault mechs:

• Zeus (40%), Banshee (35%), Hatamoto Chi (25%)

The fact it is hard to find even 1 more fitting mech for each weight class (except Assault and Heavy) and the fact the Clan Invasion to the IS proper is imminent indicates there won't be more IS mechs announcements in 2013, at least not before all the 16 omni clan mechs are shown.

Edited by Odanan, 29 December 2012 - 11:17 AM.

[HAV0C]

Odanan, on 29 December 2012 - 11:13 AM, said:

There will never be a consensus, but I strongly believe the next wave is of clan mechs.

About your listed mechs:

Light mechs:

• Panther: too slow for a small mech, all variants are the same thing.
  
• Wolfhound: no minimum 3 variants.

Medium mechs:

• Dervish: too similar to the Trebuchet, barely has 3 variants.
  
• Assassin: fun mech, but barely has 3 variants - and one of them is known to have only 3 mechs produced.

Heavy mechs:

• Grasshopper/Guillotine: strong candidates to appear in the game (but not both, as they are too similar).

Assault mechs:

• Zeus (40%), Banshee (35%), Hatamoto Chi (25%)

The fact it is hard to find even 1 more fitting mech for each weight class (except Assault and Heavy) and the fact the Clan Invasion to the IS proper is imminent indicates there won't be more IS mechs announcements in 2013, at least not before all the 16 omni clan mechs are shown.

<S> Odanan

What light do you think if not one of those two I listed? Mongoose perhaps?

Yea the mediums are kinda tough to find a fit for. I went with Dervish just so we could have a 55 tonner. What're your thoughts?

Heavy would be one or the other. I like the Grasshopper personally but don't mind the Guillotine

And yea, glad to see we agree in our preference for the Zeus

<S> See ya dirtside

-Colonel Andrew "Havoc" Davis
Death's Hand Brigade Mercenaries

[Der BruzZzler von Wiesndoof]

Nuff said here. BattleMech Nr. 20 should be the Banshee, cause it's a 95 ton mech with lots of variants and i hope we see more I.S. Mechs.

Light: Firestarter (enough different variants and all with JJ's, but unfortunately a 35 ton mech again)
Medium: Kintaro (we need a 55 ton mech)
Heavy: Grasshopper or Champion (unfortunately the Champ is too similar to the Dragon)
Assault: Annihilator (i know.... rare, one faction only bla bla, but that isn't a reason to omit it. Enough different variants)

Edited by The Birdeater, 29 December 2012 - 11:57 AM.

[CDLord HHGD]

I do remember it being pointed out that the Devs are retaining creative licensing to fill the gaps and for creative design. Having said that, while still a factor, not having the required minimum of 3 variants should not weigh as heavily as it might. If a popular mech (ex, Wolfhound) does not have three viable variants, nothing is stopping the devs from filling in the gap.

[Strum Wealh]

cdlord, on 29 December 2012 - 12:14 PM, said:

I do remember it being pointed out that the Devs are retaining creative licensing to fill the gaps and for creative design. Having said that, while still a factor, not having the required minimum of 3 variants should not weigh as heavily as it might. If a popular mech (ex, Wolfhound) does not have three viable variants, nothing is stopping the devs from filling in the gap.

By the same logic, PGI could also turn out original 'Mechs.

The Deimos started as a MekTek 'Mech for their MW4 MekPaks, and it was eventually canonized by Catalyst.

Quote

[color=#000000]Virtual World Entertainment will be unveiling new [/color]BattleTech[color=#000000] board game compatible minis of MekTek’s officially canonized custom BattleMech, the [/color]Deimos[color=#000000]. MekTek will also be on hand with some exclusive MekTek embroidered gear to commemorate the event.[/color]

It's not inconceivable that PGI/IGP could submit designs to CGL, and have said designs canonized specifically to help MWO...

[Odanan]

HAV0C, on 29 December 2012 - 11:48 AM, said:

What light do you think if not one of those two I listed? Mongoose perhaps?

As Birdeater said, Firestarter all the way.

Strum Wealh, on 29 December 2012 - 01:55 PM, said:

By the same logic, PGI could also turn out original 'Mechs.

The Deimos started as a MekTek 'Mech for their MW4 MekPaks, and it was eventually canonized by Catalyst.

It's not inconceivable that PGI/IGP could submit designs to CGL, and have said designs canonized specifically to help MWO...

They are creating hero mechs, that's enough for me. There are too many canon designs out there to start making new ones.

[Butane9000]

Per my last major post on the subject. Obviously not all of those are going to get into the game. I am starting to believe like Odanan that after the next assault announcement they will begin the Clan mech announcements. Honestly since all 16 starting clan mechs will be in here is the order I imagine they'll be announced:

First wave:
Light - Kit Fox/Uller
Medium - Ice Ferret/Fenris
Heavy - Timber Wolf/Mad Cat
Assault - Dire Wolf/Daishi

Second wave:
Light - Adder/Puma
Medium - Nova/Black Hawk
Heavy - Mad Dog/Vulture
Assault - Warhawk/Masakari

Third wave:
Light - Fire Moth/Dasher
Medium - Viper/Dragonfly
Heavy - Summoner/Thor
Assault - Executioner/Gladiator

Fourth "final" wave:
Light - Mist Lynx/Koshi
Medium - Stormcrow/Ryoken
Heavy - Hellbringer/Loki
Assault - Gargoyle/Man O' War

Now in regards to possible future mechs you can refer to my previous post. However as for other likely candidates and contenders I choose:

Lights
Mongoose
Hermes
Javelin

Mediums
Hermes II
Whitworth
Crab
Enforcer
Dervish

Heavies
Grasshopper
Lancelot

Assaults
Charger
Cyclops

Some of these mechs have counter-parts or mechs that do similar things announced already. But the I believe the developers will add more mechs, even ones that do the same thing over time to give us an even greater variety of choices.

[Wintersdark]

I want to see Urbanmech's added.

As Hero mechs.

*cackles*

Best. Money. Making. Scheme. Evar.

[Phoenix Branson]

Odanan, on 29 December 2012 - 11:13 AM, said:

There will never be a consensus, but I strongly believe the next wave is of clan mechs.

I disagree with Odanan. I think the developers will do ONE MORE ROUND of Inner Sphere BattleMech announcements after BattleMech 20 is released. The developers have said numerous times on NGNG podcasts that they want to add as many mechs as possible to MWO. Here are my predictions:

BattleMech 20: Zeus
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Zeus

BatlleMech 21: Firestarter
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Firestarter

BattleMech 22: Crab
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Crab

BattleMech 23: Grasshopper
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Grasshopper

BattleMech 24: Banshee
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Banshee

BattleMech 25: Clan Battlemechs (~ Start around March 2013)

Edited by Maverick01, 29 December 2012 - 10:34 PM.

[Der BruzZzler von Wiesndoof]

Maverick01, on 29 December 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

BattleMech 22: Crab
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Crab

A 50 ton mech again? We already have three of them (Cent, Treb, Hunch).
What is with the 55 ton mechs? Still no announcement here. Hoplite, Dervish, Kintaro?

Your thoughts?

Maverick01, on 29 December 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

BatlleMech 21: Firestarter
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Firestarter

OH YES PLS!

[Odanan]

Maverick01, on 29 December 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

BattleMech 22: Crab
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Crab

Someone has hots for lasers...
No, not the Crab. Another 50 tonner with all its variants with the same energy hardpoints (borrrrrring). Why don't you guys just pilot the HBK-4P?

[Ryolacap]

I would like to see the whitworth 40 ton humaniod and the warhammer- dream

[Olyndicus]

Norris J Packard, on 28 December 2012 - 11:16 PM, said:

Just you.

Ouch..sorry

[Butane9000]

Maverick01, on 29 December 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

I disagree with Odanan. I think the developers will do ONE MORE ROUND of Inner Sphere BattleMech announcements after BattleMech 20 is released. The developers have said numerous times on NGNG podcasts that they want to add as many mechs as possible to MWO. Here are my predictions:

BattleMech 20: Zeus
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Zeus

BatlleMech 21: Firestarter
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Firestarter

BattleMech 22: Crab
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Crab

BattleMech 23: Grasshopper
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Grasshopper

BattleMech 24: Banshee
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Banshee

BattleMech 25: Clan Battlemechs (~ Start around March 2013)

That's a possibility. It might come down to it because the clan invasion doesn't happen till what, March and April? So if they ramp up the announcements they can get 1 additional wave out. Then the 4 weeks before the invasion begins they can do a special wave release as I stated above.

The Birdeater, on 30 December 2012 - 12:46 AM, said:

A 50 ton mech again? We already have three of them (Cent, Treb, Hunch).
What is with the 55 ton mechs? Still no announcement here. Hoplite, Dervish, Kintaro?

Your thoughts?

[size=5][size=4]

OH YES PLS!

I believe they'll go with something other then the Crab. But I disagree that the Hoplite is an option. Were more likely to see the Kintaro or Hermes II. Though I still think the Vindicator would be a good choice.

As for the Firestarter it's possible. Between it and the Panther it might actually come first. Especially since the lights are supposed to be fast and we all know that's one thing the Panther is not. However we do have two 35 ton lights already. Who knows, they might very well opt to go with a lighter tonnage mech instead.

[Deskup]

Want a kingcrab. So very want it.
It actually makes a reasonable ballistic-centered assault. Stalker and awesome are both energy+missiles, and atlas is a multiple weapon planform.

[Strum Wealh]

Deskup, on 30 December 2012 - 10:46 AM, said:

Want a kingcrab. So very want it.
It actually makes a reasonable ballistic-centered assault. Stalker and awesome are both energy+missiles, and atlas is a multiple weapon planform.

The King Crab has the AC-splitting issue, which is likely to prevent it being implemented unless and until the MechLab allows AC/20s to be split across locations.

The Annihilator effectively does not exist outside of the Wolf's Dragoons; the Clans stopped building them before the beginning of their "Golden Century" (which began with Nick Kerensky's death in 2834), and the IS (outside of the Dragoons) never had the facilities to produce them (the SLDF took the blueprints before production began).

All of the other "typical" assault-class ballistic boats (e.g. Mauler, Pillager, Nightstar, Thunder Hawk, etc) don't fet a third variant until the mid-3060s at the earliest, and/or are extinct until the mid-3050s (e.g. after the Clans are defeated by ComStar at Tukayyid).

The "best bet", as it were, for a makeshift assault-class ballistics boat is the 80-ton Victor - specifically the VTR-9A and VTR-9A1.
The VTR-9A1 carries its AC/20 in the right arm, and adds a Machine Gun in each leg (which, for MWO, would likely be moved up to the respective side-torsos) - for a total of three ballistic hardpoints (in addition to 2 MLas, 1 SRM-4, and a quartet of Jump Jets).
The VTR-9A carries its AC/20 in the right arm, and adds a Machine Gun in the left-torso, for a total of two ballistic hardpoints (in addition to 2 MLas, 2 Flamers, 1 SRM-4, and a quartet of Jump Jets).

If the -9A1 were implemented as above, I could see it being modified into a "mini Thunder Hawk"...

[Morang]

A guess about 24 IS mechs can be supported by the fact that there are 6 IS factions playable.

When Devs were still talking 'bout Community Warfare on the forums, they once stated that different factions will have privileges concerning different mech models. Not exclusive access, no. Maybe something like quicker research or money discounts. And with 24 battlemechs it's possible to assign 4 per faction, one of each weight class.

Clan 'mechs could be divided similarly. Canon-wise there are four sectors of Clans invasion, so Devs may give us not all individual Clans, but those sectors (Jade Falcons+Steel Vipers, Wolfs, Ghost Bears, Smoke Jaguars+Nova Cats) as playable factions. And again each Clan faction can have 4 faction-specific battlemechs from TRO 3050, one per weight class.