20517 replies to this topic

[Odanan]

Considering anyone can enter Closed Beta now (see the several Beta Key Giveaways all around), the game is in fact already in Open Beta...

[SMDMadCow]

Odanan, on 28 September 2012 - 05:43 AM, said:

Considering anyone can enter Closed Beta now (see the several Beta Key Giveaways all around), the game is in fact already in Open Beta...

If you still need an invitation of any sort to play and you cant download the client without it, then it is not "Open".

[Odanan]

SMDMadCow, on 28 September 2012 - 08:16 AM, said:

If you still need an invitation of any sort to play and you cant download the client without it, then it is not "Open".

Indeed, but it's clear the devs are just holding the Open Beta because they can explore the marketing of the sites and magazines offering keys.

[Belorion]

Plus the nda still applies.

Edited by Belorion, 28 September 2012 - 09:30 AM.

[SMDMadCow]

Odanan, on 28 September 2012 - 09:11 AM, said:

Indeed, but it's clear the devs are just holding the Open Beta because they can explore the marketing of the sites and magazines offering keys.

Or theyre not ready for open beta because there is still content to add and balancing to be done. The extra marketing is icing really and does help draw attention, but this game is in no way ready for open beta.

[Der BruzZzler von Wiesndoof]

Odanan, on 27 September 2012 - 09:09 AM, said:

Are you serious? The BNC-3E is a pure mountain of steaming crap.

PPC = good, but only one?
AC/5 = next to nothing.
Small laser = do you even count these?

Maximum damage = 18. That's a little more than a Gauss Rifle (which has better range).

Is this the armament of an Assault mech? Heck, there are Mediums better armed than this (like the Hunchback).

You're right, but the PPC and the AC/5 has a good range and rate of fire. With 16 heat sinks, the mech will not overheat fast. This is often underestimated. And the 3E is good amored and fast. Change its massive engine to an XL and you have lots of free tons. Drop, the AC/5 and give it a Gauss some tons of ammo, change the PPC to an ER PPC with more heat sinks and you have a good sniper mech. Small Laser out, Medium Laser in ... Who knows what is possible.

Odanan, on 27 September 2012 - 09:09 AM, said:

If you want to give a chance to the BNC-E3, go to mech lab and customize an Atlas for the BNC-3E layout. Now try to kill something with it.

I'll try it!
"It's the man, not the machine" - Charles "Chuck" Yaeger

[Odanan]

The Birdeater, on 28 September 2012 - 10:16 AM, said:

You're right, but the PPC and the AC/5 has a good range and rate of fire. With 16 heat sinks, the mech will not overheat fast. This is often underestimated. And the 3E is good amored and fast. Change its massive engine to an XL and you have lots of free tons. Drop, the AC/5 and give it a Gauss some tons of ammo, change the PPC to an ER PPC with more heat sinks and you have a good sniper mech. Small Laser out, Medium Laser in ... Who knows what is possible.



I'll try it!
"It's the man, not the machine" - Charles "Chuck" Yaeger

I wish you luck.

PS: at least max that "Banshee's" armor.

[SMDMadCow]

The Banshee o nthe TT is great at ramming the hell out of things. It actually does a good chunk of it's damage as physical, since the further you move + the more you weigh = charge damage of OMG. And since it has 2 hands, and no arm mounted weapons, it can throw out two 9 point punches - 1 less damage than an AC10!

[ForeignCam]

Strum Wealh, on 27 September 2012 - 02:00 PM, said:

Currently:
2012 = 3049
2013 = 3050
2014 = 3051
and so on...

In terms of the "BattleTech Eras", we're at the end of the Succession Wars Era, soon to be entering the Clan Invasion Era.

Awesome, thanks.

Would that mean in the future there is a chance they could bring in the Mad Dog[Vulture]?

[Colonel Jaime Wolf]

the Vulture makes its debut in 3050, its one of the original Clan Invasion mechs :-)

Edited by Colonel Jaime Wolf, 30 September 2012 - 07:12 AM.

[Odanan]

SMDMadCow, on 28 September 2012 - 04:43 PM, said:

The Banshee o nthe TT is great at ramming the hell out of things. It actually does a good chunk of it's damage as physical, since the further you move + the more you weigh = charge damage of OMG. And since it has 2 hands, and no arm mounted weapons, it can throw out two 9 point punches - 1 less damage than an AC10!

Yes, it is OK in TT, but it won't work in MWO without proper melee combat.

PS: Your signature is awesome!

Colonel Jaime Wolf, on 30 September 2012 - 07:12 AM, said:

the Vulture makes its debut in 3050, its one of the original Clan Invasion mechs :-)

Next year!

(But to be honest, I think the Vulture/Mad Dog is a much overrated mech, like all these clan mechs without proper armor and with a bad layout of weapons)

[Strum Wealh]

FOREIGN, on 30 September 2012 - 06:48 AM, said:

Awesome, thanks.

Would that mean in the future there is a chance they could bring in the Mad Dog[Vulture]?

The Mad Dog/"Vulture" is a Clan OmniMech, and one of the original 16 Clan 'Mechs seen during the initial Clan invasion of the Inner Sphere.
Timeline-wise, the Clans invaded the Periphery in mid-August of 3049 (corresponding to around a month and a half ago), with the invasion of the Inner Sphere supposed set to take place in March of 3050 (corresponding to around next March).
As such, I would guess that the Vulture would be unveiled sometime between now and next March.

Also of note is the recent "No Guts, No Galaxy" podcast (specifically, podcast #43), where one Vincent Vascaul stated (at the 50:40 to 50:55 mark) that Bryan Ekman ("Head of Design and Vision", and Creative Director and co-founder of Piranha Games) indicated at PAX that PGI has the first 32 BattleMechs already planned out.

So far, we already know the first 17 Inner Sphere BattleMechs:
01: Jenner
02: Atlas
03: Hunchback
04: Dragon
05: Catapult
06: Centurion
07: Commando
08: Awesome
09: Raven
10: Cicada
11: Cataphract
12: Stalker
13: Trebuchet
14: JagerMech
15: Spider
16: Flea
17(?): Highlander (found in/leaked from PC Gamer)

Given that 17+16 = 33, that would seem to imply that either
1.) the remaining ~15 or so of the "First 32" are Clan-built 'Mechs, or
2.) the Clan 'Mechs are a separate count and the remaining ~15 or so of the "First 32" are IS 'Mechs that are already planned and yet to be revealed.
Personally, I think - and hope - that (2) is more likely to be the case...

[Cpt Grunge]

I like all the other mechs, they just better make sure I get my Vulture.

[Odanan]

Well, it looks like the next heavy won't be the fan favorite Orion. When asked about the Orion, here is what Garth said:

Garth Erlam, on 26 September 2012 - 10:51 AM, said:

May I suggest the Atlas-D? Upgrades the AC/10 to an AC/20, the LRM-15 to an LRM-20, two medium lasers to four medium lasers, the SRM-4 to an SRM-6, and 14 tons of armour up to 19. And all at the cost of ~12 km/h.

He has a point, really.

Edited by Odanan, 01 October 2012 - 05:57 AM.

[DNI Sniper]

So, how bout' a Helepolis eh?



Please?

[SMDMadCow]

DNI Sniper, on 01 October 2012 - 06:06 AM, said:

So, how bout' a Helepolis eh?



Please?

Extinct.

[Odanan]

So.. I updated the OP. More useful information there now.

[Strum Wealh]

I have some suggestions I'd like to add for the Medium-class category:

The Dervish is currently in production (by the Federated Suns), has respectable speed for a Medium (86.4 kph), is at the heaviest (and as yet unrepresented) weight-bracket for the Medium class (55 tons), is jump-capable, and has a fair number of variants that should be available:
DV-6M (basic variant)
DV-6Md (Year unknown; all required LosTech - XL Engine and CASE - has been recovered)
DV-7D (available in 3047; uses Endo Steel internal structure and Ferro Fibrous armor)

The main point against it, IMO, is that all of the variants are fairly homogeneous - missile launchers in both arms and both side-torso locations, and additional energy weapons in the arms.
Also, as a Medium-class missile boat, the Dervish would compete directly with the lighter, equally-fast, generally-non-jumping Trebuchet (BattleMech 13).

-----

The Hermes II is currently in production (by the Free Worlds League), is rather fast for a Medium (97.2 kph), is at the lighter end of the Medium class weight spectrum (40 tons), and has a fair number of variants that should be available:
HER-2S (basic model)
HER-2M
HER-4K
HER-5S (the Master Unit List entry gives the availability as 3050 rather than 3052)

There are substantial differences among most Hermes II variants (relatively little homogeneity), with more variants on the way in the near term.

The main points against it, IMO, are that none of the pre-J***d variants are jump-capable and that the 40-ton bracket is already represented by the Cicada (BattleMech 10).

-----

The Vindicator is currently in production (by the Capellan Confederation), is a bit slow for a Medium (64.8 kph), is at an as-yet-unrepresented weight-bracket for the Medium class (45 tons), is jump-capable, and has a fair number of variants that should be available:
VND-1AA
VND-1R (basic model)
VND-1SIC
VND-1X

The main points against it, IMO, is that all of the variants are somewhat homogeneous and that the loadout suggests that it would compete directly with the heavier, equally-slow, generally-non-jumping Centurion (BattleMech 06).

Your thoughts?

Edited by Strum Wealh, 02 October 2012 - 06:18 PM.

[Odanan]

Strum Wealh, on 02 October 2012 - 03:56 PM, said:

I have some suggestions I'd like to add for the Medium-class category:

The Dervish is currently in production (by the Federated Suns), has respectable speed for a Medium (86.4 kph), is at the heaviest (and as yet unrepresented) weight-bracket for the Medium class (55 tons), is jump-capable, and has a fair number of variants that should be available:
DV-6M (basic variant)
DV-6Md (Year unknown; all required LosTech - XL Engine and CASE - has been recovered)
DV-7D (available in 3047; uses Endo Steel internal structure and Ferro Fibrous armor)

The main point against it, IMO, is that all of the variants are fairly homogeneous - missile launchers in both arms and both side-torso locations, and additional energy weapons in the arms.
Also, as a Medium-class missile boat, the Dervish would compete directly with the lighter, equally-fast, generally-non-jumping Trebuchet (BattleMech 13).

-----

The Hermes II is currently in production (by the Free Worlds League), is rather fast for a Medium (97.2 kph), is at the lighter end of the Medium class weight spectrum (40 tons), and has a fair number of variants that should be available:
HER-2S (basic model)
HER-2M
HER-4K
HER-5S (the Master Unit List entry gives the availability as 3050 rather than 3052)

There are substantial differences among most Hermes II variants (relatively little homogeneity), with more variants on the way in the near term.

The main points against it, IMO, are that none of the pre-J***d variants are not jump-capable and that the 40-ton bracket is already represented by the Cicada (BattleMech 10).

-----

The Vindicator is currently in production (by the Capellan Confederation), is a bit slow for a Medium (64.8 kph), is at an as-yet-unrepresented weight-bracket for the Medium class (45 tons), is jump-capable, and has a fair number of variants that should be available:
VND-1AA
VND-1R (basic model)
VND-1SIC
VND-1X

The main points against it, IMO, is that all of the variants are somewhat homogeneous and that the loadout suggests that it would compete directly with the heavier, equally-slow, generally-non-jumping Centurion (BattleMech 06).

Your thoughts?

Good analysis... as we can see, it's becoming harder and harder for PGI to find really good mechs for the game (common mechs, different from those already in, and with a fair amount of variants).

You know what? I think this new round of mechs will be of less common, Star League designs, as we have the Flea and presumably the Highlander.

[Strum Wealh]

Odanan, on 02 October 2012 - 05:05 PM, said:

You know what? I think this new round of mechs will be of less common, Star League designs, as we have the Flea and presumably the Highlander.

In that case, the Sentinel might fit the bill for a next-round Medium - fast (97.2 kph), appeared in TRO 2750, was in near-continuous production through the Succession Wars (production ceased in 3014), and has several (six, by my count) variants that could be available using standard IS tech and/or timeline-appropriate recovered LosTech.
Though, at 40 tons and not jump-capable, it would be competing directly with the Cicada.
On the other hand, three of the four thus-far-confirmed Mediums (Hunchback, Centurion, Trebuchet) are (mostly) non-jumping 50-tonners (though, the Trebuchet does have two timeline-appropriate jump-capable variants - the TBT-5J and the TBT-7M).

The Crab, yet another 50-tonner, is not jump-capable and was generally lost to the Succession Wars; the DCMS got a few from ComStar in the War of 3039, but new construction (at the Cosara facility on Northwind) didn't take place until 3050.

The Kintaro has exactly one jump-capable variant (the KTO-K), due in 3058. Other than that, 'tis functionally a Dervish minus the jump capacity.