20517 replies to this topic

[Odanan]

Strum Wealh, on 02 October 2012 - 07:37 PM, said:

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.

• Crab = same as the Swayback, and very variant limited;
  
• Kintaro = same as the SRM Trebuchet, and very variant limited.

About the Sentinel, it could be possible (though I hope not - the mech is very weak).

[Phoenix Branson]

What about the Mauler?

This would be a nice mech for fire support that has a lot of ballistic hardpoints and excels at long range combat.

Edited by Maverick01, 03 October 2012 - 05:54 AM.

[Odanan]

Maverick01, on 03 October 2012 - 05:53 AM, said:

What about the Mauler?

This would be a nice mech for fire support that has a lot of ballistic hardpoints and excels at long range combat.

The Mauler would be great: it is the ballistics boat we all want for the assault class. And it is beautiful. But it is really short on variants.

I think the devs won't add any mech with less than 3 variants, and the Mauler has only 2 with the current tech: MAL-1R and the MAL-1PT5 (which isn't even canonical for sure but could be replaced by the Linesman).

[Odanan]

OK, NDA lifted.

These mechs are already in the Beta:

• Atlas
  
• Awesome
  
• Catapult
  
• Centurion
  
• Commando
  
• Hunchback
  
• Dragon
  
• Jenner
  
• Raven

And here are the next mechs to be added soon:

• Cicada (October 16th)
  
• A Hero Mech (October 16th)
  
• Cataphract (November 12th)

Someone has any idea of what is that "Hero Mech"?

[Odanan]

October will have huge updates. Here is more upcoming stuff:

General Features:

• Matchmaking overhaul (Late October)

New BattleTech Gameplay Features:

• Endo Steel (October 16)
  
• Double Heat Sinks (October 16)
  
• Ferro-Fibrous Armor (October 16)
  
• ECM (Partial Implementation Late October/Full Implementation Early/Mid November)
  
• Active (Beagle) Probe (Late October)
  
• Artemis (October 16) - Updated

New MechLab Features:

• PIP Zoome Module and Pilot Skill (October 16) - Updated
  
• Cammo Pattern Selector (Late October/Early November)
  
• Colour Selector (Late October/Early November)
  
• Decal Selector (Late November/Early December)

New Pilot Lab Features:

• 3 Pilot Skils (Early October)

[Smoke Banshee]

Odanan, on 03 October 2012 - 10:27 AM, said:

And here are the next mechs to be added soon:

• Cicada (October 16th)
  
• A Hero Mech (October 16th)
  
• Cataphract (November 12th)

Someone has any idea of what is that "Hero Mech?

It's just the Highlander, nothing to get really excited about. Now if it was a Charger then it would be a different story.

Edited by Smoke Banshee, 03 October 2012 - 10:45 AM.

[Magik0012]

It's been hinted at by PGI that the "Hero Mech" will be a unique version (or variant) of a chassis that is already in the game. And that it would be based on the personalized mech of a character from BattleTech lore.

Ex: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Yen-Lo-Wang

It is suspected that these "Hero" mechs will be for purchase only via MC and not C-Bills.

[Odanan]

Smoke Banshee, on 03 October 2012 - 10:44 AM, said:

It's just the Highlander, nothing to get really excited about. Now if it was a Charger then it would be a different story.

But the Highlander hasn't its art even "officially" announced yet, do you think it will be already in the game?

Magik0012, on 03 October 2012 - 10:51 AM, said:

It's been hinted at by PGI that the "Hero Mech" will be a unique version (or variant) of a chassis that is already in the game. And that it would be based on the personalized mech of a character from BattleTech lore.

Ex: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Yen-Lo-Wang

It is suspected that these "Hero" mechs will be for purchase only via MC and not C-Bills.

Agreed. It could be a unique version of some mech. But the Yen-Lo-Wang has nothing great, really. Specially without the claws.

[Magik0012]

Suspected speculation?

Didn't mean to imply it was Yen-Lo-Wang.. just something along those lines..

[Smoke Banshee]

Odanan, on 03 October 2012 - 11:06 AM, said:

But the Highlander hasn't its art even "officially" announced yet, do you think it will be already in the game?

PC Gamer, next mech to be announced is the Highlander, with one mech announced per month.
Who says they have to release the art for it before they finish making it game ready?

[Jack Gallows]

Based on "Q: Any plans on adding a 55ton mech? [Hodo]
A: Yes. [Garth]"
I think the next revealed medium has to be one of the following...

(Assuming no reseen...)
http://www.sarna.net...28BattleMech%29
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Dervish
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Kintaro
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Lynx *
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Cronus

(If we get the Reseen, add to list...)
http://www.sarna.net...28BattleMech%29
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Griffin
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Shadow_Hawk

If PGI plays it safe and goes with no Reseen, they'll probably go with the Dervish. My main worry here is what's kind of been stated before....it's a 5 ton heavier Trebuchet. I feel similar about the Kintaro. The Gladiator is a bit different, but I question it's ability to be selected due to the age of the design and lack of variants. I threw the Lynx on there for good measure, even though it won't technically see reproduction until 3056, (It was introduced in 2761,) and I think it'd be a good fit if it weren't rare/out of production at this time. Cronus would be an interesting pick, not a very common machine.

If we do get the Reseen (http://bg.battletech...p?topic=17454.0) then I hope we see the Wolverine. Shadow Hawk or the Griffen would both be sweet, but the Wolverine fits everything we could need out of a 55 ton 'mech. I do, however, feel that PGI just wishes to remain 100% away from the whole Reseen/Unseen business, and I can't blame them. In a perfect world, Alex Iglesias would be given free reign to redesign the Reseen/Unseen and the business would forever be settled. The timing is perfect, and the Battletech community as a whole could move past always having questions about it.

Smoke Banshee, on 03 October 2012 - 11:21 AM, said:

PC Gamer, next mech to be announced is the Highlander, with one mech announced per month.
Who says they have to release the art for it before they finish making it game ready?

Q: Second question: If Battlemech 16 was supposed to be saved for something special why was it just randomly announced? [Butane9000]
A: The Flea is our official 16th Mech. 'A Mech' had a special reveal, but BattleMech 17 will be something different again. [Garth]

Battlemech 17 probably isn't the Highlander.

Edited by Jack Gallows, 03 October 2012 - 11:40 AM.

[Strum Wealh]

Somewhat delayed, but...

Odanan, on 03 October 2012 - 06:28 AM, said:

Maverick01, on 03 October 2012 - 05:53 AM, said:

What about the Mauler?

This would be a nice mech for fire support that has a lot of ballistic hardpoints and excels at long range combat.

The Mauler would be great: it is the ballistics boat we all want for the assault class. And it is beautiful. But it is really short on variants.

I think the devs won't add any mech with less than 3 variants, and the Mauler has only 2 with the current tech: MAL-1R and the MAL-1PT5 (which isn't even canonical for sure but could be replaced by the Linesman).

The Mauler itself only has one variant prior to 3050 (the MAL-1R), but gains another in 3051 (the MAL-C).
The Daboku (prototype 'Mech of what eventually became the Mauler) saw service in the War of 3039 (and was subsequently shelved by the DCMS) and the Linesman (which is of questionable canonicity, and is supposedly the 'Mech upon which the Daboku was based) has been around since 3015.

With the Daboku and the Linesman in tow, the Mauler could meet the number-of-variants requirement.
The greater problem, IMO, is that all three mount similar weapons in the same locations - single energy weapons in each arm, with dual ballistics and a missile launcher in each side-torso.
Even if additional, "unused" hardpoints were added to each, the set is rather homogeneous and (IMO) there wouldn't be a lot that could be done to make them really stand out from each other without also very likely making one of them clearly superior (or clearly inferior) to the others.

[Odanan]

Jack Gallows, on 03 October 2012 - 11:38 AM, said:

Based on "Q: Any plans on adding a 55ton mech? [Hodo]
A: Yes. [Garth]"
I think the next revealed medium has to be one of the following...

(Assuming no reseen...)
http://www.sarna.net...28BattleMech%29
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Dervish
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Kintaro
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Lynx *
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Cronus

There is a 55 tons mech that will be in the game: the Stormcrow / Ryoken.

There is no 55 tons IS mech that would fit in the game.

And the next medium => Blackjack.

Jack Gallows, on 03 October 2012 - 11:38 AM, said:

Q: Second question: If Battlemech 16 was supposed to be saved for something special why was it just randomly announced? [Butane9000]
A: The Flea is our official 16th Mech. 'A Mech' had a special reveal, but BattleMech 17 will be something different again. [Garth]

Battlemech 17 probably isn't the Highlander.

The special revel should be the Highlander in the magazine.
But that answer is totally enigmatic. How the mech #17 will be "something different again"?

[Odanan]

Strum Wealh, on 03 October 2012 - 01:16 PM, said:

Somewhat delayed, but...



The Mauler itself only has one variant prior to 3050 (the MAL-1R), but gains another in 3051 (the MAL-C).
The Daboku (prototype 'Mech of what eventually became the Mauler) saw service in the War of 3039 (and was subsequently shelved by the DCMS) and the Linesman (which is of questionable canonicity, and is supposedly the 'Mech upon which the Daboku was based) has been around since 3015.

With the Daboku and the Linesman in tow, the Mauler could meet the number-of-variants requirement.
The greater problem, IMO, is that all three mount similar weapons in the same locations - single energy weapons in each arm, with dual ballistics and a missile launcher in each side-torso.
Even if additional, "unused" hardpoints were added to each, the set is rather homogeneous and (IMO) there wouldn't be a lot that could be done to make them really stand out from each other without also very likely making one of them clearly superior (or clearly inferior) to the others.

Agreed.
Not to mention the Daboku is exactly the same as the MAL-1R.

Even if I would love to play with a (highly customized, because the stock is crap) Mauler, I know it simply can't support the minimal 3 variants the game needs.

Yes, guys, the game needs 3 variants of each mech.

[Jack Gallows]

Odanan, on 03 October 2012 - 04:44 PM, said:

There is a 55 tons mech that will be in the game: the Stormcrow / Ryoken.

Egads, never heard of those IS 'mechs before.

Odanan, on 03 October 2012 - 04:44 PM, said:

There is no 55 tons IS mech that would fit in the game.

And the next medium => Blackjack.

They really most likely will just go with the Dervish in all seriousness. Now, if they add more mediums past that, the Blackjack would be a really good choice.

[Odanan]

Jack Gallows, on 03 October 2012 - 04:52 PM, said:

Egads, never heard of those IS 'mechs before.

You are all assuming the 55 tons mech will be IS. Garth said nothing about it.

Jack Gallows, on 03 October 2012 - 04:52 PM, said:

They really most likely will just go with the Dervish in all seriousness. Now, if they add more mediums past that, the Blackjack would be a really good choice.

The Dervish will add nothing to the game. Heck, it doesn't even have 3 proper variants.

Edited by Odanan, 03 October 2012 - 05:07 PM.

[MechZ1lla]

Wouldn't mind seeing a Crusader, I loved mine on TT.
But not likely.

[Jack Gallows]

Odanan, on 03 October 2012 - 05:05 PM, said:

You are all assuming the 55 tons mech will be IS. Garth said nothing about it.

Think you're missing the point.

Odanan, on 03 October 2012 - 05:05 PM, said:

The Dervish will add nothing to the game. Heck, it doesn't even have 3 proper variants.

DV-6M
DV-6MD
DV-7D

There's really no alternative, as the Kintaro is a missile 'mech at heart as well.

So, unless they pull a big awesome Reseen reveal, Dervish is probably the most suitable choice. I don't buy into a single bit of Clan crap due to them not existing yet to the Inner Sphere and refuse to believe the intended quote somehow is aimed at a Clan 'mech when everything they've ever done has been solely focused on the timeline at hand. (With the exception of them joking in the Hunchback video.)

It's not that I'm a diehard Dervish fan, I just think it's most likely. There's a few mechs that have overlapping purposes and/or variant builds already in game. The Dervish wouldn't really be the first to do it.

Edited by Jack Gallows, 03 October 2012 - 07:24 PM.

[Belorion]

Magik0012, on 03 October 2012 - 10:51 AM, said:

It's been hinted at by PGI that the "Hero Mech" will be a unique version (or variant) of a chassis that is already in the game. And that it would be based on the personalized mech of a character from BattleTech lore.

Ex: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Yen-Lo-Wang

It is suspected that these "Hero" mechs will be for purchase only via MC and not C-Bills.

There is no reason to believe they are MC only. That speculation comes from the eternal pessimists here on the boards.

@Jack... the highlander doesn't have "three proper" variant either, but its probably mech 17 anyway.

Edited by Belorion, 03 October 2012 - 07:28 PM.

[Jack Gallows]

Belorion, on 03 October 2012 - 07:26 PM, said:

There is no reason to believe they are MC only. That speculation comes from the eternal pessimists here on the boards.

Wait, why does thinking that "hero 'mechs" being MC only means someone is a pessimist? I have to say I support the idea, though I'm not adverse to it also have a chance being unlocked in other ways as well if people come up with solid ways to do it.

I do hope that they're specialized visually like how the Founder's 'Mechs are, so they're different just enough visually as well. (Example, Atlas's head, sloped front on the Catapult, etc.)

Edited by Jack Gallows, 03 October 2012 - 07:29 PM.