A couple of quickies.
1) Trebuchet is actually supposed to be tall. Just not THAT tall. More like Cicada tall in that size comparison chart that someone 'left here for ya' near the beginning.
2) Large size differences is canonical with the mechs in BT (far more extreme than MWO), however, there are very logical reasonings behind those differences (given far below).
3) MWO has everything at extreme heights based on post-FASA scales, where everything must be "bigger, larger, grander, scarier! 25 meter Atlas because big is scary, etc, etc."
Tallest BT mechs up til 3065 is 14.4 meters tall (Executioner). Banshee is 14 meters, Gargoyle is 14.2 meters.
MWO's Atlas is 17.6 meters.
In the 2nd/3rd edition of BT, Atlas was barely over 13 meters (which is why it has a giant head, it needed to fit one pilot in the nose or in the case of the Atlas D-DC, a pilot and commander with viewports out the eyes.
Note: MWO Commando is 9.7 meters. MWO Locust is 9.3-ish meters. MWO's Hunchback is 13.6 meters.
BT Commando is 8.0 to 8.5 meters tall.
This wheel is 9 meters tall.
This is a Spider in MWO.
This is a Spider with the pilot inside. PGI designed it for a high-up entry hatch, but it'd be more appropriate for the whole hatch to lift.
This is the view from inside the mech with the actual 3D model instead of the fake cockpit.
Now wait, Kon why did you pull all of these Haruko images out?
Easy.
Battletech 2nd edition. Scale of Shadowhawk. 55 tons.
MWO Shadowhawk.
MWO Shadowhawk and Crysis Tank
55 ton Wolverine from BattleTech.
Scale of Griffin (55 tons) and Axman (65 tons).
Centurion is meant to be tall for a 50 tonner... it's also supposed to be Skinny-As-Efff!
The Trebuchet, interestingly enough, is supposed to be somewhat taller. Also awfully skinny but bulky arms.
But... the Trebuchet is described as shorter than a Summoner... and we know a Summoner is shorter than a Timber Wolf.
We know the Timber Wolf is supposed to be 12.6 meters and the Summoner 12.4 meters (note they are including launchers, etc so the height scale is bottom of foot to highest point on the machine). Now...
We know in MWO the Centurion is 14.7 meters...because PGI.
Now look for the Centurion here, then the Timber Wolf. Almost the same height. The Hunchback next to the Centurion is 13.6 meters in MWO (the BT height is around 8 to 9 meters tall [generally 8.5 meters]). Interesting, isn't it?
Now remember the Panther (9th mech on that list) is 35 tons... Right around 10 meters tall. A bit bigger than the Shadowhawk and around the size of the Wolverine.
Interesting, isn't it?
There are some extreme size differences in BT, don't get me wrong. But there's a reason for them when they exist at least in the 2nd edition. 3rd/4th/5th edition BT? Pfft, all reasoning and logic gets lost by then.
Here's an example: Mist Lynx.
ML is big because it needs to be able to run. Fast. You can only move your limbs so fast, no matter how big or small you are. Especially when your are 20 to 25 tons like the Fire Moth and Mist Lynx are. So when your limbs can't move any faster, what do you do? You make them longer. You get taller. Taller mechs (like taller people [I'm 6'5"] have longer strides, and if we move our legs at exactly the same speed with proportionately strides, I will outpace you simply because I am taller; therefore taller legs = longer strides = faster, especially if you gain no weight in being taller, due to becoming thinner! No easy feat since Endo steel mechs have bigger bones than non Endo Steel mechs, and Ferro armor is bulkier than non-Ferro... so being taller is the better alternative to being fatter).
(Note I found this screenshot on google. The fact that it says Stable says, well, something? At least it's not unstable!)
Besides, MWO tried to match the Mist Lynx design and keep it near 9.3 meters tall.
You can see how well that worked out. There's a reason the BT version is 10.6 meters tall. And even then it's CRAMPED!
(And with that, poof! Time for work.)
Oh and if you're wondering how a Hunchback can tons of ammo?
Two things: One, original AC description circa 1987. ACs are akin aircraft Gatling guns like the GAU-8 firing explosive rounds, and encased in long protected barrels.
Two..
Notice the drum on the back of the Hunchback? It isn't decoration, it served a purpose on the original art.
The mech is too small to store its ammunition inside of itself. That drum is on the left torso, where the ammo is mounted. On the 4SP, it is mounted on the CT, where the ammo is mounted.
Fun, isn't it?
That's okay. The Atlas is a lot skinnier than the ever bulky Dire Wolf. Yet only slightly taller. But you might notice something.
Dire Wolf hasn't got much limitations in terms of room from a lore perspective, and it's true because lots of slots.
But what about that Atlas?
Quote
For long ranges, the 'Mech carries a FarFire Maxi-Rack LRM-20 in the left torso that allows it to both fire directly at an enemy target at long range, and to give indirect fire support when needed. Unable to fit a full twenty-tube system on the 'Mech, the FarFire instead launches the missiles in waves of five over the course of ten seconds and carries two tons of reloads for twelve such salvos.
It's not big enough to fit a proper 20 tube system. Despite being 13 meters tall, it instead relies on a rapid reload? It's thin for its weight/size. Unlike the Annihilator.
So even though the Atlas has plenty of slots on the 'construction table', the actual mech hasn't got the room to even use those slots, it isn't big enough. The BT one mind you.
Good reason for some size differences, eh? (Is it any wonder why the Locust -- due to long legs -- is almost twice as tall as the Flea, and still has less surface area to shoot at in BT?)
But yeah.
MWO's sizes...bleh. Most things are too big.
Edited by Koniving, 21 March 2015 - 04:32 PM.
1
Xetelian, on 21 March 2015 - 02:05 PM, said:
