13 replies to this topic

[Merrik Stryfe]

Greetings one and all MechWarrior veterans!

I come before you all with a request for assistance. For the past month or so I have been carefully constructing a New Player's Guide to Mechs and Weapons*. As the title suggests the guide is intended for completely new players, like the me of a month ago, who don't know where to look to become educated or who are having a hard time processing through the huge amounts of information available.

I have finished work on the "hard facts" parts of the guide: weapon loadouts, weight classes, armoring, etc. I've also written up descriptions for almost every weapon system in the game. The three things left on the to-do list require more knowledge and experience than I have. That's where you beautiful, well-read people come in!

Things I need help with:

• Write up an "Important notes" section for each mech detailing its "place" on the battlefield and in the MW universe.
  
• Write up a "Fun facts" section for each mech with some flavor text; a joke, some lore trivia about the mech, something with at least mild entertainment value.
  
• Write up brief descriptions for important or notable variants for each mech. This task is getting saved for last, don't help me with this yet.

As an example, here's the nearly-completed** entry for the Atlas.

Spoiler

ATLAS

Spoiler

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Armament:
1 Autocannon/20
1 LRM-20
1 SRM-6
4 Medium Lasers

IMPORTANT NOTES
One of the most feared and respected Mechs of the time, with maximum armor, and a terrifyingly powerful weapon set, few mechs can compete with an Atlas in a straight fight. The Atlas packs a heavy punch at all ranges, but excels at short range, with the high powered, hole punching AutoCannon, the high damage to weight medium lasers, and the short range missiles that by sheer number find weaknesses in enemy armor.

FUN FACTS
The most common Atlas joke involves House Steiner using a lance of them as a scouting force.
The second most common Atlas joke is that House Steiner also uses them for everything else.

So I ask of you wonderful people: help! Tell me interesting things about the announced mechs! Crack some jokes, share some interesting tidbits about the mechs you love and lascivious gossip about the ones you don't! Tell me how these mechs are supposed to be used!


ONE MORE THING
My editor-in-chief and co-author, ZnSeventeen, has been remarkable doing both fact checking and general editing. On his advice I'm also advertizing for one or two beta-readers to double check the work that's already been done.

Requirements:

• Familiarity and in-depth knowledge of MW/BT
  
• A good grasp of the English language
  
• Willing to work with me over multiple days if necessary.

Applicants please send me a PM.

Thank you all and have fun!


*It was originally going to be a two month project called the New Player's Guide to Mechs, Weapons, and Lore but someone beat me to the lore part. I was so happy, you have no idea.
** One non-MW related thing I need to do is find some kind of simple image editing program that lets me use "transparent" as a color for the speed/weight/armor gauge. Suggestions welcome.

[Kodiak Knight]

Oh...I like this....not enough time to help now, but will try later...

[Easily]

Nice work dude.
I really like the idea.

[Merrik Stryfe]

Kodiak Knight, on 01 July 2012 - 01:58 PM, said:

Oh...I like this....not enough time to help now, but will try later...

Thank you! I'm glad for any help at any time.

Easily, on 01 July 2012 - 02:02 PM, said:

Nice work dude.
I really like the idea.

The tricky part is turning the idea into a real thing, especially when you're still a MW noobcakes like me! I can look up the facts and figures about arms and armor but it's a lot harder to look up something like a mech's reputation or shining moments.

[BigJim]

Very nice idea.
Might also consider adding weaknesses to each entry, such as "Such a slow 'mech demands that it's pilot coordinate closely with their Lance-mates to ensure the Atlas is in position before combat commences or risk being left out of the battle, leaving the remainder of the Lance without it's most capable weapon. There are good reasons why only the most experienced Mechwarriors ever get the opportunity to pilot one.." <- or something

Basically what I'm getting at, if aimed at completely new players, a smidgeon of very basic tactical advice so they don't instantly think "If I'm the biggest & baddest then why am I not killing everyone in my huge mega-mech of death?"

Edited by BigJim, 01 July 2012 - 03:56 PM.

[Merrik Stryfe]

BigJim, on 01 July 2012 - 03:53 PM, said:

Very nice idea.
Might also consider adding weaknesses to each entry, such as "Such a slow 'mech demands that it's pilot coordinate closely with their Lance-mates to ensure the Atlas is in position before combat commences or risk being left out of the battle, leaving the remainder of the Lance without it's most capable weapon. There are good reasons why only the most experienced Mechwarriors ever get the opportunity to pilot one.." <- or something

Basically what I'm getting at, if aimed at completely new players, a smidgeon of very basic tactical advice so they don't instantly think "If I'm the biggest & baddest then why am I not killing everyone in my huge mega-mech of death?"

That's something I've thought about and I wasn't quite sure how to address it. The text info-dump is accurate and informative but if you throw too many words at people their eyes glaze over. I decided to try and keep it short and hope that the Threesome Gauge™ would convey that kind of info. Do you guys think it's too understated?

Edit for spelling.

Edited by Merrik Stryfe, 01 July 2012 - 04:14 PM.

[00seven]

As a new player, and a person with growing familiarity with the MW/BT world, tech capabilities and protocols, I thank you.

For an image editor have you tried GIMP? It's not too bad, I usually watch a youtube video for any tasks I want to perform instead of reading help files. You may also be able to use one of the web based photo editors too.

[Merrik Stryfe]

00seven, on 01 July 2012 - 04:34 PM, said:

As a new player, and a person with growing familiarity with the MW/BT world, tech capabilities and protocols, I thank you.

For an image editor have you tried GIMP? It's not too bad, I usually watch a youtube video for any tasks I want to perform instead of reading help files. You may also be able to use one of the web based photo editors too.

I welcome your thanks. People on y/our level of experience are my target audience with this thing.

I've tried using GIMP before for doing transparency on a different project and it just about made me cry from frustration. I might give it a shot again if I don't find anything.

[Saren21]

Good idea here is a web site to help you refrance mechs http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Main_Page
Sarna has some good info on mech specs and variants. Best of luck with your project i look foward to seeing it.

[Merrik Stryfe]

Saren21, on 01 July 2012 - 05:35 PM, said:

Good idea here is a web site to help you refrance mechs http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Main_Page
Sarna has some good info on mech specs and variants. Best of luck with your project i look foward to seeing it.

Oh, Sarna and I are on very close terms. The thing is that I don't want to have to write up a brief for every variant in existence so I'm going to eventually ask people which ones are most famous/useful. That's going to be the final phase of the project though.

[Saren21]

Merrik Stryfe, on 01 July 2012 - 05:52 PM, said:

Oh, Sarna and I are on very close terms. The thing is that I don't want to have to write up a brief for every variant in existence so I'm going to eventually ask people which ones are most famous/useful. That's going to be the final phase of the project though.

Ahh good good. you don't have to type up a brief for every variant you could just do the basic one.

[00seven]

Merrik Stryfe, on 01 July 2012 - 05:28 PM, said:

I welcome your thanks. People on y/our level of experience are my target audience with this thing.

I've tried using GIMP before for doing transparency on a different project and it just about made me cry from frustration. I might give it a shot again if I don't find anything.

Ha! I wasn't going to dump on it, as everyone has a different idea of what intuitive is, but I had the same experience with GIMP...thus I now go straight to YouTube for walkthroughs.

Are you going to start a new thread when complete or add it here?
-excuse the tablets, sent from my typo-

[trycksh0t]

I've got roughly 20 years of experience with both BT and MW, I'd be more than willing to help out. I'll get you a PM in the next day or so, gotta check my schedule to make sure I don't have anything pending that will eat up too much of my time.

[Merrik Stryfe]

00seven, on 01 July 2012 - 06:37 PM, said:

Ha! I wasn't going to dump on it, as everyone has a different idea of what intuitive is, but I had the same experience with GIMP...thus I now go straight to YouTube for walkthroughs.

Are you going to start a new thread when complete or add it here?
-excuse the tablets, sent from my typo-

I actually found a paint.net plugin that worked for me, but someday I'm going to make myself sit down and learn GIMP just so I can have that skill set.

The finished product will become its own thread.

trycksh0t, on 01 July 2012 - 07:22 PM, said:

I've got roughly 20 years of experience with both BT and MW, I'd be more than willing to help out. I'll get you a PM in the next day or so, gotta check my schedule to make sure I don't have anything pending that will eat up too much of my time.

Let me know when you know what you know!