99 replies to this topic

[Hunter McGee]

My apologies if I have been one of the offenders here. But you are exactly correct, and honestly, this really does need a sticky for a least a while.

Nobody should have to look them up. We all should be a little more considerate of our cousins in the MW PC games. (Mechwarrior Personal Computer) See! that wasn't so hard.

And to the MW Jocks out there, you be considerate as well... ADL, NBT, NBT-HC, MWL, MPBT, Zone, Come on, we are all at least a little guilty of this.

Edited by Hunter McGee, 01 December 2011 - 02:35 PM.

[Mchawkeye]

Fair to say there are a good few TT addicts and a good few mechwarrior fans and then there are people like me, who sit in both camps. One thing I would never ask for is people to dumb down what they are talking about; if you don't understand then ask! It's a forum and questions are an essential part of any conversation, answers and essential part of enlightenment.

That, and as many have pointed out, places like the wiki are great for a bit of research. because you know what?

I barely know what a lot of the more hardcore are talking about too.

But I work it out. Mostly.

[Cyber Carns]

Kudzu, on 01 December 2011 - 02:20 PM, said:

And where do you draw the line at what should be common knowledge about the setting? Do I need to break down an explain everything in every single post?

"The SHD-2H (Shadow Hawk (a 55 ton (medium weight) battlemech (anthropomorphic armored combat vehicle powered by a fusion engine) armed with an AC/5 (autocannon class 5), medium laser (mid sized light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation weapon), LRM 5 (long range missile system shooting 5 rounds in one volley), and SRM 2 (short ranged missile system firing 2 missiles with each volley) with decent speed and armor for it's weight class) is not a very good mech (short for battlemech)."

Get's a little cumbersome, doesn't it?

Or I can say "The SHD-2H is not a very good mech." and if someone doesn't know what that means they can plug it into the Sarna search and see all the information about it, along with pictures and links to other terms they might not understand.

I think your going a little overboard here, this is all you would have said: The SHD-2H is Shadow Hawk a 55 mech armed with an AC/5, medium laser, LRM 5, and SRM 2 with decent speed and armor for its weight class although in my opinion not a very good mech.

I think anyone who has played any of the mechwarrior games for the most part would understand that.

PS: Im a Mechwarrior fan boyu. Have played a some of the PnP BT, but I make every attempt to look up info if I dont know that answer to something. There is plenty of info out there.

Edited by Cyber Carns, 01 December 2011 - 02:50 PM.

[Kudzu]

Cyber Carns, on 01 December 2011 - 02:46 PM, said:

I think your going a little overboard here, this is all you would have said: The SHD-2H is Shadow Hawk a 55 mech armed with an AC/5, medium laser, LRM 5, and SRM 2 with decent speed and armor for its weight class although in my opinion not a very good mech.

I think anyone who has played any of the mechwarrior games for the most part would understand that.

But that's so elitist to assume that EVERYONE knows, isn't it?

[Cyber Carns]

Kudzu, on 01 December 2011 - 02:47 PM, said:

But that's so elitist to assume that EVERYONE knows, isn't it?

LOL

[Hunter McGee]

Mchawkeye, on 01 December 2011 - 02:38 PM, said:

Fair to say there are a good few TT addicts and a good few mechwarrior fans and then there are people like me, who sit in both camps. One thing I would never ask for is people to dumb down what they are talking about; if you don't understand then ask!

I would never ask anyone to "Dumb Down" what they are talking about, but honestly, I teach a University Level course and as such I have realized it is a compliment to have to explain a term. People want to know what we are talking about or they wouldn't be here. I would never forgive myself if someone turned away from this just because they couldn't understand all the terms we use. That would truly be a shame. So for a while at least we should explain some of these terms we throw around like they are common English. Even in the original post he used TT and MW, now surely most of us know these refer to "Table-Top" and "MechWarrior" respectively to denote the primary two factions of the people here. The "Old School Table Top Battletech Gamers" who throw dice around a giant battle board on a table top, and the "Joystick Jocks" of the computer age who play the various versions of the computer game incarnation of the same.
As someone previously mentioned, I fit into both worlds, I loved the game so much I took up the computer version. With a few more keystrokes we can explain most everything we are talking about here.... at least for a few weeks till everyone catches on.

Edited by Hunter McGee, 01 December 2011 - 02:54 PM.

[Atlas3060]

simon1812, on 01 December 2011 - 02:30 PM, said:

just out of curiosity is there digital version version of BT tabbletop? I mean you can find risk's digital version of the game so just wondering.

The closest to a digital Battletech Tabletop game is megamek.

http://megamek.info/

It is fun, there's a decent following of people who play campaigns on it, and on the Battletech forum there's a sub board for Megamek in the video games section.

I don't know where I fall into the stereotype chart. I like the Universe, I love talking about the board game since that was my first way into this thing, but I sometimes scratch my head and shrug at terms like "jump sniping" or whatever since I've not experienced that on the video games against friends.

[Alex Wolfe]

Design-wise, Battletech seems to have lost its feet somewhere around 3060, with the conception of accursed "proto-mechs". Then they've really gone off the deep end in 32nd century, pretty much scattering the art style to the winds and fully re-embracing its anime (somewhat parasitic) roots with "sleek", outlandish concepts.

For good or ill, I'm glad this reboot is supposed to stay in the relatively "safe" 3050's, before all the weird things started happening in an effort to "refresh" the series. I'm sure both TT and computer game fans can find a solid common ground here. Just don't include RNG and I'm set.

[Oppi]

Technoviking, on 01 December 2011 - 01:39 PM, said:

Stereotyping makes life easy! 4 types:

Battletech players that didn't like ANY of the MechWarriors,[...]

Mechwarriors who dont' play or enjoy Battletech: [...]

Mecha/Gaming Fans: [...]

Video Gamers:[...]

Bookworms ! You're forgetting about the bookworms ! I read each and every BT novel that's out there because I "inherited" some from my elder brother and only realized it was also a tabletop system (I do play other tabletops) when I was about halfway through the series

That puts me in a funny position : While I understand most of the geektalk about the universe, characters, nations and all the crazy roleplaying stuff, I have no idea about all the TT acronyms that are flying around in these forums.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person with that approach to Battletech at all ^^

Edited by Oppi, 01 December 2011 - 03:19 PM.

[VEDRFOLNIR]

Heh... I've actually found myself confused about which 'Mechwarrior' people are talking about, since both the video games and the PnP RPG go by that title. Since I haven't played hardly any of the MW video games (it was easier to get PnP groups together than LAN parties), I've actually found myself pretty much out of the loop when the various Mechwarrior video games are discussed.

I do think some consideration is in order for both camps, and the people who find themselves in-between. Heck, even in the PnP arena I find myself floundering - my last purchase of the PnP game was Mechwarrior 2 so I know next to nothing about any of the versions that came after.

If I hadn't discovered MW:O, all my reference guides, novels and such would still be locked up in storage - so yeah, I'm behind the curve in BattleTech, Mechwarrior (the video games) and the PnP. Yeesh.

[WM Fochs]

I have played i think all the different versions of BT/MW out there. My wife has only played the MW 4 games. (i have my kids playing both TT and MW 4 games too) It helps that i have the TRO's out for them to look at.(they havent memorised them as closely as i have) But they found out that whats good in one game system (say TT) isnt necassarly good in the pc game version. We have been looking forward to this game for a LONG long time. (ie. we have a 5' Uziel in my living room guarding my desk while im deployed) Is there going to be people who dislike this game....Yes, is there people who are going to like this game...Yes...and are there going to be people who LOVE this game....YES. Jut like everything out there, if people remember to have fun with it, they will have fun. My wife didnt know a Thor from a Shadowcat at first. Then after a while she rose to the postion of LoreMaster for WX!! She would be the first to say she didnt know crap when she started. She picked it up as she went. and my youngest daughter was born into it. (she is 11 this next year)

[Hunter McGee]

Fochs, on 01 December 2011 - 03:26 PM, said:

My wife didnt know a Thor from a Shadowcat at first. Then after a while she rose to the postion of LoreMaster for WX!! She would be the first to say she didnt know crap when she started. She picked it up as she went. and my youngest daughter was born into it. (she is 11 this next year)

Seyla Loremaster Wife!!! (Seyla is a clan term of reverance. Loremaster is the keeper of Clan Lore, history and Laws.) And you have an Uziel guarding your desk? That is way beyond cool. I think a pic might be in order. Also, deployed tells me you are in the military..? Thank you for your service.

[Fiachdubh]

Having played every official PC battletech game (besides that 3025 thing) and read all the CBT novels and the Clan\IS histories on sites like Sarna and CBT I am pretty familier with the BT universe but have no experiance of the TT game or the TROs, tried Megamek but couldn't get into it.
However I still find posts by the 'Old Guard' on various topics very interesting and enjoyable to read, someone posted a great one on Zellbrigen recently. These people deserve our appreciation and thanks and I would love to see more of them, perhaps they might even deserve their own section on the forums so newcomers and the curious alike can find them more easily.

On the other hand referring to mechs purely by their codes is a bit much in general threads in a TT discussion or thread it would make sense but not in most threads, use the code AND the common name so we can all become more familier with their designations. Also pushing for TT rules that are redundant or unsuitable to a Mech FPS/Sim is a bit annoying. That is what megamek is for. Which I am now going to download and give another go.

Edited by Fiachdubh, 01 December 2011 - 04:06 PM.

[Bendajo]

Garth Erlam, on 01 December 2011 - 01:05 PM, said:

Keep in mind this is a MechWarrior Online forum, not a BattleTech forum.

Also, someone is asking for clarification, not decrying BattleTech.

Is Mechwarrior based on the Battletech timeline? Wouldnt they then be almost the one and the same? How can you talk mechwarrior without talking battletech? I haven't seen a Battletech book in years but I wouldn't expect someone who knows a few more acronyms than me to change how they are. I would do some research, which I more than likely will after visiting these forums.

[Agent 0 Fortune]

Bendajo, on 01 December 2011 - 04:56 PM, said:

Is Mechwarrior based on the Battletech timeline? Wouldnt they then be almost the one and the same? How can you talk mechwarrior without talking battletech? I haven't seen a Battletech book in years but I wouldn't expect someone who knows a few more acronyms than me to change how they are. I would do some research, which I more than likely will after visiting these forums.

Basically,
Battletech is a turn-based strategy game
Mechwarrior is a mech simulator
Mech Commander is a Real time strategy game
Mech Assault is a first person shooter

When they say this is Mechwarrior it means simulator. Everything is derived from the Battletech universe (which of course was a derivative of anime american-style).

Some key concepts were adopted from Battletech to Mechwarrior like mechs, heat, movement, torso twist, capacity, weapons systems. But inevitably a great deal is lost/changed in the translation from an hours-long strategy game to a minutes-long action game.

[Demi-Precentor Konev]

I am very appreciative of the Old Guard. Understanding the setting and all the minutiae really adds to my gaming experience - moreover it's those same details that gives Battletech/MechWarrior the personality and uniqueness that separates it from some sort of generic mech game like.... I don't know, Steel Battalion or Chrome Hounds. Few people would argue that those games have even a fraction of the 'fluff' that BT/MW does.

Having people who are really knowledgeable with all the incarnations of the setting is a boon to these forums. I've learned quite a bit from them and I hope they stick around and are just as "grognard" as ever. Moreover - it's the diehard fans who know so much that are probably going to make up a respectable portion of MWO's profits.

[EDMW CSN]

I love TT and I LOVED mechwarrior to bits. However MCommander was by far my favourite since it was basically the table top in real time with the calculations done for you.

What I do hope is that MWO brings back the MW2 styled game play since it was nearly pure TT under the hood and that was workable, just with a few modifications to be done for Omni-mech balancing.

[dh crow]

Most of the tabletop fans here have played Mechwarrior in some incarnation, or they wouldn't be interested in MWO either. A few MW players won't have touched Battletech however.

Tried the online version of Battletech, but after a year and a half I was over it. In my view, MW:O would be better off using it as inspiration only.

[Major Crash]

Started TT upon release, and consumed all but 1 as converted to video games,(MA just did not cut it). I am firmly & forever in both camps. Loving the hands on/face to face in TT, and of course the modern computer is ever catching up to our real dream of persistant IS to roam about and do our deeds, so never leaving that either. Just slight rule changes between the two for me, love it all.
We welcome those "w/o a clue" to either venue. By the time that session is over they can no longer make that claim and, like us, maybe just embarking on a lifelong hobby.
For those with zero info, there was a pdf published with great IS & House backgrounds along w some of the most beautiful artwork done. Check it out as a truly basic starting point..
http://www.battletec...erseGuide-1.pdf

[Threat Doc]

As for whether or not BattleTech is under the hood and the outside looks like MechWarrior, or the entirety of the game is BattleTech, I think the idea should be to get the BattleTech universe back on track, and back in the minds of players, so they can attempt to understand WHY those of us who are TT players, or at least started with TT, are as passionate as we are. If this doesn't happen, it's going to be JUST another MechWarrior shooter. Now, a LOT of people like that idea, and that's because they couldn't care less about the uniqueness, the stories, the fluff and lore, that have gone into this universe, with over 70 novels, over 25,000,000 people that have played BattleTech on the board a LONG time ago, and a couple hundred sources that began coming out in 1982 with BattleDroids, and has continued to this day, with periodic updates. As far as I'm concerned, the non-BT guys need to take the time to learn it, rather than just coming in to destroy everything on the battlefield they can get their hands on, without understanding why?

Forgive me, but if you wanted clarification, you just got a couple spades of it.

Now, for history, I've played every single computer game that's been put out, from MechWarrior I, Crescent Hawks, all of the MechWarrior games, including MW4, and the whole of the MechCommander series. The ONLY reason I've not actually played the MechAssault games is because I believe consoles are for amateurs; that, and I have the most difficult time wrapping my hands around those controls. I don't own the MW2: Ghost Bears Legacy disc because every time I find it I don't have money, and I don't own the Crescent Hawks games -except for downloads from some Vaporware site, that I've still not played from- for the same reason. I have 27 years of my life wrapped up in this hobby, in short.

So, when one of the non-TT folks comes to me and tells me I don't know anything about the games, or they accuse me of being TT only, or at least strongly imply it, or try to tell me to chill out because THIS game is not going to be BattleTech, I want to reach through the wires and slap 'em to death. MechWarrior is a bastardized version of BattleTech, its very origin is in BattleTech, with MechWarrior 3 being the absolute closest to the boardgame, followed very closely by MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries, and anyone who plays these games without wanting to find out more about the universe disturbs me, reminds me of the ADD nature of most folks in our nation these days.

Enough is enough... there are a ton of resources on the internet, you don't have to buy a single book, though I would highly recommend it, and you should take your lazy butts and do some reading, please? If you want clarification about what something is, Google and Bing are your best friends. All I can do is shake my head and grimace, thinking 'WHY!!!!'

I need sleep.