39 replies to this topic

[Marak Varn]

The Orion ON1-K is one of the most popular 'mechs out there. It consistently scores well in the assorted "favourite mech" surveys, and many people have fond memories of it from MW3. Plus it was piloted by Kerensky himself. There's also lots of cool art of it looking slightly goofy with that massive missile launcher fist o'doom that people find endearing. There is however, one problem with the design that dates right back to its original technical readout.

Almost every official piece of art featuring the Orion is wrong.

According to the rulebook, that nifty barrel of pointy missile death stuck on the left arm doesn't exist. Both the Orion's missile launchers are officially torso mounted. The only weapon housed in that massive left arm is a single medium laser.

But, I hear you cry, the picture in TRO 3039 clearly shows the familiar arm missiles. Surely Fasa wouldn't have got that wrong? Well, it's actually pretty common for the art, especially in the early books, to be significantly different from the rules write up. Another example is the Cicada.

Artists love putting lasers in the Cicada's arms, but again, the rules say that they're torso mounted. Flying Debris's redesign of the Cicada for MW:O follows the rules and puts the lasers (and the autocannon) in the right place. The problem with the Orion is that the Mighty Missile Hand is a lot more iconic than the Cicada's little lasers.

So the question for the community is:

Would you prefer the Dev's follow the art and reconfigure the internals of the Orion to put a launcher in the arm, leading to modified hardpoints, criticals, aiming, damage effects and the rest?

Or would you prefer the Dev's to follow the rulebook and risk losing a defining part of the mech's visual appeal?

Edited by Marak Varn, 05 July 2012 - 11:22 PM.

[Tincan Nightmare]

Now in the TRO's bio about the Orion it says that the SRM 4 is mounted around the left arm laser (with 2 extra openings that are coolant ports) but under the stats it is listed as LT. I honestly believe that the LT was a typo and that it was suppsed to read LA (to match the fluff) and just never got fixed. Honestly this is pretty unimportant as it really won't bother me one bit if they put the SRM in the left torso or left arm. I like the Orion but I hope they give it a facelift like all the other designs FD has done so far because it is kinda fugly.

[William Petersen]

Marak Varn, on 05 July 2012 - 11:21 PM, said:

<OP>

Put a missile HP in both spots and call it a day? =P

EDIT: Also, if I'm not mistaken ,the art usually depicts the SRM as being a 6, not a 4, doesn't it?

Edited by William Petersen, 05 July 2012 - 11:34 PM.

[Derek Icelord]

I voted rules. I love the Orion, and have many a fond memory from piloting it. However, I did find the huge cylinder left arm rather goofy looking. I'd love for it to get the makeover the currently announced 'Mechs have received.

And yes, most of the art I recall shows the SRM rack as a 6 rather than a 4.

[Nacon]

Why not both?

[Arctic Fox]

The newer art from TRO:3050U actually puts the SRMs in the right place, and the fluff from TRO:3039 omits the part about the missiles being in the arm. So regardless if it was originally a mistake, the canon placement is clearly in the Left Torso, which is where I would put it.

[Fire for Effect]

let Alex run wild....

so far his designs are quite good

[Lightdragon]

Marak Varn, on 05 July 2012 - 11:21 PM, said:

The Orion ON1-K is one of the most popular 'mechs out there. It consistently scores well in the assorted "favourite mech" surveys, and many people have fond memories of it from MW3. Plus it was piloted by Kerensky himself. There's also lots of cool art of it looking slightly goofy with that massive missile launcher fist o'doom that people find endearing. There is however, one problem with the design that dates right back to its original technical readout.

Almost every official piece of art featuring the Orion is wrong.

According to the rulebook, that nifty barrel of pointy missile death stuck on the left arm doesn't exist. Both the Orion's missile launchers are officially torso mounted. The only weapon housed in that massive left arm is a single medium laser.

But, I hear you cry, the picture in TRO 3039 clearly shows the familiar arm missiles. Surely Fasa wouldn't have got that wrong? Well, it's actually pretty common for the art, especially in the early books, to be significantly different from the rules write up. Another example is the Cicada.

Artists love putting lasers in the Cicada's arms, but again, the rules say that they're torso mounted. Flying Debris's redesign of the Cicada for MW:O follows the rules and puts the lasers (and the autocannon) in the right place. The problem with the Orion is that the Mighty Missile Hand is a lot more iconic than the Cicada's little lasers.

So the question for the community is:

Would you prefer the Dev's follow the art and reconfigure the internals of the Orion to put a launcher in the arm, leading to modified hardpoints, criticals, aiming, damage effects and the rest?

Or would you prefer the Dev's to follow the rulebook and risk losing a defining part of the mech's visual appeal?

hmm... i thought that the arm was its "doombud" launcher as of the original 3025 tro and the only thing torso mounted were the autocannon and srm launcher

[ManDaisy]

I always loved the goofy missile arm of the orion. It makes it an icon all to itself. Only other mech like that is the zeus.

[Steelsmith]

The same problem exist with the Cicada. It's medium lasers are fluffwise mounted in the torso sides though every illustration shows them in the arms.
I think the devs decided for MWO to go with the images and mounted them in the arms, did they not?

Hm, no they did not! :-) Seems the Cicadas Lasers are in the torso, just like in the rules.

Edited by Steelsmith, 06 July 2012 - 01:54 AM.

[CW Grayson]

Yeah, i really liked this mech for it's versatility, a true workhouse. The Orion IIC is also a Totem-mech for my clan, so no wonder i wait for alas his former brother.
For the poll: I also think Alex should have some Artist's freedom on it. He put chicken-legs on the Stalker and it wasn't a bad re-design, even if out of canon.

[Wyr]

I think the artwork should be the winner, because that's how we dream of the Orion. It is how it looks in our mind, so I would love to see that look in game.

[MechRaccoon]

I like the Orion better with an arm mounted SRM. It looks unique and there are not many mechs that put missiles in the arms...unless you count Catapult's METAL BAWXES* as Arms.

*

EDIT: By the way, is it possible we could be using the ON1-M in this game?

Edited by MechRaccoon, 06 July 2012 - 03:36 AM.

[Elkarlo]

I got the German Techreadout 3025 , and there is everything correct to the Picture:
LA: M-Laser and Ksr4 aranged around the Laser. (and two Excaust's for the 4 Launchertubes)
RA: M-Laser
LT: LSR 15
RT: AC/10

Same Picture as my Pewter Figure.
( Only that the Pewter Figure got 4! Launcher Tubes in the LA)

I think the Orion in the Videogames have the same Arangement.
But this is the GERMAN Teachreadout, and German FASA Products have very often lot of Bugfixes.

( but we still have the Lefthander Battlemaster in it )
3025 Techreadout Pic:



Btw which Artwork?
ON1-M


ON1-M

Edited by Elkarlo, 06 July 2012 - 03:43 AM.

[Turigand]

This the was the topic of my very first post here. The missile launcher should be in the arm, it's very clearly a type putting it in the torso.

http://mwomercs.com/forums/topic/8342-the-orion-please-devs-if-you-include-it-put-the-srm-where-it-belongs/

[SilentSooYun]

I say arm-mount the SRMs. I'm certain that the "LT" entry is a typo, considering the effort they made to describe the left arm configuration in the 3025 TRO.

[Vechs]

I'm going to join the crowd that believes the launcher in the torso is the error (typo).

The art and fluff got it right.

Someone made a typo in the stats.

Also, just because it's cool, here:

Edited by Vechs, 06 July 2012 - 01:44 PM.

[Marak Varn]

Elkarlo, on 06 July 2012 - 03:34 AM, said:

I got the German Techreadout 3025 , and there is everything correct to the Picture:
LA: M-Laser and Ksr4 aranged around the Laser. (and two Excaust's for the 4 Launchertubes)
RA: M-Laser
LT: LSR 15
RT: AC/10

Same Picture as my Pewter Figure.
( Only that the Pewter Figure got 4! Launcher Tubes in the LA)

I think the Orion in the Videogames have the same Arangement.
But this is the GERMAN Teachreadout, and German FASA Products have very often lot of Bugfixes.

( but we still have the Lefthander Battlemaster in it )
3025 Techreadout Pic:



Btw which Artwork?
ON1-M


ON1-M

I'm fascinated by the fact that the German rules are different. I guess that's why they are considered unofficial in American canon. Do the German rules move the SRM's back into the torso for the TRO 3050 release? The second picture you posted (from 3050) shows the early attempt at an art fix by Fasa since it keeps the over sized left arm, but also clearly shows the torso mounts as well.

I rather like the earlier suggestion to have unequiped missile hardpoints in the arm for those who would like the classic arm launcher, while keeping the option to fit them in the torso if desired.

No doubt FD already has a great solution worked out for the Orion, I'll just be interested to see if the rules or the art have to compromise more.

[DevlinCognito]

Either way, i just want it in the game. We have plenty of choices for dedicated long range support Mechs (Jagermech, Catapult, Trebuchet) but we could really do with some good all rounder mechs to play the trooper role. With most of the heavy choices being Unseen, the Orion would be perfect to fill this role.

[Arctic Fox]

Marak Varn, on 06 July 2012 - 05:02 AM, said:

I'm fascinated by the fact that the German rules are different. I guess that's why they are considered unofficial in American canon. Do the German rules move the SRM's back into the torso for the TRO 3050 release? The second picture you posted (from 3050) shows the early attempt at an art fix by Fasa since it keeps the over sized left arm, but also clearly shows the torso mounts as well.

The second picture is actually from CGL's relatively recent Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, which retcons the appearance of the 'Mech to match its stats. The art in both the original TRO:3050 and TRO:3050R doesn't have the LT SRM launcher; FASA never really bothered to make sure art matches game statistics.