44 replies to this topic

[Goldhawk]

I just repurchased the 3050 technical readout, and the Star League mechs look terrible. It seems like every time that a new company upgrades the Technical books, some mechs look good, and others for some reason look horrible with every coming "upgrade".
The winner, for me, was the 1st technical readout that I bought, the original 3025 technical readout.

[Motionless]

Whichever one I'm about to buy at the time has the best pics.

[Thorn Hallis]

3026

[Haakon Valravn]

I seem to recall the original 3050 having actual technical drawings of the Clan OmniMechs. This makes it best, as it's actually somewhat consistant: All the designs look professionally done and look, if not attractive, well-thought out. The others all have high points and low points. I suppose if I had to have a second choice, it would go to Project Phoenix.

[Goldhawk]

Haakon Valravn, on 28 April 2012 - 02:37 PM, said:

I seem to recall the original 3050 having actual technical drawings of the Clan OmniMechs. This makes it best, as it's actually somewhat consistant: All the designs look professionally done and look, if not attractive, well-thought out. The others all have high points and low points. I suppose if I had to have a second choice, it would go to Project Phoenix.

I went through the book again, and I have to say that the Clan mechs look fantastic. They are not technical readouts spec with face toward the reader, but the new look gives a diagonal look on the clan mechs. It gives them a more 3d look to them. The Inner Sphere mechs they added faction emblems on many of the mech types that are in the book.

[CoffiNail]

3050, not revised or upgraded.

[Samalander]

Hmm, the poll doesn't cover all of the ones that I have.3025 (FASA and CBT), 3026, 3050, 3055, 3057, 3058.
My favorite still has to be the original 3025 (even with its backwards pages) because I found Battletech back in 1991 with Decision at Thunder rift and when I found the first TRO I had a little boy nerd-gasm. I memorized that book years before I found out it referenced a Game, and wasn't just a cool add on to the fiction.

[Nik Van Rhijn]

i only have the FASA stuff, for me 3025.

[tynaiden]

I was never overly fond of any TRO artwork. About the most appealing to me (that i have or recall) is the paintings done inside the 4th ed. boxed set, the original BMR, and original Maximum Tech.

There are a few pieces of artwork in the TROs that I did like but they were not in any great number and my references to them are all the original FASA printings. I know not how much the styles have changed over the rereleases. A couple I do vaguely recall were mostly of the vehicles in one of the earlier books that had the Mobile Long Tom in it. Looking at Sarna, 3025 TRO it seems.

[BattleFalcon]

I'd say the original 3025 stuff, particularly the designs originating from Robotech, sad to say.

As for worst ever, it would have to be 3055 due to the horrendous Clan IIC 'Mechs. That's both visual art AND actual design.

[Aelos03]

This will be off topic i hope you guys dont mind, i was wondering is there a book or something about history of mechs from beginning and bt universe from start or something like that ?

[ice trey]

A lot of folks are voting for 3025, but there's really a whole lot to be said about nostalgia goggles. They're thinking about the OOP one with robots licensed from anime, but that art is so dated and makes up such a small proportion that I don't think that you can honestly say it is the best looking book.

I would put my chips down on TRO 3067, myself. A lot of the modern favorites, as well as designs taken from Mechwarrior 4 and Mechcommander 2 made it inside. We're still waiting on a reprint, though. TRO Prototypes gets very close in terms of nice artwork, but due to a small handful of flops and 2nd-rate artists, it doesn't take the lead.

Alternately, I really like what was done with Technical Readout 3055 Upgrades, well, barring the Solaris 7 designs, of course.

I'm going to give credit to TRO 3085 for having some spectacular art inside, but it's a real mixed-bag, with some very nice artwork, including a few designs by FD, as well as some designs that have you furrowing your brow (Mostly by Chris Lewis).

[pursang]

What's wrong with nostalgia glasses?



OH GOD, OH GOD F--- THESE NOSTALGIA GLASSES WHERE ARE MY BEER GOGGLES AT?!

[Youngblood]

This poll is biased against (former) FanPro and Catalyst products! I like both TRO: 3055-Upgrade and TRO 3085 the best! Matt Plog, David White, and Alex Iglesias art are superior to all others! (Chris Lewis's art is decent, too. Unseen are ugly and their art doesn't belong in BattleTech!)

[Soviet Alex]

Aelos03, on 29 April 2012 - 02:06 AM, said:

I was wondering is there a book or something about history of mechs from beginning and bt universe from start or something like that ?

Here would be a good start: http://bg.battletech.com/?page_id=23

[Youngblood]

Soviet Alex, on 29 April 2012 - 04:39 AM, said:

Here would be a good start: http://bg.battletech.com/?page_id=23

That's for in-game info, which is good. For out-of-game info (about the BattleTech franchise and everything including art) see if you can catch this book somewhere: http://www.sarna.net...Art_%26_Fiction

Edited by Youngblood, 29 April 2012 - 05:23 AM.

[pursang]

Youngblood, on 29 April 2012 - 04:30 AM, said:

This poll is biased against (former) FanPro and Catalyst products! I like both TRO: 3055-Upgrade and TRO 3085 the best! Matt Plog, David White, and Alex Iglesias art are superior to all others! (Chris Lewis's art is decent, too. Unseen are ugly and their art doesn't belong in BattleTech!)

For real - the artwork for the Omen and Nightwolf has to be some of the pretiest that BattleTech has ever seen.

[Youngblood]

You know, I forgot which artist actually did the Night Wolf.

TRO 3085 Supplemental, in addition to the Omen, contains what I think is Doug Chaffee's only okay-looking 'Mech art, which sadly was his last work for BattleTech: the Yao Lien. And hey, the guy was amazing for BattleTechs vehicles and AeroSpace, and his loss will definitely be felt for a long time, but man....

Alex Iglesias's AeroSpace art is my favorite.

Edited by Youngblood, 29 April 2012 - 05:23 AM.

[Jack Gallows]

Original 3025

[Aelos03]

Youngblood, on 29 April 2012 - 04:56 AM, said:

That's for in-game info, which is good. For out-of-game info (about the BattleTech franchise and everything including art) see if you can catch this book somewhere: http://www.sarna.net...Art_%26_Fiction

thanks i got it in pdf, now i have something to do while waiting for game.