44 replies to this topic

[Runz]

The poll says no buddy, plus unless you're in beta or somehow managed to look through all the beta footage you're probably not really in any position at the moment to state whether mechs look the same or not, all you have are the artists impressions from the mech announcements.

I like that you're trying to open discussion with your opinion but I just think it's a little premature at this stage when we haven't seen all the mechs or what they look like in game.

[Baron Kreight]

Go ahead and draw us a cool robot.

[Grugore]

Suprentus, on 19 July 2012 - 07:55 AM, said:

Is it me or are all modern planes lookign liek they came off the SAME assembly line. These things were supposed to have come from different manufacturers many countries apart and yet they have very similar design features, like wings, engines, and fuselages. Unusual. Can the aerospace manufacturers be encouraged to do somethign out fo the box or are we stuck with next to same clones for each plane? Its getting tiresome and i haven't even flown yet.

Nicely played, sir.

[William Petersen]

I think if you strip away the background, the texture, and the paint jobs and look at the models themselves, you'd see that they do, infact, have rather different design features. I'm supposing here, since I do not have the graphical manipulation talents to do any of that.

At any rate, a lot of people thus far have provided a multitude of counter examples with "different" things that look very much "the same".

[tyrone dunkirk]

Baron Kreight, on 19 July 2012 - 08:07 AM, said:

Go ahead and draw us a cool robot.

This. I like this. TRY THIS. You can't... can you

Edited by tyrone dunkirk, 19 July 2012 - 08:11 AM.

[Butane9000]

By that same argument all modern tanks look the same. Fact is the core principle behind Battlemechs were shared before everyone split. While there are minor differences in each house the same general concept in creating mechs stuck. After that it's based on what each house wanted out of their mech and how best to achieve that end.

Basically, the outside asthetic is both similar and different. Each mech is indeed shaped differently and very few mechs can be mistaken for another at a distance (Dragon/Hunchback being notable). While they all have the same general design asthetic from the armor point of view each one is different based on an overall design point of view.

[Gallowglas]

Tronchaser, on 19 July 2012 - 08:03 AM, said:

lol, only like this because other coutries STEAL the design. In this game, the mechs are similar because they are done by the same art department.

/shrug

Mostly modern fighter designs are similar because there's an operational reason for the design choice. Countries don't steal or iterate off of a design just because they can. Even so, I wouldn't say that increased espionage has caused any more convergence of design than existed, say, 100 years ago. Practicality and technology do a lot to dictate design choices.

[Grugore]

Gallowglas, on 19 July 2012 - 08:24 AM, said:

Mostly modern fighter designs are similar because there's an operational reason for the design choice. Countries don't steal or iterate off of a design just because they can. Even so, I wouldn't say that increased espionage has caused any more convergence of design than existed, say, 100 years ago. Practicality and technology do a lot to dictate design choices.

This is true. They have this thingy called aerodynamics. It pretty much confines you inside the box. Sorry.

[Viper69]

Yes, yes they all have legs arms and torsos. Oh almost forgot heads.

[Thorn Hallis]

grimzod, on 19 July 2012 - 07:45 AM, said:

I fail to see how you encapsulate all the TROs and say they ALL looked alike so its okay? Do you mean on a single TRO basis all within looked alike? Thats not even true for all TROs.

No, I'm not saying they all looked alike. Sure, there are similarities in any given TRO that is shared by all designs, for example LRM/SRM launchers or machine gun ports. But thats where it ends. No 'Mechs from the same manufacture looked alike, not even those that are based on an allready established chassis (Vindicator / Snake for example). And the same is true for FDs artwork, they share minor similarities like the lasers, but thats where it ends.

[Suprentus]

Tronchaser, on 19 July 2012 - 08:03 AM, said:

lol, only like this because other coutries STEAL the design. In this game, the mechs are similar because they are done by the same art department.

/shrug

Well they really more likely share similarities because using similar angles in aircraft design naturally create a smaller radar cross-section. If it'll really make you happy though, here are two other different planes of the same era.



You can say the US stole the MIG design here, but it really comes down to the fact that swept wing technology of the day with tail fins, a tubular fuselage, and an engine directly in the back with an air intake built into the nose, proved to be the best and most practical way of making planes. Really, you can say future generations of planes even look similar to them, like the F-16.

Naturally, there were cosmetic variations later, such as delta wings, canards, side air intakes, etc. Naturally, there are also cosmetic variations in mechs. I really wouldn't say that a Raven looks like a Hunchback, for example.

[Tronchaser]

Gallowglas, on 19 July 2012 - 08:24 AM, said:

Mostly modern fighter designs are similar because there's an operational reason for the design choice. Countries don't steal or iterate off of a design just because they can. Even so, I wouldn't say that increased espionage has caused any more convergence of design than existed, say, 100 years ago. Practicality and technology do a lot to dictate design choices.

I would definitely disagree with this. Put a picture of an F15 and SU-27 side by side and tell me that the Russians didn't swipe the design. Of course they're all airplanes and they all have the same aerodynamic similarities. Russians are famous for doing this, and now the Chinese as well.. It's really not that hard to figure out.

Edited by Tronchaser, 19 July 2012 - 08:48 AM.

[Gallowglas]

Tronchaser, on 19 July 2012 - 08:47 AM, said:

I would definitely disagree with this. Put a picture of an F15 and SU-27 side by side and tell me that the Russians didn't swipe the design. Of course they're all airplanes and they all have the same aerodynamic similarities. Russians are famous for doing this, and now the Chinese as well.. It's really not that hard to figure out.

Gallowglas said:

Mostly modern fighter designs are similar because there's an operational reason for the design choice. Countries don't steal or iterate off of a design just because they can. Even so, I wouldn't say that increased espionage has caused any more convergence of design than existed, say, 100 years ago. Practicality and technology do a lot to dictate design choices.

Go back and read what I wrote, paying close attention to the bolded portions and tell me what I said that was wrong. I never said that countries don't swipe designs. I said there's a reason why they swipe designs, but that there's also a reason for design choice convergence that goes beyond espionage.

Edited by Gallowglas, 19 July 2012 - 09:01 AM.

[Xaero Payne]

Buso Senshi Zelazny, on 19 July 2012 - 07:55 AM, said:

I think all of the mechs look amazing. The advancments in graphic displays in the last 10 years are allowing the artists to put way more detail in than we have ever dreamed of. However, all those details can be 'blurred' over when you just glance at them casually, while missing the things that really differentiate them. In previous games, with much lower graphic fidelity, artists had to make more drastic and blocky features so that you could tell them apart visually at range. But if you still feel like they all look the same, then be thankful for all of the customization in colors, paint schems, skins and insignia that the devs are promising, and then no two mechs will look the same at all.

The issue here will be will at least SOME of the paint schemes be "free"? I mean if you look at World of Tanks ALL of their camo patterns cost the currency that uses real money. Looking at Blacklight: Retribution 95% of their camo's are the currency that takes real money, but at least some are in game currency. I understand the F2P way to build a game, but still I'm hoping that at least some of the stuff can be done for free on here.

Even with that though with the few screen shots, and videos I have checked out I do not think they look a like at all. At least the different models

[Isingdeath]

Tronchaser, on 19 July 2012 - 08:03 AM, said:

lol, only like this because other coutries STEAL the design. In this game, the mechs are similar because they are done by the same art department.

/shrug

I would also say that ***warning spoiler alert....if you are a BT nerd and love BT please do not read the next few words as it will have a tragic effect on your life.*** if the world of BT really existed (we won't talk about Santa to much bad news in one day) that the different houses would have stolen from each others designs as well. Especially right after the Star League fell.

Edited by Isingdeath, 19 July 2012 - 09:16 AM.

[Gallowglas]

Isingdeath, on 19 July 2012 - 09:13 AM, said:

the different houses would have stolen from each others designs as well. Especially right after the Star League fell.

That's true too.

[Daeso]

You mean something like :

Edited by Daeso, 19 July 2012 - 09:30 AM.

[Isingdeath]

Quote

Go back and read what I wrote, paying close attention to the bolded portions and tell me what I said that was wrong. I never said that countries don't swipe designs. I said there's a reason why they swipe designs, but that there's also a reason for design choice convergence that goes beyond espionage.

Yep Gallo is correct aerodynamics will only allow so much deviation (even with computers constantly correcting flight).

[Tronchaser]

The design convergance of which you speak is another country saying "Oh ****, we need our interceptor to go Mach x.x and with a range of xxxx miles with a ceiling of xxxxxx feet." Easiest way to accomplish that? Shorten your R&D cycle by swiping the other guys design that already does that. Fellas, it's not earth shattering. Please.

The MECHS in this case look alike not because of the Great Houses stealing from each other, but that fact that the ART dept. that designed them is the same. Simple? YES! Good grief.

[Butane9000]

Isingdeath, on 19 July 2012 - 09:24 AM, said:

Yep Gallo is correct aerodynamics will only allow so much deviation (even with computers constantly correcting flight).

I believe this disagrees with you. It's an Sukhoi Su-47 Bekut. The amount of actual aerodynamic options are fast. However there are a few that are definitely cheaper and easier to maintain and therefor that is why you see most plans with the standard wing configuration we are used to.