53 replies to this topic

[BarHaid]

Ah, but we (the royal "we") are making a BattleMech, not a Veritech, so the cockpit has to become the head.

Perhaps if the nose section separates from the cockpit, to give more head definition. And a set of four antennae deploy out from each side to echo the original wasp head.

[Brenden]

Bishop Steiner, on 19 July 2012 - 12:24 PM, said:

Catalyst was planning to, but apparently some of the same legal licensing loopholes that caused so much headache with Robotech also could potentially get them there, so unless they were to find a way to actually extract an iron clad exclusive rights, I doubt it. And I doubt they will pay to do so, IF there is actually a why even (as HG has tried to claim exclusive rights for years, and has never actually won)

Someone brouught to my attention that the horrid Project Phoenix "reseens" apparently have been retconned to cover the level 1 version of the unseen to, or some such. I have a feeling Catalyst will be content to keep it that way.

It's one reason I am still trying to get Catalyst, or someone(preferably me! I need the money!) to commission some good looking reseens that pay homage to the originals.

Nah nah nah nah nah.
Dougram and Crusher Joe aren't Robottech, so that sould excluse them from it don't you think?

[Deathz Jester]

Fan-art yes, in the game hell no.

[Sneaky B]

I'll see if I can cook up a separate cockpit/head for the mech. Maybe... just maybe I could turn the framed canopy into something like a skull(which is very Battletech-ish) or a helmet(refer to my other wasp concept)

Edited by Sneaky B, 21 July 2012 - 12:14 PM.

[Enzane]

I would love to see LAMs in this game. However the down side should be that they have paper armor.

After all you are working to make a mech as light as possible so it can fly. They would have to be low weight Light Scouts.

[Bishop Steiner]

Brenden, on 21 July 2012 - 11:17 AM, said:

Nah nah nah nah nah.
Dougram and Crusher Joe aren't Robottech, so that sould excluse them from it don't you think?

Unfortunately, Harmony Gold and Revell both used most of those Dougram designs in their Robotech Defenders model series. Plus I think that the whole Harmony Gold/Robotech thing is giving them pause on any property not wholly created and owned by Fasa/Wizkids?Fanpro/Catalyst. Simpy because the international copyright laws are so jacked that what's to keep some otherr company from claiming the same "exclusive" rights to a prtoperty that HG did? So I am pretty sure we can count on both PGI and Catalyst to be wary of doing anything they might end up getting sued over, even if it's well after the fact.

Kinda suck to have MWO up and running, then get court sanctioned for having a Goliath in it, ya know?

Sneaky B, on 21 July 2012 - 12:12 PM, said:

I'll see if I can cook up a separate cockpit/head for the mech. Maybe... just maybe I could turn the framed canopy into something like a skull(which is very Battletech-ish) or a helmet(refer to my other wasp concept)

well, if you look at the dark age Spider, or the Vulture, both use fighter canopy like cockpits. I think maybe if some of the armor or mechanisms could be configured around it to feel less vulnerable it might wwork without excessive changes?

[Brenden]

[Sneaky B]

I see. I'll probably have to model the cockpit similar to the mackie and similar mech heads only in that it's semi triangular

Regarding the wing design, I have decided to go for a delta wing because of its weight savings and wing area

Edited by Sneaky B, 23 July 2012 - 01:59 AM.

[Sneaky B]

[Bishop Steiner]

I like wide and stubby... just seems to shout space fighter! More than traditional earth bound jets do.

[Sneaky B]

I like to keep the Flanker stinger in it because I thought it would be the basis for the names: Wasp, stinger, etc.

Although overall, it went from PAK-FA/YF-23 to MiG 1.44/Rafale/J-20

Edited by Sneaky B, 29 July 2012 - 04:40 AM.

[Hayden]

Not a fan of LAMs personally, but you should keep working, you've made some interesting drawings thus far. Only critique is that the scale seems a bit off (I.E. the LAM should be larger/the pilot smaller).

[Sneaky B]

Yeah, I thought about that but had to cross out lengthening it any further because once in LAM mode, the nose section is too long and would affect balance...

As for the cockpit, the pilot is actually a lot smaller. The front end of the canopy is just extended downwards instead of cutting it horizontally like I usually do. This is to provide the pilot better visibility particularly in LAM mode

[Burnt Nipples]

Interesting drawings. I never felt the jar of discontinuity of LAMs that many did, but I did undeniably feel they were totally irrevocably imbalanced. In this regard I just don't think there is a workable way to get them where they belong.


ps. Tactical Handbook, so much imbalance and so many ill-conceived rules, so few pages.

[DeathDealer 6]

Land AIr Mechs or LAMs for short do have there set of problems but what everybody seems to be ignoring is the tactical versatility and surprise that LAMs have always offered a commander.

The first four LAMs (Stinger, Wasp, Phoenix Hawk and Shadow Hawk - the Shadow Hawk model never worked out, too heavy) were designed by the Star League to be used with their Light Horse Regiments because of that tactical flexibility. It also makes one of the best reconnaissance units ever known to man. Fly a smaller than Dropship (which most planets are scanning for, Dropship sized targets) sized aerospace fighter to a planet, transform to landmech and land undetected. Do your sweep of the countryside in Mech form accomplishing your objectives (spy, meet with a spy, hit a specific target, pick up or drop off packages) along the way, then change again to take off and then return to base. There is No other vehicle capable of accomplishing that mission with as much stealth and reliability. Remember, the old Star League excelled at spying on it's friends as well as enemies.

The surprise factor comes in from their initial designs which mimicked already existing designs and made them extremely difficult to figure out which model is which. In fact, the only reliable way to tell a difference between a LAM and the regular Mech it was based upon was to check the weapons placement plus all LAMs weighed 5 tons more then the design they were based on. That didn't happen by accident. LAMs hid in plain sight and most people never even knew the difference.

Imagine a enemies surprise at chasing a lance of Phoenix Hawks way out of position, only to have those Phoenix Hawks grow wings and fly away leaving the enemy way out of position while the LAMs then commence strafing runs on the main or chasing forces while the enemy way out of position then vainly tries to get back to their lines before getting destroyed by every BattleMechs nemesis, the aerospace fighter. Now the enemy is in trouble and a portion of their force is tied up in a very uneven fight that they might lose. Sounds cool doesn't it?

Should they have ever been included in Battletech game play? I don't know and will not try to decide the decision here but I consider LAMs like a finely honed beautiful knife, LAMs have their uses. Don't complain when you cut yourself with the knife you sharpened to a keen edge when you are trying to use it for a purpose it was never designed for is my advice.

Edited by DeathDealer 6, 29 July 2012 - 06:15 AM.

[Sneaky B]

I kept those in mind which is why I also try to keep it stealthy... in the front aspect at least

[Kaldoran Bloodwar]

I don't understand the hate. The Land Air Mech is a really good thing. I've lead many many campaigns for Mechwarrior... you know.. the PnP RPG. My friends and family appreciated having a GM who was open minded enough to allow their imaginations to soar. We had some military folk who liked the concept of being a pilot flying a craft that could also be a Battlemech.

[Denara]

actually i'd love to see some LAMs in the game, and honestly i really like your design, keep it up

Edited by Denara, 04 August 2012 - 03:22 PM.

[Gnatter]

Sneaky, love the work so far. I will be watching this.

[Darkton]

Sarah McCallum, on 19 July 2012 - 09:27 AM, said:

Fixed. I am completely incapable of respecting viewpoints other than my own, and must try and alter others to match mine.

Fixed.