2372 replies to this topic

[Seranov]

The reason the IS hasn't gotten "good" mechs recently is that a lot of people are pushing for mechs that they liked in other games... where hitboxes and hardpoint locations didn't matter nearly as much as they do in this one. It's got to be tough for PGI to figure out how to fight decade (and sometimes multiple decades) old designs that weren't good then, and are even worse now.

[Battlemaster56]

I'll be completely honest PGI should hold off the next big nostalgia mech and give the IS some nice performance mechs to help boost their lineup, it's not like every clan mech that can be release gonna be hot garbage (expect the Howler it should be banished in the void, and wipe from existence with said void), most them are b class mechs with a nice serving of a class a mechs.

The IS needs some nice A and B class mechs anyway.

[TheArisen]

There are a few complications with getting good mechs. I pushed for the Nightstar was in part fueled by that. (I like it snd can do quite well despite it not working for everyone)

1st problem is understanding what makes a good mech good. Yeonne had a great writeup on this but idk where it is. Suffice to say it goes beyond just high mounts. The Legacy for example has high mounts but is quite slow and the STs are hanging in the wind to be shot off.

A brief list of what makes a good mech good.
- High mounts
- Good and plentiful hardpoints
- Ability to twist off or spread dmg in some way, good hitboxes, shield arms, no weapon buldge, etc
- Mobility in good balance with durability and firepower
- High cockpit in line with or nearly in line with high mounts
- Good convergence
- No useless hand actuators
- For omnis, has endo/FF (unless IS), Has dhs, has enough slots/tonnage

Obviously not every single one is required but those are things to look for.

2. What happens after it goes through PGI. I like the Nightstar and I'm grateful PGI released it but it got some things that hurt it like the huge ST vents. It would of had an epic frontal profile but for those vents. Basically don't assume PGI won't add something or that they will do something to "fix it".

Edited by TheArisen, 30 March 2018 - 12:19 PM.

[The Lighthouse]

All I need is Hollander.

[Will9761]

Charger - Despite the negative reputation of the mech in Tabletop, it does have potential should players overlook the 1A1 variant in favor of the other good variants it has. If the Charger ever gets released as a mechpack, the Challenger should make it in as an extra variant, not only that, but the 1A1 itself could be converted into a Challenger. The SA5 variant has MASC and could be used as a potential loyalty variant.

Hatamoto - I would support this mech for being in MWO. Granted, House Kurita already has enough National Mechs, but they lack a proper aesthetic design to it. It also offers way more variety than the Thug. Also with the new Civil War tech out, the Hatamoto could actually become dominant.

[Will9761]

To be honest, if PGI ever did a Phoenix Origins Pack, these mechs would be a perfect fit for the pack.
Locust IIC
Griffin IIC
Shadow Hawk IIC
Conjurer - Obviously a Wolverine IIC, but wasn't named that due to reasons.

[TheArisen]

Will9761, on 27 March 2018 - 07:14 PM, said:

Conjurer - Obviously a Wolverine IIC, but wasn't named that due to reasons.

I think most people that want that mech prefer the Hellhound MW4 version. (The reason btw is Clan Wolverine is the un named clan, basically taboo to the clanners)

[Valdarion Silarius]

Will9761, on 27 March 2018 - 07:14 PM, said:

To be honest, if PGI ever did a Phoenix Origins Pack, these mechs would be a perfect fit for the pack.
Locust IIC
Griffin IIC
Shadow Hawk IIC
Conjurer - Obviously a Wolverine IIC, but wasn't named that due to reasons.

It would be better if they followed their old format (IE Clan Wave 1 and 2 formats) if they did a Phoenix Origins pack. That is one light, one medium, one heavy and one assault. I wouldn't want 1 clan light and 3 mediums in the same pack. I wouldn't be surprised if they already made most of (if not all) the clan IIC concept art already, and it's just sitting there in a folder on their design team's computer collecting dust because of the lawsuit.

Edited by Arnold The Governator, 28 March 2018 - 06:18 PM.

[Jonathan8883]

Although the Conjurer/Hellhound from MW4 is a favorite for the role, I don't see that it adds much to the game. The shoulders are nearly identical to those on a Huntsman, but paired with a lower cockpit.

[Requiemking]

TheArisen, on 28 March 2018 - 06:16 PM, said:

I think most people that want that mech prefer the Hellhound MW4 version. (The reason btw is Clan Wolverine is the un named clan, basically taboo to the clanners)

You mean the one that was never made canon?

[Alex Morgaine]

Jonathan8883, on 28 March 2018 - 07:07 PM, said:

Although the Conjurer/Hellhound from MW4 is a favorite for the role, I don't see that it adds much to the game. The shoulders are nearly identical to those on a Huntsman, but paired with a lower cockpit.

I put tape over the upper cockpit just for that reason :3
Ah, to trade jj for a 300 engine...

[Battlemaster56]

While I do enjoy the mw4 version of the Hellhound, I rather take the Counjer first then it's sucessor.

[FLG 01]

Jay Leon Hart, on 22 March 2018 - 05:01 AM, said:

To be fair, as much as I like the Thug, Legacy & Falconer...

Falconer is at the mercy of the re-design & modelling teams, as it could potentially have arms lower than even the Nova and legs that come above the cockpit, as well as the big behind of the Marauder family.

Well, all Mechs are at the mercy of PGI, for better or for worse... In canon, the Nightstar actually has a sleek, elongated body with a small frontal profile. And in MWO it is none of that. So even good geometry is not a guarantee anymore, although I would still prefer Mechs that come with a "potentially" good geometry.

And the Falconer is not all that bad. The arms are probably getting the Marauder-treatment, which has very low hung arms in canon, too. Also it needs a hip and probably will get the Nova-treatment, which adresses the leg issue. (The Nova too had the legs at cockpit height...)
The only problem I see are unnecessary vents and a bloated rear end, because for some reason PGI likes them...

It's no secret that I like the Falconer for its lore and its mobility, but its hardpoints are also good, as is the Marauder-like geometry - potentially.

Battlemaster56, on 22 March 2018 - 06:41 AM, said:

I'll be completely honest PGI should hold off the next big nostalgia mech and give the IS some nice performance mechs to help boost their lineup

It's about time considering we have got enough MW:4-nostalgia Mechs - which, ironically, noone is using much. I wonder what happened to all those people who voted for them, but I hope they learned their lesson: if a Mech is too bad for MWO, it is no fun in MWO.

Will9761, on 24 March 2018 - 09:49 AM, said:

Charger - Despite the negative reputation of the mech in Tabletop, it does have potential should players overlook the 1A1 variant in favor of the other good variants it has.

The CGR-1A1 is actually the variant I am interested it. It can work even without hardpoint-inflation, for which the placement of the HP is perfectly suited (one per component).
Also, its reputation in TT gaming - as opposed to fluff - is not that bad. Just use the Mech literally as a Charger, i.e. smash into the enemy. Its not the most effective MEch but it is far from helpless, especially in a 3025 setting where everybody overheats.

[Shadowomega1]

Well got feeling the next Mech pack announced in April will be a clan heavy mech. Seeing as the last Clan heavy the Sun Spider which is 70 tons their likely to pick something from the 65 or 60 ton in weight.

Which gives a few good options.
Arcas (Clan Ghost bear Battlemech 65 tons)
Hades (Wolf Dragoon's Apocryphal Mech however it is pretty much the Hellbringer MK II 65 tons)
Hellfire (Clan Star Adder Battlemech 60 tons)
Thresher (Clan Diamond Shark & Hell Horse 60 ton mech with MASC)

Edited by Shadowomega1, 29 March 2018 - 05:34 AM.

[Fox the Apprentice]

Shadowomega1, on 29 March 2018 - 05:33 AM, said:

Well got feeling the next Mech pack announced in April will be a clan heavy mech.
[...]

Is there a reason for this feeling? Or is it just a hunch?

[Battlemaster56]

Well if it's gonna be a Clan heavy, it's most likely gonna be the Grizzly with 359 votes and not locked away because of a lawsuit.

[Jay Leon Hart]

Shadowomega1, on 29 March 2018 - 05:33 AM, said:

Well got feeling the next Mech pack announced in April will be a clan heavy mech. Seeing as the last Clan heavy the Sun Spider which is 70 tons their likely to pick something from the 65 or 60 ton in weight.

Which gives a few good options.
Arcas (Clan Ghost bear Battlemech 65 tons)
Hades (Wolf Dragoon's Apocryphal Mech however it is pretty much the Hellbringer MK II 65 tons)
Hellfire (Clan Star Adder Battlemech 60 tons)

I'd love the Hellfire, the Hades would be interesting as a more-meta HBR and the Arcas at least *looks* nice

[xVLFBERHxT]

The Lighthouse, on 22 March 2018 - 05:00 PM, said:

All I need is Hollander.

For what, to mowing the lawn?

[Shadowomega1]

Fox the Apprentice, on 30 March 2018 - 08:10 AM, said:

Is there a reason for this feeling? Or is it just a hunch?

They have been alternating IS and Clan from month to month. As for weight class Clan mechs seem to be in a rotation of Assault then heavy, then medium and then light; likely due to plenty of gaps they can fill in. Where as IS has less mech gaps so they can pick a called for mech in any class. Example Nightstar and Annihilator then went heavy (Thanatos), medium (Hellspawn), then Assault again (Fafnir).

Battlemaster56, on 30 March 2018 - 09:15 AM, said:

Well if it's gonna be a Clan heavy, it's most likely gonna be the Grizzly with 359 votes and not locked away because of a lawsuit.

Looking at the 60 and 65 ton weights due to the Sunspider which is a 70 ton Omni was recently released.

[Kanil]

Shadowomega1, on 30 March 2018 - 02:39 PM, said:

They have been alternating IS and Clan from month to month.

IS -> Clan -> IS -> Clan -> Clan -> Clan -> IS -> IS.
While they alternate, they don't do so with any real reliability.

The classes that have gone the longest without an announcement are IS Medium and IS Heavy. If you expect more MW4 nostalgia, then I'd say either the Chimera or Argus is the next 'mech. If not, then perhaps the Dervish... and I don't really know what to expect if they go with an IS heavy that isn't the Argus. The Guillotine is leading the "not-Unseen, not-Omni, not-MW4trash" division, but not by much and it's a somewhat oddly specific division.