55 replies to this topic

[Aidan Crenshaw]

It was. https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Cyclops

[martian]

Samial, on 26 January 2021 - 07:59 PM, said:

Wasn't the Cyclops a Star league mech?

As I wrote above, many Inner Sphere 'Mechs in MWO are actually Star League era 'Mechs.

[Wolfos31]

martian, on 27 January 2021 - 05:25 AM, said:

As I wrote above, many Inner Sphere 'Mechs in MWO are actually Star League era 'Mechs.

Yeah, like the King Crab being very rare after the SL days but it's a common mech in matches.

If we get into lore things get muddied. The Clans brought hundreds of mechs with them during the exodus and many of those mechs are still in their Toumans but just regulated to second line duty.

[martian]

Wolfos31, on 27 January 2021 - 08:28 AM, said:

Yeah, like the King Crab being very rare after the SL days but it's a common mech in matches.

If we get into lore things get muddied. The Clans brought hundreds of mechs with them during the exodus and many of those mechs are still in their Toumans but just regulated to second line duty.

Yes. But PGI has never cared about BattleTech universe and lore anyway.

[Wolfos31]

martian, on 27 January 2021 - 08:32 AM, said:

Yes. But PGI has never cared about BattleTech universe and lore anyway.

At least we have CGL & HBS which do.

God I hope they make a "Battletech 2" covering the clan invasion. Yeah there are mods but still...

[martian]

Wolfos31, on 27 January 2021 - 08:43 AM, said:

God I hope they make a "Battletech 2" covering the clan invasion. Yeah there are mods but still...

Who knows? It would depend on how financially successful the original BattleTech and its three expansion packs have been.

[VonBruinwald]

martian, on 27 January 2021 - 09:10 AM, said:

Who knows? It would depend on how financially successful the original BattleTech and its three expansion packs have been.

Clan-Tech will always sell. It's the classic pay-to-win, even in a single player game that stuff sells.

[martian]

VonBruinwald, on 27 January 2021 - 09:22 AM, said:

Clan-Tech will always sell. It's the classic pay-to-win, even in a single player game that stuff sells.

Well, maybe. But the last BattleTech expansion pack was published in Autumn 2019, i.e. more than a year ago. I mean, the intervals between all those three previous expansion packs were much shorter.

Perhaps Paradox decided that publishing another expansion pack would be not financially worth it.

[Wolfos31]

martian, on 27 January 2021 - 09:40 AM, said:

Well, maybe. But the last BattleTech expansion pack was published in Autumn 2019, i.e. more than a year ago. I mean, the intervals between all those three previous expansion packs were much shorter.

Perhaps Paradox decided that publishing another expansion pack would be not financially worth it.

HBS is working on something new which is not Battletech related. But Battletech was for sure financially a success and knowing Paradox's publishing method I wouldn't be surprised to see a Battletech 2 get announced for release sometime in 2022 or 2023.

[martian]

Wolfos31, on 27 January 2021 - 10:04 AM, said:

HBS is working on something new which is not Battletech related. But Battletech was for sure financially a success and knowing Paradox's publishing method I wouldn't be surprised to see a Battletech 2 get announced for release sometime in 2022 or 2023.

The game, that I would really want, would be MechCommander 3.

[VonBruinwald]

martian, on 27 January 2021 - 09:40 AM, said:

Well, maybe. But the last BattleTech expansion pack was published in Autumn 2019, i.e. more than a year ago. I mean, the intervals between all those three previous expansion packs were much shorter.

Perhaps Paradox decided that publishing another expansion pack would be not financially worth it.

There's is that possibility, it could also be that Clan tech would require too more work.

Add new mechs/equipment - relatively straight forward. Apart from balance issues.
Add new mission structure/pilot AI to support zellbrigen that's the bulk of the challenge.

Implement it all into the campaign without breaking anything... not so easy given you've also got to deal with a 25 year time difference and without pooping all over the lore given it's place in canon.

It would probably be easier to create a new game and have certain mechs locked/salvageable unless you had the original battletech and expansions installed. Kinda like what they did in Dawn of War with Dark Crusade/Soulstorm .

[martian]

VonBruinwald, on 27 January 2021 - 10:15 AM, said:

There's is that possibility, it could also be that Clan tech would require too more work.

Add new mechs/equipment - relatively straight forward. Apart from balance issues.
Add new mission structure/pilot AI to support zellbrigen that's the bulk of the challenge.

Implement it all into the campaign without breaking anything... not so easy given you've also got to deal with a 25 year time difference and without pooping all over the lore given it's place in canon.

It would probably be easier to create a new game and have certain mechs locked/salvageable unless you had the original battletech and expansions installed. Kinda like what they did in Dawn of War with Dark Crusade/Soulstorm .

Maybe. The majority of BattleTech 'Mechs is based on MWO 'Mechs as designed by PGI, so there may be some legal problem too.

[Boldkill]

I just want a StarSlayer

[Wolfos31]

VonBruinwald, on 27 January 2021 - 10:15 AM, said:

There's is that possibility, it could also be that Clan tech would require too more work.

Add new mechs/equipment - relatively straight forward. Apart from balance issues.
Add new mission structure/pilot AI to support zellbrigen that's the bulk of the challenge.

Implement it all into the campaign without breaking anything... not so easy given you've also got to deal with a 25 year time difference and without pooping all over the lore given it's place in canon.

It would probably be easier to create a new game and have certain mechs locked/salvageable unless you had the original battletech and expansions installed. Kinda like what they did in Dawn of War with Dark Crusade/Soulstorm .

I think whether it is an expansion or a brand new game it needs to be a clean break from the previous storyline of the Arano Restoration. That is a canon subject now with its own sourcebook. Fortunately it is also off the "Southern" end of the Inner Sphere map. The exact opposite direction from which the Clan invasion starts.

In my mind they could have the player take up the roll of a small Merc command in the employee of the Rasalhague Republic. around 3045 or so. Similar to Battletech before you get the Argo you'd have a limited region you could take contracts in to get used to the new weapons tech and mechs. Then eventually a story mission time skips you to 3048 and you begin to fight the Clan invasion as they devour the Republic. You'd be on the losing side for a few story missions until you can start salvaging your own Clan Tech and start turning the fight around.

Most BTech games aren't part of canon, but what I just described sticks pretty close to Canon and would give players an awesome new experience in the Clan Tech period. Then for DLC they could maybe add a mission pack for the battle of Tukkayyid and Operation Bulldog. There is lots of source material to pull from.

I don't know that Zellbrigen would be THAT hard to program. Clans never use melee attacks. And for calling challenges maybe once the enemy encounters you each clan mech challenges the mech closest to them in tonnage. The clan mech only attacks that mech. If you focus fire an enemy clan mech than they drop Zellbrigen also. Which is consistent with the lore.

I'd really love to see it!

[martian]

Boldkill, on 28 January 2021 - 08:16 AM, said:

I just want a StarSlayer

Yeah, the Starslayer was my favorite medium 'Mech in MechCommander 2.

[Carpenocturn]

While mechs may have their roles covered by other chassis

Why not add others? Surely piloting your favorite Looking mech is just as important to people as playing a particular duplicatable build?

[Boldkill]

martian, on 28 January 2021 - 10:04 AM, said:

Yeah, the Starslayer was my favorite medium 'Mech in MechCommander 2.

Agreed, that game made me love that mech!

[Stonefalcon]

Ahhh you missed Annihilator in that list, and yes it is in the game along with a good portion of these mechs.

As for PGI adding new mechs to the game? Don't bet on it unless they begin to start seeing a healthy number of returning/new players over the course of 2021.

[InvictusLee]

If we are going starleague why is no one talking about stealth mechs with optical camo like the spector, ghost and exterminators? All very star league and contemporary.

[martian]

Carpenocturn, on 28 January 2021 - 11:27 AM, said:

While mechs may have their roles covered by other chassis

Why not add others? Surely piloting your favorite Looking mech is just as important to people as playing a particular duplicatable build?

Because the pool of possible buyers is much smaller since the number of active MWO players is not what it used to be.

Add to this that some people might think:
a) "Not going to buy a new 'Mech because my already owned 'Mechs perform sufficiently well in their roles."
b ) "I have invested a lot of time, C-Bills and MCs into my owned 'Mechs (upgrades like DHS, Endo-steel, Ferro-fibrous armor, weapons and equipment, colours, bolt-ons, etc.), so I am not going to spend all this again on a new 'Mech just to feel myself comfortable."
c) "I have bought 'Mechs based on concept art and they sucked in the game."
d) "I have bought 'Mechs based on concept art and their actual game models were disappointment."

All these things would mean that PGI would have to eat up a financial loss.