7 replies to this topic

[Kijiro Bugboy]

Some time ago I discovered this walking jet on Sarna.



As someone who is extremely partial (read: nostalgia baited) to 'Mechs with jet plane syndrome after piloting the Champion in MechWarrior 3 when I was 5 or 6 years old, I immediately fell in love with this 'Mech's IlClan design. So I was even more stoked to find out that it's a 75-ton Clan BattleMech that entered production in 3051, fitting right into the MWO Clan Invasion/FedCom Civil War timeline smoosh and actually having the potential to be relevant in the current game state. It also has 5 era-appropriate variants ready and rearing to go, even if you exclude the variants of the refit and renamed White Raven which use Dark Age tech if I'm not mistaken.

So then my question is... why hasn't this been added to the game yet? Could it be the game's life support status with only Cauldron really supporting it at this point with the occasional contribution from Iglesias and the art team? Is it that players only want new Assault 'Mechs, so that's why the last 4 new 'Mechs added have all been Assaults? Could it be that it hasn't featured in any MechWarrior or BattleTech game yet (besides RogueTech which has basically everything), so PGI is unsure about its recognition value? I don't know, but I think this might just be my favorite 'Mech now and I would really like to get the opportunity to play it in a MechWarrior game.

[pbiggz]

Same reason any other mech hasn't been added yet. It takes dev time, art time, and they have to justify it because it will also be a package/sale.

It might be your pet mech, but there are almost as many pet mechs as there are players, so get in line.

[TheMadTypist]

Firemoth, a 20t light, is next for release. They put out a screenshot of it in December. After that, to be honest, we've got a lot of 75 tonners, even though the sarna entry does look nice.

I'd kinda hope for some mediums instead- Battle Cobra or the IS's Men Shen, personally. My understanding was that they were focusing on clan mechs within the right era (circa the invasion) for inclusion in expansion packs for Clans. Though, with the recent layoffs, and Clans underselling expectations, who knows what effect that might have on future developments.

If Clans is getting its tail cut, Maybe they'll branch into Mechcommander instead? Realtime Tactics is a different market segment to Mechwarrior or Battletech, but could pull overlap from both. An Operation Bulldog era game would be fun. We could still get a lot of these machines if the assets were compatible.

[Kijiro Bugboy]

pbiggz, on 13 January 2025 - 07:59 AM, said:

Same reason any other mech hasn't been added yet. It takes dev time, art time, and they have to justify it because it will also be a package/sale.

It might be your pet mech, but there are almost as many pet mechs as there are players, so get in line.

This is part of why I'm confused, though, because I think it would be an easy 'Mech to justify making a paid package compared to 'Mechs that are honestly more deserving - like the Wasp, Stinger, and Fire Falcon - because it has the tonnage to mount weapons, the hardpoints are well-balanced, and its geometry shouldn't be too crappy. From the development perspective, it probably wouldn't take as much development rigor as the IS OmniMechs that are often requested (eg. Men Shen, Sunder, Hauptmann, Templar). I mean, Clan BattleMechs are kinda meta.

TheMadTypist, on 13 January 2025 - 03:59 PM, said:

Firemoth, a 20t light, is next for release. They put out a screenshot of it in December. After that, to be honest, we've got a lot of 75 tonners, even though the sarna entry does look nice.

I'd kinda hope for some mediums instead- Battle Cobra or the IS's Men Shen, personally. My understanding was that they were focusing on clan mechs within the right era (circa the invasion) for inclusion in expansion packs for Clans. Though, with the recent layoffs, and Clans underselling expectations, who knows what effect that might have on future developments.

If Clans is getting its tail cut, Maybe they'll branch into Mechcommander instead? Realtime Tactics is a different market segment to Mechwarrior or Battletech, but could pull overlap from both. An Operation Bulldog era game would be fun. We could still get a lot of these machines if the assets were compatible.

Yep, I'm aware of the Fire Moth being released next, and I'm as happy as anyone else about finally getting the final Clan Invasion 'Mech. I was more talking about what they would add after that. I think the Black Python fits into the Clans window you are talking about, but the uncertainty around the game does muddy future waters.

[kalashnikity]

We already have a Black Python at home.

The Black Python at home... https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Champion

[confracto]

kalashnikity, on 16 January 2025 - 01:42 PM, said:

We already have a Black Python at home.

The Black Python at home... https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Champion

Ugh, I wish I could have modeled the Black Python instead of the Champion, or the Hellfire. It would have made a much better addition to the imaginary Shmup we joked about making with all the 'Mechs that look like jets once you ditch the legs.

Sadly, recent events sound like there being any new 'Mechs is particularly unlikely.

[Hawk819]

confracto, on 16 January 2025 - 05:46 PM, said:

Ugh, I wish I could have modeled the Black Python instead of the Champion, or the Hellfire. It would have made a much better addition to the imaginary Shmup we joked about making with all the 'Mechs that look like jets once you ditch the legs.

Sadly, recent events sound like there being any new 'Mechs is particularly unlikely.

It's looking more like the end of the road for the license and the game. It's been fun, but going forward. Mechwarrior is Dead!!!!

[pbiggz]

Hawk819, on 16 January 2025 - 06:32 PM, said:

It's looking more like the end of the road for the license and the game. It's been fun, but going forward. Mechwarrior is Dead!!!!

Perhaps.

Mech has gone through long quiet years in the past. It may be due for a quiet time again, which would be a shame.
On the other hand, it is a 30+ year old game franchise that has only ever drawn in modest audiences; perhaps its time for something new; another IP to carry the mech torch, free of the baggage. I dont think the future is looking too grim despite the circumstances.

Edited by pbiggz, 17 January 2025 - 11:23 AM.