475 replies to this topic

[warner2]

I have to agree with some of the reservations regarding it's style. It's a nice looking robot it looks too anime, too fluid, too human like in it's stand, and those fingers. It's hard to describe, as it's all quite subtle. I don't think I would have called it as a Centurion had I not known. For me, the classic picture of a Centurion has always been this one: http://www.sarna.net..._Centurion1.jpg

[warner2]

warner__, on 26 January 2012 - 04:42 AM, said:

I have to agree with some of the reservations regarding it's style. It's a nice looking robot it looks too anime, too fluid, too human like in it's stand, and those fingers. It's hard to describe, as it's all quite subtle. I don't think I would have called it as a Centurion had I not known. For me, the classic picture of a Centurion has always been this one: http://www.sarna.net..._Centurion1.jpg

Too be more positive however this is a rendering. I imagine the in-game use of the model and the animation and what not will play a big part in how it looks and feels.

[warner2]

Solis Obscuri, on 25 January 2012 - 07:40 PM, said:

Picture of Hunchback

Wow I missed these pictures, I hadn't seen the Hunchback. Now that is an awesome looking Battlemech. Great work!

[Joazzz]

Once again a drastic improvement on the cosmetic side of the original design. The whole thing looks tasty.

[Cuth]

flyingdebris, on 25 January 2012 - 03:07 PM, said:

No, actually there are various reasons why the design looks the way it does.
Primary of which is that a lot of BT mech designs fall into the "humanoid with a cannon for an arm" category. And were i to stick too closely to the canon appearance, we could easily end up with a lot of mechs that would be hard to visually distinguish from one another at a distance. (The classic centurion head crest ...fin... sensor thingy, not exactly being something that would all that visible at longer ranges.) So to guard against the possibility, i had to make the mech as visually distinct as possible and push the proportions this way and that as well as add a few things here and there,

Ahh, thanks for the insight.

Let me know when you get around to drawing up the STK, I have some super awesome ideas to make it visually distinct

[Aegis Kleais]

Kyle Polulak, on 25 January 2012 - 12:04 PM, said:

You would like more likes. I like what you like. I'll like see what I can like do to the likes. Like.

Kyle, I love ya. We Web Devs gotta stick together. But come correct here... are you, like....a Valley Girl or something?

heh heh heh. ACK! You got ME to say 'LIKE'!

DOUBLE ACK! I did it again! AH! I'm infected! *runs off into the sunset, screaming like a little schoolgirl*

[SquareSphere]

I took some time to absorb the new design and I can finally articulate WHY it feels "off" to me. Remember this is just my opinion is probably worth less than 2 cents.

It boils down to 2 things

1) It's "too" high tech. This is kind of ironic considering the setting, but the Centurion is an OLD model by BT standards and there are some parts on that just scream "high sci fi" to me. Mostly it's the feet and the cannon. Both look like decidedly complex mechanisms. Honestly, I would be expecting something like these to be on clan mechs where they were first described as looking "alien" to conventional IS designs.

2) Shield function in game. This one may or may not be an issue depending on how it's implemented in game. Ok I see a shield on a articulated arm, it tells my sub conscious that in game I should be able to move that arm to add additional "shield" protection to my torso while maybe taking my LRMs off line (because the shield arm is covering the torso). Going even further, the design states to me, "Ok I can move the shield arm over my chest but it's small enough to still allow me to us my cannon arm.

If the shield arm actually functions like this in game, then OMG I'm SUPER HAPPY! Otherwise, if it's the same locked into position arm mechanic like all of the other MW games, then when even put a shield on it to give it the illusion of new game play functionality even from a "in universe" perspective? It would be like having an Axeman in game depicted with his axe but not being able to do any melee attacks.

[Elizander]

It looks great, but I'm not a fan of 4/6 speed medium mechs. Wer dem Shadowhawks and Griffins?

I like the designs that have been coming out so far. To me, it's an improvement over the old models (like less laser tubes sticking out of random places please). I'd probably still pilot one cause it looks damn cool.

As for the 'shield arm' if it's wide enough to take more hits when I torso twist it's good enough for me. Just... don't put any weapons in it or anything.

[Curon Hifor]

Sean Zylos, on 25 January 2012 - 10:04 AM, said:

I like the new look for it. I always felt a lot of the TRO artwork was very poorly done.

Personally, I thought the MechCommander Gold version of the Centurion was the best, but this one looks amazing as well!

[Storm McIntyre]

Love the look. Fresh take on the classic Centurion. Makes it look even more intimidating, IMO.

[Aaron DeChavilier]

Amarus Cameron, on 26 January 2012 - 04:37 AM, said:

The position of loyal opposition is always such a cross to bear...

Also you are incorrect sir, I would send no letter! I would gather my Jaguar warriors and bang on their door yelling, "This is Star Colonel Brandon Howell of the Smoke Jaguar Clan, a full trinary of warriors stands ready to conquer your world, what forces dare oppose the Jaguar's Claws!"

always is <cough> clan fora <cough>
to be fair I'm coming around to the new look, just needs some tweaks

[Brakkyn]

The image of the Centurion--the only image we have--shows the 'Mech angled, hunched, and limbs spread out. It's going to warp the perception of it.

[mekabuser]

warner__, on 26 January 2012 - 04:42 AM, said:

I have to agree with some of the reservations regarding it's style. It's a nice looking robot it looks too anime, too fluid, too human like in it's stand, and those fingers. It's hard to describe, as it's all quite subtle. I don't think I would have called it as a Centurion had I not known. For me, the classic picture of a Centurion has always been this one: http://www.sarna.net..._Centurion1.jpg

If we showed that tro art and the new design to a thousand people off the street, how many would like the tro?

Um.. maybe 1.

• @ Squaresphere, I hear you about "looking too high tech" but its still the future/./ yas know? As far as the shield, even if it is just fixed to the arm, its specialized armor which is a good thing for variation. It means when you attack it, you have to bear in mind the centurion pilot might be a defensive wizard who knows how to utilize the extra armor within the shield.

I am ALL for mechs having SPeCIFIC armor strengths and weakness.

Aesthetics mean almost nothing to me anyhow.
Ive been thinking more about the modules and imagining what a full sensor info warfare module set is like mounted on a scout mech.

I imagine that even radar on, that mech, is very difficult to see on radar.One imagined effect<it fades in and out your radars feedback ability. >iow, fades on and off ur screen.. THe more variables the better.

[AdamBaines]

mekabuser, on 26 January 2012 - 08:50 AM, said:

If we showed that tro art and the new design to a thousand people off the street, how many would like the tro?

Um.. maybe 1

Totally disagree. I think your way overstating your own taste of aesthetic compared to others. But then again that's my opinion, and you have yours.

And we all Float On.

[Starne]

Well, atleast the people who actually like the new Centurion and the people who don't like it are'nt at each other's throats yet.

"It looks too Anime!"- First off, it does'nt have a sword or a cape. Second, alot of that vibe that people seem to be getting is due to the posture. Were the mech 'standing at attention' with it's legs straight and it's arms by it's sides, it would look quite different. I''d say that when the line-art for this Mech gets released, opinion might change a little.

The shield actually does'nt even look like something that would be standard to the Mech. In fact, it looks alot like a modifcation done by the techies at the pilot's request. Were it MY Mech, I'd want to see if there was enough spare weight capacity to put a small laser or maybe a flamer on that arm, instead.

[Othgar]

Please tell me that i was not the only one to read this entire article in Duncan Fisher's voice.

[Captain Hat]

... Glad to know I'm not quite the only one here who thought the original Centurion design was crap.

Love the new one though.

Gonna hafta put in a bit of a heresy warning here, as I know most if not all of you will disagree violently with my next paragraph. I bear you no ill will, but, you know, this is what I think.

It's actually the case with a lot of the old designs- the old Centurion, the Firestarter, most of the original Unseens were all (to my mind) really rubbish designs. I'm talking completely and utterly hideous. I mean, the Marauder, which so many people seem to think was fantastic, I really don't get: The old one looked like it was constantly falling over backwards and had none of the classic BattleTech design cues that let you know it was a legit walking tank rather than some Japanese fairy's crotch-rocket. The Reseen was so much of an improvement it was untrue- I mean, OK, so the legs were still ridiculously spindly but at least it looked like a proper industrial/military design, and the cockpit was awesome.

Same token, the original Centurion was a rubbish design and I hated it (and I'm a Davion player!). Literally no redeeming features in the old design as far as I could see. New one, though? Gorgeous! Love this 'mech, and speaking as a Davion and as a MechWarrior, I can't wait to get into one!

Edited by Captain Hat, 26 January 2012 - 09:12 AM.

[SquareSphere]

I'd say this redesign was also a bit unsettling because of the big departure from the original's silhouette. Yes, that's what FB was going for since many of the old TRO, mechs with a single cannon arm all looked the same. However, up till this one, the redsigns have been I would say around 85% or more similar to old ones. I'll admit as a fault of my own, I assumed the rest of the redesigns would be same.

[Marauder3D]

Thorn Hallis, on 26 January 2012 - 02:54 AM, said:

Is the painting on the Centurions upper right leg ment to be the insignia of the 39th Avalon Hussars?

I recognized it from playing as the 33rd Avalon on TT through the war of 39 all the way to annhilation vs. the clans. Here's a good Sarna link where you can read about the brigade and the actualy 39th Avalon Hussars regiment itself.
http://www.sarna.net.../Avalon_Hussars

Cheers!

[Curon Hifor]

Captain Hat, on 26 January 2012 - 09:11 AM, said:

... Glad to know I'm not quite the only one here who thought the original Centurion design was crap.

Love the new one though.

Gonna hafta put in a bit of a heresy warning here, as I know most if not all of you will disagree violently with my next paragraph. I bear you no ill will, but, you know, this is what I think.

It's actually the case with a lot of the old designs- the old Centurion, the Firestarter, most of the original Unseens were all (to my mind) really rubbish designs. I'm talking completely and utterly hideous. I mean, the Marauder, which so many people seem to think was fantastic, I really don't get: The old one looked like it was constantly falling over backwards and had none of the classic BattleTech design cues that let you know it was a legit walking tank rather than some Japanese fairy's crotch-rocket. The Reseen was so much of an improvement it was untrue- I mean, OK, so the legs were still ridiculously spindly but at least it looked like a proper industrial/military design, and the cockpit was awesome.

Same token, the original Centurion was a rubbish design and I hated it (and I'm a Davion player!). Literally no redeeming features in the old design as far as I could see. New one, though? Gorgeous! Love this 'mech, and speaking as a Davion and as a MechWarrior, I can't wait to get into one!

Hey, man, I feel for ya. Hence why the slight redesign for the Centurion during the days of MechCommander Gold filled me with relief. At that point, it actually looked like a military design. Even though this new design isn't my favorite, it's still a far sight better than some of the OLD TRO stuff.

But then again, the old TRO stuff still has a bit of personality now that I look back to the old days of 2nd edition. Good times.