WhirlpoolBrewer, on 27 January 2012 - 10:27 AM, said:
I've been playing the computer games since Mech Warrior 2, and I have always preferred mechs that don't remind me of gundams... like alomst every inner sphere mech does. I prefer the war simulation side of it all, not the arcade Mech Assault meets Gundamwing thing that most inner sphere mechs scream. Nobody can claim that they want Mech Warrior to be more sim than Mech Assault was and like mechs with hands. For pete sake the last mech to come out had a Mohawk. It looks like instead of shooting me, he is going to pull a guitar out and play heavy metal rock.
There are respectable Inner Sphere mechs out there that I'm praying they come out with. I'm happy to hear about the catapult, and I really hope they put the uziel in as well. There are acceptable mechs on the Inner Sphere side, but whenever a mech with hands comes out everyone just gets all excited about it, and my hope for a good mech warrior game drops a little more.
Don't get me wrong I still plan on playing it, specially when Clan mechs become available, but until then its just a little depressing. Heres to hoping for less 50 ton jokes and more 50 ton machines of war.
I have to disagree, but I have a reason. Have you ever read the books about the Knights of the Inner Sphere? Basically, a portion of the concept to me that made a lot of sense dealt with the anthropomorphism of the Battlemech. Basically, the book described an identification of the masses to the larger than life, humanoid looking, defender of the people. Just because the Gundam people came along later and stole imagery is no cause to reject the line of thinking. Also, per another post, I agree that claws are probably easier than hands, but once again, you get into the terror aspect of the Battlemech when you go there. Think it through, these people are the workers and taxpayers that continue to support the system that allows the Battlemech to exist. Just from an economic perspective, you want their support and loyalty. This means, for the most part, 'Mechs they can identify with. There are plenty of non-humanoid 'Mechs and I agree they should be included, like the Marauder or the Catapult or the Raven or the Stalker, but don't forget to provide the Heroic side. The large man in armor type look that thrills the populace.
As for thin versus thick, I would say that the amount of armor would make a difference. I would not want to have the Hatchetman (45 tons, 6.5 tons of armor) with the same "bulk" as a Vindicator (45 tons 9 tons of armor). The bulk also has to do with fluff values such as material used. Steel versus Ferro-Fibrous armor. Ferro is much bulkier than steel armors taking up additional internal slots in order to be mounted on a mech which would assume an outer extra dimension as well in my opinion. Additionally, I would assume that mech construction and design must take into account inner ear construction in a human since much of the balancing of a mech is based on the balancing mechanism in the inner ear. One would have a more difficult time balancing an unbalanced distribution of weight in my opinion but that is not reflected in the game. Also, that would be the reason for pilot checks when you lose a major chunk of armor in one round (20 points of damage = a pilot check).
Lastly, hands again. I mentioned early that claws are more likely to evoke terror than hands. Additionally, claws are ackward to use fighting. One of the aspects of the original Battletech game, which by the way has been out for 25 years back when I originally got into the game, is the use of a blown off arm of leg as a club. Out of missiles, find where Charlie's mech lost his arm, pick it up and start bashing. Looks like some of that won't be in the first blush of the game, but it will be later.
The thing is the mix. There are reasons for all the differences in mechs. Some are cultural based on which Inner Sphere house you are talking about, others are based on functionality. If you have no arm actuators other than shoulder, you can flip arms and shoot behind you, like the Rifleman. Reasons. All valid, all fun in different ways. Let's not whine something out of existence because we are prejudiced, allow each of us our preferences.
My two cents.
ZGuillotine/Girochen