29 replies to this topic

[Polymorphyne]

Quote

I suggest that mechs be different sizes. If a 30 ton light mech is standing next to an assault 100ton mech, the light one should be smaller

Why is this even a suggestion? It goes without saying that a lighter mech is smaller than a heavier mech, from both logic and from the designs of the various mechs. Its kinda like suggesting that light mechs should be faster or that we mount weapons on our mechs to shoot at mechs piloted by people who are ideallogically opposed to us.

The following discussions on scale are interesting though

[Yeach]

Longsword, on 16 February 2012 - 11:43 PM, said:

Why is this even a suggestion? It goes without saying that a lighter mech is smaller than a heavier mech, from both logic and from the designs of the various mechs. Its kinda like suggesting that light mechs should be faster or that we mount weapons on our mechs to shoot at mechs piloted by people who are ideallogically opposed to us.

The following discussions on scale are interesting though

Because TT never differentiated between Mech size and no bonus/hinderances for shooting different size mechs.
Shooting a smaller mech took the same amount of skill as shooting a larger mech in TT (assuming both had the same speed).

Correct me TT fans if I am wrong.

[jbone]

Yeach, on 17 February 2012 - 09:29 PM, said:

Because TT never differentiated between Mech size and no bonus/hinderances for shooting different size mechs.
Shooting a smaller mech took the same amount of skill as shooting a larger mech in TT (assuming both had the same speed).

Correct me TT fans if I am wrong.

The answer is technically a grey area.

In the hex map, using counters or w/e you used to represent mechs (dice are handy in pinches when you got a lot of mechs out.) Size was not a factor all hexes were 30 meters only one mech can fit in a hex, and all mechs were two level in height.

However,

In miniature combat where you did not have hexes ( and your movement was in inches) Mech's that were smaller (and generally lighter, i'll touch base on this in a sec) got better cover, etc. Here is some factors you have to keep in mind.

For the most part Ral Partha (Now Ironwind Metals), was very good at giving mechs a sense of scale for their tonnage, (There are some massive glaring problems with some minis but they are the exception to the rule). The rules in mini com at was drawing LOS from the shooter to the target. This led to partial cover a lot and some shots hitting buildings instead of the mech, because the left arm and torso were behind a building that took he hit instead of the mech.
So the answer is yes and no.

In the basic rules using hex maps, you didn't have to account for things like that.

But when you got into the minis (which is what you used at the gunslinger at GenCon which i played in played several years). The size of the mech did matter.

Now I'm not going to get into the super mechs that Armorcast made, I wish I had the cash back in the day to have a super sized atlas and Madcat, but I was still a youngin in high school.

[Nik Van Rhijn]

Given the generally greater accuracy of PC game weapons the only way smaller mechs can survive is for their representation to be perhaps a little smaller than it should be and for their speed to be scaled properly. They need to be made so that they are hard to hit otherwise people will not play them. maps should include cover that favours the lighter mechs. In order for people not to always use a heavy/assault the game should not be, if I can see it I can hit it. Along with, if I can hit it I can kill it.

[Xenois Shalashaska]

the scale on page 1 is Mech Assault scale & is arcade version of the game. The height should varry because the assault mechs carry only around 20 tons of armour & where does the other 80 ton go ?? . The Super Nova isn't a tall mech, but is very wide.

[Outlaw2]

Nik Van Rhijn, on 18 February 2012 - 03:04 AM, said:

Given the generally greater accuracy of PC game weapons the only way smaller mechs can survive is for their representation to be perhaps a little smaller than it should be and for their speed to be scaled properly. They need to be made so that they are hard to hit otherwise people will not play them. maps should include cover that favours the lighter mechs. In order for people not to always use a heavy/assault the game should not be, if I can see it I can hit it. Along with, if I can hit it I can kill it.

I'd rather they go with a battle-value system and not whacky scale for balance. Because when tonnage is a factor (and battlevalue takes it into account indirectly), mechs with exaggerated scale suffer.

[Polymorphyne]

Im not really sure tonnage will be a factor in MWO- there appears to be no weapon customisation, just the base variants, and probably no drop fees for the matchs- I would say the only place where having a bigger mech is worse is being a larger target and the mech being more expensive to repair.

[Brakkyn]

Longsword, on 16 February 2012 - 11:43 PM, said:

Why is this even a suggestion?

[T0RC4ED]

I dont know about everyone else, but ive always had questions about how a person fits in a commando or raven's cockpit. I mean wow... must be a tight fit. Some of the pics have helped me with that, but I still have some doubt on some of the 25 and 35 ton mechs.

[MaddMaxx]

T0RC4ED, on 23 February 2012 - 08:18 AM, said:

I dont know about everyone else, but ive always had questions about how a person fits in a commando or raven's cockpit. I mean wow... must be a tight fit. Some of the pics have helped me with that, but I still have some doubt on some of the 25 and 35 ton mechs.

Well a 2500 pound car can hold 4-6 people, no sweat. I imagine looks are deceiving when we see these 25-35 Ton machines.