26 replies to this topic

[Tvae]

As most of you already know, a lot of the first Clan mechs encountered by the Inner Sphere during the invasion developed two different names - their original name, as devised by the Clans, and a secondary name used by the Inner Sphere to identify them.

Some examples for those not entirely familiar with them (Clan - IS):
Timber Wolf - Mad Cat
Mad Dog - Vulture
Warhawk - Masakari
Dire Wolf - Daishi
Summoner - Thor

Of course there are a good number of others, but this raises a question. In Mechwarrior 2, they were referred to by their Clan names, and in 3 and 4 they were mostly referred to by their Inner Sphere names... Which name set would you prefer for MWO? (Obviously, mentioning both somewhere would be preferrable, but which do you think is better for their main titles? )

(As the game is going to start around the time of the Clan invasion, it might make sense to mostly refer to them by their IS names at the start, unless we're able to join the Clans as soon as they arrive.)

Edited by Tvae, 31 March 2012 - 07:06 AM.

[Stormwolf]

Mechwarrior 2 was my introduction to Battletech, I didn't know the IS names till a year later.
So Clan names for me.

[Oppi]

I think targeting computers should display different information depending on which faction you play for. IS players would see IS names, Clan players would see Clan names. Assuming you will be able to play as a Clan pilot of course.

[Soviet Alex]

Inner Sphere names for preference, although I'd be happy with Oppi's idea above.

[Tvae]

Oppi, on 31 March 2012 - 06:53 AM, said:

I think targeting computers should display different information depending on which faction you play for. IS players would see IS names, Clan players would see Clan names. Assuming you will be able to play as a Clan pilot of course.

I was actually thinking about that, so I added it as an option. I was just wondering if that might get confusing for newer persons to the franchise, with two names being used for a single mech.

[Soviet Alex]

Good update, so I changed my vote. And frankly, if you can manage heat, weapon groups, tactics, role-warfare, mech-lab customization and a forum full of people screaming about mechs that they should know they can't have, you can remember 2 names for the same omni. It's not like there are that many of them.

[Xhaleon]

IS players should see their readout flicker between MAD and CAT for the first few months of the Clan Invasion.

[CoffiNail]

I voted Clan for Clan, IS for IS... I think it would be even cooler if the different factions had their IS name, so Mad Dog for Clan, vulture for FedCom, Hagetaka for DC.

With Randall at the helm of Lore I am sure they could have a few mechs like this.

[Seabear]

Only makes sense that the name sepends on the faction. The name given by the pilots in combat will override the Official name everytime. Look at the A-10 Thunderbolt II. No one calls it that; it's the "Warthog". Granted it was given that name by ITs pilots but the same thing happens to enemy machines. The P-38 LIghtning was called the "forked tailed devil" by the German pilots in WWII. Whatever the official name mignt be, it is going to get a nickname that sticks .

[Austin Katan]

I actually can't vote on this because I personally cherry pick the names. I chose the ones that I think sound better. For example I'd say "Timber Wolf" before I said "Mad Cat". I use "Thor" instead of "Summoner" because Thor sounds better. "Dire Wolf" over "Daishi" because I can pronounce it.

[SidTheKid87]

I like both. You should us clans names if your in a clan and IS names if not that way you know their is no sleepers on the filds.

[irish]

While I like the IS names for IS and Clan for Clan. If this ends up being like every other Mech game it usually boils down to the following.

"Get that guy"
"How did you miss him"
"Hit the big one"
"Somebody please get this *@#$@" off me"
"Get that guy..he killed me."

[Jonas]

I would like to see my war book keep trying to figure out what to call them, like in the novels for the first few weeks of play then we start to see the IS names then after a few months it would show us both names. As for the Clans it should just be what the Clans call them.

[RecklessFable]

I'll go with the the ones I think are cooler, and so should you, because old geeks know what is cool better than anyone else!:

Tvae, on 31 March 2012 - 06:43 AM, said:

Some examples for those not entirely familiar with them (Clan - IS):
Timber Wolf - Mad Cat (A cat with rabies? Don't mess with it)
Mad Dog - Vulture (Honestly, it looks like a bird, not a dog. An awesome, awesome bird)
Warhawk - Masakari (Because it is like saying Massacre-y)
Dire Wolf - Daishi (Because Daishi sounds like a health food)
Summoner - Thor (Summoner is lame, Thor is METAL)

[Kenyon Burguess]

if your playing IS it should read unknown or IS nmes
if your playing clan it should read clan names but all IS mechs are unknown
if clans are npcs then the names should be IS or unknown until after tukkyid and the factions get to know each other better

[Omigir]

Clan mechs should have no designation when they are first introduced.

That is if they Dev's dont have the first encounters be simply News feeds and then by the time we get to fight them/as them the IS already has spread the information out of what the mechs are called and such.

[Oppi]

Geist Null, on 31 March 2012 - 09:35 AM, said:

if your playing clan it should read clan names but all IS mechs are unknown

Of course not. The Clans originated from the Inner Sphere so they would obviously know the pre exodus designs. In addition they had spies in the IS long before the Invasion ever started (the most prominent ones being Wolfs Dragoons), so they would know all the "newer" IS designs as well.

[Soviet Alex]

The current crop of high-tech refits would catch them out, because Wolf's Dragoons went silent after the Fourth Succession War.

[Der BruzZzler von Wiesndoof]

I've never used these stupid IS-designations for Clan OmniMechs, but "Dependant on faction" is a nice idea and sounds good to me.

[Gigaton]

RecklessFable, on 31 March 2012 - 09:29 AM, said:

I'll go with the the ones I think are cooler...

You don't pronounce Masakari anything akin to Massacre-y tho.

But you are right on Daishi, it remainds me lot of 'Dashi' which is Japanese fish stock (pronounced bit like 'Dash-e').