15 replies to this topic

[Mr Smiles]

Okay, so we all know that 'Mechs are going to be able to aim with both their arms and their torso. And that 'Mechs with stubbier arms, like the Jenner, won't be able to aim to the side very well.

But in the tabletop game, 'Mechs without hands and elbows weren't at a total disadvantage when it comes to aiming: having no elbows meant that their "arms" were actually on a 360-degree rotating axis, and could fire straight backward against targets attacking from behind (or could be doing hit-and-run maneuvers where it's attacking while running away).

I think that this flexibility of splitting torso and arm aim really presents a golden opportunity to the devs: allow us to fire straight backward in elbowless 'Mechs!

I imagine it would work like this: you hit a button to turn on your rear-view camera, and after a short wait (just in case you're only checking the camera and not actually staying in it for an extended period) if you're in the right kind of elbowless 'Mech your arms start rotating backward to point behind you. They might take a second to get into position. Once there, though, you can fire backward--though of course, running forward and aiming backward are difficult.

But it would add an extra level of tactics to the game. It would mean that even more emphasis would be placed on player skill, rather than account level or 'Mech weight. It would just be one more advantage for chicken walkers to make up for their lack of arm-flexibility in aiming sideways.

It would be beautiful.

What do people think?

Edited by Mr. Smiles, 17 March 2012 - 03:02 PM.

[palebear]

I don't want an atlas to shoot my jenner when I execute my run-by. Firing in the rear arc could really ruin a light mech's day...

[Gozer]

palebear, on 17 March 2012 - 03:09 PM, said:

I don't want an atlas to shoot my jenner when I execute my run-by. Firing in the rear arc could really ruin a light mech's day...

Then again it's light pilots that made folks put rear facing medium lasers on mechs like the Battlemaster.

[ExodusArk]

I like the idea it makes the controler of the mech think twice about what there doing and add's another lvl of interste to the game

[Dras Black]

I like it, as long as its limited to armless' like the Jenner and stuff.

Theres no way an Atlas could rotate its arm to the back arc, they seem limited to the 180 dagree front arc, but the Jenner only has its rocket-pod arms which unless their literately bolted to the frame (and might as well not count as arms at that point) they dont really rotate at all unless they can rotate 180 upwards and into the back arc.

Then again, I'm a little bias. I'm a light pilot.. so..

[Locan Ravok]

Dras Black, on 17 March 2012 - 03:57 PM, said:

I like it, as long as its limited to armless' like the Jenner and stuff.

Theres no way an Atlas could rotate its arm to the back arc, they seem limited to the 180 dagree front arc, but the Jenner only has its rocket-pod arms which unless their literately bolted to the frame (and might as well not count as arms at that point) they dont really rotate at all unless they can rotate 180 upwards and into the back arc.

Then again, I'm a little bias. I'm a light pilot.. so..

The original Atlas have 2 Medium Laser in the back, but I belive that the game will not use the rear fire arc.

[ictaris]

usually u can aim and shoot always backwards. u have ur 180 degree front arc and u can turn ur torso at least 90 degree (so ur cockpit faces left or right). when u now turn ur arm another 90 degrees, his weapons r facing backwards. of course with this method u can only fire weapons in one arm, but u can. its more complicated for slow turning machines and easier for light ones, but thats how its meant to be.

btw: lighter mechs never (or at least never should) face the enemies with their back and think of shooting at the same time

[Nik Van Rhijn]

A number of us wished that arm flipping (mechs like the Warhammer,Jagermech, Blackjack and Rifleman) and those with rear firing weapons (a long list including Wolfhound, Atlas and Archer) were in the game. It makes it truer to canon and adds another level to the game.
The arm flippers don't rotate at the shoulder joint I think - the weapons rotate hrizontally at the elbow.so that they are the same way up and in the same relative position. - you only lose the wrist and hand. The elbow is still there to provide horizontal and vertical movement.

[Nik Van Rhijn]

ictaris, on 17 March 2012 - 04:17 PM, said:

usually u can aim and shoot always backwards. u have ur 180 degree front arc and u can turn ur torso at least 90 degree (so ur cockpit faces left or right). when u now turn ur arm another 90 degrees, his weapons r facing backwards. of course with this method u can only fire weapons in one arm, but u can. its more complicated for slow turning machines and easier for light ones, but thats how its meant to be.

btw: lighter mechs never (or at least never should) face the enemies with their back and think of shooting at the same time

We don't know yet that we have a 180 degree front arc or torso twist of 90 degrees. It's quite possible that we don't. It may well be that the dev's want a rear "blind spot" to create that area of opportunity.

[Dras Black]

Locan Ravok, on 17 March 2012 - 04:12 PM, said:

The original Atlas have 2 Medium Laser in the back, but I belive that the game will not use the rear fire arc.

Sorry, Heh didn't know I'm a post MW3 kid (Don't be hatein, I'm just trying to get along here.)

ictaris, on 17 March 2012 - 04:17 PM, said:

usually u can aim and shoot always backwards. u have ur 180 degree front arc and u can turn ur torso at least 90 degree (so ur cockpit faces left or right). when u now turn ur arm another 90 degrees, his weapons r facing backwards. of course with this method u can only fire weapons in one arm, but u can. its more complicated for slow turning machines and easier for light ones, but thats how its meant to be.

btw: lighter mechs never (or at least never should) face the enemies with their back and think of shooting at the same time

.. now i just feel DUURRRRR

P.s. Very true about lights, I blame it on contact drunken-ness from it being St. Pattys day.

Edited by Dras Black, 17 March 2012 - 04:31 PM.

[ictaris]

Nik Van Rhijn, on 17 March 2012 - 04:25 PM, said:

We don't know yet that we have a 180 degree front arc or torso twist of 90 degrees. It's quite possible that we don't. It may well be that the dev's want a rear "blind spot" to create that area of opportunity.

the opportunity would still be there. i mean ur back arc is hard to reach, depending on ur turning velocity, which decreases with increasing weight.

[Paul Inouye]

We already touched on this a while ago. We are not having rear firing weapons.

[Dras Black]

Paul Inouye, on 17 March 2012 - 05:09 PM, said:

We already touched on this a while ago. We are not having rear firing weapons.

Well that settles that i suppose.

[osito]

As for the ability to flip your arms and target rear areas i do not think any mech should be able to do this. Some mechs come with this option standard in their mech. These mechs who are built this way should be the only ones to do this.

[Mr Smiles]

Paul Inouye, on 17 March 2012 - 05:09 PM, said:

We already touched on this a while ago. We are not having rear firing weapons.

I think at PGI offices, everyone had to draw straws. One straw was for the public troll, whose job it is to make of newbies and Americans who spell things funny, one was for the public hero, who gets to give us only good news and great announcements, and one was for the public villain, who has to provide only the word "No. Not happening." to us.

I wonder which one Paul drew

[palebear]

This implies that Paul didn't take on this role willingly. I'd place even odds on his volunteering...