575 replies to this topic

[Sakadzuki]

is that true, that highlander will be in game on 11 dec?

Edited by Sakadzuki, 25 November 2012 - 02:29 PM.

[Armorpiercer M82]

Sakadzuki, on 25 November 2012 - 02:29 PM, said:

is that true, that highlander will be in game on 11 dec?

where did you read it ? (i think its stalker, mech 12) this is mech 17, so maybe in summer

[Onyx Rain]

Armorpiercer M82, on 25 November 2012 - 11:27 PM, said:

where did you read it ? (i think its stalker, mech 12) this is mech 17, so maybe in summer

I don't know where he got that but I asked the devs about the highlander being added first...

Ask Devs 26:

"Q: 60%...closer to 70% (if you count half the "I don't care votes"), voted in favor of prioritizing the Highlander ahead of other mechs...especially over the flea. Any chance this will happen? Seem like good marketing to get the most favored mechs in game ASAP. [Onyx Rain]
A: Without being too specific, our priorities for release aren't the same as the order we released the concept art in. [Garth]"

Well, sounds like we might have a shot at the Highlander or some other mech coming out in a different order then they were announced. A very cryptic but interesting answer.

And it turns out the spider was just announced for January 15th...We weren't expecting the spider till after the trebuchet and jagermech (So around March?...Instead of January. RAD!!!). So that may be good news for Highlander fans!

[Snowcaller]

D-F-A!
D-F-A!
D-F-A!
D-F-A!
D-F-A!

[MasterofBlasters]

Onyx Rain, on 29 November 2012 - 05:40 PM, said:

I don't know where he got that but I asked the devs about the highlander being added first...

Ask Devs 26:

"Q: 60%...closer to 70% (if you count half the "I don't care votes"), voted in favor of prioritizing the Highlander ahead of other mechs...especially over the flea. Any chance this will happen? Seem like good marketing to get the most favored mechs in game ASAP. [Onyx Rain]
A: Without being too specific, our priorities for release aren't the same as the order we released the concept art in. [Garth]"

And it turns out the spider was just announced for January 15th...We weren't expecting the spider till after the trebuchet and jagermech (So around March?...Instead of January. RAD!!!). So that may be good news for Highlander fans!

I think they're going to release mechs in in a light, medium, heavy, assault cycle. The release schedule probably looks something like this:

January: Spider
February: Trebuchet
March: Jagermech
April: Highlander
May: Flea
June: Blackjack

[Strum Wealh]

Well, Ask the Devs 27 has revealed which variants will be made available:

Garth Erlam, on 03 December 2012 - 04:27 PM, said:

Q: How will mechs that have less than 3 variants achieve the elite and master tier levels of the mech trees? For example, the Highlander has been announced to only have 1 variant at launch (possible this has changed) [Tvae]

A: I only knew one variant at the time, saying something like "the only variant I know of is the HGN 732." The variants are: HGN-732, HGN-733, HGN-733C, HGN-733P.

The -733C and -733P were common refits to the common HGN-733 that replaced the AC/10 (and ammo) with an AC/20 (and ammo) and a PPC (and Heat Sinks), respectively.
HGN-733C (AC/20 model) specifications
HGN-733P (PPC model) specifications

The standard HGN-732 is the LosTech version equipped with a Gauss Rifle (and ammo), Ferro-Fibrous armor, and CASE.

As far as potential canon Hero 'Mechs go:

• Rhonda Snord's Highlander is a standard -732 with some speakers mounted around the cockpit, but is otherwise unmodified.
  
• The HGN-732 "Colleen" (piloted by Colleen Schmitt, a SLDF officer and founding Khan of Clan Blood Spirit, during Operation Klondike) replaces the LRM-20 (and ammo) with a LRM-15 (and ammo), replaces the Gauss Rifle with an ER-PPC, replaces the Medium Lasers with Medium Pulse Lasers, replaces the SRM-6 (and ammo) with a Streak SRM-6 (and ammo), and replaces the -732's Standard Heat Sinks with Double Heat Sinks.

The first is just the standard variant with a unique paint-scheme, and the second is unknown outside of the Clans (but is old enough that it would be using SLDF/IS tech, rather than Clan tech).

Most likely, having a Hero Highlander would probably entail PGI creating their own variant, as was done for the Cataphract with the "Ilya Muromets".

Edited by Strum Wealh, 03 December 2012 - 10:02 PM.

[Onyx Rain]

Barg12, on 03 December 2012 - 11:04 AM, said:

I think they're going to release mechs in in a light, medium, heavy, assault cycle. The release schedule probably looks something like this:

January: Spider
February: Trebuchet
March: Jagermech
April: Highlander
May: Flea
June: Blackjack

Could be right, but I'd prefer to see...


January: Spider (Will be nice to have a humanoid light with JJ, for us that hate no armed chickens...plus its already announced, so no turning back now)
February: Highlander (Because: Lack of assaults, few jj capable mechs, no JJ capable assault, sheer radness, commercial viability of the game)
March: trebuchet/blackjack (General lack of mediums/jj capable)
April: jagermech (Because another choice in the limited heavy mech catagory is a good thing)
May: trebuchet/blackjack (whichever they didn't go with in march)
June: Flea (This thing should be dead last. We need the mediums/heavies before we need another light.)

Edited by Onyx Rain, 04 December 2012 - 07:28 AM.

[Onyx Rain]

Strum Wealh, on 03 December 2012 - 08:26 PM, said:

Well, Ask the Devs 27 has revealed which variants will be made available:
The -733C and -733P were common refits to the common HGN-733 that replaced the AC/10 (and ammo) with an AC/20 (and ammo) and a PPC (and Heat Sinks), respectively.
HGN-733C (AC/20 model) specifications
HGN-733P (PPC model) specifications

The standard HGN-732 is the LosTech version equipped with a Gauss Rifle (and ammo), Ferro-Fibrous armor, and CASE.

As far as potential canon Hero 'Mechs go:

• Rhonda Snord's Highlander is a standard -732 with some speakers mounted around the cockpit, but is otherwise unmodified.
  
• The HGN-732 "Colleen" (piloted by Colleen Schmitt, a SLDF officer and founding Khan of Clan Blood Spirit, during Operation Klondike) replaces the LRM-20 (and ammo) with a LRM-15 (and ammo), replaces the Gauss Rifle with an ER-PPC, replaces the Medium Lasers with Medium Pulse Lasers, replaces the SRM-6 (and ammo) with a Streak SRM-6 (and ammo), and replaces the -732's Standard Heat Sinks with Double Heat Sinks.

The first is just the standard variant with a unique paint-scheme, and the second is unknown outside of the Clans (but is old enough that it would be using SLDF/IS tech, rather than Clan tech).


Most likely, having a Hero Highlander would probably entail PGI creating their own variant, as was done for the Cataphract with the "Ilya Muromets".

I want Rhonda's Mech, don't care if it doesn't have any hardpoint changes. (They could spice it up a little)...Oh and make it play a song through the speakers when you get a kill.

Colleen would be cool, but would be to P2W for many people with the streak 6's until all mechs with missle hardpoints can mount them. I doubt they'll hand the MC crowd a brand new weapon and keep it from the poor kids

[Minoxen]

To the people talking about potential Hero Mech versions. What about Davis McCall of the Gray Death Legion? It's part of the cannon that he spent all of his savings making a highlander after the loss of his rifleman. Now to the best of my knowledge its not detailed which model, etc he had built, but I'm sure PGI could work around this lore and make a custom version that he "Frankensteined" together to make it his own.

Maybe try to give it a similar payload configuration as his old Rifleman, such as allowing it to mount more advanced sensors, or weapons that are suited to anti aircraft, such as the Rifleman excelled at?

Edited by Minoxen, 04 December 2012 - 07:46 AM.

[Vincent Lynch]

Minoxen, on 04 December 2012 - 07:42 AM, said:

To the people talking about potential Hero Mech versions. What about Davis McCall of the Gray Death Legion? It's part of the cannon that he spent all of his savings making a highlander after the loss of his rifleman. Now to the best of my knowledge its not detailed which model, etc he had built, but I'm sure PGI could work around this lore and make a custom version that he "Frankensteined" together to make it his own.

Maybe try to give it a similar payload configuration as his old Rifleman, such as allowing it to mount more advanced sensors, or weapons that are suited to anti aircraft, such as the Rifleman excelled at?

They could give a hero mech version a 2nd module slot. And at the same time make a module that decreases Jump Fuel Usage so a Mech using it could jump a little further. (The highlander probably won't be able to jump as far or as high as a catapult in the stock version.)

Re "Rifleman-like" loadout: Replace the AC10 with an AC5, remove the SRM6 or downgrade the LRM to a LRM15, and replace the two medium Lasers with large ones. Exactly the same tonnage total, but you will definitely need DHS.

[Strum Wealh]

Minoxen, on 04 December 2012 - 07:42 AM, said:

To the people talking about potential Hero Mech versions. What about Davis McCall of the Gray Death Legion? It's part of the cannon that he spent all of his savings making a highlander after the loss of his rifleman. Now to the best of my knowledge its not detailed which model, etc he had built, but I'm sure PGI could work around this lore and make a custom version that he "Frankensteined" together to make it his own.

Maybe try to give it a similar payload configuration as his old Rifleman, such as allowing it to mount more advanced sensors, or weapons that are suited to anti aircraft, such as the Rifleman excelled at?

Vincent Lynch, on 07 December 2012 - 02:52 AM, said:

They could give a hero mech version a 2nd module slot. And at the same time make a module that decreases Jump Fuel Usage so a Mech using it could jump a little further. (The highlander probably won't be able to jump as far or as high as a catapult in the stock version.)

Re "Rifleman-like" loadout: Replace the AC10 with an AC5, remove the SRM6 or downgrade the LRM to a LRM15, and replace the two medium Lasers with large ones. Exactly the same tonnage total, but you will definitely need DHS.

Also, from the descriptions available in Tactics of Duty (indicating that the 'Mech mounts a Gauss Rifle and a standard SRM-6) and the fact that the MUL list no "McCall" variant of the Highlander (that is, "HGN-### (Davis)"), it seems like McCall's Highlander is just a standard HGN-732.

In which case, it is unlikely to be considered for Hero 'Mech status for much the same reason as George Lytton's "Lucky Thirteen" (aka "CTF-2X (George)") isn't the Cataphract's Hero 'Mech - while it may be piloted by a "hero character", there is little or nothing inherently unique or special about the 'Mech itself, and its weapon load is identical to (or could be rather easily duplicated on) one or more other variants of the same chassis.
The same also holds true of Rhonda Snord's Highlander (another HGN-732), and seems to hold true for both the "Eddie" (a Char Aznable wannabe described in TRO 3050U (published May 2007); the pilot is described as being rather Char-like, and one of Char's aliases (used in Mobile Suit Gundam: the Origin, published June 2001) was "Edward Mass") and the Highlander used by "Colonel Stans" (also described in TRO 3050U).

And the only canon named variant of the Highlander - the "HGN-732 (Colleen)", piloted by Colleen Schmitt - left on the SLDF Exodus, is known only in Clan space, and requires a weapon (LosTech (not Clan-tech) version of the Streak SRM-6) that isn't going to be available to the IS for the better part of a decade (until 3058).

IMO, it seems that there are better-than-even odds that any Hero 'Mech version of the Highlander would follow in the precedent set by the "Ilya Muromets" - a unique and wholly-original creation by PGI.

[Urza Mechwalker]

They can simply make Rhonda's one. And make it a normal one but PINK and with loud speakers aroudn it that keep playign music. A LOT of people would pay money for that!

[Herrmann van Hinden]

Garth Erlam, on 17 October 2012 - 10:31 AM, said:

(To be clear, I am aware the Scottish do not actually talk like this. It is a charicature meant to make a more 'larger than life' and interesting character.)

You just say that because youve never heard an interview with Sheryl Cole......... I did, and it was her voice Ive heard when reading that text..... THAT was funny

[B0oN]

Still, dear Garth, we all desperately need more DFA´s .
No **** .
And pretty please .

[Jakob Knight]

Actually, since we'll probably never see the namesake mech in MWO, considering the Highlander's weapons arrangement, general fear-factor, and that the Devs like to invent their own heroes for Hero Mechs....

Hero Highlander Battlemech - Harold "Dirty" McCalahan

"I know what you're thinking. Did he fire eight Gauss rounds, or only seven?..."

Edited by Jakob Knight, 14 December 2012 - 05:56 AM.

[Onyx Rain]

Strum Wealh, on 07 December 2012 - 04:16 AM, said:

Also, from the descriptions available in Tactics of Duty (indicating that the 'Mech mounts a Gauss Rifle and a standard SRM-6) and the fact that the MUL list no "McCall" variant of the Highlander (that is, "HGN-### (Davis)"), it seems like McCall's Highlander is just a standard HGN-732.

In which case, it is unlikely to be considered for Hero 'Mech status for much the same reason as George Lytton's "Lucky Thirteen" (aka "CTF-2X (George)") isn't the Cataphract's Hero 'Mech - while it may be piloted by a "hero character", there is little or nothing inherently unique or special about the 'Mech itself, and its weapon load is identical to (or could be rather easily duplicated on) one or more other variants of the same chassis.
The same also holds true of Rhonda Snord's Highlander (another HGN-732), and seems to hold true for both the "Eddie" (a Char Aznable wannabe described in TRO 3050U (published May 2007); the pilot is described as being rather Char-like, and one of Char's aliases (used in Mobile Suit Gundam: the Origin, published June 2001) was "Edward Mass") and the Highlander used by "Colonel Stans" (also described in TRO 3050U).

And the only canon named variant of the Highlander - the "HGN-732 (Colleen)", piloted by Colleen Schmitt - left on the SLDF Exodus, is known only in Clan space, and requires a weapon (LosTech (not Clan-tech) version of the Streak SRM-6) that isn't going to be available to the IS for the better part of a decade (until 3058).

IMO, it seems that there are better-than-even odds that any Hero 'Mech version of the Highlander would follow in the precedent set by the "Ilya Muromets" - a unique and wholly-original creation by PGI.

Well if they don't list what it has...or it is vague they could fudge it a bit.

Alex Iglesias, on 28 November 2012 - 11:57 AM, said:

lucky thirteen was looked into, but as explained above, it's loadout wasn't all that different from something you could create using a standard 2x variant and it's canon paintjob was the same as any other mech from the 7th crucis lancers/ fox's teeth

See this is silly to me....Just slap the skin on a regular phract, add the c-bill bonus and sell it...people will buy it, and it requires minimal effort on PGI's part....its optional so if you don't think it is worth it, don't buy it....and either way it is still more content in a game that lacks content. And personally I don't have a problem if in situations like this where a "Hero" has a regular mech they fudge the loadout a bit to make it more unique.

Many people claim it is the c-bill boost that makes hero mechs worth it, not the skin and/or variant...in fact the YLW is considered inferior by most....so again the reasons for no lucky 13 just don't hold up IMO, especially since it is an easy way for them to make some extra money, and give some people what they want.

People don't care if Rhonda's mech is normal...they want it because it is hers, pink, and could have speakers (Ideally that played a song), slap a c-bill boost on it and it is even more desirable to many....so just good buisness to make this happen.

It is stupid not to slap a skin and add c-bill boost onto a mech and sell it if people want it, when it requires minimal effort to do so and makes you money.


P.S. I also like that idea someone had about a Highlander with slightly more JJ ability.

[rastal66]

Whoa. I had JUST written up my forum signature without knowledge that the devs had in any planned for this mech- I just want one because, well... two words: Highlander Burial.

[SJ SCP Wolf]

MajorTom, on 17 October 2012 - 12:22 PM, said:

I may be in the minority here, but I am fairly disappointed that PG listened to the fanboys and gave us the Highlander. The Highlander hasn't been produced in the Inner Sphere in a century, and even those were the downgraded version. The 'mech is pretty rare in 3049, with most of those remaining being in one of two dispositions:

1) Owned and operated by Comstar.
2) Downgraded models held together with bailing wire, duct tape, and a prayer.

Neither scenario makes it likely that a given individual, house or merc, would be in possession of one. The initial 'mechs should be those canonically readily available. The Victor would have been, imho, a much better choice as the jump capable assault entry as it is wide spread and, more importantly, still in production. If we're going to stick by canon, at least story wise, then we should stick by canon.

/rant

The 'mech does look fantastic though, and I'm sure when it finally makes it in-game I'll give it a whirl for S&G's.

You're the exact kind of fan that keeps me from being able to immerse myself in this community for more than 20mins every 5 months.

Now shouldn't you be spamming Ironwind not to cast any mechs that weren't factory mechs more than once a year to suit your own inner BT nerd vanity.

Gimme a break.

Edited by SJ SCP Wolf, 20 December 2012 - 05:49 AM.

[Armorpiercer M82]

just went through all HL variants, and from what it looks like, there will not be any variant with more then 1 balistic point ?

[verybad]

All those Ballistics WILL be in the same place however it looks like so it's mainly an enrgy mech with ballistic and missile support...Just like the Atlas...