9 replies to this topic

[Soviet Alex]

This one's more of a question for the devs than a suggestion per se. We now have 8 mechs confirmed in MW-O. How close are you to revealing which variants of those chassis we'll be seeing?

Let's look at what we have so far:

Commando. COM-2D (standard model), -3A (more weapons, less armour), -1D (large laser, less armour) are all standard tech. COM-5S uses advanced tech, but is in production.

Jenner. JR7-D (standard model) & -7F (drops SRMs, adds armour) are standard tech. JR7-K uses minimal high-tech (advanced armour & CASE) & is in production.

Centurion. CN9-A (standard model), CN9-AH (AC20!), CN9-AL (replaces autocannon with large laser) are all standard tech. CN9-D bristles with high-tech, and is in production.

Hunchback. HBK-4G (standard model) is in the demo, & the devs have talked about a "Swayback" in playtesting. But there are so many variants, including the 9th Ghost Regiment version with a gauss rifle. Which ones are in the running so far? The high-tech refit offers little improvement.

Dragon. DRG-1N (standard model), -1C (AC2, more armour) & -1G Grand Dragon (replace AC with PPC) all use standard tech. High-tech versions of the Dragon (ultra AC5, CASE), & Grand Dragon (ER-PPC, XL engine, faster) also exist in this time-frame.

Catapult. CPLT-C1 (standard variant), -C4 (bigger LRMs) & -K2 (replaces LRMs with PPCs) are all standard tech. The high-tech version with the Arrow-IV artillery missiles is just entering service, but is on-map artillery part of the game at launch?

Awesome. AWS-8Q (standard version), -8R & -8T (replace PPCs with LRMs & large lasers) are all standard tech. AWS-9M (ER-PPCs, XL engine, faster) is also in production.

Atlas. AS7-D (standard model) is in the demo, whilst the concept art looks more like an AS7-K (gauss rifle, upgraded weapons, XL engine). Both are in production, as is the AS7-S (double heat sinks).

So can someone on the inside please tell us which of these we are likely to see? And can the rest of you not just spam this thread with all the clan-tech variants you demand? Thanks.

[El Loco]

That's a question I would like to see answered as well. To know which variants are going to make it into the game at launch can be important for you to decide on which 'Mech you want to start with.

[Jonas]

I think we will see all of them, we see more of the standard/that get modded. Then a few of the more advanced then the ones in production will be put in after a few months of fighting

[Soviet Alex]

OK, now we know how Mech-Lab is going to work, a list of the variants of each chassis would be really handy!

(even if it is subject to revision)

[palebear]

Yes, all of a sudden it's really quite important to know which variants are going to be around... then let the min/maxing begin! lol

[Sprouticus]

I have been saying for a couple of weeks that I dont see anything beyond level 1/standard tech to start. Even the mechlab indicated it (energy weapons are flamer, S/m/l laser, PPC)

Im guessing level 2/advanced tech variants will be in the next set of releases, maybe around xmas (and the time hawken gets releaased). At least some of it. Endo/XL/ECM/BAP/Gauss/IS ER lasers & PPC

[Soviet Alex]

"[DAVID] The hardpoints will be based on the default loadout of a given ’Mech. However, different variants of the same ’Mech will have different default loadouts and, therefore, different hardpoints." (Mech Lab Q&A, Announcements).

OK, I like what I see. So can you tell us which variants of the mechs announced so far are likely to be available at launch. We accept that any info may be subject to change, but it would certainly help people to understand the hardpoint system if they had examples to play with. And I'd like to fire up Heavy Metal Pro & do some planning.

[Johannes Falkner]

Equally important is which variants should be available. Should the LRM Awesome be available or the PPC Catapult. I ask because large swings in weapon configurations will be harder to balance.

*Grabs umbrella and braces for multiple smelly impacts....*

[Nik Van Rhijn]

I think so because they are major variants that couldn't be made in the MechLab as it stands. Balance shouldn't be too much of a problem if the weapons are balanced Widely different variants also mean that they can fulfil a role that would otherwise perhaps require a new mech, which makes it easier for the devs at the beginning with fewer different models.

[A11eycat]

Agreed, why buy a new one when you can simply fix the old? Especially all us IS folks.

Edited by A11eycat, 19 April 2012 - 07:53 PM.