87 replies to this topic

[Mason Ventris]

In my opinion 12 wouldn't be a bad amount of mechs to startoff with but I would definitely love 24. That's not my biggest concern. With a one mech a month release 2 years from now that would be 36 mechs which is a significant amount especially with variants, However, I would like to see mechs I've never seen fleshed out in a video game. I know. I know. The Iconic BT mechs must come first to appease the diehards, but even some of them must have a special place in their heart for that mech that's never graced the glorious spectacle of computer gaming.

Thats what I want even if it is an archaic Mackie.

[DarkBazerker]

I've waited so long for this game so i dont mind starting with 12 or even 8 mechs.

[EDMW CSN]

Firstly 12 mechs is not even a confirmed number.

Secondly, there are variants. For example, the hunchback and swayback variants, the numbers easily exceed 5 even before factoring tech improvements.

Lastly, mechs and new tech will be likely to be added incrementally for you collectors to throw your RL money or C-bills on.

So no worries mate.

Edited by [EDMW]CSN, 03 April 2012 - 08:11 PM.

[DaZur]

You guys keep this "We're only getting 12 Mechs at launch" garbage up and it'll soon be 11!

** You gotta read this like it's your dad scolding you on a long car trip in order to get the full effect...

[Fooooo]

Coralld, on 03 April 2012 - 07:48 PM, said:

If I remember correctly there will be variants of each chassis in the game so like the Hunchback which has like 20 variants, so say the Devs decide to have around five variants per chassis and then needing to do balance testing for each variant and all that jaz so yeah thats going to take a while which would cut in the number of mechs we have at launch.

Add in that if they want each variant to look physically different they have to adjust the first model.

Then you need all the weapon models if they want changes to appear on the mechs. Which could be 1 model for each weapon or many depending on if they use a different size MLAS for a jenner than an atlas say for scale sake.

Then the LOD's , shaders/settings.

Lets not forget the actual modelling, its taken me months just to put together the LEGS and part of the torso for my custom Marauder as it contains tons of details (every nook and cranny I want to model...not just texture it there)

Granted games have limits so the models PGI will be doing wont have THAT much detail, but they still take a long time to get right & texture (if you haven't done a UV before then I suggest looking at whats involved ) and then get them looking right in the game.

12 mechs at "release" seems good to me, from what i've seen they are looking GREAT so far.

Keep it up whoever the modellers are and alex for the excellent concepts.

[Logan Winters]

Ok. So I can absolutely get behind the "quality" of each mech and that mechs playability, over the quantity of mechs.

I would LOVE to have a huge variety of dozens of mechs too.

There are variants and whatnot, which does add a ton of variety. (awesome)

But guys, (and girls) Here's the thing..

I'm not worried whether we get twelve or fifty mechs at launch.

Let me put things in perspective for you,



HOLY CRAP!! THERES A NEW MECHWARRIOR GAME!! AND IT LOOKS AWESOME!!!!!


And you can't deny that you've thought this, or even gone and told someone about it.


You're on a forum right now, talking about the possibilities for in game content, to a game that is still yet to be released..


POW! Here comes Logan.. With the perspective..

Edited by Logan Winters, 03 April 2012 - 10:15 PM.

[Tadakuma]

I'm pretty sure that we getting more then 12 mechs on launch, just because the mechs that have been chosen are odd choices for a 12 mech line up.

3 of them (Dragon, Jenner and Commando) are pretty much faction exclusive. If we were only going to have 12 mechs then we certainly wouldn't see the dragon in the starting 12 and I don't think the commando would make the cut either.

Like many other I would rather have 12 really well put together mechs then a greater number of less well thoughout and put together mechs

My theory is that we will see 16-20 mechs on release with a bias towards heavy and medium designs (so for 16 - 3 lights/5 mediums/5 heavies/ 3 Assault - 20 5 lights/6 mediums/ 6 Heavy/ 5 Assault etc), there will also probably be some Unseen/Reseen mechs in the mix.

Given that the thread is about what mechs we will see on release here is the 20 that I think will make it.

Lights (4)
- Locust (Unseen/Reseen but from crusher Joe so I would imagine it will make the cut given that the leopard is in)
- Commando
- Spider
- Jenner

Mediums (6)
- Clint (could also be a Hermes II I make it 50% either way)
- Vindicator
- Centurion
- Hunchback
- Trebuchet
- Shadowhawk (Unseen/Reseen but from Dougram and could be Griffin or Wolverine as well)

Heavies (6)
- Dragon
- Quickdraw
- Catapult
- Thunderbolt (Unseen/Reseen but from Dougram)
- Jagermech
- Orion

Assaults (4)
- Awesome
- Zeus
- Stalker
- Atlas

It would be nice to substitute a Warhammer for the quick draw but I'm not sure if we will see the Macros based mechs in the game.

[Titus Pullo XIII]

Balance people, balance.

[T0RC4ED]

12 mechs+ variants for each will take a long time to master. The clans invade in (a prediction based on the time line in the news flash and the RL estimated release date) lets say 8 months. That brings several new mechs and weapons. The devs seem to be bringing us a lot of stuff to play with even if it is a minimum viable product.

Im saying 8 months because Ive heard the game will be released in summer "Q2 2012" thats june at the latest. This gives the devs 2 more months for testing and release, 3 at most. That gives us a solid 5 months or more before the clan invasion in (3050). Im thinking 6 months to 8 months is usually the delay between a game and an already identified expansion. I could be wrong though.

All in all Im happy with 12 mechs, any more then that at launch and we run the risk of having too many (some going unused) which leads to wasted development time.

[Helmer]

Motionless, on 03 April 2012 - 05:38 PM, said:

I'm pretty sure I understood what he said.

OP mentioned that if 12 mechs were what we got at start then we'd have gaps (like, no 55 ton mech or something, only 50 and 60). So the person is probably asking if they couldn't produce a plethora of mechs for us to play with at the start why they wouldn't at least get one at every weight before doubling up, IE fill the gaps.

Solis Obscuri, on 03 April 2012 - 05:39 PM, said:

I think it's odd that both of the medium 'mechs introduced so far are 50 tonners. Both are iconic designs, yes, and I wouldn't be surprised for either to be included in-game. But I do find it surprising that both are so similar (50 tons workhorses with AC as a primary weapon, 4/6 movement, no jump jets) when there are a bunch of other "iconic" designs in the medium class, even discounting the Unseen.

As for the amount of work involved, there's no direct connection. But I'd be surprised if there were only going to be 3 medium 'mechs, that two of them would have so many similarities in loadout and performance, and would be the same weight. Also, I thinks it's obvious that the devs aren't just creating one new 'mech every month, a lot of the preliminary work is laid out and they're releasing concept art each month as a teaser to whet out appetites. I really have no way of knowing how many 'mechs will be in the game at launch, what weight classes they will encompass, or which designs they will be, but it's fun to speculate about different possibilities.

I was, to some degree, gently poking fun at the statement. I was fairly sure I was able to deduce what he was attempting to say, but wanted him to clarify, as his response to Garths statement made no corollary sense.

Although I can understand why the Hunchback and the Centurion where selected, I'd agree that their weapon load outs are fairly similar, and hope the 3rd medium 'mech is a departure. Although the Heavies mirror each other in actual weight, the rest of the 'mechs revealed so far seem to vary much more in terms of weaponry from their counterparts.

I'd be perfectly happy with 12 'mechs. However, I have a feeling there may be a few more than that at launch, perhaps 14 or 15.


Which brings up a great question. I wonder how long the "average" turn around time for a 'mech is? From FD starting concept work, to handing to off to the modelers, animators, etc etc. Looking at the back catalog of 3025 'mechs, and the upcoming Clan invasion.... there are ALOT of mechs and variants there, and , relatively, little time.

So get off the Forums FD. Get back to work! And remember , the Kintaro is next. Real men pilot 'mechs with skirts.

T0RC4ED, on 03 April 2012 - 11:08 PM, said:

Im saying 8 months because Ive heard the game will be released in summer "Q2 2012" thats june at the latest. This gives the devs 2 more months for testing and release, 3 at most.

Hmmm.... June at the earliest you mean? Summer starts June 20th or 21st. So technically they have until mid/late September and still be part of "Summer 2012"

Cheers.

Edited by Helmer, 03 April 2012 - 11:27 PM.

[Makoraias]

I think starting off with 12 (or however many will be available at launch) wouldn't be a bad idea. The devs can always add in more as time goes on.

Edited by Makoraias, 03 April 2012 - 11:27 PM.

[Gigaton]

Tadakuma, on 03 April 2012 - 10:31 PM, said:

- Locust (Unseen/Reseen but from crusher Joe so I would imagine it will make the cut given that the leopard is in)
- Shadowhawk (Unseen/Reseen but from Dougram and could be Griffin or Wolverine as well)
- Thunderbolt (Unseen/Reseen but from Dougram)

All three are listed in Catalyst's recent (from autumn of 2011) list of unseen. Leopard, curiously enough, is not which might explain why it has wiggeled itself in the game concept art.

The Phoenix versions are still usable though (AFAIK, anyway).

Edited by Gigaton, 03 April 2012 - 11:33 PM.

[Nik Van Rhijn]

I don't think that even 12 mechs, with variants, would be fully utilised between launch and the Clans. If you look at the Role Warfare and mech XP etc you are rewarded for sticking with one mech and it's variants to "level up". Or is every one expecting to buy every mech and variant at launch and swap back and forth, using a different mech evey drop? I think that we will have a minimum number for open beta, with maybe a few more for "launch".

[CCC Dober]

I'd like to see class strengths represented in the initial line-up. And preferably some 'boats' as well to get a feeling for balance.

Atlas, Awesome, Catapult, Commando and Hunchback are a good selection so far. Awesome and Catapult can be considered energy and missile 'boats' in their classes. The only thing missing is a ballistic boat, such as the iconic Rifleman.

[Mason Grimm]

CCC_Dober, on 04 April 2012 - 04:23 AM, said:

The only thing missing is a ballistic boat, such as the iconic Rifleman.

Agreed but sadly I think we would see the Jaggermech before the Rifleman. Anything is possible but still.

[CCC Dober]

Yeah, the Rifleman is just too 'hot' for this game ;P
As is the Urbie *ducks back into cover*

[KuruptU4Fun]

I'm fine with 12, let's just say that it takes 1 month for them to create a new mech, and they add new maps every 3-6 months (hopefully).
I would figure that they will transfer the modellers for the maps over to the mechs for some time, therefore increasing mech releases. If the clan invasion happens by the end of the summer they're going to have to work overtime just to make additional mechs (another 12 maybe) to keep up with the timelie they have already announced is in place.

[Wyzak]

I think any number of mechs to start with is fine. The developers have a lot on their plate and each mech represents a huge investment in 3d modeling and play balance/play testing. If they intend to follow the timeline on a 1:1 basis, it suggests to me that there will be periods where a lot of mechs will be released and periods where other changes can be ironed out. Basically like Kurupt said.

[Garuss Acine]

I can understand why people don't like the idea of 12mechs at release, it means the odds of the mech we want to run around in is less than likely to show up at release, for that matter any of the mechs we want to pilot.

true varients and mech lab offer some change of speed, but to someone who wants to pilot a mech that isn't out, it'll be more of reminder that they have to 'settle'.

I myself am hoping for a Battlemaster, sure if it isn't released at the beta/start of the game I'll play, but no where near as much as if it was included. it'd be the difference of "lets go grind my Atlas today, meh" to "lets see if an ERLL and more missiles work better on my Beamer, oh I am only a couple hunrded xp from a new perk, sweet!". that can easilybe translated to any pair of mechs(IE, Dragon vs Grasshopper, etc), and sure plenty of people already have the rides they want, but there are a good deal of us that do not, and this will make the game less enjoyable to play. hopefully the Dev's understand this and will bring a far greater helping than 12 mechs to the game, but time and money can be an issue, as they say "your options are, Good, Fast and Cheap, you can only ever have two of these, at the expense of the other option"

[MaddMaxx]

If they keep the 3 Variants leveled to get Elite Piloting status, then I will have Piloted 36 Mechs (3 x 12) from Launch.

"I am going all the way to Elite every time Buckos!" Yeeehaaaw!