44 replies to this topic

[Exilyth]

I like TR 3031 most, because it has a section on items (infantry weapons, personal equipment and other stuff like tents, generators and portable sensors) at the end.

[-Ramrod-]

I have every readout from 3050 on up. It's hard to say which ones look the best. Some mechs look really well drawn while others just look like doodles on a napkin.

[McQueen]

The only TROs I have are the FASA ones. For me the 3055 TRO was the high water mark. Plus it has a lot of my favorite Mechs.

[Derick Cruisaire]

I put my vote in for 3025 (FASA). It was the first TRO I purchased. And even though it had flaws I still think the artwork was great.

By the way. Is it just me, or do others have the feeling that the FASA editing department was asleep at the wheel?

[Arctic Fox]

Derick Cruisaire, on 29 April 2012 - 02:31 PM, said:

By the way. Is it just me, or do others have the feeling that the FASA editing department was asleep at the wheel?

FASA never had a very firm grasp on concepts like "editing" and "fact-checking". Hell, if we are to believe the back of Rhonda's Irregulars, BattleTech takes place in the 34th century...

Edited by Arctic Fox, 29 April 2012 - 02:54 PM.

[verybad]

TRO Prototypes

Ecery single picture looks good. You can tell when they've hired professional artists to do the TRO. Lots of TRO 3025 images had horrible, amateur things like screwed up proportions, messed up perspective, nd other stuff that made me wonder whether the artist was drunk when doing a lot of them. They pretty much stayed pretty bad till beyond the 3060 TRO. (3075 and 3085 were pretty decent, for the most part.)

I have a soft part for 3025 because it's part of what really got me into battletech, but the artwork has been pretty poor in comparison to many other game universes until recently.

That soft spot doesn't lead to me giving 3025 a free ride however. It's still ugly,

Edited by verybad, 29 April 2012 - 04:21 PM.

[Helmer]

verybad, on 29 April 2012 - 04:20 PM, said:

TRO Prototypes

Ecery single picture looks good. You can tell when they've hired professional artists to do the TRO. Lots of TRO 3025 images had horrible, amateur things like screwed up proportions, messed up perspective, nd other stuff that made me wonder whether the artist was drunk when doing a lot of them. They pretty much stayed pretty bad till beyond the 3060 TRO. (3075 and 3085 were pretty decent, for the most part.)

I have a soft part for 3025 because it's part of what really got me into battletech, but the artwork has been pretty poor in comparison to many other game universes until recently.

That soft spot doesn't lead to me giving 3025 a free ride however. It's still ugly,

I would imagine if anyone has a fine appreciation and knowledge of 'mech artwork, it would be you verybad. Few anywhere have spent the number of hours you have pouring over artwork.


Cheers.

[Minatorc]

I'm another member of the 'only have the FASA books' club and have too say if I had to choose a game based on artwork then Battletech would never have got a look in. I was constantly amazed how a company that produced such high quality games and settings (talking BT and Shadowrun here) could fail so badly on the art front.

MWO will have better artwork than anything produced for the francise by anyone ever.

[verybad]

Helmer, on 29 April 2012 - 04:24 PM, said:

I would imagine if anyone has a fine appreciation and knowledge of 'mech artwork, it would be you verybad. Few anywhere have spent the number of hours you have pouring over artwork.


Cheers.

Comes from my background. I was making 3d mechs from a few years after MW2 came out. Did a lot more after we were able to get them into MW4. I've recently stopped working in 3d for health issues, but I still love mechs.

[Peace Possum]

TRO 3050 is the most impressive work, from a thought standpoint. The IS mechs are in-motion images, but the Clan mechs are bare-bones technical drawings, evidence of their emergent threat. "This is all we've got, now listen up while we tell you what we're up against."
3050 Upgrade improves on this, with much more photogenic versions of the IS mechs and hologram renders of the Clan mechs. It's not as smart from a canon standpoint, but it's easier to look at.

[Carl Wrede]

Only FASA books here too.

[Karl Streiger]

Have to wage between the Originals in TRO 3025 or the really cool Prototypes...i love this Barghest - considering the nice Banshee from the XTRO Steiner - i have to say the new Prototypes technical readouts are the coolest ones.

[Jericho917]

3026 with the nice color pictures of vehicles was the best (not on the poll?)

[WraithTR1]

All TRO's have their good looking mechs and not so good looking ones. My favorites are FASA 3025, 3039, 3050 Upgrades, FASA 3055, and 3055 Upgrades.

[sng ign]

Stephen Huda's LAMs (TM 3085) are pretty good. They aren't anything like the UN Spacy Variable fighters (nor should they be) and the aircraft lines are elegant enough to make you believe they can fly.

Also: David White's mechs in TM 3075, 3085 and TRO Prototypes) are good and lend an air of bulk to some designs.

[Major Bill Curtis]

I have all the TROs up to 3075 and have been playing since the '80s. For me, the non-phoenix 'mechs, both IS and Clan, in 3055 Upgrade, along with the work in 3067, are superior to what is generally available in many of the other TROs in pose, detail, line, and style

I have a lot of nostalgia for the 3050 Clan artwork, but it's difficult not to find some of the other early stuff more than a little embarrassing. Everyone will always love the Unseen artwork, I think (including me), but that work is plagiarized, so we can hardly call it Battletech.

Edited by Major Bill Curtis, 21 May 2012 - 09:34 AM.

[Drogo-MA]

I am a fan of all the TRO. the upgrades were done very well with the XTRO being a pleasant surprise. Seriously if you haven't had a look at ALL the XTRO you are missing out. Honestly both the old FASA and the new Catalyst books are great. Love every one of them.

[CaveMan]

Original 3026 was the best. Especially the color plates, those are great. 3025 was okay too.

Original and revised 3050 were AWFUL, 3055 was somehow worse, 2750 was a joke, 3058 was meh, 3060 was merely okay, 3067 was bad, and all the Project Phoenix and other stuff by Lewis makes me want to heave up my lunch. His 'Mechs look like they're made of plastic. White's stuff is pretty decent, as is Plog's more recent work.

Thank God for FlyingDebris. BattleTech never looked so good.

[Cobweb]

Honestly shocked that the vast majority did not vote for the new TROs. The artwork is so clearly better it's painful.

[Zoghak]

what i really like about the 3025 and 3026 tro is that they also talk about famous battles and pilots of every mech and vehicle in it. its a pity they didnt do it in the later ones