Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Swordguy wrote:Mech5 Update:

It's a reboot of the video game franchise

It's set in 3015 (!) on a planet between the FedSuns and Kurita border

Ah good! That means heat and normal armor and no ridiculous 6 Er large lasers + targeting computer nonsense! Personally I wish they'd go to the original box set concept where mankind is declining and fighting over water and no one is building mechs anymore, just repairing them.

Swordguy wrote:

Uses the Unreal 3 engine, so lots of performance on fairly modest horsepower. You may not need to upgrade your PC.

Explicitly going for a deep, immersive, and long single-player experience (not a 6-hour game here)

It's supposed to specifically incorporate up to 4-player co-op play across both PC and Xbox360 platforms

Multiplayer will happen.

Those are goals. They have to get a budget from a punlisher to know how ambitious they can be.

Swordguy wrote:

There ARE Unseen designs in it (Warhammer in the video trailer, for example). I wonder what this had to do with CGL getting the rights to the Unseens back?

VGL didn't get any rights back. They just finally made their own designs in house. When the big legal fight happened with Harmony Gold FASA eventually made a decision to toss anything they didn't do in house including the original Victor Music IIC designs, the original 2nd line Vixen and Hell Hound and others, along with the Crusher Joe, Macross, Dougram, and Macross stuff that caused the rouble in the first place. They also tossed out the Solaris set designs that they comissioned Studi Nue to do for the Japanese edition.

The Warhammer in the movie is based on the new illustration that tries to cpatrue the original feel without copying any details that could expose Catalyst or Tinker or MS to any legal issues.

Swordguy wrote:

Extremely destructible environments - a building can only support up to so much Mech on top of it before it collapses, and you can shoot the building out from under them.

Hoefully they can do some city-tech style inferno ambushes and stuff since there are no double heat sinks and do the old quad mechs don't fall thing as well. Hopefully they avoid the perils of build your own nonsense like high speed sniper vtols that shoot stuff in the back and those ammo explosion truck bombs that munchboys come up with.

Swordguy wrote:

They're still looking for a publisher, but all the major publishers have been in contact with Smith&Tinker. S&T were basically just waiting on the release so they could prove "fan interest" to any given publisher.

All videos shown are "in-game" footage, not cutscenes.

They're looking to include an experience system - the longer you pilot a given Mech, the more proficient with it you get from a mechanical perspective (weapons do more damage, you gain a little speed or delta-v, etc).

They're going out of their way to make the game NOT "just a race to the biggest mechs" - scout Mechs, for example, are required to keep LOS to the enemy so you can keep track of where they are. If they can shake their tails, they disappear from your tracking systems and you have to find them again (no red box tracking targets EVERYWHERE on the map).

They're explicitly campaigning against the "jumping alpha-strike sniper" style of multiplayer play. Don't expect that to work in this version.
...................................

Overall, I say I'm really looking forward to this!

I hope it's tolerable playing this on a console.

I wonder if they'll include the battlesuits/Elementals as options too?

That would be sweet if there were battlesuits and/or Elementals.

Has any Mechwarrior game had Elementals or Battlesuits in it, that you actually fought against? I know you could play as an Elemental with the code in Mechwarrior 2...which was kind of cool, but I mean it was pretty pointless after the first few minutes running around.

Mech Warrior 3 had Elementals if I remember correctly and Mech Assault 2 had you walk around in some sort of super Elemental armour.

Knowing my luck I'd be stepped on before I could do any real damage.

palaeomerus wrote:The Warhammer in the movie is based on the new illustration that tries to cpatrue the original feel without copying any details that could expose Catalyst or Tinker or MS to any legal issues.

Actually that's not correct. The Warhammer in the movie is based upon the original designs from BTech, not the more recent Project Phoenix designs. How do I know this? Well, I read the news.

I give you permission to do a happy dance after reading what's at that link.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Hordini wrote:Has any Mechwarrior game had Elementals or Battlesuits in it, that you actually fought against? I know you could play as an Elemental with the code in Mechwarrior 2...which was kind of cool, but I mean it was pretty pointless after the first few minutes running around.

When fighting enemy 'Mechs, yes, but when you're playing a game of NetMech and the other guy is also an Elemantal, then it's fun. Played one game where we both jammed the jump jets on, powering up and up and up, firing our piddly machine guns at one another. We started to come down, but I held off on the JJ juice. A split second before hitting the ground I hit the JJ's again, giving me a slower descent. My opponent? Slammed into the ground in a massive fireball.

Elemental wars were stupid, but were heaps of fun.

What I, personally, think would be an excellent thing to do:

Elementals/battlearmors implemented, along with Omnimechs that could be used as carrier platforms.

Nom. Riding a teammate into battle

Alternatively, using a Battlearmor/Elemental as scouts/spotters would be *amazing*.

This sounds great! I read BattleTech and played MW like a fool growing up, but immediately cut off all contacts when Mechass(ault) came out.

Just in case anyone missed out, Microsoft released the MechCommander series as freeware a while back.

Download Here

H.B.M.C. wrote:

palaeomerus wrote:The Warhammer in the movie is based on the new illustration that tries to cpatrue the original feel without copying any details that could expose Catalyst or Tinker or MS to any legal issues.

Actually that's not correct. The Warhammer in the movie is based upon the original designs from BTech, not the more recent Project Phoenix designs. How do I know this? Well, I read the news.

I give you permission to do a happy dance after reading what's at that link.

Ah! Well played.

Wow. I don't think I've ever seen H.B.M.C. having such a Nerdgasm over something

Game looks good, though I never was a fan of the older games.

Kanluwen wrote:What I, personally, think would be an excellent thing to do:

Elementals/battlearmors implemented, along with Omnimechs that could be used as carrier platforms.

Nom. Riding a teammate into battle

Alternatively, using a Battlearmor/Elemental as scouts/spotters would be *amazing*.

Just keep in mind that this game is set in 3015. So it's back to basics.

No power armors. Just S/M/L laser, PPC, LRM, SRM, MG, AC 2/5/10/20, Flamer, jumps jet, hatchets, normal armor and regular heat sinks, possibly with infernos thrown in.

Unless they put the level 2 and 3 stuff in the multiplayer, or if "Reboot mechwarrior" means restart the whole Battletech "universe" over again and do it differently.

I remeber being a little kid and watching my older bro play mechwarrior in his stuffy room. Ah. Those were the days. If these guys feth that up, I will murder them with a PPC.

palaeomerus wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:What I, personally, think would be an excellent thing to do:

Elementals/battlearmors implemented, along with Omnimechs that could be used as carrier platforms.

Nom. Riding a teammate into battle

Alternatively, using a Battlearmor/Elemental as scouts/spotters would be *amazing*.

Just keep in mind that this game is set in 3015. So it's back to basics.

No power armors. Just S/M/L laser, PPC, LRM, SRM, MG, AC 2/5/10/20, Flamer, jumps jet, hatchets, normal armor and regular heat sinks, possibly with infernos thrown in.

Unless they put the level 2 and 3 stuff in the multiplayer, or if "Reboot mechwarrior" means restart the whole Battletech "universe" over again and do it differently.

So long as they keep it going, and I can eventually get access to my icon(Gray Death Scout, Inner Sphere Scout Battlearmor) at some point, I will be happy.

Sure... if you're willing to wait for abou 40-years or in-game time to go by. There's a big gap between 3015 and the mid-3050's.

Anung wrote:Wow. I don't think I've ever seen H.B.M.C. having such a Nerdgasm over something

My first PC was a 386. My fav games were Commander Keen 4, the original Duke Nukem, and the computer itself was incapable of running the Shareware version of Doom.

When we finally got an upgrade, to a massive Pentium 166 with an astonishing 32 megs of RAM, it came wth a Demo Disk (my first ever CD-ROM). One tha demo disk was a demo for Mechwarrior 2. It was only two levels, but I must have played each about 50 times.

When Christmas that year rolled around I only wanted one thing - Mechwarrior 2. And I got it, and it, along with Quake, was my first game on CD-ROM ever. And I played it to death.

I also play BattleTech, the only non-GW miniature game I own.

So yeah, you could say I'm a little excited about this.

Anung wrote:...I never was a fan of the older games.

That, is why you fail - Yoda

I'm okay with that.

OR they could do campaign packs of historical scenarios

I wish.

I'd love this game to sort of be a starting point for Mechwarrior again, and then the next game be a full blown new Mercinaries style game set during the late 3030's all the way through to 3055. Then the next one set in the late 3060's (starting as the FCCW is ending), and then moving all the way through to the early 3080's where the Jihad comes to an end.

Complete fanboyish wishlisting I know, but it'd be awesome.

You know HBMC...
I'm with you on that.

My fondest memory of Battletech is being roped into a friend's older brother's campaign, and getting a unique role.

Gray Death Scout with targeting laser for guided missiles.

Best game, ever, when you're 7 and getting to play with the big kids and getting an important role .

I want that experience back again. Chromehounds started me back in on it, with the command role hounds, but...it just didn't feel the same.

Give me my scout mech to light up targets for the big guns! That's all I ask!

I don't know if it was posted here, but I'm too excited to search.

Source: Smith and Tinker

In honor of BattleTech's 25th anniversary, Smith and Tinker has authorized MekTek.net and MekTek Studios to distribute MechWarrior 4 (along with its expansion packs) completely free. For years, MekTek.net has been the central point for online distribution of MechWarrior 4 expansion packs. Now they can provide the core game free to the fans as well. Keep an eye on BattleTech.com – the free download will be available soon!


MekTek's Response

We are very pleased to announce that Smith & Tinker has authorized us (MekTek.net) and our professional studio (MekTek Studios) to distribute and package a worldwide free release of MechWarrior4 and all of its expansions.

This free release of MechWarrior4 that commemorates BattleTech’s 25th anniversary as well as MekTek’s 10th anniversary, and will allow BattleTech fans an chance to re-discover MechWarrior, as well as help us bring in a new army of players who are discovering MechWarrior and the BattleTech universe for the first time,completely for free.

MekTek views this partnership as a hallmark moment for the global MechWarrior community. We welcome the opportunity for the MekTek team to officially take a leadership role in the cultivation and development of the on-line MechWarrior communities in support and anticipation of the recently announced MechWarrior game by Smith & Tinker and Piranha games.

We are honored by the opportunity bestowed apon us by Smith and Tinker and its partners, and we hope the online community will enjoy this free release all the while recognizing the support and commitment that Smith & Tinker, Catalyst Games, and MekTek.net has made to the BattleTech fans around the world.

Vince 'VAM' McMullin Founder
Email: vincem(@)mektekdev.com

Yeah, the cool thing is that that should include MW4:Mercs (or I hope it does). If anything, we'll get those original MekPaks for free, which is great because they were a comple rip-off before.

And I'll finally get a chance to play Black Knight.

All of the expansion packs they said!

ALL OF THEM!

Did you read the like 10 page interview with the designers?

If not:
http://pc.ign.com/articles/100/1002164p1.html

Awww snap!

That is so awesome! So does anyone want to get some multiplayer Mechwarrior 4 rockin' sometime this fall?

Any one hear anything about pt 4 being free to download or something?

Kanluwen wrote:All of the expansion packs they said!

ALL OF THEM!

Did you read the like 10 page interview with the designers?

I did. MW4 had three expansions - Black Knight and the two MekPaks. MW4: Mercs was essentially a standalone game. I wasn't sure if it counted as part of the release.

It better.

Or I will rain fiery mechanized hell upon their heads!

MECHANIZED HELL I SAY!

Kanluwen wrote:

palaeomerus wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:What I, personally, think would be an excellent thing to do:

Elementals/battlearmors implemented, along with Omnimechs that could be used as carrier platforms.

Nom. Riding a teammate into battle

Alternatively, using a Battlearmor/Elemental as scouts/spotters would be *amazing*.

Just keep in mind that this game is set in 3015. So it's back to basics.

No power armors. Just S/M/L laser, PPC, LRM, SRM, MG, AC 2/5/10/20, Flamer, jumps jet, hatchets, normal armor and regular heat sinks, possibly with infernos thrown in.

Unless they put the level 2 and 3 stuff in the multiplayer, or if "Reboot mechwarrior" means restart the whole Battletech "universe" over again and do it differently.

So long as they keep it going, and I can eventually get access to my icon(Gray Death Scout, Inner Sphere Scout Battlearmor) at some point, I will be happy.

I'll put that at an almost ZERO percent chance. That would be advancing the timeline WAY too fast for one game.

Hopefully this stays on one planet, one long term conflict. That would be nice.

Why would they keep it at *one planet*, when conflicts could span entire systems?

Doing 'campaign packs' would also allow them to add content in, gradually, and advance the multiplayer timeline or even let groups pick what timeline they want to play in.

It's a huge, wide open sandbox right now. We barely know anything other than the basics of the conflict and what we've seen from the trailer.

Don't go shooting down my dreams :(

As long as they stick with the canon timeline and don't mess with that I'll be happy.

But if a Mad Cat shows up in 3015...I'll be all kinda of pissed.

Let them get this right, then expand the timeline with future releases.

Rangerrob wrote:
But if a Mad Cat shows up in 3015...I'll be all kinda of pissed.

Though I'll chuckle if someone brings a clunky Frankenmech based on a Catapult and a Marauder that has a very suspicious profile.

I'd be up for an online Mechwarrior 4 Dakka League. I don't know the first thing about it, but I've always wanted to get into it.