Mechwarrior Sequel Announced

[Mwulf]

http://pc.ign.com/articles/100/1002275p1.html

Following the fad of the year, this "Mechwarrior" seems to serve both as a "reboot" of the game series as well as a prequel. I'm a bit hazy on the timeline, but IIRC, 3015 is set before the Clan Wars.

I am very, very excited. Hell, just last week I reinstalled MW3 to play around in. This game looks fantastic, and if you're not excited about this, you really ought to be.

-out

[quasadra]

a prequel reboot? then it will have no Shadowcat? shame. but i like this exp system thingy, i always like to pilot medium and light mech than those slow heavy and assault. which i am often force to use one in late game...

[Darksider]

and that's the Unseen version of the warhammer in the trailer.

Someone in Japan is about to go apeshit.

[VR7]

I'm surprised they picked 3015, instead of the 3100s era with Alaric Wolf or something. Either way, I'm still not that excited yet. I'm hoping for at least some of the following:

a) If the Unseen are making a return, I'd like my Phoenix Hawk back plzkthx (it was playable in MW1 and The Crescent Hawk's Revenge)
b) Melee weapons and real physical attacks (not just DFA) should actually be introduced in some form. Melee combat was a core element of Battletech boardgame rules, I don't know why it was never included in the past several MechWarrior and even MechAssault titles.
c) Game balance and pacing like MW2, where it was possible for light mechs to put up great fights against heavier units. For that matter, drop the MW4 customization system for the original Battletech sheets used in the past three games.
d) MechWarrior 2 style jump jets? (or similar)
e) MW2 or MW2:Mercs style in-game music would be very, very nice...

[ydawg314]

the video looked so sick

[ZeroBusterXX]

Well, if those "Unseen" (or Knockoffs, if you prefer) are all in this. I want to operate a Valkyrie, or whatever they call 'em in this!

[J-Lead]

That trailer made me cum.

But 3015 means no Timber Wolf... *sniff* =( It surprises me that they would pick an era in which the iconic Battlemech of the franchise didn't exist on the battlefield yet, but I guess hearing a miriad of Clanners speaking in a pseudo-archaic manner about things like sibkos and bloodnames whilst circle jerking around a portrait of Nicholas Kerensky would be off-putting to anyone that isn't a fan of the franchise.

In any case, I'm really hoping they keep the traditional throttle controls in the game, and not dumb it down for casual gamers, or at least put two options in there. Throttle controls was one of the things that turned me on to the Mechwarrior franchise; that it seemed more like a cockpit simulation than just a FPS with a giant robot and a cockpit view. That's also one of the reasons why I picked the harder control settings for Gungriffon Blaze.

[Toxicity]

Well I've never played a whole lot of the 'Mech' games (both mechassaults and MW4 briefly being my only plays), that trailer had hooked me as soon as I spotted the atlas moving through the dust. I'm getting my new desktop soon, so i'll have a comp more then capable of handling those graphics.

after i saw that trailer, i called a friend who is also a mecha fan and has been playing MW since he was a kid to tell him about it. the call went something like this:

he answers "hey I'm at work. can't talk now."
me: "call me back when you get a minute."
"okay i will. bye"
a few minutes later: "okay so what's so important that you have to bug me at work?"
"a new mechwarrior game"
"no way"
"yeah its true. i just watched a trailer. its amazing"
"that was definetly worth calling me at work for. so when's it come out?"
"dunno. no release date yet."
"whatever. that's still awesome though. thanks you just made my day, talk to you later"

Some fun times are gonna be had between me and him when this game comes out. I just hope they dont try make us P2P for online, otherwise I'd be pissed. He's told me some wicked stories of his days back on MW4V and I can't wait to play with him.

[Ryujin]

and that's the Unseen version of the warhammer in the trailer.

Someone in Japan is about to go apeshit.

If by apeshit, you mean enthusiastic response, then definitely. As noted in another thread in the mecha & tech section, something was done making it legally possible to have the Unseens show up in the Battletech franchise again (although the people responsible won't say how they pulled it off, judging from the posts in the CBT forums), so I presume that no one'll be raising a hissy fit about copyrights on either side of the Pacific this time 'round.

As for me, I'd love to blow up Stingers with a Marauder again. Yak deculture!

[Outlaw]

That was an awesome trailer! It even put a smile on my father's face when I showed him. It is nice to hear they're trying to play up the lighter classes as they felt like little more than stepping stones in 4.
My only regret (mind you I'm far from a MW expert) is that given the timeframe I probably won't be getting my Thanatos, I loved that thing.

[DeltasTaii]

One way or another, this is going to be a fun one for the Macross licensing books. Considering that the problem with the Unseen was probably that FASA wasn't sure whether the company they had licensed them from actually gave them sufficient rights to the designs (nor who to go to so they did), Studio Nue getting things in a row may have caused them to finally get the proper license in confidence that someone else wasn't going to pop up and sue them having licensed them from another company. Or Harmony Gold sold them a load, take your pick. Both could potentially result in the Robotechopapalypse, particularly considering this game is probably going to be far more profitable than The Shadow Chronicles or DYRL action figures.

It weirds me the hell out seeing a Destroid move that slow anyways. A fighter mode-less Valkyrie at that pace is just going to mind melt me. I think I played MW2 on PSX, but my young mind and motor skills could not deal with it at the time, so I look forward to playing one of these properly, even if I'm not a huge fan of slow motion, super hard to kill mech fighting.

[J-Lead]

One way or another, this is going to be a fun one for the Macross licensing books. Considering that the problem with the Unseen was probably that FASA wasn't sure whether the company they had licensed them from actually gave them sufficient rights to the designs (nor who to go to so they did), Studio Nue getting things in a row may have caused them to finally get the proper license in confidence that someone else wasn't going to pop up and sue them having licensed them from another company. Or Harmony Gold sold them a load, take your pick. Both could potentially result in the Robotechopapalypse, particularly considering this game is probably going to be far more profitable than The Shadow Chronicles or DYRL action figures.

It weirds me the hell out seeing a Destroid move that slow anyways. A fighter mode-less Valkyrie at that pace is just going to mind melt me. I think I played MW2 on PSX, but my young mind and motor skills could not deal with it at the time, so I look forward to playing one of these properly, even if I'm not a huge fan of slow motion, super hard to kill mech fighting.

Am I the only one that was never bothered by the fact that Battletech shared some designs with Macross, seeing as I liked both franchises? (or Robotech, as I knew it at the time) I didn't care in the slightest that I got to play as the Defender and the Tomahawk in Mechwarrior 2, my first foray into Battletech; in fact, I thought it was rather awesome that my favorite Destroid, the Tomahawk, made into a competent game at all. FASA stealing it never fazed me, because A. I was like, eleven years old at the time, and I liked Mechwarrior slightly more than Robotech/Macross anyway, B. it's not like I was affected by the whole ordeal, and C. some of the designs they used fit into the universe just beautifully (others didn't quite fit that criteria by modern Battletech design aesthetic.)

Anyway, that matter has been resolved, and the old stolen designs are officially part of the Battletech universe once again, so there's nothing to really fuss over anymore. Although on the subject of watching a Destroid move in such a fashion, you also have to realize that in the Battletech universe they aren't Destroids, they're Battlemechs.

[Wolfman]

http://pc.ign.com/articles/100/1002275p1.html

Following the fad of the year, this "Mechwarrior" seems to serve both as a "reboot" of the game series as well as a prequel. I'm a bit hazy on the timeline, but IIRC, 3015 is set before the Clan Wars.

I am very, very excited. Hell, just last week I reinstalled MW3 to play around in. This game looks fantastic, and if you're not excited about this, you really ought to be.

-out

Trust me, it is. The Clans show up in late 3049/ early 3050.

[Lans]

eh? I think I hit something. Hmmm.. gaze upward*, o.O ZeeeOMG!!!.

[VR7]

Just so you guys know, MechWarrior 4 is now officially free. It will be available for download some time mid-August on MekTek, as part of an endeavour by Smith and Tinker to promote the new MechWarrior. This version of the game will be based off of MW4: Mercenaries.

[Lans]

MW Mercenaries? Live is good, if only for a moment.

I don't know if I wanted to do another Jade Faclon trial of courage again. Or re-escorting prince Davion. I do want another round in the colosseum.

[bushboy]

Sadly, my only Mechwarrior experience comes from an arcade machine of MW4V (which I still hold the local high-score in), so I don't know much about the timeline or anything since it's been awhile since I last read the Battletech books. But this is still exciting. Thankfully, I'm getting a new laptop so I'll have something to handle it. MW4 free is a nice bonus

[liubei013]

Dang, that trailer was sweet.

@lans: Yeah, I would've felt the same way if I ended up face to face with a ZOMG Atlas. (No Daishi/Dire Wolf for this game...ah well.)

I've played almost all PC iteration of Mechwarrior, from 2, 3, 4, and both Mechcommander games. I preferred the customization in 3, though the movement was a bit smoother in 4.

Of course, I do wonder how the use of such tech like drones and such will play into the BTEch universe. (e.g. the drone used was not really standard equipment or such tech did not exist for practical use)

[VR7]

Harmony Gold has issued as C&D to Smith & Tinker over the use of Robotech designs.

Someone refresh my memory on a couple of things:

• 1) I thought Smith & Tinker successfully negotiated with Japanese artists in acquiring the right to reuse at least some of the Unseen artwork?
  
  2) How much of Macross does Harmony Gold own? I thought they didn't own the rights to the mecha design. Do they like, own the entire franchise outside of Japan that we're only allowed to call it Robotech?

[Toxicity]

I've heard of this news as well, and I've been wondering if HG is going legal against Battletech as a whole (FASA iirc) or just the new MW game?

I really don't understand the whole situation, but I've heard enough to know that Harmony Gold are legendary for being assholes like this.