Preview BattleTech Basics Video #3: Story + Mercenary Campaign Streams

[Infinitron]

Tags: BattleTech; Harebrained Schemes; Jordan Weisman; Kiva Maginn; Mike McCain; Mitch Gitelman; Paradox Interactive

The third and final episode in Harebrained Schemes' series of BattleTech introductory videos is about the game's story. Which is kind of weird, because we just had a story trailer. At least it has some additional voice acting and animatic scenes that weren't in the previous one.

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To make things more interesting, here's a one hour overview of BattleTech's campaign that Paradox and Harebrained streamed two weeks ago. They also did another stream last week that was solely about mech customization. A number of streamers have been allowed to stream a portion of the campaign since last week as well.

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Now that it's finally been revealed less than a month before the game's release, the mechanics of the campaign have been the subject of much debate. It is pretty complex, but it also seems like Harebrained might have filed off a bit too many of its rough edges in the name of accessibility. The BattleTech fanbase is very vocal, so we'll see how things turn out.

 

[Nael]

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A spazz that uses about 5 "Hellos" too many in greeting, chats with an old bugman, and a really horrendous tranny. What in teh fuck am I watching?

 

[Junmarko]

seems like Harebrained might have filed off a bit too many of its rough edges in the name of accessibility.

...Battletech: Behemothfall and Battletech: Kuala Lumper will raise the bar, just you wait

 

[duanth123]

https://archive.li/idvTy

I have a feeling the lack of rough edges might be the least of this game's concerns, particularly if certain like minds were also responsible for making thematic/narrative decisions and/or the simple act of accurately portraying various actors in a complex universe.

 

[i.Razor]

That Kiva guy called someone a goblin? Lol.
Design in SRR was cool though.

 

[Morality Games]

Isn't this the plot of Jagged Alliance 2? Rightful leader's throne gets usurped and they hire a bunch of mercenaries to recover it in a turn-based strategy campaign?

That other turn-based strategy game (Blackguards 2) did the same thing.

 

[Sloul]

The upkeep are extremely retarded.
Hence why they instantly try to justify them.

60.000$/month to run the argo
Every mech is 7200$/month
While pilots are being paid around 30.000$/month


So basically,

This cost 60.000$/month in maintenance:

2 of those guys cost the same /month:

This cost 7.200$ in maintenance per month:

Which is the same maintenance cost as this:

It all makes sense.
It's also very well balanced.
And obvs realism and authenticity kills all fun.

 

[V_K]

the mechanics of the campaign have been the subject of much debate. It is pretty complex, but it also seems like Harebrained might have filed off a bit too many of its rough edges

Where can I find the details in a non-retarded (i.e. text) format?

 

[Infinitron]

the mechanics of the campaign have been the subject of much debate. It is pretty complex, but it also seems like Harebrained might have filed off a bit too many of its rough edges

Where can I find the details in a non-retarded (i.e. text) format?

Read the last ten or so pages of our BattleTech thread. Or just ask Bohr and oasis789

 

[Bohr]

the mechanics of the campaign have been the subject of much debate. It is pretty complex, but it also seems like Harebrained might have filed off a bit too many of its rough edges

Where can I find the details in a non-retarded (i.e. text) format?

I posted about some of the factors making the game a bit easier/simplified right now, here.

(edited out video ref as you only want text)

 

[*-*/\--/\~]

https://archive.li/idvTy

I have a feeling the lack of rough edges might be the least of this game's concerns, particularly if certain like minds were also responsible for making thematic/narrative decisions and/or the simple act of accurately portraying various actors in a complex universe.

This fucking... cancer-thing is one of the reasons I'll never give a single cent to Harebrained.

 

[V_K]

I posted about some of the factors making the game a bit easier/simplified right now, here.

Thanks! I've heard about some of the cut corners, I'm more curious of what complex elements remain there?

 

[Black]

 

[Fenix]

a really horrendous tranny. What in teh fuck am I watching?

After that I understand a little more what kind of shit HB consist of.

 

[Bohr]

I posted about some of the factors making the game a bit easier/simplified right now, here.

Thanks! I've heard about some of the cut corners, I'm more curious of what complex elements remain there?

For new players the actual combat will seem the most complex, am reminded of that when I see a new player pick up the game and have no idea about initiative, facing, cover, damage clustering, heat, pilot abilities etc. But as far as the other aspects of the campaign go, from my impressions the economic sim, ship upgrades, mechwarrior xp/skill development, event systems were all better than I expected. I was only really hoping for a decent tactical game with a tiny bit of fluff sprinkled over the top, so perhaps this depends on what one expected from a game with this budget.

But, with their stubborn refusal to have different difficulty settings combined with a desire to cater to new players, it's currently more potential for what could be achieved by modders (or later HBS patches/expansions) than what's there at the moment. Events and ship upgrades have an interplay with morale (which is useful in combat) and cashflow, so the structure is there, but if one is swimming in cash then they lose their impact. You have an economic sim tracking the upkeep of every mech, but then make their costs identical as they don't want people to feel at all 'bad' about getting an Atlas instead of a Locust. The mechbay is nice and acquiring new mechs is addictive as always, but the abstracted salvage and the fact that your own mechs never get scrapped (if you're only left with a head it'll just take longer in the mechbay) mean it's too easy imo to get them so that isn't as satisfying as it can be and even in the early game the streamers have reached they're casually selling off mechs they don't need.

So again I've started talking about what is there and diverged into talking about what could be done better. But the actual systems are in the game, which is why the usual "modders will fix it" feels like something that will actually happen, and BT seems to have some dedicated modders.

Screens like the following would have so much more meaning if money was tighter and there was a bit more variation to the costs

Spoiler

Building out one's mechs would be more satisfying if we actually had to fit out our new salvaged mechs, rather than getting them pristine and fully equipped (possibly a bug, hopefully they confirm in tonight's Q&A):

Spoiler

 

[Max Heap]

https://archive.li/idvTy

I have a feeling the lack of rough edges might be the least of this game's concerns, particularly if certain like minds were also responsible for making thematic/narrative decisions and/or the simple act of accurately portraying various actors in a complex universe.

Checked the twitter account of that guy.

Pretty funny someone that arrogant, insolent and idiotic has the gall make a fuss about other people being potentially unpleasent co-workers.

 

[Nael]

https://archive.li/idvTy

I have a feeling the lack of rough edges might be the least of this game's concerns, particularly if certain like minds were also responsible for making thematic/narrative decisions and/or the simple act of accurately portraying various actors in a complex universe.

Checked the twitter account of that guy.

Pretty funny someone that arrogant, insolent and idiotic has the gall make a fuss about other people being potentially unpleasent co-workers.

In that video too, I definitely got the impression that the older guy detested the tranny. I mean how could you not? That monstrosity rolled its eyes almost the entire clip like some brat teenager. That is the product of a terrible upbringing.

 

[Crescent Hawk]

Everything looks amateurish like all their other games, I mean the models are good, and I fucking love Battletech, but it all seems so meh. Janky animations and camera and hit reactions, bland music, and at least old games like the Microsoft ones had the good FMV cheese instead of this pseudo bootleg Homeworld cutscenes. Fuck it we shall see.

 

[Xeon]

I hope Kiva gets fired, s/he is just too cancerous.

 

[I'm Big Into Anal]

would have paid money for this game if it weren't for that ugly piece of shit transvestite being a total wanker

hope this game fails; and it will

 

[Junmarko]

Their recruitment focus has shifted to social politics over merit. Great strategy guys.

 

[Septaryeth]

https://archive.li/idvTy
I have a feeling the lack of rough edges might be the least of this game's concerns, particularly if certain like minds were also responsible for making thematic/narrative decisions and/or the simple act of accurately portraying various actors in a complex universe.

Was going to give HBS the benefit of doubt but damn.
I still remembered how they lost their shit after being called out for that hilariously pretentious and pokemon-like ethnicity matchmaking.
I thought it was like a one-time gag. So what ticked them off this time?

I also can't find that tweet for some reasons. For all the confidence in their philosophy, I wonder why she deleted them?
Though some other tweets suggest it's about 4chan.

 

[Eyestabber]

I just wanna point out that dragonfall was also a sjw yankfest and this tranny was not involved afaik.

 

[cpmartins]

https://archive.li/idvTy

I have a feeling the lack of rough edges might be the least of this game's concerns, particularly if certain like minds were also responsible for making thematic/narrative decisions and/or the simple act of accurately portraying various actors in a complex universe.

This fucking... cancer-thing is one of the reasons I'll never give a single cent to Harebrained.

I'll see your cancer and raise you an AIDS:

 

[Morkar Left]

Isn't this the plot of Jagged Alliance 2? Rightful leader's throne gets usurped and they hire a bunch of mercenaries to recover it in a turn-based strategy campaign?

That other turn-based strategy game (Blackguards 2) did the same thing.

It's basically the plot of every mercenary band story. Nothing wrong about it.