KickStarter BattleTech Pre-Release Thread

[Athelas]

It looks gay as fuck.

Phallic-shaped tools that you manipulate with your hand usually do.

 

[Ulminati]

I am gay as fuck.

You could get something like this instead. I just grabbed the first hit off of amazon

 

[bonescraper]

You could get something like this instead. I just grabbed the first hit off of amazon

But is it good? The problem with HOTAS joysticks is i haven't really found one that's universally praised. Even the 400$ Warthog isn't perfect from what i've heard.

 

[Ulminati]

The first one I posted was one of the more decent ones in the sub-$200 range.
The one that came with steel battalion was utter crap and way worse than the 2 I linked ITT.

 

[Kem0sabe]

I dunno how it is now, MWO, but at release it was clearly pay to win, you have better payed mechs, you had to pay for extra mech bays, you had to pay for consumables, premium time with more experience and money... It was a shit experience for me, but that was back in 2013.

About steel batalion, i assumed the answer was implied, I played it of course. And it was way more fun than MWO, with a better feeling of piloting a giant mech than the former.

 

[Transfiguring Roar]

I dunno how it is now, MWO, but at release it was clearly pay to win, you have better payed mechs, you had to pay for extra mech bays, you had to pay for consumables, premium time with more experience and money... It was a shit experience for me, but that was back in 2013.

I've been playing for just over a week and am enjoying it. Most mechs are available with C-bills and are perfectly capable of dealing with the purchasable ones, and if you play well you get enough C-bills from missions anyway. Mech bays are the tricky one but can be had by winning missions in community warefare (House/Clan loyalty achievements). Consumables can also be had for C-bills, with the better ones costing real money. I haven't used premium time and am doing fine.

Based on what you said though I'm not sure you'd like MWO any more than before as most of the things you've complained about are still present.

Edit: I just wish there were more maps and game types, more objective based gameplay.

 

[Infinitron]

New unit unlocked:

 

[Duellist_D]

But is it good? The problem with HOTAS joysticks is i haven't really found one that's universally praised. Even the 400$ Warthog isn't perfect from what i've heard.

If you want the best shit you can get, you need to custom tailor your shit.
The best Throttle you can get is the one from CH Products.
They have good Joysticks (in regards to material and precision), but thosee lack Buttons, which is the same Problem i have with the X55 Stick. I use the X52 Pro. Basically the one that Ulminati posted, in black and with better Build quality.
Has a way better Stick than the 55s but the throttle is not as good.

 

[Duellist_D]

Could you please make an Article or something like that on the Mainpage for the Fundraiser?

Its pretty easily overlooked at the moment:

 

[Branm]

I dunno how it is now, MWO, but at release it was clearly pay to win, you have better payed mechs, you had to pay for extra mech bays, you had to pay for consumables, premium time with more experience and money... It was a shit experience for me, but that was back in 2013.

About steel batalion, i assumed the answer was implied, I played it of course. And it was way more fun than MWO, with a better feeling of piloting a giant mech than the former.

I just started a bit ago like a week Somehow missed this game even being released lol, but I enjoy it. Its not really P2W... New players get a lot of nice bonuses and after 25 matches in trial mechs you should be able to afford one top of the line mech that you can then equip etc. I suppose they added a lot to make it much easier to get started....From what i heard at release trial mechs actually had a c-bill penalty. Now after 25 matches you should have like 20m or so if your not totally bad and played MW4 before.

Game also has a really high skill ceiling with the torso twisting...Try it again! Its actually pretty good if you liked shit like the old Mechwariors.

 

[Infinitron]

Could you please make an Article or something like that on the Mainpage for the Fundraiser?

Its pretty easily overlooked at the moment:

Not until Angthoron negotiates an arrangement with Harebrained Schemes.

 

[Duellist_D]

Sounds fair.
Just to recap my old proposal:

Make "the Codex-Troll as an official Clanlogo to be chosen from by every participant in the Fundraiser (or everybody in general, though that would be not as cool by a long shot)" part of the negotiation.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

I'm more concerned about what happens with the individual nerd swag.

 

[Infinitron]

UPDATE: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/webeharebrained/battletech/posts/1377931

Hey, something interesting.

If It Ain’t Broke, You Didn’t Try Hard Enough
Even during the midst of battle, the back of every mercenary commander’s mind is running a constant tabulation of the return on investment for that mission. Things may be looking good, but in the instant it takes for a PPC to arc across the battlefield, those projected profits can turn to guaranteed losses based upon the damage inflicted on the commander’s BattleMechs.

One of the design goals of the Stage 3 Extended Mercenary Campaign that we’re most excited about is the player’s balancing act between reputation and economic reality - and the fulcrum of that balance is often the damage taken on the battlefield.

Every ton of armor and every internal component of a ‘Mech can be damaged or destroyed and that damage will persist until repaired (or until the entire component is replaced.)

So although your mercenary contract fee is established before a mission begins, the cost of executing that mission is variable largely based upon the amount of damage your ‘Mechs and MechWarriors took in accomplishing it.

Returning from a mission, you now face a choice - how do you want to address the damage your ‘Mechs have received? While the diverse skills of your MechWarriors have a large impact on your battlefield success, it is your MechTechs that will determine the cost and time of repairs, and the options you may have in refitting your 'Mechs.


Below are some of the options we’d like you to have, depending on your MechTechs, reputation, and your financial situation. (As always - keep in mind that this is our current thinking, and that over the course of development we will explore the fun of these design concepts and determine how deep each of these systems should be.)

• Do Nothing: Sometimes, it just doesn’t make financial sense to repair a component right away, or at all. You can always choose to send ‘Mechs into battle with damaged or even broken components.

• Repair it: The number and experience level of the MechTechs in your outfit will determine the cost and duration of component repairs.

• Jury-Rig it: You may be able to have your Mech-Techs jury-rig a component, getting it back in working order quickly and less-expensively, but at the cost of some reliability.

• Replace it with a New Component: Just as most current automobiles are constructed from parts manufactured around the world, most ‘Mechs are constructed with components manufactured across the Inner Sphere. Not all parts may be available in all areas of the Inner Sphere, but if you can find a new part, your MechTechs can install it.

• Replace it with a Salvaged Component: Since you may not always have access to new components, salvage may sometimes be your only source for working parts. But salvage may also be your best source - because if a salvaged component is sufficiently old enough, its technology and manufacturing methodologies mean that it may outperform current day new components.

Sometimes, it may even be wisest to withdraw from the field entirely before a mission is complete. It’s a tough choice to make - whether to cut your loses and preserve your Lance in better fighting shape for the next mission at the expense of your Mercenary Outfit’s reputation. Or you stick it out till the end, claiming payment and the reputation boost accompanying it - regardless of the larger financial fallout it may cause the Outfit.

One of our design goals for the game is that a successful Mercenary campaign doesn’t have to be an unbroken string of victories - it’s possible to abandon or lose missions as well as complete them. We’ll be striving to balance the game appropriately and ensure that losses can be bounced back from if you’re able to adapt your approach. (This will be particularly engaging for Ironman mode, which is something we’re all very excited about allowing as an option for this game.)

Our goal is for you to face a variety of complex Mercenary outfit management choices like this - where there’s not always a right answer - over the course of the Stage 3 extended campaign. After all, “heavy is the head that wears the crown” - and as the leader of your own Mercenary outfit, that crown’s on your head.

 

[lurker3000]

More interesting than the other stuff they have shoveled out so far but still nothing on combat mechanics.

 

[Jimmious]

At least we're getting somewhere with this. Plus there is a slight mention of a possible failure state which is actually really nice.

 

[khavi]

More interesting than the other stuff they have shoveled out so far but still nothing on combat mechanics.

I doubt we're going to have combat mechanics updates during the kickstarter, unfortunately, given that all the responses we've heard are that they are still prototyping.

The latest update is a good one, however, and definitely the type they need to attract more backers.

 

[GhostBadger]

Flight sim nerds make RPG nerds look like casuals.

Isn't that the truth. My father, a pilot, made this 2 years ago

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

Isn't that the truth. My father, a pilot, made this 2 years ago

Is it Falcon 4.0?

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

Haven't listened to this yet but apparently they just answered a bunch of questions from backers in this podcast:

http://zerofortitude.com/pod/interview-with-mitch-gitelman-from-battletech/

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

Ok, listening to this as I have some time. (first half, will update with rest)

- (Interviewer is a tard)
- "We're not making an RPG". Focus on combat and tactics with some (rather linear) story elements. Stage 3 would make it more of a system-based game and less linear.
- HBS agreed on House mottos with Catalyst (BT rights holder)
- (Interviewer is an incredible tard)
- Not "crowdsourcing design" from backers, but design team follow some of the debates in the comments
- No 'getting out of mechs between missions', that's out of scope, "that would be like an RPG"
- "Who knows what we'll do after Battletech"
- Turn based is set in stone!
- Physical rewards (banners) won't be cheap shit like screen printed polyester, will confirm further details soon
- (I want to fucking throttle the interviewer and his annoying laugh. Repeatedly)
- Story set in periphery, "fertile ground nobody has done", will feel fresh as in fresh place. Will mine source books for cool stuff to put in there.
- Is it easier to get press for this than Shadowrun Returns KS? Some press back then due to novelty of games on KS. But this time much easier to get press as "It's Battletech" which attracts a lot of interest."Remember, gaming press are fans". Also because of track record as team who delivers and good previous reviews.

tbc...

 

[lurker3000]

Ok, listening to this as I have some time. (first half, will update with rest)

- "We're not making an RPG".

Good news Infinitron you no longer need to pay attention to this.

 

[Infinitron]

I will pay attention to it, but it's not top tier.

 

[Kem0sabe]

Good news Infinitron you no longer need to pay attention to this.

time to move this thread into the strategy subforum.

 

[noisenerd]

I'm trying very hard not to get my hopes up too far for this, though the fact that I enjoyed the first HBS Shadowrun game despite many flaws gives me hope (I have the 2nd one too, but haven't played much yet). I have to admit, back when I heard the first stirrings of this on the BT forums, I was kinda hoping for something like MegaMek with SR's graphics. I've come to terms with the fact that this will not be the case (and realize it was overly optimistic to even think such a thing), but I hope they don't stray too far. I'm not impressed with the news that they're limiting customization. I understand the reasoning, but I don't agree with it. I think it's fun sometimes to try to use a chassis in silly ways just for the lulz... you know, load a Jenner with nothing but machine guns and see if you can live long enough to use all the ammo, that kind of thing.

Oh well, I had fun with the MechCommander games, and those were really nothing like the TT. This at least sounds like it will be closer, and I'm definitely still quite excited.