KickStarter BattleTech Pre-Release Thread

[Zorba the Hutt]

Was going to edit my previous post but it's now on the previous page so apologies for spam.

2nd half of podcast:

- "I want people to think of us as like one of their favourite garage bands and follow what we're doing"
- So many types of BT players, perhaps impossible to satisfy them all. What's cool about Battletech is many different entry points and ways to enjoy it, we'll stay open and honest even if we can't please everyone.
- Story won't cover long periods of time, not epic scale, won't get to 4th Succession War - that would be another release
- No plans for non-combat missions
- If out of money in the game, then stuff like loan sharks, gambling and other stuff may come into it - still tbc
- Investigating new digital only tier between $50 and $125
- "People always get nervous during KS doldrum period, we'll take our time, consider feedback and make sure tiers all sorted before last few days. We're tracking very well."
- "Nobody wants coop more than me, but out of scope for what we're planning. If we make Stage 3 then after game releases the 'live team' will look at that."
- Torso twist feedback and tabletop comparisons: "stay true to spirit of board game but board game doesn't transfer directly. Want it to feel like BT. Torso twist is one thing we'll consider to see if it make sense, but this will not be 100% faithful to board game rules."
- HBS have license from Microsoft for this game but no control over older games getting on Steam/GOG
- Everything over $2.5m would go into post-launch 'live team' to improve game, add content and features
- Some filler stuff about "fantasy land voice acting casting": Katrina Steiner - Helen Mirren; Melissa Steiner - Kate Winslet; Hanse Davion - 'younger Lance Henriksen' or 'younger Scott Glenn'; Aleksandr Kerensky - Brian Blessed; Natasha Kerensky - 'Jordan's wife as she cosplayed her in the 80s' or Emily Blunt
- Amusing anecdote about how he got into computer games, from pnp design to writing to 70 companies to finally shaking on a contract in a sheep field in Wales.

 

[lurker3000]

- Torso twist feedback and tabletop comparisons: "stay true to spirit of board game but board game doesn't transfer directly. Want it to feel like BT. Torso twist is one thing we'll consider to see if it make sense, but this will not be 100% faithful to board game rules."

Admittedly its been many years since I played BT but from what I remember I call bullshit on this statement.

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

Admittedly its been many years since I played BT but from what I remember I call bullshit on this statement.

Went back to get the full quote as I don't think I got the summary quite right on torso twist:

We are going to stay true to the spirit of the board game, but the board game doesn't directly transfer to the video game because we've done it before and we know these things. But we want it to feel like Battletech very much. Torso twist is a perfect example of one of those things that feels like Battletech... torso twist does make sense in a game like ours where you're managing a lance, but when you're managing sometimes 16 mechs then it doesn't make sense... but to be very clear this is not a 100% faithful reproduction of the board game.

Sounds like the standard 'spirit not letter of the law' reply we get with every project like this.

 

[Luka-boy]

Aleksandr Kerensky - Brian Blessed

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Periphery, huh? I guess we might have a final mission where the boss is an unknown 'mech that targeting computer registers alternatively as Catapult or Marauder.

 

[GhostBadger]

Is it Falcon 4.0?

I had no idea and asked today.

What he's running is X-Plane 10 (on Windows) with SimAVIO added onto that for the cockpit controls on the lower screen.

 

[khavi]

Periphery, huh? I guess we might have a final mission where the boss is an unknown 'mech that targeting computer registers alternatively as Catapult or Marauder.

More like you start by hiring out to the Outworlds Alliance or Magistracy of Canopus before moving into the big leagues.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

More like you start by hiring out to the Outworlds Alliance or Magistracy of Canopus before moving into the big leagues.

I just needed an excuse to post that pic.

 

[khavi]

I just needed an excuse to post that pic.

And a good excuse it was

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

Sometimes, during the quiet period of a kickstarter, it's good to kick back and let the imagination run wild over future DLC:

I can totally see some from "Clan Snord" and one of Rhonda Snord's people totally piloting that 'Mech, knowing of their love of old Earth culture, that they are often nutters (but very, very good), and that they love screwing with convention and formal tradition.

Imagine being a MechWarrior piloting a 'Mech of a similar tonnage in a straight up fight and losing to the Hello Kitty 'Mech. I'd Dispossess *myself*.

I wouldn't. Anyone driving such a 'Mech is asking for trouble. If they've survived all that to encounter you, they must be awfully good.

Victor Steiner-Davion: "Any MechWarrior of the reconstituted Star League Defense Force who is defeated by the Kitty Clanner will be dispossessed by the ENTIRE Inner Sphere!"

 

[Infinitron]

Starting to slow down:

 

[Hellraiser]

I noticed they got a boost on the 10th. What's the projection now?

 

[prodigydancer]

Starting to slow down

shortly after "we're not making an RPG" announcement. I wonder how many people have pulled their pledges...

 

[Infinitron]

shortly after "we're not making an RPG" announcement. I wonder how many people have pulled their pledges...

I doubt very many people are listening to these one and a half hour podcasts.

 

[Excidium II]

Doesn't really speak anything for the videogame if Shadowrun is anything to go by. Barely even resemble the actual thing.

Turns out the guy who designed SRR systems worked on the pnp for nearly a a decade, overseeing the design of 3rd edition and all.

Just a heads up for the "b-but it has old designers" battletech crowd. The feels are what's important after all

 

[ArchAngel]

Turns out the guy who designed SRR systems worked on the pnp for nearly a a decade, overseeing the design of 3rd edition and all.

Just a heads up for the "b-but it has old designers" battletech crowd. The feels are what's important after all

And it still probably feels more like Shadowrun than SCL feels like DnD.

 

[Excidium II]

Well that's not much of an achievement. SCL might as well be the worst D&D game ever made.

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

Questions on what mechs will be in the game, they previously mentioned they will be using PGI's models from MWO but now confirmed that these are the only ones, ie they won't add others themselves

Hey drow! >>>does the team have the expertise and/or rights to build models for additional mechs?<<<
The rights are not an issue. It’s time and expense. Those are very complex models.
For everyone - yes, for the first release of this game, we are limiting ourselves to the ‘Mechs PGI has created… and those they’ll agree to make before we ship.
...
Hey Matt Edwards! >>>Why did you choose to include the Highlander (a Star League 'Mech) as the 90 ton 'Mech model instead of the Cyclops (3025 Inner Sphere)?<<<
Piranha hasn’t created a Cyclops yet, AFAIK. That’s a major factor in our ‘Mech list.
...
Hey brad chandler >>>I love that your using PGI mech designs however many of them break lore for gameplay reasons.<<<
We’re using the models, not the loadouts, brad.

 

[Infinitron]

It's a serious cost cutting measure, but hopefully having to rely on another company won't come back to bite them in the ass.

 

[ArchAngel]

Well that's not much of an achievement. SCL might as well be the worst D&D game ever made.

No, at least you have a party and a tactical cam. I seen and played worse ones.

 

[Ulminati]

I noticed they got a boost on the 10th. What's the projection now?

Barely making PvP in the best case scenario. Probably won't make it unless there's a huge surge.
Most kickstarters have a spike on the first 3 and last 2 days. So unless Harebrained does something that garners a ton of press, they'll be at ~$2 million when the 48h alerts go out to the people who asked to be reminded. Then they have 48 hours to raise 500k.

 

[ArchAngel]

There is always a surge in last 2 days. They will make it to PvP, but if there are stretch goals after it, those are in trouble.

 

[SausageInYourFace]

I don't care much about PvP but if when they make it to the third stage I'll be really happy and they will have succeeded my expectations by far. When I first saw the amount of money they were asking for I thought they were crazy but I am happy to admit that I was severely underestimating the pull of the BattleTech IP.

 

[Ulminati]

No PvP no buy for me. So it's looking increasingly like I won't be backing this. The surge at the end probably won't be anywhere near the one they had at the start. HBS had spent a lot of time hyping "alpha strike" in BT communities, asking diehard fans to pledge on day 1 to get press attention. The whales are already on board. They'll need 10k/hour for the entire surge period and that's pretty god damn optimistic.