Questions from a newbie

tarendelcymir · Post by **tarendelcymir** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:14 am

Infantry and vehicles have been discussed several times before, and it always comes down to two things: It would take away from the focus of the game, which is titans, and it really wouldn't add anything significant to playability. Sure, they're neat, but they're not really needed.

Intruder · Post by **Intruder** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:58 am

I understand the thinking there. I just had fond memories of having stars of Elementals hiding in the woods, waiting to ambush nearby mechs. I played on full 3d terrain with painted minis, with a little imagination the battles could come to life. Too bad about the ground troops, that would have been something extra special.

Rebel Yell · Post by **Rebel Yell** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 10:40 pm

I had all my serious questions answered before, and I am salivating waiting for WS, but I do have another question.

Will the Titan models and/or skins be moddable? How are different teams distinguished now? From all the screenshots, color differences are nothing drastic, but its hard to tell a lot from a screenie. Also, how many different models are there? With such a huge number of titans, I assume there is some overlap.

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 12:15 am

Titans and buildings have changed format, but I think they're still moddable.
Terrain is moddable, as Eric has already been making some experiments

- though they'll still show with their standard names in map selection.
Even the screens are moddable. And the themes, IIRC.
Even though I'm all against changing whatever someone else created, this is what people want in a game nowadays go figure why

So I guess this is a good bargain in that sense too.

Teams are now distinguished by a colored circle beneath each titan, which can be toggled on/off.
Each chassis only has one cammo pattern. There are as many models as there are different chassis, as in v1.4 - that's 5x4.

Hope this helps.

Intruder · Post by **Intruder** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 1:03 am

Here is a hodge-podge of questions.

Will WS be one executable with all three programs combined into it? Or will it be like 1.4 where each program starts up on its own?

It is hard to tell from the screen shots, but I believe they show the 3d terrain and mechs, correct? If so how easy is it to tell terrain elevations?

How improved are the weapons effects? Are they spruced up a bit?

Which weapon is comparable to a PPC?

Will there be a story which goes along with the campaigns and if so how will it be told? (Text boxes, still pictures w/subtitles, etc.)

I noticed that the titans had two acuators in the arms, is it possible to remove one of these to take away the hand?

Can you split engine components between adjacent torsos?

Can you store ammo in different locations other than where your weapon is?

Is the CrownD music better than the hard rock/Techno music of 1.4?

These are just a few of the ideas running through my head as I wait for release.

Thanks

tarendelcymir · Post by **tarendelcymir** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 1:25 am

Originally posted by Intruder
Here is a hodge-podge of questions.

Will WS be one executable with all three programs combined into it? Or will it be like 1.4 where each program starts up on its own?

It is hard to tell from the screen shots, but I believe they show the 3d terrain and mechs, correct? If so how easy is it to tell terrain elevations?

How improved are the weapons effects? Are they spruced up a bit?

Which weapon is comparable to a PPC?

Will there be a story which goes along with the campaigns and if so how will it be told? (Text boxes, still pictures w/subtitles, etc.)

I noticed that the titans had two acuators in the arms, is it possible to remove one of these to take away the hand?

Can you split engine components between adjacent torsos?

Can you store ammo in different locations other than where your weapon is?

Is the CrownD music better than the hard rock/Techno music of 1.4?

These are just a few of the ideas running through my head as I wait for release.

Thanks

The executable for WS is like the TCC for 1.4 - all three options chosen from one screen.

The new 3-D look of the terrain takes some getting used to at first, but then becomes easy to tell the differences.

When you say effects, do you mean the appearance or the sounds?

The Plasma Gun is the most comparable to a BT PPC.

The stories for the campaigns are told with text boxes over a background, if I recall correctly.

No, the actuators can't be removed.

No, the engine must be in a single location.

No, the ammo is always in the same place as the weapon.

Personally, I like the CrownD music much better.

Intruder · Post by **Intruder** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 1:52 am

Both appearance and sounds. I expected that the sounds were changed, I was more concerned with the actual visual representation. Just hoping for something better than the silver ball O' death.

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 1:53 am

Originally posted by LarkinVB
I was even alpha tester from the first hour of TOS when there was only the landscape and 1 titan which could only move forward without any animation.

Larkin is one of the KREATORS of the game, THE god of ToS.

Toontje · Post by **Toontje** » Thu Jul 31, 2003 2:01 pm

Hmm so far I only play ToS the freeware, when I see it in a shop I might buy the matrix version since it's kinda kuhl.

Anyway WoTC did't take over FASA (Battletech producer) it went out of business more or less, selling the product lines. BT was split up in new (MW CMG, Wizkids) and classic (Fanpro IIRC. SR and ED for sure since I got some of that printed after the demise). As local BT guru I ought to know.

Intruder · Post by **Intruder** » Thu Jul 31, 2003 7:10 pm

I don't know what I was thinking:) Wizkids off course took the BT line. See that is how painful it is for me, I blocked it out:) I had a collection of over 100 Mechs, each painted to perfection, then they come out with Click-Tek. Not nearly as much fun. I know that all of the calculations of the old BT would put off todays youth, but the new click-version was nowhere near as fun. Finally I decided to sell my mechs, a painful decision to say the least. I checked out similar paintjobs on the web and compared prices. I was selling my mechs from 15 dollars to 50 dollars a piece! I still remeber the day that I packaged up my Battlemaster for shipment, my last mech then was gone. *sob*sob*

LarkinVB · Post by **LarkinVB** » Thu Jul 31, 2003 7:16 pm

Originally posted by Thorgrim
Did you try this:

http://www.matrixgames.com/insidemg/mod ... oad&cid=11

It changed, now its http://web.matrixgames.com/insidemg/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=18

Rebel Yell · Post by **Rebel Yell** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 12:10 am

Originally posted by Thorgrim
Titans and buildings have changed format, but I think they're still moddable.
Terrain is moddable, as Eric has already been making some experiments - though they'll still show with their standard names in map selection.
Even the screens are moddable. And the themes, IIRC.
Even though I'm all against changing whatever someone else created, this is what people want in a game nowadays go figure why So I guess this is a good bargain in that sense too.

Teams are now distinguished by a colored circle beneath each titan, which can be toggled on/off.
Each chassis only has one cammo pattern. There are as many models as there are different chassis, as in v1.4 - that's 5x4.

Hope this helps.

Very much, thank you sir.

The 20 chassis part was the first truly disappointing thing I've heard about this game. But, I've reflected on it a bit, and I'm starting to like it more and more, as it makes the scanning process so much more important, since you won't know a **** thing beyond weight from visual inspection, apparently.

I'm ready to stop wondering and start playing. Come on delivery folks......

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 2:09 am

Right. Don't forget that in ToS each weight class has only 4 different chassis. Having different pics for the same chassis in the game wouldn't be logical, as you may memorize the pics and visualy identify them in battle.
Also, having different pics to match a titan's weapons wouldn't be possible, since the combinations are endless.
I like it as it is.

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 8:37 am

I think you'll find that 20 Titan chassis are plenty.

Mazerim · Post by **Mazerim** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 12:11 am

By the way, hex-based battletech is still going strong, the rights to it were purchased by FanPro, who also got ShadowRun... New source material and mechs are still coming out, and they're pretty darn good!

Check out:
http://www.classicbattletech.com/