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[Lime]

Last week the beta went out to critics and backers, and the impressions by various outlets have been very positive. If you want access to the beta: https://battletech.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

RPS: 'BattleTech is the mech game I've always wanted'

It's the campaign that I really want to get my mitts on, but it wouldn't be worth a bean if the actual combat sections weren't worthwhile. They're more than that – the skirmish mode is fantastic, both as an exquisite visual depiction of the tabletop game that Weisman created decades ago, but as a game of tricksy tactics.

Waypoint ''BattleTech' Brings 'MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries' into a Post-'XCOM' World

There were a lot of ways for BattleTech to go wrong (and, until we see the campaign, a lot of ways it still could). But even in with this incomplete, skirmish-only version that has been made available to Kickstarter backers and press, you can see both the ways in which it is faithful to its origins, and the ways it has cleverly reinvented and remade the source material to adapt it for a modern tactics audience.

If I hadn't played it myself, I'd say that sounds like a woefully unambitious and rose-tinted view of what a modern BattleTech should be. But several games into this beta, I have to admit that Weisman and Harebrained seem to have accomplished both of their seemingly mutually exclusive objectives. It's the BattleTech I remember, but new and different in all the right ways.

Gaming Trends: 'BattleTech Backer Beta preview'

As you can see, BattleTech has come a long way since our hands-on with the ”Super Early Alpha" at MechCon 2016. Melee attacks feel satisfying — no, they feel powerful. Weapons thud with a resounding crash, and the rain of missiles from the sky produces beautiful explosions when they hit your ammunition storage and it detonates, taking your arm with it. It takes every bit of the careful tactics and planning of the tabletop game, but strips out all of the tedium and ruler-based nonsense. While the game has been delayed, and this beta comes later than was anticipated, literally everything about it was worth the wait.

Other posters in the BT thread also posted their impressions last week and they're more than welcome to post them in this thread.

 

[Renekton]

X-Com... :|

 

[Kayhan]

X-Com... :|

lol

 

[Com_Raven]

As someone who played hundreds of hours of both Battletech the board game, as well as the various PC and console games: I love it.

The gameplay feels fast and fluid considering it is a turn-based game about lumbering war machines, and it just "feels" right, bringing back many fond memories.

I was happy to back the game (as I did with all their Shadowrun titles), and I am now super hyped for the campaign.

 

[Soulblighter31]

I'm sure most people dont realize, but this game made almost 3 million dollars on KS. Its if not in the top 10, then top 15 for all videogames funding.

Im so happy they got all the goals financed, they look so good on paper, i cant wait for the whole thing to release. I hope it gets acclaimed and sells like crazy

 

[kurahador]

Man this game looks sooo good.

 

[Fallout-NL]

I don't really understand how to get my steam code though. I have a 'forum code - recruit' under digital downloads. But I can't click on the 'battletech key steam' under 'pledge items'. Wish these kickstarters would standardize how it works, cause it's a major fucking hassle to keep track of it for everything I back.

/edit: never mind, I think I probably backed below beta access level. Again, it would be easier if they were a little more clear on this stuff.

 

[Lime]

I don't really understand how to get my steam code though. I have a 'forum code - recruit' under digital downloads. But I can't click on the 'battletech key steam' under 'pledge items'. Wish these kickstarters would standardize how it works, cause it's a major fucking hassle to keep track of it for everything I back.

/edit: never mind, I think I probably backed below beta access level. Again, it would be easier if they were a little more clear on this stuff.

You need to press "Get My Digital Downloads" and then scroll down to "BT BETA Access"

 

[Mupod]

For some reason I never kickstarted this...I'm a longtime Mechwarrior fan but I have no interest in the tabletop stuff. But I really like turn based strategy in general, especially Firaxis XCOM.

It's pretty cool that they seem to be using Alex Iglesias' MWO redesigns...those might even be the models? I may have soured on MWO a long time ago but I always liked those designs.

 

[Renekton]

edit x 2:

It seems only the $50 backer and above get access to beta?

 

[Lime]

For some reason I never kickstarted this...I'm a longtime Mechwarrior fan but I have no interest in the tabletop stuff. But I really like turn based strategy in general, especially Firaxis XCOM.

It's pretty cool that they seem to be using Alex Iglesias' MWO redesigns...those might even be the models? I may have soured on MWO a long time ago but I always liked those designs.

Harebrained Schemes got the 3D models from Piranha Games, which probably helped the development a ton.

They still had to do their own texturing and animations, unfortunately, so it's only the meshes.

 

[Mass_Pincup]

Man I should really use my backer key for the beta.

I pray that my MacBook is able to run this well.

 

[JudgeN]

So mechcommander? I'm in I loved those games.

 

[Mivey]

X-Com... :|

That's what save-scumming is for.

Spoiler

/s I think the game uses a fixed seed per round, so no that wouldn't work

 

[xevis]

Look's great! Can't wait to front some missions

 

[Com_Raven]

So mechcommander? I'm in I loved those games.

No- this is proper turn-based, and much closer to the actual table-top game than MechCommander (man, I loved those games).

 

[Machina]

X-Com... :|

Exactly. I reallly wanna love X-COM but shit like this is infuriating

 

[Fallout-NL]

You need to press "Get My Digital Downloads" and then scroll down to "BT BETA Access"

Yep thanks, just didn't pick that backer tier apparently.

 

[low-G]

Game looks like my dream. I already pledged but not beta level.

That's what save-scumming is for.

Spoiler

/s I think the game uses a fixed seed per round, so no that wouldn't work

That's why you issue orders in a different order or change it up.

 

[Unicorn]

Fuck I missed the KS

 

[red731]

I funded the level where I get the game, but not beta.

Already cried a little inside, but seeing these positives early "reviews" make me all happy and giggly.

 

[FrontalMonk]

Yep thanks, just didn't pick that backer tier apparently.

I funded the level where I get the game, but not beta.

Already cried a little inside, but seeing these positives early "reviews" make me all happy and giggly.

Honestly I'd say be happy about that; the game is great but after a few skirmish matches I've put it back on the shelf until the full game is out, because while it's great, it definitely still needs some polish. In my experience, the UI is still pretty clunky, but once you get used to it, it's a great game, and incredibly faithful to the source. You can definitely tell that HBS aren't just casual fans.

I had to explain to a couple of my friends why the Timber Wolf wasn't in it, because their main experience was MW2 and I had to keep saying "this is before the clan invasion, that lostech hadn't been discovered yet".

 

[red731]

Honestly I'd say be happy about that; the game is great but after a few skirmish matches I've put it back on the shelf until the full game is out, because while it's great, it definitely still needs some polish. In my experience, the UI is still pretty clunky, but once you get used to it, it's a great game, and incredibly faithful to the source. You can definitely tell that HBS aren't just casual fans.

I had to explain to a couple of my friends why the Timber Wolf wasn't in it, because their main experience was MW2 and I had to keep saying "this is before the clan invasion, that lostech hadn't been discovered yet".

Thank you very much for time to write this. I'm not sad to not be in beta either way!

I had to explain to a couple of my friends why the Timber Wolf wasn't in it, because their main experience was MW2 and I had to keep saying "this is before the clan invasion, that lostech hadn't been discovered yet".

FUCK 😄 😄 😄 and yes, MW2 was my first exposure to Battletech too.

*wikis "lostech" - oh shi

 

[FrontalMonk]

Thank you very much for time to write this. I'm not sad to not be in beta either way!



FUCK 😄 😄 😄 and yes, MW2 was my first exposure to Battletech too.

*wikis "lostech" - oh shi

Heheh, yeah this is all in the Inner Sphere during the succession wars, in 3025. The clans didn't invade until 3049/3050, so the more advanced tech like pulse lasers, gauss rifles, lbx autocannons, and CASE aren't in it, but that mainly just means that the big walking death machines are a little more balanced.

You've gotta worry about heat a lot more and pay attention to where lakes are if you want to take that mech with 8 medium lasers out for a spin. Weapons with ammo are better balanced as a result. Looking forward to the campaign with salvage rules and whatnot.

 

[dezzy8]

X-Com... :|

Fact

 

[publicpwnerer]

Harebrained schemes have knocked all their kickstarter projects out of the park. I'm really looking forward to this.

 

[Hendrick's]

Can't wait to try this. So glad it is set in the "real" or should I say best BT era. Long live 3025.

 

[Lime]

PC Gamer's impressions (mostly just descriptive text)

I consider myself more of a chef than a commander, slowly cooking my pilots inside their mechs. I lose two of my group early on thanks to this recklessness. There are, however, ways to manage the heat—spending a turn bracing for an attack instead of unleashing laser blast after laser blast, for instance. Selecting only low-heat weapons when attacking is a good call, too. Even the planet’s temperature factors into it. Overheating can sometimes be worth the risk, if it means taking out an enemy mech. Shutting down just means you have to waste a turn rebooting—it’s not the end.

 

[Leafhopper]

This is looking real good.

 

[Lanrutcon]

Will buy if the singleplayer is good.

 

[mrjohill]

Do they have melee weapons as well or is it just fists?

 

[FrontalMonk]

Do they have melee weapons as well or is it just fists?

I didn't see a hatchetman, which is the only mech I'm aware of that has an actual melee weapon. In the BT universe melee strikes and death from above attacks (jumpjetting above another mech and then falling on them) are typically desperation/last resort tactics.

 

[Lime]

Will buy if the singleplayer is good.

I think the writing will be top notch (Dragonfall and Hong Kong are a testament to that) and the talented concept artists have already done some very impressive cinematics and this one especially

 

[Django.Mango]

Thanks for the heads up. So the only way to play the beta is pay 60 bucks for it? Looks promising, day one.

 

[Memory]

Loved my time with the beta they have really done it justice imo, uninstalled it for now so i don't spoil myself.

 

[kvetcha]

I have dreamed of this game since I was a kid.

tfw you're bouncing in your seat at work, excited to get home, and then discover you didn't Kickstart the tier with beta access.

 

[deim0s]

So, got some free time and downloaded the beta and launched it (Macbook Pro). The resolution/UI scaling is horrid in retina screens (plus horrible fps on this too). :/ I want to build a small gaming PC now.

Anyway... after a few skirmishes and I'm really digging what I've played so far. Yep, they're on the right track.

UrbieBrawl 2017! Win or lose it always ends with one Urbie standing.

Do they have melee weapons as well or is it just fists?

It depends on the situation - they rolled "kicks" into melee. I've gotten a kick animation when aiming for the cockpit of a downed mech.

I have dreamed of this game since I was a kid.

tfw you're bouncing in your seat at work, excited to get home, and then discover you didn't Kickstart the tier with beta access.

Awww.

 

[Lime]

CG Mag: "Complex but Approachable"

And that is perhaps BattleTech’s greatest success. Much in the same way that Final Fantasy Tactics, or Hearthstone took complex concepts and hid them beneath an approachable veneer, BattleTech has taken decades of rich lore and development, and offered it up in a very easy-to-use, easy-to-learn package that’s every bit as palatable to newcomers as it is rewarding for long-standing fans.