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Battletech |KS| Turn-based tactical mech combat, Harebrained Schemes, Summer 2017

N

Nete

Member
Effect said:
True it might be longer then expected.

This was posted up on youtube a little while ago. A previsualization of the BATTLETECH Argo-Class DropShip. No sound but good look at what things would look like. It's on the kickstarter page in the latest update but figured I'd post the link directly to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5OdR033_MI
Click to expand...

Holy bananas.

This early, and it's already more refined than anything PGI has done in MWO UI wise :p
 
L

Lime

Member
I can't believe they even have their own 3D printed mechs based of the Iglesias / MWO designs:

unnamedl3sxg.jpg
 
Z

Zaptruder

Banned
Lime said:
I can't believe they even have their own 3D printed mechs based of the Iglesias / MWO designs:

unnamedl3sxg.jpg
Click to expand...

Fuck. That paint job is terribad :p

Still... these guys (the rights holders for the toys) should team up with Bandai Namco to get some nice plastic kits made of these mechs. They'd sell quite well.
 
L

Lime

Member
Summary of points from the recent Q&A from yesterday (thanks to the people at the forum):

The was also the very 'unofficial' confirmation of the Phoenix Hawk being in the game that should make a lot of people happy. ( Again, I stress this is 'unofficial' )
Click to expand...

You missed their comments on turn order. Basically, they want to have more of a computer game approach to turn order where a mech moves and fires all at once. Torso twisting only happens when you fire, returning to the neutral position afterwards. So the direction of incoming fire is always based on feet position, like in the tabletop rules. They didn't elaborate beyond that as they would prefer to show rather than tell.
Weapons/Mechs/Stats/Heat/Damage will be like TT (balancing aside)
Click to expand...

FoW is planned
LoS is planned
Playable prototype currently in studio
Weapon fire is per weapon
Pilot Quirks
Critical Hits are planned (AI may behave differently)
Steiner Hate from Mitch
Jordan and Mitch are old
Work is first on SP Campaign then on PvP
1 lance (4 mechs) on Battlefield; 3 lances in company (on standby)
Hardpoints based of types (Energy/Missle/Ballistic [sounds like MWO])
Mechs have an identifiable nature
Mech Quirks not currently in game (they were very ambiguous about it [dangerous territory...?])
*Marketing jokes*
Definitely have vehicles (tanks, support, aircraft, etc.) though will not take the spot of a mech
Infantry is still TBD, depending on viability in combat.
Comic book distraction from CmdrDunsail :p (Hairbrained schemes Not making comicbooks)
The unseen mechs that have been remade by CGL will be in game
No talk on future titles/expansions, want to finish the first one before moving on
Jordan has scary document on future plans (apparently it is face-paling)
In-game involvement in events from the 3025 era (not many of them, they chose this era for more freedom)
They are not shunning clanners, simply wanted an era with more freedom
It is really smart to NOT spit in a clanners face
The average human being is taller than Mitch
Reputation with MRBC and with certain houses in game
Battlefield experience is how mechwarriors get better
Click to expand...
 
M

More_Badass

Member
Big update detailing how they designed the turn-by-turn structure of the combat
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/webeharebrained/battletech/posts/1541543
This turn order system is the one that made us immediately say, “Yes, that feels like BattleTech.” (Randall Bills, who’s in charge of BattleTech at Catalyst Game Labs, had the same reaction, which is obviously a good sign!) It captures the feeling of the world in that 'Mechs feel like 'Mechs, not aircraft or stationary gun platforms. It really helped to emphasise the difference between the various weight classes of 'Mechs. The tactical choices are interesting and the results are immediate and understandable.

And this model also clearly fulfilled all of our design goals from above:

Fluid play in both singleplayer and multiplayer game modes - Because control frequently passes back and forth in this model, singleplayer flows smoothly while still giving the player a variety of tactical options and there’s almost always something to watch or do in multiplayer.

Make Light 'Mechs useful and versatile - As explained above, this system gives Light ‘Mechs an inherent initiative advantage which can be used in many different ways.

Don’t overwhelm me with information - Focusing on moving only one unit at a time, and allowing both sides to clearly see the results of JUST that action, really helped focus the amount of information being presented to the player on a moment-to-moment basis - all the complexity of BattleTech movement and attacks is still there, but now it’s being presented in a very digestible way.

Provide me visceral feedback on my actions - Plotting a ‘Mech’s action and immediately seeing the damage done by your attack is really satisfying!

It’s gotta feel like BattleTech - While this admittedly a subjective criteria, this turn-order model immediately elicited this response with the team.
Click to expand...

HRqe00O.gif
 
L

Lime

Member
That sounds super interesting. Not sure how the "non-assault mechs can accrue actions" will work. Regardless, it sounds like a good way to differentiate mech classes.

Also, I'm super happy they're so far in with the prototype.
 
L

Lime

Member
Sorry for bumping without any actual news about this project, but if you're interested in tabletop battletech, models, and stuff like that Hyper RPG is a Twitch channel that does a lot of that in conjunction with Harebrained Schemes. They're worth checking out, I think, with some amazing people with great heart.

HBS also do their Q&A at their channel- here's an example of last week's Q&A round 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIgGrTo9vdk

EDIT: Jon Everist (composer tweeted this):
Template almost done for BattleTech. 125 instances and rising...
CgCyLHLVIAAeIYn.jpg:large
Click to expand...
 
L

Lime

Member
Q&A #3 notes that I gathered

Vehicles/VTOLs/Tanks:
  • Cheap firepower, kick them, smash them, primary disadvantage is their inability to get around, but still pose a threat: e.g. a SRM carrier getting close is bad news for the player.
  • Can be used both as opponents and support. Long range artillery, air strikes, but cannot control vehicles. You may have allied tanks on the field, but you will not control them.
  • Terrain affects movement of vehicles
  • Weight class determine turn-order and movement
  • Mechs are more expensive, players have to pay for support + upkeep.
  • Mechs are far more mobile, can cover distance faster, control a lot more the facing,
  • AI Vehicles in PvP may or may not be included.
  • Vertical combat is in (strata??)
  • Here's a picture wYith a list of vehicles in the game (and some WIP):

13144144uan1.png


Questions from the chat:
  • Infantry is still in the TBD phase. After vehicle. It's a solid maybe.
  • You'll be able to create your own Battletech commander, appearance -> Uniforms, sigil, gender and skin color,
  • Landmines may be a secondary thing like air support.
  • Currently working on a stability system that makes mechs fall down based on weapons. Maybe vehicles ramming will have an effect? Looking into stomping vehicles with mechs melees
  • You can choose to deploy
    your commander as a mechwarrior as you will, and incur injury, but not permanent death
    .
  • Separate skirmish mode functioning like PvP but with an AI instead. Functions as a sandbox.
  • In the campaign, when the story ends, you can continue the game.
  • Starting player's mech will be (not going to spoil myself about it, minutemark 46:00 and forward)
  • Visibility, fog of war, and information come to play is really interesting for the designers to explore.
  • Tyler's got tattoos
  • The character concept art looks amazing according to Mitch and he can't wait to unveil it
 
S

Steel

Banned
Oooo, so now you can send the commander out as a mechwarrior.

I really need to stop looking at info for this game. The wait is gonna murder me.
 
T

Trigg

Banned
Hopefully it turns out better than mechwarrior tactics.... Still salty I bought a founders pack and they shut the game down.

This looks like megamek with actual graphics, sign me up.

P.S. Someone needs to code megamek in something other than java.
 
Karak

Karak

Member
Can't wait for this Jordan was cool enough that at PAX last year he sat down with us for a full hour on the damned floor in a hallway and discussed games. Everything from MS to Cranston Snords Irregulars. But the coolest thing is the guy has jumped around a lot and yet still gets it. He is as hands on as I think I have ever seen someone of his overall level and the dude dived into stuff that was pretty mind blowing when it came to development and ideas behind games.
 
K

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
Trigg said:
Hopefully it turns out better than mechwarrior tactics.... Still salty I bought a founders pack and they shut the game down.
Click to expand...
That investment should've seemed silly the moment they revealed the abominable mech art. Shit was disgusting.
 
L

Lime

Member
what it's already in a playable state :O

I thought Necropolis was taking all of their time.

I must simply stay away from watching anything.
 
R

Ragnar Blackmane

Member
BrokenFiction said:
"Super Pre-Alpha" lol
Click to expand...
When Alphas turn into betas nowadays then you need some fresh terminology to fill the gap ;D.
.
Still exited for the game, though I'm kinda sad I won't get to work for the Draconis Combine :(. My fav faction, though sadly underused in games and wasted as uber evil cannon fodder in the best of cases.
 
M

Memory

Member
Lime said:
what it's already in a playable state :O

I thought Necropolis was taking all of their time.

I must simply stay away from watching anything.
Click to expand...

I'm hoping this means we're still on track for a 2017 release. It must look decent enough to risk showing it to fans already.
 
D

deleted

Member
Yeah! that looks awesome! I like their take on a 3D turn based interface. It looks complex but with a clear design at the same time. I was missing a hexa-layer in the beginning, but as soon as they had enemy contact that went away. The lines of sight look like a very good replacement.

I'm hyped. Hopefully, they can use their 3D engine on something else after this game.
 
M

Memory

Member
Holy shit just watched the video, looks awesome and were still a year away from release. I tried not to watch but couldn't help myself lol.
 
N

Nordicus

Member
At first I was scratching my head at the turn order stuff, that faster units act on an earlier turn, because that doesn't mean much since your battles may start once the fast units have just used their turns. However, that was before I saw that fast units can delay their turns multiple times and thus are super flexible.

Loved what I saw!
 
E

exmachina64

Banned
xyla said:
Yeah! that looks awesome! I like their take on a 3D turn based interface. It looks complex but with a clear design at the same time. I was missing a hexa-layer in the beginning, but as soon as they had enemy contact that went away. The lines of sight look like a very good replacement.

I'm hyped. Hopefully, they can use their 3D engine on something else after this game.
Click to expand...

Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe all their games since Shadowrun Returns have used Unity.
 
M

Memory

Member
exmachina64 said:
Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe all their games since Shadowrun Returns have used Unity.
Click to expand...

Correct, the dev's stated in a livestream that its what they are used too and cuts a lot of dev time.

Can someone make a new thread with the video and late backer announcement? Stuck at work or i would.
 
E

Effect

Member
Really glad to see they have a playable build already. If this keeps up then they might very well be right on track to release this when they said they'd likely release it.
 
L

Lime

Member
Majek said:
After this game they should make more Battletech games. :p
Click to expand...

They've made it pretty clear that they want to do a Clans expansion after this. Mitch has been basically yelling it :p

As a huge MW2 fan, that is my fantasy to have a Clans game again. We haven't had their perspective in over 20 years-
 
P

Purkake4

Banned
Legit impressed by the gameplay. Harebrained looks to be the most consistent crowdfunding-focused developer.

Not actually being familiar with Battletech, this reminds me a bit of what I always wanted Ground Control to be.

Edit: Props for nailing the concept art already as well:

BATTLETECH-10.jpg
Click to expand...
 
P

Poodlestrike

Banned
Ye gods this looks goooood. Strategic/campaign side of things sounds like it's shaping up very nicely too, which is nicel All too often, with indie strategy games, it gets neglected and either dropped entirely or made into an afterthought. This actually has some meat to it.
 
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