Comments on: Destroy All Podcasts ST Episode 10 - MechWarrior for SNES http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432 CollectionDX-Japanese Toys - Toy Reviews, Toy News and Toy Collections. Soul of Chogokin, Japanese Robots | International Toy Culture en Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:03:00 -0400 Drupal TotalFeeds Module Comments on: Destroy All Podcasts ST Episode 10 - MechWarrior for SNES http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432 http://www.collectiondx.com/Image-Lib/feedlogo.png 144 37 I've often wondered while http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2038 I've often wondered while playing "<i>MW-III</i>" why it is that the 'Mechs have models for hands, but can't engage in melee-range combat. Same with commanding the 'Mech squads in the "<i>MC</i>" games; they can't go melee-. You can use Flamers, Short-Range Missiles (and Streak-SRMs), puny-ass Machine Guns, and maybe even small Lasers & Pulse Lasers, but the heaviest-hitting short-range weapon is always a Heavy Autocannon (which plays like an oversized/overweight shotgun). I mean, of all of them, you'd think that at least an Assault-class <i>Atlas</i> could go melee, but no! ------------------------------ CollectionDX Staff I've often wondered while playing "MW-III" why it is that the 'Mechs have models for hands, but can't engage in melee-range combat. Same with commanding the 'Mech squads in the "MC" games; they can't go melee-. You can use Flamers, Short-Range Missiles (and Streak-SRMs), puny-ass Machine Guns, and maybe even small Lasers & Pulse Lasers, but the heaviest-hitting short-range weapon is always a Heavy Autocannon (which plays like an oversized/overweight shotgun).
I mean, of all of them, you'd think that at least an Assault-class Atlas could go melee, but no!
------------------------------
CollectionDX Staff


]]> Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:03:00 -0400 EVA_Unit_4A http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2038 Well in the board game you http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2037 Well in the board game you can potentially pick up objects if your Battlemech has hands and club your enemies. You get search rubble for a girder, uproot a tree, or pick up the leg of another Battlemech. It's actually not as effective as it sounds since all it did was let you deal kick damage (tonnage divided by 5) to the upper body. The other upper body attack is punching which does damage of tonnage divided by 10 with a 1 in six change of hitting the head. Oddly enough anything can punch in that game. Even the Catapult whose arms are missile boxes has a small chance of landing a punch. What me and my friends used melee combat for was to just kick people over and then kick them while they were down. -Andrew Well in the board game you can potentially pick up objects if your Battlemech has hands and club your enemies. You get search rubble for a girder, uproot a tree, or pick up the leg of another Battlemech. It's actually not as effective as it sounds since all it did was let you deal kick damage (tonnage divided by 5) to the upper body. The other upper body attack is punching which does damage of tonnage divided by 10 with a 1 in six change of hitting the head. Oddly enough anything can punch in that game. Even the Catapult whose arms are missile boxes has a small chance of landing a punch. What me and my friends used melee combat for was to just kick people over and then kick them while they were down.

-Andrew


]]> Sat, 19 Apr 2008 21:40:28 -0400 Destroy All Podcasts DX http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2037 Front Mission http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2031 I never played any of the video games that simulated BT table-top rules, but I LOVE the Front Mission series, its pretty similar in concept, turn-based, and you can melee to your heart's content while being pretty darn effective. :) I never played any of the video games that simulated BT table-top rules, but I LOVE the Front Mission series, its pretty similar in concept, turn-based, and you can melee to your heart's content while being pretty darn effective. :)


]]> Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:09:55 -0400 GogDog http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2031 Well, the tabletop gaming http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2030 Well, the tabletop gaming industry had fallen upon some hard times so FASA itself had to close. The fact that the board game is full of esoteric rules built up from years of additions and crap that makes it difficult to jump in and play. All of the new computer games kinda faded away after that. And very few of them ever let you engage in melee combat, which was the only thing I ever wanted in those games. -Andrew Well, the tabletop gaming industry had fallen upon some hard times so FASA itself had to close. The fact that the board game is full of esoteric rules built up from years of additions and crap that makes it difficult to jump in and play. All of the new computer games kinda faded away after that. And very few of them ever let you engage in melee combat, which was the only thing I ever wanted in those games.

-Andrew


]]> Fri, 18 Apr 2008 23:30:27 -0400 Destroy All Podcasts DX http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2030 Mechwarrior 4 had some of http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2029 Mechwarrior 4 had some of the best online game play I've seen. It was a great simulation, but technical. I'm surprised that Mechwarrior hasn't stuck around. Maybe it was too complex with having to customize your keyboard and all? Mechwarrior 4 had some of the best online game play I've seen. It was a great simulation, but technical. I'm surprised that Mechwarrior hasn't stuck around. Maybe it was too complex with having to customize your keyboard and all?


]]> Fri, 18 Apr 2008 23:19:09 -0400 xiombarg http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2029 FASA, I think, was http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2023 FASA, I think, was absorbed by Microsoft, which is why "<i>MechCommander II</i>" has their logo in it. FASA is now more of a trademark and department name synonymous with <i>Battletech</i>, kinda like Touchstone Pictures is with The Walt Disney Company, or Relic Entertainment (<i>Homeworld</i> saga, <i>Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War</i> series) with THQ. Or am I way off...? ------------------------------ CollectionDX Staff FASA, I think, was absorbed by Microsoft, which is why "MechCommander II" has their logo in it. FASA is now more of a trademark and department name synonymous with Battletech, kinda like Touchstone Pictures is with The Walt Disney Company, or Relic Entertainment (Homeworld saga, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War series) with THQ.

Or am I way off...?
------------------------------
CollectionDX Staff


]]> Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:02:00 -0400 EVA_Unit_4A http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2023 It's funny that you chose http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2019 It's funny that you chose this subject for the ST episode. I was just in a Books-A-Million today in central Florida, and they had a starter set and Technical Manual for "Classic BattleTech." I searched for a FASA logo, but none could be found, so I assume they no longer have the rights. Instead, it said W.K. Games or something similar. That brought back memories. I had the Third Edition I believe as a kid in the 80s. Good stuff. I had no one to play with, so I used to make my little sisters play with me, then I would kick their asses because they didn't even know what was going on. My favorite part of BattleTech was getting the mech books and looking at the giant robot pictures and reading their histories. I could spend hours doing that, along with using the rules to design my own mechs and drawing pictures with friends of our designs. Seriously, one of my favorites things from childhood. It's funny that you chose this subject for the ST episode. I was just in a Books-A-Million today in central Florida, and they had a starter set and Technical Manual for "Classic BattleTech." I searched for a FASA logo, but none could be found, so I assume they no longer have the rights. Instead, it said W.K. Games or something similar. That brought back memories.

I had the Third Edition I believe as a kid in the 80s. Good stuff. I had no one to play with, so I used to make my little sisters play with me, then I would kick their asses because they didn't even know what was going on.

My favorite part of BattleTech was getting the mech books and looking at the giant robot pictures and reading their histories. I could spend hours doing that, along with using the rules to design my own mechs and drawing pictures with friends of our designs. Seriously, one of my favorites things from childhood.


]]> Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:54:41 -0400 GogDog http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2019 O.o! Whoa-! I gotta look http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2010 <b>O.o!</b> Whoa-! I gotta look into that. What's <i>your</i> take on it? ------------------------------ CollectionDX Staff O.o!

Whoa-! I gotta look into that. What's your take on it?
------------------------------
CollectionDX Staff


]]> Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:40:42 -0400 EVA_Unit_4A http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2010 The actual court case http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2008 The actual court case between Harmony Gold and FASA is online. The only really hazy thing is just what FASA bought. Some company called American International Imports or something like that. As far as I can tell, that company had acquired the Nichimo 1/200 scale Macross kits and some box art. If you look at all of the artwork in the old Battletech books is just traced artwork except made to look blocky and shitty. Some of the Nichimo kits were released under the Battletech line of models which is pretty rare. I'm not really sure why FASA decided to spend the money getting these designs rather than make their own. Of course the funny thing is that most of their early original designs were either some kind of VF-1 Valkyrie ripoff (Panther and the Victor Battlemech) or a Destroid like design or just plan shit. See the Vulcan or the Charger. As far as the Un-Seen designs go, they actually released a book called Project Phoenix which reintroduced all of the contested designs with new artwork. The new versions are just ok. If anything it's weird that they didn't attempt to make them look like they fit the 3025 era artwork. As far as Battletech's popularity, it was pretty much the thing back in the 80's and 90's. I can imagine that when they tried to part it over to Japan it was quickly swept under the rug by the fifty other hex based robot games, most of which were based on popular franchises like Macross, Dougram, Gundam, and even Megazone 23. -Andrew The actual court case between Harmony Gold and FASA is online. The only really hazy thing is just what FASA bought. Some company called American International Imports or something like that. As far as I can tell, that company had acquired the Nichimo 1/200 scale Macross kits and some box art. If you look at all of the artwork in the old Battletech books is just traced artwork except made to look blocky and shitty. Some of the Nichimo kits were released under the Battletech line of models which is pretty rare.

I'm not really sure why FASA decided to spend the money getting these designs rather than make their own. Of course the funny thing is that most of their early original designs were either some kind of VF-1 Valkyrie ripoff (Panther and the Victor Battlemech) or a Destroid like design or just plan shit. See the Vulcan or the Charger. As far as the Un-Seen designs go, they actually released a book called Project Phoenix which reintroduced all of the contested designs with new artwork. The new versions are just ok. If anything it's weird that they didn't attempt to make them look like they fit the 3025 era artwork.

As far as Battletech's popularity, it was pretty much the thing back in the 80's and 90's. I can imagine that when they tried to part it over to Japan it was quickly swept under the rug by the fifty other hex based robot games, most of which were based on popular franchises like Macross, Dougram, Gundam, and even Megazone 23.

-Andrew


]]> Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:38:30 -0400 Destroy All Podcasts DX http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-2008 I'm slightly familiar with http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1992 I'm slightly familiar with how 'Mechs work out, so I may be able to partially answer you. Some of the 'modern' 'Mechs still slightly resemble <i>Macross</i> or <i>Dougram</i> designs- Heavy-class 'Mechs <i>Loki</i> and <i>Thor</i> from the [Destroid] Tomahawk, certainly the famous <i>Mad Cat</i> on the Glaug, very much-so the <i>Jagermech</i> on the [Destroid] Defender, the Medium-class <i>Centurion</i> on the Battroid Valkyrie, etc- albeit heavily modified. The reasoning, as I understand it, was the <i>anime</i> mecha-ver. still existed in-universe, but all future publications and productions by FASA and Co. could no longer mention or reference them. That way, you could still have a Phoenix Hawk (aforementioned Battroid) and not be accused of cheating because it wasn't "official" anymore. (But I doubt you'd see anyone using a Phoenix Hawk anymore even though they have that choice.) BTW, as a tabletop game, is <i>Battletech</i> 6'-under nowadays? I'm sure Games Workshop (<i>Warhammer 40K</i>, <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>, etc.) has something of a monopoly on the tabletop RPG market, but is <i>Battletech</i> too old school now? ------------------------------ CollectionDX Staff I'm slightly familiar with how 'Mechs work out, so I may be able to partially answer you.

Some of the 'modern' 'Mechs still slightly resemble Macross or Dougram designs- Heavy-class 'Mechs Loki and Thor from the [Destroid] Tomahawk, certainly the famous Mad Cat on the Glaug, very much-so the Jagermech on the [Destroid] Defender, the Medium-class Centurion on the Battroid Valkyrie, etc- albeit heavily modified.
The reasoning, as I understand it, was the anime mecha-ver. still existed in-universe, but all future publications and productions by FASA and Co. could no longer mention or reference them. That way, you could still have a Phoenix Hawk (aforementioned Battroid) and not be accused of cheating because it wasn't "official" anymore. (But I doubt you'd see anyone using a Phoenix Hawk anymore even though they have that choice.)

BTW, as a tabletop game, is Battletech 6'-under nowadays? I'm sure Games Workshop (Warhammer 40K, The Lord of the Rings, etc.) has something of a monopoly on the tabletop RPG market, but is Battletech too old school now?
------------------------------
CollectionDX Staff


]]> Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:37:00 -0400 EVA_Unit_4A http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1992 I'm a little confused here about Battletech http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1987 Hey there, Look I'm a little confused here about the background history of Battletech. <block quote> You said like HG and Revel, the defuncted FASA has ripped-off mecha designs from anime shows like Macross, Dougram, etc. to use as the basis for their classic Battletech RPG in first flight but legal threats from HG had forced FASA to come up with their own mecha designs that we know today as 'mechs'. <block quote> My question to you is that since using Macross and Dougram stuff was a no-no from the law, then why didn't FASA just simply commissioned Studio NUE (the creators of Super Dimension) to create the original mecha designs for their origin Battletech series to begin with? Why wait til the last minute to do the smart thing by getting Studio NUE involved? That would've save them the trouble of getting sued and spat on by the Macross fans, right? <block quote> -Rodimus Hey there, Look I'm a little confused here about the background history of Battletech.

You said like HG and Revel, the defuncted FASA has ripped-off mecha designs from anime shows like Macross, Dougram, etc. to use as the basis for their classic Battletech RPG in first flight but legal threats from HG had forced FASA to come up with their own mecha designs that we know today as 'mechs'.

My question to you is that since using Macross and Dougram stuff was a no-no from the law, then why didn't FASA just simply commissioned Studio NUE (the creators of Super Dimension) to create the original mecha designs for their origin Battletech series to begin with? Why wait til the last minute to do the smart thing by getting Studio NUE involved? That would've save them the trouble of getting sued and spat on by the Macross fans, right?

-Rodimus


]]> Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:33:05 -0400 Rodimus78 http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1987 Modern Mecha Combat... http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1985 with a lot yet to be improved, thou, here: www.exteel.com Anybody plays? REACTIVE ARMORED with a lot yet to be improved, thou, here:
www.exteel.com
Anybody plays?

REACTIVE ARMORED


]]> Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:35:16 -0400 VojtekBear http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1985 I played the first PC http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1982 I played the first PC Mechwarrior years ago. From what I remember, it didn't have a story to play with, but I still enjoyed it. I played the first PC Mechwarrior years ago.
From what I remember, it didn't have a story to play with, but I still enjoyed it.


]]> Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:59:19 -0400 Daikengo http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1982 I have a bunch of Battletech http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1981 I have a bunch of Battletech stuff and actually tried running a few games with it. If you want to play the board game on your computer, there is Megamek, a Java based version that is 99% accurate to the board game. It even has bots so you can play solo games. If anything, playing Megamek makes one realize just how broken the rules are. -Andrew I have a bunch of Battletech stuff and actually tried running a few games with it. If you want to play the board game on your computer, there is Megamek, a Java based version that is 99% accurate to the board game. It even has bots so you can play solo games. If anything, playing Megamek makes one realize just how broken the rules are.

-Andrew


]]> Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:19:30 -0400 Destroy All Podcasts DX http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1981 I always wanted to get it on http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1980 I always wanted to get it on the PC but back then i could not run it so one day many years later I got MW3 and the expansion packs and i was like F**K yeah and then when 4 came along I was hooked to playing it online in the super light classes doing kamikaze runs. also i think they were some of the first games I played to the end i did have the first mech commander but i could never get into it (or rather i sucked a lot) _____________________________________________________________________________ Transformer and other robot art by me on my DA site blitz-wing.deviantart.com I always wanted to get it on the PC but back then i could not run it so one day many years later I got MW3 and the expansion packs and i was like F**K yeah and then when 4 came along I was hooked to playing it online in the super light classes doing kamikaze runs. also i think they were some of the first games I played to the end

i did have the first mech commander but i could never get into it (or rather i sucked a lot)

_____________________________________________________________________________
Transformer and other robot art by me on my DA site blitz-wing.deviantart.com


]]> Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:12:37 -0400 Blitz http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2432%2523comment-1980