MechWarrior franchise to get a reboot

After a seven year absence, <i>MechWarrior</i> is back with a brand new game that will reboot the long-running franchise.<BR><BR><a href='http://meincmagazine.com/gaming/news/2009/07/mechwarrior-franchise-to-get-a-reboot.ars'>Read the whole story</a>

 

[BuckG]

And the peasants rejoice!<BR><BR>Hopefully with Jumpgate Evolution coming out "soon" and this on the horizon, PC joystick games will make a come back.

 

[Ambushdrum]

Played the hell out of MW2 back in my pc days. Inspired me to build chickenwalkers out of legos haha. Would be awesome to build a mech cockpit with 3 monitors. "warning, incoming missile!"

 

[iamblue]

Meh. More browns and greys. Those graphics aren't impressive at all. Nevermind those models look terrible for the Mechs. Is this based on the Unreal engine?

 

[Mauller]

I watched the video and it says "In game footage" at the bottom. If this is using the game engine I will be in heaven. Give me my Catapult.

 

[bicarb]

I kinda wish someone would make another starsiege <i>(not tribes, the mech game that tribes spawned off from)</i>. Combat was done a bit better than mechwarrior where bigger mech was almost always better, that was always the biggest flaw with mechwarrior games IMO -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif --.

 

[eldonyo]

I am so looking forward to this!

 

[Mauller]

Also, check this out. They'll be releasing MW4 plus all expansions for free soon. <BR>http://www.smithandtinker.com/...n-battletech-com.php

 

[Gendou]

This looks and smells like a hybrid between MechWarrior and MechAssault.<BR>The 'Mechs will probably be more Battletech accurate than MA, but I'm seeing no real option for customization.<BR><BR>Count me decidedly wary.

 

[AlreadyDead]

I don't know about that. I used to use a medium chassis covered with all small lasers. Put those babies into a single group and just cycle through them one after another. heat was never a problem Even an alpha strike would only spike me up to like two thirds of max heat. The key was keep the reticle on target for about three or so seconds. I legged a whole lot of bigger mechs that way. Used to piss people off to no end online.<BR><BR>Death of a Thousand Cuts.

 

[mujadaddy]

Customizable weapon loadouts will equal success. You can extrapolate the other condition.

 

[shevaberg]

OMG OMG OMG... this is the game i have been waiting for...

 

[amp]

Awesome. It would be even better if they hired the same actress that voiced the mech computer from MechWarrior 2. <BR><BR>"mech powerup detected"<BR><BR>"Targeting"<BR><BR>"Enemy mech, destroyed"<BR><BR>Can't wait.

 

[m0k4t2]

my wife weeps, for now she shall be a BattleTech widow. -- View image here: https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/scared_classic.gif --

 

[RaveBomb]

I don't know what it is, but Battletech game trailers seem to always give me goosebumps. <BR><BR>I'm ready for this game.

 

[CapnRob]

Mechwarrior? Not big news. Had to happen eventually.<BR><BR>On the other hand, the fact that they took the time to liberate the IP to _Crimson Skies_ ... now *that's* news. Mmm, two fisted pulp action.

 

[un]

Oh hell yes. Hopefully it won't be another MechAssault though..

 

[AcidOphidian]

that's awesome. can't wait for new mechwarrior material!<BR><BR>apparently this is going to be a 3015 game, so no clans? no clan tech? no rotary AC's? no nova cat? makes me a little sad.

 

[EtrnL_Frost]

No one noticed the Shadowrun bit? Is there still hope that someone can do that IP justice?

 

[Andrewcw]

<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by bicarb:<br>I kinda wish someone would make another starsiege <i>(not tribes, the mech game that tribes spawned off from)</i>. Combat was done a bit better than mechwarrior where bigger mech was almost always better, that was always the biggest flaw with mechwarrior games IMO -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif --. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>Well size did matter. It was all in the tactics which usually gets ignored because everyone runs into open field fighting or its purely city fighting. And usually never mixed. Though what would be interesting is if they decided to mix in Elementals as a playable unit.<br><br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Gendou:<br>This looks and smells like a hybrid between MechWarrior and MechAssault.<br>The 'Mechs will probably be more Battletech accurate than MA, but I'm seeing no real option for customization.<br><br>Count me decidedly wary. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>Bah same feeling, but hopefully its more MW4 arcade than MechAssualt Arcade. As MW4's movement changed to a faster FPS style gameplay.<br><br><br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by AlreadyDead:<br>I don't know about that. I used to use a medium chassis covered with all small lasers. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>With MW4 in the Goliath mode game play. I used to take a Nova an put all flamers on it to make it light enough to be considered a light unit. I'd run up to the large unit and piss the guy off by overheating him to shutdown if he wasn't all ammo based.

 

[CTG]

WANT!!!<BR><BR>I have been jonesing for another MechWarrior game for *years* and just about gave up hope when FASA shut down. I can't wait to dig my joystick out from the back of the closet for this.

 

[.劉煒]

As long as it's not the wizkids clickeytech, I'll be okay.<BR><BR>Give me the VWE experience any day, though.

 

[RGMBill]

3015? OH HELL YES!<BR><BR>Wahoo, pre-Grey Death Legion Core for the win, with walking junk piles in a post-apocalyptic dark age....<BR><BR>YEEHAA!<BR><BR>Oh, and there's a reason my handle is here is RGMBill.... And it's definitely BattleTech related. Way back when, I was one of the opponents in the original MW2:Mercenaries (a bad guy in EVERYONE'S game, he was named after me).<BR><BR>Since the REAL 3015 setting wouldn't have had any Champions (my prime choice), I'll take either a nice JNR-3K, PHK-3D or WVL (just about any, actually).<BR><BR>Now, the question to ask is if "The Lost Mechs" are in the game... it wouldn't be 3025 without them, and the 3025 (Revised) group tended to leave them out (though I'd get my Champion, badly gimped, back).<BR><BR>Where do I preorder?<BR><BR>Oh, and when I read the headline, I was on the phone to my wife and read it outloud... she paused, and I could here her realize "I'm a Battletech widow again". Of course, that's before she realizes there's a four player co-op... 'cuz she was particularly fond of the Tarantula in the tabletop game... Now to get my son to realize "There's no such thing as a Timberwolf, what you want is either a Maruader or a Catapault, and as a Spherehead, it's a MadCat anyway."

 

[rolphus]

As far as I can see, they've got the most important thing right: the weight and speed. Mechs in games like this need to feel like they weigh 40-100 tons, not zoom about like the marine from Doom. The game's definitely going in the right direction for that, and the environment interaction looks ace. <BR><BR>I love the idea of loosing off missiles at someone, missing, and knocking a building over, or jump-jetting onto a building only to find I've weakened it and can't stay upright. <BR><BR>The graphics are good but not great - Unreal Engine 3 as usual, which means the framerate should at least be reasonable. <BR><BR>I just hope they manage to find a publisher that doesn't balls it up.

 

[Alfonse]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">More browns and greys. Those graphics aren't impressive at all. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>The 'Mechs look nice and realistic, but you're right; everything is just browns and greys. Then again, it's somewhat hard to justify other colors in BattleTech, as battlefields tend to be brown and grey.<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I kinda wish someone would make another starsiege (not tribes, the mech game that tribes spawned off from). Combat was done a bit better than mechwarrior where bigger mech was almost always better, that was always the biggest flaw with mechwarrior games IMO </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Screw <I>Star</I>Siege; I want another <I>Earth</I>Siege, the precursor. I much preferred ES2's branching mission structure and Herc designs to SS's crappy linear missions and ugly Hercs.

 

[infernal666]

I want this game.<br>My first MechWarrior game was for the SNES. I loved that game and i still have the cart. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif --

 

[bicarb]

<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Alfonse:<br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I kinda wish someone would make another starsiege (not tribes, the mech game that tribes spawned off from). Combat was done a bit better than mechwarrior where bigger mech was almost always better, that was always the biggest flaw with mechwarrior games IMO </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>Screw <i>Star</i>Siege; I want another <i>Earth</i>Siege, the precursor. I much preferred ES2's branching mission structure and Herc designs to SS's crappy linear missions and ugly Hercs. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>Yea earthsiege was pretty cool as well, it's a shame that pitbulls didn't make it to SS -- View image here: https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/biggrin_classic.gif --. The single player campaign in SS was really just a way to nudge people towards being able to participate in multiplayer though, the fact that both big and little mechs were capable of being frightening to a skilled player in the hands of a skilled player made it much better than MW IMO.

 

[Deleted member 192806]

Nice trailer, however I'd say it looks more like the FEAR 2 engine with the mech segment.

 

[firesign]

i cannot wait for this. i hope the multiplayer is good. i see they also picked up crimson skies, i'd love to see a new cs game for the current gen.

 

[Rommel102]

IGN has a 7 page intereview with the developers...and it seems like they are getting it ALL right.

 

[Mauller]

If they run out of button configuration choices on the 360, they could always incorporate voice commands for certain functions using a similar system to End War. Things like flush coolant, or deploy probes, or to handle targeting/lance command.

 

[magister]

I am delighted to hear about this. Is there any chance there will be a PS3 port, or is this strictly for PC and Xbox?

 

[Mauller]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by magister:<BR>I am delighted to hear about this. Is there any chance there will be a PS3 port, or is this strictly for PC and Xbox? </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Sounds like it's strictly PC/360.

 

[jgtg32a]

I'm very happy to hear this but<BR><BR>1) Please let this game be a Sim and not a Shooter<BR>2) Please don't let it catch a bad case of consolitis<BR><BR>That is all I ask

 

[t_ratv]

I loved MechWarrior2 3 and 4, still have an older box for playing them. Those games, with the X-Wing series from LucasArts, made me a computer gamer. If there is more coming, I'll be all for it!

 

[Doggus]

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!<BR><BR>Mirror the old MW formula and they will sell a lot of games.

 

[PseudonymAnon]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mauller:<BR>I watched the video and it says "In game footage" at the bottom. If this is using the game engine I will be in heaven. Give me my Catapult. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>In game animation footage, maybe....and if it was really the in-game footage, I am very impressed with the graphic engine, but less impressed with the useless cockpit displays (i.e. no damage shown in different color (I remember seeing all white indicator. I think my old mech warrior games had white --> yellow --> red --> blue for blown off parts..))<BR><BR>The animation footage looked impressive, but no consideration for realism bothers me quite a bit. In year 3K, Drones can't identify the gigantic robots on the ground although it was able to identified there are two on the ground. The mech pilot stumbles into the smoke and encountering the Atlus is even more silly for the same reason above (drone identified the two meches...i would think the pilot hud got updated with the positoin. And what the freak with the infrared view? That was in the old mech warrior games before and the pilot didn't bother to turn it on. There are more, but I don't see this as an in-game footage. It's more likely the in-game animation footage.<BR><BR>I like the mech warrior in the 80s, but I always thought Mech warriors are more of copy cats than original licenses (Gothic flair of Warhammer universe and Japanimation robots). <BR><BR>I grew up with stuff like this, but I always felt that the gigantic robot is the least practical way to do any real battle. I am fairly certain modified RPG used by 10 or more suicide terrorists can knock down any of these robots and make them obsolete in no time.

 

[StuckInaCube]

My memory is hazy since the last time I played a Mechwarrior game was in DOS so I just hope the new Mechwarrior doesn't turn out to be a crappy re-imagination of an old school classic like new Bionic Commando.

 

[UMDPenguin]

I hope this turns out to be good. I could go for some more mech action.<BR><BR>Honestly though, i always preferred controlling lots of mechs.<BR><BR>Someone please make another Mech Commander or Missionforce: Cyberstorm. Remember those? God i want more of those made.

 

[highpitch_83]

YEEEEESSSSSSSS!!! Cannot wait to see how this turns out!<BR><BR>/might be my first pre-order of the 20XX's!