Heavy Metal - Discussion about new chassis and traits

[RecklessCaution]

I believe they've stated that they won't, most likely for fear of breaking save game compatibility with all the heavily-modified mechs out there that might not have room for the necessary systems, but that they expect modders will eagerly fill the gaps.

 

[Icewraith]

Anyone know what the hardpoints will be on the Phoenix Hawk? Minimum is 3 E 2 B 2 Support, but I’m hoping for something like 5 E 2 B 4 Support.

Mainly I feel like you should be able to drop the medium lasers for smalls, or drop the machine guns for 2 more medium lasers.

 

[Rubidium]

Anyone know what the hardpoints will be on the Phoenix Hawk? Minimum is 3 E 2 B 2 Support, but I’m hoping for something like 5 E 2 B 4 Support.

Mainly I feel like you should be able to drop the medium lasers for smalls, or drop the machine guns for 2 more medium lasers.

Don't forget we're getting at least two versions of the Phoenix Hawk (presumably with different hard points), so we'll have a couple options to play with.

 

[ntw]

I could see it being a problem with saves mid mission, but I'm sure there's ways to handle it otherwise. Kind of like how when we logged in and found all our pilot skills reset. Just in this case we'd have to spend some time reequipping mechs.

At the risk of upsetting the programmers out there - if I were doing it I'd do a quick check to see if the savegame is mid battle. If it is then allow the battle to finish, then enforce the updated (quirked) chassis', otherwise just enforce them (same as the XP reset).

But then I have always been passionate about differentiating the identities of the mechs, so we all know I'd love "universal quirks"

 

[Timaeus]

At the risk of upsetting the programmers out there - if I were doing it I'd do a quick check to see if the savegame is mid battle. If it is then allow the battle to finish, then enforce the updated (quirked) chassis', otherwise just enforce them (same as the XP reset).

But then I have always been passionate about differentiating the identities of the mechs, so we all know I'd love "universal quirks"

So what happens to equipment that is taking up needed space?

 

[ntw]

So what happens to equipment that is taking up needed space?

it'll have to be moved or removed, sure it may invalidate a tiny percentage of player-created designs out there. But *personally* I believe the benefits would outweigh the drawbacks/pain.

 

[Timaeus]

it'll have to be moved or removed, sure it may invalidate a tiny percentage of player-created designs out there. But *personally* I believe the benefits would outweigh the drawbacks/pain.

I suppose that depends on the amount of effort required to code that check in.

 

[Jade_Rook]

I would like to see the new quirk equipment expanded to more mechs. I think it could be done such that the equipment is added the next time a mech is repaired, but I don't know how complicated that would be. There would need to be checks to avoid invalidating anyone's save. Equipment overlaps could be any issue, but I think it can be worked around.

This may be better suited to a mod.

 

[MadWolf]

Mechwarriors, don't you find similarities with our new mechs Bull Shark? Pay attention to the weapon of this mech . I feel he will be associated with the clans)
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Schwerer_Gustav

 

[Prussian Havoc]

Mechwarriors, don't you find similarities with our new mechs Bull Shark? Pay attention to the weapon of this mech . I feel he will be associated with the clans)
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Schwerer_Gustav

I hope it and it’s FLASHPOINT Mini-Campaign will have a very Wolverine’ish feel to it all. : )

Here is the schematics of the BULL SHARK (it brings much more to the fight than the Gustav):

 

[Icewraith]

Why would they be worried about not breaking people’s designs? They did it in the past when they increased the size of arm mods to limit stacking.

Specifically invalidated the melee Banshee design I had going. No idea what would have happened if I had saved mid-mission with the newly invalidated design in use.

If it means all mechs get some equal treatment and improved quirks, I’m all for it.

 

[commuterzombie]

I would happily take the hassle of tweaking my refit mechs mid-career to have quirks retroactively applied to all the existing Mechs. So long as any now-illegal designs were flagged in your mech bay (like if the mech required a repair) then you could just go in and juggle components around.

I'm looking forwards to taking the Warhammer for a spin. With a couple of +10 damage Magna PPCs and its energy weapons buff that will be useful for long range headhunting. I like the Assassin quirk as well, though it probably would need to negate 4 chevrons of evasion to make elite light mech pilots sweat.

 

[Prussian Havoc]

... I like the Assassin quirk as well, though it probably would need to negate 4 chevrons of evasion to make elite light mech pilots sweat.

HBS has said that the Assassin’s Intercept System negates 3 Evasion Chevrons from any Target - Light through Assault Mech.

 

[ntw]

I suppose that depends on the amount of effort required to code that check in.

again (risking the wrath of coders around the world), I can't imagine the checking required would be that onerous to code. I mean the mechbay already checks for overweight, etc...

 

[Chaon]

About the only way you could really code in a way to put quirks into old save games is by having the game scan the save game and then rebuild all mechs after storing all weapons/equipment to storage.

The downside to that would be the weapons/equipment removed would be 'free' as they get placed in storage.

 

[ntw]

About the only way you could really code in a way to put quirks into old save games is by having the game scan the save game and then rebuild all mechs after storing all weapons/equipment to storage.

The downside to that would be the weapons/equipment removed would be 'free' as they get placed in storage.

I'm not sure I agree.

Surely you could flag "illegal" mechs (similar to the current system), and for savegames where the company is in battle (and hence unable to correct the illegal mechs) simply defer the check until after the battle?

 

[Rubidium]

I mean, worse comes to worse you can just make it incompatible with old games. Put it in a new patch (i.e., a separate one from HM, for people who want to finish their old games with HM w/o the new quirks for old mechs), leave the beta branch up in steam for the old one for people who want to finish their games, and voila.

 

[Timaeus]

again (risking the wrath of coders around the world), I can't imagine the checking required would be that onerous to code. I mean the mechbay already checks for overweight, etc...

Well I'm not sure about the complexity of making the validation check, but I bet the other reason for not including a special "quirk" equipment for all the older chassis is that would be a lot of chassis to do (assuming a unique ability for each chassis).

 

[commuterzombie]

Well I'm not sure about the complexity of making the validation check, but I bet the other reason for not including a special "quirk" equipment for all the older chassis is that would be a lot of chassis to do (assuming a unique ability for each chassis).

Whilst I see the attraction of unique quirks per chassis (or even per variant) I don't think it would be bad at all to have some duplication across weight classes. Having the Locust 1M, Trebuchet and Catapult (C1 and C4) all have the 'Missilery' quirk for example would be fine I think. It gives you that LRM specialist in each class.

There's definitely room for more quirks but I don't think HBS need to feel that they have to be unique.

 

[ntw]

Whilst I see the attraction of unique quirks per chassis (or even per variant) I don't think it would be bad at all to have some duplication across weight classes. Having the Locust 1M, Trebuchet and Catapult (C1 and C4) all have the 'Missilery' quirk for example would be fine I think. It gives you that LRM specialist in each class.

There's definitely room for more quirks but I don't think HBS need to feel that they have to be unique.

^ what he said