Testing the Waters for Battletech Interest
-
@Groth Yes, if you have a coder, then I'm sure you could code up the BattleTech rules into Ares -- after all, as @Darren said, there's already a BattleTech MUX. I was just thinking that you could get a worthwhile abstraction of the BattleTech rules with FS3. You wouldn't have heat or losing armor from hits unless you coded those in, but otherwise you would be pretty good (you could even use Teams to represent range, I've certainly done that before).
But that's a game design question -- do you want the "authentic" BattleTech experience, or do you want something faster and easier for people to learn. Both have their benefits, but (in my opinion) it really comes down to the question of how broad the intended audience is.
-
@Seraphim73 Another option: create a tie-in game on Roll20 or FantasyGrounds where the TT Mech Combat aspects are played and keep the MU strictly RP.
-
@Runescryer
MegaMek is probably better for that, if you want to do off-MU simulated game combat. That's what we used when the Fan Councils was running wartime combat related to the RP off the BT forums website. -
I'm definitely aware there's a Battletech MUX codebase. It's run on numerous games over the years I believe, sadly I've never found one of them at a time it was truly active. What I found poking around at the code and system anyway was that it was, like many detailed space and combat systems translated to MU*, kind of a steep learning curve and not... optimal in terms of the intended functionality.
I feel like the graphical client MegaMek offers is the best experience, and (probably) the best way to keep people honest outside of purely in-game systems. I'm not super happy with any of the out-of-mech RPG options available (as I remember anyway, it's been awhile for, for instance, MechWarrior)... which just makes FS3 for that sort of thing the path of least resistance, by a noteworthy margin.
The basic divide I'm seeing illustrated is a preference for a PvE, narratively-structured focus where everyone is part of the same unit (or perhaps a small coalition thereof), and the more open PvP options and sandbox nature of Solaris VII. The latter would strike me as relying more heavily on player-driven factions and storytelling, with world events as a unifying thread, while the former would need to be more heavily structured by assigned storytellers and mission-runners.
There are strengths and foibles with both approaches, in my opinion, but that split decision in where to put my focus seems like the most important variable right now.
-
I helped playtest a BT Merc MUX, it was supposed to be 'join or create your own merc team, can do mech modifications with weapons/stuff, go on missions' instead of the variable king of the hill scenarios that most of the BT MUX games have.
Then I stopped logging in for a summer for band nerd shit, and when I got home, it was turned into yet another variation of FS vs CC king of the hill.
Random question... does MegaMek have aerospace shenanigans, or is it all ground forces?
-
@Jennkryst
Yes it can do aerospace stuff. And I do believe, since the last time I messed with it, they were integrating ship to ship combat if you wanted to use the SLDF era or post 3060 warships. -
Got the first half of my Battletech Kickstarter today. The urbanmech plushie demands the space robot game be up and running before delivery of wave 2.
DO YOU WANT TO DISAPPOINT THE URBIE?!?
-
I'd show up for this, just saying.
-
I am unfamiliar with battletech but I will say that cyberpunkred conversion in ares has gone more smoothly than anticipated. Perfect no but it has been far less frustrating than previous attempts at fading suns.
I would think battletech might be easier since there isn't magic or netrunning, which has been the most difficult part of figuring out for ares (the netrunning) as far as being able to have people in the same +combat being able to have some do meat world combat and others do ice/net combat (in RED you have overlays, so its not someone jacked in/helpless unconscious while they're in the net).
-
I'm game!
-
@mietze Really, Battletech combat is easy. It's just 2d6, with a TN based on STUFF.
... The PROBLEM is that there is a fuckton of STUFF. Further automation like where damage happens to hit, and ways to streamline tracking STUFF, could help, but would just be a bonus feature.
Setting is also super important.
THE URBANMECH PLUSHIE HAS ALMOST ARRIVED, AND DEMANDS ROBUTT FITE MUSH.
-
But it’s doable.
I mean, I know you can do ship-to-ship fighting in FS3/Ares. Shouldn’t be too difficult to modify. It won’t be the same system, maybe, but BTech is mostly awesome based on load outs and universe building.
“It is better to live doing the things that you like. It is foolish to live within this dream of a world seeing unpleasantness and doing only things that you do not like.” -- Yamamoto Tsunetomo.
-
@ganymede said in Testing the Waters for Battletech Interest:
I mean, I know you can do ship-to-ship fighting in FS3/Ares. Shouldn’t be too difficult to modify. It won’t be the same system, maybe, but BTech is mostly awesome based on load outs and universe building.
It depends on your goals. There are several hallmarks of the BTech system that you could not do in FS3 without an obscene amount of code mods. Heat, armor, range, critical hits, death from above, just to name a few.
But if you just want to skin modern-ish tanks and call the vehicles "Mechs" and handwave a lot - sure, go for it.
Otherwise, something like MegaMek would probably be a better solution.
-
@jennkryst said in Testing the Waters for Battletech Interest:
THE URBANMECH PLUSHIE HAS ALMOST ARRIVED, AND DEMANDS ROBUTT FITE MUSH.
I forgot to necro for this.
514kb is too smol a size, there was much cropping and annoyance with getting this trimmed down. Also relevant - Catalyst needing to fitfo with their book design, one of these things is going to need to get replaced ASAP.
-
Very interested in this. Lots of ways to go.
If the FedCom/Draconis conflict is overplayed for you, maybe a Solaris VII game? Plenty of opportunities for merc work, espionage action outside of Mechs, and arena combat if all else fails.
-
-
When it comes to Battletech, all I can say is
I often miss my old Virtual World days. Let me have a mush that'll let me relive them through RP!
-
I think it would be cool to figure out a way to link a MU codebase to MegaMek.
-
@misterboring I don't think that would be possible. It's a desktop app. You can do head-to-head play, but it's not designed for the sort of multiplayer scenarios MUs need.
-
ALLS I'M SAYING IS look at those spines. Battletech, Battletech, Battletech, Battletech, Battletech, slice of artwork, Battletech. The formatting standard got changed with the latest edition and triggers my selective OCD.
As for setting... I dunno. Everyone hates the Dark Ages but that is also when everyone had mechs armed with giant chainsaws, so there is some appeal. I hear good things about ilClan era, which is the newest. We'll see if Comstar is back to being space wizards or not.
ALSO, turns out BTMux is alive and kicking. Kind of. Sort of. Ish. But MUX, so like, nobody does any RP, it is all sim piloting. Which I like to kill time between poses in RP, but as mentioned, there is no RP to be had. So now I wait hours for the queue to Moonbase Final Fantasy or something.
