New Battletech PC Game on Kickstarter!

[chemgear]

Already past a million!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...ned/battletech

[Hemi-Cuda]

I didn't realize that this is the same universe as the Mechwarrior games, or that the lore is so deep. I've already backed it because the thought of an XCOM style turn based game with mechs is too good to pass up, but are there any decent places to read up on the in-game lore? I never got into the Mechwarrior games because they went too far in the micromanagement sim aspect for my liking. They say that this one takes place in the "classic" 3025 setting, so does that mean it takes place before any of those games?

[CaptainCrunch]

After the disaster that is Star Citizen, I would be really hesitant to throw my money at a game that's a bunch of concept art.

I think should be leery about things like this.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

After the disaster that is Star Citizen, I would be really hesitant to throw my money at a game that's a bunch of concept art.

I think should be leery about things like this.

I would agree, except that Hairbrained Schemes have already done successful kickstarters with the Shadowrun games, which are great. Easier to put money in when the developers have a proven track record

[cDnStealth]

Yeah the developer has already delivered three very highly praised Kickstarted games. This is the first game I've backed and I am confident in this group.

[CubicleGeek]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I didn't realize that this is the same universe as the Mechwarrior games, or that the lore is so deep. I've already backed it because the thought of an XCOM style turn based game with mechs is too good to pass up, but are there any decent places to read up on the in-game lore? I never got into the Mechwarrior games because they went too far in the micromanagement sim aspect for my liking. They say that this one takes place in the "classic" 3025 setting, so does that mean it takes place before any of those games?

What a blast from the past... I loved the board game and painting the mechs figurines. I played all the mechwarriors and both mech commanders.

Don't really remember things in intimate detail, but basically:

3025 was the year the original BattleTech board game started and had lore based around the 5 (?) primary houses and an area of space called the Inner Sphere. 3025 was also accompanied by a technical readout that detailed in addition to lore around that period, all the mechs and associated weaponry/accessories that accompanied that era. As the lore progressed additional technical readouts were released that highlighted new mechs & weaponry. 3050 introduced a significant milestone in the lore with the return of the Clans that waged war against all the houses in the Inner Sphere. They also did a technical readout that predated 3025 that featured primarily non-mech weapons (tanks and wheel vehicles which are considered old tech and inferior).

It seems that they've changed some of the lore, I just went to the battle tech site and they start at 3039 now. I bet that had to do with the fact that alot of the mechs from the early technical readouts were ripped off from Japan anime, most notably Robotech (Macross). Those mechs had to be removed, but they also were among the most popular (i.e. the Warhammer, the Archer, the Valkyrie) for the franchise.

[cDnStealth]

Ah yes, the good old FASA/Harmony Gold battle. Those mechs are referred to as the Unseen. They've received some re-designs over the years.

[BlackArcher101]

Turn-based? Damnit.

[chemgear]

We're excited that Piranha Games, creators of MechWarrior Online, are sharing their incredible roster of Inner Sphere BattleMech models with us for BATTLETECH. Not only are their 'Mechs wonderfully detailed, using the same models adds to the continuity of the BattleTech Universe.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by chemgear

We're excited that Piranha Games, creators of MechWarrior Online, are sharing their incredible roster of Inner Sphere BattleMech models with us for BATTLETECH. Not only are their 'Mechs wonderfully detailed, using the same models adds to the continuity of the BattleTech Universe.

No wonder they look exactly the same as in MWO. But if they get those assets that are already built, this game is already half there and making a top-down turn based strategy should be easy. Played tons of these on 1990s consoles.

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by cDnStealth

Yeah the developer has already delivered three very highly praised Kickstarted games. This is the first game I've backed and I am confident in this group.

if they've already delivered several finished products, at what point should a company just be able to sustain itself and sell games in the traditional manner? it's gotten to the point where crowdfunding and pre-ordering are starting to blur together into some sort of grotesque hybrid, like what they tried to do with that upcoming Deus Ex game.

if you really just want to support the developers and get progress updates and other backer goodies, then putting your cash in early makes sense. but if not, I don't see any disadvantage to waiting to see if it actually gets released first, and then if it's well-reviewed before pulling out the wallet.

[photon]

Remember the old game on the Amiga?

[chemgear]

These are some of my earlier gaming memories.

[theJuice]

Man, I backed this one immediately. Lot of childhood memories reading Battletech books by Michael A Stackpole. Love the lore and #### in this series.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Jack

if they've already delivered several finished products, at what point should a company just be able to sustain itself and sell games in the traditional manner? it's gotten to the point where crowdfunding and pre-ordering are starting to blur together into some sort of grotesque hybrid, like what they tried to do with that upcoming Deus Ex game.

Fair criticism, but I have some counterpoints that apply to this game at least.

For these types of it's also just a way to reach a key part of the target audience. Turn based gaming is a bit of an old school thing, and geezers like me don't really follow games media. Games easily can just fly under my radar. But campaigns like these find me through social media quite reliably. For indie gaming houses the kind of visibility Kickstarter can bring is invaluable.

As for why Kickstart this project when they have funding, if you look at this projects goals you'd know the answer. They have funding for something that I'd call something the core of the game rather than the whole game. The scale of the whole project they have envisioned seems much bigger than their previous games.

To put it another way, there's a big difference in what "established" means. They want to go pretty big here. Scaling up always takes extra funding.

One reason for crowdfunding games is also just the control, both artistic and logistic. When you don't have outside funding, nobody is suddenly going to come in midproject and demand that the game must have PvP multiplayer or micropayments or RPG elements or what ever the flavour of the month is now. In the AAA market that kind of crap happens constantly, and has damaged or destroyed numerous big name projects either because the demands were technically unfeasible or didn't fit the game at all. It's a big reason why many experienced gamemakers have been moving to the indie camp. If you know what you're doing, you have a better chance of actually seeingy your games come out the way you want.

if you really just want to support the developers and get progress updates and other backer goodies, then putting your cash in early makes sense. but if not, I don't see any disadvantage to waiting to see if it actually gets released first, and then if it's well-reviewed before pulling out the wallet.

Games are usually cheaper for backers by some 10-15 dollars. So if it's a game you really know you want to try, it saves some money. That's of course if you have faith in the creators.

I backed all three of this companys Shadowrun games and was very satisfied. All games were reasonably on schedule, as promised in both production value and style, and virtually bug free. And to my tastes. I'm relatively sure this game won't suck, and beyond that I'll just have to try it.

Which I'd rather do for a smaller than a bigger price

[Hemi-Cuda]

Funding really seems to have slowed down from the initial few days. Don't care too much for PvP, but I really hope they're able to hit that extended single player campaign goal

[cracher]

Originally Posted by photon

Remember the old game on the Amiga?

Them were the Apple II-E days. What was this one called? Crescent force or something?

[photon]

Mechforce

[GreenLantern]

I've backed a few Kickstarters now and it seems like the initial push is large, lull, then big push in the final few days.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Funding really seems to have slowed down from the initial few days. Don't care too much for PvP, but I really hope they're able to hit that extended single player campaign goal

Only missing about 150k from that goal, with 21 days still to go. I'll be very surprised if they don't make it.