I'll spare you the gory business details of how all this came about--which IGN covers in a thoroughly in-depth Q&A--and just show you this sweet-looking launch trailer, which Weisman describes as being indicative of "what the game should be," though note this isn't actually the game itself.
Between the involvement of original MechWarrior dudes and that trailer, I'm tentatively optimistic this might actually turn out like a proper MechWarrior game oughta. Specifically what I'm looking for is a robot that controls like a tank and overheats and makes you eject when you're about to blow up. But given that the game will have to work on a 360 controller, I hope the gameplay isn't dumbed down too much.
What's your past experience with the MechWarrior series, and what would you like to see in a new version? Did you know Dave Snider used to be in a MechWarrior 2 clan? Did you know they even had clans back then?
There are mech games that let you play as the mech, then there is Mechwarrior where you pilot a mech, the keyboard layouts and zoomable aiming reticule, flushing the radiators to cool down or if you didn't have the function, turning off the mech to cool down, pressing the button to stand up again after being knocked over, fixing jump packs and flying for the first time. Mechwarrior was a big part of my childhood, couldn't be more excited.
At first I thought it was just a CGI video, but it seems to be real in-game footage. And that's awesome.
Just kinda wondering why that Atlas doesn't have his big ol' mitts anymore. Maybe 3015 was just a bad year for hand actuator manufacturers?
No physical attacks, I'd imagine, so why have fists?
I'll tell you why, because it's right and proper and looks good. Just because there aren't any physical attacks doesn't mean you take away one of the most defining characteristics of an Atlas. That's just ghastly. It's like... taking away the shuttlebay from a model of the Enterprise just because there might not be any shuttle combat in a Star Trek game. It's horrible.
None of the other MW games had physical combat, but that doesn't mean it should still be some towering obstacle. We have the technology, we have the know-how. We can make it better.
Though since this is being made for both the PC and 360, I can see them having trouble finding enough buttons to fit a punch and kick ability to. Which is why it's always a bad thing when a game gets made for both the PC and consoles.
But yea, that video was... amazingly beautiful. Cockpit might've been the best part, it's miles beyond the one in MW3. And the MW4 cockpits were horrendous.
Did you notice the PPCs seemed to miss a few times at close range? Pretty nice touch. The art direction seems to be spot on, as well. You know, I really hated the lackluster effort in MW4, but this video looks like they're going back to the MW3 look. Mostly faithful to the structure and texture looks of the TRO designs. Well, except for the hand actuators.
The machine guns splattering against the thick armor of the Atlas seemed like a wink and a nod to the MW2 intro video.
That video was so mindblowing, I'm still not even all that upset that it's gonna set in 3015 IS instead of 3050s Clan. Probably have to wait till MW6 for that. Sure, they could throw in some Clan Mechs in a DLC... but uh, I wouldn't want that. If they're gonna introduce the Clans, it should be in a big bad way, with their own campaign, or at least a major part in an IS campaign. Just throwing some Omnis in for multiplayer... that's not doing em justice.
It's alright, from the looks of this video, the game's probably gonna sell gangbusters. I can wait a while until the sequel comes out and revel in the Clan glory. Ya know... we've been through MW2: Mercs, MC1, MC2, MW3, MW4: Mercs... I can tolerate yet another MW game with c-bills accounts and purchasing pilots and salvaging weapons and all that nonsense. I'd just like something new. A return to the Clan side and maybe an innovative new bidding system... it could be just as enjoyable as running a mercenary outfit, IMO.
Know what I was just thinking? Perhaps the success of this new MW game will compell other companies to do something with their old PC IPs. Perhaps even one about Freeing in Space? Think about it... Fallout 3... AvP 3... now MW5. All the stars are aligning in a celestial ballet.
This news makes me so so happy. It's like a new lease on life. The air smells fresher, food tastes better. There are probably little kids playing around with big beautiful butterflies outside my bedroom window.
Too bad the one in the video's got no HANDS.