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EclecticTastes posted:Can we get another labeled guide for the new cockpit? For one thing, I can't tell where the damage lamps are supposed to be in the new setup. That said, the game's manual gives a detailed diagram of all the cockpits, so here's the one for the 2nd Gen units. The Damage lamps in particular are changed to small horizontal gauges that are situated next to the sub fuel tank gauge.  I'll likely post the diagram for 3rd Gen once we get to piloting one weeks from now, just to be sure. The videos in terms of content are pretty much all set in stone, it's just a matter of me sticking to the schedule I've established for this, at least until the 1st campaign is finished. Zushio posted:I always suspected the cow is a reference to Turn A Gundam. It was such a popular moment in the show that even the model kit comes with a tiny cow you can fit in the chest bay. Turn A aired from 1999 to 2000, so other than the ill fated live action film and few shorts it was the latest Gundam when this came out in 2002. SEED had either just started airing or was about to, so I don't think it would have been a reference point during design. Thanks for sharing the info.
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Feb 22, 2021 19:32
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Reconnaissance Mission  .png) This mission is one of those that can go horribly wrong at the tail end due to it being one of those moments where your mission objective changes partway through. Obviously, the whole point is to do recon of this particular area, but it likes to make you run for your life the moment you are done with the recon and trigger a bunch of powerful VTs to spawn. At this point, if you're not good at retracing steps, being quick on the draw with chaff, or realizing how important Override is for getting to top speed very quickly (and even recovering from falls), you won't make it out of this canyon alive. Fortunately, next mission we'll be able to return here and won't have to run at the sight of danger.      Blade The BLADE is a second generation lightweight VT. As a FALCHION's successor, it has evolved its earlier concept to a new level. Its substantial increase in defensive powers has made it an excellent model. ----- Very much the Falchion successor in every way. Higher grade weapons, though lacking in certain tools that the Prominence get like the As-mis and 22b-PT. But for a mission like this where the goal is to go from point A to B and back, it's an ideal unit for the job. And even when it gets involved in skirmishes, the Gen 2 benefits like FSS and Override help out a lot for making sure your shots count and damage is kept to a minimum.   270mm Assault Rifle (270-ar) With a maximum of five-round rapid-fire action, this weapon has plenty of destructive power to serve as the main Anti-VT weapon. However, compared with other models of the same generation, its range is relatively short ----- Just like the 200mm variant but more powerful, and sporting the same limitation on ammo. Still, considering the lack of an rf model for other rifles on the Blade, this is as good of a substitute. And with supply choppers at your disposal, even the ammo limit may be less of a concern.  Dual-Load Compact Guided Missile (DL-GM) This is a compact two-guided-missile launcher that fits under the VT's body unit. Although its performance is not high, it's equipped with a homing system. ----- While it is a homing weapon, this won't be able to do the same job as something like the As-mis. Not to mention its position as a side arm makes it clear it's there to supplement your main weapon fire. Best used in situations where a VT has been knocked down and you want an easy two shots to go alongside those rifle bullets. ArclightBorealis fucked around with this message at 00:25 on Apr 29, 2021 |
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Feb 24, 2021 22:10
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The Blade sure can book it. At this stage in the timeline did they have roller wheels for your VTs yet? Or was that just running all the way, at the end there?
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Feb 27, 2021 19:51
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RangerKarl posted:The Blade sure can book it. Running only, I think the wheels are in 3rd Gen only.
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Feb 28, 2021 11:21
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Rollers didn't actually exist yet in Steel Battalion, regardless of VT generation. That was a feature that got added into the sequel, Line of Contact, where you go into fifth gear and you go from walking to skating like you're in VOTOMS. It's definitely a feature I wish had existed in this game, at least for some of the generations that are above 1st, but it makes sense for LoC due to how they updated the player movement model so that each step your VT takes produces a very consistent up and down sway of the camera. Whereas in this game, the camera sway is just a general shake that occurs based on your current speed and the terrain you are going over at the time.
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Mar 1, 2021 18:16
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NAN JIANG Military Factory Assault Another lengthy mission, this one isn't two bad outside of the new enemy type you face a minimum of three times. The Jaralaccs were briefly shown at the end of the last mission as we ran like hell, and even in a straight fight they're worth taking seriously. Very quick to dodge your attacks and respond in kind with their own. Many of my recording attempts ended in failure because of underestimating just how damaging these bastards could be. That and having a brief lapse in remembering what the effective ranges on all my weapons were. All I'll say is, I may be showing off all the VTs with different loadouts, but I never promised they'd all be super efficient and well thought out. Still beat it, though.   Jaralaccs N The JARALACCS N is a second generation heavyweight VT. The heavyweight model possesses high mobility and defensive performance, making it an excellent VT. It's also capable of equipping many different arsenals to suit various battlefields. ----- The first heavyweight VT of the game, and for this point in the game it's a nice alternative to the Prominence just for being able to take so much damage from anything, save for another Jaralaccs. That said, because of its size and heft, it guzzles fuel pretty hard compared to the other VTs we've used thus far. And when you realize how much slide stepping and override uses more than just walking forward normally, it can be dangerous to go too long without a supply run.  HVM Launcher (HVM-la) It fires jet propelled armor-piercing ammunition. Although its range and firepower is of the highest class, it's not equipped with a homing system. ----- Rather than a missile launcher that 100% knocks down any VT it hits, the Jaralacc gets this bad boy instead. It does more damage, has slightly more ammo, but as the description says, it's a cannon with no homing capabilities. It's great to use in open areas where you can account for VT movement with the FCS, but because of the speed and limited ammo, you can't get trigger happy with this one.  Flame Thrower (FMTHR) This is a close combat weapon that attaches beneath the VT's body unit. A direct hit with this weapon will cause a VT to go up in flames. ----- One of two flame weapons that are mostly unique to the Jaralaccs models. For the N version specifically, this is the best you get in terms of having a close range/almost melee weapon because of its extremely limited effective range. But when you're in the right spot, holding down the button while firing your main weapon keeps a steady DPS for the whole fight. Also fun (and sadistic) to use against small infantry and artillery that try to run past you.  Dual-Pod Compact Missile Launcher (DP-mis) This is a compact two-missile launcher that fits under the VT's body unit. ----- A side arm that's akin to the DL-GM, with the main difference being that there's no homing capabilities. You get double the ammo at least, but combined with its specific effective range it's only good in close quarter scenario where you can just spam the fire button indescriminately. Your main weapon's gonna do more targetted damage anyway, so if you have this active you can hope that the missiles will connect and keep adding to the damage. ArclightBorealis fucked around with this message at 04:03 on May 2, 2021 |
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Mar 4, 2021 00:07
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The excessive shaking in Steel Battalion could be interpreted as a subtle sign that, for as much as the military invests in making bigger and cooler robots, they neglect basic features for the pilots' welfare, like shock absorbers. There's also the fact that ejection is manual-only, when the mech could easily have a failsafe installed that automatically ejects the pilot once damage exceeds safe parameters (this is also true of the fire extinguisher; if an office building can automatically react to fires, a giant combat robot should be able to, as well). Of course, I'm sure none of that is intentional on the part of the writers, it just kind of emerges naturally from the game's design.
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Mar 5, 2021 01:07
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Yep. Its a very mechwarrior-style "Save the metal, pop the meat" ideology in these VT designers
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Mar 5, 2021 01:09
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EclecticTastes posted:The excessive shaking in Steel Battalion could be interpreted as a subtle sign that, for as much as the military invests in making bigger and cooler robots, they neglect basic features for the pilots' welfare, like shock absorbers. There's also the fact that ejection is manual-only, when the mech could easily have a failsafe installed that automatically ejects the pilot once damage exceeds safe parameters (this is also true of the fire extinguisher; if an office building can automatically react to fires, a giant combat robot should be able to, as well). Of course, I'm sure none of that is intentional on the part of the writers, it just kind of emerges naturally from the game's design. Consider the damage meter a gameism, because it is, and the damage detectors can get damaged as well, also you'll need to disable the auto eject when under anything substantial, like trees. Also for fires in an office building, you can generally safely assume a type of fire, it's harder in a tank where you need to figure out if you aren't spraying water on an electrical fire or something. There's no excuse for the shaking, and the lack of other screens extending the field of view. Well, that's another gameism, you can't shove in additional xboxes and tvs in the controller box to have the displays and rendering power for it.
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Mar 5, 2021 03:59
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SIGSEGV posted:Also for fires in an office building, you can generally safely assume a type of fire, it's harder in a tank where you need to figure out if you aren't spraying water on an electrical fire or something. You actually have this one backwards. In a giant robot, basically any fire is essentially an electrical fire, the only variable being whether or not an accelerant is involved, which is why VTs appear to have a one-size-fits-all extinguisher system that likely just sprays a foam mix that can smother either type of fire. In office buildings, between all the electronics and (often) kitchen space for staff, there are plenty of possible, if unlikely, types of fire that could break out, so if we really want to analyze it, the water sprinklers being automatic can pose a hazard in certain edge cases, while the VT's extinguisher not being automatic is equally troublesome in edge cases (the pilot may sometimes be too occupied with not getting blown the hell up to hit the button, for one thing). Now, of course, the post itself was slightly facetious, in that I'm well aware the actual reason everything is manual is because the developers started out by making the most detailed and involved control scheme they could come up with in order to more fully immerse the player in the illusion of piloting the robot. But to resume overanalyzing an Xbox game, like, the manual eject doesn't account for trees, buildings, or anything, to my knowledge, and can even be used in the middle of an enemy base (unless Borealis couldn't eject while in the latter part of that last mission). Hell, as far as I know, you can eject even when the mech is flat on its back. So whatever it does, it must do it pretty well, so while you obviously always want a manual eject just in case detectors break, it doesn't seem like there'd be much risk in including an automatic failsafe in case the mech gets hosed up too quickly for the pilot to react.
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Mar 5, 2021 08:44
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So I really can't extrapolate any specific reasons for why VTs in this universe are designed with little to no automatic systems for things like the extinguisher and such, but I can at least attest to a detail regarding why the eject function specifically is the way it is, and it's something you would only really know based on reading the manual that comes with the game. The thing with the eject function is that it can indeed be used at literally any point. When your VT is fully damaged, fallen over, submerged, marooned due to having an empty tank, or literally any other reason you can think of to hit that button, there is no limitation on it. Despite the lack of automated systems for things like the extinguisher or windshield washers, there is some degree of care towards providing pilots the means to preserve themselves and not the VT itself, because the eject function basically doubles as a self sabotage for the unit. For PRF VTs specifically, they're outfitted with the Combat Oriented Operating System (COOS), which is basically the most secreted tech that the Pacific Rim Forces have on their side and is considered more advanced than the other OSes that would be used by other armies, such as the Hai Shi Dao in this case. It's because of this the manual mentions that even in the event of ejecting, it's the pilot's responsibility to make sure the VT is destroyed to protect their military secrets. This is why when you eject a VT during the campaign, even if it does not sustain 100% damage, it's still considered a loss on your total supplies and you have to spend points to acquire a new one. So yeah, as much as piloting a VT feels like being in a metal coffin on legs, the fact than an eject button is even present when the unit itself holds supposedly valuable military secrets shows that there is a non-zero amount of care for the pilot's preservation. After all, a new machine can be built and replaced. A decent pilot takes a lot more time to find and make out of them (and we managed to skip 8 weeks of simulated training because we pulled an Amuro Ray in the loving prologue)
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Mar 5, 2021 09:34
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Real-world fighter craft have a similar system that will zeroize sensitive avionics when the pilot has to bail. It's not directly related to any gameplay thing but it's good to see stuff like this be considered when designing the game.
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Mar 5, 2021 09:48
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Encounter Welcome to quite possibly the shortest mission in all of the Hai Shi Dao 2080 campaign in Steel Battalion. So short in fact that I opt to fill time by demonstrating this game's replay mode so we can watch the action from different angles. That said, as short as this is, it really is an awesome moment in the game simply because it finally gives you access to the Prominence's two biggest tools. Just using both of them at once really only leaves room for the As-mis and no extra fuel tanks, but it's not like running the tank empty was ever a risk.   Railgun (Rail-G) This is the newest weapon developed by the PRF. With the use of an electro-magnetic pulse, this weapon fires its ammo at hypervelocity speeds. It has an unparalleled long attack range and firepower. ------ One of the best weapons in the game, and one of two version if you can believe it. The maximum possible effective range for 2000 points of damage. Heavy as hell though and only holding 10 shots, if you know how to aim and fire this thing without the enemy dodging, you can clean up missions very quickly. Just don't expect to carry many other weapons with you when you do so.  Additional Armor (MM) These additional armors allow for increased durability of the VT. It also grants the pilot the ability to use the guided missiles loaded inside the armor pod. Press F1 during combat to release them. ------ This weapon is unique in that it is tied to the optional armor component that only the Prominence gains access to. The extra armor it adds to your VT is 1000 points, and any damage you take goes directly to this armor and not the VT itself (the supply chopper will not repair it however). In addition, the missile pods that it has are pretty great, and goes quite a way to give me slight Macross vibes. Note that if the description was a bit unclear, F1 is used to drop the missile pods and armor. To fire them, you still have to cue them up as your current side weapon. ArclightBorealis fucked around with this message at 02:13 on Jul 18, 2021 |
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Mar 10, 2021 20:36
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The Prominence's optional armor, while reminiscent of the Super Pack from Macross, also evokes the ZZ Gundam's Full Armor parts, which were also equipped with an auxiliary missile launcher. Of note is that the Full Armor ZZ also had an optional shoulder-mounted Hyper Mega Cannon (not to be confused with the High Mega Cannon, installed in the mech's head, or Hyper Mega Launcher, a more common weapon used most notably by the Zeta Gundam), which could be seen as equivalent to the Prominence's new railgun, which also appeared to be shoulder-mounted in the cutscene preceding the mission.
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Mar 11, 2021 00:51
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I barely got my coffee mug to my lips before that skirmish ended. Dang.
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Mar 11, 2021 15:10
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If I might go full  for a moment, the extra armor on the Prominence isn't like the Super Pack, because that was meant for enhanced maneuverability in addition to the increased firepower. This is the Grenade Box Protector armor. Which I wouldn't blame anybody who's not going maximum neckbeard for remembering because it was in one episode.
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Mar 17, 2021 19:29
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XIN FENG TIAN Campaign It's the final stretch of the first campaign, and we're gonna head towards the finish line in a brand new 3rd Gen VT. This mission for as simple as it is really has a lot going for it, fighting against all previous VT types (Jaralaccs excluded) along with the new Regal Dress models. They're 3rd Gen like our new Quasar is, but still extremely devastating. I normally try not to go for more than one supply run in a mission if I can help it, but with the 3rd Gen models' particular limitations, and me being especially impatient charging through the whole map, it ended up turning out the way that it did. Still, it's a fine mission and the first one you have the most likely chance of getting a Decoration on Normal because of the points you earn.   Quasar The QUASAR is a third generation midsize VT. It was originally an enemy's prototype model, which was captured from their factory and then later modified. It's the most powerful classed VT. However due to the incomplete analysis of the operating system, its response is a bit unstable. ----- The second best VT of the gamge in my opinion, the Quasar is pretty great 3rd Gen VT. Its loadout is fairly similar to the Prominence, though it somehow gets access to both Plasma Torch variants. However, it gets an even better railgun, and more high calibur rifles. Unfortunately, this demonstrates a downside that is prevalent among all the other 3rd Gen models, and that is the inability to equip additional fuel tanks. The main fuel tank uses that energy more efficiently than previous gens, so it feels more like a main tank + sub combined, but that doesn't stop slide stepping and override from guzzling it pretty hard. Either have lots of supply chopper or be extra deliberate in your movements.  355mm Smooth-bore Gun (355-sb) It fires low-trajectory APFSDS ammunition. Compared to the rifle, it has a longer range of fire. ----- It's a smooth bore rifle, but with higher caliber shots, and the same goddamn in game description. Need I say more? .png) Railgun (Rail-G HSD) A railgun developed by the HAI SHI DAO side. With the use of an electro-magnetic pulse, this weapon fires its ammo at hypervelocity speeds. It has an unparalleled long attack range and firepower. ----- Despite the part name being the exact same, this railgun is not the same as what's available for the Prominence. This and another unit get the Hai Shi Dao variant which boasts 500 more points of attack power at the expense of a fifth of the ammo. It also has a considerably longer charge time, though this leads to a nice trick if you're good enough to bypass a check the AI does to see if it will dodge your next attack. Put simply, there's nothing to stop you from locking onto an enemy even after you pressed the fire button. ArclightBorealis fucked around with this message at 02:17 on Jul 18, 2021 |
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Mar 17, 2021 20:16
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Oh, and as a little extra because I didn't do a breakdown for 3rd gen in video, here's another diagram from the manual labeling the different areas of the cockpit. Outside of the map being in the top right corner and all instruments being digital, not too much different from the 2nd Gen units.
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Mar 17, 2021 20:20
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It shot out the camera with a rail gun?  That seems overkill.Also that canned rewinding noise were great. Not to mention the operator obviously typed in rewind by the sound of it.
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Mar 17, 2021 20:56
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Capital Shoot-Out The final mission of the campaign, where peaceful surrender is no longer on the table so we have to invade the capital by force. This map is loving huge, and I like while the objective can be accomplished in just a few minutes, you get plenty of time to sweep through the area and clear it of enemies as long as you got enough supplies. For my style though, the preferred route is one that goes along the edge of the map so that I only have to deal with some Vitzh and Giraffes and maybe a Scare face or two on the way. Regal Dresses are still tough, and they're all over the building, so the final minute or two of the mission has to be done quite decisively and with very little risk.   355mm Rapid-fire Rifle (355-rf) With its three-round burst capability, it has a higher rapid-fire efficiency than a normal rifle. ----- The best version of the rapid fire rifle you can get, even if it is quite hefty to carry around. In any other mission just sticking with the Railgun and As-mis would be enough, but since Regal Dresses like to drop chaff of their own, there's no harm in bringing an efficient, high caliber rifle to fall back on. ArclightBorealis fucked around with this message at 02:20 on Jul 18, 2021 |
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Mar 24, 2021 19:49
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The url tags are broken by the way. Edit: Ah nvm. Shouldn't have let the page linger.
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Mar 24, 2021 19:54
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So what happens if you don't respond to the radio message when the Juggernaut appears? Does it keep bugging you, or do you lose points, or even, like, lose instantly due to being court martialed? Or does it just proceed without the added dialog?
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Mar 25, 2021 10:28
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EclecticTastes posted:So what happens if you don't respond to the radio message when the Juggernaut appears? Does it keep bugging you, or do you lose points, or even, like, lose instantly due to being court martialed? Or does it just proceed without the added dialog? Anyway, the video was pretty vague as far as when I plan to start the next batch of updates for this LP, considering the commentary was recorded well in advance back in February. But the current plan is at some point during April the intermission video demonstrating Steel Battalion Line of Contact will go up. Nothing too long, just a brief overview at the start of what the game is followed by some recorded matches with commentary. The actual second campaign meanwhile will start the first full week of May, and even then I'm not entirely sure yet if I'll stick to the same once a week update schedule, or try doubling it to twice a week. I'm still in the process of unlocking the extra bonus features this game has, some of which require logging in a large amount of hours to your system file in order to get them, so I want to give myself enough time to unlock it without burning myself out. Be on the lookout for when the Intermission goes live, but until then, thanks everyone for tuning into this LP so far.
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Mar 28, 2021 17:52
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The relative shortness of the campaign does explain how "clear the campaign" was a remotely viable goal for Arino in an episode of Game Center CX, although I think it was early enough that it was just "Game Center" and the challenge thing was a side bit, not the main draw. He played it on a theater screen, which was pretty cool, but he played in a row close to the screen so he had to look up the whole time. That had to be bad for his neck.
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Mar 29, 2021 17:06
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So that's where the Juggernaut shows up in the campaign! A rather fitting entrance, I must say.
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Apr 5, 2021 00:53
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Iron Knight War Steel Battalion is an insanely niche game due to its concept. From the heavy simulation aspect to the controller, all of it amounts to a product that no sane publisher would ever want to greenlight a sequel to. Well despite that, Capcom decided to let Nude Maker do another game, but this time go even more crazy limited in its appeal by creating a multiplayer focused sequel that can only be accessed through OG Xbox Live or System Link play. Yes, as if spending 200 dollars on the game back then wasn't enough, here's another game that required spending about 50 bucks a year just to access its content through Microsoft's online service. The former may be dead as of the time of this update, but through tunneling software like Xlink Kai, the latter is absolutely possible, and in the year 2021 there are people out there that still engage in Steel Battalion Line of Contact (Tekki Taisen in Japan). And for this update, I'm showing you what that is all like, via recorded matches against the wonderful folks at the Steel Battalion Xlink Kai Discord. This took quite a while to get to something that I thought was presentable, and even then I feel I'm still missing plenty of info by virtue of not spending as much time with this game compared to its predecessor. Not to mention my skill level is still pretty low as a lot of tech in the original Steel Battalion is just not as applicable. Still, it's interesting to see the differences, and I hope the highlights from the recorded matches I could get in between network disconnects are entertaining enough. Leaving some of these uncut would've ended up with a very long video and feeling more like a stream archive, which doesn't really suit this for LP purposes.
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Apr 29, 2021 00:14
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So, looking at the costs of fielding various units in a match, I have to wonder what the incentive is for using the original Vitzh, given that it has the same cost as the m-Vitzh (I looked it up and apparently it's just a mild upgrade to the original Vitzh that did little to actually make it more than a grunt mech). I know you're not the most well-versed in Line of Contact, but maybe it came up at some point.
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Apr 29, 2021 04:58
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EclecticTastes posted:So, looking at the costs of fielding various units in a match, I have to wonder what the incentive is for using the original Vitzh, given that it has the same cost as the m-Vitzh (I looked it up and apparently it's just a mild upgrade to the original Vitzh that did little to actually make it more than a grunt mech). I know you're not the most well-versed in Line of Contact, but maybe it came up at some point. That is one thing I never really was able to delve into with the video regarding how the units are balanced, but between what I've played and talking with the community, a big difference between units in the original and LoC is that the all rounder units like the Decider or Prominence M1 don't really stand much of a chance due the game encouraging the use of more specialized units. Which means stuff like the Scare Face, which I would consider an almost better 1st gen unit to use in the original as opposed to the Decider, really doubles down on being the long range sniper unit and expects you to excel at the role it intends. Ditto for the Vortex, with its artillery and the "support" role which is doubly emphasized by the rearranged HUD shown in the attract demo at the start. So with that combined with the cost of deployment, I'm assuming whatever incentive there is to use the Vitzh models is if you want your team to not lose as many points when a unit gets destroyed, or just wanting a handicap for the hell of it. Anyway, the second campaign for Steel Battalion will be underway this coming Wednesday, along with the one update per week schedule because I still need time to get the remaining post game features unlocked on my current file (among other projects I'm doing in the meantime). Look forward to the recycled environments, custom music on the boombox, and pretty much any opportunity to talk about cool mecha anime that I think is worth watching.
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May 2, 2021 03:45
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ArclightBorealis posted:It might simply be because the differences in stats and weapons are so negligible that having the costs be different would be unnecessary. Both vitzhs are always meant to be the cheapest units in this series, in terms of reliability and usefulness compared to other types of its generation. Heck, you're gonna be seeing me use the m-Vitzh in the main LP soon, and I can at least say that outside of one key difference, it's more or less about the same as the regular model. Based on what I've read about LoC's campaign mode, it seems like all-rounder units had more of a place there compared to the free mission mode. So, to save everyone the google search, Line of Contact's campaign mode took place on an island being contested by the PRF and Hai Shi Dao, with their roles reversed. They basically rip off the setup of Zeta Gundam, with the PRF becoming brutal occupiers and Hai Shi Dao fighting for their freedom. A third faction, Right Brothers, gets involved, being a splinter faction of Hai Shi Dao (it's hard to tell which one is meant to be analogous to the AEUG and which is Neo Zeon with the small amount of context I was able to find, but I assume that's how they broke down). Anyway, each "Round" of the server took place over eight real-world weeks, each week being one Turn. During that time, players would battle it out in various missions across the map to claim territory for their team (note that abandoned mechs that weren't totaled could be salvaged by anyone else visiting that map, though the mechanics of it are unclear, keep in mind this mode didn't exist very long). At first, it was just PRF and HSD forces, but at the third Turn of each Round, Right Brothers showed up and players could switch to them. On Turn 5, Jaralaccs Mercenary Company (the guys who field the various Jaralaccs mechs) shows up, and players can switch over that way instead. Each faction offers their own signature mechs, which players had to buy with Supply Points from missions, just like the first game (I'm not sure if players could keep their old mechs when changing factions, but given that Jaralaccs only has access to four different models of the Jaralaccs, one would hope so). However, high-end mechs existed in limited quantities on the server, and each player owned a specific one with its own serial number, and there was no way for those mechs to return to the pool aside from being sold, so there was a constant scarcity of powerful mechs like the Juggernaut or Quasar. It was a neat idea, implemented poorly, clearly meant to make everything feel more authentic, with only certain pilots getting access to the top-end, experimental mechs. Anyway, because the conflict was (by my interpretation of the description) a lot less rigidly structured, all-rounder mechs allowed one to take a versatile approach to what must have been fairly unpredictable battles. Also it's worth pointing out that one mech in Line of Contact had a "weapon" that literally tapped the opposing team's voice chat channel. In the age of services like Discord, it's unlikely anyone today would ever actually use the in-game voice chat, but back when the game was new, that's a pretty nifty feature.
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May 2, 2021 05:49
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HAI SHI DAO Amphibious Operation (2) Welcome to the start of the Hai Shi Dao 2082 campaign, where we must storm the beaches of the island and destroy 70% of the enemy forces. Yes, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you, this campaign has us going through the exact same mission but with slightly different enemies (m-Vitzh instead of Vitzh in some places). That is one of the bigger downsides of this game, for as much as I adore it, the second campaign feels more like an arranged mode that reuses all the old environments, has a mix of old and new objectives, and lastly the ability to command a small squad of two other VTs. Who absolutely do jack poo poo in following orders so outside of demonstrating that the feature exists you're barely gonna see it again. Just how it is.   m-Vitzh The M-VITZH is a first generation lightweight VT. It's an improved version of the Vitzh with modifications in the body armor and the cockpit. ----- Same old weapons, slightly higher weight limit, and most importantly it is not burdened by a monochrome display. Yes, now the monitors in the cockpit display in full color like every other VT in the game. Cool. Except this is still more or less the same as the worst unit in the game, and serves as a pretty good reminder of how far apart the VT generations feel like at times. Already I miss my Quasar.  Ak19-4A Recoilless Gun (4A-rec) This is a gun that fires high-explosive shells. It's lightweight and has approximately the same firepower as the rifle. However, due to the ammunition's slow rate of velocity, it is relatively easy for the enemy to evade it. ----- The other recoilless gun I opted not to demonstrate in the first campaign, this mission felt like the best possible place to demonstrate its value. It's got double the attack power compared to the 77-rec, and as noted in the description it lacks the contact fuses that let it indirectly damage targets. But for something like this where we're destroying a lot of stationary targets, its power and ammunition more than suffices. ArclightBorealis fucked around with this message at 02:25 on Jul 18, 2021 |
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May 5, 2021 23:59
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Air Cavalry Assault This mission went so poorly for me that I was tempted to do one more take before settling on this one. The reason is only because of some weirdly timed events right at the end that coincides with me finally hitting the win condition. This mission I'm generally not fond of because the whole point is to kill a bunch of attack choppers until they back off, but there are still VTs to deal with since they're part of the offense, and it's difficult to keep track of how many enemies it actually wants you to take down. A good run of this mission would only take a couple minutes, but that also would've meant I'd take the Prominence's multi missiles and called it a loving day.   Scare face A1 The SCARE FACE A1 is a first generation lightweight VT. This model is the modified version of the midsize class VT, SCARE FACE. This model weights lighter for increased mobility. ----- Much like the m-Vitzh, this version of the Scare face is still has all the same weapons and slightly tweaked stats. There's not much else to say in that regard, but this is the last 1st gen VT we're showing off, and there is actually another Scare face model we've yet to see that wipes the floor with the original and A1 variants. ArclightBorealis fucked around with this message at 02:28 on Jul 18, 2021 |
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May 13, 2021 00:08
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Good music choice, gave me flashbacks to Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden. Small correction, though, Bryan Cranston (as Lee Stone) actually played Isamu Dyson, Guld was played by Richard Epcar (who had previously been part of the Robotech cast, and is most recently known as the English VA of Part 3/4 Joseph Joestar). Larger correction, Macross 7 is the best Macross. 
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May 13, 2021 01:02
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The only Macross series I got around to watching was SDF Macross, Macross Plus and Macross Frontier. Never got around to watching Delta despite being interested in it.
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May 13, 2021 01:15
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Richard Epcar is also western Batou!
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May 13, 2021 03:34
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EclecticTastes posted:Good music choice, gave me flashbacks to Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden. Small correction, though, Bryan Cranston (as Lee Stone) actually played Isamu Dyson, Guld was played by Richard Epcar (who had previously been part of the Robotech cast, and is most recently known as the English VA of Part 3/4 Joseph Joestar). Larger correction, Macross 7 is the best Macross. In my defence, I haven't seen Macross Plus in god-knows how long. I only found out about Bryan Cranston's involvement comparatively recently, so figured he'd be playing the guy who'd allow him to flex his vocal range further. As for M7... mmmmaybe don't watch the VODs for our Killer7 streams, I think we were somewhat dismissive of big chunks of it (yes, even in a surreal game about assassins, we manage to bring it back around to mecha anime).
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May 13, 2021 13:15
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Kaboom Dragoon posted:As for M7... mmmmaybe don't watch the VODs for our Killer7 streams, I think we were somewhat dismissive of big chunks of it (yes, even in a surreal game about assassins, we manage to bring it back around to mecha anime). It's okay, I learned from Macross 7 that we don't need to fight about things like this, I'll just sing rock and roll at you until you see the light. 
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May 13, 2021 13:54
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Macross 7's music specifically is the best, but that doesn't translate to being the best show in the series due to how it's paced and how low budget it feels for a lot of it (going for like 49 episodes doesn't really do it much favors). Even so, I'd still watch it over something like Macross Zero or Plus again, the latter being a take I'm sure would probably tip off some other people but then again Plus just doesn't do much for me past the animation quality and having my absolute favorite VF design. Eh gently caress it, general ranking of the series for me: Delta > Frontier Film Duology > Do You Remember Love > Frontier >= SDF Macross > 7 Dynamite > FB7 > Macross 7 > Plus >>>> Zero
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May 13, 2021 18:07
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Oh yeah, that reminded me that I watched Zero. And that's all I really remember about it, outside of it showing up in Macross Frontier as a minor callback. 
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May 13, 2021 18:14
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ArclightBorealis posted:Macross 7's music specifically is the best, but that doesn't translate to being the best show in the series due to how it's paced and how low budget it feels for a lot of it (going for like 49 episodes doesn't really do it much favors). Even so, I'd still watch it over something like Macross Zero or Plus again, the latter being a take I'm sure would probably tip off some other people but then again Plus just doesn't do much for me past the animation quality and having my absolute favorite VF design. Honestly I didn't even realize how much I dig the YF designs until you said it and I was like, "Yeah, those designs really are sweet." Then again, I'd probably just hold up the VF-19 Excalibur Custom like "and then they improved on it" and honestly while the YF-21's head is more distinctive, I kinda prefer the head unit from the Sturmvogel. Also, while I prefer taking the films/OVAs as part of their parent series, and I haven't seen Delta (yet?), my personal tastes are Macross 7>Frontier>Plus=Original>>>>Zero, but I have a pretty high opinion of the entire franchise. Except Zero. So the difference in how much I like them isn't, like, huge. Man, now I'm wishing more good mecha anime would get localized. Like, so far this year we've gotten Dynazenon and that's it to my knowledge, and Dynazenon is really more of a sentai/kaiju show that's borrowing some super robot flavor and also if it and Gridman don't end up in an upcoming SRW title within the next few years, I'll be shocked because just listen to those opening themes, they were made to be SRW BGMs.
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May 13, 2021 20:10
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All of this talk about mecha anime just makes me realize... I haven't really watched much mecha anime. Are you restricted to the 1st-gen units for these missions or were you using them just because these 1st-gen VTs unlock at this point and you wanted to show them off before moving on to 2nd- and 3rd-gen VTs?
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May 14, 2021 11:04
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