KitK
09/14/09 04:17 PM
198.169.17.160
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I was reading the wiki today about the phantom mech ability, the Kells, and Mallory's world, etc. It was possibly the most interesting and entertaining thing I'll read today.
Anyway, I'm thinking "Nul-Signature System!" A'int LosTech great? It would take double heatsinks, too. You could slap them into an Archer and Warhammer no problem. The problem is, however, it should have stopped working when Morgan's Archer lost its arm, and one would have to significantly modify a Victor's existing critical placements to get the N-SS in. Though maybe one could fluff around it being it is in-universe 'legend' anyway.
KK
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Karagin
09/14/09 07:39 PM
72.178.75.99
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I think you are confusing the skill and the tech. Morgan and others have this skill, it's unique to them thus will keep on working as long as they are breathing and awake.
The Null Signature System in away mimics this, but doesn't give all of the same bonuses as the Phantom Mech Ability does.
Also the Phantom Mech Ability isn't something the average mechwarrior will have, thus it is balanced and not run roughshot over the game.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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KitK
09/15/09 01:20 PM
192.75.63.222
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I see what you're saying.
Part of the wiki tried to give possible technological explanations of the legend as opposed to some otherworldly skill. That's what I latched onto.
KK
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Frabby
10/21/09 06:51 AM
87.164.222.120
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I think it's worthwile to point out that the Line Developer, Herbert A. Beas II (aka HABEAS) has effenctively denounced the PMA skill by officially saying that "magic" is among the "other things [which are] not BattleTech". See latest update to the Phantom Mech article on the wiki.
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Karagin
10/21/09 06:39 PM
72.178.75.99
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Who said it was magic? I never said that, I said it was a skill that gave the heros an edge, it was there to allow some kind of mystery of why he wasn't killed.
We already have magic in the game, it's call the Word Of Blake and how they managed to go from nothing to uber power faster then any known nation in history. Their legions of mechs, vehicles and infantry as well as all the cyborgs they have and can pay for, feed, cloth, supply, transport etc...not to mention their warships and how they just happen to pull of all that is said they did...right no magic...
So read again what I wrote, I never said it was magic, I said it was a skill, you can go and look at the whole set of rules as found in the Kell Hound Unit book and scenario pack.
I really wonder what else TPTB are going to rip out of Battletech? We have the Wolverines working with the WoB, we have mis-jumped Warship returning to be used by the WoB, we have other mysteries all being accredited to the WoB....I wonder what is next for them to be using or have started or control that at one time was one of the small mysteries that gave this game character and depth.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Prince_of_Darkness
10/22/09 03:56 PM
205.202.120.216
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Quote:
Who said it was magic? I never said that, I said it was a skill that gave the heros an edge, it was there to allow some kind of mystery of why he wasn't killed.
Yes, but for a "realistically futuristic" game like battletech, The Phantom 'Mech Ability seems real gimmicky.
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We already have magic in the game, it's call the Word Of Blake and how they managed to go from nothing to uber power faster then any known nation in history.
FLAMEBAIT!
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Their legions of mechs, vehicles and infantry as well as all the cyborgs they have and can pay for, feed, cloth, supply, transport etc...not to mention their warships and how they just happen to pull of all that is said they did...right no magic...
You forget many of the key points that the CBT authors made when the Jihad was announced. They are doing this not just because they have to pick up after Wizkids- All the tech, weapons, and fanatics are explained.
'Mechs & Vehicles? Remember that just Earth had 7 times the production capacity of Tharkad, and that was house Steiner's production hub. Seven times! Considering that the Word held onto earth for nearly 10 years before the Jihad makes me wonder why they have not built more material. This is exacerbated by having Comstar holding onto and Caching all 'mechs and shit on the planet for over hundreds of years- Herb Beas knows how much stuff is hidden on Terra.
The Word had also taken several worlds right next to it to envelop into it's protectorate. Scarred by the succession wars, sure, but close worlds nonetheless, and each is heavily populated. With the lull of wars following the war in 3039 and the buildup that followed the Clan invasion, each world would have had some industrial structure; and considering the Words "incentives" to join their protectorate, I would say that by 3067 each is fairly heavily rebuilt.
Infantry is and easy one- who said that all people on a planet are devoted to their lord and state? Fluff and stories have many mentions of people, even infantrymen, who think things can be run better. Spread this idea across a few billion people on a planet, and then add in a few thousand planets into a universe, and you've got one big-ass cult. Having them run and operate fully half the HPG's across known space and bringing help to periphery colonies only makes recruitment easier.
Cyborgs? Those have been in CBT lore ever since it's inception. The level seems extreme, but remember that we are dealing with a universe that can attach nerves directly to robotic substitutes and replace organic muscle with false plastic replacements, all the while having them powered by the sugar in one's bloodstream. Hell, I could even say that replacements for limbs has reached an almost Quake 2/4 Strogg level, but having an assembly line for limb replacement sounds almost as stupid as Quake 4.
Payment ties into the entire"millions of believers across thousands of worlds" thing. Even if every person donated one C-Bill, that's still a lot of damned money. Now, make them own half a HPG network, hold the center of production for humanity, have millions of worshippers, and an entire economy to rope it all together- well, I remember a thread talking about how the economy of BT is full of holes, and it explained it perfectly.
And finally, Warships? Titan yards and known derelicts. Sure, even i'll admit that there is a lot of them, but the Titan yards didn't suffer during the takeover.
Quote:
So read again what I wrote, I never said it was magic, I said it was a skill, you can go and look at the whole set of rules as found in the Kell Hound Unit book and scenario pack.
How the hell can you affect your opponents sensors from a different 'mech when you don't have anything close to ECM? Sounds like majicks to me...
Quote:
I really wonder what else TPTB are going to rip out of Battletech? We have the Wolverines working with the WoB, we have mis-jumped Warship returning to be used by the WoB, we have other mysteries all being accredited to the WoB....I wonder what is next for them to be using or have started or control that at one time was one of the small mysteries that gave this game character and depth.
Did you ever think they will make a lot more mysteries so people will quit whining about it?
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Karagin
10/22/09 05:03 PM
72.178.75.99
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You can defend the current storyline as much as you want, they have not explained things in a manner that allows the players to have the information to jump and continue on with things like we have had in the past, i.e. when other sourcebooks and such came out we got the facts or close to them, based off of what was in the novels and thus you could then tailor the campaign or game to fit what was going on. Now all we get are silly newspaper like reports that don't tell us anything of facts, just rumor and hear say and each report is slanted by who is giving the report. They could do better with the current storyline and thus save a lot of whinning and other such things. They way the whole Jihad and the MWDA WizKid crap was presented soured a lot of players to the game and the universe. NOTHING was done to change that, in fact the flame wars that came up pretty much showed a lot of us that TPTB and their friends are entrenched to keep the Jihad and the MWDA future events, which means that we all know the finial out come of things, even with the fill in the blank bit, aka the current storyline and upcoming events, the finial event is known. Kind of makes things less fun. Until they put out a sourcebook that gives facts and none of the newspaper style reporting, they have not meet the burden to prove the events enough for a lot of us to buy into the whole Jihad Storyline. I am sorry that you don't like the idea that some of do not like the current storyline and have pointed out the issues and plot holes. One would think that a company who needs fans to stay around would make sure listen to the fans and stop only listening to those who only say its' wonderful don't change things.
As for your comment on the PMA, it was a character specific ability, rare and only munchkins would want to use a character with it, noting that a character who is a stated NPC, aka Morgan Kell, has it along with other stated NPCs all numbering, wait I think you can count them on one hand, less the 6 total, more like 5. So really how is it being over used or abused?
Absurd? Maybe, but I have seen people walk through an explosion that killed the folks to left and right of them, did nothing to them, call it luck or edge or what ever, it isn't as far fetched as you or Herb or Randal want to believe.
As for you last question, they have a mystery, it is called the events of the Mechwarrior sage and the blackout and all that goes with it.
I hope you enjoy the current storyline and all that goes with it. Myself, I will stick with things I like about the game and toss out the stuff that is not important to me or the group I game with. Besides the game and its universe are big enough for numerous what ifs' and differences of opinions on the events and facts.
Again enjoy playing the game as you do, I will keep on enjoying gaming as I do.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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