What will happen next?

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Requiem
08/01/18 04:40 PM
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War is a real estate business and it requires a strong military industrial complex- and all the different people of the Inner Sphere could be considered to be a very aggressive … due to an almost constant warfare ….

Considering the scope of military conflicts, between that of 3050 to 3130, could most of the militaries within the Inner Sphere considered to be “reduced in numbers and suffering irreparable damage” by 3130 / 3150 … ?

So, will there be a pause in the wars of the Inner Sphere to allow all the armies to regroup and rearm before ‘the next great war arc’ of the Inner Sphere?

And what could this new war arc be?

Another war with …. the Clans? …. The Republic of the Inner Sphere? …. A return to Davion Vs. Kurita or Liao? Or will those Clans on the Clan Home Worlds, who have been able to survive up to now, return to the Inner Sphere, lured by the dream of becoming the il-Clan once more?

Or will there be another unknown enemy who arrive to challenge the beleaguered forces of the Inner Sphere once more?

Thoughts?

Or could it be that no one knows how to move the story forward - they have finally written themselves into a corner they do not know how to get out of?
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.
Requiem
08/02/18 03:26 AM
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Unfortunately, the Future of Battletech will be determined within the ‘focus group’ by marketing managers.

Their aim, to reinvigorate the Brand by making it stand apart from its competitors.

They will look at the people who love the game, attempt to break them down into subgroups so that they can understand their target market – which would include understanding their drives, needs and wants etc (basic psychological profile and income profile as to discretionary income).

They will then attempt to understand people, who play Battletech’s competitor games in an effort to shift their allegiance from their exiting game to that of Battletech ….

To do this however will require something new, a hook as it were, to lure them in and to keep them playing more and more …. Purchasing new books etc … and the ultimate aim of a higher profits margin….

So we need to ask ourselves what would this hook be, that would lure people from competitor games to that of the Battletech Universe ….

Please don’t laugh …. But ….

Do we need to ask ourselves is it time to shift the game’s basic paradigm … from humans Vs. Humans based upon state Vs. State … to that of alien(s) vs. human Vs Human

What could be a bigger hook than Human Mech’s Vs. Alien Mechs

For I cannot see a way of rebranding the Battletch universe otherwise

The only other way is the existing cliché of a new human empire (a nuevo Clans as it were) – the return of Clan Wolverine?

A Lost tribe of man returning home from deep space? (a Battlestar Galactica type scenario?)
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.
ghostrider
08/02/18 04:55 PM
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Those people they would look to for making the game continue has a big problem. They are the fanatics that believe anything the company does it the only way. They need to reach to those that like the game but have some reservations. And going to the official site to say anything, especially running counter to the concensous gets you harassed by those that don't want anything other then company line.

The suggestions have some merit, but there is more then could do with the game with what they got. Simple breaking up of all states and having to restart building them would be a start. Enough people in power have gripes about their areas, and would seem to have the house leaders ignoring their areas to consolidate power. The other powers not getting involved or hitting the FC should have happened and would set off those leaders. Why protect someone on the other side of the IS when they don't want us there mentality. But they didn't do it.

Simple warlords becoming more powerful as the large houses are paralyzed with so many issues, and the warlords expand. This would shatter all the states in the IS.

The use of clan Wolverine would have to ignore the fact maybe a few thousand got away. No where near what would be needed to build a new civilization and expand into a power house. The genetics, such as cloning, or the breeding system the clans used would help there. But the general lack of fresh dna would ultimately destroy them. So they would have to raid others to get some diversity. They did take people on their romp thru the DC before they headed out, but just how many were taken or could even remain alive on the few assets they got out of clan space with?
Requiem
08/03/18 03:55 AM
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Considering availability – for the most part via amazon only – as very few stores; as well as considering some of the “like-ability” / “good-game” scores upon the net when researching military strategy games . The people at Topps who own the game need to revitalize the Brand to increase participant numbers playing the game via either Table top or RPG (Computer if another issue entirely and cannot be relied upon to generate interest in either Table top or RPG – ie. Different target market ).

You must also consider the main game threats – Star Wars and Warhammer 40K.

Thus here now there needs to be a “massive hook” to generate interest – as it is it appears as though the developers are just going back in time to recreate books for Amaris / Succession wars and this is not enough!

The question is then - what would be the massive hook to revitalize the Battletech Universe to get it back to its 1980/90 appeal in the game store? How does it compete?

Possible options:-
3D printer Mechs - cheap to produce? But whoever holds the license to make the 'Mechs now would go nuts ....
Story Plot - completely do-able when coupled with a new box set (advanced mechs etc set in 3150 going forward from there ... completely possible .... but it would have to be very good! and at a reasonable price)
Final option - Close all Books down / sell off to another buyer making it heir problem - rely upon Computer sales only. (from a corporation's point of view this is a consideration remember if the profit margin is considered to be no longer there - as it appears the print numbers for any new book is low which is an indication in itself)
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.


Edited by Requiem (08/03/18 06:41 AM)
happyguy49
08/04/18 03:08 AM
173.199.65.62

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If the universe needs another hook, there are plenty of creative ways to make that happen. Continue to devolve existing powers in favor of new ones, mix and match (for instance the Sea Foxes join the FWL? Didn't see that coming.), now a (il)Clan controls Terra apparently? I do think the 32nd century needs a couple of fun Black-Swan type events to spice things up a bit from the normal factional competition. Such as...

What I would like:
-the long distance 1000-light-year-range Super Jump Drive is refined to practical useability (i.e, it doesn't burn up after one use.) Imagine being able to go to and from the Clan homeworlds in one or two jumps. Making the universe a lot smaller could have some interesting effects...
-the pressure of Grey Monday causes inventors to make Black Boxes get cheap enough (say, 10 million-ish) to become nearly universal. Thus resolving the Grey Monday plotline and permanently supplanting HPGs for most interstellar communications other than conferencing and other real-time applications.
-refugees from Word of Blake meet up with fleeing Society members, realize they are natural allies, and merge to become the next techno-hell 'Big Bad' that opposes both the Clans and the Spheroids. Bonus points if they serendipitously find and incorporate hidden Wolverines and or ancient hidden Rim Worlders for extra anti-rest-of-humanity hate. Combining clan gene-tech with Manei Domini borg-tech could make for some monstrously terrifying opponents. Ghostriders' point about fleeing refugee populations being too small to be a threat is valid, but there is actually nothing stopping a power with clan Iron Womb tech, and WoB/Society scientific amorality from growing billions of babies in just a few years, raising them in large creches, etc. and seeding hidden/abandoned systems with colonies.
-throw in a big natural event, like a supernova. Apparently Betlegeuse has a 4 billion strong planet in its system, and that star is due to go supernova at any time. The after-effects of a supernova for the system and its immediate neighborhood could be interesting, especially if it happens in an otherwise currently top-dog power.


but please.. NO (sentient) ALIENS. There are plenty of fictional sci-fi universes with aliens, what is cool about the battletech universe (and the Duneiverse) is there are NO ALIENS.
ghostrider
08/04/18 03:55 PM
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Requiem is against the iron womb, ie eugenics.
For revitalization of the game, it may work decently.

Better jump drives is nice, but you lose the 'front line' mentality of the game. Now all your worlds are subject to hits, not just those within 2 jumps of the borders.
Not a bad thing, but something to keep in mind.

Taking over interstellar coms is something could work, but there is one major issue with it. The messages going across the borders would more then likely not make it, or be so looked over for any intel, it would be useless to give it to spies. They would have to do it old school and send written/holographic messages home. Hand delivered.

I don't think it would bring in new players, but having the Sol system's sun supernova. That removes terra from the game completely. The would change alot of things, not just comstar/WOB. The clans would have no purpose to take terra anymore, so do they retreat back to the home worlds? Decide to wipe out the houses? Start a civil war wardens verse crusaders?
Even making terra a quarantined system would change tactics and such.
No drives for IS warships, depending on the time frame it is implemented. Nasty idea for splintering the IS. Have all house leaders on terra for a meeting when it goes. Fights for the throne as well as independence for those that wanted it. Major chaos.
Could use an experiment that destabilizes the sun as the catalyst for it. The range jumpship could be in prototype, and misjump into the sun, causing it to blow up. Other possibilities here as well.
Requiem
08/04/18 05:55 PM
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Questions:

How do you revitalize a game that’s distribution channel is now, as far as I can see, primarily internet based?

When was the last time advertising for Battletech was seen within a game store? Thus how do you find a new target market (game players)?

Thus, are the any correlations between those who campaign in the Battletech Universe and other activities?

Does the Computer game lead to sales of RPG / Table top games etc. / Books / Novels etc.? or do those who play computer games just stay to this game format?

Is there advertising within the computer game to inform those who play the computer game that there are also other formats – books etc. that can also be purchased?

These are the types of questions that are needed to be answered if the RPG and Table Top game is to survive.

Perhaps rather than using the game to promote itself a new (or old depending on your point of view) format should be considered / re-considered.

My suggestion is therefore the creation of a new Anime (though in all reality this should have been started 10-15 years ago) – however – I hope if they do go down this path a reworking of current story line to remove many of the underlying story gaffs .

So which era do you believe would make a good Anime?

How about the Warrior books – Pre and during the 4th SW – as the story goes it is compelling with many wars etc.?
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.


Edited by Requiem (08/04/18 05:55 PM)
ghostrider
08/04/18 08:42 PM
66.74.61.223

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Would think start with the final battle for Terra in the Amaris war, then jump to some time just after 3000.
Now having a few shows that bring you up to date, such as nuking kenteras and a few other low (high) points in history, might be a good thing.

I would think paying the person who came up with the Dragoons and basing a series off their exploits.
Other mercs could be included or have their stories told as well.
Though a live action setting may well do it. Even if it is just a single movie or two, like wing commander, D&D, and Halo to name a few.
Costs would be the problem, but with the CGI being soo much better then jason and the argonauts or even the original star wars, it could be great.

The video games could get something going, but they would have to stop with the magic bs of shields. Or actually put it in the game itself.
Advertising is none existent from what I have seen. And that is where alot of new people come into the game. Just letting them know there is a game out there helps.
Then again, RTS games could work as well as turn based games such as remaking the Cresent Hawks, and expanding to other units and such. More of a overhead/3rd person shooter. From what it looks like the HBS game seems to be heading in the right direction. Only seen the vidoes, haven't played it,
Requiem
08/05/18 12:38 AM
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and thus the start of a new post ...
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.
ghostrider
08/05/18 08:09 PM
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As much as I agree with Happy about keeping aliens out of the game, there were some included in the novel Far Country. So it isn't like they haven't done some foreshadowing there. It could well be, the creatures started making the equipment after the settlements wiped each other out, or even built the weapons to remove the humans from that world.

The issue with having aliens, comes down to being worse then the clans and WOB. The clans were there as the SLDF ran and their descendants came back. Ok. I can handle that. Higher tech? Maybe not so much.
WOB was too much. Even distracted by the clans, comstar would have seen the build up, and the invasion of earth during the clan war was too much for them to ignore after the clans lost the trial of refusal.
Yet I thought they would run the WOB going against Comstar and the FC, with the DC/CC/FWL backing them. That didn't happen, but the fact WOB could just do what they wanted to, and take so long to be countered was too much.

There is alot they could do, but it involves tearing down the major houses and even Comstar to do it. WOB and other factions could well start a war for control of the IS coms, and cause even more havoc, as messages from member worlds are lost, such as a rebellion going off, and the local garrison is overwhelmed. Then others join.
Even the Comstar factions could be backing such things, restricting information off their worlds, making only jumpships capable of delivering messages.
Yes, the black box technology counters this some, but once found, it could well be jammed with fake messages and such that anything coming from it, can not be considered the truth. Comstar could well find a way to jam any signals it gets or sends out, to remove it from being used on any worlds they have an HPG on.
Karagin
08/05/18 08:23 PM
72.176.187.91

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Alien could be anything, it could be another human group that has totally different internal organs then we do, but look human or something like that. Think Star Trek vs Star Wars. The game doesn't need an outside or Outer Sphere enemy, it needs less silliness coming up, the idea of Mad Max style everything is not a route the game should have ever taken, the original idea of mechs being rare faded around the time of the 4th War and then the silliness of the tech race took off.

Some things they add in via The Tactical Handbook and MaxTech were fine, some not so great, but then we have too many things added just because some thought it was a good idea or wanted a pro-wrestling feel to the game where things best left to Solaris Arenas all of a sudden became standard items found on mechs, like chainsaws etc...which is great for the staged silliness of Solaris but not actual battlefields. Then we get things like partial wings...yawn and super stealth tech for mechs and tanks...yeah uhmm no. These are things that NEED to go away, meaning their is science fiction and then there is sci-fi. Here let me explain, science fiction keeps some elements of normal science adds in fiction uses for said science, sci-fi takes both and goes out the window and just uses words with no real meaning and has cool gizmos to get folks to latch on to it.

Battletech has giant robots bashing other giant robots, with spaceships and exotic locations and lasers and high tech weapons that are only now getting to real world testing, but then instead of making this work like it was they tossed in all kinds of silliness, and thus stepped in the realm of the B movie sci-fi that you don't need a good plot, when you have the cool gadgets and super heroes who can figure who the bad guys in 30 minutes or less thus saving the day or at least saving enough it for now and the bad guy gets away to fight another day etc...

Having said all that, I don't see them doing much but fixing the map board, something will be removed, one house needs to go away. They need a more stable playing field, right now the factions are too many and confusing to many. Add in the lack of any real continuity for the players, who is who now? Who is pro-Kurtia still or Davion etc...The need for sourcebooks and actual novels is telling. We need a full showing of events from the end of the Davion Civil War till the current date in a manner that actually tells us what happen and why and how things move forward.
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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