Twitter Mech Design General Feedback 5.11.2020

[Thorp]

I think one thing that is good to note is that idea of the mecha have more than 2 arms and 2 legs. To some people this seems odd and unrealistic.

I'm open to the idea of unique mech designs. Realistically additional limbs would increase energy cost and weight of the mech with few obvious benefits but for a video game why not? A benefit could be reduction in gun recoil since you'll have more stability on the ground.

Limbs converted to treads/tires on the other hand would make sloped traversal and rocky terrain problematic. May as well make hover mechs instead.

Side Note: I really like this mech Grummz posted. Reminds me of the early Hawken days. But this mech doesn't really line up with the pilot forming the underlying skeleton of the mech like the light and medium does.

 

[Omnires]

I'm open to the idea of unique mech designs. Realistically additional limbs would increase energy cost and weight of the mech with few obvious benefits but for a video game why not? A benefit could be reduction in gun recoil since you'll have more stability on the ground.

Limbs converted to treads/tires on the other hand would make sloped traversal and rocky terrain problematic. May as well make hover mechs instead.

Side Note: I really like this mech Grummz posted. Reminds me of the early Hawken days. But this mech doesn't really line up with the pilot forming the underlying skeleton of the mech like the light and medium does.

True, but remember most of the omniframes was designed for things like exploration and industrial work before they was changed to war machines on E8-ber. Kind of like how I picture the thumpers was used for industrial mining before they was converted to also be combat unit. Given the nature of such things it wouldn't be uncommon to see frames with extra limbs based on what they was designed do before being converted. For example an industrial construction mecha might have 4 arms to help do jobs better having one person doing the job of two or more people. 2 arms being used to hold a heavy object in place 1 arm to attach object to something else, and 1 arm to weld/bolt/screw them in place. Mecha with 4 legs could have been used to carry heavy loads on the ground in rough terrain and keep the load stable while people was exploring or building things in areas where flying units can't get to (like inside of caves and mines). Things like this would have been the practical use of such mecha before the war started.

After the war started and the mecha was converted for combat use the extra limbs on some of them would have given them an advantage when it comes to specific tasks and jobs. For example 4 legged units being more stable and able to safely carry heavier loads than 2 legged units would have made them better for use as heavy artillery units and siege units as the would be able to carry and use weapons to large and heavy for units to handle (like taking the cannon of a battleship can attaching it to your back.). Units with 4 arms could have an advantage close range and melee combat as they would be able to hold and use more weapons than normal or do two different things at once (like using 2 arms to melee a monsters that is front of them while using the other 2 arms fire handguns at on off to the side them.). Because of the extra limbs adding more mass to the units they are not able to glide using wings as well as the normal units are. But to make up for this fact 4 legged units with a lighted load can often outrun to normal units on land and 4 armed units are able to use their hands to better do things like climb rock up faces to high to jump jet over.

I'm not saying everyone omniframe would be like this. But they options to make such a thing is there with plausible reasons for them to exist. Even if you only make them special units that would most likely see NPCs use as part of elite units and not the players, because are meant to more part of the general army rather than something like spec-ops or R&D. Seeing a few units like those would make since from a game play stand point. Why do we have to hold off the enemy and keep them in place for about 8 minuets? Because that is bout the time it would take for the artillery units to get into place and fire their weapons, as our weapons are to small and weak to break the armor/shield they have.