Wednesday 26 June 2013

MechWarrior: Online - Project Phoenix Revealed


GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!! Or rather this is THE best news since they said they were making MechWarrior: Online!!

Out beloved Unseen are making their first appearance in 20 years!! Not all unfortunately, but we get 4!! We get 4 of the most famous too!! Admittedly all Unseen are famous and just FANTASTIC!! But my 4 favourites are finally making their appearance.

The four Unseen that we'll be getting our hands on are: the Locust, the Shadow Hawk, Thunderbolt and Battlemaster, [Source].


Each Mech has easily won a place in my heart and I really cannot wait to get inside the cockpit and pilot them.

Project Phoenix for MechWarrior: Online is a limited, one time offer. In which you can pre-order these Mechs. From my understanding; each package gives you a Phoenix BattleMech (which is similar to the Founder's and Hero BattleMechs). They are the original variants featured in the original TRO (Technical Readout 3025). They would feature unique colour schemes just like the Founder's/Hero BattleMechs.

IN ADDITION; depending on the package, you get 2 standard variants per Phoenix BattleMech!!
The $20 Package gives you a Locust Phoenix BattleMech and 2 Locust standard variants. Total Mechs = 3

The $40 Package gives you a Locust and Shadow Hawk Phoenix BattleMech and 2 Locust and Shadow Hawk standard variants. Total Mechs = 6

The $60 gives you a Locust, Shadow Hawk and Thunderbolt Phoenix BattleMech and 2 Locust, Shadow Hawk and Thunderbolt standard variants. Total Mechs = 9

The $80 Locust, Shadow Hawk, Thunderbolt and Battlemaster Phoenix BattleMecha and 2 Locust, Shadow Hawk, Thunderbolt and Battlemaster standard variants. Total Mechs = 12

In addition you get a free MechBay with each Mech!! That means with the "Overlord" or $80 Package gives you 12 free MechBays!! THIS IS FANTASTICALLY BRILLIANT!!! You also get Premium Time and Cockpit Medallions.

You can pre-order them [Here] now.

Lets take a look at each Phoenix BattleMech.

Locust Phoenix BattleMech will be exactly like the Locust LCT-1V, but with a 30% CBill boost and 10% Loyalty Boost. It is a 20 Ton Mech; armed with 2 Machine Guns and 1 Mediumn Laser. It's stock speed would be around 129.6kph. It'll be one of the fastest Light Mechs around!!

Shadow Hawk Phoenix BattleMech will be exactly like the SHD-2H , but with a 30% CBill boost and 10% Loyalty Boost. It is a 55 Ton Mech; armed with an AC/5, LRM 5, SRM 2 and a Medium Laser. It also has Jump Jets. It's stock speed would be around 86.4kph. It'll be the heaviest Medium Mech to date.

Thunderbolt Phoenix BattleMech will be exactly like the TDR-5S , but with a 30% CBill boost and 10% Loyalty Boost. It is a 65 Ton Mech; armed with a Large Laser, 3 Medium Lasers, an LRM 15, SRM 2 and 2 Machine Guns. It's stock speed would be around 64.8kph (similar to a Jagermech or Catapult). This or the Battlemaster would be my favourite Phoenix Mech I reckon.

Battlemaster Phoenix BattleMech will be exactly like the BLR-1G , but with a 30% CBill boost and 10% Loyalty Boost. It is an 85 Ton Mech; armed with a PPC, 6 Medium Lasers, 2 Machine Guns and an SRM 6. It's stock speed would be around 64.8kph and would quite possibly be the fastest stock Assault Mech to date (Victor notwithstanding)! This or the Thunderbolt would be my favourite Phoenix Mech I reckon.

If you don't know what the Unseen are and why they're so special here's a quick rundown.
The Unseen is a term used for some of the first BattleMech designs from the original game. These designs, longtime favorites of BattleTech fans, were based on mecha found in the Japanese anime series' Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Fang of the Sun Dougram and Crusher Joe.

Legal difficulties prohibited FASA from displaying any more pictures depicting these 'Mechs, although they were often freely mentioned in novels and books, and their rules remained legal. Thus, these 'Mechs remained unseen until the publication of Technical Readout: Project Phoenix, which presented "redesigns", allowing them to be used freely once again.

On 24 June, 2009, it was announced that Catalyst Game Labs had secured the permissions needed to utilize the original "unseen" artwork for these designs again.

Shortly after the return of the "unseen" BattleMechs was announced, the BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction PDF was pulled from circulation. Managing editor Randall Bills made a statement on Catalyst Game Labs' website on August 10th, 2009 explaining the move. An error was made in negotiating the distribution rights for some of the images. Twelve Unseen images, those originating from Macross, were again pulled from circulation and will remain unseen, due to their exclusive distribution rights (within the United States) belonging to another company (Harmony Gold). Whether or not these images will be licensed or purchased in the future remains to be seen. The tone of the article was doubtful.

The Unseen is a term used for some of the first BattleMech designs from the original game. These designs, longtime favorites of BattleTech fans, were based on mecha found in the Japanese anime series' Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Fang of the Sun Dougram and Crusher Joe.

Legal difficulties prohibited FASA from displaying any more pictures depicting these 'Mechs, although they were often freely mentioned in novels and books, and their rules remained legal. Thus, these 'Mechs remained unseen until the publication of Technical Readout: Project Phoenix, which presented "redesigns", allowing them to be used freely once again.

On 24 June, 2009, it was announced that Catalyst Game Labs had secured the permissions needed to utilize the original "unseen" artwork for these designs again.

Shortly after the return of the "unseen" BattleMechs was announced, the BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction PDF was pulled from circulation. Managing editor Randall Bills made a statement on Catalyst Game Labs' website on August 10th, 2009 explaining the move. An error was made in negotiating the distribution rights for some of the images. Twelve Unseen images, those originating from Macross, were again pulled from circulation and will remain unseen, due to their exclusive distribution rights (within the United States) belonging to another company (Harmony Gold). Whether or not these images will be licensed or purchased in the future remains to be seen. The tone of the article was doubtful.

PS: Can't wait to see the rest of the Concept Art!!

4 comments:

  1. So much hype for the Locust, been longing for a light with loads of ballistic hard points since i fell in love with my jenner

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  2. Have to say, I'm not real familiar with all of the Battletech/Mechwarrior lore and or history. In fact, I never even played much of the old pen and paper Battletech game and even up til recently never gamed much at all. And further still, was not really in to FPS's.

    That all being said, I am quite frankly, addicted to this game. I've actually had to install Cold Turkey on my pc just so I can actually get some productivity done at home. lol

    Regarding the Phoenix Rising project: I'm with ya in your enthusiasm for the release of these mechs, with a similar enthusiasm for both the Battlemaster and the Thunderbolt. Hopefully, I can find one to love.

    My current faves are a 6 LL Stalker 5S and do fair to midland with it. I'm also very comfortable with my Dragon-5n. But, I do not "Love" either of them and as hard as I might, still can not get into the Atlas. The Phracts are okay and I have fun (albeit, not much success, but fun) with the Jagermech.

    Remaining patient, I feel that one fo these four Phoenix Mechs will be for me.

    See ya on the Battlefield Sgt.-Thaddeus. And I'll be returning here for visits and to share thoughts and feedback.

    Thx!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks mate!

      I too have never actually played the TT BattleTech, but I remember picking up the original TRO at the age of 4. I was so intrigued and curious, wouldn't stop bugging my dad about it. He taught me basically everything to do with BattleTech. Thanks to him fell in love with the Unseen.

      Anyway, I agree, finding the "right" Mech can be extremely difficult. You'll know you'll come across the right one, once you start to get more kills than deaths and more wins than losses in that specific Mech. That or you just have an absolute blast piloting that Mech regardless of stats!! Mostly the latter, but there's a combination of both.

      I wish you good luck! Cya on the battlefield!

      PS. In game I go by Varro Thaddeus

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