BattleTech coming back via Kickstarter

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 8:26 am

Pre-load complete - 12 MB/s! It's nice that I'm between projects right now so I can give this a few hours today.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:40 am

Funny how this game wasn't even on my radar until yesterday. Now, it's pre-loaded and ready to go!!

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:33 am

I'm going to test out the fiber connection we're having installed at work and download this to a flash drive to bring home tonight. Speed report in an hour and 25 minutes when it's unlocked on GOG.

I'm going in without tips, guides, videos, streams, spoilers, or anything else. I prefer to discover games on my own as much as I can.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:57 am

Paingod wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:33 am I'm going to test out the fiber connection we're having installed at work and download this to a flash drive to bring home tonight. Speed report in an hour and 25 minutes when it's unlocked on GOG.

I'm going in without tips, guides, videos, streams, spoilers, or anything else. I prefer to discover games on my own as much as I can.

Be sure to come back by and write a little on it after you make it through a good bit. At this point I am jaded and am curious how others who aren't find it.

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:00 am

Arrgh, power is out at the house! Such is the fate of all those who mock Smoove's broadband speed. (but in all fairness Coop started it)

Edit: Power is restored! I will never mock Smoove again! (until the Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire pre-load is available if Smoove bought that game)

DD* · Post by DD* » Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:06 am

T minus 60 minutes to unlock!

Cylus Maxii · Post by **Cylus Maxii** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:10 am

Doh! - I was planning to pre-load this last night and wasn't feeling well. I didn't even fire up my PC.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:13 am

Paingod wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:33 am I'm going in without tips, guides, videos, streams, spoilers, or anything else. I prefer to discover games on my own as much as I can.

The extreme weight of this interface may punish you for this strategy. The tutorials seem... inadequate. You'll figure it out all out eventually.

Archinerd · Post by **Archinerd** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:27 am

From the few reviews I've read this morning, seems like the main complaints are;
1. slow pace due to animations.
2. sometimes clunky interface.
3. creepy silence from mechwarriors during combat.

Despite these complaints, it still sounds like the game gets a lot right.
I can't play until late tonight at the earliest so hopefully you all provide some impressions before then.

Freyland · Post by **Freyland** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:57 am

Archinerd wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:27 am From the few reviews I've read this morning, seems like the main complaints are;
1. slow pace due to animations.
2. sometimes clunky interface.
3. creepy silence from mechwarriors during combat.

Despite these complaints, it still sounds like the game gets a lot right.
I can't play until late tonight at the earliest so hopefully you all provide some impressions before then.

I played Battletech incessantly for 10+ years through adolescence and college. I never once felt compelled to make voice-overs for my mechpilots. OTOH, I always, always wished I could see the weapons fire, the armor vaporize and the mech's crashing to the ground. Pretty clear to me that this PC game was made for the Battletech players, not the instant-gratification folk.

IceBear · Post by **IceBear** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:00 pm

Unlocking....

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:00 pm

To be honest, given the number of times I'm going to shoot things or move in the game, I don't think they could record enough mechwarrior voice lines to prevent them from repeating themselves. How many ways can you say "moving to target area"?

Also, I'm not paying the SOBs to chit chat.

Archinerd · Post by **Archinerd** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:10 pm

Freyland wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:57 am
Archinerd wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:27 am From the few reviews I've read this morning, seems like the main complaints are;
1. slow pace due to animations.
2. sometimes clunky interface.
3. creepy silence from mechwarriors during combat.

Despite these complaints, it still sounds like the game gets a lot right.
I can't play until late tonight at the earliest so hopefully you all provide some impressions before then.
I played Battletech incessantly for 10+ years through adolescence and college. I never once felt compelled to make voice-overs for my mechpilots. OTOH, I always, always wished I could see the weapons fire, the armor vaporize and the mech's crashing to the ground. Pretty clear to me that this PC game was made for the Battletech players, not the instant-gratification folk.

None are deal breakers for me either, still very excited.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:12 pm

From watching a lot I would say the pilots comments are just about right.

They seems to say things at appropriate times as well.

IceBear · Post by **IceBear** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:28 pm

Launching...if you don't hear from me I'll be in Battletech bliss

Archinerd · Post by **Archinerd** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:30 pm

That's weird. I felt fine this morning when I got to work but now I might have the stomach flu.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:31 pm

Downloading now but speeds are fluctuating all over the place.

IceBear · Post by **IceBear** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:35 pm

I guess the Paradox servers are getting slammed...tried to submit my Valhalla code and it's just spinning

DD* · Post by DD* » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:46 pm

Gah, I'm updating now. Steam first told me over an hour, the bastard. Now at 10 minutes...

IceBear · Post by **IceBear** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:51 pm

Ohoh...crashed loading mission 2

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:55 pm

As is usually the case with these KS games, I suspect there will be a series of problems that will be resolved with an "emergency" patch over the next 7-10 days. And then a massive patch released in the next ~3 months that will address a large number of issues that aren't game-crippling but still rather annoying.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 1:10 pm

Thank you all for beta testing this before I pick it up on the first decent sale.

IceBear · Post by **IceBear** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 1:32 pm

Been flawless since then. Think I was clicking too much with my impatience. I watched a lot of streaming of the pre release and think I saw one hang. I think it's pretty solid. Remember this was in beta test for awhile

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 1:38 pm

I hope you're right. I just don't know the size of the beta test pool. I'd imagine it's a fraction of the number of people playing now so I'd imagine all those unique configurations are going to expose more problems. It could also be I'm a jaded PC gamer and KS backer.

IceBear · Post by **IceBear** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 1:48 pm

Oh I'm sure there are going to be issues with all the users out there now but the MP beat I think was open to most Kickstarter backers and that was really the core engine being tested there

IceBear · Post by **IceBear** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 1:49 pm

Oh...and Boom! PPC to the enemy heavy mech's head

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:20 pm

So far I've played the tutorial and part of the first story mission. I like what I see up to this point (although not as much as XCOM), but with a few caveats:

Long loading times

The tutorial is useless, consisting of "move there" and "shoot at that". If I hadn't watched a couple of video guides, I probably wouldn't understand the interface or HUD at all.

There aren't enough tool tips. See above.

No difficulty selection.

Only one save slot. From what I can tell it's Ironman or nothing.

Unless you know the lore (which I don't) the story is convoluted and confusing. It's like Game of Thrones but starting in the middle of the fourth season.

I'll be able to get back to it this afternoon and will add more later.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:39 pm

Please don’t tell me it’s a permadeath type game. I don’t mind saving a lot, but I’m too old for rouge-like games.

By the way, still 150 miles from home, cleaning out used bookstores.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:45 pm

Based on what the devs had said, the only way for the game to be permanently over is if you run out of money. Otherwise, you can keep hiring new mechwarriors and buying/salvaging new mechs. If you get beat up, you can take some easier one-star contracts to rebuild your company, then go back to doing five-star contracts where you're up against "Steiner Scout Lances" (i.e. 4x Atlas).

DD* · Post by DD* » Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:08 pm

First couple missions down and I'm having fun...

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:10 pm

There is far too much posting in this thread by people having fun. Real fun means you forget to eat and sleep. Game must be a dud.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:26 pm

There is time while your alpha strike is resolved to come to the forums, post an update and get some coffee.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:33 pm

Can't wait until the kids are in bed to give this a whirl.

The download was 20m per 4GB file on a 25x25 fiber line. 12.5GB in total.

Grifman · Post by **Grifman** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:47 pm

NickAragua wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:45 pm Based on what the devs had said, the only way for the game to be permanently over is if you run out of money. Otherwise, you can keep hiring new mechwarriors and buying/salvaging new mechs. If you get beat up, you can take some easier one-star contracts to rebuild your company, then go back to doing five-star contracts where you're up against "Steiner Scout Lances" (i.e. 4x Atlas).

Still do not like just one save slot. I remember this being an issue with the Shadowrun games also that I believe an outcry caused them to have to fix. Other games have multiple save slots, no excuse here for a modern TB game. This is just laziness on their part IMO.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:56 pm

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:39 pm Please don’t tell me it’s a permadeath type game. I don’t mind saving a lot, but I’m too old for rouge-like games.

By the way, still 150 miles from home, cleaning out used bookstores.

It isn't because you are immortal. The only way to lose is to go broke and that isn't all that easy.

Don't care about save slots. I see no reason to save scum at all. I will only load a save if there is a crash.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:59 pm

Grifman wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:47 pm
NickAragua wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:45 pm Based on what the devs had said, the only way for the game to be permanently over is if you run out of money. Otherwise, you can keep hiring new mechwarriors and buying/salvaging new mechs. If you get beat up, you can take some easier one-star contracts to rebuild your company, then go back to doing five-star contracts where you're up against "Steiner Scout Lances" (i.e. 4x Atlas).
Still do not like just one save slot. I remember this being an issue with the Shadowrun games also that I believe an outcry caused them to have to fix. Other games have multiple save slots, no excuse here for a modern TB game. This is just laziness on their part IMO.

Yeah, I have to agree with you. It's like they didn't learn their lesson from last time. Personally, I was planning on playing more or less iron man (until I get pissed off and want to load a game), but it's not that hard to see someone wanting to make a save at a critical decision point so they can replay the game from there on without having to replay the entire thing.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 4:02 pm

Turns out I was wrong about saving. Every time you save the game it creates a new slot. You just don't see it happen. Plus there are checkpoint saves.

And it has nothing to do with save scumming. The very first story mission after the tutorial has 5 or 6 stages, and there's no way I could finish it in one sitting, given my schedule. I'm sure there are longer to come.

Freyland · Post by **Freyland** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 4:03 pm

Grifman wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:47 pm
NickAragua wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:45 pm Based on what the devs had said, the only way for the game to be permanently over is if you run out of money. Otherwise, you can keep hiring new mechwarriors and buying/salvaging new mechs. If you get beat up, you can take some easier one-star contracts to rebuild your company, then go back to doing five-star contracts where you're up against "Steiner Scout Lances" (i.e. 4x Atlas).
Still do not like just one save slot. I remember this being an issue with the Shadowrun games also that I believe an outcry caused them to have to fix. Other games have multiple save slots, no excuse here for a modern TB game. This is just laziness on their part IMO.

I almost hate asking this-- why do you call it "lazy"?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 4:08 pm

tgb wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 4:02 pm Turns out I was wrong about saving. Every time you save the game it creates a new slot. You just don't see it happen. Plus there are checkpoint saves.

Good to know. That's kind of how they eventually implemented it in Shadowrun.

Grifman · Post by **Grifman** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 4:24 pm

tgb wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:20 pm So far I've played the tutorial and part of the first story mission. I like what I see up to this point (although not as much as XCOM), but with a few caveats:

Long loading times

The tutorial is useless, consisting of "move there" and "shoot at that". If I hadn't watched a couple of video guides, I probably wouldn't understand the interface or HUD at all.

There aren't enough tool tips. See above.

No difficulty selection.

Only one save slot. From what I can tell it's Ironman or nothing.

Unless you know the lore (which I don't) the story is convoluted and confusing. It's like Game of Thrones but starting in the middle of the fourth season.

I'll be able to get back to it this afternoon and will add more later.

Correction, I’ve been told at QT3, that there is more than one save slot. You might want to doublecheck.