MECHWARRIOR ONLINE / MECHWARRIOR 5 ART STYLE DISCUSSION

[friend]

Am I the only one that dislikes the current mech design in mechwarrior online and in the early gameplay footage of mechwarrior 5? I prefered more the realistic tone mechwarrior 2,3,4 had with their mechs, not being over the top sci-fi while being more realistic with the tech/art design. I dislike very much this orange theme over the older and more military themed green theme.

MechWarrior 3: Opening cinematic: https://youtu.be/mMlJQ0G3zk4
MechWarrior 4: Opening cinematic: https://youtu.be/vZWxgLQZano

MechWarrior 4: Mad Dog Design: https://imgur.com/a/ygCStfg

Video of a guy's opinion which kinda correlates to this: https://youtu.be/P651h0ISEtk

[friend]

Some examples of fan made examples that stay more to the original design than this "modern sci-fi look": https://imgur.com/a/QitY33U

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by balticnapo:

Am I the only one that dislikes the current mech design in mechwarrior online and in the early gameplay footage of mechwarrior 5?

No. A lot of mechs don't look like they should. But on the other hand, they also improved a lot of the mechs overall aesthetic. So its a toss up.. depending on which Mech we are talking about, you can find me agreeing and disagreeing with you on liking or disliking the art design more than what it should have been based on the Books.

Originally posted by balticnapo:

I prefered more the realistic tone mechwarrior 2,3,4 had with their mechs

??? What are you talking about? How was that "more realistic" back then?

You call this realistic: https://abload.de/img/mw2formationuysi8.png

The missile launchers are bigger than the reactor and the cockpit.

And don't even get me started on the Marauder: http://www.localditch.com/mechwarrior/mech2/marauder.gif

Originally posted by balticnapo:

I dislike very much this orange theme over the older and more military themed green theme.

What are you on about? What is an orange theme?

Originally posted by balticnapo:

Some examples of fan made examples that stay more to the original design than this "modern sci-fi look": https://imgur.com/a/QitY33U

That Madcat looks silly with its gigantic LRM launchers. Just compare the size of those rocket holes to the size of the cockpit window and realize that an entire human being is seated behind that window, which means those missile tubes are close to the size of a car wheel.

[BrigadierRosen]

nah i prefer the current art especially since the previous iterations haven't aged well.

don't get me started on the sarna stuff, makes me wonder if they were on crack when they drew those.

[Nightmare1]

I rather like current designs better than the old ones. This is especially the case for our Reseens! :)

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by Nightmare1:

This is especially the case for our Reseens! :)

They butchered the Wolverine and the Raven.

[Nightmare1]

Originally posted by Ishan451:

Originally posted by Nightmare1:

This is especially the case for our Reseens! :)

They butchered the Wolverine and the Raven.

Honestly, I kind of like them both.

[friend]

Originally posted by Ishan451:

Originally posted by balticnapo:

Am I the only one that dislikes the current mech design in mechwarrior online and in the early gameplay footage of mechwarrior 5?

No. A lot of mechs don't look like they should. But on the other hand, they also improved a lot of the mechs overall aesthetic. So its a toss up.. depending on which Mech we are talking about, you can find me agreeing and disagreeing with you on liking or disliking the art design more than what it should have been based on the Books.

Originally posted by balticnapo:

I prefered more the realistic tone mechwarrior 2,3,4 had with their mechs

??? What are you talking about? How was that "more realistic" back then?

You call this realistic: https://abload.de/img/mw2formationuysi8.png

The missile launchers are bigger than the reactor and the cockpit.

And don't even get me started on the Marauder: http://www.localditch.com/mechwarrior/mech2/marauder.gif

Originally posted by balticnapo:

I dislike very much this orange theme over the older and more military themed green theme.

What are you on about? What is an orange theme?

Originally posted by balticnapo:

Some examples of fan made examples that stay more to the original design than this "modern sci-fi look": https://imgur.com/a/QitY33U

That Madcat looks silly with its gigantic LRM launchers. Just compare the size of those rocket holes to the size of the cockpit window and realize that an entire human being is seated behind that window, which means those missile tubes are close to the size of a car wheel.

I've only played MW 3 and MW 4. MW 3:s cinematic had realistic mechs in my opinion. MW 4 took it a step up with giving them a more "heavy" look which I really liked, especially the Mad Dog design. If you wonder what I'm talking about "Theme" I ment UI, MechWarrior 5 seems to have gone back to the green UI which Mechwarrior online doesn't have.

[Captain Worthy]

Originally posted by balticnapo:

Originally posted by Ishan451:

No. A lot of mechs don't look like they should. But on the other hand, they also improved a lot of the mechs overall aesthetic. So its a toss up.. depending on which Mech we are talking about, you can find me agreeing and disagreeing with you on liking or disliking the art design more than what it should have been based on the Books.



??? What are you talking about? How was that "more realistic" back then?

You call this realistic: https://abload.de/img/mw2formationuysi8.png

The missile launchers are bigger than the reactor and the cockpit.

And don't even get me started on the Marauder: http://www.localditch.com/mechwarrior/mech2/marauder.gif



What are you on about? What is an orange theme?




That Madcat looks silly with its gigantic LRM launchers. Just compare the size of those rocket holes to the size of the cockpit window and realize that an entire human being is seated behind that window, which means those missile tubes are close to the size of a car wheel.

I've only played MW 3 and MW 4. MW 3:s cinematic had realistic mechs in my opinion. MW 4 took it a step up with giving them a more "heavy" look which I really liked, especially the Mad Dog design. If you wonder what I'm talking about "Theme" I ment UI, MechWarrior 5 seems to have gone back to the green UI which Mechwarrior online doesn't have.

Yeah, Mechwarrior 5 has the canonical green UI. I think PGI made the UI different in MWO mainly in order to set it apart from the line of canonical Mechwarrior games.

[[88th] ColPresumptuous]

Wait.. how is MWO mech designs less realistic?

They walk with weight, the move like a giant robot would have to, to stay upright... and they dont have any of those weird bendy ropey arms alot of the old designs used to have in art work and at least their legs can actually move unlike all the artwork ive seen on Sarna which would be physically incapable of actually bending or moving ouside of topeling the mech over instantly.

Also while ive often a fan of teh original styles in alot of IPs and tend to shy away from realism the old Mechwarrior designs do most of the time look goofy as all hell while teh MWO designs look 'cool'.

[friend]

Originally posted by 88th ColPresumptuous:

Wait.. how is MWO mech designs less realistic?

They walk with weight, the move like a giant robot would have to, to stay upright... and they dont have any of those weird bendy ropey arms alot of the old designs used to have in art work and at least their legs can actually move unlike all the artwork ive seen on Sarna which would be physically incapable of actually bending or moving ouside of topeling the mech over instantly.

Also while ive often a fan of teh original styles in alot of IPs and tend to shy away from realism the old Mechwarrior designs do most of the time look goofy as all hell while teh MWO designs look 'cool'.

Yes, some of the redesigns they have done on some of the mechs are actually more realistic. However they made the Clan mechs such as the Vulture and the Timber Wolf into sci-fi:ish alien. I prefered the old militaristic design they had which was more realistic both in practise and aesthetically. I have to give them credit though, they managed to redesign the Atlas for example pretty well.

[friend]

Originally posted by Mithrandir:

Originally posted by balticnapo:

I've only played MW 3 and MW 4. MW 3:s cinematic had realistic mechs in my opinion. MW 4 took it a step up with giving them a more "heavy" look which I really liked, especially the Mad Dog design. If you wonder what I'm talking about "Theme" I ment UI, MechWarrior 5 seems to have gone back to the green UI which Mechwarrior online doesn't have.

Yeah, Mechwarrior 5 has the canonical green UI. I think PGI made the UI different in MWO mainly in order to set it apart from the line of canonical Mechwarrior games.

It is standard in military to use green HUDs etc. Orange isn't as practical and doesn't have the same aesthetic appeal. Ever seen F-16 visor hud? https://imgur.com/a/c4QFJbd

Seems like a majority prefer rather the old green design than the new one (MechWarrior Online Forum with fans of MechWarrior online): https://mwomercs.com/forums/topic/8324-mechwarrior-huds/

[Dracul]

Most of them I like still, and hated the MW4 vulture like - so much. I 'detest' the orange HUD though in MWO for IS mechs, that damn thing is a eye sore on so many maps - have to use thermals on some snow maps/day combos especially.

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by balticnapo:

It is standard in military to use green HUDs etc.

Because the Military used Monochrome displays in the past to save money. They didn't need a 256 RGB system to display simple text information.

Modern Military Displays allow the user to set their own colors. Red, Black and the like are equally common these days.

Its not a set 'standard' in military design. Its simply a result of not needing more than a monochrome display, and increasingly becoming more and more obsolete as newer designs (most designs are still pre LED display technology), get replaced with cheaper LED screens, since SVS (synthetic vision system) becomes more common, as the SVS allows more sensors to play together and generate a 3D image for the Pilot in question, unobstructed from smoke and fog and all those annoying visual problems.

Not to mention that we'll probably gonna be full on Drone Warfrare in a couple years anyway. Edit: But ultimately you'd still want a way to look out of your vehicle in case something fails and you cannot display anything anymore, but in general, Battlemechs don't use actual "vision" and HUD's... but technically a 360° Panorama vision. Akin to this: https://miro.medium.com/max/816/1*ToVzxM0QIMUV0v-l58zZOg.jpeg (arguably its broader, less distorted in the center and more squished in the sides)

[Alrik]

Originally posted by balticnapo:

Am I the only one that dislikes the current mech design in mechwarrior online and in the early gameplay footage of mechwarrior 5? I prefered more the realistic tone mechwarrior 2,3,4 had with their mechs, not being over the top sci-fi and being more realistic with the tech/art. I dislike very much this orange theme over the older and more military themed green theme.

MechWarrior 3: Opening cinematic: https://youtu.be/mMlJQ0G3zk4
MechWarrior 4: Opening cinematic: https://youtu.be/vZWxgLQZano
MechWarrior 4: Mad Dog Design: https://imgur.com/a/ygCStfg

So you compare the Opening Cinematics from 2000 - 2003 (MW3/4) to the Ingame Graphics of 2012 (MWO) ?
Seems a little bit unfair...

IMHO the MWO Mechs make more sense / works better in game... it's mostly small details like the "useless" arms of the Cicada be designed to act as shield for the Torso, or the ladder on the Dragons left Torso...
The visible change of the Mechs shape if you downsize or remove Missle Launchers ect (like on the Timber Wolf) is also a big improvement.

What is missing is full arm movment (raising the Arm to fire over obstacles) or flipping Arms (Jaergermechs and Riflemans can flip their arm to fire at targets in their back) and simulation of criticals hits on Leg / Arm Actuator / Gyro...
Or "afterglow" for the weapon heat (instead of producing heat spikes the heat is applied over the cooldown of the weapon, smothing the build up/ down of the heat ).
Or heat & movment effects to the weapons precision...