Running through buildings?

[sethgaines]

I've been watching videos of gameplay, and it really bugs me how mechs charge through buildings as if they were hollow balsa wood shells, especially given the 'bunker' aesthetic that structures have. Buildings should be treated as obstacles. Light mechs should have to go around, and even the largest mechs would have to 'wade' through the structures.

I can't find heights listed for mechs, but even the Atlas isn't all that big. 100 tons sounds huge, but that's just under HALF the weight of the most common US freight locomotive. I'd guess the Atlas is about as tall as a 4 story building, which means only the most foolish pilot is going to crash through a concrete building about half as tall as their mech. This would slow them to a crawl, and most likely damage the mech, especially if they were going full speed. Any building taller than one story will have a concrete slab for each floor, which is next to impossible to just walk through.

Putting aside the impossibility of most mechs being able to do this, I don't see why you'd even try, except under exceptional circumstances. You'll basically have to stop and smash your way through the building, you risk getting stuck in the rubble or losing your balance, and you have no idea what's in the building. Stepping into a power station or chemical storage, for instance, could have serious consequences. Of course, if you're moving through one-story residential structures, or metal shed type buildings, this is much easier and less dangerous, but I haven't seen any of those.

[wwiiogre]

Quick lore lesson.

Unless the building is made of the hardened armor that mechs are made of, they are just mere tissue paper.

You will note that the buildings actually have classifications in the game and that hardened military structures the mechs can not run thru or even walk thru and those buildings can even be jumped on by mechs.

So, unlike tanks in modern day, this is science fiction. Our modern weapons do not even scratch or damage the metal of the mechs.

Just suspend belief and have fun watching giant metal mechs stomp on buildings. Now the real fun would be seeing the buildings light on fire and the tiny people run from the burning buildings. And then your mech pilot being charged with war crimes for stomping civilians.

But its a game. Have fun.

Chris

[Revener]

on a side note, An atlas weighs more than 100tons. It is a frame that can carry 100 tons of equipment, engine and armour.

[Ariko]

Originally posted by Revener:

on a side note, An atlas weighs more than 100tons. It is a frame that can carry 100 tons of equipment, engine and armour.

The weight includes the chasis actually. Thats why the Black Knight 7 had to drop a couple of tons of armor, with the loss of the lighter endo steel chasis.

[Zapatero]

It's quite amusing when you're asked to protect a base, to then have your mechs just trash it merely by walking through.

Who needs enemies, eh?

[sethgaines]

Originally posted by Zapatero:

It's quite amusing when you're asked to protect a base, to then have your mechs just trash it merely by walking through.

Who needs enemies, eh?

That was my other gripe, even in the old Mech Commander games, which I loved.

'I'm here to protect you from the invaders!' - Runs right through the town levelling everything.