Mecha Arena

[Planerunner]

What is Mecha Arena, anyway?

Simple. Giant robot mecha slugging it out to see - Who is the ultimate mecha?

Think 80 foot tall mecha flying through the air like ballbearings shot from orbit, wielding some of the most devastating weapons ever devised.

MAmod will start out with 4 mecha (Vixen, Battletech/Goad, Starsiege/Meltran power Armor, Robotech/Jaeger, Heavy Gear), one map (NeoTokyo), and 2 weapons (testbed weps). After we test those the sky's the limit. Literally.

Currently, we have a webpage at:
http://communities.msn.com/MechaArena

We can be reached at:
planerunner@hushmail.com

[Caid]

GUNDAMSAM
I MEAN MECHAARENA!

YAY!

i look forward to playing it

[viper45]

Mes toooooos!

[Straker]

Hmmmmm...... Sounds kind of like Epic's old fighting game, One Must Fall 2097. Ya know, some ex-Epic employees are supposed to be coming out with a sequel to that game eventually. I would be interested in seeing some giant robots pound each other to scrap. So how does it work? Do we have giant robots smashing each other to death Deathmatch-style in standard FPS levels, or is it like a classic fighting game where they're one on one in an arena? Or do you have something completely different in mind?

[Planerunner]

Neg, this is NOT like One Must Fall. That was cheesy. This will take sample mecha from every major mecha anime and game universe known. Eventually. Our goal actually is to try to let you play an anime fight sequence as best we can. We don't want this to be just another FPS, or another fight game. The world maps, eye candy, and special f/x are large and good enough to let us immerse the player in the game world.

Honestly, taking true mecha, like gundam and robotech, and putting you in the pilot's seat just has not been done (at least not very well) so far in the U.S. At least not to MAmod Team's satisfaction. We hope to make the first honest and really fun gameplay experience through Serious Sam.

Alpha v1.0 will consist of 4 mecha battling each other in a NeoTokyo map, deathmatch style. Like Croteam, we'll think of story later. ]:)

(Edited by Planerunner at 9:09 am on April 3, 2001)


(Edited by Planerunner at 9:11 am on April 3, 2001)

[KrAzY]

THAT IS A DAMN GOOD IDEA!

[Caid]

here's an even better idea
have 2 hame modes, standard dm and a tourney fighting mode


the tourney fighting mode would be just like street fighter
dm would be like dm

and you could alter the huid to make it hve a big ol' orange health bar at the top of the screen

that'd own

[Max Damage]

Sounds like virtual on to me - the KING of mecha games. I still play it once every couple of days, and I have for months.

Instantly responsive controls, mad midair combat, huge explosions and 9+ weapons per mecha, all available at a single buttonpress each. W0W.. The close combat in it (pretty much optional - do you have to guts to charge something capaable of nuking a city in 3 seconds?) is also perfectly balanced.

Your mod sounds just like that - real japanese mechas, with lots of guns, jump-packs, dash engines and laser swords etc... C0000l =)

[Caid]

VIRTUAL ON = WIN

[Max Damage]

Yeaaaaaah - with the serious engines propensity for luscious eye candy, combined with it's easy handling of epic outdoor environments, a giant japanese mecha game would be ideal! Imagine virtual on with 8 players =)

I'm already drooling at the prospect!

[Planerunner]

Virtual On was already high on our list. In fact, as you've already noticed, hehehe, it's the only decent mecha game that puts you in the pilot's seat at all. I have to admit, making MAmod have 2 modes, deathmatch and fight mode, a la streetfighter, is a bit beyond our team's coding skills. However, for the time being we just want to get an alpha release out first.

BTW, although Virtual On is really fun, we on MAmod Team thought that the mecha moved a bit slow. We're aiming to up the player's speed several times past Sam's run speed in the regular game. In fact, you'll probably be able to outrun a werebull. Of course, playtesting will determine how effective that is or not, (walk and run mode may become very handy to us), but we want players to be able to get accross the HYOOGE Serious engine maps quickly. And blow stuff up on the way. [grin]

-Planerunner
planerunner@hushmail.com

[Max Damage]

Virtual on's mecha move too slowly? What!?!? - With all the dashing, flying and total chaos it's hard for my eyes to keep focused on the action. And this is virtual on 2 on the dreamcast. 60 frames per second goodness. It makes sam look tame, unless you're playing as one of the heavy mechs like raiden (hardly slow, even then!), the game is lightning fast.

Then again, my mecha of choice for VO2 is cypher, the games resident aeromech, and the only one with the ability to attack twice per jump-dash, thus allowing for some mad midair combo attacks. I also love his lightsaber =) - He's very VERY VERY VERY fast - get in, out, and hopefully put some holes in the enemy while your at it!

PLEASE tell me you'll have a dash button (replace crouch perhaps) that blasts you a certain distance in the direction held/faced - and that this will work in midair just like VO, allowing some incredible mid-air high speed combat!

[Max Damage]

If you want examples, check out the VO2 review at IGN - they have some movie clip files to drool at if you don't have the game at home - is THAT slow? If it is, then you must have the reflexes of an amphetamine laced cheetah after six pints of espresso.

[KrAzY]

This is such a great idea for a mod! if you need any help with anything i'm here, I have no experience but i'm still here..=) But I totally love the idea. TOTALLY. Actually, i'll pay you too make this game! Well, no, but i'll give you a lot of credit for making it. post back with some info, or if you have AIM, my sn is krazyx86 : e-mail= major_86_13@yahoo.com

[Max Damage]

Well - I've got some decent mapping experience under my belt, and I was a tester for the mod tools (hence my name in the credits). As soon as my copy of sam arrives from the US, I'd LOVE to do some maps for this mod.

I recently picked up a copy of japanese mecha game 'Frame gride'. And despite not quite playing as well as VO2, the arena design is exemplary. Huge free roaming fantasy environments, including huge broken bridges to a massive multi layered castle stage, allowing you to cower in the moat or climb/fly to the highest battlement and snipe the enemy from there. I've got some good ideas for maps from that, and I could do soooo much more with samED!

I'm also a good design/ideas person. I suppose I could help there too.

Anyhow - as soon as I have my new, updated copy of samED, I'm in - sign me up.. Contact me at maxdamagel33t@hotmail.com if you need too. I'll set up a new ICQ number soon too - I forgotted my last one ;-)

[Planerunner]

Right now, we need feedback. Player feedback on what cool mecha anime details and mecha and such players want to see or use. Personally, I'm an anime mecha PHREEK!, as is alot of our team, but we need all the feedback we can get.

Comments can be sent to planerunner@hushmail.com

[Max Damage]

Feedback eh..

I'd personally suggest two playmodes. Up to 6 player free for all brawls (it would be absolutely stupid with more than six mechas in the ring. If you know what kind of firepower they carry, you'll understand why!). Or 1v1 rocket arena style, winner stays in, next player in queue challenges the champion.

It'll be like a quickfire tournament! ;-)

Anyhow, as for maps - perhaps some could be huge and open, perhaps like a desert map with lots of place to maneuver. I'd personally prefer if the maps were kept big when they needed to be, but mainly just the right size for a mecha brawl. The castle in frame gride I'd personally say is the ideal size for a mecha fight.

Anyhoo - what do you think of stealing double jumps/horizontal dashes from virtual on? It would certainly add a decent air combat/speed dodging element to the combat!

[KrAzY]

you know, these ideas are getting better and better, i'd like to say, maybe a flying system, a gundam sorta thing. start on land and fly to space or something. maybe a lock on system? power weapons(charged etc.) those are my ideas for now, i'll keep em coming

[Htown]

Do whatever you want, as long as I can pilot the Gundam Deathscythe Hell.  
MAN that's a beautiful machine.

[Max Damage]

But virtual on 2's specineff looks far more evil, and his scythe is bigger =)

I want cypher! CYPHER! CYPHEEER! - High air-agility mechs are cool ;-)

[Napalm man]

Evangelion! Don't forget that! And a little robotech...

Choosing a few Gundams might be hard...so many to pick...
(Although, the Psyco Gundam 3 might be a good Co-op/SP monster...) Co-op and SP would be awsome! Imagine Leos and other mechs running about, trying to kill your squad-mates! :D

[KrAzY]

just gotta say, i still thinking =)

[Nuby]

Okay guys, this is Nuby, another lost cause from the MOD.  

If you have any ideas, e-mail them to me at anubis@nodachi.net where I will get back to you asap.  While the forum is great for getting input, we need you really interested people to help us along.  If anyone has any accurate pictures of these mecha you are suggesting (something showing side on views of a non-prespective nature, with some sort of way to tell scale are perfect - eg, technical drawings etc from sourcebooks) would be great.  If anyone has any models (such as freely distributed work) of anything that you have suggested, e-mail them as well, so that we can use them for scale.  The hardest part of building a model off of a picture, or a movie is scale.  It's all-important to me.  

Adding your suggestions on anything is always appreciated as well.  

Thanks,
    Nuby.

[Planerunner]

FYI, the Mecha Arena webpage has been updated again. We've added a mecha listing page to show the first 4 mecha that will be in the mod. News page coming soon!

-PR
planerunner@hushmail.com
http://communities.msn.com/MechaArena

[rico]

I LOVE MECHS! I LOVE MECHS! I LOVE...
http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/games/gundam/deathscythe_strongweapon.gifhttp://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/games/gundam/tallgeese_lowstrongweapon.gifhttp://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/games/gundam/shenlong_breath.gif

(Edited by rico at 6:55 am on April 6, 2001)

[Planerunner]

Now THOSE are just too cool. Got anymore?

[Max Damage]

Those are sprites ripped from the old SNES game "Gundam wing: endless duel".

It was actually rather good, and if you want an emultor to play it and possibly rip your own, get it at www.zophar.net

Of course, you're going to have to find the game - try http://oneminuteleft.com/ - it may be there.