Battletech - As rich a Universe as Star Trek/Star Wars Has!So - why hasn't Battletech made it to the big screen yet? Maybe its too big? The universe to detail and rich for just a mere two hour flick or sci-fi escapism. Battletech was originally created and put out by FASA. Now it is joined "owned" by Wizkids and Catalyst Games. I didn't realized, but on July 16, 2009 this year marked the 25th anniversary of the game launch.
This scene from the computer game "Mechwarrior 4: Vengence" was actually the only computer game that I ever enjoyed playing from start to finished. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGSEhgfhDis). As you can see and hear from the view - this would make a great movie or TV series.
So why not?
Why am I asking this question? Because every now and then I end up making trouble I guess.
Actually, I happened to drop by the local gaming shop today and while looking through what they had, noticed some new Battletech books put out by Catalyst Games. I ended up putting down $50 bucks for the fourth book in the rules series entitle Battletech: Strategic Operations. I had the first two books in the series(Total Warfare and Tech Manual). Skipped the third (Tactical Operations Manual). I'm now rethinking my decision to skip it. I'll just have to wait until my next paycheck to see if I can indulge into the war gaming hobby again. Remember, each one of these books cost $50.00. If you were to buy all four at the same time - your dropping $200.00. on the game.
I have two fishing tackle boxes still full of the metal minis - most of them painted. Even have some of the original lead miniatures. (Don't worry, I will not let any two or three year old chew on them). But I loved assembling those minis and painting them. I bought multiples of the same mech to have opposing forces. Sadly - I was the only one in my gaming circle that really went into the game at all. My friends MIGHT indulge my a odd game or two once or twice a year. But I went so far as to build 3d terrain to set up a gaming table.
I miss those days as I get older. Like today, I get the urge to dig that stuff out of storage and just look at the minis or read the books.
Anyway, I thought that I would make a change of pace posting in this blog.
___
Ref. Wikipedia page on Battletech (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BattleTech).
Classic Battletech (http://www.classicbattletech.com/index.php)
Ironwindmetals.com - site for the classic 1/285th scale battletech miniatures and new ones. (http://ironwindmetals.com/d/index.php)
+014.TIF)
+036.jpg)
+024.jpg)
4 comments:
I TOTALLY feel your pain on this one! In my early 20's (while I lived in San Diego no less), my roommate at the time got me hooked on Battletech. He had all the miniatures, and we soon built the 3-D terrain. I got totally wrapped up in the books, and we would spend hours, sometimes days, playing out our battles.
I dont know if you remember these, but the first one I went to was in Chicago. It was called "Virtual World", and it was like walking in to a real live Mechwarrior Pilots lounge. They opened one in San Diego while I lived there, and we would drop mad amounts of cash there. Here is a website with some pics of the SD location back in the day...
http://kangarookoncepts.tripod.com/VWE_album.htm
They would use old fighter pilot training cockpits that were reprogrammed to function as though they were operating Mechs instead of jets. You had to go through a training class and everything. It was surreal!!
Thanks for taking me back to those days! Great Blog post!!
Here is another site that shows the Mechwarrior cockpit in a little more detail...
http://www.mechcorps.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=9
They even had operational foot pedals for goodness sakes!!
The level of immersion you would feel with that cockpit closed all around you, while your foot pedals controlled the direction your Mech traveled in, the joystick controlled your upper torso, and the throttle your speed (not to mention that EVERY one of the 100 or so buttons surrounding the screen worked and actually had a function) UNREAL!!!
Oh, great, now I'm never gonna get to sleep tonight! Those were truly some good old days.
Speaking of great paint jobs and amazing 3D terrain, check these sites out. (beware, you might get stuck looking at these for hours!) -
http://www.dropshipcommand.com/images/GenCon2006/GenCon2006_128.jpg
http://www.camospecs.com/Miniature.asp?ID=4943
http://www.classicbattletech.com/index.php?action=gallery&start=80
Okay, Im done taking your blog post hostage...you can have it back now. =;-)
WHAT, my blog hostage?! Man, you were on a roll! thanks for the links.
What about a 1/6th scale Nova Cat huh? Or Griffin/Shadow Hawk. I can see a Battlemast being almost 8 feet tall in 1/6th scale.
Post a Comment