Coffee House Chat with MWLL Devs.

[CHHš Siege]

How you got into BT

Age 11, starting at yet another in a series of schools (Army brat, life), one of the kids I meet on the bus and I get talking and he mentions BT. I was already ofc a Transformers fan (this was 1988) and had seen the big fancy Robotech models in the store that I'd always drooled over, and was more of less hooked instantly. I'd assembled and detailed a lot of model aircraft and cars, etc., even by that time, and so I took pretty readily to painting miniatures as well. I played Crescent Hawks' Inception and Revenge when they were brand new and the original MW as well. In fact, the BT-related games have driven more hardware upgrades on my part over the years than anything else - I conned my mother into spending the $250 for a microchannel Soundblaster for my IBM PS/2 just so I could play the original MW properly. Man, I guess we learn young, eh?

What drew you to this mod

Are you kidding? It's fscking MechWarrior. I had just moved to Seattle and was working graveyard shift alone in a data-center, and randomly thought, "I REALLY want to play MechWarrior, but 4 is boring. I wonder if anyone is making a new one?" So I set about Googling and came across the mod. I lurked on the forums for quite a long while when it was apparent the game was still some time off, but as activity grew here, so did my participation. Sucks for you guys, I know, but there we are.

What aspects of the mod you work on

Texture art, primarily. As one of the original batch of alpha testers (due to my having joined CHHš at just the right time), I had access to the devs. One night in a discussion with Andy, it dawned on me that texturing/detailing models isn't all THAT different from from painting miniatures... if you have a great deal of comfort and familiarity with Photoshop, Crysis Sandbox, a 3d modelling suite, and an eye for texture detail and color, that is. Luckily for me, that was all stuff I knew well enough to be competent by then, though I'd never have originally tried out for an visual-art position: music at best for art, otherwise scripting or system administration. I think I occasionally do other stuff, but it probably isn't important - I'll be sure to let you know if that changes.

What mechs you personally prefer (I understand this is a loaded question)

Raven/Owens, Bushy, any AA-unit, ballistics - see the Mad Cat Mk II "Siege Engine". If it's a non-prime variant with a heavy ballistics loadout, there's a decent (~33%) chance I'm the one who designed it.

Keep loading, my clips are running empty.

Which aspect of the mod do you find most entertaining

I don't even know where to start without making this post too damn long. Just assume I wrote some stuff here and you replied "TL:DR" already.

A little general information about yourselves

I'm in my early 30's, a Network, Systems, and Application Administrator by trade. I've lived in quite a number of places, but am back again in Atlanta - my hometown if I have one - after a few years in Seattle. In addition to games, computers/electronics and sciences, I'm also into cars (SCCA, Formula 1), martial arts (in order from age 5: Judo, Ju-Jutsu, Aikido, Combat Hapkido / Tang Soo Do, and Shaolin Ch'uan-fa / Tai Chi), target shooting, aviation/aircraft (need 10 more fixed- hours and 10 more rotary- hours and a WHOLE lot of refresher on rules, etc.), saltwater reefs, animals in general, am a licensed Falconer as well as general outdoorsman and occasional spelunker. Oh, and I play drums, piano/keyboard, trombone and bass guitar, roughly in that order of skill level. Like Zaphod, I'm "just 'zis guy, yanno?" I like music like this.

[Sesambrot]

How you got into BT

To be honest, I'm one of those guys who doesn't have very much backgroundknowledge about BT, I planned to read the books, but never got to it.
I was hooked by mech-like warmachines from the first time I saw the old StarWars movies, then later a friend of mine showed me MW3, at that time I didn't rly care about the background, I simply loved to be able to pilot Mechs!

What drew you to this mod

Actually I was around in the MekTek Forums around the time they announced that MW4 was going to be for free, and was somewhere on their forums that I stumbled across this mod, that was actually around the time of it's release.
Since then I been around in the forums and joined the team last summer.

What aspects of the mod you work on

I'm a mapper.
So far I helped with bases on DV and Kagoshima, currently I'm working on a new map which will hopefully make it for 0.5.

What mechs you personally prefer (I understand this is a loaded question)

I prefer the lighter assets, for example:
Harasser, Puma Prime, Bushwacker B
and if I ever take something in the heavy range, it's usually a Madcat
I also enjoy being Ariborne, but that's another story... ^^

Which aspect of the mod do you find most entertaining

Basically it's walking around in huge robots and blowing up other huge walking robots, what do ya' want more?
The combined arms gameplay MWLL introduces first of all MW games, makes it the most interesting to me, I mean blowing up a huge walking robot while being basically infantry is sometimes even more fun... xD

A little general information about yourselves

I'm from Germany and 20 years old. I just started studying Physics a few months ago, which unfortunately eats up quite some time, besides that and my contribution to this awesome mod, I like to play Volleyball, and soaring.
Of course gaming in general is also part of my spare time... ^^

[Pizza_Assassin]

I began the table top BT universe the first year it came out and migrated to the mechwarrior scene after that.  Used to play with the card board cut outs and then evevolved into the lead 3d figures and battlescape and line of sight etc. Played through all of the BT PC games but quit the table top after having several thousand dollars invested in battlescape and figures.  Too many critics from ungrateful club players and a GM taht thought he was an authority in BT and MW so I quit table top gaming in the late 90'S.

The PC games were progressing nicely but their lack of decent network capabilites and the underdeveloped gaming universe in comparison to the table top version seemed to kill the game, especially the lack of mech varients and tweeking in the last PC game; however, the story line was well done and the spilt in the story line was clever. 

After the selling off of all the gaming stuff, RIFTS and Shadowrun as well, I concentrated on my carrier in the OH&S industry to this date.  I was in a PC store looking around and someone there told me about this game mod and site.  Been awhile since I was exited about any game since GW. 

I live In Coquitlam BC and work with clients in British Columbia, Alberta, Sask, Washington, and California. 

When a OL friend sent me a link to the new game relase teaser of BT I was thinking to myself 'witch such a huge impact or other games' huge universes:  WOW, GW and soon GW2 for examples, if the new game developers do this BT correctly that this new game could be VERY huge.  Consider the number of mechs, combined arms capabilites, battle scenarios:  unique and timeline with all of the technical readouts and novels this could be hugely successful.  Think of single mech combat to fighting in a full company combat where waht you do effects the game universe however small or large.  Can you tell I am really excited about the possibilites?   

If anyone want to get together in a local coffee house to discuss the game and universe possibilites send me a line; perhaps we can even arrange for a visit the local game developer in Vancouver that is making the latest game.

Pizza_Assassin

[CHHš Siege]

Hello Pizza_Assassin.

Did you by chance read the first post in the thread to see what it is about? This particular thread is meant as a place for the MWLL devs to introduce themselves to the community; there are several other "Introduce Yourself"-type threads on these forums for newcomers to do just that, most specifically this one.

Welcome to the community, hope you enjoy the game.

[Pizza_Assassin]

Lol thats what u get for being tired I guess

Will do

[Defender]

How you got into BT

I first got into Battletech, probably around the time the Battletech cartoon and Exosquad came out on television as well as played the game on the Sega Genesis. I used to draw them all the time. I forgot about it for some years, then came across a shiny box in Babbages one day, it was Mechwarrior 3 and it had an epic reflective cover (I love shiny things) and a Thor shooting a PPC at the camera. I bought it immediately. Best $20 ever spent. I then played Mechwarrior 3 every single day for about 4 years, lead clans, developed leagues, all the fun stuff.

What drew you to this mod

I'd always wanted to work on a Mechwarrior game, ever since I started playing MW3. When I was looking for MW Mods years ago, I found this mod while it was still in the concept stages, being developed on the Quake Wars engine. I immediately signed up in the join the team section with extremely sub-par artwork, and got accepted on the team. The fact that I could have a hand in creating a Mechwarrior game that encompassed everything I ever wanted (more units than just mechs, more game modes, whatever the hell I damn well pleased) drew me to this mod.

What aspects of the mod you work on

I do 3D Modeling for various units in the game. I've also recently been promoted to Lead Artist/Art Director, due to having long-term experience with the aesthetic design goals of the mod, and my impeccable ability to be a nitpicking ass. My goal is to bring as much visual fidelity to the mod as possible, while retaining as much performance as possible. I also hire new artists, distribute art tests, distribute tasks, follow up with artists on given tasks, and review art assets before implementation. I also have a hand in overall balance and gameplay discussion.

What mechs you personally prefer

I prefer the Thor, because I made it. In all seriousness, I prefer any mech that is filled to the brim with Ballistic and Missile weaponry. Preferably short-ranged, brawler-type mechs. Anything that can bludgeon someone in the face with a hail of streaks, or core you with UAC20's or LBX20's is my mech of choice. Take a wild guess next time you choose a mech as to which configs I made. I despise anything that generates heat, so I use the coolest weapons possible.

Which aspect of the mod do you find most entertaining

The ability to use any asset in Battletech from Mech to Tank to Hovercraft (I hate aero, never touch them) situationally and work tactically and strategically with an amazing community. The teamwork aspect of our game, and all the indepth subtleties is quite possibly the most entertaining aspect of this mod. That, and the particle effects. PEW PEW PEW.

A little general information about yourselves

I do freelance 3D Modeling and Animation, primarily in Maya. I've worked in multiple studios and I've also taught 3D classes. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Business Administration. My goal is to get into the games industry as a modeler, but I still have much work to do in terms of learning to texture assets, but other than that, it's more about learning project management, modeling and texturing that I strive to be somewhat competent at. I'm a jack of all trades, but a master of none. My nearly encyclopedic knowledge of Battletech has lent me very well to this team, as I can always break out the nerdery to understand the difference between how canon should work in realtime and find a good balance between them.

[~SJ~ Lobo]

Devs If you guys wouldn't mind doing the dance once again, I've added some new questions for the old crew and kept the old ones for new guys.

For New Team Members

How you got into BT
What drew you to this mod
What aspects of the mod you work on
What mechs you personally prefer (I understand this is a loaded question)
Which aspect of the mod do you find most entertaining
A little general information about yourselves

For All Team Members

What is the most challenging thing already released that you worked on?
If you had the ability to access parts of the code forbidden to you, what is the first thing you would want to see changed?
What type of PC specs do you have?
Name three things not PC or mod related that sit on your desk
What additional projects (if any) can we check out?

[Cygma]

How you got into BT
Mechwarrior 2, got it being 12 or 13 years old. The intro was already awesome; after hearing the mech startup sounds and the music kicking in etc. i was hooked. Got into the novels from there.

What drew you to this mod
It's got Mechwarrior in it's name! Aside from that starter bonus the high quality i saw in screenshots and videos was just amazing. Luckily i got over my dislike of online multiplayer games due to that.

What aspects of the mod you work on
I'm a coder and currently hop around as needed - C++ and Lua, bugfixes and improvements, ...

What mechs you personally prefer (I understand this is a loaded question)
Basically, if it's got bigger Autocannons on it i'm good to go. PPCs, Gauss, Lasers, Missiles ... all effective too but not as much fun for me. Oh, and sniping usually makes me fall asleep.
So... Hollander B, Shadowcat A, Thor A, MKII B. If i'm more in a support mood: Hollander A, Warhammer E.

Which aspect of the mod do you find most entertaining
Two things actually:
* The combined arms part and teamwork - when it works out it just feels great.
* Those highly loaded moments where, instead of some boring standoffs, you get into an intense battle, dodging shots, trying to land your own, stuff exploding around you. Awesome feeling.

A little general information about yourselves
Hm. I actually enjoy programming if the project or task is interesting. Aside from that i  play bass guitar and really have to get my band on stage again this summer.

If you had the ability to access parts of the code forbidden to you, what is the first thing you would want to see changed?
Phew, where to start? The BBoxes got some weird issues.

What type of PC specs do you have?
Phenom II X4 965, 8GB RAM, GTX460 1GB.

Name three things not PC or mod related that sit on your desk
Coffee mug (aka life saver), tobacco, miscut cover of my bands demo.

What additional projects (if any) can we check out?
I was co-owner of an open source project for a while but i doubt that the rather specific subject is of any interest for anyone here

[OCmathew100]

How you got into BT
I never really got into BT until I started working on this mod. A friend of mine got me interested and it's only grown from there.

What drew you to this mod
A friend of mine brought it to my attention.

What aspects of the mod you work on
Testing. Organizing tests and testers. Working directly with the devs when they need something tested. and of course, TESTING.
I test now so that you'll have less issues later.

What mechs you personally prefer (I understand this is a loaded question)
Marauder, vulture if I had to chose one that was in-game.

Which aspect of the mod do you find most entertaining
The ability to work in a coordinated team and wreak havok.

A little general information about yourselves
I have a strong dislike for Black Mesa and a love of cake.
I also love the thrill of testing.

What is the most challenging thing already released that you worked on?
As I have fairly recently returned to the team, there is nothing in the current build that I have worked on.

If you had the ability to access parts of the code forbidden to you, what is the first thing you would want to see changed?
I wouldn't dare touch the code. I would probably break everything within seconds.

What type of PC specs do you have?
quad-core, 12GB DDR3, Radeon HD 5700

Name three things not PC or mod related that sit on your desk
Flask of rum, Smart phone, notepad filled with things to tests and bugs I've found.

What additional projects (if any) can we check out?
None. This is my first.


Edit: If you contact me and ask to be a tester, I will make sure you never become one.
 If I want you, I'll contact you.

[CHHš Siege]

Edit: If you contact me and ask to be a tester, I will make sure you never become one.
If I want you, I'll contact you.

As it was, as it is, as it should be, forever and ever. Amen.

[~SJ~ Lobo]

Thank you for the continued participation.

[DieByZer0]

How you got into BT
I was probably 10-11 Years old when i got into battle tech, With one of the first MW games, and with Mechwarrior Commander.

What drew you to this mod
A bit of google search, My love for games are the two that i can think of.

What aspects of the mod you work on
Animation and VFX i recently started as i think i was idle for a long time xD

What mechs you personally prefer (I understand this is a loaded question)
Raven is my mech. Extreme maneuverability.

Which aspect of the mod do you find most entertaining
Helping with issues and assets, Playing the game ofc and Testing.

A little general information about yourselves
Well my name is Chris, I am from Greece. Relocating soon for my university in UK for Computer Animation and i am specialised in VFX, Rig and Animation.


Some history about the mod, the beginning, the original concept, the engine change, the challenges, etc.
Not anything yet usually everything is a challenge for me.

What type of PC specs do you have?
ATi xfx 5970 4GB black edition, 4GB Ram DDR2 and q6600 Quad core.

Special note
Well those are all i can tell you for now, Cya in the Battlefield

[KorJax]

Oh hey a thread that has the word coffee in it, while I'm drinking my morning cup o joe