BattleTech - New Kickstarter Launched and Funded

Myrthos · September 30, 2015

The Kickstarter campaign for Battletech has just started today and already almost doubled it's campaign goal of $250K (it was funded in 53 minutes). From the looks of it, this campaign is going for the high numbers.

Jordan Weisman, the creator of BattleTech and MechWarrior, is back with the first turn-based BattleTech game for PC in over two decades.

>>> WHAT

BATTLETECH is a single-player, turn-based, tactical 'Mech combat game for PC. (And Mac and Linux!) The game may also include PVP multiplayer if enough funding is reached - more on that below.

>>> WHERE

The BattleTech Universe is one of near-constant warfare and feudal political intrigue, where great noble houses vie for dominance of a vast region of space known as the Inner Sphere. It's a universe of flawed heroes, fallen empires and grey moral realities. Great families vie for supremacy, with alliances and betrayals constantly shifting the balance of power.

>>> WHEN

Our BATTLETECH game is set in the popular 3025 Succession Wars Era of the BattleTech Universe - often referred to as "Classic BattleTech".

More information.

Silver · September 30, 2015

Wow! Kickstarter is going very fast! Any guesses what they will end up with?

I will say 4 million

Damian · September 30, 2015

Done and done. XD

rune_74 · September 30, 2015

Backed this for sure

Looks great so far

Zloth · September 30, 2015

Definitely looking forward to this.

Bedwyr · September 30, 2015

Personal plug for the board/miniature/RPG game. I'm a moderator there. It's still going strong in its current iteration and the fiction is holding steady in the year 3150. Catalyst does a good job of supporting all the old eras including succession wars. It looks like our head honcho Randall Bills is in on some of the work and stretch goal fun.

http://bg.battletech.com
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php

We're cheering on the Kickstarter in hopes that it grows the entire Battletech community.

Humanity has risen! · September 30, 2015

I like that they have nothing to show but concept art but because it's a classic franchise people don't even care. If it was an indie people would say it "obviously failed" because they didn't have a real product to show.

The concept art looks really painful honestly. There are only four mecs and it looks like a very limited game. Something limited and dumbed down, like X-Com Enemy Unknown with mecs.

It bothers me that people say that they herald a "return to classic hardcore RPGs" for delivering games dumbed down for the iPad.

Bedwyr · September 30, 2015

Humanity has risen! said:
I like that they have nothing to show but concept art but because it's a classic franchise people don't even care. If it was an indie people would say it "obviously failed" because they didn't have a real product to show.

Major points in favor of success:

1. The inventor of Battletech is at the helm. He knows the property inside out.
2. The inventor developed multiple video games while he was with Microsoft. He knows video games deeply.
3. He's a serial entrepreneur and founded FASA, WizKids, and HareBrained. He knows how to run a business. He's hardly an unknown indie.
4. He has three successful Kickstarter deliveries under his belt. The company knows how to complete within budget and within a reasonable timeframe.

The concept art looks really painful honestly. There are only four mecs and it looks like a very limited game. Something limited and dumbed down, like X-Com Enemy Unknown with mecs.

You're aware that most 'Mech engagements happen at the Lance (4 'Mech) and Star (5 'Mech) level? Company engagements are way more rare. Battletech is about deeper systems engagement.

bjon045 · September 30, 2015

Humanity has risen! said:
There are only four mecs and it looks like a very limited game. Something limited and dumbed down, like X-Com Enemy Unknown with mecs.

Really showing your limited knowledge of cRPG's here. How big was the party size in Crescent Hawk's Inception?

JDR13 · September 30, 2015

That's a lot of money pledged on faith alone.

They did a decent job with Shadowrun though, so hopefully this turns out to be at least as good as those games were.

I need to see more before I pledge though.

Archangel · September 30, 2015

JDR13 said:
That's a lot of money pledged on faith alone.

They did a decent job with Shadowrun though, so hopefully this turns out to be at least as good as those games were.

I need to see more before I pledge though.

Less than what people gave inXile and Obsidian on faith.

Stingray · September 30, 2015

Don't really need faith on this one, they already proved themselves with Shadowrun Returns. Yeah, SR isn't the best RPG ever or anything but it's still one of the better ones in the recent revival and why wouldn't you want more of that?

Although I did think it odd that it doesn't really become a "real" RPGish game until it hits 1M of funding? Looks like that goal will be passed no problem though.

DArtagnan · September 30, 2015

SR was safe and predictable - and anything but bold or ambitious.

Since I'm not big on backing something more in the same vein, I don't really think this is for me. But I'll probably get it post-release if reviews are good.

rjshae · September 30, 2015

Stingray said:
Although I did think it odd that it doesn't really become a "real" RPGish game until it hits 1M of funding? Looks like that goal will be passed no problem though.

Will it be an RPG? I don't see that they will even need to implement that sort of functionality in order to complete the game. They may just have a series of set piece actions separated by maintenance and planning. As they say, "If we’re lucky enough to reach the Stage 2 and Stage 3 co-funding levels, we'll be able to add some RPG elements, but the core of this game is tactical combat". It's probably going to be more like a board game.

Bedwyr · September 30, 2015

rjshae said:
Will it be an RPG? I don't see that they will even need to implement that sort of functionality in order to complete the game. They may just have a series of set piece actions separated by maintenance and planning. As they say, "If we’re lucky enough to reach the Stage 2 and Stage 3 co-funding levels, we'll be able to add some RPG elements, but the core of this game is tactical combat". It's probably going to be more like a board game.

Agreed. It sounds more like turn-based tactical with a larger strategic structure (mercenary contract systems) and RPG systems integrated into the pilot roster. Mech systems could be construed as RPG like (buy new weapons and internal robotic systems), but it's more strategy/RPG hybrid.

I would suggest that the genre is closer to Ogre Battle, Fire Emblem, or Warsong... but in a different setting and the Lance-on-Lance assumptions about Mech combat in this universe.

KaosWarMonk · October 1, 2015

From the FAQ…

BATTLETECH is in pre-production, so many decisions, like the final 'Mech roster, are not yet determined. But here are the 'Mechs we're currently planning to include:

LIGHT: Locust, Commando, Spider, Firestarter, Jenner, Panther, Raven, Urbanmech

MEDIUM: Cicada, Blackjack, Vindicator, Centurion, Enforcer, Hunchback, Trebuchet, Griffin, Kintaro, Shadowhawk, Wolverine

HEAVY: Dragon, Quickdraw, Catapult, JagerMech, Thunderbolt, Cataphract, Grasshopper, Orion

ASSAULT: Awesome, Victor, Zeus, BattleMaster, Stalker, Highlander, Banshee, King Crab, Atlas

Missing some of the best/iconic ones - think it's an IP issue unfortunately (Harmony Gold?). I wish them success and will be following the campaign with interest but am personally sitting on the fence at this stage.

-kaos

Archangel · October 1, 2015

So many different mechs WOW. As a person that didn't really play many games from this world (only some mechwarrior ones) I think I will love what this game will bring.

But same problem like new Bard's tale - 2017 is so far away

bjon045 · October 1, 2015

kaos_war_monk said:
From the FAQ…
Missing some of the best/iconic ones - think it's an IP issue unfortunately (Harmony Gold?). I wish them success and will be following the campaign with interest but am personally sitting on the fence at this stage.
-kaos

Which one in particular stands out as missing? Most of the iconic mechs are clan mechs which aren't in this game as of yet. I guess they had to draw the line somewhere but I think it kind of makes sense with what they have done. Hopefully stretch goals might give us some clan mechs like the Timberwolf and the Masakari

Nephologist · October 1, 2015

bjon045 said:
Which one in particular stands out as missing? Most of the iconic mechs are clan mechs which aren't in this game as of yet. I guess they had to draw the line somewhere but I think it kind of makes sense with what they have done. Hopefully stretch goals might give us some clan mechs like the Timberwolf and the Masakari

My hope is that by placing the timeline of this game before the Clan Invasion, they are leaving themselves open for possible future sequels. That is assuming the game is gud and does well.

KaosWarMonk · October 1, 2015

bjon045 said:
Which one in particular stands out as missing? Most of the iconic mechs are clan mechs which aren't in this game as of yet. I guess they had to draw the line somewhere but I think it kind of makes sense with what they have done. Hopefully stretch goals might give us some clan mechs like the Timberwolf and the Masakari

I'm going off my knowledge from the 1st or 2nd ed box set so sorry if my lore (or memory) is off base. Am talking about the Warhammer, Marauder, Rifleman, Wasp, Stinger, the heavy with all the missiles... Was it the Archer? etc. They were iconic to me from when I played it. But that was a long time ago. I do recognise most of those listed so is still good.

-kaos

BattleTech - New Kickstarter Launched and Funded

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