Tip o’ the tam o’shanter to Zoso over at Killed in a Smiling Accident for this one:
So not only are they rebooting the MechWarrior franchise (with the Jordan Weisman neck deep in the process), but they are offering MechWarrior 4 for free. Like the offering of MechCommander 2 before it, this is good news. Some do consider MW4 to be a pretty weak entry in the lineage, but hey, a free game that was once a commercial release is worth at least checking out, especially for this BattleTech fan.
Now, if MS would just get the file download set up already…
And yes, this is probably a scheme to show that there is demand for a new MechWarrior. So… maybe I’ll download it twice… and send them a few sketches of ‘Mechs in steampunk style…
I can pick out a couple, but it might be fun to do a request or two. I need to do some more portfolio pieces anyway, in a different style from the book illustrations. The new MechWarrior looks to be all Inner Sphere ‘mechs, but as far as I’m concerned, pretty much any ‘Mech is open game for steampunking. (Though if I don’t have the specs and some visuals on it, I may request such for reference.)
Tish Tosh Tesh 
I am pretty stoked about a new MechWarrior. I’ve been a huge fan for as long as I can recall. Battletech in general was always of interest to me and there just hasn’t been anything great out along those lines in a while.
You should post some of this sketching! Art whores like myself would be interested.
Not sure if you watch Doctor Who at all, but the 2008 Christmas special “The Next Doctor” featured a giant robot stomping around Victorian London, which was quite fun, though the CGI shots of it were fairly brief.
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20080613/the-10-coolest-steampunk-gadgets-ever/
I’d have to agree, they are pretty cool.
Cap’n, thanks for the link! I love the R2-D2, and would thoroughly enjoy the USB drive. 🙂 My brother would love the guitar. *bookmarks*
Zoso, I don’t have cable, but I might just have to look that one up. I remember liking Dr. Who back in the Fourth Doctor era, I just haven’t picked it up lately.
Ferrel, I’m definitely planning on posting the art. Once I get it to a presentable state, anyway.
I loved MechWarrior, absolutely loved it. I say loved because I haven’t played it in years. I didn’t like the RTS games and I didn’t like the feel of the more recent games.
The original MechWarriors in the 90s were awesome though and I remember being blown away by the idea of piloting some gigantic robot. I’m totally looking forward to the reboot.
They have some cool Mech style games in arcades in Japan in which you actually sit into a fully moving cockpit, surrounded by screens. I’ll need to give it a shot when I’m over there in August.
I am stunned! This is no dream, I am not on drugs and all that. Incredible! … *faints*
I totally love classic BattleTech. I read all the novels, played all the games and even tried the tabletop game.
http://www.amazon.com/Battletech-06-Decision-Thunder-Legion/dp/0451451848/
“Book one of The Saga of the Gray Death Legion. Grayson Death Carlyle is the young son of the commander of Carlyle’s Commandos, a mercenary unit employed by the Lyran Commonwealth. When the Commandos are destroyed in a sneak attack on the planet Trell I, Grayson must help the people of Trell throw off the invading forces while trying to live up to his father’s legacy.”
If they manage to capture THAT feeling, this was the book that hooked me to the franchise. Not the later mass battles, the lone mercenary company was for me the heart and soul of BattleTech.
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