Battlechat 20.10.2012 – Teil 2

Zuletzt aktualisiert am 21. Oktober 2012 von DarkISI

Und auch der zweite chat wurde mitgeloggt. Diesmal gings noch ein bischen weiter um 3149 und 3250, aber auch um HexPacks und die weiteren Pläne für 2013 und 2014. Vielen Dank an Maingunnery aus dem amerikanischen Forum für das Transkript![3145 – 2013]
<deadborder>: Herb – will TRO3145 be just un-statted so far DA Designs (eg Shrike, Violator) or will there be new ones?
<Habeas2>: Deadborder – TRO 3145 is slated to have all Dark Age units not already covered in classic form to date, essentially all of which we’ve at least SEEN before.
<deadborder>: Awesomesauce
<BirdofPrey>: including the tripod?
<Habeas2>: (At least where Mechs are concerned; there will be some all-new units in there)
<Habeas2>: BirdofPrey – Yes, the tripods will be in TRO 3145.
<deadborder>: Habeas2 – How much coverage will there be for the 3130s-era factions? Can we expect to get some idea of their sizes and, in the cases of those left hanging, details on their eventual fates?
<Habeas2>: Habeas2 – Before we move fully into the 3250 setting, we will be settling the affairs of all 3145 factions of consequence.
<mostrojoe>: So no hints for 2013? Nothing really new or interesting you want to throw to us?
<Habeas2>: Mostrojoe – 2013 is basically the year we go through the Dark Age setting. From beginning to end, for all intents and purposes, we will be watching the entire era unfold and reach its conclusion with The IlClan sourcebook.
<Mgun>: For TRO3145 is it likely that we get an ONN section for combat (PWS/CV/Q) variants for current dropships?
<Habeas2>: Mgun – Not too sure, really. I’m not a huge fan of those segments, as they tend to cause tons of design issues.
<Mgun>: That is a shame, I really would like such variants
[3250 – 2014]
<SeeM2>: Habeas2: 1) You said about new miniatures and weapons for 3250 Intro box. I have a question about current miniatures. Are they will be obsolete in 3250 and beyond?
<Habeas2>: SeeM2 – Did I mention new miniatures? I mentioned the new weapons, but nobody asked about minis that I recall.
<SeeM2>: Habeas2: oh, sorry then.
<BirdofPrey>: So I noticed in the earlier chat you mentioned 3250 would have new common designs. Will the old common designs become extinct and be replaced with these new common designs
<Habeas2>: BirdofPrey – By 3250 the models you see today as „common“ will likely be fairly obsolete.
<John_Hawk>: Herb, is there any truth to the rumor that each successor state in 3250 will be ruled by a different former Canopian cat girl?
<Habeas2>: John_Hawk – No truth at all. Well, except for that ONE state…
<jimdigriz>: As we move toward 3250, what kinds of trends would you like to see in terms of political and technological development?
<Habeas2>: Jimdigriz – I see dynamic trends that work toward a synergizing of collective efforts to produce favorable results for both manufacturers and commercial prospectives, as well as the consumers.
<SeeM2>: Habeas2: 4) Do you plan a little more premiums in 3250 intro?
<Habeas2>: SeeM2 – I’m sorry; I don’t understand that question.
<SeeM2>: Habeas2: I mean more Loki/Thor style miniatures in new intro box.
<Habeas2>: SeeM2 – I can’t talk about the miniatures at this time. Sorry.
<Trboturtle>: Is 3250 going to be more new technology, or older technology with more refinement?
<Habeas2>: Trboturtle – Hard to say whether one would call the tech in 3250 „all new“ or „evolved from what came before“. I’ll leave it to the fans to decide when they see it.
<Weirdo>: Another question, but I’m not sure if anyone asked it before I arrived: Is there any news or tidbits you could give the folks that are fans of Quickstrike?
<Habeas2>: Weirdo – You guys might like 2014.
<mostrojoe>: What can you tell us about 2014?
<Habeas2>: Mostrojoe – By 2014, we will be in fully uncharted territory.
<Nerroth>: In role-playing terms, would the kind of technical evolution planned for 3250 be reflected in AToW terms? or to put it another way, would the 3250 sourcebooks be enough to support 3250 RPG play; or could there be an opportunity to set a proper AToW supplement in this new era?
<Habeas2>: Nerroth – The era will get its own Era Report, which means it will get its own RPG addendum
[IO]
<ScrapYardArmory>: how far away are the first Interstellar Operations beta docs?
<Habeas2>: ScrapYardArmory – I wish I could say.
<mostrojoe>: What’s the actual situation for IO? Will be definitively split in two books?
<Habeas2>: Mostrojoe – It is uncertain if any material from IO will be split off to another book or not. Of course, at this stage, it is uncertain if IO will ever see the light of day, so…
<ScrapYardArmory>: You said „it is uncertain if IO will ever see the light of day“ when about two weeks ago Randal tweeted that beta docs would soon release. Has IO taken a turn for the worst?
<Habeas2>: ScrapYardArmory – IO has been underway for 3 YEARS now. Forgive me for poking fun at this fact.
<mostrojoe>: do you think we are going to know something new about IO? very soon?
<Habeas2>: Mostrojoe – Only if you measure things in geological terms.
[other]
<Mikecj>: Herb- have you been pleased by the reactions to the 3 new PDF’s?
<Habeas2>: Mikecj – The three new PDFs all made it into DriveThru RPG’s top 20 downloads on the day of their release, so I’m fairly pleased, yes.
<mostrojoe>: The „linking scenarios“ chapter starting at page 47 of StratOps is broken and unplayable. Is there any possibility to ever see a totally new and improved version in future?
<Habeas2>: Mostrojoe – „Create a campaign“ Book? Like, what, a role-playing game? Who’d pay for one of those?
<BirdofPrey>: speaking of hexpacks are there plans to sell the promotional tiles seperate or are you out of stock? I was poor when the toehr hex packs came on preorder
<Habeas2>: BirdofPrey – Last I checked, we ran out of the promo tiles.
<BirdofPrey>: I figured as much :,(
<SeeM2>: Habeas2: 2) There will be fan-made support for classic eras and active community for a looong time after a reset. Is there a chance that CGL will provide half-, on even more official support for fans work with storyline, ‚Mech sheets, campaigns, etc? I’m saying about pdfs on official CGL site, or maybe one last printed stuff „by fans for fans“?
<Habeas2>: SeeM2 – For legal reasons we cannot provide any backup for „fan-made projects“ of any kind. We will continue to publish Historicals and periodical material set in bygone eras, but we cannot, for example, provide RS support for fan-made ‚Mech and vehicle designs.
<cStrick>: i recall seeing somewhere that weapons & other tech advances where going to ’stop‘ being introduced. will this hold true for these future TROs?
<Habeas2>: cStrick – At least for a time, yes. The tech race has been a bit too crazy for us.
<mostrojoe>: Is there the tendence to stay with the warchest system or with a more detailed system like the one seen in StartOps?
<Habeas2>: Mostrojoe – he warchest system is likely to stay in place for quite some time to come, as it has proven failrly popular.
<mostrojoe>: talking about the mantainance and repair chapter
<Habeas2>: Mostrojoe – More detailed systems are available for more expert players, but we understand that some people don’t have time or resources for detailed accounting of operations.
<Mgun>: Are you thinking of a new unified and simplified construction system for all units above 100 tons?
<Habeas2>: Mgun – Yes. We’ll simply outlaw them.
<Habeas2>: Mgun – More seriously, it’s something that needs to be discussed further.
<SeeM2>: Habeas2: 3) Are there any plans for a card game? Does CGL have a license for Battletech card games? I’m not saying about old ccg (although it wasn’t so bad), just any BT card game.
<Habeas2>: SeeM2 – No card game.
<BirdofPrey>: so you mentioned lack of computer aids are slowing down record sheets. I know a lot of us are waiting for RS 3067 and prototypes. Has CGL researched hiring a small programer team to make some construction programs for internal use (and possibly sale to fans who own the rule books)?
<BirdofPrey>: I know kickstarter is all the rage these days
<Habeas2>: BirdofPrey – I cannot answer that.
<cStrick>: do you think there will come a day when we recall the Jihad as fondly as we dol
<cStrick>: as we recall water raids?
<deadborder>: Water Raids! Way to make a guy feel old
<Habeas2>: cStrick – I’m already there
<BirdofPrey>: ok ok last (intentional) question from me: A lot of TROs have had a historicals section detailing Age of Wafr and Star league Designs. Is it possible future TROs will contain historical sections closer to the present (ie. inserting some new stuff into the sucession wars or clan invasion)?
<Habeas2>: BirdofPrey – You mean like making up some Succession Wars version of the Penetrator? Remember that after 3050, many of the TROs were discussing units that just debuted recently, so they wouldn’t have „older variants“. This is also why you saw a shortage of Notable Pilots and Battle Histories.
<BirdofPrey>: well i was mainly thinking we could use some WiGEs and advanced/experimental units inserted into earlier time periods. could be said to have recently been declassified
<Suralin>: BirdOfPrey – Or maybe units that were wiped out during the Succession Wars.
<Suralin>: or Amaris coup
<Habeas2>: BirdofPrey – Meh, maybe, but after all this time, I think we tapped out the bulk of any new units from the Succession Wars period. Continuity can be a harsh mistress, you know.
<BirdofPrey>: or yes that. basically new units, not just older versions of stuff weve seen in other tros
<Habeas2>: BirdofPrey – There will be a Succession Wars era miniseries of the XTRs in the future. Maybe some stuff will show up there.
<BirdofPrey>: nice
<Weirdo>: I have but one question(at the moment): How likely are we to see armed variants of the Aquila JumpShip, to represent the upgunned merchantmen used by various early Houses, Periphery navies, and pirates?
<Habeas2>: Weirdo – Slim to none. Those vessels are so far in BattleTech’s past that they represent a time period we simply have no interest in exploring.
<BirdofPrey>: i still think we need some more WiGEs inserted into each era. how can a unit type that has existed for centuries only have a handful of examples. That’s worse than the IS omni shhortage i harp on
<Weirdo>: The fluff of the ship says they exist, and I’d love to see details.
<jimdigriz>: I’d like to see the upgunned Aquilla stats as well.
<mostrojoe>: Do you think CGL will publish some products in limited or collectors edition verion only? Something that you think is not going to have a wide market but that will be bought by hardcore fans anyway: starmaps, postermaps, niche books or everything else
<Habeas2>: Mostrojoe – We don’t really like to do the „limited collector’s edition“ thing. It only comes up occasionally in the form of first run core books like TW and AToW.
<Damage>: how about hex-pack asteroids and black holes? for those of us that play with warships.
<Habeas2>: Damage – You are going to find this very hard to hear, I reckon: The aerospace crowd in BT is simply NOT strong enough to justify a hex pack at this time.
<mostrojoe>: are there plans, even remote, for some new expansion about the „space“ side of the game?
<Habeas2>: Mostorjoe – No
<mostrojoe>: do you think that things like official quirk lists, potential limited revisions of the game will be possible in 2013? Or the agenda is too tight yet?
<Habeas2>: Mostrojoe – The plan we’re toying with at present is to add Quirks to the MUL listings for units
<mostrojoe>: … but the quirks in the MUL is something you think can happen in 2013?
<Habeas2>: Mostrojoe – Not sure. It would be a pretty big job for volunteers
<Trboturtle2>: I think the MUL crew is enjoying a long rest in Arkham….
<BirdofPrey>: are there any actually planned hex packs for the future or do you just come up with them as needed?
<Habeas2>: BirdofPrey – The next Hex Pack is generally skecthed out as soon as the latest one goes up. So, we’re only discussing which one comes next at this point.
<Nerroth>: In a prior BattleChat, you mentioned that there was a new line of products you had been considering; one which might be able to cover more subjects like AToW stats for the Tetatae (which would otherwise have no place to go.) is there anything about this line that could be discussed at this point, or is it still too far off to be given any proper detail?
<Habeas2>: Nerroth – There are actually two potential PDF-exclusive lines I am toying with that could qualify. The tentative titles for the series are Misjumps and PseudoTech.
<SeeM2>: I wouldn’t mind winter board and hexpacks, frozen rivers and lakes. Yeah, I can always image that everything is frozen to death, but it stays green on the board.
<BirdofPrey>: oh yeah like that idea: hex packs dealing with TO level environments. Hmm any hope of seeing something like that?
<Habeas2>: SeeM2/BirdofPrey – Not really. The general notion is that any terrain can be frozen, wet, windswept, exposed to vaccum, or glassed over, so making different maps for different environmental conditions would be gouging the consumer.
<Mikecj>: Are we going to see another Time of War expansion book?
<Habeas2>: Mikecj – Um, that’s a good question. We want to avoid venue-driven sourcebooks, since they only appeal to a limited audience, but the goal of Companion was to cover the advanced rules not already dealt with by the core AToW book. This left us pretty much nothing for a second, generic companion. I mean, factional/era stuff appears now in all Era DIgests/Reports as it is
<Nerroth>: How much scope for detail would there be for worlds like Kaetetôã in such a work? for example, could a colour (or black-and-white) map of that planet (and/or the Far Country moon) be a feature in such a file?
<Habeas2>: Nerroth – It’s anyone’s guess.
<Nerroth>: In any case, I’d definitely look forward to anything more about that corner of the universe you may get around to at some point. Thank you.
<Trboturtle2>: Are tehre plans for new mapsheets?
<Habeas2>: Trboturtle2 – If you mean the plain paper ones, we keep trying to discuss those, but they are rather costly to make and don’t sell strongly enough to justify continued production.
<Weirdo>: Absolutely loved XTRO: Phantoms. Any chance we’ll ever see the Purifier: Police mentioned in it?
<Habeas2>: Weirdo – No idea
<BirdofPrey>: would it be pissible to see different tech levels in infantry equipment? los tech from the star league and new 3250 stuff?
<BirdofPrey>: *possible
<Habeas2>: BirdofPrey – Meh. At this time? No.