So here is the thing. I have been a fan of battletech since I was 9 years old, so the early nineties. it was the cartoon of all things that brought me to it. since then I was hooked, and now have been reading novels, sourcebooks and playing ever since. when fasa closed their doors in 2001, I was saddened that my favorite hobby was disappearing, but it would never make me give up my books.
so when I found out Wizkids was recreating mechwarrior in a new way I was thrilled. when I saw the product under development, I admit I was confused. the thoroughly advanced timeline, the stark visual difference in mech design, some battle armor I never heard of (Clan Battle Armor is not Elemental suitm abnd I did not even know what a Hauberk was!)
still I gave the game a chance, because some mech action was better then no mech action. I bought two starters and a booster, Pulling a Swordsworn centurion, an modified forestry mech, and the Spirit Cat Arbalest. when I played the demo I was hooked. the game was easier to pick up then the board game ever was, much faster paced. sure flaws developed over time, like how for a third of the games life cycle mechs were big targets and a point sink. but it was still great.
but what drew me in was the same as what drew me into battletech proper. the Fiction. while many complained about the old guard being gone, I was gobbling up the new heros being born. Tara Campbell, Anastasia Kerensky, Erik Sandoval, Evan Kurst were all well doen characters. they were only a taste of what was to come with Jullian Davion, Callandre Kell, Alaric Wolf, and the most well developed and three dimensional character in all of battletech Danai Liao Centrella came to be.
while early fluff introduced this new kid faction, we see its rapid downfall under the absence of it's founding father. we see a once proud clan the emphasized calm battle prowess and professionalism descend into madness. The Draconis Combine falls down to the worst civic strife since the Von Rhors Coordinators.
this is interesting stuff for me, not the same old same old war, new conflicts, new strife, new problems, and the character and makeup of factions are shaken to their core.
This all left me wondering what was not to love about the period, and the best answer I can get is because it was suddenly sprung on us, rather the eased in, it became way to offputting to most. am I that far off?
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Topic: I like the dark age... and not afraid to admit it. (Read 5117 times)