Some comments in the Transformers movie thread have got me thinking about Battletech, the my first Mecha love. More specifically, if it were turned into a live action movie/serious TV series (the old cartoons are campy even for their day).
The question of a BT movie brings up many more questions. With the wealth of story and depth in the BT Universe, what events would be most fitting for a movie? The Clan invasion? One of the Succession Wars? The Fed Com Civil War? Or one of the many conflicts shown in the books like “Legend of the Jade Phoenix Trilogy†or “Flashpoint�
And then, who would be best at directing/writing/producing/starring in such a movie?
Battletech movie
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Heretic
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Battletech movie
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Jak Stoller
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The problem with a battletech movie is the lack of overall depth... All it really has to bargan with is giant robots....slowly beating each other up... Other than that its kinda gimmic-less as far as a movie is concerned (sure, theres this _broad_ boring setting, but you can only cover so much in a two hour movie. Plus there seems to be a lack of anything awe inspiring, though I could be forgetting some sorta "Helmsdeep" esq super battle that most setting movies are tryin for these days). Its sorta the same reason why I don't think an american movie audience will ever go for a live action gundam movie...
I seem to remember their actually being a BT tv series.. which flopped pretty badly...
--Jak
I seem to remember their actually being a BT tv series.. which flopped pretty badly...
--Jak
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Heretic
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That was the cartoon. Don’t go there.
As for depth, this is why I suggested one of the book series. “Flashpoint†had a good balance of action and depth but could be easily adapted to stand alone without needing to get into he politics of the Inner Sphere to much.
And if you want any Epic battles, Operation Serpent/Bulldog was the complete annihilation of Clan Smoke Jaguar. I don’t see how you could get more epic then wiping out an entire faction of a society that’s soul focus has been the complete domination of the human race ever since the Clans were formed hundreds of years before.
You might be looking at Battletech through Gundam eyes. Battletech has greater potential as a gritty war drama because of how the universe had been established. There are no super prototypes or genius teenage aces who defeat all comers. In the case of Clans Vs. IS the Clans have a significant advantage both in skill and in technology. In the novels its never “The one heroic pilot†or even “The one heroic team†Large scale battles are fought with battalions across entire planets, which are small fragments of the larger successor states. With all that space to work in, it isn’t unreasonable to think that a story within that universe could be suited for a movie or that a movie could be written based on the universe.
[edit] I completely forgot about the Solaris Seven Gladiator fights, Those could be kick ass if made into a movie too.
As for depth, this is why I suggested one of the book series. “Flashpoint†had a good balance of action and depth but could be easily adapted to stand alone without needing to get into he politics of the Inner Sphere to much.
And if you want any Epic battles, Operation Serpent/Bulldog was the complete annihilation of Clan Smoke Jaguar. I don’t see how you could get more epic then wiping out an entire faction of a society that’s soul focus has been the complete domination of the human race ever since the Clans were formed hundreds of years before.
You might be looking at Battletech through Gundam eyes. Battletech has greater potential as a gritty war drama because of how the universe had been established. There are no super prototypes or genius teenage aces who defeat all comers. In the case of Clans Vs. IS the Clans have a significant advantage both in skill and in technology. In the novels its never “The one heroic pilot†or even “The one heroic team†Large scale battles are fought with battalions across entire planets, which are small fragments of the larger successor states. With all that space to work in, it isn’t unreasonable to think that a story within that universe could be suited for a movie or that a movie could be written based on the universe.
[edit] I completely forgot about the Solaris Seven Gladiator fights, Those could be kick ass if made into a movie too.
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Jak Stoller
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Well thats my point, in transformers its a couple underdogs versus a couple bad guys, but on epic proportions. In Life Free or Die Hard (one of the best movies I have seen in a very long time) its on guy versus the world. Thats the kinda movies people like, they want a hero. They don't much care if one group gets slaughtered, they care more about the struggle of the characters.
I don't know, Battletech just lacks flare to me
Its like if you took all the sparkle out of giant robots (trying to pretend their realistic and then failing misserably at it...).
I don't know, maybe they could do it. But honestly I'd rather see their efforts (and budget) spent on something else. Maybe Heavy Gear? Nah that doesn't even work right. Mecha is only good in animation, its not designed to work any other way.
We'll see how Transformers does
--Jak
I don't know, Battletech just lacks flare to me
Its like if you took all the sparkle out of giant robots (trying to pretend their realistic and then failing misserably at it...).I don't know, maybe they could do it. But honestly I'd rather see their efforts (and budget) spent on something else. Maybe Heavy Gear? Nah that doesn't even work right. Mecha is only good in animation, its not designed to work any other way.
We'll see how Transformers does
--Jak
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wing zero alpha
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I don't think a BattleTech movie would work out because for the most part its too broad. There's no central hero or plot to it, just major events and individual storylines about different soldiers. At least in Gundam, even with the blown well out of proportion One Year War, you never forgot that the main story was around the Amuro Ray, Char Aznable and the White Base, whereas the closest attempt to a central character in the BattleTech universe was Victor Steiner-Davion (during the Clan Wars anyway). I'm sure one could try to make an individual storyline for a movie, like the plotlines for Mechwarrior 3, 4 and their expansions, but it just wouldn't have the same effect as seeing fan favorites put on the big screen as the case with Transformers. That and the BattleTech universe is so set in stone it makes UC Gundam look lax with its established timelines and events, so making an all new story would be all the more difficult.
Besides, as far as I can tell, the Battletech franchise is all but dead in the water anyway; I could be wrong there, but it just hasn't been the same since FASA left the scene. That being said, I'm not sure if a BattleTech movie under the current administration would be all that great, because as mentioned WizKids are more willing to sell out than FASA. I also wonder if they have any rights to the FASA storylines, ie the Clan Wars; in Mechwarrior 4, the Clans were mentioned and various OmniMechs were marching around, but that was about it. There weren't any straight allusions to the events like in Mechwarrior 3 or Pirate's Moon.
Besides, as far as I can tell, the Battletech franchise is all but dead in the water anyway; I could be wrong there, but it just hasn't been the same since FASA left the scene. That being said, I'm not sure if a BattleTech movie under the current administration would be all that great, because as mentioned WizKids are more willing to sell out than FASA. I also wonder if they have any rights to the FASA storylines, ie the Clan Wars; in Mechwarrior 4, the Clans were mentioned and various OmniMechs were marching around, but that was about it. There weren't any straight allusions to the events like in Mechwarrior 3 or Pirate's Moon.
Gah! Gah! Gah!
Such disrespect for BattleTech/MechWarrior from some people!
1.) The franchise is not dead. The MechWarrior: Age of Destruction CMG has been doing quite well for some time now. Sure, it has had it's ups and downs, but it's far from dead... and they've been publishing some new CBT books for the Jihad era as well, so it isn't dead either.
2.) Sure they don't have a single dominant character, but that merely adds to the richness and complexity of the universe. There are dozens of stories in all sorts of different time periods to choose from which would all make good movies. I guess the biggest handicap is that the best stories in the universe tend to be in trilogies (Legend of the Jade Pheonix, Dark Age's Northwind trilogy, etc.) or at the very least hinge on a general knowlege of then-current events in the universe to be understood.
3.) The senior class of an animation school was working on a short MW film as a class project about a year ago, but production has apparently been stalled/cancelled.
4.) Jak, if you just don't like the BT/MW universe, perhaps you shouldn't be posting here.
5.) If you want to make something completely standalone, with a new main character and no connection to any major events in the universe (I have no clue why you would WANT to sever those ties, but anyway...) then Heretic hit it right on the head with the Solaris VII suggestion.
6.) The allegiance of most BT/MW fans is not to a character. Putting a "fan-favorite" character on the screen would probably not affect attendance at all. Putting a fan-favorite MECH or FACTION might. The big thing, the deciding thing, however, is merely that the franchise would be getting some headlining attention. I think everybody would come see it, whatever they did to it, just to encourage the health of the franchise.
Ehh... I could keep going for a while, but I guess I'll see how people respond to this first.
Such disrespect for BattleTech/MechWarrior from some people!
1.) The franchise is not dead. The MechWarrior: Age of Destruction CMG has been doing quite well for some time now. Sure, it has had it's ups and downs, but it's far from dead... and they've been publishing some new CBT books for the Jihad era as well, so it isn't dead either.
2.) Sure they don't have a single dominant character, but that merely adds to the richness and complexity of the universe. There are dozens of stories in all sorts of different time periods to choose from which would all make good movies. I guess the biggest handicap is that the best stories in the universe tend to be in trilogies (Legend of the Jade Pheonix, Dark Age's Northwind trilogy, etc.) or at the very least hinge on a general knowlege of then-current events in the universe to be understood.
3.) The senior class of an animation school was working on a short MW film as a class project about a year ago, but production has apparently been stalled/cancelled.
4.) Jak, if you just don't like the BT/MW universe, perhaps you shouldn't be posting here.
5.) If you want to make something completely standalone, with a new main character and no connection to any major events in the universe (I have no clue why you would WANT to sever those ties, but anyway...) then Heretic hit it right on the head with the Solaris VII suggestion.
6.) The allegiance of most BT/MW fans is not to a character. Putting a "fan-favorite" character on the screen would probably not affect attendance at all. Putting a fan-favorite MECH or FACTION might. The big thing, the deciding thing, however, is merely that the franchise would be getting some headlining attention. I think everybody would come see it, whatever they did to it, just to encourage the health of the franchise.
Ehh... I could keep going for a while, but I guess I'll see how people respond to this first.
Don't call it a comeback...
...in fact, it's best if you forget I was ever here before.
...in fact, it's best if you forget I was ever here before.
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Heretic
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If I had to name a single protagonist that features prominently in both the clan war and the FedCom Civil war, it would be Victor. But you are very right Ascension, the fan base doesn’t really fall behind any single character so much as they do for the factions. The level of polarization is similar to UC Gundam fans being split between the Federation and Zeon. only there are more factions to be split between, five successor states, ComStar, Word of Blake and more Clans than I can remember offhand. The Clans themselves don’t even get along all the time, being split between Crusader Clans and Warden Clans. Don’t even get me started on all the mercenary units out there.
The two places in the Inner Sphere where most of these conflicts can be shown best are the Chaos March (a cluster of FedCom worlds that boarder two other Successor States) or Solaris VII where freelance Mechwarriors gather from all the successor states and practically everywhere else to seek fame and fortune.
With a talented writer and director, it is not hard to use the BT universe to make a movie. Until recent years the biggest problem preventing it was that making the mechs realistic enough for it to be taken seriously.
The two places in the Inner Sphere where most of these conflicts can be shown best are the Chaos March (a cluster of FedCom worlds that boarder two other Successor States) or Solaris VII where freelance Mechwarriors gather from all the successor states and practically everywhere else to seek fame and fortune.
With a talented writer and director, it is not hard to use the BT universe to make a movie. Until recent years the biggest problem preventing it was that making the mechs realistic enough for it to be taken seriously.
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wing zero alpha
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Yare yare, have I struck a nerve?Ascension wrote:Gah! Gah! Gah!
Such disrespect for BattleTech/MechWarrior from some people!
Could have fooled me. Aside from the die hard fans, I have yet to see any real signs of life with the fandom, but then I have the same views for Star Trek (which I just learned has another movie in the works).1.) The franchise is not dead. The MechWarrior: Age of Destruction CMG has been doing quite well for some time now. Sure, it has had it's ups and downs, but it's far from dead... and they've been publishing some new CBT books for the Jihad era as well, so it isn't dead either.
That's the problem though, you don't make a movie out of something that's broad like that unless it's based on a real life major event everyone knows about (the World Wars, Vietnam, etc.), because the movie can only cover so much material. Star Wars, for example, is a rich and complex universe that's been expanded well beyond normal parameters, even before stuff like the Truce at Bakura came out, but when that's all said and done, people remember Star Wars primarily for Luke, Han, Leia, Darth Vader, etc. all of which are only a small part of the universe.2.) Sure they don't have a single dominant character, but that merely adds to the richness and complexity of the universe. There are dozens of stories in all sorts of different time periods to choose from which would all make good movies. I guess the biggest handicap is that the best stories in the universe tend to be in trilogies (Legend of the Jade Pheonix, Dark Age's Northwind trilogy, etc.) or at the very least hinge on a general knowlege of then-current events in the universe to be understood.
Bottom line, people don't care about individual war time stories in a movie series (TV shows maybe, but not movies), because they adapt to the characters they see in the first film and go from there. This is why in any major trilogy or series, no matter how many films are made or how much time difference there is, there's always a central character that's been there since the beginning.
Reminds me of that live action Mega Man movie that never came out.3.) The senior class of an animation school was working on a short MW film as a class project about a year ago, but production has apparently been stalled/cancelled.
On the contrary, unless this is a pep rally for BattleTech fans, then he has every right to voice an opinion. I literally grew up on BattleTech/Mechwarrior myself (it was my main thing before Gundam), but I still don't think a movie would work out.4.) Jak, if you just don't like the BT/MW universe, perhaps you shouldn't be posting here.
Speaking realistically, unless you're really into the BattleTech universe (which not everybody is), then it might be best to make a standalone saga, or something totally new if a movie was to be made. Maybe a story from the war between Clan Jade Falcon and Clan Wolf, or go the Mechwarrior 4 route and have a story during the civil war in the Federated Commonwealth when Katrina Steiner-Davion launched a coup against Victor and seized it. If anything the latter would be a good starting point for a story.5.) If you want to make something completely standalone, with a new main character and no connection to any major events in the universe (I have no clue why you would WANT to sever those ties, but anyway...) then Heretic hit it right on the head with the Solaris VII suggestion.
But not everyone is a BT/MW fan that's been with the franchise since the beginning, and if the Eragon movie has proven anything, a movie cannot survive on its loyal fandom alone. Sure it will attract die hard players, but if the movie is a really crappy one or just one that people that aren't fans don't get, then it won't contribute to the franchise at all. And then there's the worst case scenario, where the movie would turn fan elements away like Batman and Robin did.6.) The allegiance of most BT/MW fans is not to a character. Putting a "fan-favorite" character on the screen would probably not affect attendance at all. Putting a fan-favorite MECH or FACTION might. The big thing, the deciding thing, however, is merely that the franchise would be getting some headlining attention. I think everybody would come see it, whatever they did to it, just to encourage the health of the franchise.
This all makes Battletech a great game to play, as well as good for novelizations and potentially a TV series (no comment on the cartoon), but for a movie, which calls for a compressed storyline, it would be a major disaster trying to fit so much fiction into it.If I had to name a single protagonist that features prominently in both the clan war and the FedCom Civil war, it would be Victor. But you are very right Ascension, the fan base doesn’t really fall behind any single character so much as they do for the factions. The level of polarization is similar to UC Gundam fans being split between the Federation and Zeon. only there are more factions to be split between, five successor states, ComStar, Word of Blake and more Clans than I can remember offhand. The Clans themselves don’t even get along all the time, being split between Crusader Clans and Warden Clans. Don’t even get me started on all the mercenary units out there.
The problem is not making a movie, the problem is making a movie that works for everyone, both long time BattleTech fan or not. A talented writer and director can make a kickass movie, sure, but what's the point if it alienates one part of the audience for another, which means less money at the box office (which equals bad reviews for the movie)?With a talented writer and director, it is not hard to use the BT universe to make a movie. Until recent years the biggest problem preventing it was that making the mechs realistic enough for it to be taken seriously.
Again, I direct you toward the Eragon movie, which unless you read the book through and through, you'll think is little more than another medieval action flick. Compare that to Lord of the Rings or Transformers, where sure, they keep elements of the original books and TV shows, but at the same time they keep things interesting and entertaining (which is the whole point to any form of media) for the people that don't read the said books or TV shows.
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Heretic
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You almost had a point before you mentioned Eragon. The book was little more than plot and characters pulled form Star Wars and LOTR. Sure it was better than something the average teenager can put out, but not top caliber or even average for the fantasy genre. The movie could not overcome the flaws that have been well documented from the books and people didn’t like it. Thus only diehard fans of the books who haven’t realized these flaws liked the movie.
BT started as a tabletop game and spawned successful computer games (mech 2-4, MechCom 1&2 plus expansions) and a long line of novels that are very compelling and well written. Even if it doesn’t have a vast fan base, if I see a movie trailer with only a glimpse of a Mad Cat/Timberwolf, I will do everything in my power to drag everyone I know to the movie and most other BT fans will do the same.
Story marketability is an illusion; movie producers will put off some kinds of stories for years because they don’t think it would make money or appeal to a large enough audience. Then someone takes a chance on it and everyone is surprised by how much of a hit it becomes (Harry Potter). The Medea needs to rethink how it approaches the audience, assuming that nobody would “Get it†and only doing what has been done before just because it worked before doesn’t mean that people won’t be open to something new.
There is no sure way to know what people might find enjoyable. My little brother started watching anime with me because he saw me watching the Patlabor movie and he liked it. Patlabor, something that I had thought would be too over his head. It’s the same with the growing popularity of anime in North America. North American Media is too set in its ways to try new things, which is why many of the things people like about anime have never been done before. Nobody thought it would sell. Now people are noticing anime because it’s new and different, it is indeed selling.
Just because something hasn’t been done or doesn’t fit with the normal pattern of doing things, doesn’t mean that that it isn’t marketable.
Maybe we should dial this back a bit before we get off topic. How about we settle for “We don’t know if a Battletech movie would sell or not or if one will ever be made.â€
With that out of the way, how about hypothetical speculation. Hypothetically speaking, if there were to be a BT movie, what actors/directors do you think would be suited for such a thing? And what Mechs would you want to see?
I’d want Samuel L Jackson in it even if only for a cameo. “Damn! Mother ****** just blew up a ******* Atlas with a single Gauss Rifle!â€
BT started as a tabletop game and spawned successful computer games (mech 2-4, MechCom 1&2 plus expansions) and a long line of novels that are very compelling and well written. Even if it doesn’t have a vast fan base, if I see a movie trailer with only a glimpse of a Mad Cat/Timberwolf, I will do everything in my power to drag everyone I know to the movie and most other BT fans will do the same.
Story marketability is an illusion; movie producers will put off some kinds of stories for years because they don’t think it would make money or appeal to a large enough audience. Then someone takes a chance on it and everyone is surprised by how much of a hit it becomes (Harry Potter). The Medea needs to rethink how it approaches the audience, assuming that nobody would “Get it†and only doing what has been done before just because it worked before doesn’t mean that people won’t be open to something new.
There is no sure way to know what people might find enjoyable. My little brother started watching anime with me because he saw me watching the Patlabor movie and he liked it. Patlabor, something that I had thought would be too over his head. It’s the same with the growing popularity of anime in North America. North American Media is too set in its ways to try new things, which is why many of the things people like about anime have never been done before. Nobody thought it would sell. Now people are noticing anime because it’s new and different, it is indeed selling.
Just because something hasn’t been done or doesn’t fit with the normal pattern of doing things, doesn’t mean that that it isn’t marketable.
Maybe we should dial this back a bit before we get off topic. How about we settle for “We don’t know if a Battletech movie would sell or not or if one will ever be made.â€
With that out of the way, how about hypothetical speculation. Hypothetically speaking, if there were to be a BT movie, what actors/directors do you think would be suited for such a thing? And what Mechs would you want to see?
I’d want Samuel L Jackson in it even if only for a cameo. “Damn! Mother ****** just blew up a ******* Atlas with a single Gauss Rifle!â€
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wing zero alpha
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You missed my point then: my point had nothing to do with the quality of Eragon, or the flaws in its story, it had to do with the movie being made to survive on its fanbase alone, which in turn was the point both you and Ascension were trying to make. Like it or not, Eragon has a fairly decent fanbase, but that wasn't enough to save the movie in the box office.Heretic wrote:You almost had a point before you mentioned Eragon. The book was little more than plot and characters pulled form Star Wars and LOTR. Sure it was better than something the average teenager can put out, but not top caliber or even average for the fantasy genre. The movie could not overcome the flaws that have been well documented from the books and people didn’t like it. Thus only diehard fans of the books who haven’t realized these flaws liked the movie.
I don't care if it started out as a TV show on garage set or in a parking lot somewhere, the origins aren't important outside the story. As for a movie trailer with a Mad Cat/Timberwolf, what if that were generated using the same mechanics G-Saviour had? Would you still want to go see that movie and want to do everything in your power to drag everyone you know, who more than likely aren't into BattleTech like you are so this would be their first experience, just cause you're a die hard fan? Or would you want to wait until details come out on the story, the director, staff, special effects, etc. before you decide to spend your money?BT started as a tabletop game and spawned successful computer games (mech 2-4, MechCom 1&2 plus expansions) and a long line of novels that are very compelling and well written. Even if it doesn’t have a vast fan base, if I see a movie trailer with only a glimpse of a Mad Cat/Timberwolf, I will do everything in my power to drag everyone I know to the movie and most other BT fans will do the same.
On the contrary, the story is what holds any kind of media together. Granted, the special effects and the "bam" of the previews are what drive people to go to movies in the first place, it's the storyline, characterization, etc. that people walk out of the theater remembering the most along with the special effects. Why do you think the latter two Matrix were such disappointments? They had some of the best special effects and action scenes in the modern time, but that wasn't enough to keep people from disliking the contrived story, Keanu Reeves' acting skills and the feeling that the Wachowskis slapped the movies together out of scavenged parts in a Frankenstein lab somewhere.Story marketability is an illusion; movie producers will put off some kinds of stories for years because they don’t think it would make money or appeal to a large enough audience. Then someone takes a chance on it and everyone is surprised by how much of a hit it becomes (Harry Potter). The Medea needs to rethink how it approaches the audience, assuming that nobody would “Get it†and only doing what has been done before just because it worked before doesn’t mean that people won’t be open to something new.
Hell, this point was proven factual to me just today, as I just saw the Transformers movie. If there's one thing I noticed with the audience, it's that despite the really cool transforming robots, what really caught attention was the side story romance between Sam Witwicky and Mekaela, as well as their growing friendship with Bumblebee. They basically came in to see giant robots duke it out, but the boy-meets-girl side story is what kept them interested until spectacular finale came about.
In summary, you're going to need a hell of a lot more than a Kodiak jumping out of a glacier to stomp on a Mad Dog/Vulture to keep people hooked (that's the Ghost Bear Expansion Pack intro in case you're wondering), otherwise the movie will fail in the first week.
You're right, people do like the new and different, and there's no way of telling what would sell and what won't. However, that doesn't mean you can't look back at how it all happen and compare that to the present. Star Trek, for example, wasn't supposed to be that popular, but in turned into one of the founding forms of science fiction. How did that happen? Cool spaceship? Sure the Enterprise was cool. Special effects? Good for its hayday. But if anything really landmarked it, it was the different directions the show went, along with how the characters in the motely crew dealt with them. To this day, if there's anything people will remember about Star Trek besides the ship being called Enterprise, it's going to James T. Kirk, Spock, Scotty and everything they did in their adventures more than how cool the ships looked.There is no sure way to know what people might find enjoyable. My little brother started watching anime with me because he saw me watching the Patlabor movie and he liked it. Patlabor, something that I had thought would be too over his head. It’s the same with the growing popularity of anime in North America. North American Media is too set in its ways to try new things, which is why many of the things people like about anime have never been done before. Nobody thought it would sell. Now people are noticing anime because it’s new and different, it is indeed selling.
And to this day the process continues with Die Hard, Transformers and every other movies out there.
The problem is this angle has been done before; it's not like giant robots in huge science fiction wars is anything ground breaking or different. Mechwarrior's main selling point was that you were controlling the action from the cockpit, as if you were there. That point is lost since while the movie would be a fun ride, it's not the same as you being the one controlling the action.Just because something hasn’t been done or doesn’t fit with the normal pattern of doing things, doesn’t mean that that it isn’t marketable.
That pretty much blows the purpose of this thread out of the water, doesn't it? But I'll play along anyway.Maybe we should dial this back a bit before we get off topic. How about we settle for “We don’t know if a Battletech movie would sell or not or if one will ever be made.â€
Let's see. I'm not sure if I'd want Michael Bay as the director alone, as from what I heard with Transformers, Steven Spielburg had a few ideas himself. For actors, here's a few I think could work:With that out of the way, how about hypothetical speculation. Hypothetically speaking, if there were to be a BT movie, what actors/directors do you think would be suited for such a thing? And what Mechs would you want to see?
Kate Beckinsale - Katrina Steiner-Davion
Sean Bean - Victor Steiner-Davion
Temuera Morrison - Phelan Kell
Pierce Brosnan - Ulric Kerensky
Sean Connery - Aleksandr Kerensky
Ken Watanabe - Hohiro Kurita (Coordinator of the Draconis Combine)
Maggie Q - Omiko Kurita
Ewan McGregor - Connor Sinclair*
Hugh Jackman - Dominic "Gunner" Paine
Keira Knightley - Epona Rhi
Russell Crowe - Alan Mattila
*- The following are the members of the Democles Lance, the protagonists of Mechwarrior 3. Although they weren't flushed out much, they were characters I grew attached to, and since they're not big names like Victor or Katrina (just being regular mech pilots with the Federated Commonwealth), I thought they'd make great "main" characters for a movie.
As for mechs, since the most ideal conflict I can think of is the civil war around the Federated Commonwealth and Lyran Alliance between Victor and Katrina forces, I'd want the movie to primarily have Inner Sphere battlemechs with captured Clan omnimechs here and there, notably with the main good guys for Gundam styled effect. My ideal protagonist team would be like this:
Mad Cat - Primary Attacker/Command Unit
Thor - Primary Attacker/Reconaissance Unit
Supernova - Sniper Unit (customized with twin gauss rifles for the job)
Daishi - Heavy Assault Unit
That's generally it there.
Those things are overrated; I took one down with ER Lasers alone by shooting it continuously in the faceplate. But then I prefer a Daishi myself.I’d want Samuel L Jackson in it even if only for a cameo. “Damn! Mother ****** just blew up a ******* Atlas with a single Gauss Rifle!â€
Ehh, Daishis are sloooooow... Atlas FTW!!!
I don't like the idea of having a team of IS protagonists piloting exclusively Clan mechs. In MW, if the protagonists are dominant, it's because of piloting skill, not technology.
'course, what I've got running through my head right now is the thought of a Dark Age-era Solaris VII movie with Alberto DeJesus as the protagonist. He's probably THE most well-recognized gunslinger pilot from the WizKids game, so the name itself might actually generate a little fan reaction. Of course, I still stick with my earlier point that the fans are much more attached to their favorite mechs and factions than they are to any character.
I don't like the idea of having a team of IS protagonists piloting exclusively Clan mechs. In MW, if the protagonists are dominant, it's because of piloting skill, not technology.
'course, what I've got running through my head right now is the thought of a Dark Age-era Solaris VII movie with Alberto DeJesus as the protagonist. He's probably THE most well-recognized gunslinger pilot from the WizKids game, so the name itself might actually generate a little fan reaction. Of course, I still stick with my earlier point that the fans are much more attached to their favorite mechs and factions than they are to any character.
Don't call it a comeback...
...in fact, it's best if you forget I was ever here before.
...in fact, it's best if you forget I was ever here before.
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Heretic
- Posts: 644
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I’ve played Ghost Bear Legacy. Fun.
I think you misconstrued my point about story marketability and doing something new. It was more that producers are less willing to try something that isn’t a sure thing. Star Trek is a good illustration of this, the network canned it, and then the fans brought it back. In syndication the following grew even more, providing support for sequel series and major motion pictures. Back when the original was canceled the first time, the producers and network couldn’t have known all that was going to follow, but they weren’t willing to risk failure at that time. To producer’s it “Can we sell it†but the reality is that what sells is telling a good story. This I think we are on the same page with. Give people a good story and you can surpass simply appealing to a fandom. People who know nothing about the larger events or history of the IS can still sit down and enjoy a movie about people who happen to be fighting is massive robots.
How about this, a man retunes from war with the Clans to take up a position with his home world’s militia. He carries the scars both physical and mental from his time fighting on the planet Huntress, but what he finds back home is a building animosity caused by events far removed from this world. Old divisions haven’t been healed by new alliances and soon he realizes it’s only a matter of time before things spiral out of control and he will have to take up arms again, this time on his home soil.
That is the premise of the novel “Flashpoint†the mechs aren’t the central focus of story, the people who use the mechs are. This is the case with all the novels. Jade Phoenix Trilogy is a story of people rising above their limitations in a society that does everything it can to prevent them from doing so.
The elements are there to tell a good story. All that is necessary is someone to use them properly and for producers to take a chance on it. The mechs are just icing on the cake.
Back to hypothetical casting and so on:
One mech that would have to be seen and used in a BT Movie would be the Mad Cat/Timberwolf. It is just about the most Iconic thing in the BT universe. People who have never even played the games or read any of the books could still recognize it. A close Second would be the Vulture/Mad Dog, followed by the Atlas, Axeman, Thor/Summoner and Loki/Hellbringer.
One mech I really wish I could see in a movie but know would never happen is the old Marauder, the original design of which was taken from Macross. The Phoenix Project redesigns don’t look as good.
I really like you casting ideas WZA, I doubt I could have picked quite as well.
I think you misconstrued my point about story marketability and doing something new. It was more that producers are less willing to try something that isn’t a sure thing. Star Trek is a good illustration of this, the network canned it, and then the fans brought it back. In syndication the following grew even more, providing support for sequel series and major motion pictures. Back when the original was canceled the first time, the producers and network couldn’t have known all that was going to follow, but they weren’t willing to risk failure at that time. To producer’s it “Can we sell it†but the reality is that what sells is telling a good story. This I think we are on the same page with. Give people a good story and you can surpass simply appealing to a fandom. People who know nothing about the larger events or history of the IS can still sit down and enjoy a movie about people who happen to be fighting is massive robots.
How about this, a man retunes from war with the Clans to take up a position with his home world’s militia. He carries the scars both physical and mental from his time fighting on the planet Huntress, but what he finds back home is a building animosity caused by events far removed from this world. Old divisions haven’t been healed by new alliances and soon he realizes it’s only a matter of time before things spiral out of control and he will have to take up arms again, this time on his home soil.
That is the premise of the novel “Flashpoint†the mechs aren’t the central focus of story, the people who use the mechs are. This is the case with all the novels. Jade Phoenix Trilogy is a story of people rising above their limitations in a society that does everything it can to prevent them from doing so.
The elements are there to tell a good story. All that is necessary is someone to use them properly and for producers to take a chance on it. The mechs are just icing on the cake.
Back to hypothetical casting and so on:
One mech that would have to be seen and used in a BT Movie would be the Mad Cat/Timberwolf. It is just about the most Iconic thing in the BT universe. People who have never even played the games or read any of the books could still recognize it. A close Second would be the Vulture/Mad Dog, followed by the Atlas, Axeman, Thor/Summoner and Loki/Hellbringer.
One mech I really wish I could see in a movie but know would never happen is the old Marauder, the original design of which was taken from Macross. The Phoenix Project redesigns don’t look as good.
I really like you casting ideas WZA, I doubt I could have picked quite as well.
Everything I know about rock music, I learned from K-ON!!
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wing zero alpha
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Atlases have the same speed as Daishis, in both Mechwarrior 3 and 4 (48 kph top speed), so I don't see what you're getting at. Don't get me wrong, I like the Atlas for being a kickass Inner Sphere mech, but I found them to be easier to take down than Daishis; although they're not as bad as the Annihalator.Ascension wrote:Ehh, Daishis are sloooooow... Atlas FTW!!!
The idea I had in mind is like the X-Wing vs. the TIE Fighter or the Gundam vs. Zakus. The protagonists have the superior technology, at least later on; I'd want them to start out as a team of Inner Sphere mechs before they get their hot Clan rides. But otherwise, nobody would argue about Wedge Antilles or Amuro Ray being where they are because they had the better fighter and mobile suit (well, Amuro later on anyway), so I think it's the same case here.I don't like the idea of having a team of IS protagonists piloting exclusively Clan mechs. In MW, if the protagonists are dominant, it's because of piloting skill, not technology.
Didn't really phrase myself well. They have the same straight line max speed, but the Daishi turns more slowly (at least in MW4), so it's less agile. Also, I've never liked the configuration of the Daishi's hardpoints and (at least in MW4) the Atlas can carry more armor than the Daishi. Of course, what I'd REALLY like to see would be an Atlas IIC... but that'll never happen.wing zero alpha wrote:Atlases have the same speed as Daishis, in both Mechwarrior 3 and 4 (48 kph top speed), so I don't see what you're getting at.Ascension wrote:Ehh, Daishis are sloooooow... Atlas FTW!!!
I still say I'd rather not see this movie turn into a "Protagonists slay tons of grunts" kinda movie, at least not if the grunts being slain are the same weight class. I'm cool with Locust zerging, though.
Woah! I just ran across something. I thought I remembered a hint of an upcoming movie OTHER than the Dave school one. It turns out I did. This is what I remembered, from way back in 2003 (meaning it's likely it'll never come to pass)... The MechWarrior movie that could have been...
Don't call it a comeback...
...in fact, it's best if you forget I was ever here before.
...in fact, it's best if you forget I was ever here before.
You know... World War 2 didn't really have a strong story, either. It was basically just a bunch of factions fighting it out in a bunch of battles that didn't really focus on one person or another.
This is why there aren't any World War 2 movies. A story is only good if it's an underdog superhero tale.
This is why there aren't any World War 2 movies. A story is only good if it's an underdog superhero tale.
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Heretic
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It’s nice to see the art of sarcasm is alive and well.Mwulf wrote:You know... World War 2 didn't really have a strong story, either. It was basically just a bunch of factions fighting it out in a bunch of battles that didn't really focus on one person or another.
This is why there aren't any World War 2 movies. A story is only good if it's an underdog superhero tale.
As for that article, I think I’m glad “That†movie never came to be. Referring to the Succession Wars, the Clan Invasion, FedCom Civil war and the Word of Blake Jihad as simply “the Mech wars†seems like throwing away a wealth of material that could be better used to enhance the story.
It would be like referring to every war between WWI and now as “the Aircraft Wars†or something simply because air power has grown to dominance in this time. Such would be an injustice to history since each war was fought for reasons of their own and each was surrounded by a different generation of people and world circumstances.
As the Battletech Universe has been built up, the same has been established in its history. To simply toss that all away without including at least a tip of the hat to that history is an injustice.
Everything I know about rock music, I learned from K-ON!!
The problem with most of the event on battletech are huge in material and characters and contain too many sub plot to make one movie.
If you want a movie telling about the Clan Wars of the Fedcom Civil War(Which I think is the best) it will take more than one movie, maybe a trilogy, in any case they'll have to cut or modify a large part of the plot or remove some characters.
Introducing a new arc is perhaps the best way to keep the essence of Battletech/Mechwarrior alive; as much as I want to see Clan kicking the butt of the successor states or the battle of Tukayyid, I think fans would be satisfied with a good Battlemech story that as epic battles and good storyline rather than directors and production cuts messing up a legacy.
If you want a movie telling about the Clan Wars of the Fedcom Civil War(Which I think is the best) it will take more than one movie, maybe a trilogy, in any case they'll have to cut or modify a large part of the plot or remove some characters.
Introducing a new arc is perhaps the best way to keep the essence of Battletech/Mechwarrior alive; as much as I want to see Clan kicking the butt of the successor states or the battle of Tukayyid, I think fans would be satisfied with a good Battlemech story that as epic battles and good storyline rather than directors and production cuts messing up a legacy.
ZEON SHALL RISE AGAIN!!!
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Heretic
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As Mwulf pointed out (sarcastically), World War Two is too large to put into a single movie as well, which is why WWII movies tend to focus on either singular events such as D-Day or on the story of a specific unit like “The Big Red Oneâ€
I’m not saying all the history has to be crammed into a hypothetical movie, only that it be used where it can to enhance the story rather than making something that stands completely apart from the original continuity. I seem to recall reading about a single Combine World that held off the invading Clans on its own. Focusing on a single event like that would serve as a good way to introduce some elements of the larger universe and introduce the Clans. For a sequel, the same characters could become involved in Operation Serpent as part of the coalition that went out to take out Smoke Jaguar. Important characters to the larger universe could be shown in passing or as a cameo, something like Victor shaking the main character’s hand after a successful battle. Something to get the Fans exited that doesn’t keep non fans from relating to the overall story. And if the non fans should decide to look deeper into BattleTech, characters like Victor would already be introduced to them.
Granted, a full TV series might be better at telling the whole story, but look at what happened with Stargate. A single movie that was good in its time but not necessarily great, spawned ten seasons of SG1 and Stargate Atlantis.
Nobody knows what might happen if a BT movie were ever made. Maybe nothing will come of it, maybe it won’t do well in theaters, or maybe it could introduce Battletech to a new generation and leave them wanting more.
It can be done.
I’m not saying all the history has to be crammed into a hypothetical movie, only that it be used where it can to enhance the story rather than making something that stands completely apart from the original continuity. I seem to recall reading about a single Combine World that held off the invading Clans on its own. Focusing on a single event like that would serve as a good way to introduce some elements of the larger universe and introduce the Clans. For a sequel, the same characters could become involved in Operation Serpent as part of the coalition that went out to take out Smoke Jaguar. Important characters to the larger universe could be shown in passing or as a cameo, something like Victor shaking the main character’s hand after a successful battle. Something to get the Fans exited that doesn’t keep non fans from relating to the overall story. And if the non fans should decide to look deeper into BattleTech, characters like Victor would already be introduced to them.
Granted, a full TV series might be better at telling the whole story, but look at what happened with Stargate. A single movie that was good in its time but not necessarily great, spawned ten seasons of SG1 and Stargate Atlantis.
Nobody knows what might happen if a BT movie were ever made. Maybe nothing will come of it, maybe it won’t do well in theaters, or maybe it could introduce Battletech to a new generation and leave them wanting more.
It can be done.
Everything I know about rock music, I learned from K-ON!!