From: nbennet11@cc.swarthmore.edu (Nathaniel Bennett)
Subject: Re: Battletech Game?
Organization: student
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 20:06:09 GMT

In article <BvvEHx.CJ2@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, jng53092@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Jon
Gad) writes:
> 
> skoester@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Scott A Koester) writes:
> 
> 
> Ok, its not your fault you live in Ohio and don't know about the Center, but
> this question keeps popping up every month or so, and its getting a little
> old.  Maybe a FAQ is in order, perhaps?
> 
> Oh well.  In any case, the Battletech Center DOES exist.  In fact there are 
> 3 of them.   Unfortunately, 2 of the 3 are in Japan.  (Tokyo and Yokohama, to
> be exact)  The 3rd (actualy, it was the first built and opened) is in Chicago.
> Not coincidentally, FASA is also headquartered in Chicago.
> 
> Whiles I've never been to Japan, I can tell you this about the one in Chicago.
> 
> 1) The Center has a total of sixteen machines.  These are broken down into two
>    groups of 8, Alpha and Omega, which are in turn broken down into Red and 
>    Green.  If you're on Alpha, you do NOT fight those on Omega.  The games are
>    seperate and run on a staggered schedule.  Furthermore, one machine from 
>    each group (Alpha Red, Alpha Green, etc.) is down at all times, so the 
>    largest game you will ever see is a 3-on-3 or a 6 person free-for-all.
> 
> 2) There is no helmet.  There IS a microphone with which you can talk to other
>    people on your team, or even people on the OTHER team.  However, since you
>    have to hold down a button while you talk, and no one else can talk while
>    you are talking, the comm system dosn't see much use.  Talking as someone 
>    who's been playing on and off for two years now, coordinating with other 
>    members of your team is probably the hardest part of the game.  (Unless 
>    you're playing against a REAL vet, in which case the hardest thing is just
>    staying alive...)
> 
> 3) There isn't really a DOOR per say, but more of a closable canopy that you
>    pull over your head.
> 
> 4) Location.  The Battletech Center is located at North Pier Mall in Chicago,
>    Illinois.
> 
> With the exception of #4, and probably #3, this information is perhaps out of
> date.  That's because the last time I was there was in late August, and the
> new software was going to be installed in early September.  Nontheless, I 
> doubt that very much has changed, but I've got no proof.  If anybody's been
> down there since the new software went into effect, it would great if you
> could post some of the major differences.  Maybe someone at UIC?  In any case,
> if anyone wants a lot of details about the OLD format, feel free to ask... ;)
> 
> Jon Gad
> jng53092@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu 
> 
> 

I was one of four people to be the first to use the new progeaming at the
BattleTech Cenetr in Chicago. Basically what they've done is made the
graphics smoother and the controls more user friendly. They hadn't worked
out all the bugs but I liked it better than the original. In the new
cockpit all the basic info (radar, armor diagram, speed, heading) are on
the secondary screen - you don't have to push buttons to bring up new
panels unless you really want to. One of the biggest changes is that now
you can pilot with the joystick or with the pedal - your choice. My
favorite change is the waiting period they now give you before the battle
starts so you can configure your weapons the way they want you want them.
Graphics-wise they have added buildings and trucks and mountains, taken out
teh silly stone pillars, and made the Mechs look more realistic (the knees
bend now). They  either hadn't programed or wont have the variants - the
only available Mechs are the primary configs for the Mad Cat (Timber Wolf)
, Vulture (Mad Dog), Thor (Summoner) and Loki (forgot the Clan name). They
did take out the Thor and Vulture crippling weakness - no longer will a
single barrage cause an ammo explosion in any of the Mechs. After the
battle you get to watch a birds-eye view re-run from above the highest
scoring player - this is great to watch if you were battling the winner but
doesn't do you any good if you were off somewhere else. Overall it takes
some getting used to if you were familiar with the old system, but for new
or novice players it will make the BT Cenetr much more enjoyable and
user-friendly. as allways it is well worth the trip to Chicago and the
money to play.

Vampyre
Nathaniel Bennett
nbennet1@cc.swarthmore.edu

Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade