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R. Talsorian's Mekton Games

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Triad3204

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Feb 23, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/23/99
to

There's always something new to learn about this industry. <g> I've recently
bought a few Mekton products since I had been hearing some good things about
it; but I quickly realized that I wasn't quite sure what I was buying or
supposed to be buying. Let me review what I *think* I know:

There have been three editions of this game -- Mekton, Mekton II, and Mekton
Zeta. Each of these games has had supplements, some of which are set in the
core Mekton setting and others which merely use the rule set.

So where am I screwed up and what else should I know?

Justin Bacon
tr...@prairie.lakes.com

Ross Smith

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Feb 23, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/23/99
to
Triad3204 wrote:
>
> Let me review what I *think* I know:
>
> There have been three editions of this game -- Mekton, Mekton II, and Mekton
> Zeta. Each of these games has had supplements, some of which are set in the
> core Mekton setting and others which merely use the rule set.
>
> So where am I screwed up and what else should I know?

You're pretty close. :-) The main point you didn't mention is that there
have been *two* "core Mekton setting" universes. The first was "Algol",
a fictional solar system with no connection to Earth (or to the real
star of the same name); this was used in Mekton and Mekton II. For
Mekton Zeta they introduced a new universe, "Invasion Terra", involving
an alien invasion in the next century, with a certain amount of
resemblance to the Macross/Robotech plot.

The MZ rulebook has three sample universes: the two above, and "Imperial
Star", which I thought was by far the most interesting of the three (and
therefore, in accordance with Murphy, has had absolutely no more
published material :-( ). There are brief notes on several more
(incluing Walter Jon Williams' _Hardwired_) in the first MZ Mecha
Manual.

(Hey RTG -- if you can't bring yourselves to do an Imperial Star
sourcebook, how about Sol Invictus? :-) )

--
Ross Smith ....................................... Auckland, New Zealand
<mailto:r-s...@ihug.co.nz> ........ <http://crash.ihug.co.nz/~r-smith/>
"I keep my ear very close to the ground, and in consequence I
listen to a lot of dog crap." -- Alexei Sayle

Wil

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Feb 23, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/23/99
to
Ross Smith wrote:

> Triad3204 wrote:
> >
> > Let me review what I *think* I know:
> >
> > There have been three editions of this game -- Mekton, Mekton II, and Mekton
> > Zeta. Each of these games has had supplements, some of which are set in the
> > core Mekton setting and others which merely use the rule set.
> >
> > So where am I screwed up and what else should I know?
>
> You're pretty close. :-) The main point you didn't mention is that there
> have been *two* "core Mekton setting" universes. The first was "Algol",
> a fictional solar system with no connection to Earth (or to the real
> star of the same name); this was used in Mekton and Mekton II. For
> Mekton Zeta they introduced a new universe, "Invasion Terra", involving
> an alien invasion in the next century, with a certain amount of
> resemblance to the Macross/Robotech plot.

You also forgot Jovian Chronicles, for Mekton II; and Starblade Battalion, for
Mekton Zeta. By far, the best setting out of those IMHO was Jovian Chronicles,
which is now being modelled so much better using Silhouette. The runner up would
be Starblade Battalion (which at some point I'm going to convert to Silhouette),
although Algol was a very fun setting. Triad, when buying Mekton books I'd make
sure that you get Mekton Zeta, and Zeta Plus (whatever it's called). The previous
editions of the books have some information in them, but not enough to warrant
buying them unless they're in the bargain bin.

> (Hey RTG -- if you can't bring yourselves to do an Imperial Star
> sourcebook, how about Sol Invictus? :-) )

You might like to know that RTG is no longer publishing Mekton material. Atomic
Rocket Games, a new company, has exclusive rights to publish and distribute Mekton
products. James Milligan, one of the authors of Starblade Battalion, a couple of
other guys are forming it. This was just announced last week, after what I gather
has been a very long silence (considering that I unsubscribed from the MZML and
haven't touched MZ since Tribe 8 came out).

As a side note, I've been a Mekton fan for a *very* long time. The long gaps
between the release of material in favor of other games by RTG has always bothered
me, and Mekton Zeta seemed like it would be different. The whole Fuzion flap just
about did it in for me...I tried using Fuzion "as is" with MZ and ran into too
many problems. The rules are too scattered, too disorganized, and we found too
many places they needed to be fixed (especially interfacing with several systems
in MZ+). The funny thing is that I always liked the Dream Pod 9 licensed products
for Mekton and CP2020 better than the RTG products, and so I've finally decided
I'm going to just throw my money at them...I might buy the occasional MZ product
if it looks real good, but I'll probably just convert it over to Silhouette.

Wil


--
"Nihilistic mystics, apostolic alcoholics, messianic manics, cataclysmic and
prolific...In the age of super-boredom, hype and mediocrity, celebrate
relentlessness, menace to society" - KMFDM, "Megalomaniac"
Visit Warp & Weft: A Resource for Tribe 8 at
http://www.keyway.net/~sinner/warp.htm

Bill McHale

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Feb 23, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/23/99
to
Ross Smith (r-s...@ihug.co.nz) wrote:
: Triad3204 wrote:
: >
: > Let me review what I *think* I know:
: >
: > There have been three editions of this game -- Mekton, Mekton II, and Mekton
: > Zeta. Each of these games has had supplements, some of which are set in the
: > core Mekton setting and others which merely use the rule set.
: >
: > So where am I screwed up and what else should I know?

: You're pretty close. :-) The main point you didn't mention is that there
: have been *two* "core Mekton setting" universes. The first was "Algol",
: a fictional solar system with no connection to Earth (or to the real
: star of the same name); this was used in Mekton and Mekton II. For
: Mekton Zeta they introduced a new universe, "Invasion Terra", involving
: an alien invasion in the next century, with a certain amount of
: resemblance to the Macross/Robotech plot.

Well a point should be made that the game at least since Mekton II was
generic enough that it could be adapted to other Universes. At the very
least several supplements were produced by the company now known as Dream
Pod 9 (Then it was Janus I believe) in a setting referred to as Jovian
Chronicles which they have since adapted into their own RPG of the same
name using their Silhouette System.

: The MZ rulebook has three sample universes: the two above, and "Imperial


: Star", which I thought was by far the most interesting of the three (and
: therefore, in accordance with Murphy, has had absolutely no more
: published material :-( ). There are brief notes on several more
: (incluing Walter Jon Williams' _Hardwired_) in the first MZ Mecha
: Manual.

: (Hey RTG -- if you can't bring yourselves to do an Imperial Star


: sourcebook, how about Sol Invictus? :-) )

Actually I think they did do an Imperial Star campaign book.

--
Bill

***************************************************************************
Nostalgia is not what it use to be!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Home page - http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~wmchal1
***************************************************************************

Guy McLimore

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Feb 23, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/23/99
to
In article <36D2D001...@keyway.net>, Wil <sin...@keyway.net> wrote:

> You might like to know that RTG is no longer publishing Mekton material.
> Atomic Rocket Games, a new company, has exclusive rights to publish and
> distribute Mekton products.

I hadn't heard that. Thanks for the info.

Hmmmm... I wonder what the fate of Mekton Empire (which Greg Poehlein and
I wrote for RTG long ago) will be? Mekton Empire was never "updated" to
the Mekton Zeta system, but it remained popular and was kept in print all
this time. (That might qualify as a "separate" Mekton game universe, too.
Though it dealt with the same fictional universe that contained the
original Algol, it had a much broader star-spanning background.) I always
thought of Mekton Empire as a pretty decent SF game universe whether you
ever used mecha in it or not. I'd hate to see it go out of print finally
and forever after all these years.

Guy McLimore - mta...@gamingoutpost.com
MicroTactix Games - http://microtactix.gamingoutpost.com

Wil

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Feb 23, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/23/99
to
In article <7aujcv$bh4$3...@news.umbc.edu>,
wmc...@umbc.edu (Bill McHale) wrote:

> Well a point should be made that the game at least since Mekton II was
> generic enough that it could be adapted to other Universes. At the very
> least several supplements were produced by the company now known as Dream
> Pod 9 (Then it was Janus I believe) in a setting referred to as Jovian
> Chronicles which they have since adapted into their own RPG of the same
> name using their Silhouette System.

Ianus (same thing as Janus, really) was kind of like the parent company and
Dream Pod 9 was the rpg design group. They also put out Protoculture Addicts
and Mecha Press magazines. Two books were released under the Mekton II
licensae by DP9, the main Jovian Chronicles sourcebook and an adventure
called the Europa Incident.

> Actually I think they did do an Imperial Star campaign book.

Nope, no I-star book. The only settings that had their own books were
Invasion Terra and Starblade Battalion. IMHO SBB was the best of the bunch
and deserved more books to support it, but at the time it was considered kind
of a one-book deal.

Wil

Visit Warp & Weft: A Resource for Tribe at
http://www.keyway.net/~sinner/warp.htm

-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
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Sidhain

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Feb 23, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/23/99
to

>
>To me, it's not exactly a matter of being saddened about the material going
>out of print, it's just disillusionment with the way the product line has
>been handled, almost from the get-go. With the case of Fuzion, I found
>myself having to carry around a folder with the printed Fuzion material
(and
>no index because of it) as well as the Mekton books. When it came to rules
>questions it was a hassle to find anything, and there were enough grey
areas
>and things that didn't quite mesh well between MZ and Fuzion that I finally
>gave up. Silhouette serves me very well for everything that I want to do,
>and I'm positive it's flexible enough to handle anything I might want to. I
>do *still* like Mekton though, and if Atomic Rocket Games does a good job
>with the line they may woo me back.
>
>Wil

I find the Mechanics of Mekton Zeta far more flexible personally with a bit
more realism (for a Mecha game) I found Heavygears system lackluster and
have looked at Jovian Chronicles, but Id rather not pay that much money for
what amounts to 75%setting when I am not going to use the setting.

Wil

unread,
Feb 24, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/24/99
to
In article <guymc-23029...@guymcmac.evansville.net>,

gu...@evansville.net (Guy McLimore) wrote:
>
> Hmmmm... I wonder what the fate of Mekton Empire (which Greg Poehlein and
> I wrote for RTG long ago) will be? Mekton Empire was never "updated" to
> the Mekton Zeta system, but it remained popular and was kept in print all
> this time. (That might qualify as a "separate" Mekton game universe, too.
> Though it dealt with the same fictional universe that contained the
> original Algol, it had a much broader star-spanning background.) I always
> thought of Mekton Empire as a pretty decent SF game universe whether you
> ever used mecha in it or not. I'd hate to see it go out of print finally
> and forever after all these years.

Apparently one of Atomic Rocket Games' priorities is getting MZ and MZ+ back
into print. There were many that preferred ME's starship rules to the
scaling rules in either edition of the MTS. We ran a ME campaign for some
time based off of an old Lucas Arts game I had on my Commodore where you went
around salvaging old ships and fighting off bug-eyed monsters. It was really
cool.

To me, it's not exactly a matter of being saddened about the material going
out of print, it's just disillusionment with the way the product line has
been handled, almost from the get-go. With the case of Fuzion, I found
myself having to carry around a folder with the printed Fuzion material (and
no index because of it) as well as the Mekton books. When it came to rules
questions it was a hassle to find anything, and there were enough grey areas
and things that didn't quite mesh well between MZ and Fuzion that I finally
gave up. Silhouette serves me very well for everything that I want to do,
and I'm positive it's flexible enough to handle anything I might want to. I
do *still* like Mekton though, and if Atomic Rocket Games does a good job
with the line they may woo me back.

Wil

Visit Warp & Weft: A Resource for Tribe at

Wil

unread,
Feb 24, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/24/99
to
Sidhain wrote:

> I find the Mechanics of Mekton Zeta far more flexible personally with a bit
> more realism (for a Mecha game) I found Heavygears system lackluster and
> have looked at Jovian Chronicles, but Id rather not pay that much money for
> what amounts to 75%setting when I am not going to use the setting.

*shrug* It's a matter of taste. I have enjoyed Mekton in all of its
incarnations. But I love the Silhouette combat system and the Vehicle
Construction System in JC is just as flexible as the MTS, if not more so, and
more realistic. Mekton Zeta was not meant to be realistic - it was meant to
simulate anime. Additionally, it was originally conceived to simulate mecha
with the afterthought of being able to construct other types of vehicles. The
scaling system is kludgy, and there's little way of controlling a vehicle's top
speed within realistic limits. As an example, if you were to build something
like a motorscooter it would come out much faster than is realistic. Cycle
forms get a +5 to MA; because of this bonus it's impossible (as the system
stands) to give it the MA of 6 (67mph) that would be realistic for a
motorscooter without making it excessively heavy. I know this is an extreme
example, and you can always say "It goes slower than what the rules
indicate"...and it's not even one of my major problems with the rules. But it
does illustrate some of the things that bug me about it. As a contrast, with
the SIlhouette Vehicle Construction System you *choose* the vehicle's top speed,
as you do with every other component. There's no fiddling with space and weight
efficiency; if the final design is bigger than what you wanted you simply reduce
the vehicle's Size and recalculate the final cost. Reducing a vehicle's Size
can get really pricy though. As I said, it's just a matter of what you expect
from the system, which comes down to taste.


--
"Nihilistic mystics, apostolic alcoholics, messianic manics, cataclysmic and
prolific...In the age of super-boredom, hype and mediocrity, celebrate
relentlessness, menace to society" - KMFDM, "Megalomaniac"

Visit Warp & Weft: A Resource for Tribe 8 at
http://www.keyway.net/~sinner/warp.htm

David G. Bell

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Feb 24, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/24/99
to
In article <guymc-23029...@guymcmac.evansville.net>
gu...@evansville.net "Guy McLimore" writes:

> In article <36D2D001...@keyway.net>, Wil <sin...@keyway.net> wrote:
>
> > You might like to know that RTG is no longer publishing Mekton material.
> > Atomic Rocket Games, a new company, has exclusive rights to publish and
> > distribute Mekton products.
>
> I hadn't heard that. Thanks for the info.
>

> Hmmmm... I wonder what the fate of Mekton Empire (which Greg Poehlein and
> I wrote for RTG long ago) will be? Mekton Empire was never "updated" to
> the Mekton Zeta system, but it remained popular and was kept in print all
> this time. (That might qualify as a "separate" Mekton game universe, too.
> Though it dealt with the same fictional universe that contained the
> original Algol, it had a much broader star-spanning background.) I always
> thought of Mekton Empire as a pretty decent SF game universe whether you
> ever used mecha in it or not. I'd hate to see it go out of print finally
> and forever after all these years.

Mekton II and the related games could be used as a more anime/cinematic
system for Cyberpunk adventures, especially Near Orbit and Deep Space.

I felt the one weakness of the Mekton Empire rules was the handling of
the different species. It felt as though the rules which were printed
were somehow unfinished.


--
David G. Bell -- Farmer, SF Fan, Filker, and Punslinger.


Wil

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Feb 24, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/24/99
to
"David G. Bell" wrote:

> Mekton II and the related games could be used as a more anime/cinematic
> system for Cyberpunk adventures, especially Near Orbit and Deep Space.
>
> I felt the one weakness of the Mekton Empire rules was the handling of
> the different species. It felt as though the rules which were printed
> were somehow unfinished.

It's because they didn't really have an advantage/disadvantage system. I've
felt the "unfinished" rules thing applied to parts of Fuzion as well :P

Winn

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Feb 24, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/24/99
to
In article <7av764$3dv$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com> , Wil
<darksi...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>> Actually I think they did do an Imperial Star campaign book.
>
> Nope, no I-star book. The only settings that had their own books were
> Invasion Terra and Starblade Battalion. IMHO SBB was the best of the bunch
> and deserved more books to support it, but at the time it was considered kind
> of a one-book deal.

I thought there were like fifty people in the world who had heard of
I-Star...

Where did you hear of it?

Wil

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Feb 25, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/25/99
to
In article <7b2h42$hdc$1...@news-2.news.gte.net>,

"Winn" <wi...@gte.net> wrote:
>
> I thought there were like fifty people in the world who had heard of
> I-Star...
>
> Where did you hear of it?

I-Star is one of the sample settings in the back of the MZ main rulebook.

David Crowe

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Feb 25, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/25/99
to
Wil <darksi...@hotmail.com> wrote:
: In article <7b2h42$hdc$1...@news-2.news.gte.net>,

: "Winn" <wi...@gte.net> wrote:
: >
: > I thought there were like fifty people in the world who had heard of
: > I-Star...
: >
: > Where did you hear of it?

: I-Star is one of the sample settings in the back of the MZ main rulebook.

I-Star has never done much for me, but you can find writeups of six I-Star
mecha (the ones RAFM did minis for) in V-Max vol. 2 #8.

--
David "No Nickname" Crowe http://www.primenet.com/~jetman

"Fool! You have not the _strength_ to kill..."
-Slaymaster's last words, Captain Britain TPB

Favourit...@my-dejanews.com

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Feb 25, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/25/99
to
In article <7b3039$gae$1...@nnrp02.primenet.com>,

David Crowe <jet...@primenet.com> wrote:
> Wil <darksi...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> : In article <7b2h42$hdc$1...@news-2.news.gte.net>,
> : "Winn" <wi...@gte.net> wrote:
> : >
> : > I thought there were like fifty people in the world who had heard of
> : > I-Star...
> : >
> : > Where did you hear of it?
>
> : I-Star is one of the sample settings in the back of the MZ main rulebook.
>
> I-Star has never done much for me, but you can find writeups of six I-Star
> mecha (the ones RAFM did minis for) in V-Max vol. 2 #8.
>
> --
> David "No Nickname" Crowe

That's reminded me: anyone know where I can get info for converting [the
adventure supplement set on Algol with 10(!) PCs, the name of which I've
forgotten, dammit] to Mekton Z? There was an article in V-Max, but the cost of
ordering a back issue for that one article (I live in England) is prohibitive.

--
Bear, Keeper of the Household
"Keep your eyes open, and your mouth closed"

Wil

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Feb 25, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/25/99
to
In article <7b3kah$pmo$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,
Favourit...@my-dejanews.com wrote:

> That's reminded me: anyone know where I can get info for converting [the
> adventure supplement set on Algol with 10(!) PCs, the name of which I've
> forgotten, dammit] to Mekton Z? There was an article in V-Max, but the cost of
> ordering a back issue for that one article (I live in England) is prohibitive.

It's _Operation Rimfire_. V-Max is the only place to find the conversions
for the mecha AFAIK, except for the fact that's there's not a heck of a lot
to do to convert them. You might want to check out the Mekton Bastion on the
web for some links and whatever...someone might have similar info posted.

Wil

Visit Warp & Weft: A Resource for Tribe at
http://www.keyway.net/~sinner/warp.htm

-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------

David Crowe

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Feb 25, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/25/99
to
Favourit...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
: In article <7b3039$gae$1...@nnrp02.primenet.com>,

: David Crowe <jet...@primenet.com> wrote:
: > Wil <darksi...@hotmail.com> wrote:
: > : In article <7b2h42$hdc$1...@news-2.news.gte.net>,
: > : "Winn" <wi...@gte.net> wrote:
: > : >
: > : > I thought there were like fifty people in the world who had heard of
: > : > I-Star...
: > : >
: > : > Where did you hear of it?
: >
: > : I-Star is one of the sample settings in the back of the MZ main rulebook.
: >
: > I-Star has never done much for me, but you can find writeups of six I-Star
: > mecha (the ones RAFM did minis for) in V-Max vol. 2 #8.

: That's reminded me: anyone know where I can get info for converting [the


: adventure supplement set on Algol with 10(!) PCs, the name of which I've
: forgotten, dammit] to Mekton Z? There was an article in V-Max, but the cost of
: ordering a back issue for that one article (I live in England) is prohibitive.

It wasn't just conversion info. They did a new full page design sheet for
(almost) all the mecha. So you wouldn't feel really screwed for buying
it. I've got the odd ones converted on my own page, along with all the
Mekton II Techbook designs.

I'll check and see if is OK to put the Rimfire conversions up. That ish
has been out for a while, so they might say yes.

--

Marcos Antônio Reis Dantas

unread,
Feb 25, 1999, 3:00:00 AM2/25/99
to Wil
Wil wrote:
>
> Sidhain wrote:
>
> > I find the Mechanics of Mekton Zeta far more flexible personally with a bit
> > more realism (for a Mecha game) I found Heavygears system lackluster and
> > have looked at Jovian Chronicles, but Id rather not pay that much money for
> > what amounts to 75%setting when I am not going to use the setting.
>
> *shrug* It's a matter of taste. I have enjoyed Mekton in all of its
> incarnations. But I love the Silhouette combat system and the Vehicle
> Construction System in JC is just as flexible as the MTS, if not more so, and
> more realistic. (...). As a contrast, with

> the SIlhouette Vehicle Construction System you *choose* the vehicle's top speed,
> as you do with every other component. (...)

Funny; I love both systems but I don't think that Silhouette VCS is the
most realistic.
In VCS, like yourself pointed, the "engineer" simply chooses a real
world specs, sticks it in the construction sheet, calculates the point
value e presto! There are very few restriction on the final specs; a
limit in amno, final size (but it can be altered too), monetary cost and
a little more. A very freeform system, maybe the first construction
system for non-gearheads type of gamers :)
The problem, IMHO, is that sound like a cheat. After all, isn't exactly
the system who is realistic, the gamer is who decides that. The authors
themselves said "is theoretically possible to build a tank that will
sport heavy armor and weapons while still performing like a race car".
Of course, they mentioned the catch; final cost and high probalities of
lemons coming out prodduction lines.
But this still sounds to me like "Imagine a mecha and put a price on
him" while MZ+ are more in the lines of "How much more tons of hardware
I can put in this baby?"
Nothing bad at all, althought. I really think VCS aproach more
practical and usefull, but when I wanna make some tinkering I prefer
MZ+.

Marcos Dantas


Sorry for my lame English

Bill McHale

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Mar 1, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/1/99
to
BB...@keyway.net> <36D60C7A...@domain.com.br>:
Distribution:

Marcos =?iso-8859-1?Q?Ant=F4nio?= Reis Dantas (ma...@domain.com.br) wrote:


: Wil wrote:
: >
: > Sidhain wrote:
: >
: > > I find the Mechanics of Mekton Zeta far more flexible personally with a bit
: > > more realism (for a Mecha game) I found Heavygears system lackluster and
: > > have looked at Jovian Chronicles, but Id rather not pay that much money for
: > > what amounts to 75%setting when I am not going to use the setting.
: >
: > *shrug* It's a matter of taste. I have enjoyed Mekton in all of its
: > incarnations. But I love the Silhouette combat system and the Vehicle
: > Construction System in JC is just as flexible as the MTS, if not more so, and
: > more realistic. (...). As a contrast, with
: > the SIlhouette Vehicle Construction System you *choose* the vehicle's top speed,
: > as you do with every other component. (...)

: Funny; I love both systems but I don't think that Silhouette VCS is the
: most realistic.
: In VCS, like yourself pointed, the "engineer" simply chooses a real
: world specs, sticks it in the construction sheet, calculates the point
: value e presto! There are very few restriction on the final specs; a
: limit in amno, final size (but it can be altered too), monetary cost and
: a little more. A very freeform system, maybe the first construction
: system for non-gearheads type of gamers :)

Well, sounds to me a lot like weapons are engineered in the modern
military. Cost is far more often the limit for a practical weapon system
than physics is.

: The problem, IMHO, is that sound like a cheat. After all, isn't exactly


: the system who is realistic, the gamer is who decides that. The authors
: themselves said "is theoretically possible to build a tank that will
: sport heavy armor and weapons while still performing like a race car".
: Of course, they mentioned the catch; final cost and high probalities of
: lemons coming out prodduction lines.

And mind you there are modern examples of that in the real world. Look at
the performance of the M1 compared to that of its predecessor. The M1 was
much faster, and much better armored... while the initial variants mounted
the same gun (for political reasons) later varients received a gun that
makes it extremely well armed as well.

The funy thing is, when the M1 is designed in Silhouette and the m-60 or
T-72, the relative point values mirror the relative costs pretty closely.

: But this still sounds to me like "Imagine a mecha and put a price on


: him" while MZ+ are more in the lines of "How much more tons of hardware
: I can put in this baby?"

The problem with MZ's system is that it breaks down when you want a
vehicle with a very different performance provile than what the designers
imagined. Better yet, Silhouette is the only system I know of that
actually figures factors like what sort of production the vehicle is in.

: Nothing bad at all, althought. I really think VCS aproach more


: practical and usefull, but when I wanna make some tinkering I prefer
: MZ+.

I think there is plenty of tinkering vailable in Silhouette, but instead
of building based on Servos, you build based on available T.V. points.

Triad3204

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Mar 1, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/1/99
to
In article <7b01mp$jsq$1...@ash.prod.itd.earthlink.net>, "Sidhain"
<sid...@earthlink.net> writes:

>I find the Mechanics of Mekton Zeta far more flexible personally with a bit
>more realism (for a Mecha game) I found Heavygears system lackluster and
>have looked at Jovian Chronicles, but Id rather not pay that much money for
>what amounts to 75%setting when I am not going to use the setting.

JC is nigh-to-identical to the second edition of Heavy Gear (and both are
simply updated versions of first edition Heavy Gear) -- although JC, IIRC,
contains the VCS while that was dropped from second edition Heavy Gear (to be
added back in an expanded form in a later supplement).

So, what I'm saying, is that if you don't like HG's system you aren't going to
like JC's system.

Of course I think you have no *taste* if you don't like those systems and I
also think you don't have any taste if you don't like the settings, but I won't
hold that against you. ;-)

Justin Bacon
tr...@prairie.lakes.com

Wil

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Mar 2, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/2/99
to
In article <7bf0m3$5c4$1...@news.umbc.edu>,
wmc...@umbc.edu (Bill McHale) wrote:

> I think there is plenty of tinkering vailable in Silhouette, but instead
> of building based on Servos, you build based on available T.V. points.

And, to me, this is the biiiig selling point. Granted, I have Office97 and
can use fun spreadsheets, so that for variants I only have to change a few
values! Since I only do rp'ing, I don't even really have to worry about
threat values...to design a vehicle in Silhouette all I *have* to do is come
up with the statistics and screw the Threat Value ^_^

Winn

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Mar 3, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/3/99
to
I have always thought that Silhouette was a pretty shitty copy of Mekton 2.

Ross

yes, I am biased, but I also know what I read.

Wil

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Mar 4, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/4/99
to
In article <7bkv21$kd2$1...@news-1.news.gte.net>,

*choke* WHAT?! Could you explain this revelation? Dude, I may not have ever
worked for R. Tal, but I've been playing R. Tal's games since the first
version of Mekton. It took a very good game to "lure" me away from Mekton
Zeta, which in my opinion is still a good game. Silhouette was that game,
and it is *not* even remotely similar to Interlock or Mekton II. The system
mechanics operate differently, and the Vehicle Construction System is a
complete 180 degree flip from the way that the MTS works. Even if a parallel
between the weapon creation systems could be drawn, there are only so few
ways that you could design a system like this, and the MTS and VCS are not
the only systems that have a "build your own weapon" section.

Bill McHale

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Mar 4, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/4/99
to
Winn (wi...@gte.net) wrote:
: I have always thought that Silhouette was a pretty shitty copy of Mekton 2.

How the hell can Silhouette be a copy? The rules set is very different
than any version of Mekton. Perhaps you are referring to Jovian
Chronicles, but then DP9 didn't copy that, they simply adapted the setting
that they themselves wrote for Mekton 2 and adapted it to the new gaming
engine. Perhaps because two of the three silhouette games have
mecha in them? Then I guess BT is a copy of Mekton too, as is Robotech
and Rifts.

In any case how is it shitty?

: yes, I am biased, but I also know what I read.

And you have read what?

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