The Next Origin Mecha!

And I got no idea how it's going to look.

Though I won't be needing it anytime soon, I'd still like to get the thing done. The wiki-page is finished, but I can't figure out what I'll have it look like at all. This'll be commissioned, so I gotta figure this out so I can tell the artist what it'll look like see.

Overall, it needs to look like its built to be mass produced, but also be capable of having real performance. This is no faceless mook...ok, ok, it can be one if asked to be one. See, in appearance it should most certainly blur the lines between what a Mook, Grunt and Hero would use so that its role can change as needed to suit the GM in whatever plot.

Need a Mook/Grunt? Just grab the baseline model and hand it a 75mm autocannon rifle analog. Need an Ace Custom for the Protagonist? Swap out the armor, give it an advanced thruster suite and change the head out for one with better sensors and a more 'heroic' looking face. You know the drill.

That's where it needs to go, but where do I start? Please, anybody! I need suggestions!

Now I'm not saying to rip it off, but take a look at the gundam suit zaku. It has the range from grunt suit to hero suit. It could be a good place to start your design phase.

The problem with the Zaku, and things from Gundam in general, is that they're designed for aesthetic purposes OOC and not practical ones IC. I'm looking for reference material that has mechs that give off the impression that they were built to be practical from the In Character standpoint, and to look great from the OOC standpoint. I suppose a 'reasonable' example of this would be some of the earlier model 'Knightmares' from Code Geass for an example.

What I'm hoping for is someone to refer to something or link a pic or whatever that'll finally make me put all the pieces I have gathered together in my mind and go, "Eureka! I have it!" XD

I'd take a look towards the ones that have a more manufactured look to them. Hawken looks like it's got fairly reasonable looking mecha even if it's a bit of an arcade game, rather than a simulator. Armored Core, all that stuff. That's my impression, at least, would be to look towards games like that if you want a mecha that looks designed rather than pure aesthetic.

I would like to see some unit that can handle heavy duty. Maybe less mobile but able to withstand severe punishment. Mech of the line. I would not even mind if it did not had hands and insted had hard-points for weaponry. That would be pretty cool.

Scopedog!

Right now, I'm leaning towards the Jegan and Gun Ez, but I need more reference materials! If it comes to mind, toss it out here!

What I have in mind would be something like Landmate but without the extra set of smaller arms. Something sturdy and bigger, yet still somewhat mobile and humanoid.

I should note that I am not such a big fan of Gundam style mecha's.

Two words man, Armored Core. If there is anything I learned while playing the AC series... Giant robots aren't always pretty, but they can always crush the hell out of anything else you throw at them.

Gundam is certainly geared to the looks of the machines, I'm not certain of you are familiar with the first steel battalion but the design for those robots has always put a smile on my face.

http://www.gearsonline.net/designers/st ... talion.jpg

@CadetNewb REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

But yeah, I love looking back and seeing that the Jegan and EZ-Mode were considered as influences for Origin machinery. Won't lie, though, I really wish Origin had some influences from the AC and GRAND PRINCIPALITY OF ZEON SIEG ZEON SIEG ZEON SIE-

... Ahem.... well, what I mean is that it might be high-time to re-open this. Maybe make it a more official thread for variations on the M3 line, ayy? Get us some dot-eye Zeon-inspired craft/variants =3=b everyone needs a cylon-eyed craft!

@Legix

Unholy thread necromancy month already? Well, IIRC, this did lead to the M3 line, yes. If you're serious though, I wouldn't mind new variants and armor kits for the M3. If the lighter, more offense orientated loadouts go more towards the Stark Jegan, heavier, more defensive ones would go more towards Zeon I think. If you have a project or two in mind, I'd be willing to take a look.

Let's make the Zaku 2. Plzuuuuuuuuuu shoulder-shielduuuuuuuuuuu.

Might be a good idea to identify what Origin would support/develop kit-wise.

Utilizing the Zaku II variant could really fit a "siege" mecha. It could be a throw-out/throwback to the Garuda, utilizing similar "lockdown" weaponry like shoulder/waist-fixed heavy weaponry. It could utilize this means (plus the unique strengths and more modern equipment feasiblity of the M3) to put a menace in the step of fighters. A variant, in the TLDR, designed to be a mobile platform that utilizes the human form and thought-assisted controls of the Origin tech to make a cheap counter to modern/advanced nations. Something to sing out to the fact that Origin's mecha have been seen as the "poor man's option" but equally inspire some more pop into their revolution.

TLDR: Maybe utilize the M3 into a Garuda-inspired anti-ship/everything mecha that can "lockdown" with the use of gravity clamps/cables to utilize more powerful/fixed equipment.


The Jegan and the Nero. It should be pretty obvious why these two filthy Federation mobile suits are here. Of the Federation craft, these two are both agile/sleek in appearance and means. Combining the base form of the Jegan with an attachable/harness-like flight rig from the Nero would produce a very agile Spacecraft-like mecha. Unlike spacecraft, however, this would be capable of flitting through/into atmospheres and landing seamlessly to become a ground-fighter. Origin has sold to the underdog: why not make something that symbolizes the fighting spirit in a craft that isn't very heavily armored but has plenty of striking edges that could make a Mindy blush? Bringing these two suits together would make a suit that (without funds) could be a terror in terms of land-speed and agility compared to even other Origin mecha... but when funded properly and backed with the harness/rig, it could become a craft that ain't nothing to sneeze at.

Round 2. Only a brief intermission =3=


The Asshimar, Hizack, and Gunner (a sniper suit) all share various things in common. Combining the style of low-profile armor from the Asshimar into the M3, with an unfolding/deploying wing-set similar to the Hizack with similar deployable equipment for the Gunner could create a mecha that Origin sorely lacks: a machine dedicated to using its human-like form for covert sniping. Power armor teams have their advantages, but being able to crawl or even operate within water (a possibility that this could have, one would imagine) could make this suit quite capable and bring forth the "cover advantage" that mecha can take full-use of when in asteroid belts or planet-side where both the sky and seas could be viable battle-terrains. It'd be slower than the default M3 in a middle-ground that the heavy/support variant would surpass in sheer firepower with precision equipment. A recon unit when unnoticed and a capable support or even front-line cover-based mecha when engaged. The Garuda's shoulder cannon supported ideas of using cover, so why not have a mecha that thrives in close-encounters via armor profile and deployable/retractable gear?

The asthetic differences won't be too extreme I think, but, IIRC, there's some WIP armor kits, amongst other things that could use some finishing. We can try reaching our end goals through there. One of my intentions was to also have a 'light' armor kit that would be very Yamataian as well. Like their power armors, I was thinking of those being feminine, making the M3 look like a completely different unit.

Can I haz variable fighter?

http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/MVF-M11C_Murasame

So after looking at the armor kits, I could see them maybe being a sort of pre-cursor tech/mentality that leads to full variations/remodels... but I'm not really sure what all they need. I will give immediate feedback, though.

The Yamatai one (the "light" armor) shouldn't boost armor by 5. I get that Durandium (or whatever, I'm not trying to spell their metal right now) is supposedly really strong/capable, but it seems ridiculous that the Nepleslia model is matched in-terms of armor. If we want to go this route, why not mimic the Full-Armor Gundam, allowing the Nepleslia armor to have multiple smaller shields that get synced up to move in-tune with defensive commands/software? Yamatai's variant right now doesn't seem like it'd be worse off. A higher price to repair/buy alone wouldn't be a good idea, especially if it's faster and matches the durability of the Nep-upgrade.

So, let's either find a way to armor the Nepleslia Nerium with more defensive properties such as a third/defensive arm or reduce the armor gains of the Yamatai suit and amend it to mobility (such as an adept mobility harness. Both of these would give us room ICly and OOCly to further tilt/design the M3 into variants and new forms, but I'm still not entirely sold on it as is. Yamatai's repairs which basically makes it seem just generally like the better upgrade overall. It might be wise to instead of make this an upgrade, make these a sort of equipment. AKA, rather than modifying the structure and requiring a strip, this armor can be fast/hard-booted off the frame in emergencies. It'd allow us to theoretically change how the armoring works (such as the Yamatai armor providing 5 Hull/Armor, while the Nep suit is 10, but both of them obviously can't protect/cover the entire suit) and make a more cinematic tool. I mean, being able to push a button to throw off a suit of burning plates to save yourself or enhance your mecha's speed? It just seems perfect and further increases the "trick pool" that a mecha needs to truly compete with other craft. A mecha is a situational/strategic asset in comparison to a more default/prominent method, after all =3=b