i'm a happy man : D it's extremely rewarding to see you guys going along so well... it's gonna' be a great game, and it really makes all the prep work feel worthwhile. :) okay, so a few things (ie rambling torrent of smashed-together information).
Daryk, we kinda use the design quirks... but kinda don't at the same time. fluff much more than rules. it's hard to explain, especially since we don't have the old game to reference, but i think i can give you a good example with my own cockpit's setup.
it's a complex setup, but that's what i like. i've got both hardware and software upgrades in my mech, one of which has become quite prominent. the technologies and descriptions i use are based on established BT technology, combined with technological advances since the 80s. i know BT is supposed to be the future of the 80s, but i think it's foolish to not modify our expectations of what the future may hold. technically our current drone technology is more advanced than what is in the BT universe, not to mention other non-combat fields, so i don't feel bad about advancing BT tech to compensate. in my mind some things, like advanced holographic technology, computer technology, networking and telecoms, and other 'basic' technologies can be advanced in this game. perhaps hologram / VW technology in the Inner Sphere is far more advanced than we think, and that while the big systems used on WarShips may be gone there are still systems that we consider sci-fi now but are so common that they are not thought of as 'advanced tech'. i always picture Minority Report... large gestural interfaces, not nessicaily holographic, but screens and ads on everything from breakfast cerial to roll-out monitors. i am willing to bet 3025 is far more advanced than any of us think.
so, let me give you my example. i've got an advanced AI system, an advanced imaging and comm system, and waldo units (basically gloves i can wear so my mech's hand / arm movements will mimic my own). explanations: from the beginning AI systems have been in mechs, but have always been downplayed. in the Mechwarrior Compendium and other RP-based books it states that the vast majority of pilots simply disable the systems (to explain why we don't see them more often). i leave mine active. i've built up a massive RP history of how i got the system (which, admittedly, was easy because i'm the GM...) and how it works, and to me it seems reasonable. i was raised on Star Trek so for me talking to computers and having genuine relationships with technology / AI is natural. i used everything i've read in the Battletech universe to piece together a system i wanted and made it work, so i feel it's okay. she helps me manage comms and other functions without having to spend all my time punching buttons, which makes directing a battle easier. when i am describing what i am doing in my cockpit i'll be talking to my 'co-pilot' AI, describing how my holographic imaging system works (similar to fluffed ASF cockpits... in the cockpit I 'see' right through the hull), and describing using my waldo units to get more fine motor control with my mech's arms and hands.
realistically, these things do not have any effect on the game. i may have Grace helping me out, but i don't get any kind of bonuses... same for the imagining system. the waldos are a bit different, and may be more questionable... it's a bit easier to land physical attacks and i can do some things that are rarely seen in BT novels, but nothing really new. i truly believe that these mods do not give me any kind of real or regular advantage (and trust me, i've had to take a hard look at some of my ideas and censor myself :P). more than anything, these systems are a way of personalizing my ride... making an otherwise normal, off the line Thunderbolt into MY mech. my FAMILY'S mech. that was one of the things that drew me into Battletech... generations of warriors poured their blood, sweat, and tears into these machines, and over the centuries that gave them a soul. if you have ideas or modifications that go with this staple of Battletech fiction, then i am probably going to allow it. in fact, i encourage it.
since that is the case, i won't force you to balance out one or two mods. around half a dozen, you'll need to start making some cuts. if they introduce modifiers into my calculations we'll need to talk about it, but that doesn't mean i won't allow it. we just need to make sure things get nailed down properly. so, Daryk, if you want an improved comm system, you got it. at the end of our first tour Warclaw wanted to salvage a Cyclops' C3 system (not CBT C3, regular command / control / comms) and he got it. most of the time these mods are only going to be used by you, the player, when you are describing your actions during a battle. if you want to add the negative quirks then more power to you... you won't get a penalty unless you make the quirk one that really does need to be balanced.
the same basic rules go for personal equipment. the count for personal items is separate from mech mods, but is subject to the same kind of GM review. that's kinda why i asked for personal items in the character profiles, and i didn't see anything too extreme. you can pick up things as you see fit, with the understanding that on rare occasions i may need to veto your gear.
next: i am loving the character interactions. it seems like you guys have nailed the system down pretty well. i can tell you that, if i have bothered to put something out there (like James' cold shoulder regarding Monica) then i've already got a response ready and a sub-arc laid out. Warclaw already knows the drill and is playing it perfectly (thats why he's the XO :D), but i wanted to make sure you all knew it was fine. in fact, you don't need to 'wait' for me... most of the time a player tossing an interaction or serious in-game question at me as part of our dialog will give me ideas, so it's actually kind of helpful.
i know i kinda took over your characters for that first post... it's an extremely rare event. i will always try to let you make your own responses, and if i need your character to say or do something to move the story along i will talk to you about it. trust me, things get stale if Justin (or even one of the other GM controlled NPCs) are the only ones pushing things forward.
something i forgot to mention that's important: i am issuing each of you two extremely important pieces of gear. first, a data pad. think of it as a 31st century iPad. this way your character will always receive any paperwork, maps, or briefings i've handed out in-game, even if your character isn't present at the time. it also gives you a journal, a personal assistant... whatever apps you can come up with. this is like your real cell phone... it will always be on you. it's designed to fit in the side pocket of your uniform's or jumpsuit's pants, and is built to withstand the rigors of combat. short of taking a direct bullet hit, your pad is indestructible. that brings me to the second part of the package: your headset. basically a modern Bluetooth headset, encrypted for a secure link and snaps into your pad when it isn't in your ear. this is one of those things that doesn't show up in Battletech... so there is no confusion, you all have these 'cellphones'. i got in a big argument once because a player contended that cellphones are not canon in Battletech, but now it isn't an issue. it's like the ear-clip cellphones from the Fringe alternate universe that everyone always wears at all times (because they are so small). everyone's 'numbers' and 'email addresses' are on your pads, so i can always reach you no matter where you are (if you are, say, captured and stripped of your gear or in a hardened room, that's obviously different and you will know) and you can easily reach each other.
since all of you have posted, this is when i generally start moving us forward. if you DO have something to add once the timeline is advanced, that's fine, just make note of it. also, you don't need to use the BT location blurb every post (unless you want to)... i will be using it as a marker for you guys so you know when the date and / or location changes.
also, for you new guys... i want you to know that there is always a chance i'll drop off the grid for a few days to a week. long story short, i had spinal cord tumor removed in middle school (2000), so my nervous system is pretty much shot. crazy things happen to me all the time, from simply feeling like hammered spit to a few days in the hospital (two weeks ago). sometimes i'll have my best friend update my facebook status for me at times like that, so that can be a way to see where i am if i am out for a bit. the only reason i even considered restarting the game was because i managed to get off the medication rollercoaster that ended the first attempt, but still... you never know. so, if you want to email or add me i'm at my name (Merritt Maya) with no spaces on google's email service.
okay, that's it! i am glad you guys have been posting so frequently :D
