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MechWarrior 4
By Raul “Datajack” RodriguezCSIM: What are the minimum system requirements and the recommended system requirements for MW4?
Mike: Undecided as of yet.
CSIM: How is the campaign structure different from MechWarrior3? How much control does the player have over their careers? How can a player change their Mech during a campaign? Are new weapon technologies introduced into a campaign in a timeline or as they come across salvageable weapons?
Mike: MW4: Vengeance uses a nodal campaign structure where the player is allowed to choose his next mission based on the readiness of his forces and level of success of his previous missions.
In addition to choosing their missions, the player also gets to select his lancemates, outfit his team with Mechs, weapons and armor, choose his drop zone and select the time of day of the attack. All of this adds to a feeling that the player truly is in control of his campaign and the way it will unfold.
New Mechs and weapons will be introduced in the course of the campaign based on the success and failure (and the degree of success) of achieving mission goals in previous missions. For example, in mission 6 you'll have a lot more selection of Mechs and weapons technology if in mission 5 you were successful in defending all of your Mech hangars than if you let 2 of them get destroyed.
CSIM: What is new for damage modeling to the Mechs? Can you still destroy Mech limbs and legs?
Mike: Yes, parts blow off, armor goes flying and you will see unique damage and weapons effects. However, we've made a big effort to make Mech combat more challenging and avoid "leg kills" -- i.e. when someone makes you a sitting duck by shooting out your legs and you can no longer move. Your Mech may become impaired -- i.e. you'll limp and your max speed will be 1/2 of what it was -- but we'll never make you dead in the water.