Steel Battalion

[Mode7]

From GameSpot's Capcom pre-show press conference:
http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories...866643,00.html

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the show occurred when Atsushi Inaba demonstrated the massive Steel Battalion controller. Not surprisingly, the idea for the controller actually came before the idea for a game because the development team wanted to create experience in which players really felt as though they were piloting a mech. Upon starting the game, Inaba took his seat behind the controller and got in the game. The first thing he did was a press a button on the far right side of the controller, which closed the hatch. He then pressed another button to charge the mech's general power systems. Then, by flicking a series of switches on the bottom left side of the controller, he turned on the mech's sub-systems. Once the mech is ready to move, players can zoom the camera in and out by using buttons on the right panel, fire and move the retical around the screen by using the right analog stick, and maneuver the mech by using the left stick. The massive controller also features an eject button, which can be used if a mech receives too much damage.

The environments in Steel Battalion are fully destructible as was shown by Inaba when he took down a communication tower with a machine gun as well as a large building with a series of missiles. He also showed that mechs can fall over if players take turns at high speeds.

Steel Batallion looks pretty good at this point. The ground textures are sharp and clear, the frame rate remains steady, and the lighting effects are impressive. When an explosion occurs close to your mech, dust will accumulate on the screen, forcing you to clean it manually with a quick spray of water.

One stage in the game appears to have taken its inspiration from Saving Private Ryan as a group of mechs were loaded off a carrier and sent towards a beach populated with barricades and massive bunkers. The sun would produce an amazing lighting effect on other mechs heading up towards the beach. Steel Batallion will have 12 stages, and approximately 25 missions, though that may change by the time the game's released. Unfortunately, no details were given regarding the price of the Steel Battalion controller, but Inaba said that they would let other companies support it if they received proposals.

[EThugg]

Although this sounds like a very complicated sim style mech game (something I'm not into much, I prefer arcade style 'dumb shit'), that controller has me drooling... I have to buy it just to buy it.

[AaronChance]

I want it... I want to say now, but I know that will have no effect on reality, so I'll settle for 'as soon as I can get it.' I sort of doubt other companies will support the controller, but it'll be worth it for this game alone, imo.

[icarusfall]

I believe the word is "Tasty!"

[rezo]

I can't wait for this game. Just for the sake of using that controller.


Bandai better make use of the controller as well. or make their own.
but I've said this before.


If its too expensive, I'll have to sell some games.

[Tracer]

shit.

That really is amazing.

I mean there's "amazing" and then there's Steel Battalion amazing and Steel Battalion amazing makes regular amazing seem just about on level with 3DO games.

It's true - the Xbox is the Mech Lovers DREAM come true. Now... all that is needed is Virtual On - and complete the spectrum will be. Maybe a Gundam game for good measure too. I think it'd be cool if there was made a Mechwarrior 5 for Xbox. In fact, let all the large mechanical vehicle sims on PC make their way and for chistsake support the BFC ("Big Fucking Controler").

ºTracer

[MechDeus]

I have nothing to add that I haven't heard about before, so I'll just say this game still sounds/looks slick as hell and cannot wait for its release. Thank you.

[rezo]

Mech Lovers dream is right. I'd kill for a Mazinger controller with the little panel that leads to all of the special maneuvers. I'd even yell the attack names when I did them. but thats just me. . .

BFC? Damn the internet and its ability to turn everything into an acronym.

[Yoshi]

Originally posted by TracerBullet
shit.

the Xbox is the Mech Lovers DREAM come true.

That's funny. When was Gungriffon announced?

[Zerodash]

Happy Happy, Joy, Joy, Happy Happy, Joy, Joy, Happy Happy, Joy, Joy, Happy Happy, Joy, Joy, Joy!


I haven't been this excited about a game since SF aalpha 2