Prime's guide to Mech design

[Prime Intellect]

As there may be some people that don't know what to look for in designing a mech, I am going to provide this guide as a way of checking if your mech is feasable as well as within the limits of the roleplay established here.

Table of Contents

1. Banned
2. Limitations
3. Basic design
4. Advanced design
5. Cockpit style
6. Weapon selection
7. Helpful systems
8. Reserved
9. Reserved
10. Reserved

Please feel free to add anything that you feel should be added and I will put it in the category it fits in the best.  

[Prime Intellect]

Banned

First off, I would like it to be known that there are a few technologies out there that are disallowed in our roleplay. This is because some of them are way to powerful to have and many people might not have something to counter it. This is the list that has some of the banned items.

The number one item not allowed are mechs used as the main mech in an anime series. For the most part, these machines are too powerful to use in a roleplay as they are unrivaled in many ways.

Disclaimer: This list is subject to change, with or without warning, at anytime seen fit.

2. Lambda Driver [Is in direct violation of Newtonian physics.]
3. Gundamium alloy [It is to impervious to damage, making the mech carrying almost impossible to destroy]
4. Mech mounted laser screen [This is only disallowed mounted on mechs, as it would make it nearly impossible to breach the screen. Also, the power needed would be overly large.]
5. Mech usable nuclear warheads [This weapon is only disallowed for mech use.]

Other technologies will be placed on the list as needed.  

[Prime Intellect]

Limitations

As mechs have to at least be feasable, there are a few limitations that must be placed on them. It would be preferable if they could stay within the laws of physics.

Limitations would include speed, there is a possible maximum speed a large object can reach. When designing a mech, keep in mind that there is going to be air resistance when in atmosphere. This means you can only go so fast without ripping things off yourself.

Another thing, that some people over look, is that a mech generates alot a heat. Which means that once you reach a certain heat level, things are going to start melting on you. Installing complicated cooling systems adds weight, and adding armor to a mech could reduce its ability to disappate heat effectively. Water, cold air, and staying still will reduce the heat to a managable level.

Weight is something that could be very annoying to a mech pilot. The structure of mech, its skeleton if you will, can only bear so much weight before becoming unstable. When putting armor on a mech, the skeleton must be able to handle the weight, as well as the strain of walking or running. Things like flying are only possible if the thrusters can lift the weight of the mech in questions. Intertia is something to watch out for, complex manuevers can damage the skeleton of a mech if it is not properly designed.  

[Prime Intellect]

Basic design

With all of the above stuff in mind from the above two posts, its time to choose the basic design of your mech that you wish to build. Now, the most basic way to split these are these three categories.

1. Animal [Designed on a choosen animal as the base.]
2. Humanoid [Bi-pedal design, using basic human proportions.]
3. Tracked, hovering [Uses no legs, uses tracks or hovers as locomotion.]

Those three are the most basic, there are other categories mechs can be split into. Each design has its pros and also its cons.  

[Prime Intellect]

Advanced design

As each mech design has its limitations. I will try to outline them here, although there will be somethings I will miss.

First I'll start with the humanoid type of mech. In most general terms, they do best as a medium weight mech. As they are closest to the pilots physical makeup, they are generaly the easiest to pilot. There are a few limits to them as they can only carry so much, they have to stand on two legs. Also, if they are overweight, they won't be able to stand when knocked over.

Animal type mechs are helpful for stable platforms. They are able to mount heavy cannons to shot from long distances and they are able to stay stable. Animal types are able to go somewhat faster than a humanoid type.

Tracked types have stablity, and also strength. They are the heavist, carry the most armor, and also have the most powerful weapons. However, they are very slow due to the weight of everything. Their role is fire support, saturation fire, and some long range attacks on enemy positions.

There are a few other types but, I won't get into them right now.

[Unfinished]  

[Prime Intellect]

Cockpit style

After choosing the type of mech you wish to have, its time to choose a cockpit to your liking. Cockpits are were you will spend all of your time in a battle, so you don't want it to be uncomfortable.

The first style is the standard, dropped into all mass produced mechs on the assembly line as they are cheap to make. The cockpit consists of two joysticks and also two to four foot pedals. They control almost all the movements of a mech. This style of cockpit also needs an OS [Operating System] in order to function at its best. To view the outside, there are 3 screens that are fed live video from cameras mounted outside the mech. More screens and cameras can be added for extra sight range.

Another style of cockpit is the Neural Jack, this connects the pilot's brain directly to the machine. This system allows the pilot to control everything like it was their own body. However, the drawback to this system is that the pilot can connect so deeply to the machine, they are unable to disconnect and become a slave of the machine itself. This system is sometimes used in tandem with other systems to control the simple things with out getting to deep into the mech's systems.

The Direct Motion cockpit style uses either small transmitters on the pilot's body, uses motion tracking cameras, or can use armor like pieces that attach to the body to follow movement. Depending on the pilot's preferances, the cockpit can be dry or filled with a breathable liquid to reduce shocks. The outside view provided to the pilot is made using holo cameras, projecting everything to the pilot in 3-D details. Small popup screens hold important data and also longer range cameras.

There are a few others but these are the most common of the cockpit styles.  

[Prime Intellect]

Weapon Selection

Weapons are always needed on the battle field, although some veterns might be able to take out an opponet or two without one. There are many weapons that a pilot can choose from, the selection can be insanely difficult. Weapons range from the standard beam saber, to a pistol, to a shoulder mounted rocket launcher. Each of these weapons can helpful to a pilot, it all depends on the pilot's skills.

Some rookies might want to use the longer range weapons, operating a mech in close quarters can be somewhat difficult. For convenence, I have provided a few 'packages' that I've tried to make as well rounded as I could. Each is suited to a different task. These packages consist of mainly handheld weapons.

Assault
1. Assault rifle [5 clips of 25 rounds each. Explosive tipped.]
2. Beam saber
3. Six shot revolver [5 quick loaders provided]

The Assault package is helpful for the front line troops, although it may be altered slightly depending on the mission type.

Sniper
1. Extended range 30 mm rifle [5 clips of 5 rounds each, high explosive tipped]
2. Two high output beam daggers [or one standard beam saber]

As this package contains only two weapons, it might be helpful to add in another, make sure to account weight in however.

Fire support
1. 30 mm Anti-mech gattling gun [Reserve clip provided with 500 rounds]
2. Collapsable rocket launcher [5 rounds provided]
3. Modified assault rifle [Made to use heavier rounds, 5 clips of 25 rounds]
4. High-output beam rifle [Optional power cable to connect to reactor for prolonged firing]

This package is only designed for the strongest of mechs, the Anti-mech weapon is very heavy, as it the ammunition.

Scout
1. Beam rifle [Light weight, each energy clip has 10 shots. 5 clips]
2. High output beam dagger [Or standard beam saber]

The scout package is light weight as well as lightly equipped. In the best of situations, the weaponry shouldn't be needed.

There are many other packages but, I'll allow your imginationgs run free. You, by no means, must use these packages, as they are only suggestions.  

[Prime Intellect]

Helpful systems

A pilot cannot do everything during a battle. Thus, there are systems that have been developed to assist the pilot. This section probably only scratches the surface of the systems, so keep in mind that these are not the only systems you are allowed to use.

One of the first systems I'm going to talk about is actually software. This program is called AI, which most of you should have heard of. Artifical Intellgence programs can help with the piloting of a mech. They are able to work hundreds of times faster than a human but, they almost always need a human operator with them to override any dangerous situations.

One of the most important sytems a mech pilot can have is their cooling system. This system dicates how long and what a mech is capable of. Without it, a mech might melt on the inside and ruin its inards. Overheating can be deadly on the battlefield. The most complex systems are very good but, they can break easily if abused.

Active camoflague is also something that can greatly aid a pilot. There are different versions of active camoflague. The simplest only protect against vision while the most sophiscated systems are able to almost completly conceal a mech. As a system protects against more systems, the heavier and more fragile it is.


A system that pilots enjoy having are jump jets. Again, the simplist systems are cheap and are the bare minimum. The lowest end system can only do hops and has limited fuel. It also doesn't have much control in the air. These systems are generaly disposable, meant for one use only. The highest end systems have directional thrust, large fuel reserves and some can keep a mech in the air for quite some time. These systems are sometimes mounted externaly, so it can be ejected to reduce weight in the middle of a battle. However, these systems can also be very heavy, and produce large amounts of heat when used for a prolonged peroid without proper cooling.

Targeting computers can be nice for the pilot who lacks marksmanship. The computer does most of the work, the pilot only has to place the crosshairs where indicated and pull the trigger. Again, these systems come in a wide range of ablity.

There are a great many more systems that could be added here but, you must get the basic idea by now.  

[Prime Intellect]

Reserved

 

[Prime Intellect]

Reserved

 

[Prime Intellect]

Reserved