| The BattleTech Role Playing Game | |
|---|---|
 First edition cover, 1986 | |
| Publishers | FASA Corporation, Fantasy Productions LLC |
| Publication | 1986 |
| Genres | Science fiction |
MechWarrior is a set of role-playing game rules published by FASA Corporation in 1986 that were designed to be used with FASA's previously published mecha wargame BattleTech .
MechWarrior is the role-playing system set in the same fictional universe as the wargame BattleTech . Players assume the roles of MechWarriors (BattleMech pilots) or other individuals in the 31st century.
Character generation is quite long, as the entire life of the character from childhood through school, training and into adult occupations and skills is determined. [1]
There have been three editions and many expansions and adventures, the first of which was published in 1986 by FASA Corporation. In addition, numerous novels by such authors as Michael A. Stackpole flesh out the game's fictional world. There is also an animated series.
The first edition of MechWarrior was translated into Finnish by Meyer Richards and Jaakko Mäntyjärvi for the Finnish publishing house Pro-Games, a successor of Protocol Productions. The game was published on 1991 under the title Mechwarrior: Battletech roolipeli.
The first edition of MechWarrior was translated into French by Michel Serrat for the French publishing house Hexagonal. Serrat's translation was published in 1989 under the title of Technoguerriers, which loosely translates the original English title. [8]
Fujimi Shobo published a translation of MechWarrior in 1993. It was supported by the scenario collection Tamar and four replays.
In Spain the two first editions of the game were translated into Spanish and published: the first edition in 1990 by the nowadays defunct Diseños Orbitales publishing house [9] and the second edition in 1994 by Ediciones Zinco, [10] also defunct. Both publishing houses were from Barcelona.
In Issue 78 of Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer , Scott Tanner commented, "I found this supplement very useful, for not only did it provide a roleplaying side to the game, but the background material was useful in setting up scenarios and the like." [11]
Stephan Wieck reviewed Mechwarrior in White Wolf #7 (1987), rating it a 6 out of 10 and stated that "Mechwarrior is by far not the best roleplaying game on the market, but it is adequate. It is the weak point of a very good and enjoyable system." [12]
In Issue 58 of the French games magazine Jeux et Stratégie, Pascal Gros noted "From the point of view of 'playability', no problem if you are an old hand at role-playing games and at the same time a fan of these robot-war machines. The rules are detailed, coherent and complete." However Gros didn't think role-playing was really the point of the game, saying, "The very definition of a role-playing game is only skimmed ... in our opinion, it's more of a super wargame with custom tokens than a real role-playing game." Gros gave the game a "likeability" rating of only 1 out 3. [13]
In his 1990 book The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games , game critic Rick Swan noted that "Role-playing seems like an afterthought, as player characters exist mainly to pilot the giant machines." Nonetheless, Swan found the game "features intelligent, streamlined rules for creating characters." Swan gave the game a solid rating of 3 out of 4. [14]
In a 1996 reader poll conducted by the British games magazine Arcane to determine the top 50 role-playing games of all time, MechWarrior was ranked 49th. Editor Paul Pettengale commented: "Over the years since its original release, FASA has developed every aspect of the background and history of the Battle Tech setting. The result is a detailed universe overflowing with potential for adventure." [15]
The German games magazine Envoyer liked the lengthy character generation system, commenting, "By means of a 'life path' system, the characters are gradually taken through their early and late childhood, their apprenticeship period and finally the 'seriousness of life' phase. It's a lengthy, but all the more rewarding method of creating a hero; you are rewarded by the fact that every player character has a complete background story from the beginning ... and thus your own character is 99.9% of their own personality instead of being another 'street samurai' version 1.0 clone." Envoyer also liked the many empty worlds that could be customized with flora and fauna by the gamemaster. There were some problems with the German translation, especially the complete lack of artwork that had been present in the English edition. The review conclude on a positive note, calling the game, "a mature, easy-to-learn role-playing game, with well-planned and elaborate game worlds, and yet almost unlimited possibilities for creating new worlds that adventure-making allows. If you like realistic science fiction and avoid Shadowrun because of its rules, this is your game!" [1]
FASA Corporation was an American publisher of role-playing games, wargames and board games between 1980 and 2001, after which they closed publishing operations for several years, becoming an IP holding company under the name FASA Inc. In 2012, a wholly owned subsidiary called FASA Games Inc. went into operation, using the name and logo under license from the parent company. FASA Games Inc. works alongside Ral Partha Europe, also a subsidiary of FASA Corporation, to bring out new editions of existing properties such as Earthdawn and Demonworld, and to develop new properties within the FASA cosmology.
BattleTech is a wargaming and military science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2001, which was in turn acquired by Topps in 2003; and published since 2007 by Catalyst Game Labs. The trademark is currently owned by Topps and, for video games, Microsoft's Xbox Game Studios; Catalyst Game Studios licenses the franchise from Topps.
Classic BattleTech is a table-top wargame set in the fictional BattleTech universe that simulates combat between futuristic mechanized forces. Originally published by FASA Corporation, the game is now produced by Catalyst Game Labs under license from WizKids. The term "Classic" is used to differentiate the original game from variants and related games that have derived from it, such as MechWarrior: Dark Age. The game has an extensive range of 1/285 scale miniatures.
Jordan Weisman is an American game designer, author, and serial entrepreneur who has founded five game design companies, each in a different game genre and segment of the industry.
BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception is a turn-based adventure/role-playing video game released in 1988 by Westwood Associates and based on the BattleTech franchise. It was one of the first commercial ports of the licence, and featured some of the franchise's worlds, institutions, political figures, and weapons, particularly the three-story tall BattleMechs. It was followed by a sequel, BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Revenge, though that game featured significantly different gameplay, falling into the real-time tactics genre rather than adventure/role-playing.
Robert N. Charrette is an American graphic artist, game designer, sculptor and author. Charrette has authored more than a dozen novels. His gaming materials have received many Origins Awards. Charrette was inducted in the Origins Hall of Fame in 2003. His work is known for a clean, realistic style that invokes themes from Feudal Japan and Chanbara films and in particular, historical and fantastic representations of Samurai culture. His early work in game design and miniature sculpting set the tone for depictions of Japanese mythology in American fantasy and science fiction. His 1979 role-playing game Bushido was one of the first role-playing games with a non-Western theme and remained in print for more than three decades. Charrette produced gaming products for Fantasy Games Unlimited, Grenadier Models Inc., Ral Partha Enterprises, FASA and currently operates Parroom Enterprises, LLC, a boutique miniatures game company.
MechWarrior is the second video game released in the BattleTech game series. MechWarrior was the first video game to offer the player a chance to pilot a BattleMech from the view of a pilot. With this game the player has a great deal of freedom when compared to many of the follow-up MechWarrior games, which include choosing missions, buying & selling mechs and parts, hiring lance-mates, and traveling throughout the Inner Sphere. Underneath the major game mechanics, the player had the option of following a role playing style story arc that would unfold over five in-game years.
Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries is a vehicle simulation video game for Microsoft Windows, released in 2002. It is a standalone expansion of MechWarrior 4: Vengeance, based on the BattleTechMechWarrior game universe. The game was developed by Cyberlore in tandem with FASA Studio. This studio would also be responsible for MechWarrior 4's previous expansion, Black Knight - as well as both the InnerSphere and Clan Mech Packs.
BattleSpace is a science fiction wargame published by FASA Corporation in 1993. Set in the BattleTech universe, it simulates naval warfare in space.
AeroTech is a tabletop wargame published by FASA and set in the BattleTech universe. It simulates combat between aerospace fighters, troop-carrying DropShips, and interstellar JumpShips and WarShips. The name "AeroTech" defines space/air elements of BattleTech universe. There have been five revisions of these rules.
MechWarrior: Dark Age is the title of an ongoing series of novels set in the BattleTech Universe. The series was created by WizKids and has a companion game MechWarrior: Dark Age. The Dark Age series of books is intended as a re-launch of the BattleTech book franchise, to create an easy starting point for new readers.
MechWarrior Online is a free-to-play vehicle simulation video game, officially launched during September 2013 by Piranha Games for Microsoft Windows. The game takes place within the larger BattleTech universe.
The BattleTech Trading Card Game is an out-of-print collectible card game (CCG) set in the BattleTech universe. The game was developed by Wizards of the Coast (WotC) for FASA and released in 1996.
Adam Jury is a Canadian game designer and graphic designer working in the hobby games industry. He is the co-founder of Posthuman Studios.
Randall N. Bills is an American game designer who has worked primarily on role-playing games.
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is a BattleTech mecha game developed by Piranha Games released on December 10, 2019, on Microsoft Windows. It is the first single player MechWarrior game since 2002. It was initially available as an Epic Games Store exclusive title, which, like other games with Epic Games Store exclusivity deals, was met with criticism. On May 7, 2020, it was made available through Xbox Game Pass for PC. On May 27, 2021, it was made available on additional platforms including Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Steam and GOG, in addition to the DLC pack Heroes of the Inner Sphere, Call to Arms, and Rise of Rasalhague. It features ray tracing powered by Nvidia RTX as well as DLSS.
Living Legends is an adventure published by FASA in 1995 for the science fiction mecha role-playing game MechWarrior.
The Fall of Terra is a compilation of adventures that was published by FASA in 1996 for the mecha role-playing game BattleTech.
Tales of the Black Widow Company is a game supplement for BattleTech published by FASA in 1985.
| Universe | |
|---|---|
| Tabletop games | |
| Supplements | |
| MechWarrior series | |
| Other video games | |
| Other | |
