Showing posts with label Space Marine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Space Marine. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Combat Armor Concepts

I have done considerable research on my own on suits of armor and other armor systems, for my epic sci-fi adventure story, I figured I would comment. On the latest combat armor imagery I have been exposed to as a result of the media blitz surrounding the roll out of Starcraft 2 by Blizzard.

I watched the Starcraft 2 Cinematic with the suiting up of a space marine; Tychus Findlay. I enjoyed it immensely. I love the sequence! It is unique and inventive. And I would never want the process done to me.

The whole process raises several serious concerns in my mind. First, if you ever needed to escape your armor to save your life. Being welded into it you have no where to go. Though I grant you that the sequence seems to hint that the Terran Marines are impressed criminals rather than voluntary civilians. Thus welding the convict into their armor is a way to force loyalty as it is a sort of prison cell that the commander would doubtlessly have a kill switch for emergencies. Thus it would be the commander's way or they die in the suit. It would be effective I suspect though that would explain a few issues I have always had with the Terran Space Marine.

Second, it seems highly impractical to have to have this processor anywhere you needed marines. Sure it could be done but why? It is very energy intensive and the process seems in efficient some how. I will grant you that sequence seems plausible enough.

The other oddity is the proportions of the armor. It seems to not be a good fit in this respect. Since we know from the video that the hand is inside the gauntlets and the feet are at the bottom of the boots. Take a look at this image from Blizzard's website. Once you have watched the cinematic this oddity appears. Oh it is after all just a game, a highly desired and well loved game in the end but this is one of those little details that I have always noticed. Take a look and tell me what you think.



Don't get me wrong I love the sequence. I am just noting items that seem odd to me with the this design.

Additionally, I noted with interest that there is some from of internal interface plug in bedded into the convict marine. Though I am not certain of its purpose in the whole scheme of things. Perhaps it is similar to the heart plug used by the Harkonens in Dune to control Thufer Hawat.

The gauntlet was a particularly smooth sequence. I liked the hand interface it seems simple and very practical. Kudos to the design team and the modeling team there at Blizzard.

Again I am IMPRESSED by this video and its quality. My comments are simply observations on the combat armor itself.

I'll be wandering off now... ;)

Monday, May 21, 2007

StarCraft 2 website

What a cool look and feel to the www.starcraft2.com site! I look forward to playing this game. I haven't done that in nearly five years! The thing that has me even more excited is that this time I will have my seven year old to play with from time to time. I look forward to that one. My sweet wife isn't much on the video games because it is a waste of time. She is right but at least now I can waste it with my son! =D


If you don't know what I am talking about then let me just refer you to the original game's website ( http://www.blizzard.com/starcraft/ )read through its accolades and then know that it has been a full decade since the original appeared on our radars in some cases. We all loved this game and begged for years on numerous sites and forums for a second installment that continued the story we were abandoned with at the conclusion of the Brood War Expansion Pack ( http://www.blizzard.com/broodwar/ ). Now our hopes are realized and the graphics are AWESOME! WOW! I have watched it again.. Okay actually a few more times then that... and I am really looking forward to this game. Blizzard put it quite well on their website intro: HECK YAH!!!!

I have many friends and relatives who I used to play with over Battle.net and I hope that we all will enjoy many more hours of pure enjoyment this coming holiday season... Since I am convinced that Blizzard is going for the Christmas season release on this game there by completing the ten year cycle.