Enforcer Concept Sketch
Added 2020-04-13 23:21:31 +0000 UTC
I know Bishop is itching for me to show this one off, so here it is :)
I'm really curious how you all feel about this Enforcer. Sometimes through all the iterating on a design it can become a little hard to know if you're hitting the right direction. And this isn't a snub on Mr Myers either, he'll confirm I had a fairly heavy personal hand in this one haha.
For me it's hard to identify what makes an Enforcer because while it has a few "key elements" they're all pretty generic. A boxy torso, two slim gun arms, bell bottoms, dome head? All things other mechs have in similar combinations, but those others have more spice IMO.
So did we hit it? I think it'll look good once posed up and more dynamic.
Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. I need at least 4. Do you take souls as payment? I'll give you mine for 4 of these and 4 of the new Victors, early? Caveat Emptor: it's a little worn....lol.
Joshua Bressel
2020-05-11 00:03:42 +0000 UTC
This is one of those mechs I always *wanted* to love but never did because the miniature just went a little too far beyond the "generic" look it's supposed to have and into "silly" territory. This does the design justice: it is recognizable but not particularly special or remarkable in any way, and that's honestly exactly what it's supposed to be. It's a workhorse through and through, and it looks the part, in the same way that a Crown Victoria is a "police cruiser". It's not pretty, it's not ugly, it's functional, and it's unmistakably what it is. I like it!
Robert Schuster
2020-04-15 23:37:20 +0000 UTC
A great 'trooper' design. Solid, looks like there should below after row of them:)
2020-04-15 18:05:23 +0000 UTC
I think that pretty much nails it, my only very minor quibble with the 'pauldron' around the shoulder, which might be too 'rounded off'. A lot of the older art had that section blockier, and I think the 80's power-suit shoulders (which wasn't even always present on the old art unfortunately) helped make the look. But that's really all I can suggest, overallI think it's great.
William Minsinger
2020-04-15 11:36:38 +0000 UTC
ah, the 80s. the 60s may have been bright and garish but the 80s definitely had the hold on weird and tacky.
James Abbot-Cole
2020-04-15 07:29:19 +0000 UTC
I feel it is all the "generic" elements taken together, which give the Enforcer the look of a solid line/soldier 'Mech, which is a good thing.
Brian Sausley
2020-04-15 00:46:42 +0000 UTC
Looks like a real trooper. I dig
Joe Wright
2020-04-14 23:47:57 +0000 UTC
much like the enforcer always was
James Bixby
2020-04-14 22:05:33 +0000 UTC
yeah I am not saying replicate the original, but a little more sculpted human like features akin to the atlas is not a bad thing
James Bixby
2020-04-14 22:04:56 +0000 UTC
You hit it out of the park on this one. Beautiful.
2020-04-14 18:42:19 +0000 UTC
Fantastic! It is the perfect trooper mech! did an AMAZING job!!!!!
Joshua Bressel
2020-04-14 16:20:51 +0000 UTC
TBH while I don't disagree, the mouth/nose/bobmarly/cap look was IMO the number one needed change. Yes, I get that is how it was done. But seriously, looking at it from new player perspective, it was the height of bad 80s art goof that simply doesn't work today, for most people. Changes are usually a compromise based on numbers.
Benjamin Myers (Bishop Steiner)
2020-04-14 14:24:41 +0000 UTC
iteration 1.0 was closer to that. PTBs disagreed. *shrugs* Unfortunately, every tweak in one direction or another to please Party X, will Displease Party Y, and then we still have to please Party Z (and that's before revealing to public, aka Parties A-W all of whom have different opinions) . So while I don't inherently disagree, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Benjamin Myers (Bishop Steiner)
2020-04-14 14:22:02 +0000 UTC
If you ask me, one of the enforcers key traits is that the head is sculpted in such a way as to look like a human beings face with a helmet and sunglasses/goggles.
A little sculpting and shaping of the head below the cockpit canopy can work wonders
James Bixby
2020-04-14 13:14:10 +0000 UTC
Bland but servicable.
James Abbot-Cole
2020-04-14 12:00:07 +0000 UTC
A little bland, but the Enforcer always was.
Kanrei13
2020-04-14 11:42:50 +0000 UTC
I think a dynamic pose will work wonders. This redesign is a big improvement of the original and while it is plain, I think the plain features fit its background as a mas produced trooper.
Nyxus
2020-04-14 09:18:35 +0000 UTC
A real improvement on the old sculpt, imho. I especially like the new head and the legs. The weapons arms look cool, but rather massive compared to the torso. All in i really like the design and finally look forward to grab the new Enforcer...even as a CapCon fanboy. 😁😋
Henning Boessler
2020-04-14 07:24:16 +0000 UTC
I love it, but I feel the legs need to be just a bit more like the original design. I'm cool with their general shape, but I'm thinking if they were just a bit longer overall, and if you brought the shin area a bit farther out and narrower in the front. A little more blade-like.
Ben
2020-04-14 07:14:47 +0000 UTC
I like the head. While it is a bit plain, it feels like an Enforcer head. Torso and shoulders look good as well. The lower arms and legs are where I'm stuck. At first glance it looks like a less bulky Warhammer with an Enforcer head on it. The gun arms seem a bit too large, but think they could still work. The legs though are too thick. The feet don't quite look right. The ankle area is too thick and the kneecaps should rise up a bit over the thigh IMO. I think it would look more in line if the lower legs were less segmented and more one piece. Like it's wearing knee high boots. I know you guys want to keep the weapons consistent sizes and I think they will still work, but the legs just don't look very Enforcer ish to me.
2020-04-14 05:28:55 +0000 UTC
This one is intentionally in the tall rather than fat realm. If anything is fair about the "making it all look the same" grog crowd, is that it's gonna be bland if every mech in a weight class has too similar of proportions.
Anthony Scroggins
2020-04-14 05:25:47 +0000 UTC
yeah, but it's also a direct port of the MWO Enforcer.
Benjamin Myers (Bishop Steiner)
2020-04-14 04:21:00 +0000 UTC
well, we are talking the Overrated Sons... ;)
Benjamin Myers (Bishop Steiner)
2020-04-14 04:19:02 +0000 UTC
tried the mouth... just never was happy with it, TBH, sorry about that.
Benjamin Myers (Bishop Steiner)
2020-04-14 04:18:43 +0000 UTC
The above image I think has more dynamic head and legs..the knees and face are closer to original art..
2020-04-14 04:11:46 +0000 UTC
https://www.deviantart.com/bishopsteiner/art/ENF-6D-Enforcer-561296718 I just saw this..
2020-04-14 04:09:32 +0000 UTC
I just realized that practically one-quarter of its weight is supposed to be in its right forearm.
Carlos Sempere
2020-04-14 02:57:06 +0000 UTC
Loving this! It's a great take on the Enforcer, and a mech I'd be proud to field once a 3D print is available.
2020-04-14 02:34:44 +0000 UTC
I like the overall design, but agree with the crowds that it needs to put on a few pounds, and the head lack a certain distinction. Looks like a 35 tonner right now, but I don't think it needs much to shine.
Aaron Stevens
2020-04-14 02:13:44 +0000 UTC
I would give the “helmet” on the head just a bit of an edge to it, like WWI british helmets and like the original Enforcer. Beyond that I think you captured it
Sven Jonsson
2020-04-14 02:06:55 +0000 UTC
I'd like to chime in to mirror what other's have said, I think the head is bit plain. I think it could really benefit from a cockpit interpretation similar to the new Trebuchet - with more depth and interesting geometry vs the windows set in a flat plane look. I see the inklings of that in this sketch, but I'd really love to see that pushed further. Everything else looks great, really digging the lower legs! :)
2020-04-14 02:04:09 +0000 UTC
Body 👍 Head reminds of a cross between Mal’s space helmet from FireFly and the helmets from Space Above and Beyond! Bring back the goggle look 👀 it’s what makes the Enforcer an Enforcer!
Robert Moore
2020-04-14 02:01:19 +0000 UTC
I do like the bod,y but I have to agree that the head lacks character. With that being said, it's unquestionably the Enforcer, and otherwise hits all the right notes
Alex F
2020-04-14 01:43:05 +0000 UTC
The head is a bit boring for me. I know it's supposed to be trooper, but this to me is generic enough that you could throw it into other Mecha Anime and nobody would bat an eye.
Paul Mabbott
2020-04-14 01:41:19 +0000 UTC
While mechwarrior has never turned heads, CBT has always had turning heads, and I think this is a mech where I'll want to do it :D
Anthony Scroggins
2020-04-14 01:36:11 +0000 UTC
Bulls-eye, looks great.
Trevor R.N.
2020-04-14 01:35:52 +0000 UTC
Somehow my immediate first impression was that it was a child in oversized football gear. I'm not saying that's bad, just my snap impression.
Count_Jester
2020-04-14 01:34:01 +0000 UTC
It's alright. I don't like the head. It's missing the little mouth and the character of the original. Bishop did a great head on the version of the Enforcer he did here. https://www.deviantart.com/bishopsteiner/art/ENF-6D-Enforcer-561296718 I really like the legs.
Richard Jensen
2020-04-14 01:28:32 +0000 UTC
So it definitely looks cool - let's get that out of the way straight off the bat. All of Bishop's work that I have stalk-uh... thoroughly investigated - over the years has really had a certain cool factor to it. All of his stuff just feels very dynamic - maybe because he uses some longer/slimmer proportions - but point being - always feels cool. My favorite rendition of the Enforcer right here.
The only major thing I worry (worry is used loosely) about, is this starting to stray close to the Gundam and/or other Japanese designs due to the gangly nature of the Enforcer to start with. When getting to the 3d phase, I would stay away from some of the SUPER dynamic poses, and I would keep the head locked forward. Since the heads have never been able to move (in the PC games) that has always been something that differentiates MechWarrior/Battletech from "Other Generic Mecha Franchise" (even if some Lore/OLD TRO says differently) .
Only other thing I would say is maybe make the left arm barrel a little shorter, and try with some asymmetry? I don't know... I am just thinking here, because we have a lot of chassis coming out, that I think will end up looking a little same-y as time goes on. The orignal TRO's are not giving you anything to work with on 90% of them.
2020-04-14 00:55:09 +0000 UTC
For me, it was always the pinched, kind of constipated-looking "face." I prefer this one, though.
Yankee Air Pirate
2020-04-14 00:32:36 +0000 UTC
That was a struggle to compare against. The MWO Enforcer looks cooler, but I'm not sure how much of an enforcer is left in it.
Anthony Scroggins
2020-04-14 00:22:37 +0000 UTC
This is an awesome update of the ENF. I have been playing HBS Battletech, and the Enforcer in that game looks nothing like a tabletop Enforcer This is recognizably a Succession Wars Enforcer.
2020-04-14 00:18:56 +0000 UTC
Something's off with the helmet. I think the view screen is too big.
2020-04-14 00:14:07 +0000 UTC
Looks very cool, I just wish the Enforcer III had a better pose. I really like this look.
Andrew McKenna
2020-04-14 00:13:40 +0000 UTC
I think the success of this design will depend on how it scales to other new designs. The sketch makes it feel about the same size as the new Panther based on its mass. I do like the symmetry of this design and glad you dropped the hunchback aesthetic some of the old artwork had. Looks like a trooper Mech to me.
2020-04-14 00:11:31 +0000 UTC
My favorite enforcer ever. Reminds me of the GM from Gundam. A mass production warhorse, gets the job done, nothing fancy. This captures that perfect.
Jordan G Roberts
2020-04-14 00:02:19 +0000 UTC
I love it. To me, the key parts of the futuro-riot-police helmet, the almost-symmetrical gun arms, and a generally narrow profile. That's all there. The shoulder pads are new, but I like them. I'm surprised how much of the detailing here matches the TRO art - it was such an awkward design, but I guess it was all because of the proportions.
Carlos Sempere
2020-04-14 00:01:11 +0000 UTC
I like this version of the Enforcer, I have no complaints.
Dan Hegarty
2020-04-13 23:58:18 +0000 UTC
I like this rendition for the most part. I look and it says “Enforcer” I do have to say I am not fond of the head. Yes it is a dome but this looks like a football helmet. I prefer the angular face of the original sculpt with the smooth dome. Other than that thumbs up!
2020-04-13 23:56:49 +0000 UTC
First time I ever liked the look of the Enforcer.
2020-04-13 23:51:06 +0000 UTC
I think you guys nailed it . Now give it a stepping forward pose with both arms aimed forward and your golden .
Charles granger
2020-04-13 23:45:36 +0000 UTC
Right foot is the "exemplar" Being a concept piece the left was a quick edit in. *shrugs* A chunk of these concept pieces have the "rear" leg in the image unfinished, this one too.
I may go back and do a finish pass for my own Page later, but the legs will match on the model and finish art, regardless of who does it (won't be me)
Benjamin Myers (Bishop Steiner)
2020-04-13 23:35:37 +0000 UTC
Yea that's slick. You're right that the enforcer is pretty generic but I like it. I just had a look at the original and never noticed the feet had side toes like that. I say nix'em. Also I think the right foot is nicer than the left foot.
Christopher Eastwood
2020-04-13 23:32:07 +0000 UTC
Yeah, this one I look forward to posting the "Evolution" stuff to my own Patreon page when it clears.
Not only our disagreements, but those of the Powers that Be! :P
Still... while the changes made thru iterations were significant, most of them I can't disagree with, though I still hold with it being a relatively slim shouldered, taller design as key aesthetic. *shrugs*
(I may or may not have tried to sneak in stealth diets throughout the iterations as someone else kept trying to go THICCer .... ;) )
Benjamin Myers (Bishop Steiner)
2020-04-13 23:31:48 +0000 UTC