Exteel - Dev Paper: Boomrocker Mechanaught
While it doesn't quite meet our requirements for listing, NCsoft's Exteel is certainly an idea that is appealing to MMO gamers. In this developer paper, the game's devs give tips and strategies for The Boomrocker Mechanaught, weapon highlights and the Defrosted Summit Battle Map.
The Boomrocker represents the heaviest of the early-era Mechanaughts, trading speed and mobility for armor and toughness. At this point in the pilot’s progress, these Mechanaughts become more specialized towards their specific tasks and pilots will start to upgrade their own Mechanaught not as a whole set, but part by part, to create the best mix for themselves. The Boomrocker is the first heavy Mechanaught and while currently many see its design as being a little inefficient in compared to modern-era heavy Mechanaughts like the Haskell or Hellbent Butcher, it would serve up-and-coming pilots more inclined for the support role than any other Mechanaught.
Comparably priced to the Rushnik (light) and Trooper (medium) Mechanaught designs, the full Boomrocker set, which includes the head, core, arms and legs, costs 54,000 credits. The Boomrocker is heavy, outweighing all other early generation designs. Understandably, it’s much slower and drains much more power boosting or jumping than the others. However, it can withstand a bit more punishment, not to mention regulate heat more efficiently. The Boomrocker head is equipped with two Mechanaught Processing Units (MPUs), meaning two purchasable skills can be equipped and used at any time.
The designers of the Boomrocker intended for it to stay slightly behind the front lines and support Mechanaughts with heavy fire from cannons, rockets and other weapons. It’s not a Mechanaught built for mobility or speed and shouldn’t be used as such—but that’s not saying the Boomrocker (or any other heavy Mechanaught) can’t be dangerous in a close-quarters fight.
Weapon Highlights
- Core Charger – Another form of “rectifier,” the Core Charger is technically not a weapon at all, though a Mechanaught wields it like one. It fires a beam of energy particles that, when aimed at an ally, improves the molecular bonding of a damaged Mechanaught, recovering some of its ability to absorb damage (certain purchasable skills may also degrade an opponent’s ability to absorb damage). Like other weapons, however, rectifiers will overheat after repeated usage. The Core Charger-C is the base level rectifier.
- Force Shield – Unlike other solid material shield designs, the Force Shield uses a strong magnetic field in a circular pattern to reflect incoming enemy fire. While the Force Shield is much more efficient in deflecting ranged weapon fire than other shields, its design does not make it very effective against melee weapons.
- Dazzler – The Dazzler is a top tier shotgun-style weapon that typically doesn’t deal the most damage, but has a better range and re-fire rate. It’s said to have gotten its name from Mechanaughts dazzling opponents with their superior piloting skills as it is extremely hard to aim, requiring patience and tenacity, but ultimately rewarding the dedicated pilot with results.
- Iron Curtain – Another top tier weapon, the Iron Curtain is a hard-hitting rifle design that’s intended to put down the enemy at long range. There’s nothing fancy about it—just accurate and easy to use with decent heat management. If you have the money it’s hard to go wrong with the Iron Curtain.
Battle Map: Defrosted Summit
Set in a working research facility nestled on the slopes of a precipitous snowy mountaintop, Defrosted Summit is one of Exteel’s more vertically-oriented maps. Don’t let the beautiful scenery fool you, however—Defrosted Summit is perhaps the most dangerous map in the entire game.
Teams typically start on raised platforms at either end of the main facility, which normally serve as docking facilities for incoming craft. Mechanaught pilots can then egress downwards to facility, which features a number of balconies, copulas, and platforms, the very bottom of which is the entrance that leads into the main central tower. Inside the tower is a set of ascending ramps that eventually leads to the top of the facility, and those that control this high point can control the flow of battle.
One word of caution, however: watch your step! The bulk of Defrosted Summit is completely open to the environment and the human-sized safety rails won’t prevent your Mechanaught from slipping off the sides of a ramp or getting blown off a platform by a well-timed cannon round. To fall off the facility means instant death, so do everyone on your team a favor and stay away from the edges. Mechanaughts don’t have parachutes.
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