Improving the GearHead Wiki

[Daemonward]

I've been making an effort over the last few days to improve the wiki by creating missing articles and checking to make sure every mecha article has at least a portrait, a stats block for each variant, and at least one sentence of descriptive text. For many of the articles, in the event that I couldn't find any in-game information, I tried to make up plausible flavor text. So far, I've finished all of the GH1 mecha articles except for the Aranos.

I know Zoanoids are supposed to be based on animals, but I have no idea what the Aranos is supposed to be. The Rattler Cannon makes me think that it might be based on the Chimera from Greek mythology, with the body of a lioness and a tail that terminated in a snake's head. But the Aranos has six legs, with the fore- and hind legs clawed, and the middle legs armed with swarm missiles, which leaves me scratching my head wondering what it might be and how to describe it in the article.

If anyone has comments, corrections, or constructive criticism please reply. And of course, feel free to jump in and edit the articles yourselves.

[Trorbes]

Thanks for helping with the wiki.  I've been trying to keep some of the GH2 pages up to date, but I'm glad to see someone doing so much for it.

I don't think the Zoanoids necessarily have to be based on specific animals.  I think "chimera" describes the Aranos best, if not the Greek myth then the modern concept of a beast with parts from multiple creatures.

[Joseph Hewitt]

Most of the mecha have backgrounds, it's just that I've been terrible at converting my notes to actual in-game information. The background for the Strongarm is discussed here:

http://gearheadrpg.com/forum/index.php?action=vthr ead&forum=2&topic=796&page=1#msg8676

Also, there's a brief glimpse of the Strongarm redesign in the last panel of this unfinished GearHead comic:



It still looks too much like an Elemental, though.

As for the Aranos, it's not meant to look like any specific animal, but is just vaguely bug-shaped. It's made by a small company on Earth (which I don't think I ever gave a name to) and is used as a scout mecha by most of the factions there. The Aranos is also favored by explorers and prospectors. It is well suited to uneven and mountainous terrain.

[Daemonward]

Thanks, I've added Strongarm's background as well as your description of the Aranos to their respective articles. If you have backgrounds or links to backgrounds for more of the mecha(or for anything else wiki-worthy), you can post them here and I'll add them to the wiki.

[Onisuzume]

I've improved the fanmade GH stuff section a few days ago.
That way its a lot easier to find a specific type of fanwork.

And JH how could a strongarm *not* look like an elemental?
Or an elemental-derivative.
Though the head ontop of the thing does help.

[SharkD]

You could also try uploading the source files for the mecha:

1) 3D models
2) converted POV-Ray files (if any)
3) the 2D sprite (just for completeness' sake)
4) design files

You can find most of the models on the Yahoo! Group, in the Files section. There are some more, here. Let me know if there are any you can't locate.

-Mike

[SharkD]

Hmmm...

It seems you can't upload non-image files to the wiki. In fact, the best option might be to upload all the models to SVN. What do you think, Joseph? I was thinking maybe they could go in a "Models" sub-folder of "trunk". I tried importing said folder, but it asked me for a password.

-Mike

[Daemonward]

Quoting: Onisuzume

And JH how could a strongarm *not* look like an elemental?

I would be more worried about making the Excel and the Radcliff *not* look like an Awesome and a Warhammer.

[Joseph Hewitt]

Quoting: Daemonward

I would be more worried about making the Excel and the Radcliff *not* look like an Awesome and a Warhammer.

=looks innocent= I have no idea what you're talking about... ^^;

[Onisuzume]

Well, similiar design types would make sense imo.
Just take a look at the old rifleman and the new rifleman. http://sarna.net/wiki/Rifleman

They're very similiar in appearance, but the old one was too close to the macross defender while the new one is different enough.

[Daemonward]

Quoting: Onisuzume

They're very similiar in appearance, but the old one was too close to the macross defender while the new one is different enough.

Just like how the Warhammer is actually the Tomahawk from Macross?

[Onisuzume]

Exactly.

Then there was the: Stinger, Wasp, Valkyrie, Phoenix Hawk and Crusader based off Macross' Valkyrie.
The Ostroc, Ostsol, Ostscout based off the Regult battle pod.
The Longbow based off the Phalanx.
And the Marauder and Marauder II based off the Glaug.

The Locust from Crusher Joe.

From the Dougram series/whatever.
The Shadow Hawk based off the Dougram.
Griffin off the Roundface.
The Scorpion off the Blizzard Gunner.
The Wolverine off the Blockhead.
The Thunderbolt off the Hasty.
The Goliath off the Crab Runner.
And the Battlemaster off the Bigfoot.

[Daemonward]

Yep, FASA should have been more careful about where they got their 'mech designs.

Back on topic, I am thinking that the faction articles could use some attention. Currently, the Guardians have a decent article, the corps and militaries list the generic promotion rewards(but little or no background info), and the Thieves Guild has only a sentence fragment.

I'll start looking through the Series folder for potential wikifiable info.

[Onisuzume]

Yep, FASA should have been more careful about where they got their 'mech designs.

They *thought* that they had the rights to use the designs, but due to a mix-up or something, they didn't.