Graham

Sorry, I just couldn't buy that theory that just beacuse something is animated in CG instead of cell it would change so radically in apperance. Give the animators credit, if they want to animate a VF-17D in CG, it IS going to look like a VF-17D. Graham

Space pirates, poachers (ala D7), non-UN independant planet forces, anti-Un forces, are all possibilities at this stage. Graham

Thanks for the new info Kresphy. Two fleets, now that is interesting. Perhaps the VF-17s belong to the Galaxy fleet and the VF-25s to the Frontier fleet? Graham

It's not 3 barrels, it's 5 barrels. See pic below. Graham

Yamato told me that they have a new TV advertisment that aires at around 3am on Thursday morning and shows the new 1/60 YF-21. Any of our Japan-based members want to see if they can make a copy? Graham

Another difference I spoted on the new VF-17 is lack of the UN Spacy kits on the chestplate. Graham

3 more days until the Revy Hikaru VF-1A is released! Graham

Within Macross the Metal Siren. Ugly, ugly design IMO. VF-2SS and VF-2JA are great though. Outside of Macross, pretty much all Gundam. I also just don't understand the attraction. Graham

It's a couple of years since I last played, but IIRC some of the requirements for unlocking the different color schemes are pretty tough, like getting 'S' grade in every mission. Heck, I was happy just to get the VF-4. I personally didn't care about unlocking all the different VF-1 schemes as it's just the same Valk basically with different colors. Graham

I’ve been studying the new VF-17 pics over the weekend and the changed appearance is definitely not just due to it being in CG as opposed to traditional cell animation, as somebody suggested earlier in the thread. This is obviously a new variant, which for the moment, I am going to call the VF-17-Advanced. So far, I note the following differences between the 2070 era VF-17-Advanced and the M7 era VF-17D/S: - Elongated and widened canopy, with smaller less obtrusive canopy framework and larger clear panels for improved pilot visibility. Longer fighter nose, with a more rounded cross section, as opposed to the more diamond-shaped cross section of the VF-17D/S’s nose. Possible deletion of the twin micro-missile launchers on the shoulders (they are not visible in the screen captures from the preview video). Shorter redesigned barrels on the two cockpit/chest beam guns. Possible slightly different shape wings, especially the trailing edge. Wider rear-of-the-head nacelle. I hope this does not give us ugly ‘fat head’ syndrome in Battroid mode. Definitely two hard points per wing for external ordnance. Possibly up to three per wing. From the somewhat blurry screen shots, the external ordnance appears to be the same as that carried by the VF-25. Graham

Nah, it's too much fun. It'll be interesting later to see who was right and who was wrong as well. Looking forward to lots of "I told you so". Graham

Anybody capture that image of the gunpod being taken apart showing the three barrels? I'm not saying get rid of the gunpod, just make it a rapid fire railgun gunpod. Advantages of higher ammo capacity and increased velocity/penetration. Graham

Call it a gut feeling, but I’m pretty certain that the VF-25 is going to display some new capabilities that we haven’t seen before. Maybe it will be an internal fold booster or miniaturized externally-mounted multi-use fold booster or some improved type of pin-point/omni-directional barrier system or perhaps even a new type of melee weapon (looks like that would be useful against the bugs). At the very least, I’m hoping the new gunpod will be a rail gun. You would think that by the 2070s’ the technology would be advanced enough to move away from traditional chemical propellant for the gunpod ammo. Graham

Not confirmed, but I think there might be an issue with the game license. Not sure if it has been resolved yet though. So there is a possibility of no VF-X2 VF-19A scheme. However, we should be getting some more non-canon schemes. Graham

LOL....you'd be surprised at the number of geography-challenged individuals who DO think Hong Kong is in Japan! Graham

I seriously doubt that this is a human size powered suit. My bet is also on a battroid training simulator, or a new method of controlling the arms in battroid and Gerwalk modes. Graham

Just wondering what the yellow and black markings are that appear on the VF-25's nose and left wing (see attached pics). This is the first time we have seen these type of markings on a VF. My theory is it may denote some type of new system. Graham

I'm a huge fan of the VF-17 (as most of you know) and I'm obviously happy to see a variant back in the new series. Although I am as surprised as anyone about it. I just hope they don't end up as so much cannon fodder with the hero VF-25 coming along to save the day! I would have also thought that a variant of the VF-19 or VF-22 would have been more likely. Although perhaps as has been suggested, the VF-19 and VF-22 did prove too costly and complicated in the end and an advanced VF-17 was simply a cheaper option for mass production, espcially for a colony fighter that will spend 99% of the time in space based missions protecting the fleet. The extra wing mounted ordnance shown on the VF-17 doesn't surprise me as the original VF-17D/S was very light on missiles, but heavily armed with guns. Anyway, can't wait to see some line art on the new VF-17. Graham

I'm pretty certain the VF-25 has two hip-mounted guns, almost identical to the SV-51. Graham

So far we have three different color schemes of VF-25 shown:- No. 001, Grey with yellow & black trim from New Type Magazine, December 2007 issue, page 61. No. 007, white with red and black trim (Hikaru colors) from New Type magazine, December 2007 issue, pages 126-127. White with purple trim from the preview movie. This is the only one that could possibly have a normal UN Spacy kite logo on the wing. Graham

Negative, the logo on Ozma's helmet and the top of the grey VF-25 No. 001 (horned skull with dagger) is very different form the school badge on Alto's shirt. See the school badge scan below. Graham

Thanks Luke. That's confirmation then that the sorta-VF-17 has a different canopy, more widely spaced head lasers, longer nose and different wings (probably other changes as well, but I need to study the pics more). I'm stoked about the giant bugs. I love the concept of giant bugs as enemies. I'm a huge fan of Heinlein's Starship troopers novel and the Blue Gender TV series. I also thought the giant bugs shown in the Dreamcast Macross M3 opening movie should have been developed more. Graham

While it's difficult to be 100% sure, it looks like the VF-17 canopy might have been changed to more of a conventional bubble canopy to improve visibility. Also, the top lasers look too far apart to be the standard VF-17 head lasers, unless that is an animation error. Graham

Personally, I'm hoping the mysterious organic looking enemy are not related to the AFOS/Protodeviln/Protoculture etc. Conventional Valks just cannot fight such enemies on equal terms, making the fights too one sided, unless reaction weapons are involved and even then the chance of winning is minimal. I'm hoping that the enemy is a new race which is about equal in capability to the VF-25. Fights will be more interesting that way. Graham

Those are definitely not standard VF-17D or VF-17S. Whatever it is, it is obviously based on the VF-17 though, but with modifications to the cockpit and nose at least. Graham