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Mr March

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  1. Mr March
    An interesting post, JBO. I learn something new every day. This means the Macross fiction about this is more accurate than I thought. This may be worth noting in the entry itself to answer common fan questions about the process. It's certainly educational.
  2. Mr March
    I suppose, though it's clear the Macross weaponry is supposed to be far more powerful than conventional weaponry. Both the official trivia and the unofficial trivia supports that reading, as do the anime productions themselves. Even the lowly GPU-9 from the VF-0 Phoenix is double the firepower of the A-10's GAU-8 Avenger gun once you do the math And remember, the ECA being equivalent to tank armor is the absolute lowest benchmark for VF armor. That was on a VF-0 Phoenix using overtuned but conventional turbofan engines; no OT power source. Once 650 MW engines on the VF-1 come into play, that's an order of magnitude more power. By the time Frontier comes along, Ozma is blocking Anti-ship cannons with his PPB and ECA Armored Valk
  3. Mr March
    I think we should count our lucky stars that ECA helps explain the performance of the variable fighters as much as it does. I've been watching and reading about a lot of sci-fi in my time and I gotta say the Macross solution using ECA is a helluva lot better than most science fiction franchises even attempt with their own continuity. Like Azrael said, ECA solves a lot of the problems with a variable fighter being tougher than a modern tank without any of the weight. And I think most of the criticism regarding inconsistent valkyrie durability exists regardless of whether ECA exists or not. We're talking about a 30 year franchise here; inconsistency is going to be a fact of life. I'd also be careful of saying retconn, especially in the context of Macross. Much of the Macross technology was never described at the beginning. Hell, you should be part of the tech discussions Seto and I have about Macross, even now in our post-Macross Chronicle world. MOST of Macross technology is still vague or outright undefined. It's not a "retroactive continuity" if the technology was never described at all. We were never told what variable fighter armor was, only shown what it could achieve. At worst, ECA only changes one's own ideas of Macross...for which Kawamori and Chiba can't be faulted. From interviews it's clear ECA was around at least during the Plus/7 era and possibly before. That's a long ways back before Zero and Frontier.
  4. Mr March
    I think the incredible durability and damage resistance of the Macross mecha is very apparent in the anime productions, but perhaps not to viewers that are very familiar with mecha anime shows. The valkyries fall down (VF-1D in SDFM), crash into buildings (VF-1D in SDFM), crash while flying into the ground (VT-1 Ostrich in DYRL, VF-11 in M+), fly through steel bridges (VF-1A in DYRL), flying kick each other (M+)...all the while remaining in one piece. Any one of those circumstances would have shredded a conventional vehicle to pieces. But these are also tropes common to all giant robot mecha anime, so we fans tend to forget they exist or suspension of disbelief automatically once we understand we're watching a mecha anime. Personally, I don't consider the effectiveness of ECA a failing of Macross so much a necessary evil of visual storytelling in general. Make the valkyrie armor too weak and we can't believe they are durable. Make it too strong and we can't believe they can be damaged. Also, Macross is much more realistic in it's use of armor. Yes, ECA is a powerful defensive technology, which means they build guns simply that much more powerful to overcome it. This is how it works in real life and also why "super armors" would never really be a thing. You simply build a bigger gun Regarding excess power for the ECA, I think there has been discussion about this before. The Battroid and GERWALK modes are not capable of flying as fast as the fighter mode. As such, the variable fighter engines can't achieve near maximum output in anything other than fighter mode. As such, the excess power in a lower output mode can be used to power other things like walking, running, fighting and ECA. I agree, in space, the argument might not hold up, which is probably a failing of the Macross fiction. It's not the first time
  5. Mr March
    I don't know if we disagree or not. From experience, I know a lot of folks misunderstand me when I share my thoughts about complex behaviour, assuming I somehow condone a behaviour simply because I understand it. I trust I don't need to explain why that's false. However... Hope that makes sense.
  6. Mr March
    Of course it’s fine if one doesn’t like the film. But...
  7. Mr March
    "Thrilling. That was, absolutely thrilling" - Jean Luc Picard This movie is currently at my top spot for best film of the year. It is a film about the creation of artificial intelligence from a direction we've never seen before. It's smart, interesting and engaging, made with such confidence in its ideas, its actors and its execution. It's also one of those great stories told on a small, intimate scale that ends up having a massive scope by the end of the tale just by virtue of the implications of the plot. Fans have been blessed in recent years by a run of really good science fiction films like Gravity, Guardians of the Galaxy, Moon, District 9, Inception, Dredd and Looper, but for me I think it's just possible that Ex Machina may be the best of them. I consider that very high praise given that I think the world of all those films. It seems hard to believe that this is Alex Garland's first film, especially since I've been adoring his work every since he wrote 28 Days Later back in 2002. Since then he wrote Sunshine, Never Let Me Go and Dredd, which have all been strong. I have to assume he's been going to film school and humbly learning from the best directors like Danny Boyle and Mark Romanek until he felt accomplished enough to build a masterpiece. And that he has, especially in the way the special effects are so seamless that I had to remind myself I wasn't seeing something real time and again. The script in particular hits you with profound, provoking ideas, none of which drift off point or are wasted. In fact, like all great sci-fi, many of the film's ideas grow beyond artificial intelligence and poignantly comment on everything from sexuality/homosexuality, to substance abuse, to gender inequality. This film is so well crafted and achieves such an incredible tone, pace and tension that it feels like Garland has been doing this for decades. I've heard some compare the film to Kubrick's work and I have no reservations echoing that high praise. I'd be remiss of I didn't at least mention the acting. Superb across the board, all three leads Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander deliver some simply stunning performances. What's kind of amazing is how each of these actors is on the cusp of super stardom at about the same time and will probably be everywhere within a few short years. Bravo to them and I really hope they all manage to find projects worthy of their considerable talents to enjoy in the years to come. 5 out of 5. An undeniably intelligent, thrilling and haunting sci-fi tale that asks smart questions and invokes thoughts you've never considered about AI and how it would be created.
  8. Mr March
    It's best to think of the Variable Fighter Master Files as valuable embellishment of the Macross franchise, but not a substitute for official trivia. The Master Files series are not part of the official continuity as stated by the written disclaimer in each book; "It is not official setting material and is written based on the book published in the Macross universe". So it's official Macross product, by not official continuity. So the books should be gently aligned into the Macross universe, but never accepted as fact over any official trivia. Designating the FAST Pack/Super and Armored variable fighters as distinct variants of the VF-1 Valkyrie isn't necessarily wrong. There could be FAST Pack/Super and Armored variants, but not all FAST Pack/Super and Armored valkyries are variants. Remember, often times there's ways to incorporate the Master File trivia without dismissing it or contradicting the official continuity as some fans are want to do. All Macross products, even the ones that cause us frustration, can help elaborate on the fictional world of Macross with just a bit of imagination. That's why they were produced and sold in the first place. In some rare cases, trivia from these books actually makes it into the official continuity, like the SF-3A Lancer II trivia from the Sky Angels book now being part of the official Macross Chronicle trivia for that craft. It always pays to give due consideration to all published Macross works.
  9. Mr March
    I've not read anything about the production of Gundam 00 (an awesome series, btw) that mentioned specific influence from Macross. While it's true Macross was originally inspired by Gundam (and then following the success of Macross, Gundam was inspired by it in turn), I think GN composite armor was simply a re-imagining of Luna Titanium/Gundarium from the original series. It makes sense too, since GN particles and fields were basically the "minovsky" physics of the 00 universe. IMO, the GN composite armor is more homage/reference to Gundam than anything outside the franchise. As azrael described, the ECA is just about the armor of a variable fighter. The OverTechnology materials and machinery that compose the structure/frame of the craft or power the transformation are completely different systems.
  10. Mr March
    No worries. I know an update is horribly overdue and I need to get it done. On the bright side, this update is HUGE; it will be the largest update to the site ever. Nearly 200 pieces of revised/new colored art. Loads of new Macross Chronicle trivia. New non-Macross mecha profiles. The Frontier section has been completely revised/updated and includes 13 new profiles. Currently 41 new profiles site wide. New Macrosspedia entries, new schematics, new book profiles, new uncolored art, new fan art, etc. I've also built a new technical section with a very extensive new technical article to read. So it will be very enjoyable
  11. Mr March
    The FAST Pack/Super Valkyries and Armored Valkyries are just modified versions, not variants (using your definitions of those words). The two reasons for this are 1) for all the performance boosting and additional firepower provided by FAST/Super Packs or Armored Packs, they are simply mounted upon standard variable fighters and 2) because these equipment packs can be mounted on almost any variant of the standard variable fighter (like the Super Packs can be mounted on a VF-1J or a VF-1S). There might be some exceptions (the VF-1D chest section might be problematic for mounting the GBP-1S Armor Pack), but for the most part the theory holds true. This remains the case even up to the Frontier era, where a Super Messiah can be a VF-25F or a VF-25G or a VF-25S. ANd the Armored Messiah can be a VF-25F or a VF-25S as well. The base unit is unchanged, all that changes is the additional equipment of the Super/Armor packs themselves.
  12. Mr March
    No release date as yet, but I'm working very hard to get this update finished. Most of it is all done and ready to go, but it's always that last mile that's the hardest
  13. Mr March
    I've been working a lot with Seto Kaiba recently to correct/update dozens of profiles and definitions for the Macross Mecha Manual's next update. Today he assisted me in building an extensive revised Macrosspedia entry for "Energy Conversion Armor". While this entry won't appear in this revised state until the next update of my website, I figured some fans might really like to read a bit more about it now, since information about the technology can be rare or what is available can be a little vague.
  14. Mr March
    Ah, that explains it. Nice OTEC company logo.
  15. Mr March
    I think with the variable fighters the advanced OverTechnology permits them to cheat quite a bit. I think someone mentioned up above that the verniers could be used even in an atmosphere to turn tightly or even achieve lower landing speeds. And because of the thermonuclear reaction engines pumping out 650 MW per engine, power-to-weight ratio is far beyond anything we have now
  16. Mr March
    I don't know about that; I mean, what is going on with Guld's ear lobes?
  17. Mr March
    I must say, I've not seen half these companies. I recognize: Beforse = Bifors (micro-missile launchers) Centinental = Sentinental M-299 Sugar Foot Ericorn = Erlikon (ADR-04-Mk X Destroid Defender's Erlikon 78 mm liquid-cooled high-speed automatic cannons ) Marty & Beck = Marty & Beck Mk-7 zero/zero ejection seat for the VF-1 Valkyrie Northrom = Northrom VF-1A Valkyrie Shinnakasu Heavy Industries = most of the engines for the mecha Stonewell Velcom = Stonewell Bellcom VF-1D Valkyrie But I've no idea where the other ones come from.
  18. Mr March
    The collection of talent for this film is insane. Trank directing Jordan, Mara, Teller and Bell. It has to be one of the most talented young casts ever assembled. The trailers are good, but not great. The humor seems to be working and the effects are solid. The big worry is all the script and story work this film has had done to it. Who knows, this could be one of those films that wasn't on anyone's radar yet turns out to be better than all the other films we are really waiting for. I think I'll wait for reviews, but this is on my radar.
  19. Mr March
    The pics are from my website. You should visit it
  20. Mr March
    Ah, very nice. Great art and a good layout too!
  21. Mr March
    Zack Snyder remains one of the best trailer filmmakers of all time. This one is solid. Great imagery, great buildup, perfect tone. Sadly, I'm done with this guy. He made two good movies, the last of which is creeping up on almost a deacde ago. Everything since has been Legendary-Trailer/Lousy-Movie. Hell, I still watch the "Watchmen" trailer every now and then, allowing my imagination to wash over me, filling in the gaps with an actual good movie. But he's become Bay: The Next Generation. And there's too much legitimately good content out there to waste my time giving Snyder yet another undeserved second/third/ad infinitum chance. I'm passing on this one unless I see it for free on a boring Sunday
  22. Mr March
    There is no confusion. A director chooses the scripts that he/she will make into film. And as I've posted many a time about Abrams, his judgement as to what is hommage/nostalgia versus what is repetition/fanservice is precarious and precisely what is the cause for the most concern about this new film. Exactly. The visual style is already a win. But if this new Star Wars is another exercise in slavish reverence to 80's era Spielberg/Lucas that leaves the film drowning in creatively bankrupt nostalgia, we'll have another Abrams dud on our hands. Another Star Trek Into Darkness third act we do not need for Star Wars.
  23. Mr March
    This thread is giving me a stubby Seriously, there's no harm in debate. That's what this should be, a debate, not a fight. IMO, no one had any malicious intent, so let's maintain perspective. Everyone on this board has been proven wrong about something, many times. Board history is all there. I'm curious, is there any uncolored line art of the Macross mecha in this book? How about uncolored schematics? I'm currently doing a lot of new schematic work for the next update and I'm loving the Master Files for this. If this Archives has any black and white schematics, I might consider getting it.
  24. Mr March
    Retroactive apocrypha does happen in Macross, some appeared in the Macross Chronicle technical descriptions. So we could imagine it might happen. I think if you examine some of the transformation systems of the variable fighters, they would already feature a version of the aeroelastic wing concept in basic form, just by virtue of how their wing components are mounted and can shift mechanically. The YF-19 and VF-25 immediately come to mind as two such designs.
  25. Mr March
    Possibly. Either way, the results are spectacular. I maintain my concerns about the story for this new film, wondering whether we'll get good-Abrams (Mission Impossible III, Star Trek 2009) or bad Abrams (Super 8, Star Trek Into Darkness). But at least for the look, execution and style, they have nailed classic Star Wars in a modern way that we've not seen since the original trilogy.
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