sketchley

something is wrong about the city in the 2nd image - I think it's the perspective and size of the buildings. It implies that the curvature of the Earth is much greater than it really is!

the only way to get forward view is before starting (or resuming a game) in the options screen. You have to activate it (and at the same time, you have the option of changing whatever action some of the buttons will do, if I'm remembering correctly.) By the sounds of things, you appear to be doing it correctly. Nevertheless, I must ask for a double check: was it really activated? If yes, there may be some other problems going on. Oh... are you playing the actual game release, or the partial release that came with the PS1 release of the DYRL side scroller? I haven't checked, but the partial release *may* not have all the features of the game. Once forward view is activated, you'll be able to switch between target, missile, and forward view. I find it highly annoying that forward view is NOT a default setting. >.< It's the only real weak point of a highly enjoyable game. I'm not sure what the difference is between arcade and simulator is - it may be a difference between more realistic, and more fantastical flying. But that's just a guess based on the words used. Forward view basically keeps the camera exactly behind the VF. IMHO it is the best view, because you know exactly where you are shooting, and where you are flying - I get disoriented by the other views too easily. @.@ However, they are useful for checking where the enemy is, and are helpful if you want to dodge missiles that are on your tail.

Cool picture. IMHO, there were troops on the Macross - the troops in the Daedalus, that got transported with the SDF-1 to Pluto's orbit. Of course they don't get shown, because the armed squirrel in the above post would be equally effective against an entire Zentraedi ship. Soldiers also crop up in other places - the military compounds inside of the SDF-1. My guess is that they would be akin to Marines - mostly doing internal ship security, but ready to bring the fight to the enemy if needed. Of course, given that the SDF-1 folded to Pluto, and the ship didn't exactly have a full crew complement, it's highly probable that the people who became soldiers doing guard duty were probably the one's incapable of doing the higher-mental-capacity required things like piloting VFs and Destroids (or even jeeps... ) So yeah, the point everyone is making kind of stands - the soldiers wouldn't be that effective.

What's the difference between terrorist and freedom fighter? Not much other than politics, and which side of the political divide one is on. The question I have is: are any of the agencies in Macross actually true blue terrorists (getting their political message through by terrorising civilian populations)? Aside from the attack and destruction of the mostly civilian (? at least undefended) fleet returning from Mars, pre-SWI, there really hasn't been much terrorism going on in the Macross chronology. It's been mostly group A vs. group B; the two groups having different political beliefs. Wait... isn't that war? I guess that Kamjin's attacks against civilian populations at the end of SDF:M count as terrorism too... Anyhow, VF-X2 plays out as a military coup attempt of the UN government. It just happens that the Vinderance Terrorist group are involved with the main group attempting the coup. I don't think that one group's previous activities should be used to define the entire group, especially the groups activities during VF-X2. Maybe it's just the in-universe government propaganda machine labeling it as terrorism, to hide the reality to the unsuspecting populace? I would have to say that the Japanese do understand terrorist acts fairly well - if you've traveled by car to Narita airport you'll have had a definite tangible experience of the aftereffects of international terrorism here (Air India Bombing.) There's also the insane activities of AUM. There's not many countries that have had sarin nerve gas terrorist attacks in their subway systems, assasinations of judges and lawyers against terrorist groups, or even failed attempted gas attacks against military and government facilities by terrorist groups... Anyhow, perhaps it is the creators of Macross that don't know, or perhaps it's even the (fan) translators of the timeline who mistranslated things...?

I agree that the title 'Macross Plus' is part of the title 'Macross Plus Movie', but I believe that us members are aware enough about Macross to recognize the difference in the two, and understand that when someone says 'Macross Plus', they don't mean 'Macross Plus Movie'. If there is confusion stemming from that, I apologize, and I will endevour to be more anal retentive when it comes to the proper naming of things Macross.

Compendium is lacking... Some places to start looking for lineart (though don't expect lineart only): http://www.mahq.net/mecha/macross/macross.htm http://unsd.macrossroleplay.org/ http://www.macrossroleplay.org/Sketchley/Statistics.htm http://www.orbital-art.net/unspacy_qmtdb/

Yamato shipping? Send it by surface mail? http://www.post.japanpost.jp/english/fee/intel/surface.html Compare for yourself: http://www.shipping.jp/en/ It won't equal ¥5,000 in shipping costs. Especially if you buy directly from the store, as mentioned above. Also, there will still be shipping involved with even domestic companies, the difference is that shipping, and the other fees Zinjo mentioned are being payed twice (once from Japan to the domestic retailer, once more from the retailer to you.) Of course, if one were to travel to Japan, and/or purchase a bunch of other items at the same time...

Personally, I think that the VF-11 FAST packs are second only to the VF-1's; followed, in 3rd place, by the VF-17's packs. The VF-5000's packs are also groovy too. I do agree that the VF-19's packs are... well better best forgotten. I understand the limitations et al due to the design, but in battroid mode? Gah! It looks like the thing is doing a balancing act, and I'm certain that it's mobility suffers. Also, it should be mentioned that the engine nacelle packs on the VF-11D Kai have reverse firing missile launchers too. Me thinks the VF-0 is merely following in that design tradition (though, in series timeline-wise, it's the opposite; which begs the question: where'd they go on all the other FAST packs? )

I have a PS1, and it has a direct line to the wall socket, and "AC in" written where the wire connects to the back of the console. No brick, or brick like object along the wire. Nor are there any technical blurbs on the rear or underside of the PS1 stating what it can or cannot absorb (probably on the long gone packaging box.) I do not know about the inner workings of the console or even if it has a power converter inside of it, though I am in agreement that fluctuating power isn't a good thing for microchips in general. Nevertheless, the point was that without some type of power converter or transformer, one runs the console at ones own risk. Especially if the console was designed to run in a 100 to 110 V at 50 to 60 Htz environment, and one plugs it into a 240 V AC supply. This point being made to specifically counter the implications in Solscud's post - which I think we are in agreement about.

Wasn't it (someone correct me if I'm wrong) a combination of getting the lost technology of reaction weapons, and micronions rebuilding and restoring the ASS-1 that kept them chasing the SDF-1 while they tried to figure them out. At the same time, wasn't only after Zentraedi personnel were being contaminated with micron culture, that Bodolza ordered the incineration of Earth?

Zinjo's supplier: 89.98 USD = 10,850.86 JPY Sofmap (in Japan) = 5,200 JPY.

Is the difference only select vs special? Pg 69 of the Macross Plus book (not the Macross Plus Movie book ) has those two images. Pg 70 has the same two views, but with FAST packs. Pg 90-93 have them all, with colour and unit markings.

Laptops run on DC power. Game consoles run on AC. That black box that comes with the power cord is a transformer - from AC to DC, and changing the V, Hz and amps in the process.

http://www.sofmap.com/product_detail/exec/.../gid=UD08020400

Bottom of page 192 in Macross Perfect Memory. å°åž‹ãƒã‚ºãƒ¼ã‚« Small bazooka Same as the one seen in episode 12 - being used to shoot the control panel. Quick check - yup, I did say rocket launcher, not missile launcher. I may be mistaken if he used it on a Zentraedi. Though I definitely remember him using it. Good point RDClip. Didn't they also have an armoured vehicle of some kind with them too?

Max is seen sporting a handheld rocket launcher during the SDF:M series, and he uses it to take on a Zentraedi. Beyond the incidences mentioned above, there is also a ground soldier seen at the begining of Macross Plus, next to the fence, as a VF-11 walks by. Ground AA tanks also appear in VF-X2's opening credits (the VB-6 Monster squishes one with it's foot!) Macross is also more than humans vs. giant aliens. There is also the alluded to human vs. human battles. Recheck Isamu Dyson's military history for a brief idea of what's been going on. Ground troops are, after all, needed to hold positions. VFs are better used where their mobility and speed can be used to max benefit.

Jokes don't work well in text...

Huh? I'm just curious - did you read the link to the Macross Compendium? Even easier, the quotes I provided of the article? And I'm curious - what conditions? Does being an amalgamation of economies multiple times larger than the G8 with all the resources of the member countries available and focused towards projects somehow reduce productivity?

Technically, Japan has two seperate voltage standards. Kanto and the 'West' is 100 V at 50 Hz, whereas Kansai and 'East' Japan is 110 V at 60 Hz. All should be ok for Canada and the USA (Canada is 120 V at 60 Hz.) It should also be noted that the above numbers are nominal values, and that the equipment should be able to handle values outside of the nominal ones. I've had no trouble running stuff from Canada here in Japan - though charge times are increased noticeably. Going the opposite route, there generally isn't an increase in performance, but a big increase in heat. So take Halfan's advice, as well as checking the statistics on the unit (it may be in Japanese, but the statistical data is still in 0123456789 numbers followed by a V and/or Hz.) You may or may not need a transformer. Though keep in mind that the oil used on the moving parts is most likely not designed for the riguers of your environment, and you may experience performance loss due to oil degredation much faster.

If I understand it correctly, the official stance is: if it's not directly mentioned, it is open to possibility in the future, but it's currently non-existant. There's something about those games... one person takes on the entire enemy fleet, and defeats them, unlimited missiles, etc., etc., that I hope most everyone will agree are simply unrealistic or simply too far beyond what suspension of disbelief allows storytellers to get away with. I personally think that anything that is from a game has to be taken with a grain of salt and has to go through a kind of 'conversion' process to fit with the greater storyline. Single pilot is representative of an entire squad or batallion, etc..

What we know from the anime is that most, if not all, of the ASS-1 was giant sized. What we haven't seen, but is directly implied, is that there were remains of the crew on board. These remains could have been burnt corpses. Even something as small as a bone fragment would have given clues as to the size of the crew. Another thing is the size of the facilities (washroom, bed, uniforms, hand held equipment, etc.) that must be taken into consideration. Therefore, the anime says the VF-1 was built to be the same size as the aliens (Zentraedi), therefore they knew. That works for me. The VF-0 was NOT designed for the thermonuclear engines. The only reason the VF-0 exists is because it was a trial production model and testbed for advanced jet engines and Overtechnology designed for future variable fighters. The only reason it was deployed for actual combat and functional testing, was because delivery of the VF-1 Valkyrie variable fighter's thermonuclear reaction engines were delayed - thus the production of the VF-1 was delayed (you could go so far as to say that the VF-1 was being manufactured at the time, units being finished, but they had no powerplant - no engines.) http://macross.anime.net//mecha/united_nat.../vf0/index.html The same page also states: "Two EGF-127 custom overtuned conventional turbofan jet engines, each rated at 91.08 kN and 148.9 kN with afterburning. (Future variable fighters will incorporate thermonuclear reaction engines that are under development.) Due to its less efficient engines, the VF-0 has considerably shorter range, more delicate handling, and longer airframe compared to the VF-1. (Engine nacelles are comparatively longer to accommodate the earlier engine design.) " The body was also enlarged to make more room for fuel. Thus: bigger body.

FAST packs mostly carry fuel for the rocket engines in the FAST packs - and that fuel reserve is extremely finite! Of course, the anime screws with our minds by showing VFs constantly at max throttle for periods of time well beyond what the official stats claim. Mind you, the gun pod of the VF-1 only has 200 r, and we don't see them running out of ammo very often... I'm not sure if the FAST packs carry reactant (good definition there, JBO) - haven't seen any cutaways with reactant fuel pod listed...

See my post above.

Doubtful. I think it may have something to do with Japanese media organizations asking YouTube to delete a huge volume of illegal files a couple of months ago, more than anything else. In addition there is the news of Production IG getting the rights to represent GitS in Hollywood; though I doubt GitS prompted this debate in the Diet.

Good points. Another couple of observations I have had are: FAST packs serve as armour for the munitions stored within. Would you prefer to have your missiles exposed to micrometeorites, and stray enemy shots, or inside of a protective box? The trend from DYRL (possibly from the midpoint of SDF:M) onwards is to have all missiles stored internally. FAST packs appear to be used only when or if a mission requires the fuel increases and (usually) the additional firepower that FAST packs add. Going by Macross 7, it appears that FAST packs are de rigeur for the VF-11, but only used during the super heaviest combat by the VF-17, VF-19, and VF-22. My personal opinion is that visually, VFs are that much more bold and aggressive, when they have them. I don't mean the implied increase in weapons, but the 'yeah, other aircraft have to be sleek MFers, but I can carry big boxes, and still outfly them!' aggressiveness.