"...shines the name of Rodger Young."

[the white drew carey]

Having just re-read Starship Troopers for the umpteenth time, and happening upon some of the artwork from Qui's website and seeing his take on the powered armor, I was reminded of an idea I had long ago to see what the members of MW imagine the Mobile Infantry's Powered Armor looks like.

It's obviously that Heinlein put a tremendous amount of thought into how the powered armor operates, yet each reader's imagination sees something unique. In this thread, members can post WIPs, quick drawings or detailed mechanical studies of the powered armor.

As an added bonus, anything in ST is fair game in this thread, as long as it's visual (no fan stories). If you want to draw a Skinny, go for it. If you want to show the shapely, yet bald figure of Carmencita Ibanez, knock yourself out. If you'd like to visually ponder what a Queen bug might look like, be my guest.

Let's keep it fun, let's keep it cool and, remember, no art posted here is bad- and any criticism must be constructive.

As for me- I'm slowly but surely working on some stuff. I'm a tad busy with patent figures right now (and they are kicking my ass), but don't be afraid to be the first one to pop this thread's cherry by posting some of your Starship Troopers inspired artwork!!!

[Graham]

Big fan of the book, but not the atrocious live action movie or crappy CGI series.

Personally, I think the Studio Nue powered armor designs from the 1986 anime are the best I've seen, closely followed by the Kaiyodo toy, which was also designed by Studio Nue. They are pretty much exactly as I imagine the suits to be.

Graham

[Mechamaniac]

Yeah, great book. Bears no resemblance to that worthless movie. And I never get tired of that quote...

"To the everlasting glory of the infantry, shines the name, shines the name of Rodger Young."

[maxjenius81]

At the risk of being beaten, I like the movie. I love the book, read it three times, but i still like the movie. It was just fun. The sequal was horrible and none of what made the first movie good to me. I still need to see the anime

[Uxi]

I always thought the book was kind of overrated.

[Gui]

I love both the book and the movie: the first made me considerably change my way of thinking about... well, a lot of things including politic, society, army or war, and the second wasn't a bad adaptation if you don't take it too much seriously IMO

Here is a concept done about a decade ago for the powered armor btw...

Edited September 2, 2005 by Gui

[VT 1010]

Gui, where are the snoopers and the Y-rack? Other than that, it looks pretty cool.

I heard somewhere that the Studio Nue designs where approved by Heinlein. Does anybody know if this is true.

I think there are some power armor drawings in the Combat Command: In the world of Starship Troopers book. There is a website with the drawings, but I can't remember the address.

BTW, one of the MANY reasons the book was better than the movie was because of the power armor.

[Guest Bromgrev]

I heard somewhere that the Studio Nue designs where approved by Heinlein.  Does anybody know if this is true.

Heard the same thing myself, not that that makes it true. But I certainly would have approved that design.

BTW, one of the MANY reasons the book was better than the movie was because of the power armor.

And the fact that it had a plot which went beyond the "I'm gonna join up to impress this girl" story.

[VT 1010]

BTW, one of the MANY reasons the book was better than the movie was because of the power armor.

And the fact that it had a plot which went beyond the "I'm gonna join up to impress this girl" story.

325411[/snapback]

That's why I said MANY. Maybe there should be a seperate thread: "SST: The Book vs. The Movie"...

[JsARCLIGHT]

I had the fortune/unfortune to see the Japanese '80s anime BEFORE actually reading the original book so in my mind while reading the book I saw the studio nue powered suits.

[UN_MARINE]

well....

here's something I put together at my office

....hope the pic shows up

4 inches tall w/ 17 pts of articulation

EDIT: please forgive the pic, MY CAMERA IS CRAP

Edited September 2, 2005 by UN_MARINE

[JELEINEN]

Big fan of the book, but not the atrocious live action movie or crappy CGI series.

Personally, I think the Studio Nue powered armor designs from the 1986 anime are the best I've seen, closely followed by the Kaiyodo toy, which was also designed by Studio Nue. They are pretty much exactly as I imagine the suits to be.

Graham

325224[/snapback]

What did Nue design the toy for? I know it's been around since at least '81.

[Myriad]

Great book!

Humorous movie!

The suit from Madox is cool!

TrooperPX used to have the anime available on DVDR .........

[JsARCLIGHT]

What did Nue design the toy for?  I know it's been around since at least '81.

325515[/snapback]

That thing has been out since 81? Are you sure? I got my set of three when they "first came out" in 2002. I'm pretty sure they were not available before that...

[twich]

Let me state first that I really love the book, and in fact, I love most of Heinlein's work....

Have you heard that he wrote that book in like a weekend to protest some Nuclear test that the Us was conducting at the time? I thought that was weird when I heard it, but I remember it being a credible(?) source. I find some of his eccentrancies to be extreme, to say the least.

Twich

[JELEINEN]

What did Nue design the toy for?  I know it's been around since at least '81.

325515[/snapback]

That thing has been out since 81? Are you sure? I got my set of three when they "first came out" in 2002. I'm pretty sure they were not available before that...

325545[/snapback]

Well, one of these is featured in the Daicon III film, which came out in '81, so that's where I pulled the date from.

[JsARCLIGHT]

I know their design has been around since at least May of 85 but I thought you were talking about the Kaiyodo toys... my bad.

If it matters I always heard Studio Nue had designed/written up/prepped their stuff for the Anime Starship Troopers but did not get around to making it until 88 due to prior commitments, licensing issues or some junk like that.

[Graham]

What did Nue design the toy for?  I know it's been around since at least '81.

325515[/snapback]

That thing has been out since 81? Are you sure? I got my set of three when they "first came out" in 2002. I'm pretty sure they were not available before that...

325545[/snapback]

According to the packing on the US version of the Kaiyodo toy, Studio Nue drew the design all the way back in 1979.

The Armor design was later revised and updated by Nue in the 80s and used for the Starship Troopers OVA that came out in the mid-80s.

Fast forward to a few years ago and Kaiyodo wants to release a Powered Armor toy and model, but it turns out that releasing the OVA version would entail higher licencing fees, so they go with the 1979 Nue version instead.

Graham

[Gui]

I heard somewhere that the Studio Nue designs where approved by Heinlein.  Does anybody know if this is true.

Heard the same thing myself, not that that makes it true. But I certainly would have approved that design.

325411[/snapback]

It's quite possible that Heinlein approved these designs if the OAV was out in 1988 because he died the same year: he may have seen the designs during the production

Have you heard that he wrote that book in like a weekend to protest some Nuclear test that the Us was conducting at the time?  I thought that was weird when I heard it, but I remember it being a credible(?) source.  I find some of his eccentrancies to be extreme, to say the least.

325549[/snapback]

The book was written from November 8 to 22 of 1958, that's about 2 weeks actually (a 60 000 words novel cannot be written in a week-end...) and it was in response to a friend Heinlein had a strong discussion with concerning the necessity of a strong army and the interest of a timarchist political system (don't remember all the details right now but you can take a look on this web page for more infos): basically, Starship Trooper is Heinlein's development of all the arguments he used during this conversation. He interrupted the writing of Stranger in a Strange Land to write Starship Trooper

[twich]

Well, I guess that is just one more argument that I should not believe everything that I read....I rather enjoyed the book, so the in and out of why and how long it took to write really didnt concern me, but when I read the information that was I guess false, it sort of struck me, so I remembered it.

Twich

[Gui]

2 weeks is still a (very) 'short' time to write such a long novel: obviously, Heinlein had all his arguments on the subject very clear in mind since a while, and at this time he was a professional writer since about 20 years so his writing skills were already quite good aswell

[Lonely Soldier Boy]

When I started reading the book, I thought that Heinlein had a very sharp sense of humor. Then I realized that the man was a fascist (I'm not trying to discuss politics here, so let's just leave it this way). The powered armor concept on the other hand, was a strong influence for me. This Powered Armor was inspired in the book.

Hey, Graham. Does still looks like an elephant in a battle suit?

[Knight26]

Nice design LSB, as for your acertion that Heinlein was a fascist, man I am tired of hearing people say that. On the surface the politics of SST have a somewhat fascist tilt, but it is still a democratic goverment, just one where you have to do government service to in order to vote or be in politics. Which, really isn't that bad of an idea, however most people don't realize that gov service does not mean military service, it could also include what I do, civil service. But I do not want to see this turn into a political debate so I will stop now.

[Graham]

Hey, Graham. Does still looks like an elephant in a battle suit? 

326051[/snapback]

Nah, this one reminds me more of a lobster .

Graham

[Gui]

The powered armor concept (...) was a strong influence for me. This Powered Armor was inspired in the book.   

Hey, Graham. Does still looks like an elephant in a battle suit? 

326051[/snapback]

Very nice design, man: I'm ashamed of mine now You should post this on 4chan: I think a lot of the peeps in there would be interested in taking a look at it...

(...) as for your acertion that Heinlein was a fascist, man I am tired of hearing people say that.  On the surface the politics of SST have a somewhat fascist tilt, but it is still a democratic goverment, just one where you have to do government service to in order to vote or be in politics.  Which, really isn't that bad of an idea, however most people don't realize that gov service does not mean military service, it could also include what I do, civil service. (...)

326078[/snapback]

Also, it's necessary to keep in mind that a fascist political system is supposed to be governed by only one person (Duce, Fürher, whatever...) with all-power on everything: as soon as several persons vote to choose a leader, such system ceases to be fascist to become a republic

[JELEINEN]

Also, it's necessary to keep in mind that a fascist political system is supposed to be governed by only one person (Duce, Fürher, whatever...) with all-power on everything: as soon as several persons vote to choose a leader, such system ceases to be fascist to become a republic 

326179[/snapback]

Actually, a republic is simply any form of government that isn't a monarchy. But you are correct that the system of government in Starship Troopers is not fascist (and even if it was, that doesn't make Heinlein himself a fascist for writing it). The government in question is a democracy with a limited franchise. Economically, it is a free market/capitalist system.

[Lonely Soldier Boy]

Thanks for the kudos, guys.

The government in question is a democracy with a limited franchise. Economically, it is a free market/capitalist system.

And who says that capitalism and fascism are incompatible?

Edited September 7, 2005 by Lonely Soldier Boy

[JELEINEN]

Thanks for the kudos, guys.

The government in question is a democracy with a limited franchise. Economically, it is a free market/capitalist system.

And who says that capitalism and fascism are incompatible?

326415[/snapback]

Because in a fascist system, the economy is run by the state. Fascism as a political ideology has a specific meaning. Unless you were just using the word as a perjorative for "government I don't like," which sadly is all too common these days.

[Gui]

Also, it's necessary to keep in mind that a fascist political system is supposed to be governed by only one person (Duce, Fürher, whatever...) with all-power on everything: as soon as several persons vote to choose a leader, such system ceases to be fascist to become a republic 

326179[/snapback]

Actually, a republic is simply any form of government that isn't a monarchy.

326399[/snapback]

No

From my dictionnary (translated from french, passages between brackets are personnal additions): 'a republic is a form of government where power is not detained by only one person (like in dictatorship or in tyranny), and the role of the ruler is not hereditary (monarchy/despotism)'

/end dictionnary rant

Dictatorship is a form of government foregone by the law/constitution of the country: during a period of crisis, the senat will give all powers to one person who will legally become dictator. This person does not have any obligation to give back this power when the crisis is solved though (what happened in Rome). Mussolinian fascism is directly inspired by the roman dictatorship system but the way Mussolini obtained it is very close to tyranny (see below...)

Tyranny is a form of governement where power belongs to the leader of the organisation which did a coup d'etat and then 'stole' the power from a legal government. Saddam Hussein was a tyran

Despotism is a form of governement where power is hereditary: the closest heir from the current ruler inherits power when this one passes away. It is also legal

The governement system in Starship Trooper is called timarchy and appeared in Sparte during the Antiquity. The greek democracy was also very timarchist in the sense that the more military prestige you had and the more you got politic influence; money was of great help too; both of them combined could easily make of you the local ruler 'de facto' contrarily to the legal one (the senat) who was ruler in principio. The roman democracy did a good job to eliminate such issues but the dictatorship 'clause' still brought the Republic into the Empire

Edited September 7, 2005 by Gui

[JELEINEN]

Websters:

a. A political order whose head of state is not a monarch and in modern times is usually a president.

b. A nation that has such a political order.

It's also the definition my poli sci professor used back when I was studying this stuff. It's why countries like USSR and China could/can legitimately call themselves republics, though at times both have been dictatorships.

Actually, the English word is "timocracy," but I agree you can make a good argument that it fits the government in SST. Really though, it's an archaic term and not used much outside Greek philosophy.

[Graham]

I notice at the recent Wonderfest, that Liquid Stone is also selling a 1/6 scale version of the Studio Nue Powered Armor. Here's the pics from Noel's Wonder Fest report thread in the toy forum.

ToyboxDX also had some news about this kit recently and IIRC, I think a price of US$500 per kit was mentioned.....ouch! We all know that Liquid Stone is not known for being cheap .

Not sure if the kit includes the 1/6 scale trooper figure or you need to supply your own 1/6 scale figure.

Graham

[JsARCLIGHT]

That's pretty freaking boss... but yippie-ki-yi-YEOUCH is that expensive.

[Gui]

Websters:

a. A political order whose head of state is not a monarch and in modern times is usually a president.

326601[/snapback]

Then the definition of this word is simply different in your country than in mine

[Flaming Guantlet]

Though I admit I've never read the book (which I need to), still I thought it would be good if I chipped in my own intetpretation based on observations on Studio Nue's design, and the logic that went behind combating a giant bug in a powered suit. So I humbley (and belatedly) submit my own M.I. design. What do you guys think? Oh an nice designs everyone.

Edited September 10, 2005 by Flaming Guantlet