Steel Battalion
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| Steel Battalion | |
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| Developer(s) | Capcom Production Studio 4 |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom |
| Release date(s) | November 21, 2002 |
| Genre(s) | Action, Simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) |
| Platform(s) | Xbox |
| Media | DVD |
| Input | Steel Battalion Specific Controller |
Steel Battalion (ja: 鉄騎, Tekki) is a video game created by Capcom for the Xbox console where the player controls a vertical tank — a bipedal, heavily-armed mecha. To control the tank and play the game requires the use of a large controller made specially for Steel Battalion and its sequel Steel Battalion: Line of Contact.
The controller has two control sticks and around 40 buttons. The game, with the controller included, costs around £130, or $200. Since the controller is very large, only limited quantities (around 2000 units worldwide) were made available. These quickly sold out, making the game a collector's piece. It has since been re-released in limited quantities in the United States for the retail price of $200.
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[edit] Vertical Tanks
Vertical tanks are the primary vehicles piloted in the Capcom video games Steel Battalion and Steel Battalion: Line of Contact. Essentially bipedal walking weapons platforms, vertical tanks (VT) are classed by their developmental generation and sub-categorised by their combat role. Primary combat roles are standard combat, assault, support, scout, and fast attack. VTs are categorized by type based on their weight. There are light, middle, and heavy types.
- The Light VT's main focus is on mobility. It has been developed for use in situations where you are chasing after an enemy that is running away or for attacking enemy bases after their main firepower has been destroyed. Light VTs are capable of being transported by air and are designed to be dropped into key drop spots. Their use can be pivotal for air assaults on bases.
- The Middle VT is used as the main offensive force. One of their notable characteristics is that, while they maintain a balance of firepower and strong armor, they are agile and can move quickly. Of the three types of VTs, this one is the most numerous. This VT has the most possible variations through add-on armor and weapons.
- Heavy VTs employ heavy armor and great firepower, but due to this they have decreased mobility compared to other VTs. With their heavy firepower and armor, these VTs are mainly used to protect key locations and bases.
As the player progresses, new generations of VT will become available (1-3) Each sporting a newer, more advanced operating system, startup sequence, and combat functions, as well as a wider cockpit view and layout. New generation VTs also handle better and can support better firepower than previous generations.
[edit] Technology of the VT
[edit] VT System Overview
VTs are basically formed from three major units:
- The Main Body Unit (MBU) houses the pilot, engine system, transmission system, fuel system, communications system, balancer system, battery system, chaff (radar countermeasure) system, and pilot support systems.
- The Leg Unit (LU) houses the actuators, position transducers, and accelerometers necessary for reliable bipedal movement. The fragile mechanisms of the leg unit are protected by bolt on armor plates that cover the unit, mostly towards the front. As a significant amount of energy during operation is wasted in heat, the armor is not close fitting; instead it is supported away from the leg unit to allow for convection. Later generations of VT’s are equipped with higher efficiency actuators and ball joints resulting in less heat generated and a more form fitting armor.
- The Weapons Unit (WU) mounts the modular weapons system, allowing a number of different weapons to be mounted based on the weight and shock restrictions of the MBU and LU. VT weapons are divided into main and sub categories. These should be considered different from standard weapons. Main weapons are mounted onto the arm units of the VT, while sub weapons are mounted on any other area depending on the model of VT. VT weapons should be thought of as options. Some weapons can be used for any VT type, but others differ depending on which VT they are attached to. A VT can mount three of each sub and main weapon type. The weapons weight that can be loaded differs depending on the VT type. The maximum weapons weight allowance (the total amount of weight in weapons that the VT is capable of carrying) depends on the VT model.
[edit] Engine/Movement Systems
The engine-transmission system is extremely similar to a diesel-electric locomotive in the theory of operation. A turbine engine provides output horsepower at a very high rpm via a high speed shaft. The shaft is connected to the input flange on the input module which gears down the RPM while increasing torque. Attached to the input module is the accessory gearbox and main transmission module. The accessory gearbox powers all high rpm low torque devices, such as the shaft driven compressor that provides the cockpit with air conditioning and the permanent magnet alternator. The main transmission further reduces RPM in favor of torque to drive the main alternator that generates electrical power for movement.
The VTs joints coupling the three major units together and internal to the units themselves are Magneto Electric Fluid Suspension ball joints. The ball joint has 4 major parts the internal ball, fluid suspension, internal padding, and outer shell. The ball joint itself is surrounded by a combination of electrorheological fluid and magnetorheological fluid. The basic principles behind this substance are that when current flows through it stiffens and increases electrical resistance. This allows the Combat Oriented Operating System (COOS) to adjust the voltage depending on the stresses being placed on the ball joint. Thus the ball joint acts as a shock absorber as well. While the VT is shut down the center ball travels through the liquid suspension until it rests on the outer shells internal padding. During startup the COOS pulses a magnetic field drawing the fluid around the joint and applies voltage to the joint repeatedly. This is the stabilization graph that pilots see during startup. Once the joints have stabilized and work rate is 100% the COOS disengages the magnetic field and the joint is self sustaining as long as electrical power is applied.
Emergency peak power loads are provided by the standby battery. The standby battery is not a conventional battery, but instead a flywheel energy storage system. Earlier designs used a conventional lithium polymer cell battery but its storage to weight ratio was much higher than modern flywheel energy storage systems. When high energy maneuvers are required the COOS shunts power from the standby battery to supplement main alternator output. This allows more than recommended force to be applied by the actuators forcing the COOS to further reinforce the ball joints increasing electrical load. Some weapons drain the standby battery such as the railgun. When the battery is discharged below maximum capacity it immediately begins charging placing an additional load on the main alternator.
Movement is achieved by electric servomechanism actuators which receive input from the COOS based upon control inputs by the pilot and balancer inputs. The balancer receives input directly from accelerometers, solid state gyroscopes, and the VT location measurement system. Terrain and incoming projectile data is forwarded to the balancer from the COOS to allow for difference in terrain and potential impact while moving. Based upon the incoming data the balancer unit determines the movement of the legs as required to remain stable, sending the recommendations to the COOS which directs the macro movements of the weapons and leg units. If the balancers recommendations become high energy, the COOS will not accept the incoming recommendations and the VT will enter into a dynamic tipover. This can be caused by turning sharply at high speeds, braking sharply at high speeds, impact of heavy projectiles, and sharp acceleration when in override mode.
Dynamic tipovers have two movement states, recoverable and unrecoverable. While a VT is falling over it is recoverable until it passes an imaginary point at which the leg units can not react enough to prevent the tipover. If a VT is in the “recoverable” state and the pilot depresses the “Slide Step” pedal the COOS treats the recommendations from the balancer as top priority overriding all but weapon movement inputs. The COOS automatically strengthens the joints that will take the majority of the wear and tear and completes the necessary maneuvers. As this is an energy intensive emergency operation it draws on the standby battery. If the VT is in the “unrecoverable” state it completes the tipover. The COOS will not allow the VT to begin the standup procedure until all momentum is lost, protecting the mechanical structure of the VT from unnecessary stresses. Once the VT comes to a complete stop, the pilot can depress the accelerator to begin the standup sequence. As the integrity of the ball joints were maintained throughout the tipover no startup sequence is needed.
[edit] Pilot support systems
The pilot enters through the front of the VT using either the built in handholds to scale the side of the VT or using a mechanised gantry. Upon entering the VT the pilot closes the cockpit hatch, which clamshells down, enclosing them in the armored head section. External vision is provided by an armored mounted camera system which has a 25° field of view. The camera can be slewed in a 180° hemispherical frontal arc, providing the pilot with a view of the battlefield. The camera system is equipped with a 10x zoom lens, an image intensifier for night operations, and a washing system to remove accumulated detrius from the armored window.
When the cockpit is closed it provides a climate controlled sealed environment to the pilot, recirculating the internal air through a CO2 scrubber injecting oxygen into the cockpit to maintain a constant level. The oxygen is provided by an oxygen generator mounted to the accessory gearbox, making it a constant supply tankless system. This eliminates the threat of chemical, biological and radiological attacks upon the pilot. If the cockpit is contaminated before closing the pilot must use a protective mask and suit. Climate control is achieved through the means of a shaft driven compressor mounted to the accessory gearbox. The system however is not waterproof. If the VT were to enter deep enough water, it would begin to intrude through the ventilation systems causing damage to internal systems and eventually filling the cockpit.
[edit] Evacuation System
All VTs are equipped with a rear ejecting evacuation system. When the pilot depresses the shielded eject button voltage is applied to explosive bolts fastening the rear of the main body unit detonate, releasing the rear of the main body unit which then falls away from the VT. Explosive rams detonate once the rear module has separated forcing the pilot’s chair and shock absorbent frame violently out the now open rear of the main body unit. After a brief timed delay the chair fires airbags which encase the pilots chair in a sphere of interlocking airbags. After the pilot comes to a complete rest he or she may deflate the airbags, or in the case of a water ejection, may choose to keep the system inflated as a makeshift flotation device. This would allow the pilot to don additional flotation devices before attempting an escape. A similar system was used on the Mars Pathfinder in 1997. Basic survival equipment is located underneath the pilots chair along with an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon. It is either automatically activated by ejection or manually activated by the pilot via a switch. In hostile environments the pilot may choose to deactivate the system to avoid capture. Finally after a set delay scuttling charges are set off destroying the VTs classified mechanical systems, electrical systems, and software.
[edit] Gameplay
The Steel Battalion controller allows for increased immersion in the game, coming closer to the experience of actually piloting a giant robot. At the beginning of every mission, the player must 'start up' the machine and operating system; this is handled through a series of switches and buttons dedicated to this purpose. If the player does not eject when prompted, the player's in game character will die, and all saved data will be lost, causing the player to start over. If a corner is turned too fast, the machine will tumble over. If the player's machine overheats, its operating system must be reset. The game even simulates window wipers in case of muck hitting the monitor.
A reviewer on IGN joked, "where MechAssault and Robotech wouldn't let us into the cockpit, Steel Battalion won't let us out". [1]
[edit] External links
- Steel Battalion at MobyGames
- Capcom's Tekki website (Japanese)
