sketchley

Perhaps they released both to maximize their chances? The background of the X-9 is that it is an alternative to a manned VF, after all. With the X-9, we have a fighter-optimized, low-cost drone, and with the Variable Gurāji, we have a 3-mode transforming, high-cost drone that can fulfill all the roles of a VF. (high and low cost are being used here mainly in regards to how much more a Variable Vehicle costs to produce and maintain compared to a static fuselage). Interesting. However, I disagree about the Neo-Gurāji Bis: in short, there's nothing in the materials that indicate that it was a conversion from a drone. In fact, in the initial Macross the Ride materials by Dengeki Hobby, it is solely referred to as "Neo-Gurāji", with the "Bis" being added later! (I don't have the novels, etc., so I can't confirm exactly when/where the "Bis" was added.) I meant that more in the sense of firing different types of shells, in addition to supporting front-line troops from the rear... Nevermind that the VB-6 Monster is depicted firing shells that are semi-self-guided, and can change trajectory mid-flight. In space.

There's hardly anything at all... small arms seem to be minor items that appear along the lines of "whatever the viewer will understand at a glance". Nevertheless, here's a collection of images of the small arms that have appeared up to MF. Only SDFM started to develop weapons beyond what exist in the real world, and even then, it was only a bazooka... http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics/personal/guns.php http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics/personal/gunsrifle.php http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics/personal/gunsheavy.php

LOL. I only translated it! Though... as the targets were Zentradi battle pods, etc., it begs the question: were those Mobile Weapons adequately shielded against it? They are cheap as chips, after all.

What... you don't like the idea of being able to 'accidentally' irradiate your opponents? Here's the official description from the SDR-04-Mk II Phalanx: "In addition to illuminating approaching enemies for ease of targeting by the Destroid defence units of the SDF-1 Macross, the laser searchlight can be used to directly attack enemy pilots with radiation. As it is generally considered inhumane, it's use is highly frowned upon, and almost never used. The attack involves scorching the enemy fighter in the cockpit area with deadly gamma radiation." As you can see, irradiation is merely "highly frowned upon" by Unified Forces' commanders.

Ah... I got it. I wasn't looking close enough at the pict, and I was assuming you guys wanted the official setting explanation (VFMF being not part of the official setting ). Regarding the picture, it's described as "Twin Beam Cannon Unit" (did Google really translate "Twin" as "Continuous"?! LOL) It doesn't say anything about the right side (circled in the model picture above) part, and basically says it's like the Twin Beam Super Pack from the Strike Valkyrie. From the description, I'd presume part of the thing on the right is a capacitor, but it just may merely be the housing for the twin beam barrels when the pod is stowed away.

It's a drone charger for remotely recharging the MDP-001W Cygnus drones used by Walküre. http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics/VF-31/VF-31.php#OFFENSIVE_SYSTEMS In my RPG stats for it, I also gave it the capability of microwaving opponents (not that Walküre would do anything like that, as the equipment was designed to try to save people from Mal, not cook them! LOL) Which is based on the gamma radiation attack from the searchlight on the SDR-04-Mk II Phalanx. Which is actually a thing!

Yeah, it's been a monster trying to unscramble that mess. I've basically got it worked out as: Variable Gurāji-Zent. specification: appears in 2018. Produced in significant numbers (akin to the large production base used by the Anti-Unification Zentrādi power that appeared in the game "Macross Digital Mission VF-X") Variable Gurāji-human specification: Unified Forces replaced Zent. cockpits in captured units with human sized ones. (again, it only really makes sense if there are significant numbers involved. It'd just be insane to make a one-off of a one-off...). VBP-1/VA-100 Neo-Gurāji: appears in 2040. As per the "Macross the Ride" novel: based on the Variable Gurāji, and completed by the Macross Concern for the AVF Project as a 3-mode Variable Attacker**. The only way to make it gel with Macross Chronicle's description of it being an AI-equipped drone operated by Sharon Apple, is if we consider that to be a unit that was expressly converted to AI control (perhaps the Macross Concern were trying to cut their losses after failing to get into the Project Super Nova competition, and were trying to market it as a drone rival to the Ghost X-9). VBP-1/VA-100 Neo-Gurāji Bis: 2058 "Kai" version that appears in the "Macross the Ride" novel. I'm still trying to wrap my head around what changes were made in the "Kai" upgrade—aside from restoring the claws that were on the Variable Gurāji to the hands—but as for as most of the stats that were released when MtR was first published: they are all part of the AVF requirements, and should be on the non-Kai version, too (though, we could also say that it wasn't accepted into Project Super Nova because it didn't achieve all the AVF requirements, and just like how the VBP-1 "completed" the Variable Gurāji, the Bis completed the Neo-Gurāji ) The only other thing that has become clear to me is that the attacker aspect of the Neo-Gurāji appears to be about it being able to blast large holes in the sides of enemy ships (otherwise, the lack of hardpoints for bombs and stuff...). Being used for artillery makes perfect sense too, but that role appears to be for the VB (Variable Bomber) specification craft (E.g.: the VB-6)—nevermind that the VBP-1/VA-100 fires energy blasts, not artillery shells... * "Appears in" means earliest known in-universe appearance. Most likely produced earlier. ** Apparently Kawamori-san had worked out rough designs for it's first appearance in "Macross Plus Game Edition", but it wasn't finalized due to polygon count restrictions in the game. That's the one thing that appears to be consistent across all versions. Though some go into a bit more detail: stating that any old giant is able to pilot it, but only the Meltrandi are able to suss out its "true" capabilities. I'm pretty sure that it'd be easy to convert it to EX-Gear (if the cramped VF-1 can do it... a cockpit designed for giant sized Zents is a given!) So, I'm wondering if an EX-Gear using human would get performance equal to or better than a Meltrandi giant pilot.

Ah... I forgot to mention one of the reasons why making the stats balanced is important: to make it easier to convert to different game systems. If everything is consistent, then one just has to work out the conversion equations once, and it's only a matter of punching the keys on a calculator!

Yes. The main goal—when I started the project over a decade ago—was to make existing stats balanced with each other. Of course, that has slowly switched to making stats for new mecha (or mecha that was heretofore unknown in English), and making ultimate versions that are as factually correct as possible (thus the green/blue colour coding). For example, I'm currently working on the VBP-1/VA-100 Neo-Gurāji Bis: http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics/VariableGuraaji/VBP-1neoGurajiBis.php . Which is something which I had initially mistook as the Variable Gurāji (while it's a derivative, it's more like an upgraded version of the AVF version of the Variable Gurāji ). In doing so, I've also stumbled across a wealth of new info (E.g.: Temujin used a VBP-1 against Aruto in the novel version of Frontier), and heretofore unknown names for Zentrādi Mobile Weapons (the Kai versions of the Air-battle Pod, Gurāji, and Rigādo from Digital Mission VFX [previously known as the "Stealth" version], and the Super Gurāji from Macross Delta). The to-do list never appears to get any shorter...

That's why we have to frame how the terms are used carefully. It's a pain in the butt to write things out long form and semi-continuously have to subtly explain the term, but that's the price of making it understandable to the widest range of people (casual readers and hardcore fans). It'd be great to write something like "The SLREF folded thru the SD to the GP." However, all but the most hardcore fans would not be able to decipher that. As for PM vs. chairman... without knowing the Japanese term used, I'm guessing that this may be part of the aforementioned translation bias (as Prime Minister is synonymous to chairman). So if one person knew the context (Parliament, thus PM), but the other didn't (thus chairman)... or vice-versus. Well... Kawamori-san is more the designer and storyteller, and Chiba-san is the one who fills in the technical details. That's not to imply that Kawamori-san doesn't have a hand in the technical/background details, or that Chiba-san is completely free to come up with the details on his own without directorial instructions and demands. I disagree in that it's many, but not every language. E.g. Korean and Japanese each have 1 spelling system, and 1 standard form (dialects and accents, as said earlier, being beyond that scope).

That manga had a few goodies here and there. I think I ended up describing that version of the ARMD as the "2038 Improved Version". More (limited) info on the ARMD variants: http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics/ARMD/ARMDalt.php#2038 There was one more bit of fun in Macross 7 Trash: the enemy Power Suit: http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics/PowerSuitM7Trash/PowerSuitM7Trash.php Ignore the write up (those stats have been a 'work in progress' for like 5 years! ), but enjoy the picts! In-universe, it's probably just an armed and slightly more armoured version of the hover-rollerskating suits that the manga's protagonist uses in sports (maybe this manga is where Kawamori-san started to get a handle on the uses of EX-Gear?)

If memory serves, there's more than just a bit of anime magic going on with that thing's cockpit. Nevertheless, it's a macross manga by Haruhiko Mikomoto. He can get away with it. LOL

Nah. I'm in it for the discussion, not to waste life having a silly internet argument. Well, I'm all for using Macross specific terms that force the reader to fire their neurons and think. In this case, I'd go with the "Earth Unified Forces/Government" and emphasize it with the contrasting "local/[insert planet name] Unified Forces/Government". There are limits of course (as Macross literature also tends to use Earth ~ to describe human related stuff in general). So, in the words of my fellow Canadians when we talk about elections: "choose the least worst option" (in this case, the option likely to cause the least misunderstanding). [and for those following this discussion, that guidance pretty much sums up the job of a professional translator ]. Right you are. This begs the question: how much is it Kawamori-san specifically, and how much is it Japan in general? Without getting verbal diarrhea on the subject, everyone in Japan wants to speak English, and English to them means American English. Let's just say it's amusing to watch my students start to freak out when I ask them what type of English they want to learn, and subsequently inform them on the 2 different spelling systems, and the 5 different kinds of native speaker English + international English. And that's before even touching on the truly scary stuff: regional dialects and accents! ← these two sum up the students' expressions. 笑

Enjoy the reading! (not just of the QF-3000E, but all the other Macross content. ) When it comes to the RPG stats, just remember the mantra: green is good (= official), and blue is OK (= semi-official).

Actually... it happens a bit more often then you think—why you're not noticing it is that most people default to American English, less often to British English. Without going too far into this particular rabbit hole, I'll just make these 2 points: 1) every time you (that's Seto specifically) say "Federal Forces/Government", it rubs me the wrong way as inaccurate. It's hard to illustrate why, other than to describe it as an Americanism (nevermind the ensuing discussion about how Kawamori-san has implied that the Unified Government/Forces are most akin to the EU organizational structure, or the finer nuance of how the legislative power of the Federal Government in Canada is equal to that of the individual Provincial Governments, whereas in the US the legislative power of the Federal Government eclipses that of the individual State Governments; or some kind of understanding gap along those lines). 2) 航空団: this one is fresh in the memory. How to translate this? The Japanese Wikipedia entry handily sums up the difficulty in English: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/航空団#概要 While squadron is the same, (Air) Wing is used differently, and (Air) Group doesn't even appear in the Canadian version!!! Ultimately, I regrettably had to go with the American version because—as DewPoint put it—"for what country are you translating for". While I'm not deliberately providing translations for an American audience, American English is the most readily understood by the widest group of people. Which goes to the heart of this discussion: translation bias—because in some cases, using American English is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole (adding and removing nuances that aren't in the original term to make it fit). E.g.: is the usage of "President" in Macross Frontier the French usage, or the American usage?

Here's the links to my translations on it: VFMF: http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/OTvfmf/VFMFvf1battroidValkyrie.php#106 Macross Chronicle: http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/MCRmechanic/SDFMun16aQF3000eSF3A.php The following have bits on the QF-3000E: Macross Chronicle: http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/MCRmechanic/ZEROun07aQF2200Dghost.php Macross Chronicle: http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/MCRmechanic/Funs04aAIF-7Sghost.php Macross Chronicle: http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/MCRmechanic/TFetc01aAIF-9Vghost.php ... and a list of all the Ghost drones in Macross that I'm aware of (basically from QVF Drone VF to Sound Booster No.3 Craft): http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics.php#Aerospace_Vehicles there's also a manned version—the F-3000 Fighter: http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics/QF-3000E/F-3000E.php

Those eyes...

Fixed!

Which reminds me of something that I think some may be overlooking: there are two incarnations of "Spacy" that we are dealing with: SWI (and earlier): Unified Forces (Unified Space Forces, etc.) Post-SWI: New Unified Forces (New Unified Space Forces, etc.) In addition to the macro level name change (addition of "new"), what changes occurred at other scales? For example: where the ranks in the earlier version of the 'Spacy' changed from Army to Air Force?

I think this is more on point about 'army bias' than anything else. The term you're referring to is 宇宙軍 is it not? In this particular instance, 軍 often tends to be translated as 'army'. It's also why I've made the effort to NOT use 'army' when I translate it; preferring to use 'Armed Forces' (thus ' Zentrādi Forces' instead of what I consider the mistaken, but oft appearing: ' Zentrādi Army'). I've always put my preference down to a difference in nationality (I'm originally from Canada, where we have "armed forces", and not distinct, separate military organizations like 'army', 'navy', etc.). However, in this case (army bias), my preference has actually worked in everyone's favour.

Macross Chronicle Revised Ed.—Mechanic: M Zentrādi 02A: Gurāji: http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/MCRmechanic/MCRmechanic.php#SDFM Complete! As always, MC is a bit light on details (E.g.: how many missiles are loaded in each of the Gurāji's missile launchers? Or how many missile launchers are in the Gurāji's Large Air-battle Booster exactly???) and there is a lot of focus on Kamujin...

Is that Dave Lister from Red Dwarf? I didn't know this was going to be a crossover film! Seriously... who is that dude? And most importantly... is Quicksilver going to be making an appearance in this film???

Thanks for the link! I agree that the "Moonbase" looks like the most fun. I wonder if it's modular enough that if one buys more then one set, one could connect them all together to make a larger base? There's also a significant presence of real-world tech on the packaging (E.g. NASA's Curiosity rover). Interesting.

Context is everything: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48076505 TLDR version: " The raid comes as China seeks to strengthen intellectual property rights, with the number of trials hitting a record high last year. " In the past year, the Chinese government has become motivated in shoring up IP rights for foreign companies (if one needs a self serving reason: it's to get more foreign investment to help stimulate growth as their economic growth rate has significantly declined in the past few quarters). Expect more of these in the coming months.

I'm glad that you mentioned the Destroids, because it reminded me of something: there is a Unified Forces Army. I can't recall the specific sources, but essentially, the branches of the Unified Forces are: UF Army, UF Air Force, UF Navy, UF Spacy, and UF Marines. So, I'm afraid, we're not anywhere closer to something decisive. That said, your point on the bumper code markings just reminds me of how awesome a designer Kazutaka Miyatake is!