grebo guru

You know, your response got me thinking... And after playing around for a little while, I discovered that you're really on to something. So here we are: an unholy union of the Valkyrie II and the Metal Siren. I only used those few parts of the Metal Siren which I like -- the gunpods, the spear, and the head. So what do you think of the "Nexx Gilbert custom Valkyrie II"? Grebo!

Thanks for the comments and compliments, guys! :-) Me happy. Why is the Macross Cannons' use of repurposed Zentradi resources a reason to dislike Macross II? It makes perfect sense. Consider: During Space War 1 the majority (like 99%) of the human population was eradicated. However, humanity made friends with a huge fleet of alien dudes who happen to be genetically compatible with us. To rebuild the population, we interbred with them and made use of their cloning technology. An expedient, and frankly necessary, choice of action. Meanwhile, along with all the people, just about all of Earth's cities, factories, labs, engineering facilities, mines, and industrial resources were destroyed. However, humanity made friends with a huge fleet of alien dudes who happen to have like a gazillion spaceships and other machinery. To rebuild the military and industry, it would be expedient (and necessary) to make use of all that raw material. I really liked this aspect of Macross II. Not only did the Macross Cannons make use of Zentradi ships, but heck, much of Macross city itself was made up of a transit-network-linked assortment of grounded Zentradi ships. Fact is, without the Zentradi, the reconstruction of human civilization would have taken a LOT longer. Grebo!

Thanks for the pic, Zinjo. As for the Valkyrie II's remote weapons, I am/was under the impression that they were technically called "Squires" -- isn't "Automated Attacks Bits" a term used only in the Palladium RPG? Greeeeebles

Yeah, I did illustrations for some Mekton supplements and some Cyberpunk supplements. And I'm glad you like the Armored Turbo -- the whole point of the drawing was, indeed, to try and make a lame mech cool. Thanks for the compliments and commentary, everybody! It's true, I'm better at mecha than people, and among people I'm better at men than women. I've only drawn one pony in my life and it looked pretty awful if you ask me.

Well, the Macross Cannons in the animation weren't all that "able-to-kill-em-all-without-fear-of-harm-as-the-enemy-cannot-penetrate-the-armour" -- in fact, they got wiped out pretty handily. In fact, the only mecha in Macross II which I remember as being "ATKTAWFOHATECPTA" was the Metal Siren; that thing was sixteen drifferent kinds of lame, no doubt, but I wouldn't call it the embodiment of all Macross II. Anyway: The panels were a qucik-n'-dirty technique, it's true. For a first draft, I'm pretty happy with it, though. I'll fine-tune it this weekend or something. And as for the size of the panels, I figured that something was better than nothing... the thing needed some kind of surface texture, some kind of increased level of detail and complexity. And yeah, shading is another thing I have yet to do. Plus I might toss in some other ships as well, yeah, though I'm undecided which ones (it would be a laugh to toss in the Macross itself, though).

I get a real kick outta Macross II's overkill-tastic Macross Cannon. So I scanned its picture and dolled it up.

In case anyone cares, here's a link to some original mecha drawn by yours truly: http://www.nebulaworks.com/port_mecha.html Grebo!

Here's another wallpaper. My thanks to Mark (cowie165) for hooking me up with the image(s)!

I'm quite fond of the VF-17... even despite (or perhaps because of?) its foibles: 1. The oddly arbitrary and seemingly pointless Gerwalk configuration. I prefer the more conventional arrangement, which happily can be managed without any alterations. 2. That gunpod stored in the leg. I understand the reasoning, but it would seem to be sacrificing valuable room for engines and/or reaction mass. (It's a clever overall gimmick though.) 3. The damn thing cheats at transformation. From Battroid to Fighter mode, there's definitely some flattening going on. My Bandai toy looks soooooo chubby in Fighter mode! 4. The VF-17's transformation pattern is almost exactly like that of the Legioss. The arms, the legs, and the chest all do the same thing in both mecha. It's really only the head and cockpit block which transform differently. (Seriously, it's true. Compare 'em for yourself!) As for the SV-51, I personally think it is very, very ugly indeed... But that doesn't mean I dislike it. Machines are, in many cases, supposed to be ugly. Considering that the SV-51's role is that of the "opposite" to the VF-1, which is aesthetically schweet, the SV-51 is pretty much obliged to be ugly and gawky. Also, it's the "bad guy" mecha, so it has a duty to be unpleasant and unfriendly-looking. Finally, it's supposed to evoke the image of the alien "bird-man", so that's yet another reason for it to have a freakin' wierdo look to it. The thing is, in Battroid mode I think the VF-Zero is really ugly too... but in a different way. It looks so flat and stiff. Now I understand there are reasons for this (what with it being a sort of "prehistoric" Valkyrie), but still, it's not easy on my eyes. I tell ya, if I'd been designing a precursor to the VF-1... well, I wouldn't, but if I did... I'd have a very different take on the idea. Grebo!!!

There's also the fact that the automated Factory Satellites which circuit the galaxy tend to the manufacture, upkeep, repair, and replacement of Zentradi equipment.

Ohhhh, I missed that he was talking about the VF-2SS (with regard to the gun coming out of the forearm). Somehow, I thought he meant that the VF-14 stored its gunpod in its arm! No way there. The info in this thread about the VF-14 storing its gunpod in a pop-out leg holster, Robocop-style, is interesting to me. I'd love to see a pic (screen grab or something, I guess). It does make sense, I suppose, as the Fz-109 stores its gunpod in its leg... though I really don't find such an arrangement terribly "credible". Grebo!

Though I am annoyed that Mac+ established the now-standard Macross idiom ("VFs vs. VFs, always"), other than that I like it quite well. It was quite impressive all around, IMO. And I actually liked Guld a lot. I thought he was a really sympathetic and tragic character. Grebo!

Attached is a colorized picture of the VF-17A, plus a classic VF-17S as well. I'll get around to doing the D and T (non Sound Force custom) at some point as well.

You are indeed correct, BriscoJr84. (And I miss "Brisco County, Jr." too....)

Okay, here's one I did just for the heck of it. Take the VF-2SS, add the Metal Siren's head, and then put a loopy "mega-handgun" weapon in its hand. (I can't remember where I found the gun; someone's portfolio website somewhere.) The result: wacky!

I think Macross Plus is wonderful, but its one major failing is that I don't think it's a very good Macross story. It lacks the "feel" of classic Macross (tv and movie) -- the "vibe" if you will. There are a lot of ways that this can be highlighted, but the clearest one is, I think, that M+ introduced the "new standard" to which Kawamori seems determined to adhere. This "new standard" is that Macross is ALL about Variable Fighters. Good guys and bad guys. VFs against VFs, all the time. In Macross Plus there was a good reason for the VF duel (rivalry between test machines and test pilots) but "VF vs VF" was clearly not the way things were everywhere. (We see Zentran suits being taken out in the beginning.) Then came Macross 7, in which the enemy Varauta flew "alienized" VFs. And now we have Macross Zero, which posits that BEFORE the original Macross TV series, VFs were dogfighting. Hmmm... yeah, ah, no. That's where I call "bullsh*t", personally. Anyway, like I said -- I think Macross Plus is wonderful. I am, however, bothered by the precedent it set. Grebo!

Seems a shame to make such a massive, show-accurate model and then color it in a way that's different than the show colors... Really, I should think the show colors would be the natural choice. Grebo!

Here's an S-model. I went with just 3 head guns, because 4 looks either crowded or dorky or both, depending on how you arrange them.

Glad you like it, Jin Kune Do. Here's the Gerwalk. No head-switching here (since you can't see it), but I did bring together the standard gerwalk picture, a more dynamic stance for the legs (lifted from the transformation sequence), and the gunpod (lifted from the missiles-equipped image). And colorized, of course. Enjoy!

Inside the arm?!? Gah! That must be one small gunpod... (runs off to search the wallpaper threads)

Well post it all, buddy!!!

http://macross.anime.net/mecha/united_nati...5000/index.html The VF-5000's designation was inspired by the Dassault Mirage 2000. Studio HalfEye has called its model the "VF-5000 Star Mirage," although Shoji Kawamori has indicated that it is currently only a nickname.

Indeed! Of course, this design isn't as nice as some of the designs you yourself have posted, UNM. Your VFX-1, -2, and -3 are schweetness! You ever plan on inking up those beauties? Oh, here's another VF-like design from another Japanse fan. Dig it:

Yeah, the VF-14 "Vampire" is essentially the UN Spacy VF upon which the Varauta Fz-109 "Elgerzorene" was based. Technically, the Fz-109 is a modified version of the VA-14, itself a heavier version of the VF-14. I know it's an odd bird, the Vampire, but I'm coming to like it. As a General Galaxy design, it's got that whole "we don't do things the way Shinsei does 'em" vibe goin' on -- and it's pretty menacing looking. Plus, of course, it's pretty similar to the SR-71 Blackbird in fighter mode. Gotta love that. Grebo

Nope! I prefer to set my game(s) in the latter 2040s, ala Macross VF-X and VF-X 2... but I like several of the elements from Macross II, so I'm "porting" them into a universe more similar to the Kawamori-approved one. (With many tweaks, of course.) Doing this allows players access to any and all VFs from any and all stories. I envision the Icarus and the Valkyrie II as being contemporaries of the VF-11, but made by a rival company (Takachihoff) -- therefore, I've redubbed them the VF-10 and VF-12, respectively. Greebles