3025 is EA.com's BattleTech game destined for their Platinum service. It's in more or less open beta at the moment. Think the old Solaris game from Kesmai, but with decent 3D stuff and better controls.

I've been playing a lot (finally made Sgt. and earned enough to buy a Panther) and I'm enjoying it. You join one of the five Houses (Steiner, Davion, Liao, Kurita, Marik) and fight over planets in the Inner Sphere (this is after Kerensky left but before the Clans returned). Some planets are limited to certain classes of 'Mechs (light, medium, etc.) as a max, and some are wide-open. Each planet has at least one mission slot, and usually more, and each mission can hold four attackers and four defenders. Most battles are four on four affairs. The maps are hilly, sometimes with little trees, usually with some buildings in the center. Temperature affects heat buildup, so worlds with ambient temps of, say, 50+ C make overheating a real issue, while worlds with -30 C temps make running laserboats easier.

The game defaults to a FPS-style control system though you can use a joystick. I'm finding the mouse and keyboard works very well, especially with the lighter 'Mechs. As you can't pilot a medium until level 8 (I'm still level 5) all I have tried is lights.

You earn experience and C-bills for fights, and you always get at least 100 points per fight, even if you lose miserably. You start with a cheesy Commando COM-4A, and you can't sell 'Mechs, so if you buy one you keep it forever. You also can't lose 'Mechs, and there is no penalty for defeat it seems.

You earn a salary based on how many worlds your House controls, and your rank. Each planet has an economic value, so fights for bigger planets are usually more intense.

Lots of issues still--ganking, the "seat" system for battles, actually finding open slots--but loads of fun.

Sgt. Death Wombat, House Marik

Any fee to play right now? I'm too lazy to go check.

Nope.

Robert,

Try hooking up a CH stick, throttle, and pedals. You'll never respect that mouse control option again. Stick should be set to control torso twist and incline. Pedals steer, and throttle is self-explanatory.

Takes about an hour to get really used to using... but after a session of playing with that setup, you'll never look back. I'm killing mediums with my Jav, and I think it's just due to a better control setup.

Aszurom, I used to use a throttle and stick, but...

1. I no longer have throttle that will work with a USB joystick. I can use my Sidewinder 2 and its built-in throttle, which is what I did for MechWarrior 4, though.

2. I have no pedals and don't plan to get any. I don't play many sims.

3025 is the only mech game I've played with mouse and keyboard (hmm, wait, I played MW3 some with that setup too, so never mind). I like it, really. I have little trouble killing mediums with a Jav or my Panther--usually because medium pilots get overconfident .

I don't use a more elaborate setup largely because there simply is no room on my home workstation. No room for throttles and pedals, and frankly I like shooters a lot and am more comfortable with the mouse/keyboard setup. I admit though that at the top ends of performance I can do better with a stick.