In RuneScape we have 3 main styles of Combat, with about 2 optional. The 3 essentials in my opinion would be:

1. Melee
2. Ranged
3. Magic

Now we know that you can make your own weapons for each of these combat styles, this would mean.

1. Mining & Smithing
2. Woodcutting & Fletching
3. Mining & RuneCrafting

So we know that is what we have in RuneScape. What will we have in MechScape? If it's in the future I can only expect that we'll have guns. However what else? I need you guys to fill in the blanks.

1. Guns

Guns for sure, possibly some type of sword (think lightsaber or vibroblade) but swords wont be primary, possibly a secondary melee attack.

I'll bet area of affect attacks will take some sort of role in the game (think d2h spec combined with guns and magic)

There will likely be missiles used often along with guns.


Also another concept is that all the 4 different races have 4 different styles of combat, with maybe a Combat Square instead of triangle.

Weapons types that might be in Mechscape? I'll list some off the top of my head.

Weapon Ordinances
1. Bullet weaponry (guns)
2. Laser weaponry
3. EMP/ Electrical weapons
4. Biological or Chemical weapons
5. Ion cannons or Gauss weapons
6. Some kind of melee weapon, like a knife or light saber (hopefully not a light saber, but you get the jist of the idea)
7. Plasma weapons
8. Grenades
9. Bombs and Missiles
10. Cannons

Now, those weapons I listed above are just the what the weapon delivers (as far as ordinance), among those weapon types I listed, I would expect to see variants to make...

Weapon Classes
1. Assualt weapons (Like a modern day M16 or M4 Carbine)
2. Sniper weapons (Like a modern day M21 or Berret 50. Calibur)
3. Heavy Support weapons (Like a modern day M249 SAW)
4. Pistols
5. Shotguns
6. Light, rapid firing weapons, or SMG's (Like an MP5)
7. Anti-Vehicle weapons (Such as an RPG or Rocket Launcher)
8. Anti-Anti weapons (Such as a Stinger Missile)
9. Explosive Devices (Like a mine or claymore)

Okay, so that sounded like COD4 right? I expect weapons in the future to be similar in function, however, their power and designs could be completely different. A sniper rifle could have an extremely short barrel in future, but still have better power and range than modern day versions. A lot of weapon classes would have multiple weapon ordinances, like a bullet could be used for almost every class, but a cannon might not make a great light machine gun. I expect there to be a good mix of weapons, to keep it interesting. I like how Halo deals with the question of future weapons, where mankind primarily uses bullet weapons, but has experimental laser weapons and uses extremely powerful cannons and ions in space. I think lasers should be used a bit more in MS than in Halo (only one real laser weapon on Halo for the humans), but I don't know what the other races will use as far as weapons, I'm focusing primarily on humans. I would expect the Pliigi to use biological and melee weapons, based on what concept art I have seen.

In my False War story, I have planned to sum things up like this- (Still playing around with it)

MW Federation (Humans and Human-like creatures)
Balanced with every field of combat study, however, they are far behind the three other factions

Pliigi Lancer Alliance
Unique Bio Engineering and Weaponry
Highfield Medical Studies
Weakly Uses-
Human and Cybernetic Technology, why use metal objects, when we are already used to biological objects?
Telekinesis, most Pliigi do not practice spiritual arts zealously.

Mortiga Spiritual Union
Natural, Mostly Low-Tech, Yet Extremely Powerful Weapons
Ascended Spiritual Telekinesis
Weakly Uses-
Bio Engineering, as all things living should be converted to raw spirit energy, like the Mortiga themselves.
Cybernetic and Human technology, as they harm the natural environment.

Cybernetic Vanguard
Best At-
Impossible Engineering and High Tech Weapons
Nano Technology
Weakly Uses-
All living things (bio engineering) as they are to be replaced with raw technolgy
Telekenisis and Psychokenetics as they are Illogical Things-

General Weapon Classes-
1. Versatile Weapons Bows and Crossbows, Knives and Blades, are old fashioned versatile weapons best used for stealth approaches, flesh and any type of metal (explosive arrows, heat blades), and many other situations.
2. Enhancement Weapons, Psyche Blades and Knives, Runic Canes and Guns, and even enhancing gauntlets in the forms of the weapons of old, these somehow significantly help a user's psychokenetic actions. (Mortiga are best at producing these arts)
3. Bio-Effect Weapons Acidic Guns and Life Sapping Weaponry, kill and enemy without leaving any trace of them. (Pliigi can recycle body parts...)
4. Penetrating Weapons Laser Guns, Particle Cannons, and Plasma Guns, can vaporize your vehicular and fleshy foes by using enormous amounts of energy. (Cybernetics seem to love these weapons)
5. Sweeping Guns, SMGs, and Pistols anyone's favorite weapon to pierce through flesh and weak metals.
6. Piercing Weapons, Assault Rifles, Heavy and Light Machine Guns, Sniper Rifles, anything that can tear right through an opponent.
7. Knock-Back Weaponry, Shotguns and all things similar using Energy, Psyche, and Bio-Tech, are favorites among the factions.
8. Explosives, TNT, C4, Rocket Launchers, Stingers, Anti-Vehicle Rocket Launchers, are useful for those enemy siege and vehicle technologies.

Your name is JapAttack and you did'nt write down Gundams?!

I hope there aren't any melee, close up weapons. That's not how the game is going to be.
As far as "guns" are concerned, I'm under the impression most combat will take place whilst in a Mech / Ship of some sort, which you upgrade etc and fit weapons onto in the available turret slots on whichever Mech / Ship you're in possesion of.

You guys make it sound like Runescape in the future when you go on about futuristic blades and light sabers, when Jagex have said the game isn't going to look or be anything like Runescape. Esspecially when they've talked so much about it not being all fantasy like, as that what ruins the other games.

It's going to be well balanced, more strategic combat - revolving more around what your avatar owns, Mech / Ship / Vehicle wise, and how you decide what to fit onto your Mech / Ship / Vehicle rather than what your Avatar wields.

In my opinion - your avatar learns and researches, trades and works, which aids your combat through the ships / mechs you are able to then aquire and the fittings you are able to place onto them, making everytime you go into combat more of a challenge, as you have to decide beforehand which fittings best suit the scenario you're about to possibly face.

Don't think WoW or RS when you're trying to think about Mechscape's combat system, think about the big Sci-Fi MMO's out at the moment, that's the closest you'll get to getting an accurate guess.

"You guys make it sound like Runescape in the future when you go on about futuristic blades and light sabers, when Jagex have said the game isn't going to look or be anything like Runescape. Esspecially when they've talked so much about it not being all fantasy like, as that what ruins the other games."

When we speak of swords we mean more like the swords that optimus prime uses... Optimus usually goes around with a huge cannon punching holes through decepticons, but then when he gets in close combat he will poke out that ownage sword and slice a dudes head off.... see?

Ah I apologise then.

Well, I think of Melee and Old-Tech-Like weapons for MS... I think of them as things similar to what Predator uses. Or something that a Zaku or other Mobile Suit would use.

Sometimes, something like this-

http://leevitron.deviantart.com/art/Warrior-6-67841224

When I see Futuristic, I can still them using weapons of old, as they are still very versatile and reliable.

CQC!

Sort of like in star wars how the lightsaber and vibroblade are the weapons used by everyone, cuz they always work, and the blaster was this newly invented weapon that was inaccurate and "uncivilized" to quote obi wan.

I find that a but of a rhetoric, how is decapitating limbs and heads with laser civilized? xD

I would love it if you controlled your avatar and could battle both out of and in a ship. So in a war if my ship was destroyed, I could potentially eject, either land and mount a turret or sabotage an enemy ship. Oh the possibilities :P

This is a far more advance civilisation. Maybe they too have mastered 'Magic' but in the form a Psycick abilities?

I think something like a laser assault rifle will be some kind of ranged weapon. Lightsaber's and other kinds of hand held melee weapons. For magic though I'm not sure what could be used. Magic is only really based on medeivel times I think.

a substitute for magic could be something similar to "the force" Focus your sences and reflexes on certain actions until you can fluintly use them in battle.