Gen:Lock

[Weimann]

Since I know there's a bit of a RWBY fandom around here, I thought I'd see if there's any adjacent interest.

For those not in the know, Gen:Lock is a Rooster Teeth original animated mecha show that premiered in late January. The first season is planned to have eight episodes, released weekly. Unfortunately, only the first episode will be available for non-First members, but the reaction community can still react to it a week after release, so there will be a way to watch it for free. Just not, y'know, in an optimal shape.

I think it's relevant to Exalted as inspirational material, since the Gen:Lock process have heavy similarities to drawing a Second Breath. Alternatively, they could be seen as Warstrider inspiration. But really, whatever criticism can be levied at Rooster Teeth original animations, they've always been very Exalted-friendly, and this show doesn't change that.

Right now, the fourth episode is out, marking the halfway point, and I must say... I think this is much better than RWBY. Like, head and shoulders above. I'm not even that into mecha, but this really does it for me. Anyone else watching this show? Anyone getting any Exalted vibes?

[Elfive]

I'm watching it, and yeah, it's good.

The holons are cool. Kinda warstriders, kinda colossus alchemicals.

[Sunder the Gold]

The Gen:Lock system is essentially an artifact to itself, separate from the Holon warstriders.

Without it, the holons are useless, as they have no cockpits. But the combination of this one massive, vulnerable artifact with a holon provides better results than a pilot could get with a normal warstrider.

"Overclocking" is one benefit, as is the telepathic communication possibilities between pilots uploaded through the same Gen:Lock engine.

Another benefit is avoiding the Strength minimums for maximum warstrider Strength.

[Synapse]

The Gen:Lock system is essentially an artifact to itself, separate from the Holon warstriders.

Without it, the holons are useless, as they have no cockpits. But the combination of this one massive, vulnerable artifact with a holon provides better results than a pilot could get with a normal warstrider.

"Overclocking" is one benefit, as is the telepathic communication possibilities between pilots uploaded through the same Gen:Lock engine.

Another benefit is avoiding the Strength minimums for maximum warstrider Strength.

I'd make it a manse function before an artifact - although this kind of stuff demands a large supply of hearthstones. Well, we can draw from autochtonian frameworks there, or design manses that create multiple hearthstones that are only useful to power artifacts that demand them. Typically warstriders.

Then again the whole thing is sorta mobile... mhmmmm

[Sunder the Gold]

Then again the whole thing is sorta mobile... mhmmmm

Yeah, the Gen:Lock system can be transported on a big enough airship.

A manse would still be important for the hearthstones, but the system isn't otherwise tied to a manse.

[Croakamancer]

*whistles* Magitech...

Watching with interest. Wouldn't call it better than RWBY yet; higher budget but they're keeping enough setting details mysterious and the plot hasn't really big time kicked off yet. There's a lot of promise here, I just wanna see if it sticks the landing as it were.

[nalak42]

So there's that thing in the new episode, what do you think necrotech or hellstrider? I mean the jerky motions it has at the start and the death cloud I feel scream Soulsteel necrotech warstrider to me. Like its entrance really had me thinking this was a zombie mech. On the other hand the part where it goes full on four armed rampaging monster screamed demonbeast to me as well.

Well if nothing else I look forward to using this as resources for describing warstrider combat.*


*Also sound track, but what can I say that's me.

[Lioness]

I'm really enjoying it.
It doesn't really scream Exalted warstrider combat like Voltron did, but it's honestly nice to enjoy a show/movie on its own merits and not the components I could steal for inspiration.

[Weimann]

*whistles* Magitech...

Watching with interest. Wouldn't call it better than RWBY yet; higher budget but they're keeping enough setting details mysterious and the plot hasn't really big time kicked off yet. There's a lot of promise here, I just wanna see if it sticks the landing as it were.

Yeah, that's fair. Money is a big reason for the big production values, I'm sure. The story could still crash and burn. But the episodes are standard full-length, and there seems to be a dramatic curve in each one that makes it stand more on it's own. If that's what money buys, I'm for it!

[Sunder the Gold]

The fights are nice but kind of harm to follow. Does that have anything to do with the lower frame rate?

When RWBY switched to a lower frame rate when its giant robot popped the drill, it was noticeably bad to me.