Yet another question about the Glitterboy

[Nekira Sudacne]

Because the Author, Kevin Siembieda, will NOT make one supeior to his pride and joy, the Glitter Boy.

in fact, the working name of Rifts was Boomer, after the Power Armor. also, it pretty much his starting concept.

in other words, writers fiat.

[Mike Taylor]

Technological progress is not uniform across all cultures. Some discoveries made by one are completely missed by others. Also, technological advances are often propelled by immediate needs. The GB doesn't have a locally-created Three Galaxies counterpart because there wasn't a need for one. On the other hand, the societies of the Three Galaxies are certainly capable of making them-- and whose to say somebody isn't? Tri Galactic Military Services makes extensive use of the Glitter Boy. Are they buying them from a maker on Earth-- or did someone get a copy of the KLS plans and set up their own factory?

[PigLickJF]

It's also because the combat mechanics of the game don't lend themselves to reality enough to bring the Glitterboy's numerous disadvantages to light, espceially against much smaller, faster opponents. A (relatively) large, slow, unmaneuverable suit of PA without flight and which must literally anchor itself to the ground in order to use it's massive weapon (which is also massively loud) which requires ammunition would, in the real world, on it's own, not be nearly as powerful as a GB in Rifts. Now, a larger group of them accompanied by a support squad to help cover their inadequacies could indeed be devastating, but a lone (or even a few) one would suffer serious challeneges against many of the other seemingly "lesser" PAs out there, and even simple infantry could give them serious problems.

PigLick

[Esckey]

In PW, a PA isn't a PA unless it has certian stuff like contra-gravity, a force field and a crapload of missles. A GB don't have none of these. And most of the PA guns are energy guns not ammo dependant. PW is a biiiiiiig place, gonna be hard to get ammo for the gun, when there's only a few factories(if any) making them. Not to mention there's only one actually good thing about the GB, and it ain't the BG. It's the armour. 770 MDC, on the main body alone, in a suit only 11 feet tall and only what 1.5 tons?

And like mentioned before, there isn'tmuch need for it now, and tech has been stagnate, and on Rifts Earth they don't even have to concentrate research on Contra-gravity, anti-matter, force fields, space ships and so forth

[LunarYoma]

I have a simple question: why is it that very few alien civilizations, some of which far exceed mankind in technology, can't seem to build a suit of power armor which could take out the standard, or later models, of the Glitter Boy? .

In PH i say screw the GB. Give me a custome built Silverhawk attack ExoSkeleton. It having two N-50 Superheavy force fields(robot models, one acting as primary FF & the other acting as a back up FF), one P-Field(pg 124 of RDB2: PW, activating this once both N-50 FFs go down), & one OP-Field. Two NE-28R micro missle launchers attached to the forearms(opposite of the Six Shotoers)
Plus it caring one Phase Sword.

Also having the PC-50 Light Phase Cannon(pg 155 of RDB2: PW) converted in to a rifle configuration with a cable attachment to plug into the silverhawk PA.


Id rather have this combo than a standard GB(or ant GB).

[RockJock]

You have to remember that the Invalin suits are more mobility enhancing Exoskeletons then PA suits designed for combat. They are fairly powerful, but they always hit me more as a different form of bionics(I know they are not bionics, but do the job).

The other part of the GB is the best arguement is mission profile. Through FQ and the Japan WB Palladium has expanded the GB into various configurations for different jobs.

The standard G10 GB is a walking tank. It is designed to be easier to hide then a tank, but take and give damage in the same way. Compared to Rifts tanks the GB easily holds its own. It doesn't have the missiles or support weapons, but has decent speed, and good armor and gun even compared to the new CS tanks. Now compare the GB to the standard TGE MBT the Dark Slayer. The GB actually has an advantage in armor of about 120mdc, but in return the tank can move at 200mph! The tank is armed with a gun that matches the Boomgun in damage, and has a greater range of 3 miles. Even if you say the GB is resistant to 3Gs lasers is great against most targets, it is still is a powerful weapon with a huge range, and combined with being able to move at 200 mph makes it quite deadly. The tank also has a light pulse gun equal to a decent energy rifle. The real differences come into play with 16 medium range missiles with a range of 40 miles, and the Kinetic Rockets that have a range of only 4000ft, but do 120mdc a piece.

The Dark Slayer can do most jobs the GB can do with the exception of being somewhat limited in urban settings, while the GB is hard pressed to keep up with quick movements of a PW battlefield, missile support at upto 40 miles away, and similar missions.

As far as power armor in the 3Gs compared to the standard GB look at the Silver Hawk. The GB has heavier armor then the SH, but doesn't mount any missile weapons. While the GB has laser resistant armor the SH has the Force Field Disruptor for use against heavier targets, and the Stealth System for ambushes. Looking at weapons the GB has the big guns at range, but the SH has missiles, anti infantry weapons in the form of area effect along with the small gravity guns, and can almost match the GB for range, but can only do 80mdc compared to 180mdc. At much closer ranges the SH has a P-Beam that matches the Boomgun for range, and can throw the laser in for more damage. The biggest difference is the SH can fly, and move at upto Mach 2! It also has a PS of 50.


What is a bigger problem to me is how well a Super Samas stacks up against a Silver Hawk.

[RoadWarriorFWaNK]

The Mikado from Mutant in Orbit.
There is nothing better.
Nothing.

[grandmaster z0b]

GB's are an american design. If you look at the way the US does things, It's a big weapon in a small package. >snip<

Ok so because the GB is made by the USA it's better than a Power Armour made by an technologically advanced alien civilization that can manipulate gravity, travel faster than the speed of light and has vastly better robotics.
Huh?
The main technology that a culture would need to make a really good PA is robotics, the InValin are masters of robotics, they would make better PAs. As far as guns go, hand held gravity guns do more damage than hand held rail guns so it shouldn't be too hard to make a gun that does more than the BG. What about the superior energy weapon technology? Why not just give it a Naruni Plasma mini-gun? The fact that you can buy this gun as a hand held weapon but it isn't made for PAs is almost too much.
There is only one reason why this situation is the way it is, Kevin Simbedia. The Glitter Boy to this day remains the pinacle of so called "Golden Age" tech therefore nobody can make a better one