8 replies to this topic

[Trevarious]

Hey all! I'm primarily a medium player lately, but I have mastered the Cataphract (First mech I mastered actually) and Im almost done the Vindicator. Im wondering what interesting routes I could go to fill out my collection and have at least one mastered mech in each weight class (and possibly in different roles, but I maintain several loadouts for the Catas and Vindys) Catches being Im not super fond of XL engines- I lose my ST waaay more often than would be viable it feels like (just my play-style) and I like jump jets, but that isnt integral

So without further adieu I ask: what should I pick up next- a light mech or an assault mech? and which specific mech would you recommend?

[3xnihilo]

I guess you couldn't be looking at a more extreme difference I would make a stab in the dark that you might prefer lights if you have mastered cataphracts but refer to yourself as a medium pilot. But again they are opposites so consider if you want to be highly mobile with fewer weapons, using speed and positioning to get to the enemy and distract him or take him out of he is already damaged. Then you want lights. If you want to wade your giant weapons platform into the middle of the fray doing massive amounts of damage while torso twisting to spread damage then assaults. Obviously there is a lot more to either class than this but whichever of these descriptions sounds the most appealing should give you a clue towards the direction you are already leaning. Also, for lights you don't have to worry about dying to side torso losses with XL engines because your speed is what keeps you alive not being able to absorb damage. Also you will die to legging most of the time anyway.

Also, for the record I am a light pilot so I am biased

[terrycloth]

At low ELO, lights die to legging and heavies die to side torso loss.
At high ELO, lights die to side torso loss and heavies die to legging.

[Soulscour]

I like playing lights. Assaults however generally bring in more cbills and pwnage. If those cbill nerfs are getting u down and keeping you poor, this may be a large factor in your decision.

[Trevarious]

Now this is gonna sound stupid, but what does ELO stand for?

[3xnihilo]

Elo is kind of like a skill leveling algorithm that evaluates your wins and losses and tries to make even matches accordingly. I think it is actually named after a person or something. (Or someone said that on the forum as pure bs I wouldn't know). What the previous poster was saying is hat if you are newer or at a lower skill level you are more likely to get legged in a light where as higher skilled players will try to take out your side torsos first.

Also, lights are good cbill farmers but you have to go for assists spottig assist andor tag/narc assists as opposed to massive damage and kills. (Although some people are really good at getting those in lights as well)

Edited by 3xnihilo, 18 November 2014 - 04:43 PM.

[Soulscour]

ELO is rating system that ranks players and helps for better matchmaking. It is not visible to players. Disregard what he said however. There are no elo brackets in this game in regards to matchmaking. The best pilots are not all put in the same match unless its coincidence. The engine just tries balance teams by average pilot rating.

[Raziberry]

Obviously it comes down to your play style, but I've never really been into assaults.

I think a mastered assault would give more added value over its base than a light, but I don't see many opportunities where I personally would field an assault often enough once I max it out.

I'd go light.

[terrycloth]

There is effectively bracketing. The matchmaker tries to get everyone as close as possible with as little variance as possible and in the solo queue (according to the devs, who are the only ones who have access to the data) it mostly works.

Sometimes in the group queue, though, it totally derps and puts a highly competitive group against a less competitive group, and then you get to see just how fast you can die when people are able to aim well enough to keep large lasers on target on a moving Raven's side torso. x.x

(They also have the habit of aiming at the legs of heavier mechs, because they're used to fighting people who know how to torso twist.)