Jump to content

When To Use Arm Lock


6 replies to this topic

#1 ImperialKnight

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Ace Of Spades
  • Ace Of Spades
  • 1,733 posts

Posted 12 April 2016 - 04:43 PM

I've seen way too many people promoting arm lock off, making it seem like the only way or the "pro" way to play MWO.

That is completely untrue. I cringe whenever I see players don't use arm lock properly and spam laser damage all over the enemy because the torso weapons are trying to catch up with the arm weapons.

Arm lock (hereafter referred to as AL) has a very important use: Pinpoint damage. Especially for laserdrill builds

There are uses for AL off and on. And using both correctly makes for a better pilot. There is no correct default mode, it's a matter of preference, and a matter of what chasis you are playing at that point.

Cases for AL off

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5b933aa31ce18a6
Your arm weapons operate independently of the torso weapons. In this case, AL off is preferred. Especially since the torso mounted SRMs are not pin point weapons. having AL off doesn't affect your ability to do pinpoint damage where you want it.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5bb2646c0c71d11
Similarly arm weapons operate independently of the torso weapons. Doesn't matter whether AL is on or off by default. But you should hit arm lock on when going for an alpha to ensure pinpoint damage.

Cases for AL on

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b84f209178b149e
laserdrill build with both arm and torso mounted weapons. AL on is actually better when playing such build. all your damage goes to the same location. it is up to the player to toggle AL on and off according to preference and situation. but most of the time, AL on is more convenient.


The bottom line is, there is no right or wrong when it comes to AL on or off by default. But it matters when you choose to use either modes. There are a lot of nuances on each mech that I can't possibly cover here when it comes to whether to do AL on or off. So the player has to discover them for themselves

Edited by knightsljx, 12 April 2016 - 04:44 PM.


#2 Podex

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Ace Of Spades
  • Ace Of Spades
  • 657 posts
  • LocationThe soup kitchen in your Prius

Posted 12 April 2016 - 05:06 PM

Most of my build have a majority of the weapons in the torso, so I'll lock mine immediately at the start of the match. Arm mounted weapons are added to an additional fire group, so I'll toggle off the lock for uavs and the like and toggle it back on when I'm done.

On mechs with arm mounted weapons, I'll leave it unlocked.

It all depends on the build. It is highly inefficient, not to mention dangerous to teammates, to spam torso mounted weapons all over the place.

#3 Fox With A Shotgun

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Bridesmaid
  • 1,646 posts

Posted 12 April 2016 - 05:18 PM

There should be no hard and fast rule as to when to use arm lock. This is entirely and totally up to the player. Even mechs with no arm-mounted weapons DO have a reason to leave arm lock off, or even toggle on Free Look while piloting.

Consider that the Banshee has -massive- arms. We know this for a fact. If you want to block more shots from hitting your lower STs, you want to make sure that the arms are pretty much held vertically down. Toggle off arm lock and toggle on free look, point all the way down. Your arms are now covering the lower half of your ST, much like someone cupping their crotch in anticipation of a hard hit.

Now consider the other case. Some mechs have weapons that are ALL mounted on arms; e.g. Kit Fox, and big-laser Ravens. These ones you might well want to have Arm Lock off, but there are cases where you might want it on. For long-range accurate shooting, having Arm Lock on means that your torso travels in sync with your arms, and that your reticle will not be dragged around as the torso traverses around. For mechs with no lower arm actuators, this isn't that much of an issue; but for those that do, the delayed torso movement may throw your aim off. Arm Lock helps here.

Shooting UAVs with arm lock on, of course, is highly ill advised unless you are far away. Arm Lock limits your maximum arm weapon pitch to (-20, +30) degrees on most mechs, which is very restrictive for shooting a UAV that's 100 metres above where the UAV was first launched. With Arm Lock off, you can get ranges of (-60, +60) on most mechs,

The CN9-YLW, in particular, has INSTANT arm pitch correction. This means that you can correct your aim for terrain jitter almost instantly on the ballistic arm along a vertical direction. Toggling arm lock off here means that you can nail that Spider that's jumping up and down like a bunny on crack with relative ease.

Edited by Fox With A Shotgun, 12 April 2016 - 05:19 PM.


#4 Bud Crue

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Rage
  • Rage
  • 9,882 posts
  • LocationOn the farm in central Minnesota

Posted 12 April 2016 - 06:45 PM

I set arm lock toggle to Q. I turn it on and off, depending on situation and build, often repeatedly throughout a match. Lock em to focus fire and initial alpha(s), and unlock when you need to split your weapons due to lights, UAVs or whatever. Don't let anyone tell you that you have to keep them unlocked.

#5 Neput Z34

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • FP Veteran - Beta 1
  • FP Veteran - Beta 1
  • 244 posts
  • Location...far away from a Land of my birth...

Posted 12 April 2016 - 07:10 PM

To use arm Lock on Clan Mechs is a mute point, just remove the lower arm actuators and avoid "arm lock twist speed penalty" - what ever it's called.

Arm Lock mostly applies to "Humanoid" IS Mechs like: Hunchback, Thunderbolt, Grasshopper, etc., if you wish to focus all your weapons for most pin-point damage.

Majority (99%) of the time my arm lock is OFF, for better situational awareness, then again it's a personal preference.

#6 Zeleglok

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Bridesmaid
  • Bridesmaid
  • 2,582 posts

Posted 12 April 2016 - 07:39 PM

Armlock is really needed only at the moment you alphastrike in a mech that has both torso and arm mounted weapons. A quantum of time for PPCs, ACs etc and a burning interval for lasers. And that's the purpose of "Arm Lock" ( not "Toggle Arm Lock" ! ) button.

There're situations where armlock may come useful though and... some people are just way too used to it Posted Image

Edited by Zeleglok, 12 April 2016 - 07:40 PM.


#7 Raso

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Sickle
  • The Sickle
  • 1,298 posts
  • LocationConnecticut

Posted 13 April 2016 - 09:30 AM

When sniping using my torso weapons I turn off arm lock to reduce the torso lagging behind the arms. I'll also turn it off if I need to focus an alpha. Otherwise I leave it off.





1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users