30 replies to this topic

[Primal Pharaoh]

Sitting at work today bored and started looking into MWO as a new game to pick up and play. I have read through the forums for newbies and got some good info, but I'm seeing a lot of information here and elsewhere, implying that trying to play alone is almost pointless. As I don't have a clan and it would just be me coming to the game alone, I'm wondering if its worth my time to install and try it out if I have little sense to what is going on. I enjoy team based games and I have played them in the past but I know very little about the MW world. I would love to give it a try and if trying to get into pub games alone is as bad as I've been reading what would be an alternative? I have had issues in past games with this style of tactics where newbies get shunned and left in the dust and getting into a clan meant more experience than I could muster up from a lack of good pub games which ultimately led to me just uninstalling. Any advice?

[Redshift2k5]

If you have come this far, you should download it! If you like mechs and piloting big stompy robots you've come to the right place.

The game certainly is easier with friends, but you do not need a clan/merc/guild to play with other people. The large MWO TS3 servers all have big sections available to simply pick up players just for one session. These are usually called "dropships". You don't need to play with the same guild-mates all the time in order to find a few guys to play with

http://mwomercs.com/...e-chat-servers/

---

The game does have a steep learning curve. Please feel free to come back here and ask questions if you need anything.

Edited by Redshift2k5, 08 August 2013 - 02:19 PM.

[Dawnstealer]

You can PUG, for sure. And sometimes it's not a bad idea to do that for a while until you get a feel for the game and the factions (I mean the personality types of the people in those factions rather than the "fluff of the Battletech universe).

Going solo isn't too bad, as long as you pay attention to what your team is doing as a whole. The problem is that you're completely reliant on your team working together, moreso than other games, and you will get a lot of hit-or-miss when you're on your own. So you'll have amazing games where everyone just kind of clicks, and then you'll have five or six horrific losses where your teammates might as well be lobotomized and banging their mice with they're undoubtedly gargantual caveman foreheads.

When you team up, you know what you're getting, so that's the advantage. I'd say watch these boards and find people you can relate to, who sound like they play the same style you do, friend them in the game, find out where they TS, and go from there.

[Bront]

I Pug regularly, or when I do drop with friends, it's often only 1 or 2 others.

I find the game generally fun and enjoyable regardless. Will you lose on occasion? Sure. Maybe a little more than you like. But will it feel futile? Once you get the hang of your mech and the game, probably not. Lots of folks who complain are irritated because they don't win 100% of the time.

Biggest tip: When you DL the client, there's an ad box that pops up for a free day of premium time. Get that and activate it immediately before your first drop. You'll get your newbie bonus AND the premium bonus, which stack. It'll earn you an extra 3.5 Million over 25 matches (Plus what you earn). I wish I had known about it.

Edited by Bront, 08 August 2013 - 02:44 PM.

[Reslin]

Primal Pharaoh, on 08 August 2013 - 01:54 PM, said:

Sitting at work today bored and started looking into MWO as a new game to pick up and play. I have read through the forums for newbies and got some good info, but I'm seeing a lot of information here and elsewhere, implying that trying to play alone is almost pointless. As I don't have a clan and it would just be me coming to the game alone, I'm wondering if its worth my time to install and try it out if I have little sense to what is going on. I enjoy team based games and I have played them in the past but I know very little about the MW world. I would love to give it a try and if trying to get into pub games alone is as bad as I've been reading what would be an alternative? I have had issues in past games with this style of tactics where newbies get shunned and left in the dust and getting into a clan meant more experience than I could muster up from a lack of good pub games which ultimately led to me just uninstalling. Any advice?

I started not too long ago. I usually only play with a few friends or pug. Pugging is not that difficult. Stick with the group and don't lead a charge that no one is following. Stay with the heavies/assaults. Stand back if you're new and be patient. Switch targets to find someone injured and sneak in to assist your team in damaging said target. Focus on what someone is already shooting at and don't try to be a hero/go it alone. These are some basics that'll keep you alive. It took me a bit to get a handle on the game but now that I do and despite mostly pugging I have a positive win/lost ratio and 2.50-3.0+ K/D on most of my mechs. Note that K/D isn't everything but my point is even mostly pugging I do well so you can too.

The game is free so if you're interested there's no reason not to give it a shot.

[Void Angel]

I drop solo much of the time; when I'm not solo dropping, I play with one friend and we drop together. You really don't need to have a group/guild, or even VoIP systems -though both help.

Also, as you browse the forums, beware of the Professionally Disgruntled; most of the negativity on these forums is the product of a small, vocal minority. These guys cherry-pick their facts, and make absurd assumptions and logical errors, simply so they can remain upset - because being disgruntled makes them feel knowledgeable and righteous. Don't listen to these people.

Otherwise, the game and the people who play it are pretty good, if I do say so myself! And since it's free to play, download the game and try it out! The only thing you have to lose is hours of your life.

Edited by Void Angel, 08 August 2013 - 02:48 PM.

[MoonUnitBeta]

Nothing wrong with pugging alone at all!
The only thing you shouldn't do alone is to be alone when you're in the game. If you're sitting out in the water pickin your nose by yourself, your mech is going to get picked out by the enemy lol.

It takes some practice, but when you get used to walking with the group, or sticking with lance mates, you'll know where to stand,

Also, there's nothing wrong with not moving. But only at certain times. Obviously, you do not want to stop moving when you are getting shot at. You do want to stop moving if you are doing a delayed rush. Which means waiting for the enemy to become occupied or move into a better position. This is almost essential when you are wanting to sneak up behind them. You could just go ahead and charge in balls first, but you'll likely be the first one that's targeted, everyone will turn around, and mow you down. So, that's when doing absolutely nothing can save your life, and make you 1000% more effective. Waiting until they are pre-occupied can help you sneak up as people calling out messages like "HEY, THERE'S ONE BEHIND US" get over-looked since people are not looking at chat, and are more focused on their reticles. Giving you a wonderful advantage.

What makes you 1500% more effective is also knowing when to flee. Sometimes it's not as obvious, as most people flee after they become overhwlemed. The real trick is fleeing before you get overwhelmed. There are no heros in Mechwarrior. Everyone takes the same amount of damage. And dishing out damage while sustaining as little as possible makes you a valuable killer.

Edited by MoonUnitBeta, 08 August 2013 - 02:51 PM.

[BookWyrm]

Yes, download...we accept you, gooble gobble, one of us one of us:)

[Koniving]

Right now it's a bit more challenging than before because there are 12 players on each team instead of just 8. If you're caught alone it does spell trouble if you do not know how to handle yourself. This is exasperated by the 'stock' mechs provided not being as viable as they should be due to some balancing decisions.

I could pick you up for some rounds and help make your first matches easier.

I highly recommend going into the Testing Grounds and practicing before you click 'Launch' and jump into a match, though.

[Unnatural Growth]

The initiation is pretty brutal really. I've only been playing a few months, and I'm still pretty bad at it. Most of the time it's fun anyway, and I recommend you give it a try.

You can start off getting to learn how to run your mech in the "testing grounds". Learn how to control it, maybe remap the default key bindings to fit your preference. Learn to turn the upper torso separate from the legs. and learn how to fire different weapons and map weapons to different fire control keys.

The trial mechs are pretty terrible really, but they are "turn key" mechs you can just drop in and run. You can't modify them, but when you save up your 25 match C-Bill allotment, you can then buy your first mech. C-Bills are in-game currency you earn by playing. Once you own your own mech, you can modify it to your hearts content.

[Boymonkey]

I pug all the time and have great fun
Now 12v12 is out I will be joining a clan soon because the meta game will be out soon (I hope), some great players who pug and some take command and make the game better.
Oh and welcome mechwarrior

[NecessaryWeevil]

Keep in mind, also, that as I understand it the matchmaking system works like this: at first it assigns you an 'average' skill rating, and then adjusts as it learns how good (or not) you are.

In other words, at first you will be facing players much better than you. As you keep playing, the average skill of your opponents will drop towards yours, which of course will be increasing. Meaning that soon - but not at first - you will be playing with people about as good as you are.

[Koniving]

Actually it bleeds them in at a less than average skill rating as of some months back. You won't get stuck quite that bad unless you play late at night. They will still have players at that skill level who have much more experience it's true, but players staying in that skill range usually have awful computers or just are not improving (the arrogant sounding ones would be the not improving players, usually young teens and full of themselves). Thankfully whether you go up or down you'll quickly leave some of the undesirables behind.

[Primal Pharaoh]

ok I think I'll give a try tonight when I get home from work. In that case, when it comes to mechs, is it safe to assume I'll be in a small easy to kill mech off the bat and have to earn cashs to buy higher armored ones, or can I get into the style I want to play early on. I feel as if the scouting mechs might be the way to go to learn at first and I tend to enjoy small and fast hit and run tactics but I also enjoy close range/take a beating "tanking" style of play. I played world of tanks for a little while and that basically made you start off in a tin can with a pea shooter and grind your way to a tank that was worth a damn. What should I expect as far as this goes?

[Psikez]

Primal Pharaoh, on 08 August 2013 - 04:19 PM, said:

ok I think I'll give a try tonight when I get home from work. In that case, when it comes to mechs, is it safe to assume I'll be in a small easy to kill mech off the bat and have to earn cashs to buy higher armored ones, or can I get into the style I want to play early on. I feel as if the scouting mechs might be the way to go to learn at first and I tend to enjoy small and fast hit and run tactics but I also enjoy close range/take a beating "tanking" style of play. I played world of tanks for a little while and that basically made you start off in a tin can with a pea shooter and grind your way to a tank that was worth a damn. What should I expect as far as this goes?

You get a nice boost in earnings for the first 25 matches, you'll be able to buy just about anything up to a heavy and kit it out. Until then the trial mechs amount to your tin can analogy. If you see a mech with a (C) after it in the trial section they tend to be better than the other trial counterparts.

That being said the ELO system should pretty much keep you more or less with other people running trials too

[Phatel]

Primal Pharaoh, on 08 August 2013 - 04:19 PM, said:

ok I think I'll give a try tonight when I get home from work. In that case, when it comes to mechs, is it safe to assume I'll be in a small easy to kill mech off the bat and have to earn cashs to buy higher armored ones, or can I get into the style I want to play early on. I feel as if the scouting mechs might be the way to go to learn at first and I tend to enjoy small and fast hit and run tactics but I also enjoy close range/take a beating "tanking" style of play. I played world of tanks for a little while and that basically made you start off in a tin can with a pea shooter and grind your way to a tank that was worth a damn. What should I expect as far as this goes?

You should be able to purchase any mech after 25 matches if you just start. You start off on a new account with a massive boost to money so you can get your first mech fairly quickly. I HIGHLY recommend you try all the diff weight classes and find what you are comfy with. Some people love lights and others hate them. You will die a lot, the learning curve isn't brutal but it is unforgiving of mistakes. Like the others said, if you are not a mechwarrior vet the way they move will seem odd and you will want to try out the trial/practice area until you can at least move properly.

[mailin]

Welcome to MWO!! Just so you know, the trial mechs all pretty much suck, so don't solely base your experience on how they are. They are not optimized. They are there for new players to get a feel for how the different mechs and weight classes handle and perform. The advice to go into the testing grounds is very good. This will help you learn your way around the maps and how many shots it takes to eliminate a mech. A word of caution/advice. If you decide you truly like running lights, although the stock builds are essentially trial mechs, you can customize them to make them better once you have the in-gamge money (C-bills). Or, you could spend real money for MC and get a mech right away. The nice thing about this game is that you truly don't need to spend any of your hard-eraned money to be able to win. All that spending real money gets you is things that you could get anyway, except for three things. 1) Extra mech bays each cost 300 mc. There is no other way to get extra mech bays without spending real money. 2) Premium time. This gives you a bonus to C-bills and XP until it expires. 3) Champion and Hero Mechs. Special mechs with different weapons loadouts which also earn you extra C bills and/or XP. Enjoy the game, and please let us know what you think, and feel free to post any unanswered questions.

[Blalok]

I'm gonna disagree with Koniving in this small way - this month's trial mechs aren't all that bad (with the exception of the Cicada - too little armor there for newbs). The Victor gives you a good intro to ballistics and weapon range awareness (the gauss will reach out and touch someone; the MPLs are the shiv in their back). The Catapult champ will teach you to hang back & use your teammate's targeting for indirect fire (make sure they know you're relying on them!). The Raven, while a little slow for a light 'mech, has enough oomph to be good support (read: defend your assault 'mechs from enemy lights) and base defense (you too can target the enemy for friendly LRM rain - and spotting bonuses too!).

[EyeDie I]

if you download and play, at the download page theres a redeem premium time 1 days worth, hit that(you activate it in the game).you get a bonus for your first 26 missions it stacks with your premium time if you activate it.you will be pummeled for days, but its a blast.there are public servers on teamspeak and maybe other voice chats where you can form groups and make friends till they get a lobby with chat.

[BoPop]

well the game is free to check out so no harm done right? i 'solo drop' all the time, particularly if i'm tryin some funky builds, or if i'm ranking a mech up and haven't found a groove in it. but sometimes i subject my clan mates to the most horrific builds imaginable but it's totally fun and easy to play all by your lonesome, so to speak. trash talkers are trash talkers and you'll find them in ANY game.

but i'd have to say shootin' the ***** with my buddies on TeamSpeak is the most fun, piloting mechs is almost just the pretext to hanging out with the bruthas, ya know? it's also fun to cheer your buddy on if you've died and are spectating on him (sometimes it's the other way around).

you have to understand that the most vocal and angry people have either: spent a lot of money on the game and expect some return or they've spent zero and still expect the world on a silver plate, or they simply have no other outlet for all that pent up rage and aggression so they come and lament on PGI forums. Pure projection, textbook, really. PGI could fix a trillion things and those people would STILL find SOME .... thing... to moan about. PGI could say "Eff you all we're closing shop." and those folks would find some other forums to be "that guy" on.

the game is kinda tough, has a learning curve both in how you build mechs and how you pilot but it's all fun, especially when you find a mech you kick much arse in and get it all ranked up and with the absolute most tweaked gear/armor allocation and so forth that it could possibly be. i also really like the new 12man, much more fun.