62 replies to this topic

[Lt David Barns]

After a couple of days of PUGing and the usual bouts of frustration and doubts whether mankind really has evolved past the primate stage, I now come to the forum, NOT out of the need to vent said frustration, but out of curiosity:
One observation I made in every single of dozens of games over the last few days is that at least one player (usually more, though) will invariably fire their weapons at the beginning of the round without having some kind of definite target. Aside from the fact that this often enough results in hitting teammates and - in rare cases - an all out battle before the enemy can even get within shooting distance, I am stymied as to what the cause behind this behaviour could be.

Here are a few of my thoughts:

- The need to test the heat balance. This I actually could understand to a degree - at least before the Testing Grounds came around. Now if I run a new build and want to see if it is operating within acceptable bounds I just go and take it for a spin there before putting it in an actual combat situation.

- Out of accident. That sometimes someone will accidentally hit one of the keys linked to a weapon group, I can also understand - but that happens to me only every 100 games or so and I have a hard time believing that some people keep hitting the wrong buttons over and over again in a non-pressure situation.

- The need to show your teammates what weapons you have equipped. The chat function is not that bad, though, so this probably isn't the answer, either.

- The need to prepare for an eventual introduction of triple-strength-myomer. All in all a pretty stupid thought, probably better to forget about that altogether...

- The need to show off what cool guns you have in front of your teammates. Considering the fact that there is no weapon in this game that would take more than a single hour tops of playing matches, no matter how crappy you play kinda kills this theory, as well.

- Because those lasers are so shiny and I love the beat of a machine gun when I ride into battle. Come to think of it, that thought might not be too far-fetched, which is kind of scary in and of itself.

- Because after hours upon hours of PUG drops the need to shoot some of those teammates who will invariably screw up the most simple of actions will get kind of overwhelming.

- Because people are bored. Yeah, I know, dull answer, right?

- Because even trolls can pilot mechs, so let's fire all our weapons randomly just to frustrate our teammates.

- Because I thought that fly wandering around on my screen was actually an enemy mech. Uh, then again, maybe not...?


So, what do you think? Did I hit the nail on the head with one of the thoughts? Is it something else altogether? Has my brain finally decided to give in due to PUG overexposure?

Don't hesitate to voice your opinions.

Edited by Lt David Barns, 27 March 2013 - 09:15 AM.

[Mazzyplz]

there's a chat bug that will make you fire accidentally this patch.

other than that there's no excuse, for testing everything should be done in TESTING grounds.

[Bobdolemite]

its artistic I likes to draw happy faces on mountains =/

[Gregore]

Often, at least on the rare occasions it happens from me, is that I have launched the game in windowed mode, then while waiting I got back to reading an article or looking at ****, then all of a sudden I notice the countdown has commenced and I rush to click the MWO screen, usually I use the middle button to do this, but sometimes I left click thinking the countdown is still going, and bam, dead commando.

I swear it is an accident that I alpha'd the commando/spider in the back.

[Khanahar]

My new rig fires randomly at the beginning of matches sometimes. I try to apologise, and I generally drive small enough 'mechs that it's not a huge deal, but an AC/10 and 2ML can hurt. My lancemate has a bug that causes him to occassionally fire at random points throughout matches. Really hope these bugs get fixed soon.

[von Pilsner]

Testing heat, I have lots of mechs and am not going to drop in testing grounds before every match.

That said, I can aim away from friendly mechs.

[Jonathan Paine]

That chat bug is murder. Tried to suggest heading to a different capture point at the start of a match. Ended up alpha striking a buddy in the back. Apart b from that, I agree with the op. Also, apologizing for accidental friendly fire goes a long way.

[Dan Nashe]

Testing ground maps are random. Heat works differently on every map. I play 12 variants regularly. I sometimes forget which weapons are on which arm, so I fire to test all these things. Also, yeah, I have misclicked a few times. My push to talk and wePon group 3 buttons have moved.


And yeah. Sometimes I just shoot lasers at the ground for no reason. Same reason I shoot tin cans. No real reason. I just find it satisfying to shoot at that rock.

[MrPenguin]

Pre-mature firing is a serious problem which effects every 2/3 mechs over the age of 3.

Edited by MrPenguin, 27 March 2013 - 09:08 AM.

[Angus McBeef]

I do this sometimes simply because I can and it amuses me. I don't hit anyone. Why does it matter?

[ChapeL]

To signal their position to the enemy.

[Redwo1f]

I can definately attest to the fact that it is not very fun to get alpha'd in the back by a teammate at the start - especially if you are running a medium...ouch.

Unneccessary firing is just plain silly...even more so as the team starts to advance - it helps to give away position to the enemy.

Just don't do it.

[El Penguin]

I like to roleplay as a ork pilot since Wh40k Online was canceled so I must fire my guns to get pumped up for battle and yell in chat to strike fear on my opponents Luckily theres no planes to pilot for me to take off with...

[shellashock]

there is also a bug i believe that makes your weapons fire if you press a fire button when the main chat lobby is open. had this happen where i pressed 1 to say which section to go to in the main chat window, and the first thing i do when my mech fully powers on is alpha a raven 3l in the back and one shot kill him. that stunk as that was our only ecm mech with 4 ecm ddc's on the other side. that match didn't go well because as soon as i reported there were 3 ddc's around the corner, all of my team ripped me apart both on chat and blowing my mech apart. people are touchy abut that kind of thing, and no one believed that it was a chat bug.

[von Pilsner]

Bull Frog, on 27 March 2013 - 09:11 AM, said:

To signal their position to the enemy.

I am pretty sure that the enemy knows you start at the other spawn...

[Angus McBeef]

Redwo1f, on 27 March 2013 - 09:11 AM, said:

I can definately attest to the fact that it is not very fun to get alpha'd in the back by a teammate at the start - especially if you are running a medium...ouch.

Unneccessary firing is just plain silly...even more so as the team starts to advance - it helps to give away position to the enemy.

Just don't do it.

How does shooting the ground or a building ~50m away (which is what I do/see people do mostly) give away your position? Shooting up in the air, sure.

[shellashock]

anyone else have this happen?

[N0ni]

Testing heat build-up for new configs. Testing Grounds do not account for Mech Tree.

[Redwo1f]

Angus McBeef, on 27 March 2013 - 09:13 AM, said:

How does shooting the ground or a building ~50m away (which is what I do/see people do mostly) give away your position? Shooting up in the air, sure.

It is actually pretty easy to make out weapon fire before you even see the enemy mech/s if you are in a postion to do so ...laser and ppc fire is pretty bright. Now you know.

[Mister Blastman]

It is just fun to pew pew before the real pew pew.