61 replies to this topic

[Lukoi Banacek]

Stoicblitzer, on 22 April 2013 - 05:44 PM, said:

of course, there needs to be mute functionality where you can individually mute people. Also, an enable/disable checkbox in the options.

They're not even willing to do that functionality for chat. You think they'll add that to IVOIP?

I've played other games with IVOIP. Most of them are a commo wasteland and TS/Vent/Mumble continues to be the way of the world. For whatever reason, IVOIP just isn't as prevalent in PC gaming vice console.

[iminbagdad]

If by teamwork you mean blobbing then every single match. I will also do some teamworky type stuff like go the other way around a mountain to cut off a light and stuff like that but nobody really knows it.

[Stoicblitzer]

Lukoi, on 22 April 2013 - 05:49 PM, said:

They're not even willing to do that functionality for chat. You think they'll add that to IVOIP?

I've played other games with IVOIP. Most of them are a commo wasteland and TS/Vent/Mumble continues to be the way of the world. For whatever reason, IVOIP just isn't as prevalent in PC gaming vice console.

this game is different than those other games for obvious reasons.

[Rebas Kradd]

"Never."

- everyone who has ever dropped with Rebas Kradd

Edited by Rebas Kradd, 22 April 2013 - 05:53 PM.

[Rattlehead NZ]

Kiiyor, on 22 April 2013 - 05:20 PM, said:

You can communicate via actions. Take the lead, move towards a point, the herd will often follow. Giving orders rarely works IMHO, so if I have to, I just tell them what I'm doing.

Most people don't like people bossing them around, especially when they don't have a clue. Though I find it more productive to tell them what im doing which sometimes inspires them to do the same. My experience sees this more often on Capture missions rather than Assault.

[Karyudo ds]

Kanatta Jing, on 22 April 2013 - 05:48 PM, said:

I usually go with the buddy system.

Like the stalker with 2 AMS. He's a good guy to stand beside.

I usually go with an Atlas but any tall bullet sponge will do for me. That's about what I do though, pick a mech and stay with it. Let them rush in, get the attention, and reap the not being shot at-ness.

Lukoi, on 22 April 2013 - 05:49 PM, said:

I've played other games with IVOIP. Most of them are a commo wasteland and TS/Vent/Mumble continues to be the way of the world. For whatever reason, IVOIP just isn't as prevalent in PC gaming vice console.

If I join a platoon in PS2 some of the outfit ones are really good about keeping VOIP communication going. I don't hear much else otherwise but I don't often feel the need to talk to random teammates, just ones I'm specifically working with. I wouldn't expect lots of people to use any built in VOIP here but a person or two in a game can make a difference. I see it in console games as well.

[Primetimex]

Before integrated VOIP etc comes in, PUGS should at least make some effort to use the text chat in-game to get in some semblance of co-ordination, tactics and watching flanks and not just move in a herd to the middle of the map.

Here's a good example:
The other day I was PUGging to test out some new weapon config on my Stalker - so we trudge along, few moments later I see a Jagermech to my left and swiftly took him out (this was in Tourmalline), the JM wandered out a bit out of that central Stargate crater thingy.

So I thought what the heck might as well flank left and see what's happening. Lo and behold I see the other 4-5 teammates grouped together near the ring as usual, doing the usual peek-aboo and I see a DDC firing away over the ridge.

So I plink plonked the DDC a few times - expecting him and his teammates to turn and waste me with focus fire, strangely enough, the DDC continued firing and no one turned around. I kept this up for a while longer, before an enemy commando spotted me and engaged. Only then did the enemy slowly turned around to engage.

1. Ignored that their team mate got wasted just off to their left (well within 300-500m).
2. Ignored their flank
3. There seems to be no communication whatsoever.

These are the reasons why the A1 was so deadly, I'd go around flanking like hell and take out the camping long range mechs - once you close in they have little backup weapons and that means BLAM BLAM.

I mean common, if an assault can flank you and plink plonk and you do nothing - is there any hope really for PUGs? I wished at that time I had some serious artillery and airstrikes which I can spam and then I run away to cap or hide~!

Edited by Primetimex, 22 April 2013 - 06:08 PM.

[Stoicblitzer]

Primetimex, on 22 April 2013 - 06:03 PM, said:

Before integrated VOIP etc comes in, PUGS should at least make some effort to use the text chat in-game to get in some semblance of co-ordination, tactics and watching flanks and not just move in a herd to the middle of the map.

Here's a good example:
The other day I was PUGging to test out some new weapon config on my Stalker - so we trudge along, few moments later I see a Jagermech to my left and swiftly took him out (this was in Tourmalline), the JM wandered out a bit out of that central Stargate crater thingy.

So I thought what the heck might as well flank left and see what's happening. Lo and behold I see the other 4-5 teammates grouped together near the ring as usual, doing the usual peek-aboo and I see a DDC firing away over the ridge.

So I plink plonked the DDC a few times - expecting him and his teammates to turn and waste me with focus fire, strangely enough, the DDC continued firing and no one turned around. I kept this up for a while longer, before an enemy commando spotted me and engaged. Only then did the enemy slowly turned around to engage.

I mean common, if an assault can flank you and plink plonk and you do nothing - is there any hope really for PUGs? I wished at that time I had some serious artillery and airstrikes which I can spam and then I run away to cap or hide~!

this anecdote highlights the effectiveness of locking your targets. The pugs, in their natural habitat, ignored him until he was targeted and appeared on the minimap. Once he aggro'd the pug herd by appearing on the minimap, he received fire. This also helps explain why ECM is so toxic to the typical pug. Once they lose sight of friends, the pug begins to behave irrationally and ends up meeting his untimely demise.

[Davers]

Rattlehead NZ, on 22 April 2013 - 05:56 PM, said:

Most people don't like people bossing them around, especially when they don't have a clue. Though I find it more productive to tell them what im doing which sometimes inspires them to do the same. My experience sees this more often on Capture missions rather than Assault.

Yeah, when you say 'I am doing this' the people stop and think 'well if he is doing that, then I will do this' or 'that sounds fun, ill do that too' and then you end up less with a blob just sitting together, even though their weapons don't necessarily compliment each other, and people actually doing something.

[Primetimex]

Stoicblitzer, on 22 April 2013 - 06:08 PM, said:

this anecdote highlights the effectiveness of locking your targets. The pugs, in their natural habitat, ignored him until he was targeted and appeared on the minimap. Once he aggro'd the pug herd by appearing on the minimap, he received fire. This also helps explain why ECM is so toxic to the typical pug. Once they lose sight of friends, the pug begins to behave irrationally and ends up meeting his untimely demise.

Imagine if the arty/air strikes were deadlier - I could spam maybe 2-3 arty/air strikes and while they're confused and scampering away, had my team mates followed me and flanked it would be total slaughter.

I've actually done this in the past with my A1 - it's a lot harder to do now with the nerf and whatnot, but I would flank around get to their rear and would see a lone assault/heavy merrilly spamming LRM - and then BLAM down, few moments later the other teammates joined him in hell.

But back to topic, it's amazing sometimes that people can play this game and not communicate at alll - not even with text chat and merge around the middle expecting things to happen.

[Mech Wrench]

Recently, none. The patch three weeks ago killed my ability to in came chat.

[XX Sulla XX]

I try to as much as possible. I alway try asking questions when possible to figure out where we all want to go etc.

[Scott Decoy Stone]

generally i follow the blob. once shooting starts i take cover and look for team mates who are out numbered or focus firing on something and join in on the fun. if someone takes command i follow orders given. i'm a terrible player so it never works out anyways.

[Screech]

Kanatta Jing, on 22 April 2013 - 05:48 PM, said:

Like the stalker with 2 AMS. He's a good guy to stand beside.

He is better then the stalker at 2 AM outside your window.

[Xandergod]

Stoicblitzer, on 22 April 2013 - 05:37 PM, said:

you've reached that point where you think to yourself "integrated voip would really help." Happened to me a couple months ago. more and more people are getting there. inb4 "different teams."

I've thought for a while this VOIP would help, but as the meta changes, the need has become all the more apparent.
There's a saying, don't hate the player, hate the game.
I don't hate PPC snipers. I hate the inability to to communicate that we should try to flank because if we advance we will die.

[Khan Reaper]

I've been communicating via radar a lot more lately. I used to try to formulate a plan, but that doesn't work as much as just trying to be the point man and leading the fight to your team mates. I've learned that if I don't move along the line and mark targets, my team won't do it...they will all filter into the first place where an enemy has been sighted and ignore the rest of the map. So what I do is I engage the first enemy I see, then pull back until I am with a team mate or two. Then I let those team mates deal with that section of the map and move to look for the flanking enemies. Once I engage them, I drag them back into my line until they are being engaged by other portions of my team. Once all enemies are accounted for, I then move back and forth along the line firing at enemies and making them feel like they are constently being engaged by numerous mechs. This keeps the enemy on their toes enough that we can usually take the win. Ever since I started utilizing this maneuver, my win loss is starting to look pretty. I may not get as many kills, but my assists and damage are always high. I will communicate some if the team seems like they get what's going on, but mostly I just use them as "AI".

The order "Form a line, cover one another" is a nice quick order that if followed can help your team immensely. But even that order isn't followed often. That is why I started forming the line myself via the strat above.

Edited by Khan Reaper, 22 April 2013 - 06:41 PM.

[Alpha087]

If by work with my team you mean constantly remind the heavies that they're not lights so they shouldn't be following them on capping the side points.. And then reminding the lights that they should just run and stop trying to brawl like a heavy after all of our actual heavies got picked off while trying to follow the lights early on...

Pretty much every time a conquest match happens.

In the event that it's assault, it's generally having to tell people to not split up, though they usually do it anyways.

[Glo Worm]

Davers, on 22 April 2013 - 05:40 PM, said:

Integrated VOIP would be a huge help. As long as it wasn't filled with people complaining about their team mates. How many games have you seen an empty chatbox, then at the very end someone chimes in with 'noob team' or something. Those are the kind of people everyone is worried about encountering on VOIP.

VOIP just needs the same mechanic as used currently - push to talk. Just map it to a convenient button and it will cut out all the extraneous sounds.

Nothing to do about trolls though...

[Balder]

I do whatever I can to coordinate with a team when i drop. It isn't always through chat as that is often ignored or I'm under fire and can't take the time to type out orders. I'll sometimes throw out a, "FF on Commando crossing water" or something to that effect. When people pay attention it works great and when others throw out information or order I oblige if possible. When people don't listen it can be frustrated to get blown to bits because no one wanted to hold a line and my slow assault mech can't back out fast enough. However, this is why I'm part of a merc corp. I haven't had the chance to do coordinated drops in a couple weeks but when I do I love having other WBHs in the field who have my back. Team Speak is an awesome tool in a fight.

[Xandergod]

People in this game have this fundamental instinct to not retreat and just fight any and everyone. It isn't until people understand that mech class and layout dictates your roll in a fight, do we see real teamwork take shape. Without any sort of tutorial, new players only learn through trial and error. This is a shame, because bad habits can be ingrained as a play style. Just because it seem it's effective in particular situations. At this point, I'm sure my play style is pretty bad because I've never really learned how to play this game as a team member. I regularly have 500+ damage games, but this is only because I take advantage of my teammates failures. Rather than playing to my teams strengths.