14 replies to this topic

[lefty turnpike]

i have looked at a few tuturials on how to choose your mech and begin the game, but they seem to have a different home page with mech lab and pilot options at the top of the screen, but when i log in i just get an intro page with a news feed. rookie question i know, but can anyone help its driving me crazy!

[Koniving]

Log in.


Once here....

Click mechlab upper center. It may be grayed out for several seconds while the game loads.

You will then see this.

Trial mechs should already be chosen. Pick one from there. I recommend the Cataphract 4x or the Hunchback 4P.

Once you choose, click the button to the left of Launch and choose "Conquest" or "Testing Grounds."


Conquest is lenient in that you make good money even if you perform poorly. Testing grounds allows you to practice moving your mech.

If you chose testing grounds, you will see this.


From there, click "Yes."

If you chose conquest (or assault), click Launch.

The game, at the moment, does not have a proper tutorial in-game and won't until sometime next month.

After you've played 25 matches, come back here and we'll walk you through how to get your first mech and ideas for helping you choose.

Or, if you have questions come back sooner.

Edited by Koniving, 22 June 2013 - 03:43 PM.

[lefty turnpike]

thanks for the reply, the only problem is i cant seem to get to that page with upper centre mech lab options. i just have the home page news feed

[ZeProme]

lefty turnpike, on 22 June 2013 - 03:47 PM, said:

thanks for the reply, the only problem is i cant seem to get to that page with upper centre mech lab options. i just have the home page news feed

Can you provide a screenshot for us?

[Orbit Rain]

In that bottom left part make sure you have "Trial mechs" and *not* "Owned Mechs" selected.
edit: and take the hunchback since it's kitted out

Edited by Orbit Rain, 22 June 2013 - 04:27 PM.

[Koniving]

lefty turnpike, on 22 June 2013 - 03:47 PM, said:

thanks for the reply, the only problem is i cant seem to get to that page with upper centre mech lab options. i just have the home page news feed

I had that problem the very first day I played MWO. It frustrated me to no end.

I closed it and tried again the next day (was 3 in the morning for me) and it worked.

So have you tried reopening it?

Edit: Another thought just came to me. Does the homepage look like this by any chance?

If so, you have to download the game first.

Edited by Koniving, 22 June 2013 - 04:34 PM.

[lefty turnpike]

for some reason i cant post a screen shot but basically when i log in the home page just has a scrolling ad for different mechs, game?media/forum/community and support options at the top centre of the screen an a scrolling news feed at the bottom.there is no profile or mech read options, weird- sorry if this seems a bit slow im sure theres probably something simple i missing

[Koniving]

I knew it. You have to download and install the game first. It has its own client, much like planetside 2, hawken, etc. (This isn't battlefield 3, Combat Arms, or MWTactics! It isn't run from the browser.) You can't start the game from the browser either.

Gotta download the game first, after you've installed it and started it up go back up to my first post to you and follow the steps from there.

MWO does NOT create a folder in Programs or Games on its own for shortcuts, which can make starting the game up a pain. Since the game cannot be started from the browser, you have to open the game itself.

Once you have the game installed I recommend going into whatever folder you put it in, and making a shortcut to the MWO game onto your desktop. Sometimes it fails to do so.

For me it's located in DriveLetter:\\WhereIPutTheGame\MWO\MechWarrior Online\Bin32

And the one you want to create a shortcut to is called MechwarriorOnline.exe

Edited by Koniving, 22 June 2013 - 04:47 PM.

[lefty turnpike]

aaahh! nice one man- thought it was something simple- will get on it now
thanks for the help buddy!

[Koniving]

You're welcome.

Come back to this thread if you run into any further issues getting started, I'll check back in an hour.

[Orbit Rain]

lol, good one....still, go with the hunchback

[scJazz]

*facepalm*

[Xeno Phalcon]

Why do I imagine kon on a phone asking if the green light is on?

[ZeProme]

Orbit Rain, on 22 June 2013 - 04:56 PM, said:

lol, good one....still, go with the hunchback

I second this.

Get the HBK-4SP.

Also come back whenever you have questions! We are always ready to help you

[Koniving]

I third this (and recommended it to Zeprome when he first joined and many others) as a mech to buy with your hard-earned cbills.

Of all the mechs in the game, the Hunchback 4SP is the cheapest one to 'upgrade' to a combat worthy state even in today's hopefully passing high-damage high-precision meta. It may no longer be the most ideal mech in the short run, but in the long run something about a Hunchback teaches humility while still providing enough firepower and armor to compete. It teaches cunning, too, as you can't rush enemies directly. Therefore you must come up with other ways to take your enemies out.

I like the Cataphract 4X for much the same reason in terms of a trial mech, but you will be unhappy if you try that as a first real mech to own.

• For another medium mech to start with the Centurion is a neat idea though there's mixed feelings on it.
  
• In terms of heavy mechs, the Catapult would be ideal as a first one.
  
• I have mixed feelings on a good assault mech.
  
• At the moment the best light mech to start with is the Jenner as they all control mostly the same way (as opposed to the highly skill-based Commando, the trick-shot Spider, or the 3 Ravens that play completely different from each other).

But back on what matters now. Remember that your mech is a walking tank with an independent torso (turret). The mouse controls this turret. Your A and D keys turn the mech / tank. To set a cruise control hit a key on the number pad (or later, turn off Throttle Decay).

Exterior view; this helps visualize what I said above.



I don't have any vids on the 4P or the other trials, but I got a few for the RS and a few for the 4X. You can find them on this playlist index here.

This thread by Centurion does something I haven't done in ages, which is playing the trial mechs and then walking you through strategies and tips as he plays (in a voice over recorded after the fact which is better put together than my old vids). It has some of the latest trials mechs, too.

Can't wait til next month; we're supposed to get an in-game new user training ground with a third person camera to help teach this aspect. I won't have to spend so much time in the threads!