22 replies to this topic

[Dano_man]

Hi guys,
Ok new player, but old man. I am working hard at this game and have been on for maybe 4-5 days now. I have been trying the different mechs and bought a Blackjack (maybe a mistake it is hard as hell to play) but have been using different weapon loadouts and trying different tactics. I have been reviewing the forums on builds and tactics, have hit the training ground some (which means not enough) and while I am not frustrated, my damage is low from the big goose eggs to maybe around 60 on a good run. I tend to die in th first 5 minutes and I just can't seem to be able to get the crosshairs on a target. I try to keep moving and I don't hit, I stop to shoot and get wacked. I try to stay back and snipe with PPC's and get wacked. I move in close with the big bots and get squashed.... you get the picture. While I understand the tactics and what I need to do, I can't seem to be able to do it and keep the recticle on target. I need advice on practice methods to mouse adjustments to get this working. I am even hitting max zoom to get a better picture, but maybe my hand/eye coord is just toast. Anyways, thanks for commenting and if nothing else maybe at least I will be good enemy fire distraction for my team mates.

[Wurzelkobold]

Hmm first you have a medium mech, so don`t stop! Standing still is pretty sure a kill for the other team.
Ok. now to training methods. go to testing grounds find a mech and run max speed past him, an try to hit him. If you gett better use the same tactic with a greater distance to the target. This is pretty good to get a feeling for your mech in case of running and shooting in combination with your torso twist.

sry for the poor english....

[Redshift2k5]

Never stop to shoot. Especially in a 45 ton mech, your speed is one of your greatest assets.

Don't overuse zoom, too often we see new players zooming in when they really should not be, and then being killed by a mech outside their peripheral vision. Don't use zoon if you're less than hundreds of meters from your target.

As a newer player I would suggest focusing your effort on survival and not damage. Stick to your team, shoot who they're shooting , you don't ever want to be the cnter of attention.

[scJazz]

Yeah... just for consistency sake I'll repeat the number one most important bit of advice... you can not stop moving!

You might have a problem with Mouse Speed though. Go into Menu>Options>Mouse Sensitivity and turn it down to somewhere between 0.1 and 0.3. Now go into Testing Grounds and try hitting the stationary mechs at full speed.

[Hammerhai]

As regards mouse sensitivity: Am not an FPS man, but apparently even the best e sportsmen do not use more than 1.8k to 2k dpi.

One wag noted for best results your mouse speed should be "sticky to sluggish".
You can do this on the mouse, by switching the dpi or in windows, or as follows:
Open Notepad
Paste the following in:

cl_sensitivityController = 0.1
i_mouse_accel_max = 100
;i_mouse_smooth = 1
i_mouse_accel=0

Now open the save file dialog in Notepad
Switch to file type all files. THIS IS NB
Save the file as user.cfg

Now you are free to play with the parameters and tweak your mouse, should you so desire. I am not a mouse player myself, so cannot comment further.You definitely want mouse acceleration off. For starters you can just play with cl_sensitivity. Note that you will have to restart the client every time you change the value. CHANGE ONLY ONE VALUE AT A TIME and test what happens.
Others may be able to help more.
Upgrading your 'puter is somewhere down the road for you, if you stick with the game. It is very resource intensive indeed.

[Hammerhai]

Oh, and you create user.cfg in the main MWO folder.

[Szkarlat M]

Dano depending on your target you may have to lead your shot a little. That means if the enemy is moving towards your left for example aim just in front of the mech so the enemy walks into your shot. This is needed for faster moving targets or targets further away due to a) your projectile speed or slight delays from clicking to actual firing. Lasers are probably good to practice with as you learn to track the target and you get a visual cue from the beam.

Edited by Mike W, 14 August 2013 - 08:49 AM.

[Itsalrightwithme]

Hi Dano, indeed this game is a bit hard to get into -- but once you get the hang of it you'll have a lot more enjoyment out of it!

I suggest a couple of things:

• Practice shooting-while-moving on Training Grounds. Start with laser weapons, stay away from ACs and PPCs until you get the hang of lasers.
  
• When in a Medium, never stop moving unless you are finishing off a shutdown mech and there's nobody around.
  
• Pick a bigger friendly mech to be your "buddy" and play wingman. Even better, pick a mech that has custom colors so that chances are, that pilot isn't also new. You can usually stay close relative to a heavier, slower mech. Shoot at the same things he does, move when he does.

Remember that this is a team game, so if you find yourself dying early, stick to your team more closely.

Good luck and all the best!

[scJazz]

Hammerhai, on 14 August 2013 - 08:41 AM, said:

As regards mouse sensitivity: Am not an FPS man, but apparently even the best e sportsmen do not use more than 1.8k to 2k dpi.
Others may be able to help more.
Upgrading your 'puter is somewhere down the road for you, if you stick with the game. It is very resource intensive indeed.

All those settings are in Options now Have been for 6 weeks?!?

[Mogney]

Stay with the group, middle of the pack, and don't stop moving. If you are taking fire move away, use cover, and larger mechs on your team count as cover.

You will be one of the faster mechs on your team, but that doesn't mean you need to use all that speed when traveling, stay with the group. That speed should be used when you exchanging fire, but moving left to right so as to make your mech a more difficult target to hit.

Good luck and stick with it.

[Dan Nashe]

Never be the first to engage in a blackjack. They're like jaegers and warhammers. I like to kill them first.

I honestly have an easier time with ppcs than lasers because they hit or miss. With lasers it's sometimes hard to tell if it was a good shot. I average 2 damage per medium laser hit, and I need an ac 20 to kill lights, 4 mls don't work for me.

If you can't hit lights, ignore them, focus on killing things you can hit. Just scare lights enough they have to dodge. Do 500 damage in a cent if I don't engage lights, 100 against l ights. I'd rather fight a stalker one on one than a spider any day.

Make sure you have max armor. Some mechs don't fome with it. Less than max armor is suicide (well, you can take some off arms and legs sometimes).

[Hammerhai]

Ah, I missed the migration to options completely. Thank you ScJazz.

[scJazz]

Dano117... can you tell us which Blackjack you are using?

What upgrades Double Strength Heat Sinks, Endo-Steel, Ferro-Fibrous you have?

You can "design" your setup here...
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...echlab#modified

And then click save and share up in the top left. When you do you get a link that you can Copy/Paste here. It might will help us help you.

ROLE: Blackjacks are "Direct-Fire" Support Mechs. They are not Front Line mechs so if you are shooting at a target and you can't see a friendly in front of you also firing on that target you are in fact doing it wrong. Even the Sniper Role you might be trying to use breaks down. You are in a Medium Mech that is as slow as a Heavy, and it is probable that you are reaching the fight ahead of the Front Line units. Do not move from the spawn point until almost everyone else has moved. Follow them and do not ever get in front. By them I don't mean the Spiders or Jenners either, follow a big mech at 100m distance, preferably one that is not painted "green". You are fast and maneuverable enough that you can work around the outer edge but you do not have anywhere near enough armor to be alone, unmoving, and sniping.

It is complicated... hopefully you read and use my advice about mouse speed and link or at least describe what Blackjack you are piloting. We can help Keep talking to us

[mailin]

Also, if you haven't done so yet, uncheck throttle delay. This will let you stay with the group more easily than if throttle delay is engaged.

[Dano_man]

Thanks I will link my mech tonight, but when you see it remember that the weapons I have on it are and have been changing as I try different things. I have an XL engine (225 or right around that) with DHS and Endosteel but standard armor. I have an AMS loaded in it cause I hate the missle boats popping me but I can always pull that out. I have been reconfiguring between having 1PPC and 1ERPPC and a ML to 2 ERPPC's to the standard 2PPC's with 4ML that came with the BJ-3. This is all from memory right now as I can access the forums but not the game to look at the specifics of my mech.

[scJazz]

Dano117, on 14 August 2013 - 10:52 AM, said:

Thanks I will link my mech tonight, but when you see it remember that the weapons I have on it are and have been changing as I try different things. I have an XL engine (225 or right around that) with DHS and Endosteel but standard armor. I have an AMS loaded in it cause I hate the missle boats popping me but I can always pull that out. I have been reconfiguring between having 1PPC and 1ERPPC and a ML to 2 ERPPC's to the standard 2PPC's with 4ML that came with the BJ-3. This is all from memory right now as I can access the forums but not the game to look at the specifics of my mech.

Ahhhh this is very good!

[Night Rider]

1. some may disagree but the faster and smaller the mech the more skill it needs imo, you should start with assault mech or at least heavy (and shoot at other heavy/assaults first)

2. if your using lasers and you are shooting on the move, get a habit of not using keyboard while shooting, only mouse. when you go left or right, crosshair will be very hard to keep on the target

3. if you are using weapons like ppc/gauss, put your crosshair at the side of the mech, and let your movement push it on the target, you will have easier time predicting when to shoot

4. dont shoot at every opportunity you have, just dont let your mech run on 0% heat, when your team is fighting

5. mediums are not newbie friendly imo, really get something else ;]

[Dano_man]

I think that I figured that out now..LoL about mediums not being newbie friendly looks like I will invest in a CAT or some other heavy for awhile to get a better hang of this....

[TheCaptainJZ]

Personally, I love the Blackjacks, mainly the 1X. I have found them to be quite nimble and manuverable. The max speed does hinder all but the 1X, but the BJ-3 can mount jump jets in exchange. Like all mechs, if you haven't unlocked all the basic efficiencies, it sort of sucks. Make sure to go to the Pilot Lab, drill down to your variant, and start unlocking the skills.

I prefer medium lasers above all other weapons because they are easier to hit with (being one of the lasers) do a moderate level of damage (as long as you have more than 1) and don't generate too much heat. I'd say they are the "standard" weapon, or at least the standard for energy weapons. Slap 4 or 6 med lasers in there, depending on how well you heat is managed, group the torso ones on group 2 and the arm ones on group 1 (or do left side, right side), disable Arm Lock in options (this allows your arms to move at greater angles (higher and lower) than your torso (circle crosshair corresponds to arm mounted weapons, plus sign corresponds to torso mounted weapons.

[scJazz]

Hunchbacks and Centurions are EXTREMELY newb friendly. It is a bit late for that now... we'll use what we got

Based on your upgrade comment and what I'm understanding as your play style.
NOTE: You mention PPCs a lot. I get that you read a bunch about how great they are... but to be great you need 2 of them and an ability to Fire, Fade, Fire again. Blackjacks are not able to absorb that return smack

BJ-3 Dano

Blackjacks are direct fire support mechs as I mentioned earlier. The above mech is such. You could if you wish move the Large Lasers out to the Arms... but your job is to fire on the thing that someone bigger and slower is already shooting. All the while covering his back. With all the Medium Lasers in the arms and the Large Lasers in the Torso you get 2 weapon groups. Easy to manage for heat and range. Small target up in your grill... fire all the mediums... even without Pilot Lab upgrades you can do that for close to forever. At around 600m you should fire your LLs only. At 400m everything all at once. You can not, should not, will not be in front of anything! EVER! If for any reason you are being shot at you did in fact frack up! This is why BJs have Jump Jets! Overall it is more important that you do not get hit than you actually hit!

You saw I assume my post about Mouse Sensitivity.

NOTE: The same setup I just did can be turned into 2xPPC

Edited by scJazz, 14 August 2013 - 11:50 AM.