11 replies to this topic

[L4Z42U5]

I don't know if this has been gone over a million times or not,but here a little tip that turns a pain in the butt into an advantage. Computer mice are very sensitive (unless your sensitivity is waaaaay down) which can lead to some major problems when you're right up in the battle because all of your tiny movements make the difference between hitting your target and my arse ";]. Solution, try using your mouse for longer range engagement where you can use those tiny movements to aim more effectively and try using your keyboard for more up-close-and-personal combat.


P.S. If you need to turn fast in a large mech throw it in reverse, this has the added bonus of disrupting lights running circles around you.

Edited by L4Z42U5, 17 August 2013 - 08:24 PM.

[Orchid Vein]

I'm confused about this idea. I thought mech torsos usually turn faster than legs. If you only turn with feet you are taking longer to get to the aiming point, right? Also, if you are using a movable arm mech, you are reducing any angles of rotation gained from having arms separate from the torso (I think).

The moving in reverse sounds like something I should try in my stalker :P

[Hammerfinn]

The key is not to stop using your mouse.... if you're not aiming with your mouse, torso twisting, keeping agile, you're doing it horribly wrong. If you're having problems aiming, go into Options and hit the "mouse sensitivity" slider down to about 0.2 or 0.5. YOU SHOULD NOT BE AIMING WITH YOUR KEYBOARD! You should be walking with your keyboard. You should be aiming with your mouse.

Your tip on the backwards walking, though, is very true.

[StarGeezer]

Being one of the aforementioned n00bs, I found a couple of additional tips that may come in handy to the newly initiated:

In the options menu, under Game Settings, there is a checkbox for something called "Arm Lock." If this is checked, it will essentially lock your otherwise mobile and quite aimable arms to whatever your head is facing. By unchecking this box, it will allow you to aim your arm weapons (assuming your mech has joints/actuators in the arms) independently of your head aim.

On the HUD, the head/torso aiming reticule is represented by a yellow plus "+" in the center of your field of view. The arm reticule is represented by a circle "o" on the HUD. If Arm Lock is active, these will coincide with one another. If inactive, the "o" reticule will "float", attached by a line that represents where the arms are currently aimed relative to where you are facing. This lock feature can be temporarily toggled from one state to the other by pressing and holding the "Toggle Arm Lock" key (Left Shift by default.) This will simply change whatever state your current Arm Lock is to its opposite for as long as you hold the toggle key. If it's checked and active in your options, the toggle will allow you to freely aim your arms while you hold down the key. If unchecked and inactive, the toggle will snap your arm reticule to coincide with your + reticule.

This theme of the + and o reticules is carried over on the weapons groups section of your screen in the lower right corner. You'll notice to the left of the actual weapons groups you'll likely find the + and o symbol. Those weapons grouped adjacent to the o symbol are typically mounted in the head/torso section(s), while those next to the + symbol are located in the arms. Knowing this can help more effectively group your weapons to your playstyle. For mechs that don't possess arms, only the + symbol will appear next to your weapons groups section.

[Koniving]

Another use of said arms which requires Armlock to be off, though I need to get an exterior view to better demonstrate it.

Spoiler

When I use the left CTRL key and sharply look up and at an angle, I have my forearm going / up high and protecting my center and right torsos in this case (somewhat, it isn't perfect) from incoming fire. You can see in the damage diagram on the bottom left they hit my arm more than my body, although no one ever intentionally aims for the arm.

[Sh4dow78]

L4Z42U5, on 17 August 2013 - 08:23 PM, said:

I don't know if this has been gone over a million times or not,but here a little tip that turns a pain in the butt into an advantage. Computer mice are very sensitive (unless your sensitivity is waaaaay down) which can lead to some major problems when you're right up in the battle because all of your tiny movements make the difference between hitting your target and my arse ";]. Solution, try using your mouse for longer range engagement where you can use those tiny movements to aim more effectively and try using your keyboard for more up-close-and-personal combat.


P.S. If you need to turn fast in a large mech throw it in reverse, this has the added bonus of disrupting lights running circles around you.

I preffer to setup my mouse sensitivity and play "normal" than aim with my keyboard... just try some different DPI setup and u finally find ur sweet spot this will help u with aiming. I dont have problem to keep my laseres even on light mechs. I use G500 with 1200DPI

[scJazz]

Koniving, on 18 August 2013 - 01:17 PM, said:

When I use the left CTRL key and sharply look up and at an angle, I have my forearm going / up high and protecting my center and right torsos in this case (somewhat, it isn't perfect) from incoming fire. You can see in the damage diagram on the bottom left they hit my arm more than my body, although no one ever intentionally aims for the arm.

My god I'd love PGI to get rid of this exploit!

[Kurkotain]

Koniving, on 18 August 2013 - 01:17 PM, said:

Another use of said arms which requires Armlock to be off, though I need to get an exterior view to better demonstrate it.

Spoiler

When I use the left CTRL key and sharply look up and at an angle, I have my forearm going / up high and protecting my center and right torsos in this case (somewhat, it isn't perfect) from incoming fire. You can see in the damage diagram on the bottom left they hit my arm more than my body, although no one ever intentionally aims for the arm.

That is really smart. I'm kicking myself for not realizing it sooner. Thanks, will try that later.

[Kurkotain]

Scarface1978, on 18 August 2013 - 01:30 PM, said:

I preffer to setup my mouse sensitivity and play "normal" than aim with my keyboard... just try some different DPI setup and u finally find ur sweet spot this will help u with aiming. I dont have problem to keep my laseres even on light mechs. I use G500 with 1200DPI

I use a G700, but my particular case is the complete oposite: In the CB days and for a couple months of the OB, the game didn't had any mouse sensitivity controls, so you had to compensate with your mouse DPI. I game at 200 DPI (as low as the sensor goes) and in game sensitivity at 1.0. Guess old habits die hard.

[Koniving]

Kurkotain, on 18 August 2013 - 01:39 PM, said:

That is really smart. I'm kicking myself for not realizing it sooner. Thanks, will try that later.

Closed beta trick. I learned it after watching an Atlas literally "swat" my AC/20 rounds and take them into his arms instead of where I was aiming.

There's lots of these tricks. Back then we had standard heatsinks and no XL engines, so we came up with all kinds of tricks when our mediums barely went 70 at the sacrifice of over half of its weapons, and no light went above 90 without sacrificing everything it had while assaults averaged 30 to 50 after customization.

Another one was "Turtlebacking," if you're running a high heat build you'd throw all your armor onto your back for brawling. Fire, turn away, keep your back on them while cooling off. Your back is heavily armored although logic says it should be super weak. They throw all their firepower into it. Soon as you're ready to shoot again, wait for a pause in their shots, whip around and WHOOSH! They can't shoot because they already spent their load and have to wait for a recharge, so turn away soon. Repeat as necessary. Popular one for me to do as a Centurion.

Edited by Koniving, 18 August 2013 - 01:45 PM.

[Kurkotain]

I came pretty late into the CB so i didn't got to try DX11, the real LRMcalypse (although i do think i got to ride the tail-end of it, though. LRMs still did 2.0 damage when i bought my CPLT-C4) and all that fun stuff

Wish i had been there. Came a couple months before the DHS, endo and ferro patch, the stalker and OB

I did got to live through the Gausscat days, that could melt your face from 700m away and the only way to bring down was to actually wait for it to run out of ammo; and ran a Ac40 K2. Most fun i've had in ages.

XLs were already available when i started playing, so i guess i missed a lot.

'tis a shame the old forums got wiped clean, there were a lot of comedy goldmine threads.

Running a K2 was a manly endeavour back then. with only single heatsinks to cool you down, every PPC volley could be your last. PPCs were 10 heat. Not to mention PPCs 'bolts' moved so slow you could literally dodge them if you were beyond 500m. It was such an unforgiving weapon, i loved it so much. A shame what has become of my beloved ppc *shoots a 4 ppc volley, wrecks a commando and sheds a tear*

Its not that the game isn't fun right now: I just had a blast for the past 5 matches, in a JM6-DD with 2 Ac/2 - 2 Ac/5 (the new 4 Ac/2 jager) completely obliterating everymech that didn't run for cover.
Its just that things were so insanely hard and unforgiving back then that pulling through a particulary hard build, or matchup was much more rewarding. Winning took guts and brains back then.
Nowdays just a good build and common sense

Must be the nostalgia googles, sorry for getting all depressive.

Anyway, sorry for the thread hijacking.

Edited by Kurkotain, 18 August 2013 - 02:18 PM.

[L4Z42U5]

My main point is to not only rely on mouse aiming when in a fight because I have seen many players (myself included) mouse way past their intended target because they under estimate how sensitive their mouse is. Plus when you're in closer combat their are some things you can do with your mouse (walking in a circle for example), I just figured this is a good stepping stone towards better mech piloting.

The second trick I learned in my Stalker (the hard way).