17 replies to this topic

[Cotelio]

So, I first signed up back when the game was in closed beta, but I never got around to actually _playing_ except for once, where of course I failed horribly due to not understanding what was going on or being able to remember the controls

There seems to be an offer for a free day of platinum time when you download the game, which apparently stacks with the cadet cbill boost? So, I feel like I should make a new account to take advantage of these offers. I've read that there's a plethora of guides on starting out and spending your first c-bills most effectively, but I can't seem to find any of them, heh...

So! What I'm asking, I guess, is what's the best way to learn how to play and start off well on a new account? And also, should I wait until the offical release I read somewhere that's happening on Sept. 17th, or go ahead and do it now?

Right now I have time to play a lot and make the most out of the free platinum,

Edited by Cotelio, 31 August 2013 - 02:44 PM.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Best way to learn to play seems (to me) to be trial and error, and/or finding a... well, in game tutor
in other words a veteran who is willing to babysit(?) and explain everything to you.

I would volunteer, but my playtime is to erratic - lots of people advertise for various groups which may fit that bill though.

You could also check out what Koniving posts (there are a few others, but sadly Konivings the only name I can reliably remember... )

As for delaying until launch... I cannot see much reason to - there does not look to be much added with launch, if only because NO free to play has had much in it at launch (though they may surprise us)
In other words what we have now is most likely about what we will have then.

The free premium time is nice - but it does not stack with new player bonuses - only the base earnings so a new account does not add anything there beyond the new player bonus - which everyone playing previous to its addition got in a lump sum.
Also - the current earnings are low enough that premium time bonuses have been severely nerfed.

[scJazz]

As Shar mentioned... Premium time doesn't stack with the Cadet Bonus (there is a bug in the Premium time display that makes you think it does but it doesn't). So if you already played your 25 matches or you already have your 8m CBills depending on whether you started your account before or after the change you are all set. No need to start a new account.

If you already own your own Mechs, don't bother, if you have spent $$$ on the game don't bother.

[Cotelio]

Alright. Looks like I have the 1 day time on this account, that I guess I should save for when I have my own mech then?

And I had no cbills. Tried to play a match, game crashed, and then I had 412k when I logged on again. o.o;
Played a match and died immediately (Yay trial mechs! and also lack of skill.), team lost, got another 400something thousand when it ended. Tried to play a match with a different trial mech, and it crashed as soon as the map finished loading, just like the first time. Weird. I'm guessing when I log on again I'll have the cadet bills from that match too, then?

[Alaskan Nobody]

When you disconnect (intentionally or otherwise) you get what you have earned up to that point.... AFTER the match itself ends.

Hence around 400k for your first couple matches (yay new player bonus!)

However if you stick around, you get the bonus money from assist kills or what have you.

As for it crashing with the other trial mech, I had similar problems with Ravens - haven't tried one in... yeesh it's been months I guess..,. probably aught to check that at some point

Every time I launched in a Raven the game crashed - wound up using Commandos instead for my light mech experience.

[scJazz]

The only 2 Trial Mechs that are usable right now are the Catapult and Victor. The Cicada is kind of meh. The Raven is an overheat waiting to happen.

Play some more... get your 25 matches out of the way. You'll end up with 8m CB plus whatever you would have managed to earn anyway. That will give you enough to buy your own mech and get some upgrades for it. Play it for a bit to learn what it can do then fire off the Premium time. No sense in using Premium time too quickly since you'll just end up getting a 50% bonus for suck.

[GMAK]

Read my two guide and other tutorial maybe? Speak french?
http://mak542912.blo...line-guide.html
http://mak542912.blo...-guide-mwo.html

You can play now. I don't think the final version will be very different to this beta.

GL

[Hexenhammer]

Here is an option. Make a second account and play the __________ out of it. Figure out what you like, and don't like and don't etc. Once you have a good feel for your style, drop that account and switch over to primary and go for it.

The worse that might happen is you like your secondary account more than you first.

[Mycrus]

scJazz, on 31 August 2013 - 03:00 PM, said:

As Shar mentioned... Premium time doesn't stack with the Cadet Bonus (there is a bug in the Premium time display that makes you think it does but it doesn't). So if you already played your 25 matches or you already have your 8m CBills depending on whether you started your account before or after the change you are all set. No need to start a new account.

If you already own your own Mechs, don't bother, if you have spent $$$ on the game don't bother.

damn piggy... why bug out premium time with the cadet bonus?

the best thing they can hope for a new player to do is buy premium and a hero mech to make the most of their cadet bonus...

[MavRCK]

Read all the stickies in the new player forum -- check out the battlemech guide forum too.. Lots of good info there. My tier list will help you figure out what mechs to buy with your first cbills and how to plan your purchases in the future.. also try to find tankboyken's articles on themittani.com - another good site is qqmercs.com

[Cotelio]

Well, thanks for the help but it seems to have been for naught. I can't play at all now, it just crashes immediately as soon as I attempt to start a match, in any of the trial mechs.

Edited by Cotelio, 01 September 2013 - 10:38 AM.

[Alaskan Nobody]

O.o you reported that in the bug forums? If nothing else, that is the kind of thing that everyone who does experience should report - if only so they get a reasonably accurate feedback on the #s involved.

[Cotelio]

Shar Wolf, on 02 September 2013 - 12:17 PM, said:

O.o you reported that in the bug forums? If nothing else, that is the kind of thing that everyone who does experience should report - if only so they get a reasonably accurate feedback on the #s involved.

It started working again after the latest patch, but after some of the things I've read PGI's pulled since I last looked at the game back in closed beta... yeah, I'm just going to wait until release and see if the situation changes. If their development practices aren't going to turn around then I don't want to contribute to keeping the game active. =/

Edited by Cotelio, 05 September 2013 - 11:03 PM.

[Scorpyon]

If you don't play, they can't make it better. They need us to help them. They won't always listen to us, but, they still need us. This is, so far, the best Battletech game I've seen. There are some balance issues, a few crash bugs, etc...but, it's still BETA. Get on and play. Help them make it as good as they can.

Scorpyon

[Johnny Marek Summers]

Lucky! You can actually play. I'm hideously, insanely jealous right now.

[Sadistic Savior]

Cotelio, on 31 August 2013 - 02:43 PM, said:

So! What I'm asking, I guess, is what's the best way to learn how to play and start off well on a new account?

Jump in and play. There is a test mode, but IMO it is not all that useful except to test weapon configs.

Right now the game is basically team deathmatch. Make sure you can move, make sure you can fire weapons. Follow the biggest group of people on your team, and fire at what they fire at. ALWAYS let them fire first, and retreat if anyone fires back at you (enemies will generally attack whoever is attacking them at the moment).

Quote

And also, should I wait until the offical release I read somewhere that's happening on Sept. 17th, or go ahead and do it now?

Do it now. It's a free game. Rewards (Cbills and XP and mechs you own) will not be reset after launch...so there is no reason to wait.

In fact, it is better to start now because by the time launch comes you will be familiar with the game.

[Cotelio]

Scorpyon, on 06 September 2013 - 08:24 AM, said:

If you don't play, they can't make it better. They need us to help them. They won't always listen to us, but, they still need us. This is, so far, the best Battletech game I've seen. There are some balance issues, a few crash bugs, etc...but, it's still BETA. Get on and play. Help them make it as good as they can.

Scorpyon

It's not about the development of the game itself, but breaking promises like Cool Shot, and 3PV. So yeah. Sorry. =shrug=

[MavRCK]

do a full reinstall.. don't patch

update all your drivers!