17 replies to this topic

[IPhaded]

Hello Everyone,

I go by IPhaded and I'm an old veteran from Mechwarrior 4 and all of the expansions. My specialty was as a sniper in the NovaCat, but I would roll in many mechs including the Cougar, Rhino, Shadowcat, Madcat, Black Knight, and Sunder. I ran a MW4 server for a time and participated in league play. I was part of Elite Legion, a group of 5 members who went undefeated in team matches in the Black Knight Expansion. Our small group subsequently grew in size as a clan and merged with UMPA in the Mercenaries Expansion. I played the unofficial patch for a time until I got busy with life and quit playing.

I'm interested in trying this out and perhaps finding some of the guys I used to roll with. I have not yet played any matches yet but will soon. It's been over 10 years since I've played any game in this series and I'm sure I'll be very rusty. But if anyone wants to roll around I'd be happy to tag along.

I'm happy to have found this game again to see that the series has been revived, and I myself look forward to reviving the fun I had. Feel free to message me, especially if you remember seeing me around before!

Best Regards,
IPhaded

[Nothing Whatsoever]

Welcome.


If you got any questions, we can help answer them.

[IPhaded]

Thank you, much appreciated!

[luxebo]

Welcome . I also still play MW4 Mercs Mekpak 3.1 with LAN with a couple others but I used to play online (not many or no matches anymore). MWO is a tough game even when coming from the past games, as it is different. Also, the mechs mentioned (Cougar, Rhino, Shadowcat, Madcat, Black Knight, and Sunder), potentially Black Knight and Sunder might appear, but the rest of these (assuming Rhino=Stone Rhino or Behemoth 1 and 2 in Mekpak 3.1, was such a boss of a mech) are Clan mechs, which might take a while to roll out. Then comes balancing (mainly Clan Pulses, Clan ER Larges, and Clan ER PPCs.) I think you should bring your older clan from MW4 Mercs similar to what I did and start playing with them. So yeah, once again welcome, and ask when you have questions.

[IPhaded]

Thanks! Yes from reading up on the mechanics in this game quite different than the ones from the older series. I do hope that at least my piloting skills will translate! I'm downloading the game right now and hopefully I'll play a few matches soon to see what it's like.

[Nothing Whatsoever]

Before starting off with the current Trial Mechs, I'd recommend trying out the "Tutorials" by selecting the orange gear that has a little Catapult in the middle that is to the left of the Launch button. The mech should be a Cataphract 3-D.

Then you can further check out the controls in the Training Grounds. There are two reticules, the cross is for torso mounted weapons, and the circle is for arm mounted weapons.

As a medium mech, the CN9-A(C) can give you a feel for the controls. And from there you can check out each currently available map also if you like. At the start of a match you can press the "/" key to keep the missile bay doors open, otherwise there is a slight delay. (Default they give a defense bonus to the launchers). There is a small light in the bottom left of the cockpit that will change from yellow (closed, with delay and defence) to green (open and regular damage).

For now we have two map variants Assault and Conquest. Assaults has two bases opposite each other, where winning is either cap or kill the other team.

Conquest has a total of five control points. Three start neutral and one is owned by either side (so total of five). Stay with other players and focus fire on enemies to get acclimated to this mode.

Then you can try the Atlas AS7-RS(C) to get a feel for assaults the Gauss Rifle fire mechanic and using LRMs with their lock on feature.

Also, the available Dragon plays more like a medium, than a heavy, due to it's hitboxes, speed and loadout. The Gauss Rifle has that special charge up sequence like the Atlas, that could take a bit of practice to make use of.

The Spider is a harasser and can respond to base caps on Assault. A special note with the machine guns, they hit in a cone from where the reticule circle is aimed at just like lasers, the bullets are simply a delayed animation feature that has not been addressed yet.

Hope this little bit helps, and we are ready and willing to clarify more as needed.

[IPhaded]

Thank you for those hints, I wish I had read them before I jumped into a match! I set up my controls and then in my excitement I went straight to playing. I played 3 matches in the trial Dragon, and yes I had no idea how to fire the gauss and didn't figure it out until my third match, lol. It is a pretty interesting firing mechanic and the timing will definitely need some getting used to.

Iuxebo you're correct, it feels like a completely different game than the previous in the series. I felt a bit disoriented at first especially with the HUD and the feel of the controls. The limited torso rotation and the sluggish trottle movement is something I'll have to get used to, but the "weight" at least felt a little familiar. I think that I may like light/medium mechs which I'll try next. I also tried playing in 3rd person but the lack of mini map and zoom magnification made it feel pretty ineffective to me compared to 1st person. By the end of my 3rd match I managed to get the hang of the controls a bit better and scored 5 assists and my first kill.

So are the jump jets a one time use? they would not recover energy after first use.

Also is there a way to toggle the zoom to the highest magnification rather than the 2 steps?

Thanks all for your help, I'll definitely try to get more matches in to get a better feel for the game.

Edited by IPhaded, 18 October 2013 - 10:34 PM.

[Appogee]

Good to have you aboard, iPhaded.

IPhaded, on 18 October 2013 - 10:33 PM, said:

So are the jump jets a one time use? they would not recover energy after first use.

No, they are infinitely reusble, and recharge quite quickly (ie a few seconds) after being used.

IPhaded, on 18 October 2013 - 10:33 PM, said:

Also is there a way to toggle the zoom to the highest magnification rather than the 2 steps?

No unfortunately. I too wish there was.

[Hammerhai]

GET PREMIUM TIME NOW.
It stacks with your cadet bonus, which lasts for the first 25 Games re earnings. After that you will be a po li'l mech warrior.

Most effective sim-ish way to play is HOTAM, not stick. That is for masochists. But fun if you are one.

[Marvyn Dodgers]

Also, from a techy perspective, if the game seems to be running goofy after a patch, remember to run the repair tool (I run it after each patch) to make sure nothing got corrupted in the patch

http://mwomercs.com/...public-release/

Welcome aboard/welcome back (old MWx vet here)

[CyclonerM]

Welcome back!
I am always glad to see veterans from past MW games coming back.
If you need a new awesome group to join or simply play with as a casual, and you are not one of those stravag Inner Sphere Clan-haters, feel free to apply for Clan Wolf (Alpha Galaxy)
http://mwomercs.com/...wclan-wolfinfo/ this is our recruitment thread, you'll find our website with all the info, our TS server address, our roster (almost filled 2 Clusters, we are ~80 active players). If you are interested write a post in the introductions thread and jump on TS.

Warden or Crusader does not matter, join the Wolves, learn to play better, enjoy some honorable combat & have fun!
MechWarrior CyclonerM, Clan Wolf Alpha Galaxy, 328th Assault Cluster

[IPhaded]

Thanks for all the responses, this game seems to have a great community much like the one I remember!

I've discovered that I have the free 1-day premium for signing up which I haven't messed with yet. I think I want to wait until I can put in a solid day so that I get the most out of it.

I've run the game checker and it did indeed discover some issues which I have now fixed.

So far in my play, I've stuck with the Trial Dragon since it has the load-out that's closest to what I'd prefer. As a veteran "pop tart" my play style tends to favor load-outs with Large Lasers, PPCs, and Gauss/AC and fight at maximum range with jump jets being a plus though not necessary. Can you all recommend a heavy/assault chassis that would be suitable for this? So far the Catapult with ER PPC (CPLT-K2) looks interesting as well as the Victor and Highlander.

I appreciate everyone's input and suggestions, they've been very helpful!

[luxebo]

Praetor Shepard, on 18 October 2013 - 09:22 PM, said:

Before starting off with the current Trial Mechs, I'd recommend trying out the "Tutorials" by selecting the orange gear that has a little Catapult in the middle that is to the left of the Launch button. The mech should be a Cataphract 3-D.

Then you can further check out the controls in the Training Grounds. There are two reticules, the cross is for torso mounted weapons, and the circle is for arm mounted weapons.

As a medium mech, the CN9-A© can give you a feel for the controls. And from there you can check out each currently available map also if you like. At the start of a match you can press the "/" key to keep the missile bay doors open, otherwise there is a slight delay. (Default they give a defense bonus to the launchers). There is a small light in the bottom left of the cockpit that will change from yellow (closed, with delay and defence) to green (open and regular damage).

For now we have two map variants Assault and Conquest. Assaults has two bases opposite each other, where winning is either cap or kill the other team.

Conquest has a total of five control points. Three start neutral and one is owned by either side (so total of five). Stay with other players and focus fire on enemies to get acclimated to this mode.

Then you can try the Atlas AS7-RS© to get a feel for assaults the Gauss Rifle fire mechanic and using LRMs with their lock on feature.

Also, the available Dragon plays more like a medium, than a heavy, due to it's hitboxes, speed and loadout. The Gauss Rifle has that special charge up sequence like the Atlas, that could take a bit of practice to make use of.

The Spider is a harasser and can respond to base caps on Assault. A special note with the machine guns, they hit in a cone from where the reticule circle is aimed at just like lasers, the bullets are simply a delayed animation feature that has not been addressed yet.

Hope this little bit helps, and we are ready and willing to clarify more as needed.

Summed it up well, was going to post on the trials and how they can be used (they're very powerful now). The best is probably Dragon and Cent, with Spider and Atlas being better than decent. Dragon and Cent can easily rack plenty of kill assists and damage. Atlas can be nice, but can't use it's close range ability Atli are designed for. Spider is the Spider, not the best light but can do some scouting.

IPhaded, on 19 October 2013 - 08:34 AM, said:

Thanks for all the responses, this game seems to have a great community much like the one I remember!

I've discovered that I have the free 1-day premium for signing up which I haven't messed with yet. I think I want to wait until I can put in a solid day so that I get the most out of it.

I've run the game checker and it did indeed discover some issues which I have now fixed.

So far in my play, I've stuck with the Trial Dragon since it has the load-out that's closest to what I'd prefer. As a veteran "pop tart" my play style tends to favor load-outs with Large Lasers, PPCs, and Gauss/AC and fight at maximum range with jump jets being a plus though not necessary. Can you all recommend a heavy/assault chassis that would be suitable for this? So far the Catapult with ER PPC (CPLT-K2) looks interesting as well as the Victor and Highlander.

I appreciate everyone's input and suggestions, they've been very helpful!

Oh, and use the premium time with all your Cadet Bonus. Good payout (like extra 2-4 mil), but it only allows more access to mechs. If you like sniper mechs, make sure the whole line is sniper because of mastering the three variants. If you pick up the K2, then if you don't like any of the other three (A1, C1, and C4), then you might have problems through the grind. C1 also has good sniping ability, so it's only the problem between A1 and C4, which both require missiles. I suggest maybe Jagermech, Cataphract, Victor, Highlander, and potentially Stalker and Atlas (or maybe you can wait for the Thunderbolt and Battlemaster, but it will be long before they will come in to play. Like December.) Try other mechs, though the Dragon is probably my favorite among the trials right now, the other three are pretty good too. Hope I helped.

Edit: And the Atlas you must be careful about it's LRM min range. That and tanking are pretty much the two things you must know about them. You will get focused on if they had a chance, because people think that you're going to be able to beachhead a charge into enemy territory and mass-murder the enemy team (instead the minute you charge, you can get brawled to death by mediums running slower. Maybe a Cicada with twin AC20's can kill you, so be careful.) Treat it as a fire support mech, not an Atlas sadly.

Edited by luxebo, 19 October 2013 - 06:18 PM.

[Hellen Wheels]

Howdy fellow Texan, I'm in DFW/UTA area here, several other DFW, Houston etc. banging around and there's many old timers, you might remember the <T>emplars and House Jurai, from NetMech through MW4. Welcome back.

[Koniving]

IPhaded, on 18 October 2013 - 10:33 PM, said:

The limited torso rotation and the sluggish trottle movement is something I'll have to get used to, but the "weight" at least felt a little familiar.

Turn off Throttle Decay. You'll find it much easier to use. Tap W to set cruise faster, tap S to set it slower or go backward. Hit X to stop.

Turn off Armlock. This Severely Limits your ability to twist and aim. Enjoy!

IPhaded, on 18 October 2013 - 10:33 PM, said:

So are the jump jets a one time use? they would not recover energy after first use.

This occurs if your JJs are destroyed. They got blown up when you used them it seems. Or you failed to land on solid ground. Need both feet on the ground to recharge your JJs.

IPhaded, on 18 October 2013 - 10:33 PM, said:

Also is there a way to toggle the zoom to the highest magnification rather than the 2 steps?

"Advanced Zoom Module." Does 4x zoom + a PIP 5x zoom. Costs more than a mech and you need a lot of GXP to unlock the ability to even buy it.

Edit: Just watched an entertaining video that has it. Here's what it looks like. Listen for "and when we meet, I'm in your sights."

IPhaded, on 18 October 2013 - 10:33 PM, said:

Thanks all for your help, I'll definitely try to get more matches in to get a better feel for the game.

You're welcome.

Since you're from MW4, you'd be much more at home here than someone like myself who preferred the original 1989 game, the Battletech game of 1993's 32 player simulator, and MW3. Like MW4 you can fire a lot more often than in the others I mentioned. If you have some inexplicable issues with heat, see this chart. If your problem weapon is on there, then it's punished if you fire too many of it at once.

That said, I agree with Lux here. The Dragon has some issues, but so long as you stay far back you'll be just fine. Gives you plenty of time to just get used to things. The Centurion is good for close range fights. If you bring an Atlas, the enemy team gets an Atlas. That just means one more really tough nut to crack.

To get used to aiming, use a Dragon and remain on Assault.
To get used to piloting, use a Spider and go on Conquest.
To get used to brawling, use a Centurion.
To get used to having the {Scrap} beaten out of you, bring an Atlas.

Edited by Koniving, 19 October 2013 - 01:06 PM.

[Reverend Sideman]

Same situation, brother. Old school MW3/MW4 Vengeance league, followed through to Mercs and then lost track (actually, bought a stupid Xbox). Now I'm back and finding my old skills don't carry over too well. Thanks for posting, this thread has helped me a lot. Unlike the good old days where the game came with a 40-page instruction book, the layout here can be a little less than intuitive, and getting a clue appears to consist of having a clue beaten into your cockpit.
If any other old-timers are checking this thread, I'm looking for old Comstar/Drake's Guard clan from MW3, Grave Lance/Battle Magic from MW4/Mercs days.
I was Reverend Sideman then, Reverend Sideman now.
See ya'll in the Inner Sphere.

[Koniving]

Some basics I thought I'd pull up. Click the spoiler.

Spoiler

This was made by the very first official MWO tournament's 4th place medium champion about the Centurion. It's about a different Centurion, but ultimately the info applies to Centurions and Dragons (other than the current one). The mech in this video is inferior in every way to the trial mechs currently available.


For your Atlas this is what it looks like when you fire those LRMs to help your team, from the team's perspective. Watch the LRM support that occurs here.

Clearly it's very valuable.

[DyDrimer]

Welcome, being a old MW2 pilot i have one piece of advise, for you here its not the same game but your piloting skills do port over well, if you was used to lag shooting, and moving while shooting you will rack up big time here in no time. Read the forums for mech tips but stay away from the toxic topic's because just like every other game out there, it has its "whining republic". Find a good mech and use smurfy before you run off and spend CBILLS. GL out there.