71 replies to this topic

[Bront]

Trial mechs? I suggest any new player try each of them out a few times.

Lights - The Spider is mobile, shows you how to use JJs, and is survivable enough, and isn't a bad example of a light. Not a bad mech to start in, and a very good build.

Mediums - Cicada might as well be a Jenner, but it's functional, fast enough, and has good firepower, and should teach heat management.

Heavy - The dragon... not a fan of that build. It's a good long range mech though with the Gauss. Dragons are often considered easy kills and get focus fired by some folks.

Assault - I dislike the Highlander. Runs too hot with the ERLLs, Streaks aren't the most intuitive weapons, and the mech just seems like it doesn't know what it wants to be, Long range or short range.. Highlanders are also targets, being large assaults, so they can take a beating pretty quickly.

That said, it's all personal preference. That's why it's best to try each of them 2-3 times. Since they;re all champions, it's not like they're horrid builds (unlike earlier when they weren't), and hopefully they get enough champions they can rotate more than just 1 mech a month soon.

[AaronWolf]

Koniving, on 22 January 2014 - 11:02 AM, said:

It felt amazingly fun, but using it that way is no longer feasible. At least not how I used it here. (Video is time skipped to the action for reasons in spoiler.)

Spoiler

Because I was a very unhappy camper and so near the beginning I was rather belligerent to say the least; trying to prove for a second time in a row that there was, in fact, a Heat Scale/ghost heat penalty applied to AC/2s which at the time both some of the Devs and the moderators all denied. Later on, the lead designer said it was true and intentional as a way of dealing with macro users utilizing it to 'troll' enemies with constant screen shake, but not working as intended. Some time later, it became about 7 times worse and labelled 'as intended'. As such, using 3 AC/2s in this way is not only no longer feasible but literally impossible.

I won't deny its literally annoying-possible. (Impossible) Still is fun to run around and do. I love the sound of "DUNDUNDUNDUNDUNDUNDUNDUNDUN"

The overheat though is horrifying. >_>

[Koniving]

AaronWolf, on 22 January 2014 - 11:05 AM, said:

The overheat though is horrifying. >_>

It is indeed horrifying. But it's done and they have no intention on changing it. You could use macro timings of 045 to get a solid AC/2 firing rate in chain fire without hitting much of a penalty, but really it's just hurt by it.

----

Now if I were to choose another solid starting mech other than a Shadowhawk or Orion or whatever, it'd be a Thunderbolt. With a standard engine, a thunderbolt can be very good. It's also a good lesson in 'location, location, location'; where how you fight depends on where you put your weapons. It's also a great lesson on restraint, they have many hardpoint locations but no feasible way to use them all without going XL. But its strength is in using standard engines. Choices; in the end it boils down to choices.

Learn to think and to choose for yourself, and you can handle and use anything.

[Bront]

Koniving, on 22 January 2014 - 08:47 PM, said:

It is indeed horrifying. But it's done and they have no intention on changing it. You could use macro timings of 045 to get a solid AC/2 firing rate in chain fire without hitting much of a penalty, but really it's just hurt by it.

----

Now if I were to choose another solid starting mech other than a Shadowhawk or Orion or whatever, it'd be a Thunderbolt. With a standard engine, a thunderbolt can be very good. It's also a good lesson in 'location, location, location'; where how you fight depends on where you put your weapons. It's also a great lesson on restraint, they have many hardpoint locations but no feasible way to use them all without going XL. But its strength is in using standard engines. Choices; in the end it boils down to choices.

Learn to think and to choose for yourself, and you can handle and use anything.

Not a bad idea either. A Jenner is also not a bad early mech. Sure, you need the engine, but it's cheep otherwise, and teaches aiming at speed, to constantly be moving, as well as positioning (ultra-important in a light).

[AaronWolf]

Koniving, on 22 January 2014 - 08:47 PM, said:

It is indeed horrifying. But it's done and they have no intention on changing it. You could use macro timings of 045 to get a solid AC/2 firing rate in chain fire without hitting much of a penalty, but really it's just hurt by it.

Kon, Lord of Videos which are Informational and Make me addicted to watching them all.

Also that guy on the forums who helps everyone.

[Johnny Reb]

Arahantius, on 19 January 2014 - 03:26 AM, said:

When you start out, you won't have any cash and you will only have 4 trial mechs to play with. I'm going to make a suggestion that will help new players avoid the pitfall of annoying other players which results in severe trolling.

Take an assault mech first and more importantly, don't take a spider. As a new player, you will be called a cheat, coward, dezgra and many other horrid things if you innocently take a mech which is considered to be OP (over powered).

If you take an assault mech, you will be less likely to be Team Killed by players who think you're doing something wrong and you'll be able to soak up the damage of enemy attacks. This will also allow you to get used to the flow of battle in MWO.

Tactics - since you're new, you'll want to hang back a bit and see how the game plays out. As an assault mech, some veteran players know that they need to protect the assault mechs from light mechs, so just ignore the light mechs if you can and focus your fire on easy to hit targets.

Never ever go anywhere alone in an assault mech, you'll be slaughtered despite your heavy armour.

Remember that this is advice for absolute new players. You will eventually pick up better tactics and there are plenty of advanced topics on tactics in other sections of the thread.

Now, I agree new players should take an assault or heavy to start. However, that is because the game is geared toward big mechs. PPL just killing you for what you run is rare and a non-issue for me and what I have experienced.
Really, unless you are in a team that has a drop deck why criticize anyone for the mech they run? Can't get the xp not running it!

[juxstapo]

Terciel1976, on 19 January 2014 - 09:12 AM, said:

+1

I think the combination of maneuverability and survivability offered by heavies generally makes them the best place to start, too. Though, these days, a Shadow Hawk offers this as well, for a very modest price tag.

Hate to bandwagon jump, but I'mma +1 the Shawk suggestion.
Because it's an excellent mech, not because of Terciel's sexy sexy signature.

[AaronWolf]

juxstapo, on 24 January 2014 - 08:58 AM, said:

Hate to bandwagon jump, but I'mma +1 the Shawk- Hunchback suggestion.
Because it's an excellent mech, not because of Terciel's sexy sexy signature.

Selective editing ENGAGED.

Beep boop. BEEP. Biased Powers: ACTIVATED.

Will not allow Shadowhawks to become as common as Cataphracts. BEEP BEEP BOOP.

BUY MORE HUNCHBACK. BEEP.

(<ImaterriblepersonIknow>)

[TercieI]

AaronWolf, on 24 January 2014 - 09:04 AM, said:

Selective editing ENGAGED.

Beep boop. BEEP. Biased Powers: ACTIVATED.

Will not allow Shadowhawks to become as common as Cataphracts. BEEP BEEP BOOP.

BUY MORE HUNCHBACK. BEEP.

(<ImaterriblepersonIknow>)

I'm actually leveling Hunchies now and having fun with 'em. They're not bad, but they're nowhere near SHDs and the giant target (even using Kon's 46/2 armor) is a tough weakness to deal with.

juxstapo, on 24 January 2014 - 08:58 AM, said:

Hate to bandwagon jump, but I'mma +1 the Shawk suggestion.
Because it's an excellent mech, not because of Terciel's sexy sexy signature.

You know what would make that sig even sexier? Yeah, I know you do.

(sorry, inside joke)

Edited by Terciel1976, 24 January 2014 - 09:17 AM.

[Koniving]

Terciel1976, on 24 January 2014 - 09:16 AM, said:

I'm actually leveling Hunchies now and having fun with 'em. They're not bad, but they're nowhere near SHDs and the giant target (even using Kon's 46/2 armor) is a tough weakness to deal with.

The 46/2 is gonna need to be re-evaluated. The hunch side has been completely rebuilt, and thus the hitbox was completely remade too. The backside is a lot wider now.

[TercieI]

Koniving, on 24 January 2014 - 09:23 AM, said:

The 46/2 is gonna need to be re-evaluated. The hunch side has been completely rebuilt, and thus the hitbox was completely remade too. The backside is a lot wider now.

I've been keeping an eye on it. I have faith in your judgment, but I judge by my own experience. So far, haven't lost it from a back-shot, though I've done it to my opposite number a couple times.

[Lord Letto]

a Word of Warning as someone who just moved up to assaults with the D-DC and solo pugs most of the time during the day if no merc Members/Buddys are online to group with. Don't Get Left behind by Pugs, try to convince a minimum of a lance to stick with you, I downgraded the STD 300 in the D-DC at one point to a STD 260 to fit more DHS for Heat Management that dropped my speed from 48.6 Stock to 42.1. I Ended Left behind and when a Lance + from the other team Found me, I Asked for help and only got a reply of "Should have stayed with the Team", Followed by be Blowing up Due to a solo D-DC Vs a Lance+ of others with no backup, Sorry Pugs, But the Atlas don't have MASC to hit 70-80+ to "Stay with the Team"

Edited by Lord Letto, 24 January 2014 - 09:42 AM.

[Koniving]

Terciel1976, on 24 January 2014 - 09:26 AM, said:

I've been keeping an eye on it. I have faith in your judgment, but I judge by my own experience. So far, haven't lost it from a back-shot, though I've done it to my opposite number a couple times.

My poor Grid Iron has been having an awful experience. I'm trying to find some sort of balance to it.


Real mechwarriors never die, they simply sit down to rest.

Mech: Grid Iron. Pilot: Koniving
Shot by Koniving.

Edited by Koniving, 24 January 2014 - 10:38 AM.

[TercieI]

Koniving, on 24 January 2014 - 09:44 AM, said:

My poor Grid Iron has been having an awful experience. I'm trying to find some sort of balance to it.

No clever suggestions from me, I'm running it as a Boomback since I don't have a G or H.

[AaronWolf]

Koniving, on 24 January 2014 - 09:44 AM, said:

My poor Grid Iron has been having an awful experience. I'm trying to find some sort of balance to it.

My favorite setup is: 3 Mlas + 1 AC-2 + 1 AC-5 in a XL 275.

Its psychopathic, but I love it to death.

Terciel1976, on 24 January 2014 - 09:50 AM, said:

No clever suggestions from me, I'm running it as a Boomback since I don't have a G or H.

*Slap* Buy the damn G! It is the True Hunchback!

Edited by AaronWolf, 24 January 2014 - 09:53 AM.

[TercieI]

AaronWolf, on 24 January 2014 - 09:53 AM, said:

*Slap* Buy the damn G! It is the True Hunchback!

Here's why the Grid Iron (my first Hunchie, bought P&SP the next day):

• Quirks: 37.5% faster torso twist speed, 10% faster torso pitch speed
  
• 30% C-Bill Bonus

Edited by Terciel1976, 24 January 2014 - 09:58 AM.

[AaronWolf]

Terciel1976, on 24 January 2014 - 09:57 AM, said:

Here's why the Grid Iron (my first Hunchie, bought P&SP the next day):

• Quirks: 37.5% faster torso twist speed, 10% faster torso pitch speed
  
• 30% C-Bill Bonus

Y U NO BUY 4G TOO!?



I can see why you got it, but I like collecting the entire sets of chassis and mastering them all. :S I'm crazy about completion of things.

[BaconTWOfourACTUAL]

Terciel1976, on 24 January 2014 - 09:16 AM, said:

I'm actually leveling Hunchies now and having fun with 'em. They're not bad, but they're nowhere near SHDs and the giant target (even using Kon's 46/2 armor) is a tough weakness to deal with.



You know what would make that sig even sexier? Yeah, I know you do.

(sorry, inside joke)

One could assume a higher clan rank? lol

[Koniving]

AaronWolf, on 24 January 2014 - 09:53 AM, said:

My favorite setup is: 3 Mlas + 1 AC-2 + 1 AC-5 in a XL 275.

Might try it. Main thing is I don't have any spare XLs. Too many of my 90 mechs don't have engines as it is.

Also, see the post I did back up there about the Grid Iron again; I took the shot for you. Watching it happen was hilarious. One minute I'm making an enemy Victor and Atlas (also an enemy) shoot each other, the next the Atlas kills both of us and the Victor slams into me, which slingshots me into a somersault to that pillar where I slump down like "...I'm gonna sit for a minute; gettin' too old for this."

Edited by Koniving, 24 January 2014 - 10:42 AM.

[Krujiente]

Players in mediums and heavies are fine as long as they aren't stuffing themselves into a Dragon when they're learning how the game works. They REALLY need to switch to another heavy for trial, the Dragon is a really light heavy and doesn't have jumpjets or an abundance of laser hardpoints like the Quickdraw, and also has that overcompensating-for-ones-own-cockpit cockpit that makes it hard to tell when you're visible. That thing is built for older players that want a challenge and know how to keep out of close range.

AaronWolf, on 24 January 2014 - 09:53 AM, said:

My favorite setup is: 3 Mlas + 1 AC-2 + 1 AC-5 in a XL 275.

Its psychopathic, but I love it to death.




*Slap* Buy the damn G! It is the True Hunchback!

I would definitely by the G over the H I made that mistake and it just can't torso pitch like the G can. The Grid Iron is basically a C-bill bonus'd variant G with an extra missle slot that probably will go unused and requiring a different engine.