143 replies to this topic

[KharnZor]

Sandpit, on 11 February 2014 - 02:03 PM, said:

How do you do that if you can't see them to shoot them?

Because. I find them then kill them? (mostly)

Sandpit, on 11 February 2014 - 03:41 PM, said:

I just want to thank everyone in this thread. When you see that Champ Stalker and assume it's a newb you're jsut making it much easier for vets to blast you

I'd like to thank any vet stupid enough to take an XL stalker, especially if they assume they think i'm fighting a noob

[Sandpit]

KharnZor, on 11 February 2014 - 05:50 PM, said:

Because. I find them then kill them? (mostly)


I'd like to thank any vet stupid enough to take an XL stalker, especially if they assume they think i'm fighting a noob

Point being champion stalker doesn't equate to a new pilot. It's also not a bad mech at all in the right hands. 4LRM15 artemis and tag? pffft I can do some damage with that thing. 4MLs to fight off any lights that try and close?

Most of it just comes down to the pilot. There's plenty of builds that people claim are bad but others do very well in.

[Noesis]

For an LRM stalker using an XL engine I don't see it as a big issue.

Ideally you will be firing from cover where possible using the advantage of "Indirect fire" support.

Just remember you are a support Mech and stay with the pack where possible so they can support you if needed (sometimes forgotten in PUGs). Being on your own as an isolated target as an LRM boat is simply asking for trouble from lights and fast mediums.

Any other build other than an LRM boat though I would agree like any other assault, STD engine is the way to go.

[Too Much Love]

You are right. This has to stop. It is one more (among thousands) example of VERY BAD matchmaking.

95% that if you see (c) mech from the trial list its a trial mech. It shouldn't be even argued.

[Scandinavian Jawbreaker]

I don't understand how you can justify XL Stalker as a trial mech. Everyone (I even texted my mom about it) knows it has an XL and thus it is an easy kill. You don't have to be a veteran or 2% high elo to utilize that information. It is a red cloth when you see that (C) after a 3F. "Shoot my side torso please!". This fact makes it a bad call from PGI because you really can't miss an STK side torso.

As for Stalkers taking an XL generally... I guess if you have a dedicated build with a protective or highly offensive drop deck it's tolerable. I got the Stalkers when it was released and looking at my stats I have over 1000 matches played with the chassis. I used XL on three matches that time and came to the conclusion that it is bad. VERY bad. Side torsos are huge tanks and you should utilize that ability. But if you insist using an XL on your Stalker, I got one advice: Better bind eject to your steering wheel, cuz you're gonna die alot.

[Too Much Love]

You can justify it very easy: XL engines costs more.

Since champion mechs are avaiable only for MC, PGI tries to equip them with XL.

[Scandinavian Jawbreaker]

drunkblackstar, on 11 February 2014 - 09:26 PM, said:

You can justify it very easy: XL engines costs more.

Since champion mechs are avaiable only for MC, PGI tries to equip them with XL.

Yes, I am aware of that. But some people on this topic are actually making claims that it is ok and it's a good build and all that BS. I was referring to them.

[Corbon Zackery]

Its very sporty out there right now.

Last 6 month my stats have jumped from a mere 60% to 97% only 74 more people must die to put me at 1.00.


A lot of fresh meat online who follow the wrong advice on the forums.

The last yummy morsel was a Awesome all Arty LRM and a small laser.

We were letting him scribble on are cockpit for the fun of it. Before he blew up due to uncased ammo.

Edited by Corbon Zackery, 11 February 2014 - 09:36 PM.

[Novakaine]

The simple solution.
LTP
Learn to Play.
Seriously.
There is a learning curve here don't dumb it down.

[YueFei]

Novakaine, on 11 February 2014 - 09:40 PM, said:

The simple solution.
LTP
Learn to Play.
Seriously.
There is a learning curve here don't dumb it down.

When the first portion of a learning curve is too steep, people will give up and go on to other things.

There's a reason we teach children addition and subtraction before moving on to teaching them multiplication and division.

MWO needs a single player campaign that acts as a tutorial, ala Freespace 2. Each new mission introduces a few new concepts that build upon the foundation laid by previous missions, and provides numerous opportunities to apply the new concepts. At the end of completing the single-player campaign, a cadet should be rewarded with a decent wad of C-bills to start with to buy his first mech.

[Too Much Love]

Anyway, the question is not if XL stalker is good or bad (thou its of course bad).

OP asked how is it possible that half of one's team could consist of trial mechs while the other not? If such things ever happen it means only matchmaker epic and total fail.

[Abivard]

Not everyone has to close to under 200M to be effective, or hit their target.
If you are one of those pilots, stay away from the stalker and stay away from XL's.

But what ever you do please stop posting that because you sux in one they are bad, it is not the mech at fault, it is the pilot.

I have a newsflash for you, if you do bad in the xl stalker lrm boat, you will probably do bad in any build.

Letting the enemy get on your side or back is not good, and hitting a stalker side torso from head on is harder than cockpitting it.

[627]

drunkblackstar, on 11 February 2014 - 10:15 PM, said:

Anyway, the question is not if XL stalker is good or bad (thou its of course bad).

OP asked how is it possible that half of one's team could consist of trial mechs while the other not? If such things ever happen it means only matchmaker epic and total fail.

Not exactly. Matchmaking has its flaws and needs work but I'm aware that this can't be done over night.

the Trial on the other hand can be changed to something more robust and new player friendly.
Seems to be obsolete, now it is released as champion mech. but still...


It is not just the XL in a stalker. It is the sum of all those little things like ghost heat weapons or lots of needed weapon groups that makes this mech a bad choice for a new player.

And for those L2P guys: seriously we are talking about new players who haven't even "committed" to this game. They literally just downloaded the game and we can hope they played the tutorial.

If you try a free game and you get smashed to the ground by all the other players and you have no idea what's going on because there's no manual or anything, you'll likely uninstall.

That has nothing to do with learning curve. It has to do with F2P business mechanics and new user experience.

Like matchmaking this can't be done in two days but you could at least take one obstacle out of the way, path is harsh enough.

Edited by 627, 11 February 2014 - 11:36 PM.

[Joseph Mallan]

IV Amen, on 11 February 2014 - 09:27 PM, said:

Yes, I am aware of that. But some people on this topic are actually making claims that it is ok and it's a good build and all that BS. I was referring to them.

For what the Mech is for, it is a perfect build. with 4 LRM15s you are not meant to be in the thick of battle, You are meant to be 400-700 meters from the brawl. Raining pain on the enemy your allies have a lock on. SO if you are brawling with Daz or Bishop I can be adding 4 LRM15s to the suffering you are receiving. Now who do you focus on? Them or Me? It is a team oriented design, that a smart player who knows the strengths and weaknesses can use the design as it was inteneded. A long range support Mech.

[RiotHero]

627, on 07 February 2014 - 03:32 PM, said:

It's pretty easy to tell who is piloting those trial stalkers.
I've seen some guys doing really decent in it, knowing how to operate it and how to defend themselves against light mechs (=me).

And then there are those who shoot LRMs at you point blank. Who run in a straight line, trying to turn to see what hits them back there, only to smash into the next building.
I don't care about veteran players in trials. Or if I offend anyone of you with this.

It's the new players I care about.
I want them to stay, not to leave.

Exactly

When I'm seeing 5 or more of these mechs in a game all with mid to low double digit damage I can only assume they're not pro's, anecdotally or not I tend to believe my own lying eyes. One would think that these 3rd person spec players that can't break 10 damage launching lrms into the ground 10 feet ahead of them are in fact new players.

I watch them just get completely eviscerated by lights. The lights don't even bother shooting until they have an a angle on the side torso lol. I've actually called it out for a pack before in spec and they chewed it up in seconds.

I guess the next mech should be a champ hunchback with an XL engine. Since there are no "bad" builds only preferred and non-preferred it shouldn't be a problem. I'm sure plenty of people do well with it.

In the end I would like it to stay, there is nothing like the rush of racing to the Champ stalker to see who can nab the free kill. I actually worry more about trial spiders, I don't think twice about the stalkers unless I don't have other enemies to deal with.

[Joseph Mallan]

Abivard, on 11 February 2014 - 10:57 PM, said:

Not everyone has to close to under 200M to be effective, or hit their target.
If you are one of those pilots, stay away from the stalker and stay away from XL's.

But what ever you do please stop posting that because you sux in one they are bad, it is not the mech at fault, it is the pilot.

I have a newsflash for you, if you do bad in the xl stalker lrm boat, you will probably do bad in any build.

Letting the enemy get on your side or back is not good, and hitting a stalker side torso from head on is harder than cockpitting it.

Not completely true. Because you do not have the patience to keep out of the melee, does not mean you will do bad in a brawler.

[627]

Joseph Mallan, on 12 February 2014 - 02:46 AM, said:

For what the Mech is for, it is a perfect build. with 4 LRM15s you are not meant to be in the thick of battle, You are meant to be 400-700 meters from the brawl. Raining pain on the enemy your allies have a lock on. SO if you are brawling with Daz or Bishop I can be adding 4 LRM15s to the suffering you are receiving. Now who do you focus on? Them or Me? It is a team oriented design, that a smart player who knows the strengths and weaknesses can use the design as it was inteneded. A long range support Mech.

I'm all with you on this one. But you said it yourself: a smart player who knows the strengths and weaknesses can use the design as it was inteneded

And here is the problem with it. Even without the "smart" it is the whole point. If you don't tell new players how to use such a complex mech how shall they learn it?

Trial and error won't work if your lifespan in that stalker is 90 seconds, depending on map size.

[Joseph Mallan]

627, on 12 February 2014 - 03:11 AM, said:

I'm all with you on this one. But you said it yourself: a smart player who knows the strengths and weaknesses can use the design as it was inteneded

And here is the problem with it. Even without the "smart" it is the whole point. If you don't tell new players how to use such a complex mech how shall they learn it?

Trial and error won't work if your lifespan in that stalker is 90 seconds, depending on map size.

You know... you were ignorant of the intricacies of build performance at one time. And you either had to learn through trial and error, or you had someone to tell you good from bad. I prefer trial and error myself. As what works well for you could be trash with me in the cockpit and Vice versa. Cause if you asked me, by my experience Spiders, Ravens and Jenners are PoS and are useless rides. Ask Any good Light Jock and he will swear by 'em. Now what do you do?

[wanderer]

Quote

If your stalker has an XL engine, then it has a newb in it.

I don't own any Stalkers.


I have a 2.00 KDR and a 3.0 W/L ratio with the Trial one. I'd have a better KDR, but generally once I run through the LRM ammo killing people, I go out and blast them with the lasers for good measure just to help the team out more, and that's when the side torsos can go kablooey.

I've been noticing other "ringers" in them too. Last game I was in, the -winner- was the last 'Mech standing...a Trial Stalker. 11-12, GG "newb".

Edited by wanderer, 12 February 2014 - 05:29 AM.

[poopenshire]

I was in a match 4 nights ago when myself and 3 other Light mech pilots were on the River City map. We piloted around big battle in the middle and came up on 2 Stalkers who were cherry picking from a good ways off. Needless to say they had no defense and the 4 of us were able to take them both down. Not sure if they were newbs or their team was newbs, but they should have never been left alone.

It takes more then a good pilot to use a mech right, your team has to support you. If your mech is big and slow, then you need atleast a mech or two for defense.