1821 replies to this topic

[IraqiWalker]

Rhaythe, on 10 October 2014 - 07:52 AM, said:

I can be fun, but it gets silly quick:

Mobius 1? Was that the sound track from the final level of Ace Combat 4?

Also, that locust scourge is probably the event I most regret missing in MW:O.

Edited by IraqiWalker, 10 October 2014 - 04:10 PM.

[TygerLily]

Haha, there should be a fortune cookie that say, "It is not the Locust that is silly, it is you."

[Carl Avery]

I picture in my mind random people at a Chinese restaurant, puzzling over the meaning of this.

: )

[Tesunie]

Due to life issues (I'm moving), I will be unable to join (most likely at least) SMM this week. If I do manage to join, consider it a miracle.

[TygerLily]

@Tesunie =(

So are we all okay with doing half-armor for tonight, just to test out how it plays?

Edited by TygerLily, 13 October 2014 - 01:23 PM.

[Carl Avery]

I won't be able to make the U.S.A. one tonight, unfortunately, but -- despite the serious lack of participation lately -- I haven't given up on trying to keep these going.

Stock 'Mech Monday European Edition didn't happen today; I was the only person who ever was in the channel. I believe at least two other of the Saturday & Wednesday events also failed to get started in the last two weeks. I don't think that it's as much a decrease of interest in stock matches as much as a decrease of interest in MWO; most of the people who once attended the stock matches, but no longer do, never show up on my list as Online at all. So it isn't as though the stock players stopped playing stock in favor of playing public matches; rather, it seems that most of the stock players have quit MWO altogether.

The stock community has lost far more players than it has gained new ones. I don't know what can be done to solve this; I feel that we've done virtually everything within our power to make the games balanced and fair for everyone, between our player-switching mechanism and tonnage balancing mechanisms. One or two people have complained about downtime between matches, but I don't see there being any way around that without doing away with the effort to keep the matches balanced. (Moreover, I don't think it's the occasional three-minute wait betweeen matches that's keeping more people from joining -- large groups in the public queue have the same problem, and that doesn't keep public groups from being popular.)

The two most common negative responses I get, when inviting new people to try stock, are both concerns that are beyond the power of the community to address: namely, "but I don't have the C-bills/mechbays for stock 'mechs," and "but I don't make C-bills/XP in private matches." (There's also the "but stock 'mechs suck" folks, but I think these aren't going to be interested no matter what.)

Edited by Carl Avery, 13 October 2014 - 02:27 PM.

[General Taskeen]

I think that's mainly because many of those folks also wanted an actual stock mode to earn money in (rather than waiting for a private match to get shuffled), so they may have left due to that. There is of course a huge number of people that want that from the original games.

[TygerLily]

I noticed you started getting 25,000 cbills in a private lobby now! xD Anyway, I think Carl's assessment is correct. I know a lot of people who are simply taking a break in general. Plus, with all these new Clan mechs, they have lots to focus on in the main MWO world.

Anyway:
"I don't have the C-bills/mechbays for stock 'mechs." Tell'm to get a stock account. The trials are actually not terrible now so earning that cadet bonus is cinch. Plus, anyone who's been around a while can see the master mech list and see what fits their playstyle.

"But I don't make C-bills/XP in private matches." True (except for that 25K). But it keeps the game fresh whenever you get tired of grinding in the main queues.

"...but stock 'mechs suck." Well, compared to non-stock, yes. But compared to other stocks...no! Especially at half armor...even a dual LRM5,ML Locust can then do some damage. Plus ammo will be at sufficient levels now.

[TygerLily]

Thanks for trying the half-armor thing tonight guys. Interesting to say the least!

[Tesunie]

sneeking, on 13 October 2014 - 08:47 PM, said:

carl I tryed to get on the ts for stock mech which id bookmarked that time I joined in but it say error now.

Server IP address changed. Should be a note in the first post about it?
I am sadly not at my main computer, so I can't just get and post this information myself. (If it isn't on the first post, check a couple pages back.)

[TygerLily]

New TS info:

198.37.118.56
PW: StranaMechty

[GunnyKintaro 01]

TygerLily, on 25 April 2014 - 02:21 PM, said:

So now that we have Private Lobbies, we can put together our own "stock Mech mode!"

Starting Monday, May 5th around 9:30pm EST we'll be kicking off weekly 12 vs 12 stock Mech matches!

Teamspeak
198.37.118.56
PW: StranaMechty

As far as Stock Mech Monday, we'll be using the following:
- Use Mechs "as is" when you purchase them or retrofit them to their stock loadouts.
- DO NOT use modules or consumables! Exception: A Mech that mounts the Command Console may
use Modules and Consumables.
- DO unlock efficiencies!
- Teamspeak has two types of Dropships: Tech 1 and All Tech. Choose the one you want and play!

TECH 1 Dropships: Do not use Mechs with AMS, Streaks, Pulse, ER, Double Heat Sinks, XL, Artemis, NARC, TAG, UAC, LBX, Gauss, ECM, Ferro, or Endo
ALL TECH Dropships: All Mechs allowed

__________________________________________________________________________________

Check out MechForce: Classic, a new hub for organizing stock play.

More Info:

Who the hell has stock Mechs??

Good question! Buy one (or four) on your main account. Or maybe you don't want to (Mechbay reasons, C-Bill reasons, etc.) then you should utilize a shiny new MWO account! Three free mechbays plus your first 25 matches will net you "Cadet Bonus" of over 7,000,000 C-Bills to buy your first stock Mech. Visit the MechForce: Classic forums for more tips and info on getting in to the stock scene.

Why?

Indeed choosing to play Mechs with their stock loadouts opens up an existential quandary that will lead to many a "xXxRalphWaldoEmersonxXx has killed xXRalphWaldoEmersonXx"...I think stock will prove to be much more challenging: each shot really must count. Ammo is sparse but the stock armor values are lower meaning weapons are deadlier. Heat management requires much more vigilance.

Current Events:
Stock Mech Monday 9:00 pm EST
Stock Mech Monday: Europen Edition 7pm CEST (10AM PST/1PM EST)

Stock Mech Eras 8:30pm EST (rotating era of BattleTech timeline/technology)

Succession Wars Sunday 7pm CEST (10AM PST/1PM EST)

Come help grow the new stock Mech scene!

[Carl Avery]

TygerLily, on 13 October 2014 - 03:00 PM, said:

I noticed you started getting 25,000 cbills in a private lobby now!

I saw that. Is it for everyone, or only the people who have premium running? I had premium time running yesterday, which is the only time I've seen this occur.

TygerLily, on 13 October 2014 - 03:00 PM, said:

Tell'm to get a stock account.

As one of the very few people who has a stock account, I do not consider this a valid option for most players. It takes hundreds of matches for even an already-experienced player to Elite all four weight classes on a new account, and it's absolutely miserable doing it with no modules whatsoever (especially for someone who's used to having modules and Master unlocks for all weight classes).

My stock account currently has Seismic Sensor and Radar Deprivation; I finally broke down and broke out the -- what -- twelve million C-bills for these two essential modules, just for when I was grinding public matches. But, remember: my stock account has over 1300 (mis)matches played in the public queue (grinding for C-bills and XP for my stock 'mechs). I know there aren't many people willing to create a new account and start slogging all that way from the very beginning, like that, just so they can play stock matches which almost no one plays.

I was so miserable mastering the weight classes on my stock account that I very nearly uninstalled MWO. I regretted creating a stock account for the longest time, and even now I don't know that it was worth it. I recommend to everyone not to create a new account for stock 'mechs, but rather to convert your existing (and already Elited/Mastered) disused 'mechs to stock.

If anyone does decide to create a stock account, against my advice, then at least do yourself this favor: when considering whether to try to save money by leaving a 'mech at single heatsinks for grinding the unlocks in public games, don't. With a few exceptions, you don't save any money by staying at single heatsinks all the way through your Elite skill-unlocks. Double heat sinks pay themselves off by the time you've finished Eliting them, for most builds, because the amount of reduced damage, kills, & assists caused by single heat sinks is so massive that it cuts your C-bill income severely. I believe it's more economical to upgrade even when accounting for having to pay to downgrade back to singles after Eliting.

Edited by Carl Avery, 14 October 2014 - 03:57 AM.

[Rhaythe]

Carl Avery, on 13 October 2014 - 02:01 PM, said:

 So it isn't as though the stock players stopped playing stock in favor of playing public matches; rather, it seems that most of the stock players have quit MWO altogether.

Pretty much.

[TygerLily]

Carl Avery, on 14 October 2014 - 02:09 AM, said:

I saw that. Is it for everyone, or only the people who have premium running? I had premium time running yesterday, which is the only time I've seen this occur.



As one of the very few people who has a stock account, I do not consider this a valid option for most players. It takes hundreds of matches for even an already-experienced player to Elite all four weight classes on a new account, and it's absolutely miserable doing it with no modules whatsoever (especially for someone who's used to having modules and Master unlocks for all weight classes).

My stock account currently has Seismic Sensor and Radar Deprivation; I finally broke down and broke out the -- what -- twelve million C-bills for these two essential modules, just for when I was grinding public matches. But, remember: my stock account has over 1300 (mis)matches played in the public queue (grinding for C-bills and XP for my stock 'mechs). I know there aren't many people willing to create a new account and start slogging all that way from the very beginning, like that, just so they can play stock matches which almost no one plays.

I was so miserable mastering the weight classes on my stock account that I very nearly uninstalled MWO. I regretted creating a stock account for the longest time, and even now I don't know that it was worth it. I recommend to everyone not to create a new account for stock 'mechs, but rather to convert your existing (and already Elited/Mastered) disused 'mechs to stock.

If anyone does decide to create a stock account, against my advice, then at least do yourself this favor: when considering whether to try to save money by leaving a 'mech at single heatsinks for grinding the unlocks in public games, don't. With a few exceptions, you don't save any money by staying at single heatsinks all the way through your Elite skill-unlocks. Double heat sinks pay themselves off by the time you've finished Eliting them, for most builds, because the amount of reduced damage, kills, & assists caused by single heat sinks is so massive that it cuts your C-bill income severely. I believe it's more economical to upgrade even when accounting for having to pay to downgrade back to singles after Eliting.

That IS good for people to note. I was only offering it as a suggestion to those who didn't want to spend $1.50 on a Mechbay. Also, at this point there is nothing to do but make and use c-bills. IMO, you might as well upgrade a Mech, get the x2 efficiencies and then revert to stock. It's how I do mine and I've got 60+ mechs and probably 6 to 8 stocks.

The other advice is to just refit one of the underperformers. We all have one...lol...

EDIT: Oh! About the cbill thing, with premium time you make something like 37,500 cbills. I also got a First Win Of The Day in one of our SMM matches. Weird.

Edited by TygerLily, 14 October 2014 - 04:35 AM.

[General Taskeen]

20 or 30k is mere chump change though. That's like giving scraps to Stock players.

[Tesunie]

General Taskeen, on 14 October 2014 - 02:55 PM, said:

20 or 30k is mere chump change though. That's like giving scraps to Stock players.

Better than nothing? But, as far as a pure stock goes, it's a lot cheaper to buy/use stock only mechs. You don't spend the c-bills on customizations.

They also probably wish to keep it low for custom matches, otherwise I can see people just 1v1 each other with a bot program (or something) to earn tons of C-bills while they are away form their computer (at work, etc), or something like that.

I'd be interested in earning (even at reduced rates) mech experience while in private matches... (Honestly, the lack of any rewards I think is what keeps my brother from joining all that much.)

[Carl Avery]

Tesunie, on 14 October 2014 - 04:01 PM, said:

as far as a pure stock goes, it's a lot cheaper to buy/use stock only mechs. You don't spend the c-bills on customizations.

Yeah, but you still have to level them in order to be on a level playing field in stock matches. And levelling a stock 'mech in public matches (against fully-tricked out & levelled opponents) is gruelling. Hence my earlier recommendation that they be upgraded for levelling in public matches, and then downgraded back to stock (after being Mastered or at least fully Elited) for stock matches. Again, I'm rather certain that the increased C-bill earnings gained from the boosted performance of an upgraded 'mech pays off the cost of the upgrades by the time you finish unlocking your Elites.

[TygerLily]

General Taskeen, on 14 October 2014 - 02:55 PM, said:

20 or 30k is mere chump change though. That's like giving scraps to Stock players.

I think it's meant to be more of a nod to consumable use in private matches.

[TygerLily]

Carl Avery, on 14 October 2014 - 05:58 PM, said:

Yeah, but you still have to level them in order to be on a level playing field in stock matches. And levelling a stock 'mech in public matches (against fully-tricked out & levelled opponents) is gruelling. Hence my earlier recommendation that they be upgraded for levelling in public matches, and then downgraded back to stock (after being Mastered or at least fully Elited) for stock matches. Again, I'm rather certain that the increased C-bill earnings gained from the boosted performance of an upgraded 'mech pays off the cost of the upgrades by the time you finish unlocking your Elites.

Of course, the compromise might be to run a stock loadout with DHS and other upgrades. Using the extra weight for good ammo, armor. So, same weapons but a at least on the level with other dudes and it still feels kind of stock like.

Edited by TygerLily, 14 October 2014 - 06:28 PM.