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SRMs + LBX were great early weapons for me. I had aim problems, and these seemed to fill a void. I hardly ever use bulk SRMs anymore though (I do use streaks) ... and honestly I think the streaks are more useful. The launch delay + hit problems w/ SRMs makes them less fun. I hear there is an update in the works though.
I really wish arm-lock was a toggle in-game, and not something in settings or an extra key to press. I’m running out of fingers; I’d love to just tag it on or off and vice versa (like 3rd person view). Aiming both arm and torso weapons to converge is a pain - I guess I need a better mouse or to start using macros.
I enjoyed LRMs for a while, but their shine wore off. I’ve even re-tried them after the speed update, and while they are better, they are still avoidable. I see folks yelling about them being too good - but honestly, even for me (new ish guy) they are still pretty avoidable if you play smart. One thing for sure - they slowed the game down. PGI wanted to make time-to-kill longer, the LRM boost has people being a bit more cautious early-match.
Similarly, the UAC annoys me - too unreliable. Yes, it can burst. It also seems to jam when I don’t want it to. I’m still using it - but only when I mount more than one.
Sometimes meta is meta because it works ... I’m looking at you pin-point damage. Don't be afraid to try out what folks say are the "good" or "best" builds. Objectively good is still good.
Sometimes meta doesn’t work for me. I’m not a good jump sniper, especially not with torso/arm weapon combinations.
Sometimes silly things may still work for you. I have a semi-joke dual LBX + 4 streaks build I run, mostly to poke fun at a friend ... but I'm still pretty good with it and it's fun. I'm probably better in it than a meta-CTF.
Stalkers are far more beastly than I gave them credit for - They soak damage incredibly well, and against everything I can fathom, I still put up stupid numbers (for me) with them. They don’t feel like they are that devastating, but they seem to work for me. They also move relatively spritely for blimps on legs.
Catapults have my favorite movement animation / body. Seriously, some of the mechs just look blocky or lame. Catapults move like animals. I shouldn’t enjoy the K2 or Jester nearly as much as I do, and on both I run fairly silly builds but they are fun. The Raven seems to have similar movement stylings; I’ll work on them soon enough. I would consider selling body parts to get jump jets on a K2.
Atlases move like toddlers, and it amuses me. henever I’m behind an atlas that is turning in place, it evokes an image in my mind of my kids as toddlers. It amuses me, and that’s good enough.
While I love arm weapons for aim control, some mechs just get those blown off too easy.
I lose weapons on my Atlas all the time. I do love pairing arm-aimed direct fire with streaks.
My first mech to elite out was a Centurion - and that’s a great place for others to start. Some with XL and speed and some zombies, a few different weapon layouts (ballistic, missile, energy), the importance of torso twisting w/ that shield arm ... all great stuff. Frankly, I love the stylings on the left arm - even looks shieldy. I moved passed and frankly at 55 tons I can get similar things but with jump jets - so I don’t play the CN9 much anymore, but I definitely learned a ton from them.
People don’t use the R key enough. Use the R key. Use the R key to select targets. This helps your team, and eventually will help you find a target's weak spot and aim for it. I’m getting good enough now to use it to find the right target and on occassion, hit a specific location. Just today I was about to go head to head, me on my JM6 against a CTF with similar weapon load. His left torso shows no armor remaining, and I wonder “hm ... does he have an XL?”. Sure enough, he did.
Third person view puts a big beacon over your head. The visibility on that thing is crazy ... you can see it from way across the map. That may not seem important to you now, but there are folks that can snipe you from very very very far away. It makes you a target.
Most mechs are different after you have some XP on them; don't give up on a chassis you're not doing well in. That said, I unashamedly sell the ones I don’t like without a second thought (once I pass whatever the XP tier I need on it is).
You're probably going to die a lot in your early chassis compared to your DPS and kills. That's ok - you'll get better.
When you're starting, don't lead ... follow. Once you know what you're doing, know the maps, know how the battles tend to flow you can anticipate likely ambushes, etc. Until then, sticking your head out first gets everyone shooting at you.
Missiles can be avoided or blocked with terrain ... or sometimes just out-ran.
You can twist your body to spread damage around and prevent it from all going to your torso(s) (using your mouse). Practice this, it can save your hide someday.
When you die, spectate. See how other people play and learn from there.
Watch your heat. An overheated mech is not only not shooting, it's not dodging either and a really good target. Players who have more experience watch for the little slouch / going-limp and focus fire. I sure try to now.
Don't get greedy. I've died lots of times saying "One more alpha should kill this guy! Wait, one more! Ok, one more!" while taking fire from everywhere else or getting my back cored out. Do your damage and move out.
Prey on the weak. If you see a weak target, put some damage on it. You can see it's weak by the paper doll up on the right when you select it with "R". You might kill it, you might not but you'll put it closer to off-the-map. This isn’t “kill stealing” - this is focusing fire so you take one of the opponent’s shooters out faster.
Light mechs that stand still generally die. Frankly, lots of mechs that stop will die - but a light who’s stopped is just begging for about 30-40 points of damage in a single location. Keep on trucking.
Edited by Macksheen, 19 March 2014 - 04:56 PM.
