57 replies to this topic

[Creovex]

I advise anyone who is having issues with damage soak techniques to master all the Hunchbacks. It is a perfect trainer in my eyes for torso twisting big hitbox mechs. With the recent quirk, it even makes the mech more fun and durable then it had been before but it really trains the right technique for absorbing/spreading damage.

[oldradagast]

Creovex, on 01 August 2014 - 02:20 AM, said:

I advise anyone who is having issues with damage soak techniques to master all the Hunchbacks. It is a perfect trainer in my eyes for torso twisting big hitbox mechs. With the recent quirk, it even makes the mech more fun and durable then it had been before but it really trains the right technique for absorbing/spreading damage.

Agreed. The Hunchback is still decent, though not top-tier, but they are dangerous enough that one cannot ignore them on the battlefield. They are also good trainers for torso twisting and have one of the best torso twist ranges in the game.

[Training Instructor]

The Tbolt is a better platform for practicing damage soak techniques, as it's not a one trick pony. Different variants deliver their lethality from different sides.

[Mavairo]

SamsungNinja, on 01 August 2014 - 12:54 AM, said:

I just wanted to pop back in and thank everyone for contributing to this, I'm really appreciative of the varying perspectives and that you all took the time to post in what is essentially a "halp! I am teh sux!" thread.

One thing I'd still like to get some feedback on is ways to increase my situational awareness, or steps/things to start with and work up to master battlefield awareness baller status.

What are some things that you each do to stay aware of your surroundings?

Any input will be greatly appreciated, as it will aid me in my ongoing efforts to eradicate any and all vestiges of the steering wheel underhive that are still clinging to my play-style.

Thanks in advance

One way I found to get the battlefield awareness down. (As well as increase your aiming skills) is to pilot Dragons. You have to pick your entry and exit VERY carefully, because of it's gigantic CT. You start becoming VERY aware of what places on the maps are and are not good for engaging the enemy in, as well as likely the places you are going to be flanked (since you are the flanker in most cases).

Every little mistake you make in the Dragon can bite you in the ass. It doesn't have the armor, or the hitboxes, and it's mobility is such that it can only disengage from the enemy if you can properly anticipate your opponents moves and actions early enough.

It also tells you very quickly how good you are at picking on vulnerable locations, because it doesn't have more firepower than god. and to get comparable alphas, to other mechs you're running things like LLs, and AC10s, or PPCs and AC10s (running hot there). It also teaches you things like WHERE enemy fire is coming from, without craning your torsos around to see it. You start watching that paper doll like a hawk when the bullets start flying to preserve your arm weapons

As far as teaching situational and battlefield awareness, there's not many mechs better for it since the Dragon can actually get kills. I suppose the Locust could, but why pilot something a stiff breeze will CT? Dragons can be surprisingly survivable if you do it right. Just watch out for those Mad Cats. Most of the time they're just as fast as you are.

Edited by Mavairo, 01 August 2014 - 06:16 AM.

[oldradagast]

Training Instructor, on 01 August 2014 - 05:33 AM, said:

The Tbolt is a better platform for practicing damage soak techniques, as it's not a one trick pony. Different variants deliver their lethality from different sides.

Valid point - Thuds also fill this role well. Different mechs for different folks.

Much like the Dragon, the Awesome will also teach you how to survive in a fragile mech... hard mode only, of course...

Edited by oldradagast, 01 August 2014 - 06:29 AM.

[Xyroc]

Mavairo, on 31 July 2014 - 04:03 PM, said:

Highlanders are the Suck now.
Stalkers, Atlases, Victors (sorta), and Battlemasters are the IS assaults.

The Not Awesome's buff effectiveness remains to be seen.

The Awesomes are doing great now had to run up on a few direwolfs & atlai before they were like "oh didnt expect much from a AWS-8V "

[Votanin FleshRender]

OP, I feel ya.

I'm at that weird stage where I know I'm not gawdawful anymore, because I can see a lot of horrible play while spectating and recognize it. But, I'm light years behind being a good player.

Unfortunately, I think I'm about as good as I'm ever going to get... don't have the free time it takes to get from "not awful" to "good".

[Sandpit]

Votanin FleshRender, on 01 August 2014 - 06:47 AM, said:

OP, I feel ya.

I'm at that weird stage where I know I'm not gawdawful anymore, because I can see a lot of horrible play while spectating and recognize it. But, I'm light years behind being a good player.

Unfortunately, I think I'm about as good as I'm ever going to get... don't have the free time it takes to get from "not awful" to "good".

you'd be surprised. Getting better at this game has less to do with mouse finger reflexes and more with the old noodle, watching and learning, especially if you're not familiar with Btech, mechs, etc.
I'd encourage all new(er) players to read through some of the guides on here. Trust me, it can help get you over that plateau.

[Hillslam]

I think its because you're coming from STKs. STKs CT are ridiculously small.

[tayhimself]

El Bandito, on 31 July 2014 - 04:45 PM, said:

Buying Hero Highlander after JJ nerf patch? Talk about uninformed. At present, I'd rather just strip off all the JJs (maybe except one) from my 733C and make it a 90 ton Atlas. Paying 2 tons for really minor lift is bad deal, beyond 1 JJ for quick turns.

Mr.Bandito, but the JJs don't give you quick turns anymore do they? You could slow down and get the same turn radius / time if I'm not mistaken. Anyway PGI can lick my balls for ruining the HGN twice. (disgruntled heavy metal owner)

[Lucy Cameron]

As with everything, the more you play, the better you'll get.

[Mister Blastman]

Mavairo, on 31 July 2014 - 04:03 PM, said:

Highlanders are the Suck now.
Stalkers, Atlases, Victors (sorta), and Battlemasters are the IS assaults.

The Not Awesome's buff effectiveness remains to be seen.

Err... Aren't you forgetting the Banshee?

[Mavairo]

Mister Blastman, on 01 August 2014 - 08:44 AM, said:

Err... Aren't you forgetting the Banshee?

I have no personal seat time in the Banshee, and I don't really see them too often. So I've no personal opinion on their prowess.

Edited by Mavairo, 01 August 2014 - 09:36 AM.

[Votanin FleshRender]

tayhimself, on 01 August 2014 - 08:35 AM, said:

Mr.Bandito, but the JJs don't give you quick turns anymore do they? You could slow down and get the same turn radius / time if I'm not mistaken. Anyway PGI can lick my balls for ruining the HGN twice. (disgruntled heavy metal owner)

My HM is doing exactly the same now as it was before.


Full disclosure, I almost always forget I have JJs when playing anything above a medium for some reason

[Mister Blastman]

Mavairo, on 01 August 2014 - 09:36 AM, said:

I have no personal seat time in the Banshee, and I don't really see them too often. So I've no personal opinion on their prowess.

You should try them.

[Lukoi Banacek]

Mister Blastman, on 01 August 2014 - 11:59 AM, said:

You should try them.

BNC, especially the 3E are highly effective in public play and even have situational success in competitive play. Truly a beast mode mech in the right hands with practice.

[Angel of Annihilation]

Lefty Lucy, on 31 July 2014 - 03:54 PM, said:

The JJ nerf has hit highlanders harder than any other mech. Not only do they have a relatively limited number of extremely heavy jets, but their boost-per-jet is abysmal as well.

I haven't heard the siren call of the Heavy Metal in weeks.

Yeah the OP picked a very bad time to purchase the Heavy Metal. I bought it a long, long time ago for full price specifically because it mounted 5 JJs that gave it incredible mobility for such a heavy mech. You had to give up ALOT of firepower to get that mobility because the JJs weigh in at 2 tons a piece but the mobility made up for the lack of firepower and general bad mix of hard points (1 Ballistic, 3 Energy and 2 Missile just sucks for such a heavy mech).

Now with the massive nerf given to the Class 1 JJs on the Highlander, the mech is pretty useless. If you leave the JJs on, you devote 10 tons to them and all they do is allow the HIghlander to wallow around like a boated pig. Take them off and you find that the hard points options are so limiting that you might as well have left them on and just Wallowed.

Currently my last build removed the JJs and mounted 2 PPCs, 1 Gauss and 2 SRM6s. Honestly it wasn't very successful and it was a build that could be done better on other mechs like the Atlas D-DC for a much better game play experience. The mech basically went from one of my most played and highest preforming mechs to a complete waste of $50 and one I have zero desire to play.

Honestly at this point I want a refund badly and really think Heavy Metal owners (and owners of perhaps a few other hero mechs) deserve that refund. I am half tempted to request one from PGI but I am sure they are just going to point that game experiences may change and that it sucks to be me in a polite, politically correct sort of way that has nothing to do with actual good customer service or promoting a good customer experience.

Edited by Viktor Drake, 01 August 2014 - 02:07 PM.

[Y E O N N E]

Jiang Wei, on 31 July 2014 - 05:17 PM, said:

No it isnt.. Its the worst thing to balance a game on actually. Not sure why you even think that.

My point was that for a game to have value as entertainment for a wide variety of people, you have to have a mix of items where some are low risk, low reward and others are high risk, high reward. Put another way, some things in the game have to be easy to use but not devastating when used correctly while others should be very difficult to execute to offset their power. That, by definition, requires you to take skill into consideration. Balancing a game is more than just some numbers on a spreadsheet.

You know why PPC+Gauss is so popular? It's really easy to pick up and it is extremely powerful. It's not following high-risk/high-reward rule.