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Why Do People Not Lock Targets?


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#101 Thunder Lips Express

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 02:00 PM

I had a lrm warhawk yelling at me to hold my target locks so he could missile them... Well I don't understand why he would think I would stand in the open constantly getting shot by the enemy team while he sat back pretty as he pleases in cover dealing damage for free... If I have the opportunity to get a target lock I will but not for your benefit at the the risk of my own mech... Step out of cover and get your own lock you chickens

#102 n r g

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 02:00 PM

View Post151st Light Horse Regiment, on 19 September 2014 - 07:49 AM, said:

I literally smh at this all the time.

People never lock targets. I've specced people going head to head with another mech and never locking them up. This happens all the time.

You're denying yourself help from friendly missiles, and more importantly, denying yourself valuable information.

I've seen a guy in a phract, going up against a KFX or something, as the only two mechs left. He didnt even bother to lock the other mech up.

So he doesnt know which parts are most damaged, is he set up for close quarters or ranged combat etc.

I just dont understand it.


WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE BAD AIM

WHY DO PEOPLE NOT LOOK AT THE MINIMAP

WHY DO PEOPLE SUCK AT THIS GAME

WHY DON'T PEOPLE PLAY TO WIN

WHY DO PEOPLE MURDER PEOPLE

WHY IS THERE NO GOD

ggclose™

#103 -Natural Selection-

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 02:09 PM

I use R more than any other key, the faded print on it even tells the tale. Nonstop scanning for weak mechs or spots on them.

IMO I think some just might have an issue with W,A,S,D and other buttons at same time. I have shared builds before to get the response, "oh that's to many buttons". My immediate thought is,, I bet something like WoW or StarCraft would ruin your day lol.

#104 Sorbic

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 02:14 PM

View PostLivewyr, on 19 September 2014 - 11:28 AM, said:

I will lock my target if I have an opportunity, but I am not going to go out and hold locks for the Lurmboat.

1: In this TTK environment staring at your opponent is pretty stupid.
2: He can get his own damned locks. He wants to sit back and let everyone else tank for him, he can sit back and twiddle his thumbs, I give not a damn.
3: Just because you have LRMs does not mean you are required to sit back behind your team. You can shoot direct fire just as well. (Shoot and Scoot like the rest of us, you are not special...as a matter of fact, in the ECM environment, you are arguably Dead Weight)


When I lock a target, it is to see where to aim on him/her in particular.


1. We're not talking about staring at the enemy and tanking. Just lock and hold when it's safe and sensible.
2. We often get our "own damned locks" but having your team mates play as a team is just the sensible way to do things. I can't tell you the number of times I start gaining a lock from a friendly and fire just before/as I gain LOS. It cuts down on time "staring" at the enemy and greatly improves the chances of more rounds landing. Esp if the Mr Dorrito breaks LOS with me but you still see him.
3. You are concentrating on the minority of LRM lobbers who do play it too safe. Most of us are at/near the front lines trying to help YOUR team.

#105 MischiefSC

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 02:34 PM

Locking is what separates winners from losers.

Lock every target you can, even if you can't shoot him. This points him out to teammates. You can save an ally from walking into a trap or help direct teammates to an enemy they are chasing. It helps you identify what targets are damaged where; lean up, grab some target info, remember 'The white timby is RT cherry red' so that later you can remember that and focus on that damaged location before you even get your targeting info populated when you run into him.

Targeting is both how a competent player identifies how he will kill his enemies and how a competent player **** his team, even without touching chat. Even if ECM is around, lock the target. When the ECM leaves you've got the target populated and your teammates instantly notified.

It has nothing to do with LRMs. LRMs are irrelevant to targeting. Targeting is about being able to do useful damage and coordinate with your team. If you don't target every enemy you can then you are sandbagging and are lacking (intentionally or otherwise) a critical habit that spits successful and competent players from scrubs and tool.

To quote a wise philosopher -

Posted Image

#106 RazorbeastFXK3

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 02:40 PM

And I absolutely dislike how it targets the enemy mech that is closest to your reticule when you hit the lockon button even if the enemy mech is over 1,000m away from you on your six.

View Postterrycloth, on 19 September 2014 - 11:49 AM, said:

Target info seems really inconsistent in when it comes up. Hitting R doesn't seem sufficient, I think you also have to shoot them?


#107 RazorbeastFXK3

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 02:46 PM

I never did understand why my team does that.. all it does is light up my HUD with a bunch of red triangles [EDIT]and that's IF I happen to be looking in the direction of where the group of enemies are[/edit] along with that annoying ping sound.. Whenever that happens I get the urge to type "Lay off the sugar and caffeine please.."

Instead of rapidly hitting the lockon button to "cycle through all enemy contacts sighted" you could just withdraw and report "# of mechs in certain location" and if you're ambitious enough give a general readout of what the mix is "Assaults with heavies/mediums/lights with/without ECM" etc..

View PostAgent 0 Fortune, on 19 September 2014 - 01:51 PM, said:

4. I am target cycling to give a heads up to my allies. If I come across a bunch of untargeted/unidentified mechs I will often spam the r key to "ping" them for my allies, this is usually followed by my immediate retreat (so no fixed target).

Edited by RazorbeastFXK3, 19 September 2014 - 02:47 PM.


#108 terrycloth

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 02:50 PM

Then, 20 seconds later, the team would get the same info. And I'm being generous and assuming no one chased you so that you could stop and type.

#109 Nothing Whatsoever

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 02:56 PM

What I did is change my default from 'R' to 'L-Alt' so that I can use my thumb to target.

So I feel that L-Alt would be a better key to use, and recommend it.

#110 wanderer

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 03:07 PM

View PostEmpyrus, on 19 September 2014 - 10:00 AM, said:

Odd, i can target on not-locked targets anyone in my team sees even if i lack LOS. Of course if my teammates lose their LOS on the targets, my locks would end up immediately broken (no comment on how target decay module affects this, i've never had it).


Actually, you can't. From experience. If you have no LOS and nobody on your team (or a UAV) has the target locked, they simply won't show up. Otherwise, your HUD would light up like Christmas the second your scout spots the enemy team- and it doesn't. That's why you R-tap repeatedly to cycle through targets- so your team will see them pop up and vanish one after another.

Quote

EDIT i'm talking about targeting only, not information sharing. Missile lock and targeting are one and the same in my eyes, as long as i can target someone, i can lock my missiles, assuming no ECM interfering with anything.


See above. A target out of your LOS requires someone else locked on it to be visible. Period.

#111 Auren

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 03:09 PM

View PostCapperDeluxe, on 19 September 2014 - 07:51 AM, said:

Lock your own targets, bring your own TAG.


Why?


Because we're putting ourselves at risk every second our faces are exposed to the enemy. Do you really think we're going to risk that for you to maybe shoot and miss? No we're shooting, juking, and trying to make mince meat out of the enemy while avoiding or spreading the damage around ourselves.


Posted Image

Well, seeing as that you're a JF player, you don't want no fire support making your life easier because ~C-Bills~ Can't have no stinkin LRM boats taking your money now can we?

Edited by Auren, 19 September 2014 - 03:10 PM.


#112 Bartholomew bartholomew

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 03:17 PM

Let them not target. Just means I am getting half again the XP per match than they are from all the spotting assists. I usually don't have less than a half dozen per match. Usually more.

It's more money in my pocket. And less grinding time for my mechs. Plus I also have a positive win/loss and KDR from probably just that bit alone.

#113 Gremlich Johns

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Posted 19 September 2014 - 03:24 PM

View PostcSand, on 19 September 2014 - 08:12 AM, said:


THIS


I personally use a Wii Remote with the Mario Kart steering wheel

when I want to target, I shake it up and down

what do you shake up and down?

http://youtu.be/rc337vb05jU


seriously though, whenever I lock a target, Missiles are sent to it. Enough for the target to fight in the shade.

Posted Image

Edited by Gremlich Johns, 19 September 2014 - 03:26 PM.


#114 RazorbeastFXK3

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Posted 20 September 2014 - 10:14 AM

Assuming you can't run and type (I have my W key set to 100% throttle with decay off so I can go into autopilot without having to constantly hold the W key down with the S key set to invert throttle if needed to make tight turns), if the enemy spots you as you're running for cover back to your unit and gives chase then that improves the chances of your unit to assist.

I know it only takes less than a few seconds to go from "Hey, I have full armor so I should be safe for now" to "Crap.. Just lost all my back armor!" but during those same seconds you can give a map reading example "CONTACTS E5" which will alert your team if they're paying attention 'oh hey, we have contacts in a certain area, let's make note of it' then when you get to a more secure area you can go further into detail of what you found.

View Postterrycloth, on 19 September 2014 - 02:50 PM, said:

Then, 20 seconds later, the team would get the same info. And I'm being generous and assuming no one chased you so that you could stop and type.


When you hit the lockon key it locks onto the target closest to your reticule whether the target is behind you or infront of you.. so by rapidly hitting the lockon button you will effectively cycle between two targets leaving the rest of the enemy squad hidden. MW:O doesn't "cycle through visible enemy targets" it only "targets enemy contacts closest to your reticule" Otherwise if contacts B D E F were infront of you in your line of sight and you hit the lockon key eight times successfully you would target B D E F twice.

View Postwanderer, on 19 September 2014 - 03:07 PM, said:

That's why you R-tap repeatedly to cycle through targets- so your team will see them pop up and vanish one after another.


#115 Theodore42

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Posted 20 September 2014 - 11:28 AM

Firstly, I've unlocked a target so LRMs won't steal my kill. Wouldn't work against me in my LRM boat, since I bring a TAG. I've definitely stolen WAY more kills than I deserve in my LRM boat, to the point where I feel guilty about it.

Also, before you gripe on someone not locking on targets, make sure they are not smarter than you. If you are spectating, then obviously it is toward the end of a match. The enemy mech that puts himself front and center usually has healthy armor. Once you know what armor he has, lock onto those mechs behind cover shooting from afar, since they are the ones that are probably damaged and can be killed quickly.

And, my god, pay attention to what mechs are damaged where! You can only look at 1 paper doll at once, so why bother locking onto a mech you already know has a red ct / leg / back / whatever. If I see a mech late in a match and I know I got his ct orange earlier, I will one shot him without locking on at all.

So instead of complaining to teammates about locking targets while you're dead, say "that blackjack has an orange right leg!" or "that gauss Jager has a no ct armor!" or "That Misery has no back armor!" I do that kind of thing all the time. Be useful to your team instead of griping on newbies who are too busy piloting and probably wouldn't have the presence of mind to target a specific component anyway.

#116 ArchMage Sparrowhawk

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Posted 20 September 2014 - 11:51 AM

View PostEmpyrus, on 19 September 2014 - 08:07 AM, said:

LRM boats need to learn to get their own locks. Whenever i played with a Catapult, i wasn't lazy and locked my own targets.

I really think the LRM ranges should be reduced to 660 meters like they're in the board game, this would put them in range of other long range weapons...

Who gives a **** about LRM boats? I need to know if I should be shooting at your ass or your face. I need to know who's crippled and who's not. Not locking your target seems like fighting blind to me.

#117 Escef

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Posted 20 September 2014 - 04:08 PM

View PostEmpyrus, on 19 September 2014 - 11:13 AM, said:

I have always been under impression that one unfilled triangles are transmitted as well. Pretty sure they used to be transmitted.
Either the are, or there's someone using UAV in my games very, very often.

Did they change this at some point?

Holy mother of poop... Only locked targets (filled triangles) show up for players without LoS. I've been at this game since early open Beta, and to the best of my knowledge it has always been this way. Simply seeing an enemy (unfilled triangle) does not mean you are spotting them for friendly IDF assets.

#118 Lyoto Machida

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Posted 20 September 2014 - 08:03 PM

To prevent LRM scum from accomplishing anything.

Am I doing it right?

#119 Orbit Rain

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Posted 20 September 2014 - 09:13 PM

While there are reasons to not lock a target, most of the time (99%) the people that aren't targeting are scrubs...that's all there is to it.

#120 Xanquil

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Posted 21 September 2014 - 01:51 AM

I lock on to any target I'm fighting, sadly most of the time ECM says "no lock for you". It is rather frustrating to be looking right at a target hit the R key and lo and behold nothing. But you work with what you got right. :/





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