34 replies to this topic

[stratagos]

Hi there.

So, welcome to Mechwarrior Online. I’m Stratagos, or Strat for short. Or ‘Hey you’. Or ‘you bleeping LRM whoooore!’

So, if you’re new to MWO, you may have heard about this “Community Warfare” thing. But if you read the forums, there are a lot of people demanding that all the “PUGS” basically go somewhere else.

Are you a PUG? Well, probably. “PUG” is basically shorthand for “Pick Up Group”, and the odds are if you’re reading this, you’re not dropping with an organized team.

Should you follow the suggestion of the people who have been here since Closed Beta? Is your presence causing lasting damage to the game?

Nahh, eff them.

They do *not* speak for PGI, or Clan Wolf, or the Inner Sphere. They speak for themselves. More to the point, you don't owe them anything, and as much as they complain about Pugs 'ruining' CW, they'd be bitching just as loudly if there were no Pugs and they couldn't find a match.

So, what is “Community Warfare”? I’m just going to leave you to read the fifty jillion links instead of going into details. To briefly summarize, it’s a different game mode where the results of your match have a persistent impact on the galactic map. For the time being, that’s pretty much it – PGI is going to add a lot of bells and whistles, but we’re not there yet.

Is there a point the whiners are – artlessly – trying to make?

Yeah. In general, being part of an organized group gives you a significant advantage in MWO. Following a unified plan, being in constant communication via teamspeak and focusing fire on one mech at a time allows teams to really hammer your average PUG group. And as bad as a 12-0 loss is, a 48-0 loss is even more aggravating.

So, for people who ‘care’ about the map, the fact that PUGs usually end up losing means that their faction also ends up losing.

But again, screw them. They’re deluded if they think the map isn’t going to be reset at the end of beta, and you’re here to have fun, not grind planets for the greater glory of House Steiner.

How can you do that?

Well, in general, you *do* want to try to be a bit more organized. VOIP integration will come soon, and group chat is always available. And if you *are* interested in joining a group, it’s something I’d definitely recommend. There are plenty of them that basically require as much commitment as a second job, but there are plenty of others that are welcoming of casual players.

To offer more detail here:

• Teamspeak (http://www.teamspeak...?page=downloads) allows for you to talk to other people. and there are plenty of faction or unit specific teamspeak servers out there. It shouldn't be too hard to find one.
  
  • Note that Teamspeak is an *aid* to coordination, as it is a lot easier to say "ECM Atlas in D3" than to type it out while you're dodging LRMs - but it's not magical. It is only a part of the coordination puzzle

• You don't have to have a headset / mike to use TeamSpeak or the pending VOIP integration. While it is *preferred*, you can indicate your willingness to listen to the person calling out the plan via text in the Teamspeak Client without necessarily being able to respond verbally.
  
  • Of course, it's critical for the scouts and whoever is leading the group, but if you're not going to need to call out a sighting report or indicate the next target to focus on, being able to speak actually isn't that important
    
    • Uh, people actually using TS, tell me if I'm talking out my butt here, since I've never tried this

• You don't have to join a unit to use Teamspeak. As long as you're part of the same faction, you can drop with a group

• If you are looking for a unit and are overwhelmed by all of them, there is an explicit thread here: here where you can tell units about yourself and interested unit leaders can reach out to you.

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If that’s not an option, some quick tips. Note that these are meant to be the tips that help with CW specifically - there are other guides on general mech handling out there, and it doesn't really benefit you for me to rehash them

• If you see a group with consistent tags (ie: [XXXX]), offer to follow their lead. There are groups that are full of tools, there are groups that don’t speak your language, but there are others who are more than willing to offer guidance *if they think it will be followed*.

• If that isn’t an option, try to stick with the greatest number of teammates. As much as everyone talks about tactics, it’s pretty much a deathball vs deathball game. If you run off on your own, you *will* get flattened.

• Remember that if your ride is trashed, there is no crime in punching out. On the flip side, there is no crime in charging them and forcing them to use the time and ammo to finish you off.

• If you’re trying to defend a base, focus on crippling legs first, then move on. Once the enemy gets strung out it’s much easier to finish them off, and the gimped mechs – while still dangerous – aren’t going to be able to help rush you. _{Note: less relevant now with the new counterattack game mode}

• If people on either your team or the opposition are just total jerkwads, ignore them. You’re not here for their amusement, and if they fill the chat with bitter tears of rage because you’re not doing exactly what they want you to psychically know what to do, bask in the glorious angst you’ve brought to them.

• If you’re stuck with trial mechs for now, generally avoid the LRM-focused ones. This is a very ECM-heavy environment, and while the steel rain can be critical in the right position, you may not be able to use them when the Spiders and Hellbringers are zipping around.

• Consumables such as artillery strikes and UAVs can be very useful - but given the relatively small rewards for a CW match, probably aren't going to be cost effective for a new player. You should focus on avoiding them until you're sure you're getting your bang (heh) for your buck.
  
  • Arty and Airstrikes are signaled by a puff of red smoke. If you see some, don't be there
    
  • UAVs are glowing balls of fire in the sky. If you see one that doesn't have a blue carrot, shoot it down. note that if you don't see a 'range' on it while you're shooting, you're not really shooting at it.

• For the same reason you don't want to sit on a ridge where everyone on the enemy team can PPC and LRM you to death, you want to avoid letting the enemy have a line of sight on your drop zones. There is nothing more frustrating than dropping and having your shiny new Mech trashed before you can take a step forward. Therefore, if the enemy gets into your base, don't fiddle around and engage them at long range - get in there and push them out
  
  • Even if you're optimized as a sniper, while they're engaging you your reinforcements can drop without getting insta-killed - which increases the chances that you'll have enough weight of fire to kill the enemy. Otherwise you end up on the wrong end of a 8-12 man game. And then a 4-12 man. And then you're toast

Most of all, have fun, and use every game as an opportunity to learn. You don’t have to be the best player on the planet, you just have to be good enough to support your group and annoy the snot out of the people who hate you because you’re not meekly obeying their every whim.


And for those of you who can't stand that a mere Pug is polluting your pristine Community Warfare experience: neener!

Edited by stratagos, 07 February 2015 - 07:42 AM.

[Joseph Mallan]

stratagos, on 05 February 2015 - 10:12 AM, said:

Most of all, have fun, and use every game as an opportunity to learn. You don’t have to be the best player on the planet, you just have to be good enough to support your group and annoy the snot out of the people who hate you because you’re not meekly obeying their every whim.

Pretty good post. Specially like this bit.
LOVED this bit!

[Basilisk222]

Can this be stickied?

[JadeTimberwolf]

Kilgorin Strom, on 05 February 2015 - 10:54 AM, said:

Can this be stickied?

I second that motion.

I for one recommend another tip, Download Teamspeak 3 it's free to download and very light weight, then look up here in the community warfare forums your factions dedicated teamspeak server, most factions have one, this will help with ensuring that everyone is able to communicate and many comp teams that you may end up dropping with will also continue to use these servers after in-game voip is introduced.

[MikeBend]

The best PUG CW guide to date. Sticky it!

[Strykewolf]

As being part of both pug and organized drops; I have to agree.

Would also like to say that while that 12-man you're facing is likely to win; it is not certain. I have been a part of pug drops that ate the incoming 12-man alive and, been surprised by pugs who adapted quickly to our organized drops. And, if/when you start doing group drop, having 1 'in-charge' is helpful.

I would ignore the folks that only berate their teammates, and, remember that there will be miscommunication, misunderstandings, and the occasional arsehat just trying to muck things up.

Pug dropping gets frustrating in CW fairly fast...even when you know how your opponent is likely to come. The flipside is that ghost dropping gets really boring, though it can be necessary to achieve faction objectives.

[Col Kurtz]

I'm to lazy to, but just imagine me posting a gif of the slow clap. Well done OP, great post.

[CyclonerM]

stratagos, on 05 February 2015 - 10:12 AM, said:

Well, in general, you *do* want to try to be a bit more organized. VOIP integration will come soon, and group chat is always available. And if you *are* interested in joining a group, it’s something I’d definitely recommend. There are plenty of them that basically require as much commitment as a second job, but there are plenty of others that are welcoming of casual players.

If that’s not an option, some quick tips.


1 – If you see a group with consistent tags (ie: [XXXX]), offer to follow their lead. There are groups that are full of tools, there are groups that don’t speak your language, but there are others who are more than willing to offer guidance *if they think it will be followed*.

2 – If that isn’t an option, try to stick with the greatest number of teammates. As much as everyone talks about tactics, it’s pretty much a deathball vs deathball game. If you run off on your own, you *will* get flattened.

3 – Remember that if your ride is trashed, there is no crime in punching out. On the flip side, there is no crime in charging them and forcing them to use the time and ammo to finish you off.

4- If you’re trying to defend a base, focus on crippling legs first, then move on. Once the enemy gets strung out it’s much easier to finish them off, and the gimped mechs – while still dangerous – aren’t going to be able to help rush you.

Most of all, have fun, and use every game as an opportunity to learn. You don’t have to be the best player on the planet, you just have to be good enough to support your group and annoy the snot out of the people who hate you because you’re not meekly obeying their every whim.

Aside from these simple but always good tips ..

Is the point of this thread to troll those who have waited a LOT for a game mode where our victories could actually matter anything (even if at this time it is just bragging rights) ?

Strange, considering you are a Founder

Besides, we are those who are playing this "hardcore roleplaying mode" (this is how Russ defined it) the way it is supposed to be played?

If you do not care at all about taking planets, there is the amazing number of 3 game modes you can play without the chance of long waits, without the worry of taking the planet and without "fighting for the glory of House Steiner", just for fun. I do it as well when i cannot play in CW, have little time or just want to relax.

In CW, however, many units do make an effort to take planets or at least to win, and seeing planets % go down because of pug losses is sad. Of course, units DO lose as well, however chances are the unit will try to learn from each defeat, correct its members' mistakes, collect intel on the enemy unit and try to create a counter to their most effective tactics. Pugs will not..

I have done a few pug drops, and i can say that most of the times , when it is on attack, it is just atrocius. Two or three times me and a couple of other pugs from different units tried to lead these drops, a couple of times we won but most of the time it would just be a mess, with insults everywhere and getting stomped as the only result. I hope the new tools such as VOIP will help.

My best suggestion is, again, to join an unit. Probably you cannot play a lot due to work and family, but there are units with different commitment requirements for CW , you should be able to find one that is fitting with your needs. If it was not for the lore of Battletech and my unit i am not sure i would have spent so much money on the game and played it for so long.

In short.. Other games do not even allow pugs in their persistent map domination mode; is it wrong to roleplay in a "hardcore roleplaying mode" and have it being focused on units in a team-based game? This is not CoD, luckily.

P.S. Russ is not quite sure there will be a reset. He may leave it up to the players. The true delusional people are those still believing that there will be one for sure when almost everything Russ said points in the other direction, or at least leaves us the choice. For me, i would say NO to a reset.

Edited by CyclonerM, 06 February 2015 - 06:38 AM.

[Joseph Mallan]

I'm on teh fence for teh reset. I have not played much in CW, but as we are testing things out, It would seem fair to reset once CW has been hammered into the working model. AND it would be a bummer if I took part in "claiming Clan Wolf's invasion corridor only to have it given back. SO I can see both sides of this argument.

[Alexander Steel]

I've been pretty anti-reset up until now. HOWEVER, I would say that if they put meaning behind planets and suddenly they start giving faction and unit bonuses, then I would probably end up voting for a reset. Just because of how much of a change it would mean for the game to have planets actually do something.

[stratagos]

CyclonerM, on 06 February 2015 - 06:38 AM, said:

Aside from these simple but always good tips ..

Is the point of this thread to troll those who have waited a LOT for a game mode where our victories could actually matter anything (even if at this time it is just bragging rights) ?

Strange, considering you are a Founder

A fair question. My 'goal', if I had one, was to push back at the people screaming at other players to just go somewhere else and die. I find that attitude... irritating, be that at MW:O or anyone else.

There are people who, while still having a good time, are not a strategic asset to a faction. That does not mean they should stop playing - they have absolutely *zero* obligation to any group or faction, *nor should they be*.

The faction members who deride the Pugs need to get a grip, and either try to invest the time to *make* them an asset or just accept that they'll have to Carry Harder, as a unit, against the tide of percieved mediocrity.

Quote

My best suggestion is, again, to join an unit. Probably you cannot play a lot due to work and family, but there are units with different commitment requirements for CW , you should be able to find one that is fitting with your needs. If it was not for the lore of Battletech and my unit i am not sure i would have spent so much money on the game and played it for so long.

Ignoring my own situation, I (think I) was pretty explicit that joining a unit would be a benefit to *any* player.

And while there are units out there where I would gladly join a unit of the opposing faction just for the chance to beat the hell out of them, there are plenty of *other* units that would be a great group for any gamer to hang out with - with enough variety that pretty much anyone should be able to find a group that matches thier taste and play style

But for some people, that simply isn't an option. They will suffer as a result - the lack of coordination will hurt them - but some of he explicit penalties suggested by others are counterproductive and stupid.

Quote

P.S. Russ is not quite sure there will be a reset. He may leave it up to the players. The true delusional people are those still believing that there will be one for sure when almost everything Russ said points in the other direction, or at least leaves us the choice. For me, i would say NO to a reset.

Simple logic tells me that a reset prior to a Steam go-live in a near certainty. Case in point: the FRR. New Clan players would want a chance to, well, steamroller them too, and new FRR players wouldn't really be content poking at the Ghost Bears from thier fortress world. I would find it extremely unlikely PGI would kiss off an *entire faction* - and all the faction-specfic bling they could sell - prior to an attempt to massively grow the player base

Having said that, you are correct, nothing is certain.

[Alexander Steel]

Quote

and new FRR players wouldn't really be content poking at the Ghost Bears from thier fortress world.

They could trade tips with the Draconis Combine.

[stratagos]

Alexander Steel, on 06 February 2015 - 09:10 AM, said:

They could trade tips with the Draconis Combine.

You mean the Draconis Suns?

[skorpionet]

No words about UAV spam?

[Triordinant]

The best advice for new PUGs regarding Community Warfare is wait for it to be not Beta before trying it out. Currently, it's often either Spawncamping Mode, Turretfighting Online or CW (Constant Waiting).

[JadeTimberwolf]

Triordinant, on 06 February 2015 - 09:27 AM, said:

The best advice for new PUGs regarding Community Warfare is wait for it to be not Beta before trying it out. Currently, it's often either Spawncamping Mode, Turretfighting Online or CW (Constant Waiting).

I would call that bad advice because without everyone PuGs and Units alike the Devs can't properly fine-tune it to make it good for all.

[Triordinant]

JadeTimberwolf, on 06 February 2015 - 09:32 AM, said:

I would call that bad advice because without everyone PuGs and Units alike the Devs can't properly fine-tune it to make it good for all.

If some PUGs want to be clay pigeons during this "fine-tuning" that's up to them, but I wouldn't advise it.

[Alexander Steel]

stratagos, on 06 February 2015 - 09:15 AM, said:

You mean the Draconis Suns?

Omi and Victor united at last.... in this winters hottest love story...

50 Shades of Mech.

[Tarogato]

OP is wall of text. If you want new players to read it, give it some pretty formatting.

• Use the built in numbers for pretty colour.
  
• Yay!

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Use horizontal rules for dividing topics. Small text for side notes.

Fat important points/headers.

=]

Edited by Tarogato, 06 February 2015 - 09:58 AM.

[Strykewolf]

UAV is not a target designation...nor is it a player name or mech. It's a module that you can buy and put on your mech that launches an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle spyplane. Many times it is worth the cost of it's use once you get used to how, and when, to use one.

Edited by Strykewolf, 06 February 2015 - 10:00 AM.