78 replies to this topic

[Hans Von Lohman]

First of all I like all four of those mechs. They're all good choices.

1. Wolfhound. Well, this one will be a contender with the Firestarter, but without jump jets it might be a bit tough to play. At least I have the shock absorber module now.

The best part of the mech will be having all my medium lasers in the torso so I don't have to worry about splitting my convergence up, but will probably have a large laser quirk so I don't have to get in close which gets me killed usually in my light mechs.

2. Crab is another good mech I like, since it has a 3 medium laser zombie setup possible in 3 out of 4 of the variants. With the long, narrow torso it might be like the Stalker in that it tanks well with a hard to hit CT? We can only hope.

The 4th variant even has jump jets.

My only two disappointments is that MWO has too many bigger weight class mediums and not enough fast, 40 ton mediums. The Assassin would have been my choice to compete with the Cicada for "worlds biggest light mech" role.

The other problem I have is the asymmetrical hands. I know the original art showed the hands being different, but that was more down to the artist who drew the thing and not logic. To me the Crab was a perfectly symmetrical mech.

3. Black Knight. I like the look of it quite a lot. The frog mouth bassinet look was what I was hoping for on this mech, and it looks like we're getting it.

The downsides I see are minor. It looks like the medium laser hardpoints on each arm are asymmetrical, which I don't like, and it is just another laser boat like the Grasshopper.

However, it is the first "Comstar" 2750 era Heavy mech to be added to the game. Comstar just needs a light mech now.

4. Mauler. We've known for a while that this mech was coming, and it ought to be a good mech. I personally prefer that hard-point layout with energy in the arms, and missiles and guns in the torso. It will be a dakka-boat for sure with quad AC-2's or AC-5's.

However, only the Mauler-P's will be any good at LRM missiles as I maintain that you MUST bring a TAG laser with you if you want to use LRM's. The two P models are the only ones that can spare an energy slot for a TAG laser.

Edited by Hans Von Lohman, 30 April 2015 - 04:38 PM.

[TercieI]

PEWPEWPEWPEW

[Bishop Steiner]

In general too much laser vomit.

I find the JJ Crab potentially interesting, but since I don't like Sparky, doubt I will like this, either.

[lshtaria]

For the first time ever I am completely and utterly underwhelmed by a mech pack. In fact I'm not just underwhelmed but I find myself asking the question "What is the point?".

There isn't anything in that pack that offers me something that I don't already have. The lead time is also ridiculous which tells me PGI's need for the income from these packs and the development time needed is really starting to bite.

Zombie mechs have never had any major use in the game anyway due to manual pinpoint aiming and low TTK. They're even more pointless now that aimbot use has become more prolific.

I've bought every pack bar a founders one. This is where I have to bow out simply because it's a complete waste of $80. I would get more usage and satisfaction from wiping my arse with $80 worth of paper money.

[Malleus011]

I'm glad the 'mechs will be in the game.

However, I was underwhelmed by the quality of Resistance 1. 'Special geometry' that consists of a few roll bars and some paint, an underwhelming locked Resistance skin, pitiful warhorns, etc.

The 'mechs themselves were OK, but not great, not that I wanted another Mad Cat or Ryoken released on the game ecosystem.

That, and the lack of progress in CW and reduced community engagement since January ...

I'll likely pass this time.

[Chemie]

Kyocera, on 30 April 2015 - 02:21 PM, said:

For the first time ever I am completely and utterly underwhelmed by a mech pack. In fact I'm not just underwhelmed but I find myself asking the question "What is the point?".

There isn't anything in that pack that offers me something that I don't already have. The lead time is also ridiculous which tells me PGI's need for the income from these packs and the development time needed is really starting to bite.

Zombie mechs have never had any major use in the game anyway due to manual pinpoint aiming and low TTK. They're even more pointless now that aimbot use has become more prolific.

I've bought every pack bar a founders one. This is where I have to bow out simply because it's a complete waste of $80. I would get more usage and satisfaction from wiping my arse with $80 worth of paper money.

I think you will be able to say this about most new mech packs. PGI is close to jumping the shark here. How many combinations of M/E/B can you do and make a different mech than the 75+ we already have?? With mechs being their sole revenue source, the future is not bright.

[Naduk]

a great pack if your starting out, an outstanding pack for laser enthusiasts
a terrible or mediocre pack for anyone who has more than 10 mechs

[Piney II]

Needs more dakka.

Edited by Piney, 30 April 2015 - 03:22 PM.

[Mark of Caine]

I'm very disappointed in the Black Knight. It's the only mech I was looking forward to, and I was hoping the IS would finally get an ECM-capable heavy mech to contend with clan superiority.

...oh well...

[Ted Wayz]

It was going to eventually happen that the overlap would catch up to us. If you like lasers but dislike jump jets then you have found new candidates for your drop deck. Otherwise you are just buying them for the looks like I did.

And I have always had a soft spot for the Crab.

Wolf Dragoon pack? Maybe?

[Senor Cataclysmo]

Welcome to the Laser Noises Club. Please take a pew.

[lshtaria]

Chemie, on 30 April 2015 - 03:15 PM, said:

I think you will be able to say this about most new mech packs. PGI is close to jumping the shark here. How many combinations of M/E/B can you do and make a different mech than the 75+ we already have?? With mechs being their sole revenue source, the future is not bright.

I agree. I think we're hitting the wall now to be honest.

As much as I don't think the new weapons systems can be fully balanced, I think it has to be the next logical step in the game's progression.

There are only so many variants of the same robots we can have in the current system. For the most part, hardpoint placement doesn't make a massive difference and how the robot looks doesn't make any difference to the actual gameplay.

[Alistair Winter]

Will anyone actually use quad AC2s on the Mauler? I think there's 2 different outcomes:
1) PGI gives Mauler generic ballistic quirks (or not good enough AC2 quirks) and people equip 3xUAC5 or 2xAC20. Maybe 4xAC5 will work, if the quirks have enough cooldown bonus to maintain high DPS.

2) PGI gives one Mauler variant some DRG-1N-esque AC2 quirks and everyone strips the LRMs, running 4xAC2+lasers on their Mauler. PGI used the hyper-quirked Mauler as an example to say that the AC2 is fine.

I'd be thrilled to be wrong about this.

[Flyby215]

I've always been a fan of mechs that I am passionate about, rather than what's "meta" or appears to be "highly effective". I'm a Catapult driver (most know I drive a Jester more than any other) because it's the mech in MW2: Mercs that I bought as early as possible and drove right up until I needed an assault class in the final three campaigns. I'm passionate about Stalkers because that's what I did drive in the final three campaigns (despite having access to Atlases or Kodiaks). It never mattered what hardpoints the Jester or Misery had, I was going to MAKE them work for me, as Heroes for my all-time favourite mechs.

The Crab is one such mech I've been waiting for (second choice medium only to the Bushwacker). Once I am employed again, I fully intend to buy the Crab pack. The Mauler is neat, "All units pull back we are being over run at nav **chshhhh (static)**", but I think the Mauler is something I'll use in-game money for. I really don't have any passion for assaults other than the Stalker and Marauder (wishful thinking). The Crab, however, is probably a medium I will find a way to make it work for me, because its a mech that I've always felt attached to from previous mechwarrior games.

Then again, I'm sort of a fanboy. So my opinions tend to be severely biased.

[Agent 0 Fortune]

Underwhelmed.
Light: I don't see a lot of value in another 35 laser mech, And looking at the competition this will be targeted for LL quirks (25-30%).

Medium:This really surprised me because the Crab brings so little to the game. I guess make way for another LL medium mech. A number of players have suggested that the 40 ton mechs that we need just aren't as good as the 50 ton mechs. Well we only have one 40 ton mech (4 variants) to compare against four 50ton chassis (20 variants), and admittedly the current 40 ton mech is a niche mech. We really needed PGI to fill in those 40 ton gaps to gain parity with the other mediums and represent their weight class.

Large: I'm a Flashman fan myself, but at least the BlackKnight is a 75 tons.

Assault:Iam pretty sure we voted for a Cyclops, but but Mauler isn't a bad consolation prize.

[lshtaria]

Agent 0 Fortune, on 30 April 2015 - 03:46 PM, said:

Underwhelmed.
Light: I don't see a lot of value in another 35 laser mech, And looking at the competition this will be targeted for LL quirks (25-30%).

Medium:This really surprised me because the Crab brings so little to the game. I guess make way for another LL medium mech. A number of players have suggested that the 40 ton mechs that we need just aren't as good as the 50 ton mechs. Well we only have one 40 ton mech (4 variants) to compare against four 50ton chassis (20 variants), and admittedly the current 40 ton mech is a niche mech. We really needed PGI to fill in those 40 ton gaps to gain parity with the other mediums and represent their weight class.

Large: I'm a Flashman fan myself, but at least the BlackKnight is a 75 tons.

Assault:Iam pretty sure we voted for a Cyclops, but but Mauler isn't a bad consolation prize.

I'm not against the choices. BK is iconic and so is the Mauler but other than the name, what do they actually offer to the gameplay?

Like I said, PGI are hitting the wall now and all I see in this pack are just "robots". I no longer see variant mechs with various things going for them, I just see Alex's glorious artwork with little benefit to our actual gameplaying experience.

I'm sorry PGI, I'm not going to pay $80 for some artwork when the end result is something that I already have in one way or another.

No offence and no hate but you've exhausted me. I'm out this time I'm afraid.

Edited by Kyocera, 30 April 2015 - 03:52 PM.

[Lord0fHats]

I don't really see the Wolfhound supplanting the Firestarter without serious quirkage. The Crab scares me the most. Stalker-like hit boxes will make that mech a goddamn terror. The Blackknight is one of my favorites from MW4 and I hope it turns out good. The IS really needs a good brawling heavy to stand against the Timber. The Mauler I think is gonna be DOA. Awesome 2.0.

[Sjorpha]

Mauler does bring something completely new, looks like it might have several great uses and possibly comp worthy builds with the chest mounted quad dakka + shield arms. I expect 4xAC5 and 2xAC20 builds to be common, the pure dakka brawlers should be superior on the mauler as compared to the king crab since it adds shielding to the equation, while the king crab will remain the king of combining big ballistic with high mounted energy for sniping.

The other mechs are very pretty and possibly good as well but...nothing new about them. If they turn out to be very very strong for some reason that will be a reason to buy them but I already have mechs in each weight class that can do what they do.

Yeah, 9 energy BK does look interesting for ultimate wubbery, can't deny that.

[Navid A1]

Here is my impressions:

A bad event left a bad taste that even the mauler sweetness can not fix.

Also there is: Low res textures - lack of proper realtime IK animations - repetitive matches/mechs/modes - Random clan lol quirks.

But yet there is a big banner which says give money and give it now!
I like the mauler and black knight so much... but i feel that i'm being ripped off if i want to have them.
I kept-on buying hugely overpriced packages for too long now... it feels a little bit repetitive. Nothing new.

Also... its US 80$...which means i have to pay 102$ CAD with the current rates.

[Kassatsu]

Wolfhound: Another light to fall into one of three categories: The new meta (doubtful, doesn't have the hardpoint numbers of the firestarter (not that 6 is exactly "low" or anything), and I doubt it has the broken hitboxes certain other mechs rely heavily on... Not sure if that's been fixed, haven't hopped on in a few weeks), a "meh" mech that will work for a decent number of people but is otherwise unimpressive, or a complete garbage mech that a select few will "have fun" with and "do pretty well" in, but ultimately be a lost cause for anyone but the hardcore masochistic pilots out there that "want a challenge". Given that it's a 35 tonner with 6 energy hardpoints, it will likely be a Jenner without jump jets. Which when I tried Jenners ages ago, was me, so...

Crab: Hell yes. Now there's a medium with a gigantic hood that might even be bigger than the Dragon. I had an old screenshot from one of the MW2 games that showed it in first-person (which was lost months ago unfortunately, I suppose I can go setup dos-box and find my CDs again...), I hope for something along those lines... Just you know, more than 12 polygons on-screen. Sadly I'll fall into the third group mentioned above with this mech regardless of how well it actually performs. Likely an underperforming HBK-4P with a better hardpoint split.

Black Knight: Looks like it will be quirked for sniping, only no poptart capabilities... Not expecting much from this one, I highly doubt it will be able to stand up to most other heavies 1v1, and that's not too promising no matter what mech/role you're building for (missile boats excluded since those have pretty much zero 1v1 capabilities to begin with). Grasshopper minus jump jets?

Mauler: Hell yes again. It's an Awesome with ballistics, how can it possibly be ba-Oh, those hitboxes though. Again, I'll probably be in the third group mentioned above here as well. Rather nice hardpoint choices as well, though every single one of them has at least 2 of each, with a perfect 50/50 split. Seems like a heavier, IS version of a timberwolf in that it will lose exactly 50% of its firepower on a side torso loss, gimmick zombie/shield builds aside.

Edited by Kassatsu, 30 April 2015 - 04:50 PM.