27 replies to this topic

[Seth-K]

Hello everybody, did someone can explain me or show me how to aim efficiency with PPC please?
It's the worst weapon for me, i can't aim correctly and i miss lot of time when i try to aim.

[Nik Reaper]

Well, they aren't in a good place right now, too slow for what they are supposed to be.
I have some ok use of it, but to use it better is to camp a point, that is take aim at a point a wait for the target to walk in to the spot , while acounting for the travel time.

Edited by Nik Reaper, 05 June 2015 - 11:44 AM.

[IraqiWalker]

cetinilgar, on 05 June 2015 - 11:02 AM, said:

Hello everybody, did someone can explain me or show me how to aim efficiency with PPC please?
It's the worst weapon for me, i can't aim correctly and i miss lot of time when i try to aim.

The PPCs and ER PPCs are not as fast as they used to be. So aiming with them requires a lot of lead time, and this will come to you through practice. There are 2 things to keep in mind in regards to the two weapons:

Regular PPC has shorter range, slower speed, and deals no damage under 90 meters. However. It is only 10 heat. Making it very heat efficient compared to the ER version.

The ERPPC has no minimum damage, longer range, and travels faster (100m/s faster). However it is 50% hotter.

All I can say is that it will take time. Just treat it like an AC5. It's actually very close to it in terms of projectile speed.

When I first started playing the game, PPCs were insanely fast. So when sniping with them at long range, I ended up leading too much.

So when using them now, either:

A- Wait for your target to stand still, and then fire

Or

B- Learn how far to lead a target, based on distance and speed (sounds a lot more complicated than it really is).

The good thing about PPCs is that they don't run out of ammo, so even if you miss, you can try again.

EDIT:

This is a decent video of someone doing a good job with C-ERPPCs.

Edited by IraqiWalker, 05 June 2015 - 12:04 PM.

[XxXAbsolutZeroXxX]

First, try to gauge their speed, distance and heading. Sometimes their movement will be extremely predictable. Some will move forward. Then they'll move in reverse, then they'll move forward again in a cycle. If their movement follows a predictable pattern you can anticipate that makes them easier to hit. If they're moving in a straight line without turning. That makes them easier to hit.

If they're zig zagging, stopping randomly or moving unpredictably. That can make them difficult to hit. If they're on hilly, uneven, terrain and their altitude is changing even if they're running in a straight predictable line, that can also make them tough to land a clean shot on.

Once you have a general idea which direction they're moving, how far away they are and their speed, aim where you think they'll be when your PPC shot reaches that distance.

Jump sniping is the easiest way to hit someone with PPC's sometimes. Some days they'll be sitting still and won't expect anyone to have line of sight or be able to target them.

[OznerpaG]

practice practice practice practice - you'l be a pro eventually through trial and error

and hope the hitreg is working

[WrathOfDeadguy]

Honestly, weapons like these are a lot easier if you've ever spent a great deal of time playing games like Tribes and UT, where there's lots of three-dimensional movement and all of the most powerful weapons require leading.

The real bear of it in this game is that there's no real way to practice outside of live matches... unless you're running premium time. My advice would be to splurge a little, get some premium for yourself and a good friend, and practice like crazy in private games until it runs out. The only other option for practice within the game is testing grounds, which can teach you how to fire while you're moving but won't help at all with predicting enemy movements.

Another option, one that requires a bit more effort, would be to download MW4 or Starsiege (another 'Mechsim, released around the time MW3 came out), and run through the campaigns using weapons with big, slow projectiles. The speeds won't match up exactly, but you'll get a better feel for using weapons that require leading at long range, and MWO PPCs won't seem so bad anymore.

One thing to remember, though- you will miss a lot of the time regardless. Even if you've lined up your shot perfectly, if your enemy twitches their throttle or turns, you won't hit them.

There are things you can do to maximize your hit probability- like firing on targets as they turn towards or away from you (a target not moving laterally or vertically is as good as standing still), or ones that aren't paying attention to you. You can stagger your shots (wait longer after cooldown to fire again, and vary the amount of time you wait) so that your enemy won't be able to anticipate them and dodge when you fire (yes, there are people who know the recycle rates by heart so that they can evade at the very instant the enemy fires on them- I can't do that in this game, but I've done it in others for many years). Run 'Mechs with large PPC velocity quirks so that you do not to lead so far ahead and so that your enemy has less time to evade your shots- but don't lean too heavily on that last one, as quirks are always subject to change.

[Wildstreak]

Think of them as Energy Ballistics. How good are you with Autocannons?
It may take time, it did for me.
People should be really grateful they are not MW2 PPCs.

[Tim East]

Play a version of MWO where they don't phase through 'Mechs?

Seriously the hitreg for these things is terribad. That aside, you'll want to get a feel for these weapons for the mechs you are using them in by using them a lot. Quirks may make the projectile fire at different speeds, and hardpoints will make them fire from different angles in different 'Mechs, so practice with the ones you're going to use.

[IraqiWalker]

Tim East, on 05 June 2015 - 09:46 PM, said:

Play a version of MWO where they don't phase through 'Mechs?

Seriously the hitreg for these things is terribad. That aside, you'll want to get a feel for these weapons for the mechs you are using them in by using them a lot. Quirks may make the projectile fire at different speeds, and hardpoints will make them fire from different angles in different 'Mechs, so practice with the ones you're going to use.

My 2xERPPC Summoner begs to differ, I still clock 360+ damage a match in it.

[Nik Reaper]

IraqiWalker, on 05 June 2015 - 10:03 PM, said:

My 2xERPPC Summoner begs to differ, I still clock 360+ damage a match in it.

And I get 600+ im my jumping nova, not the point and those are ER versions that are faster and clan ( so +5 splash ), regular ppcs are just too hot and hit reg on them is too unreliable to just waste 10 heat for a 10 dmg hit when you could use a ac10 and to it for 3 heat.

ERPPC has good speed for medium range targets but not for the max range of 800+ it is ment for , so if the regular ppc had that speed and the ER had a bit more we would see a lot more use of the regualr ppc and ERppc on more than just the gauss + ppc builds.

Edited by Nik Reaper, 08 June 2015 - 04:13 AM.

[IraqiWalker]

Nik Reaper, on 08 June 2015 - 04:12 AM, said:

And I get 600+ im my jumping nova, not the point and those are ER versions that are faster and clan ( so +5 splash ), regular ppcs are just too hot and hit reg on them is too unreliable to just waste 10 heat for a 10 dmg hit when you could use a ac10 and to it for 3 heat.

ERPPC has good speed for medium range targets but not for the max range of 800+ it is ment for , so if the regular ppc had that speed and the ER had a bit more we would see a lot more use of the regualr ppc and ERppc on more than just the gauss + ppc builds.

Yes, you spend less heat with the AC 10, for a slower projectile, at least triple the slot cost, and definitely double tonnage.

Other than that, I agree with everything else.

[Wildstreak]

Want to see bad PPCs?
MW2.
Now you feel better.

[Mad Ox]

Wildstreak, on 08 June 2015 - 05:44 AM, said:

Want to see bad PPCs?
MW2.
Now you feel better.

But at least they hit and did damage

But as been aid Practice Practice. Also finding Mechs with Velocity Boost quirks is very nice. Awesome 9M I ran had a nice 25% boost to erppc's made hitting alot easier as became more point and shoot and less Lead and Pray

After time gets easier and soon enough be making snap shots at very far distances.

Tips to help:
- Against Moving Mech wait till they turn to move away or toward you removes or lessens need for leading.
- Its a high heat load so don't use it to snap shots all over unless your sure. When using a light if i know a mech heavy PPC loaded I will keep at range dancing until they over heat then close and rip them up.
- Keep some low heat close in weapons for close range and when dealing with lights.

Edited by Mad Ox, 08 June 2015 - 07:09 AM.

[XxXAbsolutZeroXxX]

Tim East, on 05 June 2015 - 09:46 PM, said:

Play a version of MWO where they don't phase through 'Mechs?

Seriously the hitreg for these things is terribad. That aside, you'll want to get a feel for these weapons for the mechs you are using them in by using them a lot. Quirks may make the projectile fire at different speeds, and hardpoints will make them fire from different angles in different 'Mechs, so practice with the ones you're going to use.

When I see people miss with PPC's in spectator mode.

The reason they miss is due to their aim being off by a fraction of an inch. Or the mech they're aiming at moves out of the way.

PPC's are one of the hardest weapons to use effectively.

On the flip side one might say the small margin of error involved is proof hitreg works perfectly.

Nik Reaper, on 08 June 2015 - 04:12 AM, said:

And I get 600+ im my jumping nova, not the point and those are ER versions that are faster and clan ( so +5 splash ), regular ppcs are just too hot and hit reg on them is too unreliable to just waste 10 heat for a 10 dmg hit when you could use a ac10 and to it for 3 heat.

ERPPC has good speed for medium range targets but not for the max range of 800+ it is ment for , so if the regular ppc had that speed and the ER had a bit more we would see a lot more use of the regualr ppc and ERppc on more than just the gauss + ppc builds.

I logged a few 800-900 dmg games last week in a shadowhawk k with 3 PPC's. Without using jump jets or jump sniping. I've seen awesome q's with 4 PPC's do extremely well. Regular PPC's work fine as far as I can tell.

[Nik Reaper]

I Zeratul I, on 08 June 2015 - 09:55 AM, said:

****

I logged a few 800-900 dmg games last week in a shadowhawk k with 3 PPC's. Without using jump jets or jump sniping. I've seen awesome q's with 4 PPC's do extremely well. Regular PPC's work fine as far as I can tell.

Beside being the hardest weapons to use effectively there is nothing worse than fireing 2 or more in to a light moving in a streight line and hit only to be rewarded with no damage for 50% + heat , some times they register some times they don't , and for a 10 heat weapon that doesn't work under 90m that needs extreme good aim ... using it without some serious quirks ( 25% or more for heat and speed ) is torture, at least at my ping (125-ish ) ...

Edited by Nik Reaper, 08 June 2015 - 10:11 AM.

[IraqiWalker]

Nik Reaper, on 08 June 2015 - 10:10 AM, said:

Beside being the hardest weapons to use effectively there is nothing worse than fireing 2 or more in to a light moving in a streight line and hit only to be rewarded with no damage for 50% + heat , some times they register some times they don't , and for a 10 heat weapon that doesn't work under 90m that needs extreme good aim ... using it without some serious quirks ( 25% or more for heat and speed ) is torture, at least at my ping (125-ish ) ...

In all fairness, a good chunk of that is also invisible walls. It will seem like a hit, but they splashed onto something you can't see. It's frustrating as hell.

[Chagatay]

I Zeratul I, on 08 June 2015 - 09:55 AM, said:

When I see people miss with PPC's in spectator mode.

The reason they miss is due to their aim being off by a fraction of an inch. Or the mech they're aiming at moves out of the way.

The thing with spectator mode is that you absolutely can't go by what you see. You see a miss and in fact it is a hit and the cursor turned red. What you see, what they see, and what the server sees and registers are completely different. Invisible walls not withstanding (very obvious on certain maps and locations).

[CptGier]

I Zeratul I, on 08 June 2015 - 09:55 AM, said:

When I see people miss with PPC's in spectator mode.

The reason they miss is due to their aim being off by a fraction of an inch. Or the mech they're aiming at moves out of the way.

PPC's are one of the hardest weapons to use effectively.

On the flip side one might say the small margin of error involved is proof hitreg works perfectly

Yeah, cuz one wouldnt think you need to lead like 30m from less then 200m away...

PPCs velocity is absolutely horrific.

[XxXAbsolutZeroXxX]

Chagatay, on 08 June 2015 - 03:23 PM, said:

The thing with spectator mode is that you absolutely can't go by what you see. You see a miss and in fact it is a hit and the cursor turned red. What you see, what they see, and what the server sees and registers are completely different. Invisible walls not withstanding (very obvious on certain maps and locations).

In spectator mode crosshairs turn a shade of red and damage registers on the paper doll, the component of the mech that was hit blinks signifying a hit/miss. I don't think desync is a major issue unless high ping is in play. Most of what I see seems accurate in terms of what the player is seeing. It never seems as if there's a major dualistic disconnect present where two completely different perspectives are present.

But yeah sometimes with 1,000+ pings I've noticed the gap between spectator mode and player mode diverges significantly.

CptGier, on 08 June 2015 - 03:33 PM, said:

Yeah, cuz one wouldnt think you need to lead like 30m from less then 200m away...

PPCs velocity is absolutely horrific.

Maybe I'm sadistic but I like it the way it is. Its perfect.

[Mazzyplz]

ppc velocity is fine, it was too fast before... lol i agree with zeratul - maybe i am a masochist too but ppcs usually don't let me down, even though it's speed is not quite a gauss rifle shot

OP: the art? lol it will come to you, it's not that hard... but if you like - you can spectate one or 2 matches i recorded to see how you shoot ppc? i picked the biggest map so you can see how a player might lead a shot

https://youtu.be/v-pku3agHFQ

https://youtu.be/_pfNXJhQbyA

of course i also missed shots like everyone, it happens... the trick to shooting ppc with the lead is not freaking out and pulling the trigger until you're pretty convinced it will land. that's the tricky part because most people won't keep calm when it hits the fan

even when you can barely see a thing lol (special vision modes don't let you see that far in river night)
https://youtu.be/cai4_W22R_8

ps: oh, also another thing... leading targets on light mechs is different; they zigzag and change directions so frequently, you might want to shoot to their side so they turn and eat it, or shoot behind them so they get hit when they back up

btw on the hitreg issue:
ERPPC has better hitreg than ppc and works under90m.
if it's too hot for you then sorry. but ever since close beta frustrated with ppc hitreg (was 10000x worse back then) i switched to erppc and immediately saw a marked improvement, haven't looked back.
hitreg has improved but i won't let go of IS ERPPC, ever...

Edited by Mazzyplz, 08 June 2015 - 08:03 PM.