81 replies to this topic

[Lanzman]

New player here, just started two nights ago. Not really asking for help yet since I don't know enough to ask an intelligent question yet, but just wanted to get involved.

So far I've run around the training areas a lot, and played about six real matches (and survived one of 'em!) where I've mostly died a quick, horrible death. Already I see quirks.

I get focused on targeting a bad guy and run into an obstacle where I stop moving and get killed. I focus on navigating the terrain and lose track of the bad guys and get killed. I get a good hit on a bad guy and get all happy and then two of his buddies hit me and I get killed.

So far I'm having even more fun with this than I thought I would. Yeah, the learning curve is steep and I've not been a computer gamer - avoided it as the timesink it is - but I've been a BattleTech fan since the late 80s and after watching a bunch of the Youtube videos I just couldn't resist.

Anyway, just joined and loving it. Thanks.

[Bilbo]

The map navigation will come with repetition. Then you'll have a better time keeping up with the bad guys. Have fun.

[JonahGrimm]

Luck and good hunting! Let us know if we can offer specific advice, insanity, or general mad props.

[Xannatharr]

Welcome to the game, it's a blast!

Keep at it, it will get smoother, just have fun

Xann

[Elizander]

Map familiarity is important. Think of it as your playground. Gotta know it like the back of your hand to win at hide and seek.

I still suck at a couple of maps in this game.

[Anunknownlurker]

Welcome to the battlefield MechWarrior. Getting killed happens a lot to me too

Good luck and good hunting!

[Barkem Squirrel]

Even after 2.5 years I still make a wrong turn now and again, only to die to the entire enemy team greeting me.

All I can say is play it how you like to have fun.

[Cupid and Psyche _]

Welcome to the forums! For a beginner, the best advice I can give you is stick with the team until you can become a more dynamic and intuitive player. Seriously- just find another mech and stick by it throughout the entirety of a map.

You'll skills will slowly develop in time!

Happy hunting

[dragnier1]

Welcome to MWO

Hopefully you haven't spent a single C-bill from your first 25 matches yet. If you have, don't worry. You can still earn them back (well you need to earn cbills anyway...)

The bonus cash given off the 25 cadet matches are meant to go into your first mech. Do your research first : looks - mechlab while in game, as for mech designs (to play around with before or after purchasing your mech, researching on builds) use this - http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/. As of now i hear you can fiddle around with mechs before buying them, but smurfy is still handy when you need to post builds on the forum.

You'll need 3 variants of a mech chassis to master them (you unlock full potential after completing elite tier skills), so i'll suggest looking at medium mechs first as they're the cheapest to upgrade. Double heat sinks and Endo-steel are a must.

[Lanzman]

Thanks for all the replies. My total is eight matches so far. Definitely see that some maps work better for me than others already. I even managed a single kill. With LRMs, no less. My first mech is a GRF-3M Griffin, because that was my very first ride the first time I played the tabletop game. One PPC, one LRM-20 and I removed the small laser for another ton of LRM ammo. Having a blast. Literally.

[Barkem Squirrel]

The 3M build where I was 6th in Griffins for the Chassis Challenge Last October.

3 LRM 5's
1 LRM 15
1 ML
1 TAG
1 AMS with 1 ton of ammo
9 tons of LRM ammo or 8 with one double heatsink.
Endo steel structure
standard armor
255 XL
BAP
2 Jump Jets

Use the LRMs in volley fire or Chain fire depending if the target is near cover or has AMS.

Or use the LRM 20 (4 tons of Ammo) with three SSRM 2's (2 tons of Ammo). Then chose between one LL, 2 ML's or 2 MPL's.

After this one try the 2N griffin with the ECM. There is a buff to missile speed and spread. PPC's also have a velocity buff. It also has 4 missile and two energy hard points.

[Rogue Jedi]

Lanzman, on 17 June 2015 - 12:50 PM, said:

Thanks for all the replies. My total is eight matches so far. Definitely see that some maps work better for me than others already. I even managed a single kill. With LRMs, no less. My first mech is a GRF-3M Griffin, because that was my very first ride the first time I played the tabletop game. One PPC, one LRM-20 and I removed the small laser for another ton of LRM ammo. Having a blast. Literally.

while usualy saving up your first 25 matches income is a good idea, I have a few sugestions to improve your loadout

as you have already purchased a Mech (I am guessing with real money) Endo Steel Internals costs about half a million cbills and will give you an extra 2.5 tons to play with, that would allow you to pack extra ammo, weapons or heatsinks.

Also you could swop the LRM20 for 4 LRM5s and get another free ton (although you would run a bit hotter), if you chain fire LRM5s your enemy will hate you as they will cause enemy cockpit display to shake with each hit, making it harder for your enemy to fire back accurately, also chain fired LRM5 are more likely to mostly hit the Center Torso, and thus take down the enemy Mechs faster that an LRM20.

and if TAG is on target it makes the LRMs group tighter, a TAG costs 1 ton and in the Griffin you are fast enough that you should usualy be able to keep line of sight and keep the TAG on target.

assuming you want to keep LRMs and the PPC this is what I would use:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...1d1a98a39ffe531
you could chainfire those LRMs for about 22 seconds before overheating, ^{(after unlocking the Cool run and heat containment skills you can literally keep firing them until you run out of ammo)} except on the hot maps, or fire everything for 12 seconds ^{(16 with coolrun and heat containment, 18 when you have completed the elite skills)}

also many Mechs get quirks to improve their effectiveness, look them up here:
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de

and there is an excelent online Mechlab where you can play with builds and firgure out exactly how much something will cost here:
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab

to get the best out of a Mech you will need to complete the Elite skills (referred to as eliting a Mech), to elite a Mech you need to complete the basic skills on 3 separate variants, that is 3 variants with a different designation not including anything in brackets e.g. the GRF-1S and GRF-1S(c) count as the same
completing the elite skills doubles the effectiveness of the basic level skills, the elite skills include a 10% top speed boost

[Tarogato]

Welcome!

Stick with your team. As you're learning, you might do well to pick a teammate, follow him around, and shoot at what he shoots at. If you're off and trying to do your own thing, you'll end up getting caught more often than not, and it never ends well. It's takes quite a bit of practice and learning to become independent. =]

Edited by Tarogato, 17 June 2015 - 02:12 PM.

[Lanzman]

Tarogato, on 17 June 2015 - 02:12 PM, said:

Welcome!

Stick with your team. As you're learning, you might do well to pick a teammate, follow him around, and shoot at what he shoots at. If you're off and trying to do your own thing, you'll end up getting caught more often than not, and it never ends well. It's takes quite a bit of practice and learning to become independent. =]

This is exactly the strategy I've been using. Identify lancemates, stick with them (or try to at least) and shoot where they shoot.

[3xnihilo]

Welcome Lanzman! This game does have a steep learning curve, but the things that make it so hard end up bein the reason it is so much fun once you learn it. The best advice I can give you is perseverance (and all the good stuff everyone else said) when you have one of those awful rounds just jump right back in. Set small obtainable goals for yourself, like break 150 damage consistently, then 200, 250, etc. Also, switching to a new mech can be almost like starting all over again so when you get your next chassis don't worry if you can't perform at the same level that you do in one you are familiar with. Feel free to add me as a friend in game, if our timezones/playtimes coincide I would be happy to chat wih you about mechlab/build stuff or run some drops with you.

Good Luck Mechwarrior

[Elizander]

Lanzman, on 17 June 2015 - 02:16 PM, said:

This is exactly the strategy I've been using. Identify lancemates, stick with them (or try to at least) and shoot where they shoot.

It's good, just be wary of teammates who seem to get you lost or killed. It happens sometimes! Gotta know when to break away from the pack sooner or later. Also sometimes you get grouped up with faster mechs that leave you behind. If that happens just move over to the heavier lances to not get isolated.

At the start of each match always know where the assault lance is. It's always a good anchor point to go to if you don't know where to run and the pack of 150-170kph lights in your lance leave you behind to harass the enemy.

[Mondeza]

Welcome, welcome.

While I am relatively new myself....or new enough that I remember the learning curve. I would also like to recommend staying with the group. Doesnt have to be your Lance but in the very beginning stay with the larger group of mechs until you pick up the tactics per map.

Shoot at what they shoot at and have a blast.

The dont's I have are:
Don't go out alone (in the Griffin)
Don't stand right behind someone
Don't get upset when you get a low score
Don't "Quit" match directly after you have been killed. Find another Griffin or medium mech and watch what they do. You will learn what is good and what is BAD by watching others.

[Zelumbras]

Welcome to MWO, pilot!

The game is really fun and sometimes really frustrating and there is so much to learn! You literally never run out of things to improve on and just when you think you hit a skill cap, the meta changes and things get mixed up a bit. However, there are a few things you might want to focus on first:

Basics:
* basic weapon ranges and firing mechanics
* shooting while moving as well as shooting moving targets (especially with ballistics)
* basic map layout (automatically comes when you play more)
* basic movement and positioning (more or less comes down to: stay with the team, don't block friendlies, torso vs. leg control)
* have fun!

Slightly Advanced:
* weapon group management (left vs. right, weapons with similar firing mechanics/ranges, ghost heat avoidance)
* heat management
* torso twisting and arm vs. torso movement
* basic loadout optimization (engine, weapon pairing)
* have fun!

Advanced:
* learn common tactics, 'mech loadouts
* advanced map knowledge (common movement routes, availability of cover etc.)
* advanced 'mech controls (movement, shooting specific hit boxes on enemies, improved heat management)
* learn when to fight and when to run, when to shoot and when to wait for the enemy to turn their weak side to you
* advanced loadout optimization (weapon placement, front vs. back armour, modules)
* have fun!


There is a ton more coming after that and i am pretty sure that other people would argue about what is basic, what advanced and what for experts but among all the personal opinions and experiences you will see a common factor.

[Lanzman]

Okay, how do you enable voice chat in-game? I hear a few players talking but I can't reply.

[3xnihilo]

It is in settings to turn it on. By default Capslock is the push to talk key.