118 replies to this topic

[MischiefSC]

I believe the correct answer is

'You don't have to spend real money......

but you probably need to spend real money'.

There was a time when MW:O was not grind-y. That time passed several income nerfs ago. As a given rule those of us who spend cash (especially on Clan mechs) are going to crush you regardless of skill because we'll have more tools and better tools and more time and experience with them than you. If you and I are both of approximately equal skill POTENTIAL and both have 1,000 drops, but I've bought mech packs and bundles and premium time then I'm going to have more mastered mechs (by far) and more experience with more mechs than you.

Spending money in MW:O used to be a very volunteer thing. That's changed. Now there is a noticeable and real gap between people who spend money and people who don't. If you haven't spent $120 or more on MW:O you are at a disadvantage. That just is what it is.

[Hotthedd]

Gas Guzzler, on 07 August 2015 - 09:13 AM, said:

I'm pretty sure ELO is at odds with trying to give people 50/50 win/loss ratios.

It would have to be, at least a little. It is much easier for the algorithm if one team is slightly stronger than the other. Evenly matched teams still works, but it becomes unnecessary.

[9thDeathscream]

Alright all things taken into consideration if you are new and alone MWO is hard to get into.

Looking at it from someone who owns all the Heroes and Top tier packs, excluding the founders also no Gold mechs.

I am even starting to have second thoughts about dropping cash now. I'm sure i am not the only one.

Do we have fewer days of MWO left than what has already passed???

[Wronka]

Project Purification, on 06 August 2015 - 10:40 AM, said:

So as a guy who wants to play in Clan wars, how in the world am I supposed to buy anything? I started playing yesterday, and after the beginner perks wore off I've averaged about 80k a fight.

I don't have time to play for 12 hours a day to be able to get the mechs I want, and while I'd be more than willing to pull out ye' ol' card to do it is this just another pay-to-win game?

What's more in order to get to higher levels of efficency I have to have 3 varients of the same type, I have been playing for about 4 hours and barely have 2 million.

This game is rapidly approaching gutter even with how good it looks. It's one thing to have the option, but another thing entirely to feel like I don't even have a choice.

LOL, welcome to MW:O. I have complained many times on many different threads that this game is not very friendly to new or casual players. Everything in this game is extremely overpriced, including the real $ purchases. The only packs that are "well valued" are the expensive packs during the early adopter windows, since you get lots of mechs, bonus variants, premium time and more, BUT you have to wait 6 months to ever see that content... not attractive to new or casual players.

Though the game basically makes you spend money to get anywhere, it is NOT pay to win. You really are only paying to save time. Nearly everything in the game can be gotten for cbills or has an equivalent item that is for cbills. The only thing I can think of that you HAVE to spend money on to have are hero mechs. However, they are not that amazing and not even close to pay to win.

[Nik Reaper]

Wronka, on 07 August 2015 - 09:40 AM, said:

Though the game basically makes you spend money to get anywhere, it is NOT pay to win. You really are only paying to save time. Nearly everything in the game can be gotten for cbills or has an equivalent item that is for cbills. The only thing I can think of that you HAVE to spend money on to have are hero mechs. However, they are not that amazing and not even close to pay to win.

Yes it's not p2w its just pay to potentialy ( if a good mech is in the pack ) have an advantage for ~3~6 months, true not as bad, but hardly flattering...

There really should be a disclamer somewhere that goes like this: " THE GAME IS FREE TO PLAY, YOU DO NOT NEED TO PAY A SUBSCRIPTION TO PLAY NOR FOR US TO KEEP YOUR PROFILE DATA SAFE FOR LONG TIMES OF INACTIVITY, BUT UNLESS YOU PAY YOU WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE CONTENT THIS GAME OFFERS " .
I mean wouldn't this pretty much end any complaints about f2p nature of the game? F2P is true to the name, and at no point was it said it's a 100% free game ( ngng says that a lot but not sure about PGI , as the mechbay limit in it's self would make that untrue and plz don't go to the with go CW with max 4 owned mechs ( 3 varients + 1 ) with no modules, non elo MM and next to no ingame skills ) .

It should be clear that after the "free trial period" you should pay ... but the problem is that the trial period is HELL , you can't skill up trial mechs, and we now just how much skill change mech behavior , and when you choose you'r first mech you locked down 3 mech slots as you will need 3 to experiance it's true potential and then you can sell 2 at half price ( - dubble heatsinks and endo investment as the buyers don't seem to care for modifications or something... ) and start another 3 to experiance one other mech, all while veterans with modules and game skills beat down on you... good times... more so if you didn't read any info beforehand about what to get and what not to.

The trial mech system should have been the hook to get new players and the 4 mech bays should have been the taste of things to come... and with no que for new ppl only using those trials, private games behind a paywall and those prices while the income is what it is, I really can't see anyone who doesn't just love the genre or the brand would stick around after that "honey moon phase" .

Edited by Nik Reaper, 07 August 2015 - 11:10 AM.

[Wronka]

Akulla1980, on 07 August 2015 - 09:00 AM, said:

Really. So MM loads up 6 founders with various unit tags on one side and a few CW tags.

Few Dires a Timber and a Crow + assorted tier 1 and 2 mechs.

VS

1 founder maybe 2 or 3 lone wolfs with unit tags and the rest with no tags or affiliations.

Couple of trial Victors and maybe a Tbolt with a few tier 3 mechs.

Lol believe what you wan't i seen it and so have others.

MM predicts losses before drops.

The MM can be downright brutal. A good example below... tell me if you can see what is wrong besides the fact my team did poorly....





Whats that? You said there are 5 assualts on the winning team and 0 on the losing team? Well then you are correct. The winning team had 315 tons over my team... lol. That match was over before it even started. And I didn't do half bad either!

Edited by Wronka, 07 August 2015 - 11:13 AM.

[TWIAFU]

Nik Reaper, on 07 August 2015 - 04:55 AM, said:

I'm sorry, but I just can't agree to this from a perspective of someone who doesn't have 3 mechs at least elited and is on his ways to the seismic sensor mod...
You start with 1 mech and you are going against veterans with modules, and if you get to group play it's almost guarantied that they are well equiped and experianced, the first priority ,if you read or someone told you you need 3 to master and just how big the elite bonuses are, is to get those 3 mechs and basic all 3 as fast as you can nad go elite the one you like, and when each is ~10 mil ( for clanners medum+ ) and you are earning ~80k at best as you are new.... yeah the game is telling you something.

Wait, you cannot be telling all of us here that you do not have 3 elited mechs and your working on seismic now.

In three years and this is all you have done? Maybe you should grind.

[TWIAFU]

Wronka, on 07 August 2015 - 11:10 AM, said:

The MM can be downright brutal. A good example below... tell me if you can see what is wrong besides the fact my team did poorly....





Whats that? You said there are 5 assualts on the winning team and 0 on the losing team? Well then you are correct. The winning team had 315 tons over my team... lol. That match was over before it even started. And I didn't do half bad either!

And the fact that three on your team didn't even show up to the fight.

[Mechteric]

Either pay or earn the hard way, it's your choice. At any rate the "end game" material is what needs multiple mechs. If all you want to do is play in the PUG/group queue you only technically need just 1 mech. Also, at least a few trial mechs are decent maybe.


BUT. Yes, the current CBill earnings are incredibly low, its really badly felt the lighter the mech you are, since it is that much harder to do the damage and get the kills when you have fewer weapons and less armor (hence why the Heavy queue is always so much higher).

[InspectorG]

Project Purification, on 06 August 2015 - 10:40 AM, said:

This game is rapidly approaching gutter even with how good it looks. It's one thing to have the option, but another thing entirely to feel like I don't even have a choice.

Alrighty bud. Here is what you want to do:

Decide if you want Clan or Inner Sphere mechs. THEY COST ABOUT THE SAME, IS mechs have to pay to upgrade, Clans come upgrade equipped so it about evens out.

Metamechs.com Look at the tier lists. Now, this isnt the Gospel per se, but its a decent refference list for the average player.

Save up Cbills for T1 mechs or spend $ on them. Your choice. if you spend $...RESEARCH BEFORE YOU BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CAVEAT EMPTOR
Learn the current META, talk to decent players, pick a play-style...THEN buy $ mech.
You dont want to spend $ on the wrong mech.

If you go the Cbill route you may want to start another account for a Cadet Bonus is you already spent yours.

If you roll Clan, 3 Stormcrows will carry you far.
Inner Sphere? 3 Thunderbolts will work well.

Those mechs can also be the basis for CW drop decks.

Now, the REST of earning Cbills is 'getting good'. Thats it. Better you play, better the pay. i worked through 6 sh*tty months in Commandos before i figured out they werent that good and my skills sucked. Luckily some nice people here helped me with advice.

Or, you could join a Unit that trains and practices with newbs. Do research first. Avoid drama. Find happy peoples.

Hope this helps.

[Nik Reaper]

TWIAFU, on 07 August 2015 - 11:25 AM, said:

Wait, you cannot be telling all of us here that you do not have 3 elited mechs and your working on seismic now.

In three years and this is all you have done? Maybe you should grind.

OFC not, but you do get that that is the new player perspective and that probly no one here except the op is new and has no point of talking from a perspective that is eather a whale or has grinded everything they need right?

Edited by Nik Reaper, 07 August 2015 - 11:59 AM.

[DAYLEET]

This thread reminds me when nego happens. And theres a bunch of us old timers that are trying to make it better for the new guys and then the bitter old timers are always, "no, i didnt have that when i started so they shouldnt have that either" It shows how great human being they are.


I suggest everyone here bring a new guy to the game and walk him through and talk to him as he plays. Youll see it gets depressing real fast.

Edited by DAYLEET, 07 August 2015 - 11:59 AM.

[CDLord HHGD]

@ OP, it also helps to know a bit about the lore and have a vested interest in the story. Check out Sarna for some very good info.

[SolarCleric]

Project Purification, on 06 August 2015 - 10:49 AM, said:

If they had had clan mastery packs I would have bought one. They don't. I spent my cadet bonus on a mad dog, and I'm mad at myself

Oh you think you made a bad choice....I blew all of mine on a Vindicator......yes that vindicator. Plus its variants because I had to be a "master" at one of the worst mechs in the game. lol (I did sort of come to love it....but not really....but sort of.) haha

[patataman]

You have to pay real cash for hero mechs. Or for having a cbill bonus on the packs special variants. Every other "hardware" is vailable with cbills, all weapons, modules, mechs, consumables...

I just started playing planetside 2 last week, the game is very fun, but most upgrades are only obtainable by using real cash ( AFAIK the only way to obtain the premium currency is paying ). That means you can't get even a 2x zoom in a shooter with giant maps. I'm already thinking about leaving the game because of this. I like it now... but how long will i be interested, a week? A year? Forever? Is it worth spending money from day one?

While the grind here can be tedious, you can use a f2p account and buy top equipment, don't underestimate that. After a while playing you may consider giving the game some money, because you already know how the game works and you will be sure if you like it or not. At least this is my aproach to this f2p model. What i dislike a lot is how the premium time is handled, the smaller amount i can activate is 1 entire month. Who can play a month consistently?

[Thunder Child]

Biggest thing to remember, you will not be God Level on day one. This is not like Call of Duty, where everything is just there, and can be unlocked within 15 matches if you have Insane Twitch skills.

It's more like World of Warcraft, where you have to level up to.... whatever the Cap is these days.... before you can do the interesting stuff. You CAN'T do that in one day, or (correct me if I'm wrong, as I left at the start of Pandaland) even one week. It takes TIME.

Now admittedly, comparing MWO to WoW is a terrible example in every other respect, because one has a lot of Macro Transactions, a Terrible Grind, and all the fun and tactically interesting stuff is getting nerfed into the ground. And the other has Mechs. And more mechs. And.... not much else, yet.

But, if you ignore the Massive Open World that Blizzard have created, and just look at how the game plays, both games have a huge Grind before you can Git Gud. This is a common feature for most Online Games these days. Get players hooked on having to "level up", and get them to spend all their money while doing so. The difference is, MWO does not ask you for money at ANY point during this process, unlike almost all other Online Games. Sure, they offer one thing, or another, or all the things in a pretty boxed pack with a ribbon on top. But you NEVER actually have to BUY anything. Ever. You just need to spend time instead.

But yes, the Grind is Bad. I wish they'd fix it too, as my Freemium Alt Is still trying to save up enough for a second Atlas.

[MechaBattler]

Akulla1980, on 07 August 2015 - 08:25 AM, said:

U rekon premium time helps take the edge off on losses?

get a string of these and no one will stay!

Well I didn't say it would make up for a really bad game. I've had losses where I did good personally and still netted 80k without premium time.

[Rhavin]

Spend 30 bucks buy a cheetah pack from wave 3, equip 5 small pulse lasers, rack up kills and cbills while eliting all 3 of them, then decide if you want to spend 30 more dollars on a shadowcat upgrade. Or 60 to get the ebon jaguar pack. A 3 Ebon jag/ cheetah or shadowcat drop deck can be really effective. Prime variants plus premium time = cbills, even if you perform poorly chances are you can still get 100k a loss.

If you like inner sphere instead buy some mc and get a hunchback mastery bundle, buy one more hunchback variant and you have a 200 ton drop deck, and hunchbacks are good enough mechs that if you are a good pilot no one in a pug CW drop can bat an eye at your choice. Or buy jagers, or whatever floats your boat.

This game is worth a little investment.

30 dollars is cheap, I spent about 50 to 60 on each of the Witcher games and beat them in about 1 to 2 weeks. No telling how much I spent on WOW or EQ 2. I have spent money on MWO (probably around 400 dollars) since I bought in as a Legendary Founder, so in 3 years that would have bought me 8 to 10 premium titles that I would play for a week or two, beat, and uninstall. I may take a sabbatical from MWO but all those mechs are here when I come back ready to rock and faceroll.

[Nik Reaper]

If all those packs came with sensor derp and seismic with out being a early reward and such that really would justify throwing money to skip a month or so of grinding and get started.

On that thought we need module mastery pack, auto gxp unlock and several of each for ppl to use.. if we are going with pay to not grind this seems logical. Pay ~60$ for 3 mechs with modules and you can go to CW without a handycap ( skill not included ) .

Edited by Nik Reaper, 07 August 2015 - 09:24 PM.

[Eaerie]

Honestly for a while it won't be the mechs that hold you back it will be your skill level at piloting your mech and i am not talking about the pilot trees/mech trees. There is a LOT of stuff to be aware of when piloting a mech. Among those are
1. direction you are moving isnt neccessarily the direction you are facing. Thisleads to some other concepts of the game such as using unused areas of your mech as a shield for incoming damage.
2. weapon ranges, nothing frustrates a player more than watching his teammates shoot a medium laser at a target 800m away
3. heat generation. overheating is almost universally bad. (there are situations where overheating might save your mech but they are few and far between) have to know how much heat your weapons generate and how many you can fire without overheating. Learn about ghost heat and how it efffects your build.
4. learn the maps, only way to get this is to just play over and over.
5. how to stay properly grouped up. This is IMPORTANT. staying with your lance and/or some other friendly helps a lot. but if you get to bunched up you are a detriment to your team. Friendly fire isnt so friendly in this game. group up to tight you prevent your teammates from firing/moving to avoid damage and are just asking for some enemy light mech to drop an air/artillery strike on you all.
6. quirks. some mechs have awesome quirks so know how it effects your mech and any potential loadouts you may consider

the above isnt even all inclusive either. I would just recommend playing as many trial mechs as you can to find out which type fits for you. fast scout/ heavy brawler/ long range support/ sniper etc. only way to figure that out is try them all. Once you have an idea about that look at infomation on mechspecs.com and metamechs.com to get idea of builds and mechs that are concidered "top" or subpar. Read thru the forums, look at location of hardpoints and how many the mech you are concidering has.

while you are figuring all that out you should be playing matches/ gaining needed exp (both for skill trees and for yourself) and trying to have fun while doing it. The whole time you are doing that you are gaining C-bills.

If you desperatly need/want mechs in a hurry you are looking at buying a pack (clan pack/IS pack/mastery pack/ al la carte) if that isnt an option get a few extra mech bays and slowly start collecting them. I reccommend IS mediums as a good starting ground, such as a hunchie, shadowhawk, griffen or wolvereine. all can get decent loadouts with a minimal of cost (except the double heatsink "tax") if you are set on clan mechs buy stormcrows or timberwolves.