14 replies to this topic

[Not A Real RAbbi]

Dear New Player:

Hello, and WELCOME! We're always happy to see new players firing up their battlemechs. We ARE glad to have you.

We are NOT, however, always good at SHOWING it. For that, let me apologize. Most of us are pretty good at being kind to the new players, remembering that we were also new at some point. Some, though, simply don't have the patience for it. We hope you'll understand and excuse that, while you learn your way around this really cool game.

There is a VERY steep learning curve to MWO. I've been at it since the game was in open beta, over three years ago, and I'm only middle-of-the-pack on a good day. Some of you may be familiar with the game's mechanics and concepts from previous Mechwarrior titles, or from similar games like World of Tanks. MWO is none of those, but those experiences will likely be valuable to you here nonetheless.

Playing this game can be VERY challenging, especially in the beginning. Not long ago, the developers added the Mechwarrior Academy to help new players learn their way around the game. Even as recently as the mid-December patch, that was improved and saw added content. It will NOT teach you everything you need to know to succeed as a new player in the public queue, but it's a pretty good start. USE it, please. Learn the things that it teaches, and remember them.

Even knowing the maps in the game is challenging. I recommend using the map reference at Smurfy, and the Testing Grounds feature, to familiarize yourself with all the game's maps before you start fighting in the live queues. Even though it's a third-party site, Smurfy is THE reference for most things MWO. That map reference will show you the starting points for both sides on every map in all game modes. It is a HUGE benefit to you to know these, and only THEN, to go see how players move from spawns to contact, where fighting typically takes place, and where the best cover is to be found.

Knowing your mech is tough, too. There's a LOT to know. Is it Clan or Inner Sphere (IS) tech? If it's Clan, is it a battlemech or an omnimech? Is it light, medium, heavy, or assault class, and what do those mean? Is it specialized for a particular role, and if so, what role? You've got to know before you go buying your first mech, or you'll almost certainly end up with buyer's remorse. Again, there's reference aplenty at Smurfy, and it's THE reference of choice for experienced MWO players. You also have a chance to test a few mechs in the Mechwarrior Academy, and I recommend that you do so.

Knowing how to construct a mech, and how best to outfit yours, is a challenge at first. Most experienced players have some funny story about a mech build gone awry. And AGAIN, Smurfy to the rescue! Before you even THINK about changing anything in a loadout on one of your mechs, go to Smurfy and try it out. There is simply no reason to have wasted any C-Bills on a wrong or bad building decision, when you have the means to build it first for free.

Knowing the game's meta, and what the hot builds are, and how they work, is also going to become important as you learn your way around the game. I highly recommend GMan129's site, metamechs, for that. If the mech you're looking at isn't listed there, it's probably not a particularly good one. This site gives recommendations for loads based on how the top players and teams are playing those mechs, and talks a good bit about the tactics themselves.

Knowing the game modes, and what you must do to successfully compete in any one of them, can be a challenge. This is especially so for Faction Warfare (formerly Community Warfare) matches. That, however, you will have to learn by playing. There just isn't much that words can tell you, that will really make sense before you begin a match. So, once you have the other stuff down, or at least THINK you do, go get you some.

And while you're gettin' some, don't take anything personally. After all, you just don't know what you don't know. You WILL, though. Believe me, it will come to you. You'll "get it" eventually.

Just stick with us. Put in the time, and the grind, and the victories will come.

And again, welcome to Mechwarrior Online!

[Scyther]

And never forget that Battlemech torsos are chock-full of candy, rainbows and puppies! When people use their laser-fingers to open up your treasure chest, you can eject, happy with the knowledge that you are bringing smiles to all the little Mechwarriors everywhere.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

^^^

If you're nice, we might share with you!

[Digital_Angel]

Admittedly only been playing for 5-6 months myself and still have a lot to learn at times, but yes welcome to all the new players. The more the merrier. I brought one of the guys I work with into it about a week before the Steam launch.

Like any community, we have some jerks, but they are the minority from what i have seen. I, and most players I have seen in matches, are glad to have the new people to expand the player base.

[Rogue Jedi]

I agree with most of what TheRabbi said,

I do not agree about the "Meta" or the site metamechs being useful for for new players.

They are useful if you want to be a competitive player and are the most efficient builds for a specific situation however most meta builds tend to have an extremely narrow focus, often just a single type of weapon, take them out of the optimal situation and they are far less effective, also they tend to require a level of skill a new player will not yet have to be used effectively.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

@RogueJedi: True, but also pretty useful for new folks. 1.) The more upward-focused players will be running those builds, so it's good to know what they can and can not do well. 2.) Especially with the cERML in the game, there's some considerable overlap now in range brackets.

Consider, if you will, the "Gauss Vomit" EBJ. I run one on my -B. Gauss, 5x cERML. Give me a target anywhere from 60-ish meters to over 600, and this is a good build against it. Sure, there might be more optimal close-range builds, or long LONG range ones. But it's a solid overall performer, and I got that build STRAIGHT off metamechs.com.

ALSO, the discussion there of tactics CAN be quite useful to new players. Heck, even basic game mechanics. JUST last night, I think, there was a post in here looking for help with the Gauss rifle. That little squeeze-wait-release mechanic is mentioned there, as well as some pilot tactics for timing it with lasers to get BOTH on target in a single more-or-less alpha strike.

The Steam release put a lot of new players in a bad situation, where many are emerging from their cadet bonuses into Tier 3 and are NOT ready for it. I say that metamechs is a good reference that CAN (but not necessarily WILL) click with some of these folks and help them improve their game.

Of course, though, I respect your opinion, and in part I can agree. To say the least, any new player building directly to GMan129's recommendations is going to miss a lot of opportunity and learning. It's a tool, not a Bible.

Smurfy, on the other hand, is a GOD!

[Leone]

Like Rogue Jedi, I disagree with metamechs. Otherwise however, feel free to listen to TheRAbbi, and don't forget to use the Smurfy site.

~Leone

[xX PUG Xx]

Great post Rabbi, I've been playing for over 3 years and still learn new things from time to time.

I agree that the meta builds may not be ideal initially but knowledge is power, I've looked at some of those builds and tweaked them to suit my own (suicidal) playstyle. However the vast majority of the information on both Smurfy and MetaMechs can help any player massively; knowing the maps, possible tactics, spawn points, etc. is knowledge and ..... well you know what I mean

[Skia Ek Distazo]

Yah I figure experience with WoT will help, since it deals with the same separate control scheme for the turret and chassis (in this game it would be torso and legs)
I'm currently installing this after making my own account, but from my experience on friends' accounts, because this in first person (whereas world of tanks is in third person) It won't help as much as it seems. You'll have to have really good situational awareness, something I've been getting better at in video games
I look forward to finally having an account of my own and learning the insides and outsides of this awesome game.

Cheers!
LordDrox aka Skia Ek Distazo

[Johny Rocket]

Funny how often the Jedi and I are in step.

Metamechs, to often his opinion on this or that chassis' usefulness for competition ends up here as gospel in general about them. What comp players do and why they do it has very little to do with the rest of us, specially casual players who want to run mechs they think are fun and have to hear bs from Tryhards for it. People take pug way to seriously. Was derpin 4 lrm5 on my Oxide, killed a couple and had damage over 600 and still had to deal with a <dead> tryhard chat raging about how you never bring an lrm light with no defensive weapon.

Play every where outside of high level comp would be better and more enjoyable if the masses stopped trying to emulate high level comp play.

The tryhards trying to beat everyone else over the head using metamechs as a Bible really needs to come to an end.

Metamechs tried to do something for the game, not their fault people are ********.

Edited by Tractor Joe, 18 December 2015 - 03:46 PM.

[Rogue Jedi]

Tractor Joe, on 18 December 2015 - 03:41 PM, said:

Funny how often the Jedi and I are in step. Metamechs, to Was derpin 4 lrm5 on my Oxide, killed a couple and had damage over 600 and still had to deal with a <dead> tryhard chat raging about how you never bring an lrm light with no defensive weapon.

as far as I am concerned only Lights can afford LRMs with no backup weapons, because you are (usualy) fast enough to dictate the engagement range. however despite that I hate not having at least 2 lasers for backup when I run out of ammo ^{(regardless of how much you bring it will happen occasionally)}

[Johny Rocket]

Rogue Jedi, on 19 December 2015 - 05:17 AM, said:

as far as I am concerned only Lights can afford LRMs with no backup weapons, because you are (usualy) fast enough to dictate the engagement range. however despite that I hate not having at least 2 lasers for backup when I run out of ammo ^{(regardless of how much you bring it will happen occasionally)}

I only really meant the metemechs thing but yeah there again we agree, the oxide is the only mech I ever ran that way. Favorite combo is 55t 1 erll or 2 LL and 4 lrm5. The new Jenner I'd run 4 clrm5 and 2 cssrm2, hide on top of something close behind my team and rock peoples' faces. I have that Light Pilot instinct, knowing when to run before its even time to, Ive been know to run from falling cinders on Therma because it looked like a mech coming around the corner.


Think that counts as advice for newbies, never run all lrm because inside 180m you're defenseless and tryhards will chat rage at you.

Edited by Tractor Joe, 19 December 2015 - 03:15 PM.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

Quote

Think that counts as advice for newbies, never run all lrm because inside 180m you're defenseless and tryhards will chat rage at you.

Yeah. If avoiding chat rage is at all important, then you may want to not play in PUG at all, really.

LRMs under 180m is something that simply HAS to be explained better to anyone carrying them for the first time (or seven). I've seen it SO much in the last few days, where people are hucking LRMs at someone like 120m away. If it's a panic tactic (make a bunch of missiles shake his cockpit), okay. If he's got cover between him and you, is facing away from you, and is most likely completely unaware of your presence, then you prolly ought to save them missiles. ME? I might try to offer the advice to you, even politely, and definitely without rage or f-bombs. There are those, however, who will cast every curse they know upon your mother and your offspring.

[M0rdresh]

TheRAbbi, on 17 December 2015 - 01:26 PM, said:

Not long ago, the developers added the Mechwarrior Academy to help new players learn their way around the game.

It's a good experience, however there should be an overal introduction on Clan vs IS, because that is the fundament of this game and it would help of people get a general idea, especially on faction war and before they start purchasing mechs their CW choice does not support.

It's a complaint I read multiple times on Steam now, they should take care of it.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

M0rdresh, on 20 December 2015 - 02:24 PM, said:

It's a good experience, however there should be an overal introduction on Clan vs IS, because that is the fundament of this game and it would help of people get a general idea, especially on faction war and before they start purchasing mechs their CW choice does not support.

It's a complaint I read multiple times on Steam now, they should take care of it.

Agreed. And sooner or later (sooner, please), they need to offer something in there to prime new players on CW/FW. Some folks are flying blind there. They simply install, do as little academy as they must, and jump in with a bought package or a bunch of trial mechs, not knowing what's going on at all. At least 12v12 Skirmish is pretty straightforward.

Really, there ought to be an Academy primer on every game mode (Conquest, Skirmish, Assault, FW Attack/Defend, FW Counterattack).