77 replies to this topic

[NeoCodex]

Say you're piloting HBK-IIC or any other with all weapons in the torso. Or an EBJ with all torso mounted weapons. Why would you want unlocked arms here? I have them locked on these builds most of the time.

I don't like the restrictive feeling of locked arms (and I toggle it on demand) but I feel it is better when aiming and having arm sight unlocked only seems to serve as a distraction, tough the mech does feel more responsive this way.

[627]

you guys are all aware that you can toggle it on the fly? Not only can you toggle it but snap it in with a single press on the shift-key?

Why is everyone always so crusadery for such non-issues...

Have only guns in torso? toggle Armlock on.
Same weapons on torso and arms? press shift to hold armlock if neccessary.
different weapons on both? Shoot two targets at once!

Seriously, just use what you need in the game or we'll end here with "true mechwarriors use a joystick because daddy did it and he was great!"

[Rushin Roulette]

NeoCodex, on 04 February 2016 - 03:38 AM, said:

Say you're piloting HBK-IIC or any other with all weapons in the torso. Or an EBJ with all torso mounted weapons. Why would you want unlocked arms here? I have them locked on these builds most of the time.

I get what you mean. but on the other hand. What is the downside to unlocked arms if there are no weapons mounted there, Its much like the mechs with all weapons in the arms but none in the torso (Boomjjäger or 12ersl Nova for example). You still haev the torso crosshairs even if you dont have any weapons that can use that crosshair... you just end up ignoring it. The same with weapons in the torso but no arm... you cna ignore the arm crosshair.

And to answer your question. On mechs like the HBK-IIC-B with missiles in the torso but no arm weapons. You can still use the arm crosshairs to gain locks for LRMS or Streaks, even if the weapons are not mounted there.

[Soultraxx]

VompoVompatti, on 17 January 2016 - 10:31 PM, said:

I usually have arm lock on. I only turn it off when I need to fire outside of my torso twist range or in some other rare cases.
I am bad at following multiple crosshairs on the screen and that is why I prefer to use arm lock when possible.

This for me.

Ive always had my arms locked since I started playing. I do toggle it off for shots that I need to take in the vertical axis but thats it.

Perhaps its time to take my game up a notch and work with it off for a few days to see what affect it has on my performance. Being in the "Alpha Warrior Online" stable I forsee a lot wasted shots in the beginning ☺

[NeoCodex]

Rushin Roulette, on 04 February 2016 - 03:47 AM, said:

I get what you mean. but on the other hand. What is the downside to unlocked arms if there are no weapons mounted there, Its much like the mechs with all weapons in the arms but none in the torso (Boomjjäger or 12ersl Nova for example). You still haev the torso crosshairs even if you dont have any weapons that can use that crosshair... you just end up ignoring it. The same with weapons in the torso but no arm... you cna ignore the arm crosshair.

And to answer your question. On mechs like the HBK-IIC-B with missiles in the torso but no arm weapons. You can still use the arm crosshairs to gain locks for LRMS or Streaks, even if the weapons are not mounted there.

Yeah for missile lock-on is a must, but this is exactly what I was meaning to describe earlier: if you have only torso weapons and your arms are not locked, your arm crosshair is getting ahead of your actual torso convergence, so you either have to wait for both to get in sync, or missfire for a few ms. This could still be acceptable with beam weapons to a degree, but with PPFLD weapons it is certainly not. That slight delay that torso needs to catch up with your arm movement can make you miss the shot and is also very annoying if you have say gauss on torso and lasers in arms (like on the old TBR builds before the A pods). Hence arm lock (on toggle of course).

And what I was wondering further is if anybody keeps using armlock on torso only builds because it does quite limit your "perceived agility" which also includes torso twisting. I find it that a lot more mouse drag is needed to fully move your torso left and right with arm lock on, because it is slowed down, and this is a disadvantage. Ideally, I should unlock my arms every time I twist or want to look around a little bit faster but this is quite hard to do in the heat of the battle. Thinking about it, for torso twisting, an on-press switch would probably be more suitable than a toggle.

[oldradagast]

I get what the OP is saying, but I don't agree. Arm-lock is one of the worst things for new players to leave on, IMHO.

There's is nothing sadder than watching a mech - usually a heavy or assault - with weapons in its arms die to a circling mech because the arms are locked to the torso and thus cannot twist around far enough to hit the target.

Whatever small convergence benefit is gained in certain builds that wield identical weapons in arm and torso mounts is more than offset by stripping a mech of its ability to handle close combat by locking the arms to the torso. That, and worrying about arm + torso convergence is more of an advanced skill anyway; new players really need to leave their arms UNLOCKED so they can fight up close vs. dying, thinking the game is stupid because the arms "don't move" and then quitting.

Edited by oldradagast, 04 February 2016 - 04:17 AM.

[NeoCodex]

I'm all about leaving arm lock off for new players, but I was talking about advanced armlocked builds in my post.

Hell, when I first tried out the game I remember spending time in testing grounds and testing both features and all controls extensively before heading out to my first battle. I didn't really miss, or need a tutorial.. This "simulation" is so much easier compared to something like Star Citizen it's not even near the same scale of difficulty, and the biggest problem we have here is arm lock.

[MeiSooHaityu]

I toggle arm lock on depending on the mech. If I'm running a light mech or a fast medium with lower arm actuators, I will toggle lock on to slow down the torso twist and keep the arm from aiming all over the place when I turn. On slower mediums and heavier mechs, I'll leave arm lock off.

I'll say this, if people want to reduce convergence in this game, removing arm lock all together would help in doing that. Mechs without lower arm actuators would still have a bit better convergence vs mechs with lower actuators, but it would probably help a bit. Only downside is it might broaden the skill gap between new players and veterans a bit too.

Edited by MeiSooHaityu, 04 February 2016 - 04:33 AM.

[XX Sulla XX]

Seems its a slow news day.

Edited by XX Sulla XX, 04 February 2016 - 04:34 AM.

[Widowmaker1981]

MeiSooHaityu, on 04 February 2016 - 04:32 AM, said:

I toggle arm lock on depending on the mech. If I'm running a light mech or a fast medium with lower arm actuators, I will toggle lock on to slow down the torso twist and keep the arm from aiming all over the place when I turn. On slower mediums and heavier mechs, I'll leave arm lock off.

I'll say this, if people want to reduce convergence in this game, removing arm lock all together would help in doing that. Mechs without lower arm actuators would still have a bit better convergence vs mechs with lower actuators, but it would probably help a bit. Only downside is it might broaden the skill gap between new players and veterans a bit too.

What about the fact that it selectively nerfs mechs with split arm and torso hardpoints? All arm mechs could do with a buff, since they generally have low mounted weapons, so thats fine, but what about all torso mechs, like the BNC and BLR? They are already T1, and wouldn't be affected at all...

[Kotzi]

Stop telling people how to play. This is a game. Have fun. Dont stalk people and tell them their "flaws".

[Lugh]

El Bandito, on 17 January 2016 - 06:28 PM, said:

Once pilots are experienced enough, they can swap between the two to suit their needs. One should never have armlock toggled on or off permanently.

Anyone that has any skill at all, should NEVER have armlock on if they are using arm mounted weapons.

[NeoCodex]

Lugh, on 04 February 2016 - 05:15 AM, said:

Anyone that has any skill at all, should NEVER have armlock on if they are using arm mounted weapons.

You would not use armlock on something like VTR-DS 2PPC/2AC5 ? Well good luck hitting with those PPCs then.

[Kotzi]

The arms move faster than the torso, it is easier to aim with your arm weaponry.

[Bishop Steiner]

NeoCodex, on 04 February 2016 - 05:37 AM, said:

You would not use armlock on something like VTR-DS 2PPC/2AC5 ? Well good luck hitting with those PPCs then.

If you don't rely on a crutch, you can usually function without one.

I have no problem hitting with those PPCs. Though it's been over a year since that build has been relevant....

[MeiSooHaityu]

Widowmaker1981, on 04 February 2016 - 04:57 AM, said:

What about the fact that it selectively nerfs mechs with split arm and torso hardpoints? All arm mechs could do with a buff, since they generally have low mounted weapons, so thats fine, but what about all torso mechs, like the BNC and BLR? They are already T1, and wouldn't be affected at all...

Ok...so. *shrug*

I'm just saying it would help some to remove an aid that wasn't in the game to begin with. I'm not advertising it as the end all solution to convergence.

I think you read way more into that than intended.

[NeoCodex]

Bishop Steiner, on 04 February 2016 - 05:42 AM, said:

If you don't rely on a crutch, you can usually function without one.

I have no problem hitting with those PPCs. Though it's been over a year since that build has been relevant....

It's the first one that came to mind and really highlights the case well. With PPCs being dodgy to hit as it is, using armlock helps significantly to achieve perfect convergence. Saying that no pilot should ever use it is missing the point and opportunity this gives you. Of course you only toggle it on when you need it, I can't stand running around with locked arms just the same.

[Yozzman]

Just off...
Free viewing is better then the locked position. Situational awareness FTW!

People need to know where their weapons shoot from and make groups accordingly.
No more is needed imho