18 replies to this topic

[Phynixs]

Hey folks, I am new decided to give the game a try i saw it on steam.i would like to know if there are any good and up to date guides for new players. so that i am not to lost while playing i have played the video games way back in the day. i also played WoT didn`t like it to much the mechanics were a bit broken. enough rambling about from me see you all out there

[TercieI]

Sadly, no, not really. The best guide that existed is now too out-of-date to recommend. The in-game tutorial is a reasonable start and this section of the forum has a few people who are eager to help new players. The best thing you can do is install the game, run the tutorials, ask questions, play with all the trial mechs and ask more questions.

Welcome to MWO...I'm Terc, I'll help answer as many questions as I can (though note that unlike many answering questions in new players I'm a comp player and think very play-to-win).

Edit: I forgot there are some videos... Kanajashi's are here and perhaps Spike Brave will kindly link his.

Edited by TercieI, 31 May 2016 - 06:32 AM.

[Phynixs]

TercieI, on 31 May 2016 - 06:30 AM, said:

Sadly, no, not really. The best guide that existed is now too out-of-date to recommend. The in-game tutorial is a reasonable start and this section of the forum has a few people who are eager to help new players. The best thing you can do is install the game, run the tutorials, ask questions, play with all the trial mechs and ask more questions.

Welcome to MWO...I'm Terc, I'll help answer as many questions as I can (though note that unlike many answering questions in new players I'm a comp player and think very play-to-win)

So it`s a trail by fire heh

[TercieI]

Phynixs, on 31 May 2016 - 06:32 AM, said:

So it`s a trail by fire heh

To some extent, though I did add a link to some excellent videos. And the new players section is quite helpful.

[p4r4g0n]

It is pretty hard to learn to play this game without actually playing it since it does not have a single player PVE campaign of sorts at this time.

Just a couple of things to do and remember -

• Do the tutorial - nets you up to 5 million C-Bills
  
• Use the trial mechs especially the medium and heavies to do the 25 cadet matches and earn the cadet bonuses - these can net you anything between 15 - 25 million C-Bills (including match rewards) depending on how well you do.
  
• Do not buy a mech as soon as you have accumulated the purchase price as customizing it to perform as well as the trial mechs may cost you anywhere from 5 -15 million C-Bills. Save your C-Bills until you are certain which mech class and/or mech you are most comfortable playing with.
  
• Do not hesitate to ask in the New Player Help sub-forum if you have any queries.
  
• Last but not least, DO NOT play Faction Play at this time. It is intended for experienced players with their own fully customized mechs.

[Digital_Angel]

p4r4g0n, on 31 May 2016 - 06:45 AM, said:

Last but not least, DO NOT play Faction Play at this time. It is intended for experienced players with their own fully customized mechs.

While I generally agree with p4r4g0n on this, Faction play is the best way to earn mech bays without spending real $, which are the main choke point for new players getting on their feet.

[paws2sky]

On YouTube, I recommend the MoltenMetal beginners' and how-to guides. Lots of actual play videos with commentary and suggestions. Good stuff, all around.

-paws

[Koniving]

Phynixs, on 31 May 2016 - 06:26 AM, said:

Hey folks, I am new decided to give the game a try i saw it on steam.i would like to know if there are any good and up to date guides for new players. so that i am not to lost while playing i have played the video games way back in the day. i also played WoT didn`t like it to much the mechanics were a bit broken. enough rambling about from me see you all out there

WoT has the issue of having to know the exact angle, armor thickness and ahell penetration capability required to pierce tank armor. War Thunder is a bit softer on it but still has that issue...minus not allowing the mixing of tank tiers that cannot even harm certain tanks due to ineffective armor penetrative ability.

Welcome to MWO. It is a bit less simulation so it should be easier. Rather than a focus of armor thickness, penetration and the like, there are other things to focus on. Heat, for one.

To kill an enemy you must do one of the following:
Destroy cockpit (very difficult).
Destroy both legs (very easy, but time consuming against big enemies).
Destroy side torso(s)...this depends heavily on the enemy's engine.
Destroy center torso (always nets a kill).

Some quick tricks.
R is your friend.
An enemy not previously spotted takes time to analyze the status of. Try to avoid fighting the enemy until you get their data, if you are too close you won't be able to run if you figure out you are clearly outmatched by a fresh enemy.
Aim in the same spot until it is destroyed. (Side torsos do not visually disappear but the arm falls off when the deed is done).
Lasers spread. Spread is bad. Keep track of the enemy and drill lasers into the same spot until it stops shooting.
Missiles require you to keep track of the enemy (except SRMs). Lose enemy and the missiles turn stupid.
You can have up to six fire buttons. Set them up in a tangible way, most like to keep it down to two. I use four.

[p4r4g0n]

LadyDanams, on 31 May 2016 - 07:15 AM, said:

While I generally agree with p4r4g0n on this, Faction play is the best way to earn mech bays without spending real $, which are the main choke point for new players getting on their feet.

Personally, I have no issues with new players doing FP with trial mechs. However, to avoid getting a bad experience which turns a new player off FP, they should only be playing FP with a group

[Spike Brave]

TercieI, on 31 May 2016 - 06:30 AM, said:

Edit: I forgot there are some videos... Kanajashi's are here and perhaps Spike Brave will kindly link his.

But of course. I'd start here it's all the UI stuffs.

https://www.youtube....M5iZBc94hAMs8HD

Some game mechanics stuffs.

https://www.youtube....yWBs4M7_YaHT-UM

Some game play stuffs:

https://www.youtube....LUARn4aztATqv-_

Hope this helps! Let us know if you have other questions.

[Flak Kannon]

Hi Phyn,

First off. Welcome.


The learning curve is a bit steep. Game play isnt a huge leap, but the Lab is where you can bog down with information overload quickly..

So, some tips.

There is a website you can use to MOCK up possible builds on mechs you own.

Do you own any mechs right away? No, you do not.

The stock mechs you play early you can not alter. When you start aquirng funds called CBills, you can buy mechs of your own.

You have 4 free mech bays, then you need to buy any more with real money, that currency is called MC, or Mech Credits.

The website ot mock up builds. Smurfy.

http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/



The 'Mechlab' tab is where you mock up builds. It is all text based, nothing 3d or visual...the other tabs are also rich sources of general information.

The best thing to do is just play and learn the flow and pace of this game.

Tip- Try and never be at the rear of the team, you'll be picked off by light mechs.. try and stay in the middle.

As you have incoming fire on your mech turn your torso too and fro to spread the incoming damage as much as possible.

Tip-Auto cannons will need deflection, meaning you will have to gauge the speed of the mech and the distance and the speed of your cannon, and aim in front.. how much? You'll learn, depends on many factors. Laser go where you point, but are distance limited..

Koniving made a good point, get into the habit of hitting the R button, you'll help your team with info and yourself to know where mechs are. Keep one eye on the game screen and one on the minimap.

More than anything, knowing where they are and where their going is more than half the battle..

You will learn by dying... alot.


enjoi

[Bohxim]

Some other basic info you might need to know for the diff weapon systems involved in mwo.

Inner sphere
Ballistics fire 1 shell at a time according to cannon ratings. Higher rating weigh more but hit harder at shorter ranges. Gauss rifles being the exception.
Lasers burn shorter and cooler but lower damage at shorter range
lrm Fires in volleys of 5, 10, 15, 20 depending on rack rating. Great for large slow targets as the volley lands all at once

Clans
Ballistics all have ultra capabilities meaning you can double tap to fire another volley but chance to jam. Weigh less generally but they usually fires in small bursts (still same dmg. Ie uac 10 fires 3 shells of 3.33 to a total of 10) but inherently spreads if enemy is moving or too far
Lasers burn longer and hotter but large calibre weighs less. Have way better range and damage
Lrm fires in streams. Less reliable if you lose locks but if locks are maintained, it's a constant barrage of cockpit shaking hell which can cripple less experienced players
Have access to streak srm 4 and 6 which have improved ranged of 360m and hits for 2 dmg each at a locked target. Generally only good for hunting lights and padding your own dmg as they home to random components

General tips.
Don't bother with ams unless you plan to play heavy/assault escorts. Save some money get a radar deprivation module and some map awareness of how to get to cover saves you the tonnage ams uses.
Crit don't work like in other games. They hit internal equipment in exposed components then deal a small percentage of damage to the structure. It's great for disabling mechs but not super important at destroying them. Don't bother with this til you're more experienced.
Clan double heat sinks have lower heat capacity than inner sphere but more dissipation while consuming less slots on the mech
You need 3 variants of the mech chassis to unlock elite skills which doubles up basic skills. So do plan your purchases carefully
Most clan mechs (like timber Wolf, ebon jaguar, storm crows) are omni mechs and you can switch components amongst the chassis to build specialised mechs for various roles. Once you buy an omni mech you can buy the omni pods so you don't need to buy another chassis. Battle mechs like inner sphere mechs or clan IIC can't change components but have full customisation on them like engine changes and jump jets etc if they allow
Inner sphere xl engines will destroy your mech if you lose a side torso. Clans xl engine give you a speed and agility penalty but doesn't outright kill you. Part of the reason clan lights and mediums are considered tankier
Bind a toggle arm lock button as some mechs don't really use their arm weapons and locking your arms to the torso ensures you don't have a delay on your torso weapons keeping up with your arm reticle.
Uavs can be your best friends or worst enemies. Popping 1 at the correct spot gives your entire team view of the incoming enemy wave and gives lrm mechs locks to suppress them while you set up a firing line. Same for enemy Uavs. Shoot down asap
The hard points on various mechs give them different roles. High mounted weapons (cockpit level or above) gives a mech excellent hill humping (cresting a hill slightly to expose a small bit of your mech) abilities while asymmetrical mechs tend to give better side poking abilities (peeking out from a corner to shoot with weapon side)
These are the current tips I can think of off hand. Hope this helps

[Tarl Cabot]

http://mwomercs.com/...arrior-academy/

You have the tutorial and the academy with dummy AI mechs. You are also able to switch out the mechs in the academy. You could spend days in the academy before hitting the live action with PVP.

[Void Angel]

Phynixs, on 31 May 2016 - 06:26 AM, said:

Hey folks, I am new decided to give the game a try i saw it on steam.i would like to know if there are any good and up to date guides for new players. so that i am not to lost while playing i have played the video games way back in the day. i also played WoT didn`t like it to much the mechanics were a bit broken. enough rambling about from me see you all out there

As others have pointed out, the game is complex to master, with no really good, comprehensive guide available.

HOWEVER! The Academy and Basic training are worthwhile, and of course there are several guides and resources floating around to help you.

First, let me re-iterate Smurfy's Awesome Reference Site. This is the best reference site I've ever seen for a game, and will give you not only a simulated MechLab, but also data on 'Mech quirks, Battlemech and weapon characteristics, maps... it even has tables for the Heat Scale penalties.

Second, Tactics 101 is a must-read for anyone starting this game. This series of comic illustrations is simple to understand and dead-on accurate tactically.

Finally, I have written a couple of mini-guides, Timidity Is Not a Tactic," and "Follow the Fracking Atlas," designed to explain the value of active aggression and to give players some rules of thumb for playing with teammates who may not be communicating well, respectively. The links (to this forum) are in my signature, and of course I'd be delighted if you checked them out.

[Captain Alt F4]

I second Void Angels post and personally recommend his articles as he mentioned above (See his signature for links). I try and make all our new recruits read them.

Ask questions, try and join a friendly unit that operates in your timezone and is willing to train new players.

Apart from that, get into battle, do your best, die, spectate other players (Preferably good ones) and then each match debrief yourself on what you could have don better. This self analysis will increase your skill and awareness over time.

[Rhavin]

Tip: when you die, stay in game. Use the arrows on your Hud to navigate between teammates and watch them keep playing. If you see them playing a mech/ mech configuration you like, write it down. Later this info will help us here help you choose a mech.

Tip: Not all mechs are created equal. It's a game, two mechs of the same size, with the same weapons will be better at using them in two different ways. There are various reasons for this, weapon height , hit box sizes...and more. It's just the way it is. It makes a few mechs get thought of as "bad" or "Sub-par" by many players. All mechs are playable, and some mechs are Jack of all trades mechs, however some mechs only excell when played in certain ways, with certain weapon types.

Tip: this game is free to play, to the point where a friend of mine that I bought a warhammer package for Christmas returned the gift code to me. He likes the grind despite in being his favorite mech of all time. Spending RL money is a good way to catch up, but it's not going to make up for raw experience and player skill. Should you decide to drop 10-20-1200 dollars on the game, come to this forum and look up old threads or make a new one and ask questions, sometimes we can really help you get a good deal. I personally believe MWO has the most helpful player base in gaming because we see threads like this all the time and we still hustle to answer them lol.

Tip: once you finish your final cadet match, find a player or two to group drop with. Much can be learned on team speak , and most of us responding to this thread have access to a server that you can tag along on. This is a team game , you can solo drop if you want but finding groups and joining a unit that is coordinated can really improve your enjoyment lvl in this game. If you want to continue solo dropping, turn on in game VOIP and listen and use it. A simple " 3 mechs behind us in ## " can swing a route into a win.

Final tip: in the corner of the home screen there is a bar that shows your Tier, and your "progress" to the next tier. Please, please PLEASE, don't worry about Tier, it's not an experience bar. It will move on its own as your playing becomes consistently better. If anything the game is more fun at 5&4 than at 1&2 for quite a few players. No one who has played this game for any length of time is going to judge you on it. In fact there are several tier 5 players I don't think I could beat one on one even if they let me pick the mechs and the build they had to run on it against me and I have been as high as Tier 2. 3 is a good place, but I much prefer the randomness of tier 4 and 5 mech pilots who play the mechs they want to play, built in often anti-meta, hilariously configured trollish ways and played with a hardened desire to do nothing more than throw a lone finger in the air at "The Meta". Some of them are quite good at it.

Good luck out there pilot, welcome to the Innersphere.

[Koniving]

Phynixs, on 31 May 2016 - 06:32 AM, said:

So it`s a trail by fire heh

So new guy, how are you fairing? If any questions come up, we're happy to help.

[4ries]

Dont worry. Myself have done the academy and a few other things that the academy had to offer but then I jumped in the game with a trial mech. That was the same day...

Anyway, dont be afraid to dip your toe in the water, keep dipping and after a while you will take the whole dive in the water thing.

Just, its not exactly easy to learn this game because some players are using so called cheese builds and the so called 'meta' builds/mechs that can kill you in seconds flat. I dont want to scare you away; just wanting to inform you.

Important to remember: you play games to have fun? Then play and have fun playing! Ofcourse sometimes you'll get frustrated because the pug you dropped with are just egotistical and doing their own thing, causing your team to lose. Sometimes the other team is just good, sometimes you are in a pug that steamrolls the other team. Thats how this game works. Just... have fun! And do your own thing but for the team...! Afterall this is a teamgame and there is no i in team.

Hope to catch you ingame.

Glad to have you in this game! MWO needs moar players! Or perhaps we mechwarrior fans just need another mechwarrior game...

Greetings mechwarriors.

Edited by 4ries, 03 June 2016 - 09:58 AM.

[invernomuto]

paws2sky, on 31 May 2016 - 07:21 AM, said:

On YouTube, I recommend the MoltenMetal beginners' and how-to guides. Lots of actual play videos with commentary and suggestions. Good stuff, all around.

-paws

Also the Twitch streams of the tournaments are very useful.
Lots to learn from a perspective that one usually do not have on "normal" match stream on Youtube (spectator view with a commentary).
My 2 cents.