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Hardware/FPS. I am satisfied with 50 fps stable with drops to 37 fps ocasionally. That is minimum that makes me happy. Install FRAPS and check your FPS. FPS are very important for your aiming and aiming is very important in this game. Go to Academy and run around city between buildings (in medium mech), do sharp turns and watch your FPS, do this for at least a whole minute. Then if FPS are not enough lower some graphic setting and see how much FPS you gained and how it affects game's beauty. Some settings lowered give bigger fps boost but visual difference is very small. So tune down those things you don't much care about. I am playing this on intro level gaming laptop so hardware requirements aren't that steep.
Arm Lock. Go to Settings->Game and disable Arm Lock. It is enabled by default. I really recommend this. This way you can look around much faster, aim faster, etc. Practice in Academy how to aim now. While you at it you might want to disable "Enable Cockpit Monitors". Hopefully it will give you additional FPS, though I have not tested how much. On my mechs I uncheck "Lower ARM actuators". You can remove these actuators (in some mechs only I think) in MECHLAB. You can test the difference with actuators and without in Academy of course.
Use lower mouse sensitivity settings. Two times lower compared to other shooting games. I play all other games with double DPI (my mouse can change DPI) of what I use in MWO. It's not convenient to navigate MECHLAB with sensitivity I use for when I am in a mech on the battlefield. It's not so much about being able to turn sharply at slight mouse movement but more about being precise. You have to be able to keep those lasers steady on moving target. You can practice that also in Academy by shooting stationary objects with lasers while running. My settings are: 6th tick in Windows mouse settings (middle), acceleration disabled, MWO settings at default, mouse at 450 dpi. It takes half my mousepad width (and I have a wider one) to turn torso at 90 degrees. I will tune that some in future (for mech that can turn torso more than 90 degrees) so those numbers are just reference of what I am using now.
If you need a mech that is easy to play this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT3hzjtgIms. This mech is awesome for beginners because it has only 1 type of weapon, it does not overheat fast and it has ECM. ECM is excellent when you are tired of seeing this "Incomming Missiles" message. Also less chance that you become everyones target when they see you on the radar. Simply you can't be target unless someone jamms or TAGs you.
Don't go alone. But also don't stand too close. You don't want your visibility and firing line blocked by friendly mechs. There is no need for everybody to stand around that single pass. If the good place is taken just find another one. Ideally I think you should see something other people are not seeing. But do not go far away from others. Do not rely solely on radar to learn where enemy is. They can be standing just behind you and you won't see them on your radar.
When going around that corner or going over that hill slow down. Just take a peek first. When you do not see what is behind obstacle go very carefuly. You don't want to run at full speed into 3/4 enemy mechs. I died multiple times to this. If you go slow you still have chance to reverse back before it is too late.
In certain maps with poor visibility use Heat Vision (H). I play 100% time with HV on in "HPG Manifold" map. Also I play these maps with HV: Forest, Bog, Mining Facility. The drawback is that you can only see mechs at 600 meters max. So HV is useful at day time as well.
Torso twist. I like mechs where all good stuff is on one mech side. That way I can shield myself with the other side and if they destroy my arm or even torso I still have all my weapons. When you just fired something that recharges slowly, in example lasers, you can turn away from enemy that is shooting at you, until you get those weapons charged again. So shoot, turn your torso, shoot turn your torso. Well of course if nobody is shooting at you maybe you don't need to do that Oh and btw I saw video where it explained that even if your torso is destroyed it still shields your CT from damage. CT gets damage reduced. So if you have one side destroyed and the other side has all weapons you still may want to shield with destroyed side. Protect your CT with your sides. The best way to learn torso twist is keep playing asymmetrical mech. The one that has something very important in it's arm. After a lot of loosing of that arm and that precious device in it (i.e. long range lasers) the game will force you to learn this technique which is useful in all mechs.
And that is it. I believe if you follow this then you will very soon be out of that dreaded 200 dmg/game zone and make your teammates happy and your enemies sad.
Edited by Tokkar, 14 November 2016 - 02:45 PM.
