9 replies to this topic

[SmokedJag]

I am confused by this. Just started playing; I have a fair amount of old knowledge on BT/MW so I know generally what chassis does what and is efficient. I've gathered that B/M/E hardpoint layout restricts customization on even Clan Omnis so you have some reason to buy different chassis.

What I'm confused by is that while there is widespread opinion that Trial 'Mechs are poor and limited (skills, no loadout change etc). they also are the only non-hero variants that cost real $$$ in the game store. I could use my initial C-bill pile on anything but the ones that I've been playing, and some have hardpoint styles that look hard or impossible to recreate in other variants.

So are these good but nerfed by the trial limitations or is it a new player money sink?

[Moonraven83]

I guess you talk about those Clan-Champions?
You can easily recreate them. Look here in smurfy there you can see which parts are used to build
the Omni-Mechs (you can swap out anything but the CT).

SO to answer your question: no no money needed. Champion-Mechs are just regular mechs with an XP-booster.

Edited by Moonraven83, 04 February 2017 - 05:46 AM.

[Anunknownlurker]

Trial mechs cannot be modified or bought, however, they are also (C) or Champion mechs which CAN be bought. Once you own a (C) mech you can modify it as you wish, just like any other mech you own.

(C) mechs also come with a +30% exp bonus which isn't really worth it imho but, if you check them in the Store you will see that a lot of (C) come with bigger than normal engines or other upgrades the stock mechs don't come with.

N.B. any exp you earn on a trial mech will carry over if you buy the same variant for Cbills - either the stock model or the (C) model.

The current set of Trial mechs were player designed so, whilst you can't modify or add modules/skills etc, they mostly have decent loadouts.

Hope that helps?

[SmokedJag]

Jimmy DiGriz, on 04 February 2017 - 05:44 AM, said:

Trial mechs cannot be modified or bought, however, they are also (C) or Champion mechs which CAN be bought. Once you own a (C) mech you can modify it as you wish, just like any other mech you own.

(C) mechs also come with a +30% exp bonus which isn't really worth it imho but, if you check them in the Store you will see that a lot of (C) come with bigger than normal engines or other upgrades the stock mechs don't come with.

N.B. any exp you earn on a trial mech will carry over if you buy the same variant for Cbills - either the stock model or the (C) model.

The current set of Trial mechs were player designed so, whilst you can't modify or add modules/skills etc, they mostly have decent loadouts.

Hope that helps?

Thanks, that explains a lot

[Koniving]

SmokedJag, on 04 February 2017 - 05:20 AM, said:

I am confused by this. Just started playing; I have a fair amount of old knowledge on BT/MW so I know generally what chassis does what and is efficient. I've gathered that B/M/E hardpoint layout restricts customization on even Clan Omnis so you have some reason to buy different chassis.

What I'm confused by is that while there is widespread opinion that Trial 'Mechs are poor and limited (skills, no loadout change etc). they also are the only non-hero variants that cost real $$$ in the game store. I could use my initial C-bill pile on anything but the ones that I've been playing, and some have hardpoint styles that look hard or impossible to recreate in other variants.

So are these good but nerfed by the trial limitations or is it a new player money sink?

Trial (Champion) mechs are basically "regular mechs" with a customized build (instead of stock) right out of the gate, usually with hefty expensive eXtra Light engines shoved in and an experience boost.

Honestly, nobody should ever buy them unless they are short on time to earn mechs. Now, champion mechs aren't necessarily bad, in fact they often are pretty good. But their builds are kind of niché, like they appeal to specific kinds of players.

For example the Cicada trial caters to "hit and run" players... and would be absolutely worthless to a "Stand and fight" kind of player. The Dragon trial caters to 'snipers'... and if you tried to do 'hit and run' with it you would probably be caught, ripped limb from limb and then find a mech standing above you, powering on and off (T-bagging) over your corpse.
Trial Cicada.

(The first kill is a freebie, the second happens to be the Stalker I describe below, but the third and fourth kill are truly epic...and the fifth kill is done while limping on one leg.)

Edit: The "edited" part of the video is the computer voices. These are used to 'tell you' what is going on. The faster [MW3] voice gives status and the slower [MWO closed beta] voice tells of combat.

The Stalker trial is very easily killed especially for a Stalker (never put an XL engine in a Stalker; the side torsos are huge which are both a weakness and its greatest strength, as once a side torso is destroyed any hits to it will reduce damage by 60% before it goes to the center torso). Yet, handled just right as a fire support mech, it is easy to use it to net almost half a dozen kills and a thousand plus damage. Just don't let anyone get close or focus you.

You can buy these exact mechs for and just 'earn' the rest of the goodies that they were equipped with. The only thing you would be short on is the XP bonus... which while not very useful right now, next month with the all new skill tree system there will be a LOT more value in an XP bonus (as it will go from 13 static unlocks, to over 200+ possible unlocks with 75 standard unlocks permitted).

As the owner of 217 mechs, I will tell you the only champions I own were 'given' free for events, and they're identical to the regulars in every way. My personal opinion is unless you need shortcuts or want a hero mech, never buy a 'Mech for .

Heroes are the only 'unique' ones. Typically, these are just mixes of two (or more) variants slapped together to allow for interesting options. In the case of Clan Omnimech heroes, their somewhat unique parts can be mixed onto regular ones... but you only get one of each part.

Edited by Koniving, 04 February 2017 - 10:31 AM.

[Tier5 Kerensky]

Trial mechs are supposed to be played by new players for free, and people who like whatever loadouts they have and don't have that mech or variant themselves. They really aren't meant to be bought, but due to XP bonus they have MC price.

Otherwise their hardpoints are exactly like the normal same variant, except clan Omnimechs can have mixed builds which again is possible to other normal mechs of that chassis.

[S 0 L E N Y A]

It was not that long ago that we had ZERO Clan champions, and the trial Clan mechs were bone stock.

[Rogue Jedi]

the reason most of the Trial Mechs are "bad" is because people desigh loadouts then they are put up for vote, most id10ts people vote for "meta" loadouts, the problem is it is there are usualy months between the Mech loadout being chosen and implemented into the game, the chosen Mech is usualy heavily dependent on quirks or what was at the time the best weapon but there are constant balencing efforts happening so if a Mech or weapon is deamed overpowered its quirks or stats can and will change.

most people seem unable to grasp the basic concept that what is great now may not be in a few months so rather than design, or vote on, a good build which does not depend on likely to be changed quirks or weapon stats they build "the best" which is usualy completely dependant on those quirks and weapon stats and often also requires expert targeting and damage mitigation skills ^{(which the new player will not have)} to work well.

sorry if this comes off as a bit of a rant but that is something I find rather irritating, everyone knows the "Champion Mechs" will be trial Mechs yet the ones that get chosen are almost always meta builds which ether require skills the new player will not have or due to the evolving game are obsolite soon after they are released.

you can make a build identical to any trial Mech without spending MC, the Champion is just a preupgraded version with a 30% xp earinings boost, you can put exactly the same loadout on the varient without the (C) on the end of its designation.

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 05 February 2017 - 12:56 AM.

[TooDumbToQuit]

I noticed that when PGI finally changed their Trial Mechs, they are all now "Champions".

I consider this semi-BS.

When you use a Trial Mech, you keep the XP you made while using it. So if you ever buy it, you can (as of right now) finish or work on your skill tree. And a lot of these were mechs you could buy with C-Bills.

But Champions and Heros can only by bought with real money. And this is the reason they changed which Mechs become Trail Mechs.

The reason Trails Mechs are not well thought of is the fact that none have any skills done so they are a little slower, they do not handle heat as well etc.

[Koniving]

LikeUntoGod, on 05 February 2017 - 12:01 PM, said:

I noticed that when PGI finally changed their Trial Mechs, they are all now "Champions".

I consider this semi-BS.

When you use a Trial Mech, you keep the XP you made while using it. So if you ever buy it, you can (as of right now) finish or work on your skill tree. And a lot of these were mechs you could buy with C-Bills.

But Champions and Heros can only by bought with real money. And this is the reason they changed which Mechs become Trail Mechs.

The reason Trails Mechs are not well thought of is the fact that none have any skills done so they are a little slower, they do not handle heat as well etc.

You can remove the tinfoil hat.

Champions have cbill versions without the (C) mark. Experience is the same for both.

You can put it back on next month... since XP for each mech will be unique to that specific copy of that specific variant of that specific chassis...

Meaning this CN9-A and that CN9-A will not be the same next month.

Also, trial mechs aren't really the thing that isn't well thought out.
It's the fact that a skill tree exists at all as it means by definition new mechs will always be gimped.

Edited by Koniving, 05 February 2017 - 01:19 PM.