25 replies to this topic

[Bellum Dominum]

OP first off hillarious nick.

Most of the technical points have already been gone over so I'm going to comment on one that was almost touched on by Like:

habitual patterns:
If you run a mech with arm lock on (all center/side torso weapons so no need what so ever for it to be off) for a few hours you will 'untrain' yourself from paying attention to the arm reticle. It is simply a matter of habits and for this reason that I always leave mine off.

I really notice habitual patterns when I go back to a light after being in a heavy or assault for a few hours, especially back to my Spider (possibly the most agile mech in the game with the Commando running a very close second) after being in a lumbering no JJ all torso weapon mech. Even worse if I go a few days (leveling up that big lumbering mech) without playing lights.

I'd even say that I notice the advantage of arm lock being off more when I'm in one of those lumbering no arm weapon mechs because as I'm trying to bring my weapons on an enemy I have that quick moment of "Damn if I only had a weapon in one of my arms" while in the heat of every mass brawl.

Edited by Bellum Dominum, 20 February 2017 - 02:00 PM.

[TooDumbToQuit]

Bellum Dominum, on 20 February 2017 - 02:00 PM, said:

almost touched on by Like:

"Almost"?

That hurt....I was trying to be a mixture of polite and non-technical. And I'm LUG for short

I think what we are nicely trying to say is that if you want to be very good at this game, learn to use your arms unbound. I always had them that way until I found out how to toggle them and my game while slightly improving never took the next step. I realized that while semi reading some of the very good above posts.

So FREE THE ARMS and the rest will follow.

[Tarl Cabot]

Check or uncheck the Arm Lock, then in keyboard settings, set a keystroke to toggle Arm Lock off/on to have the best of both worlds.

[JC Daxion]

Run with it on... use a toggle off for when you need to reach past torso aim area, or fast lights you are having trouble tracking with the torso weapon..

I find it far easier to keep the Cross on the target.. than focus on the Cross and the circle.

[Gibson Ibanez]

I am a mediocre pilot and I mostly pilot assaults. Just being honest. I started by running with arm lock on until I needed to aim higher than my torso reticle would go. Canyon Networks many umm canyons and Tourmalines many ridges give others a chance to get the drop on you from higher ground or vault right over then behind you.

If I am getting harrassed by lights ( they loooove to pick on my assaults ) I have my left shift key set to toggle arm lock off/on as necessary. I toggle it because sometimes in the heat of battle it is easy for newer pilots to mix up which reticle is aiming for which weapon.

I do unlock my arms more and more in matches now than when I first jumped in a mech. You may as a new player use arm lock as you would training wheels on a bike. Only as needed for as long as needed.

Also, your nickname cracked me up.

Edited by Jack McKnight, 20 February 2017 - 04:00 PM.

[justcallme A S H]

LikeUntoGod, on 20 February 2017 - 01:44 PM, said:

Coming into the game this is the way I understood it. If you want to be a good player and a good shot, learn to use your arms unlocked.

Since then I have read. I'd rather have all my weapons centered so I get the best shot (Alpha?) off quickly.

But recently I've had a number of games where I needed my arms to move and for me, it is a whole other way to aim so without practice it is difficult. So I'm going to go back to it to try to improve. I need to get my game up another level, right now I just feel like I'm simply grinding, or what we used to call, farming.

I follow the 2nd option. As I said, I have it "toggled", to left shift. So if I need to unlock I can easily. I wouldn't say I'm a EmP level player but I'm certainly not a bad one either. I tried off all the time and found that I was "locking" my arms more often so I swapped it back.

But ye, if I'm dropping an alpha, I don't wan't one iota of that to spread. Cause while dropping that alpha I follow with my torso to make sure it stays on target. People with arms unlocked, I often see, are spreading the damage. IMO that is wasted heat/dmg. Hence I play that way.

That said I also have my arm weapons grouped separately. So when I unlock arms, I can track just with the arm weapons.
It also helps with lock-on missiles as well. You can unlock the arms, let the missiles lock while you are running around the place/twisting etc.