59 replies to this topic

[BodakOfSseth]

Hey folks - There are a lot of questions about the new skill trees and how to get started, so I thought I'd make a quick-start guide for it.

Skipping over the nitty gritty of the Refund Ledger and stressing over which nodes to take, let's just talk about getting started.
When you're ready to set up your mech's skills, you'll need to buy skill points. Right now, you should have a collection of historic skill points and general skill points converted over from all the work you've already put into it.

So let's take it step by step through setting a mech:
Inside Mechlab -> Skills, on the right hand side of the window you see this:
(click on the yellow ADD SP)


This opens the following window that shows how many GSP (General Skill Points - available to all mechs) and HSP (Historic Skill Points - specific to this mech). Click on HSP


This opens the next window where you choose how many of what type of points to convert. first grab the slider for HSP and move it all the way to the right. If you don't add up to 91 skill points, you can use the GSP to fill the gap


This mech was never mastered and has 57 HSP, so I coverted some of the GSP to fill out the 91 skill points




There is an order in which items to convert to Skill Points until a mech reaches 91 SP.
That is:
HSP -> HXP -> GSP -> GXP

Edited by ScottAleric, 17 May 2017 - 06:42 AM.

[BodakOfSseth]

If you're out of Skill Points:
If you're out of HSP and GSP, you can convert historic XP before buying new skill points. This is how:

Converting Historic XP
Under MechLab -> Skills you can transfer the HXP


You will get a warning. You should be aware of this in case you have other mechs you're pulling HXP for, for example, if you have multiple copies of the same variant.


After that, click on the ADD SP button, which opens the Skill point purchase assistant, only this time for experience points. In this pic, I have converted all of my Mech XP, which spends 2400, and gives me 3 additional skill points, for a total of 135,000 CBills.


From there you can go ahead and start selecting skills.
When you're done, make sure you click apply changes to save your node selections

[MovinTarget]

Dang it, I was in the process of doing the same thing!

To clarify, the order in which you should get Skill Points:

HSP (only if you leveled a mech prior to the release of the Skill Tree):




GSP (Mostly from module refunds from before the Skill Tree):




The previous should be used where possibe *BEFORE* utilizing the options below (unless you have cbills to burn)


HXP (Leftover XP pre-Skill Tree - Requires CBills!):




XP (New XP earned since Skill Tree Dropped - Requires CBills):



GXP (Requires CBills!):

[Tesunie]

Looking good there guys.

You provide a service to the community.

[Tarl Cabot]

And to note, if you have more than one mech of the same variant, like the Shadowhawk 2x 2H (P) and 2H (C) , that is 273 pts between all 3, or 91 HSP each, so do not short change the other mechs, split up the HSP evenly between those 3, etc. That is the first I did was hit the mechs that I had multiples for and split the 91 for each mech so I do not end up screwing myself later, especially after drinking..

Edited by Tarl Cabot, 16 May 2017 - 06:39 PM.

[BigBadVlad]

oh gawd what?!??!?!?!?!

yep not even firing it up till I have some hours to spend on this..... this...... thing they've created..... thanks guys for trying to help but boy, you showed me quickly it's going to take time.... lots of time

[TheFourthAlly]

Appreciated. I'll have to look into this all once I get internet at the new home...

[Tesunie]

The big part to remember is to "purchase" your SP first. From there, the rest is rather easy (though it's a lot to take in). Start with what you believe you need most, then go from there. (And remember to confirm your skills when you are done!)

It honestly sounds more complicated than it is, and it is a lot to take at first. Just pay attention to what things say, and take your time. Don't rush it.

[BodakOfSseth]

What I've found that works for me is to actually play the mech unskilled a few rounds just to see what it needs and how I play it. from there, it's easier to spend the points.

[TheFourthAlly]

Tesunie, on 16 May 2017 - 07:50 PM, said:

The big part to remember is to "purchase" your SP first. From there, the rest is rather easy (though it's a lot to take in). Start with what you believe you need most, then go from there. (And remember to confirm your skills when you are done!)

It honestly sounds more complicated than it is, and it is a lot to take at first. Just pay attention to what things say, and take your time. Don't rush it.

Oh absolutely. I have a measly dozen Mechs and no duplicates, shouldn't be too hard. I only started playing about a year ago and read a ton to try and catch up a bit. I can read a bit more and take my time. I like the layered stuff in this game and it has a pretty decent 'help new players' section on the forum too.

From the sound of it, I'll just muck about with unskilled mechs for a bit anway, and after put the 91 SP (HSP I think?) into every previously mastered mech (most of those I actually enjoyed playing anyway) and see what I do with the left overs.

[LMP]

The ADD SP button is grayed out on one of my mechs when I try to add range modules so I can't click apply, how do I fix that?

[Tesunie]

LMP, on 16 May 2017 - 08:27 PM, said:

The ADD SP button is grayed out on one of my mechs when I try to add range modules so I can't click apply, how do I fix that?

What do you have available to get additional skill points? I suspect that if you have no way to afford additional skill points that it may grey out the option.

However, I believe this wouldn't be your problem, as I recognize your name. You should have plenty of SPs to use (HSP or GSPs even) and/or the means to purchase them (a mix of C-bills and Exp, GXP or HXP I believe).

Also, make sure you haven't tried to allot more than the 91 allowed per mech. If you do assign more skills than you can use, I believe it will grey out some buttons.

Being as how new this system is, it could also just as easily be a bug... Always a possibility, but check everything else you can first.

[dragonkid11]

Okay, gonna try my hand in giving out some tips.

So, the skill tree is split into several sections and that included, Firepower, Survival, Mobility, Jump Jets, Mech Operations, Sensor Systems and Miscellaneous.

Firepower basically upgrade your weapon spec, like cooldown, range, ammunition count and others. As this is the easiest tree, you should plan this out last.

Survival is all about absorbing more damage and thus it's more effective for medium, heavy and assault mech. I'm not sure whether this tree is effective for light mech as the main protection of light mech is their ridiculous speed and agility, so plan that out yourself for now.

Mobility is all about movement like torso twist speed and top speed. You might not want to get speed tweak for your mech if it's slower than 80 kmph, as the bonus value would be a lot less lower. Assault and heavy might needs more torso twist speed than medium or light in general, so they could spread damage and torso twist their way out.

Jump jets is all about jump jets.

It's ****.

it's still **** even if you have jump jet, probably.

Mech Operation is about internal system of the mech and SHOVE ALL YOUR POINTS INTO COOL RUN AND HEAT CONTAINMENT, JUST DO IT. Also put some Improved Gyro so your screen don't shake a lot when you get shot by ballistic.

Sensor systems is about sensing further and quicker than other mech and generally is better for scout mech. Or for sniper if they need that advanced zoom, Or for Steiner scout lances.

Miscellaneous is for improving your consumables and thus completely useless for pug players that don't want to spend their money on pricey consumables.

And thus that concluded what I know so far.

[LMP]

Tesunie, on 16 May 2017 - 08:55 PM, said:

What do you have available to get additional skill points? I suspect that if you have no way to afford additional skill points that it may grey out the option.

However, I believe this wouldn't be your problem, as I recognize your name. You should have plenty of SPs to use (HSP or GSPs even) and/or the means to purchase them (a mix of C-bills and Exp, GXP or HXP I believe).

Also, make sure you haven't tried to allot more than the 91 allowed per mech. If you do assign more skills than you can use, I believe it will grey out some buttons.

Being as how new this system is, it could also just as easily be a bug... Always a possibility, but check everything else you can first.

It says I have 20/91 skill points. When I try to activate Miscellaneous, Consumable Slot 1 for example there is the little triangle with an exclamation point that says, “This skill tree has some nodes that have no effect on your current mechs load out” and the Add SP button is grayed out.

[Tesunie]

dragonkid11, on 16 May 2017 - 09:26 PM, said:

Jump jets is all about jump jets.

It's ****.

it's still **** even if you have jump jet, probably.

I will have to disagree about the effectiveness of JJs, and about how well the JJ skills are for mechs with JJs on them.

You see, JJs effectiveness will depend upon how many you have as well as what class of mech they are on. JJs are horrid on Assault class mechs, and alright on Heavy mechs. But JJs on a Medium or Light mech? They can really earn their keep.

This also will depend upon how you use them. Use them to get over "pebbles" with only a single JJ on your mech? Yeah. The JJ skills will be pointless to you. JJs on, say, a medium mech like the Huntsmen and you can really do some poking and peaking. Jump Sniping is still very much a thing, as well as jumping to try and avoid incoming fire as well as redirecting some damage to your legs (instead of that, say, nearly destroyed side torso).

The JJ skills make taking JJs even MORE worth it, and make them even more effective. On every Huntsmen I've skilled out so far, I have found it very worth taking (nearly) all the JJ skills possible. Really helpful to my particular play style.

LMP, on 16 May 2017 - 09:27 PM, said:

It says I have 20/91 skill points. When I try to activate Miscellaneous, Consumable Slot 1 for example there is the little triangle with an exclamation point that says, “This skill tree has some nodes that have no effect on your current mechs load out” and the Add SP button is grayed out.

Hum. It will give that warning if there is any skill in the tree you "could" take but don't have the equipment for (an example are ECM skills if you have no ECM, or AMS skills if you have no AMS). It should still let you purchase and use SPs...

My best guess is you don't have enough SPs unlocked to purchase the skill? Only a guess, seen as I can't actually see what's going on...

[Rogue Jedi]

if you have multiple Mechs of a specific varient do not add more than 91 skill points at this stage, e.g. I have 2 SDR-5D, and 182 HSP for that varient, if I add all the skill points to one of them I would never spend them all, and would be out of SDR-5D HSP before skilling the second

[MustrumRidcully]

Good tips, though one thing for really new players: Most of this doesn't apply to you. You haven't had experience points, masteries or or purchased modules under the old system.

You only need to know about how to use the Mech Experience Points or General Experience Points and C-Bills to buy skill points.

[Jay Leon Hart]

Great job!
Bookmarked for the next "Can't figure out skill tree!" thread.

[Epona Rhi]

props to pgi for making it as complicated as possible *thumbsup*

[MovinTarget]

Is it a little complicated? Yes, but c'mon guys, its not that bad...

Once you get a feel for the trees you can apply points in the desired way pretty easily... it takes maybe 5 minutes to set up a mech.
. Not catastrophic.

If the "add SP" button is grayed out, could you be looking at a trial mech you don't actually own?