8 replies to this topic

[Leadpaintchips]

Here's some background on me just so you know where I'm coming from, and where my questions are based out of.

WAY back, I loved playing the first few MW games. It's been so long that I forgot whatever plot they had, but I remember being in a mech, doing giant stompy robot things. Building the ultimate cash maker mech (was an Atlas that had an obscene alpha that would tear into the legs of whatever I faced, leaving all of the expensive bits for me to sell whole.) in the single player. Never got into the wire frame multiplayer, mostly because I was young and bad at the thinking and it was wire frame.

Started playing about three years ago, and enjoyed the game. Loved playing the old MW games, and felt they really captured the 'feel' of those old games, while still keeping it mostly balanced (no crazy Atlas alphas to the kneecaps one shotting all other mechs).

After a couple of months, realized that the game doesn't really open up unless you drop a fair amount of money into it. That it was "F2P" only in the most basic ways and felt more like getting a free demo instead of being a full game. The really limiting factor was the pitifully small amount of Mechbays that you got initially.

Combine this with the sad amount of C-Bills you got for not having a Premium account, and it was a payment method that felt less F2P and more P2W, even though if you specialized into only one Mech, it wasn't. It chased me away without me paying them a single dime, which was really disappointing because I WANTED to love this game but it felt like they were trying to milk me for as much as I could spend.

Fast forward to about a week ago. They released a character in another game that I play (Heroes of the Storm) that's a 'mech' pilot (D.Va), and one of her skins is the Goliath from Starcraft. It made me long for some true big stompy robot combat, but that feeling was fleeting until, browsing their reddit, someone mistook the Goliath for a Mechwarrior mech, and the longing to jump back into my Jenner for some "FIRIN MAI LAZARS!!" while zipping around the battle hit me HARD. Like really hard. So did some very light Googling and from that, it looked like MC was easier to earn in game, so decided to give it another go.

Downloaded the game, did the tutorial (which was a nice addition), and was instantly confused by the new UI. A few minutes later (and some random clicking), felt like I was back up to speed with the basics. The clan bit though. . . . I'll get to that.

-----------------------------------------

Onto the questions now!

1) Is it actually easier to earn MC (or more specifically Mechbays) in game now, or is that still something that happens rarely/if at all? It was my biggest gripe about the game, that real money limited your gameplay. I have over the years, dropped a large percentage of my income on games that didn't lock out gameplay elements with real money with no regrets.

2) Is the Jenner still the queen (?) of hit and run for light mechs? With the crazy amount of mechs in the game now (seriously think the amount of chassis in the game has doubled) I'm lost as to what matches that whole brawling, hit and run, high skill cap type of game play. Plus, I love lasers, and that machine can have an OBSCENE amount of lasers for a light.

3) Faction play. Oh my goodness. That is a can of worms that looking at it, can have ramifications throughout my career in game. As to the story of MW, all I know is that IS are a bunch of traditionalist jerks that don't like each other, and Clans are somewhat similar to Vikings that REALLY like animals, so they named everything after them. I have a couple of questions involving this.

3a) Is the Units similar to clans/guilds in other games? I was in one before I quit (sorry guys if you're reading this), so do I need to find a new one again to be a part of this aspect of the game?

3b) Am I limited to what mechs I can use when I pick a faction? Like for example can I use tne normal Jenner if I go with Clans?

3c) What's up with Drop Bays? That's something that I'm trying to work out, but there's nothing within the game itself that's giving me a hint as to what I'm supposed to be doing with that. Back when I was playing, I had one engine I'd swap between my Jenners because an XL 300 engine is bloody expensive, and it looks like I'm going to have to drop for at least one, if not two just to run those in the faction play.

4) The skill tree. Apparently they got rid of my seismic sensor (don't blame them), and gave me a ton of skills for having those in addition to having 3 different Jenners mastered. I have NO idea what to spend the points that I have on. 134 from the sensor, and 91 per Jenner.

5) What do we use xp on now? From me putzing in the menus, it looks like it's just for buying skill points with C-Bills, which seems like it's the main C-Bill sink now.

6) Just as a catch all question for most of my other questions: Is there somewhere in game where I can learn about all the information that they're giving me? Like Pilot Rank, emblems, titles, things like that.

[Koniving]

Oh boy.... It's scary when people can be as long winded as me. I just woke up and while I read the entire thing (btw very interesting that Blizzard is crossing their games over in Heroes akin to Nintendo and SuperSmashBros), I'm not feeling as "posty" as I normally would. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the lazy confetti.

1) Is it actually easier to earn MC (or more specifically Mechbays) in game now, or is that still something that happens rarely/if at all? It was my biggest gripe about the game, that real money limited your gameplay. I have over the years, dropped a large percentage of my income on games that didn't lock out gameplay elements with real money with no regrets.

MC? Not really. Mechbays, yes. Get into faction warfare and there are several faction branches you can get into which have free mechbays as rewards. There's a fair sum in each faction, 4 of which are pretty easy to get to while the rest of each faction is a bit more of a time investment unless you consistently win. MC is sometimes given away on events for achieving various feats but it is in small amounts of 75 to 300.

2) Is the Jenner still the queen (?) of hit and run for light mechs? With the crazy amount of mechs in the game now (seriously think the amount of chassis in the game has doubled) I'm lost as to what matches that whole brawling, hit and run, high skill cap type of game play. Plus, I love lasers, and that machine can have an OBSCENE amount of lasers for a light.

Too early to tell. Everything just changed very recently with the new "pick your own quirks" skill tree. Up until the patch, and thus I imagine after as well, many improvements to the hitbox has made it much more survivable as it is easier to spread damage across your body. Insane torso twist is also insane; wonder if it still has that?

3) Faction play. Oh my goodness. That is a can of worms that looking at it, can have ramifications throughout my career in game. As to the story of MW, all I know is that IS are a bunch of traditionalist jerks that don't like each other, and Clans are somewhat similar to Vikings that REALLY like animals, so they named everything after them. I have a couple of questions involving this.

3a) Is the Units similar to clans/guilds in other games? I was in one before I quit (sorry guys if you're reading this), so do I need to find a new one again to be a part of this aspect of the game?

Pretty much to the first part. The second is not necessary, though as a solo player all you can do is fill up queues that are lacking in players. Truth be told, I'd say that's actually better. question is if you earn points toward any given faction while doing so. I've owned a group since before it started so I never found out.

3b) Am I limited to what mechs I can use when I pick a faction? Like for example can I use tne normal Jenner if I go with Clans?

Either IS or Clan. That is the only limitation. So no, you cannot. But there's a Jenner IIC.

3c) What's up with Drop Bays? That's something that I'm trying to work out, but there's nothing within the game itself that's giving me a hint as to what I'm supposed to be doing with that. Back when I was playing, I had one engine I'd swap between my Jenners because an XL 300 engine is bloody expensive, and it looks like I'm going to have to drop for at least one, if not two just to run those in the faction play.

Think of it like a sheet of four cards which gives you a weight limit. Take your mech 'cards', fill out your deck akin to Yugioh or Magic the Gathering or heck Battletech the Collectible Card Game. (Lame comparison but fitting). These are now the four mechs you will be using in 12 vs 12 player combat where a total of 96 mechs plus turrets and dropships will duke it out. Don't worry in terms of firepower you're always screwed as an attacker but once you figure out where you're going and what buildings to shoot, all you need is a strategy to wipe out those buildings asap and you'll find that it's really the attackers that have the advantage. Especially if your entire team can jump the gates.

4) The skill tree. Apparently they got rid of my seismic sensor (don't blame them), and gave me a ton of skills for having those in addition to having 3 different Jenners mastered. I have NO idea what to spend the points that I have on. 134 from the sensor, and 91 per Jenner.

Welcome to the world of pick and choose your quirks. Under Sensors, if you play your pick-and-hop game just right, you can get Seismic Sensor 100% (basically your Seismic Sensor module but a hell of a lot cheaper in the long run) or you can play them extra right and get Seismic Sensor 200%, because why just have "Wall hax" when you can have "super wall hax00rs"? It's so awesome it's ********! So enjoy it! (Just note it only works while stationary now).

5) What do we use xp on now? From me putzing in the menus, it looks like it's just for buying skill points with C-Bills, which seems like it's the main C-Bill sink now.

Kinda. Instead of sinking in Modules which only some people gave a crap about, we're now forced to put significantly less cbills into all the new "skillz", which in the long run with a lot of mechs will equal to about what a competition player would spend on modules if he wasn't cheap and just swapping them.

6) Just as a catch all question for most of my other questions: Is there somewhere in game where I can learn about all the information that they're giving me? Like Pilot Rank, emblems, titles, things like that.

Not really but feel free to ask.

Rank is just nonsense associated with FP. Titles and Emblems can be used on the forum. Titles (OR rank) also appear in MWO when people target you. As such I'm "Koniving the Ominous" when people target me.
Welcome back, good luck.

[Baba_Yaga]

Do youf self a favor.....UNINSTALL! If you thought it was screwed up before it's even worse now!

[Rogue Jedi]

Koniving gave a pretty good breakdown (as usual) but the major things I need to add are;

If you take a contract you do have Mech restrictions but only for faction play, Quick Play never has any restrictions on what you can take.

The best hit and run Mech is probably the Jenner IIC (Clan Jenner) it can have a 72 point alpha strike with 6 SRM6 but to do that you need to make a lot of compromises, with speed armor and ammo. The big problem with the Jenner is the huge Center Torso making most other Lights (especially Spider, Locust and Arctic Cheetah) much harder to kill despite having less armor

edit: formatting to make it easier to read now that I am on my home PC rather than my mobile phone

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 19 May 2017 - 12:18 PM.

[Kaethir]

I'll do my best to help... a couple of questions I can't really...

Leadpaintchips, on 19 May 2017 - 03:22 AM, said:

1) Is it actually easier to earn MC (or more specifically Mechbays) in game now, or is that still something that happens rarely/if at all? It was my biggest gripe about the game, that real money limited your gameplay. I have over the years, dropped a large percentage of my income on games that didn't lock out gameplay elements with real money with no regrets.

In-game MC can be earned through Faction Play (I don't understand the specifics of how, I just know it is possible), or is occasionally given out as rewards for events. If you are reserving it for 'Mech bays, a little bit goes a lot way. There was a lot of MC up for grabs in the recent Tukkayid event, but that's the exception rather than the norm.

Leadpaintchips, on 19 May 2017 - 03:22 AM, said:

2) Is the Jenner still the queen (?) of hit and run for light mechs? With the crazy amount of mechs in the game now (seriously think the amount of chassis in the game has doubled) I'm lost as to what matches that whole brawling, hit and run, high skill cap type of game play. Plus, I love lasers, and that machine can have an OBSCENE amount of lasers for a light.

The locust seems to be the IS light of choice lately, but with the skill tree changes, dunno what's going to happen. I don't have any IS lights to speak of, and only Arctic Cheetahs on the clan side (which, by the way, were spectacular pre-patch with 6 small pulse lasers...) Wait a bit and find out...

Leadpaintchips, on 19 May 2017 - 03:22 AM, said:

3a) Is the Units similar to clans/guilds in other games? I was in one before I quit (sorry guys if you're reading this), so do I need to find a new one again to be a part of this aspect of the game?

To a certain degree, yes, however it also has effects on Faction Play. If your Unit is a Merc unit, you can change contracts instead of getting loyalty rewards. You can always switch faction loyalties, but you take a 7 day penalty where you cannot join a merc unit or loyalty to a faction.

Leadpaintchips, on 19 May 2017 - 03:22 AM, said:

3b) Am I limited to what mechs I can use when I pick a faction? Like for example can I use tne normal Jenner if I go with Clans?

Only with respect to faction play. If you go loyalist on the IS side, you can only use IS mechs for faction play. If you go Clan loyalist, you can only use Clan mechs for faction play (and thus not your non-IIC Jenner). If you join a Merc unit, you can only use mechs for the side for which your unit currently has a contract, again, in faction play only. For quick play (both group and solo), there is no restriction.

Leadpaintchips, on 19 May 2017 - 03:22 AM, said:

3c) What's up with Drop Bays? That's something that I'm trying to work out, but there's nothing within the game itself that's giving me a hint as to what I'm supposed to be doing with that. Back when I was playing, I had one engine I'd swap between my Jenners because an XL 300 engine is bloody expensive, and it looks like I'm going to have to drop for at least one, if not two just to run those in the faction play.

There are two different kinds of Drop Decks. In faction play, games are either Scouting (its own game mode where there are only 4 players on a side, limited to 1 light or medium mech, you have to either kill the other team or capture intel and escape... there's more here but thats the quick version) or Invasion (Most of the normal quick play game modes are available, plus Siege, but all 12 players gets 4 'mechs, with tonnage limitations). The drop decks are for these purposes. When you start a faction play match, you can select the appropriate drop deck in the lobby before the game starts. So for Scouting, you might have a deck with a smaller faster mech and a deck with a slower, bigger mech. For Invasion, you might have an all-ranged deck and a brawler deck... and then you pick when you find out map and attacker/defender...

Leadpaintchips, on 19 May 2017 - 03:22 AM, said:

4) The skill tree. Apparently they got rid of my seismic sensor (don't blame them), and gave me a ton of skills for having those in addition to having 3 different Jenners mastered. I have NO idea what to spend the points that I have on. 134 from the sensor, and 91 per Jenner.

There are a lot of threads around on how this works and what to do. Look around the forums for suggestions, use something like https://kitlaan.gitlab.io/mwoskill/# to help you plan your points out before you spend. it will cost more than 91 SP if you mess up, and potentially XP as well to change the spec.

Leadpaintchips, on 19 May 2017 - 03:22 AM, said:

5) What do we use xp on now? From me putzing in the menus, it looks like it's just for buying skill points with C-Bills, which seems like it's the main C-Bill sink now.

XP is used for buying skill points, and for re-equipping skill point nodes that you have unlocked and un-equipped.

Leadpaintchips, on 19 May 2017 - 03:22 AM, said:

6) Just as a catch all question for most of my other questions: Is there somewhere in game where I can learn about all the information that they're giving me? Like Pilot Rank, emblems, titles, things like that.

Ask away here. usually someone can help

Edit: Started writing that before there were replies, lol

Edited by Kaethir, 19 May 2017 - 06:33 AM.

[Leadpaintchips]

Ok to add to my list of questions, is there other benefits/downsides for picking a faction/clan other than what's listed in game (which is pretty obtuse and vague)?

[Kaethir]

Leadpaintchips, on 19 May 2017 - 06:35 AM, said:

Ok to add to my list of questions, is there other benefits/downsides for picking a faction/clan other than what's listed in game (which is pretty obtuse and vague)?

1. Restrictions on 'mechs in faction play.
2. Rewards from faction play

Those are the benefits and downsides.

[Rogue Jedi]

With regards to the earlier reply from Hamerclone telling you to give up,


Some people seem to hate the new skill tree, and in many cases their complaining about it without having tried it or properly reading the patch notes (easy to tell because they are often complaining about things removed before the second public test session in March)

I personaly think the new skill tree is a massive improvement over the old but people are, of course, free to disagree.

Try it yourself and make up your own mind.

The main advantage of the new skill tree for you will be the removal of the requirement to level 3 varients of a chassis To max out the skills on one.
buy 1 Mech and you can max out its skills without buying another but it will probably take 50-90 games to do so, by which point you would likely have mastered using the Mech as well as completing its skill tree.

edit: formatting and clarifying a few points

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 19 May 2017 - 10:06 AM.

[Tier5 Kerensky]

In about two years I've played about 8400 games, mostly quick play but some faction play. I have only once paid real money for this game, it was 1250 MC for 7$. I have currently 46 mechbays with 10 empty. And 3000 MCs. Plus 300M cbills from the new skill three.

Soooo....yes, you get quite much MCs if you play often, from events every now and then. As well mechbays. But you won't get any significant amounts quickly. I think in long run, you are mainly limited by cbills. Only initially you are limited with mechbays.