2 replies to this topic

[Scum of the Earth]

So, I've been playing MWO for a few years now and had a lot of fun doing so. However, they came out with the new skill tree (after a few introductions in the PTC) but not once did I see an explanation on how it worked. Now I admit, I don't have the same number of mechs as some people do but I'm right around 200. The old system was simple but effective. Now, I am so lost and confused (and I think rightly so as other people have stated so too) on how it works that I took off for a few months to see if the confusion would be "solved" when I came back.

Nope, it hasn't. I looked again last night and it's still just as confusing and overly complicated as when I first looked after the patch came out. I know what PGI was thinking; let the players add the variety to the mechs they want to play and customize the style on how they want to play them. I had a lot of my mechs maxed out on XP but now I am dealing with legacy XP, converting it, and how it works with the style of play in game. I would "like" to have seen something like 1 "free" test build. Where when I spent my 91 points; I could see how it worked out and if I didn't like it, I could try again. Yes, that's selfish of me and probably rather bias of me as that would be a huge advantage for me over someone that just bought the same frame brand new. But then I already "had" my mech in the position that I wanted before it was reset to 0 again and now trying to figure out what's going on.

So, without trying to look too foolish and crying about "what's the best build for XXXX mech...", I'll put out what I think are simple questions and see if people can part their own experience with it so far so I can minimize my own mistakes.

From what I can tell, to start the process of putting XP back into my mech, I need to click the "Add SP" button in the skill tree window. From there, I can choose to either "Use Available SP" by using GSP or HSP or "Purchase SP" with a combination of XP or GXP or HXP AND C-bills. The first confusing part is the conversion factor on how each affects your mech. From what I can tell, Historic SP is what was on your mech before the patch and seems to go 1 to 1 for putting SP on your mech for a grand total of 91 points. However, when I play with GSP or GXP, I can put 237 points onto my mech.

Wait,... what? Why would I put 237 on my mech if the max build is 91? Does something happen with the extra points? Like 91 points is the max I can put on that variant but I can put the rest into other variants of the same style/name of mech? For instance, my Atlas DC has 91 HSP on it but if I put 237 GSP on it, can I put the remainder on my Atlas D and S too? If I had 4 or 5 variants, would that 237 total be increased to 328 and 419 (although 237 isn't 91 x 3 so not sure why it stopped at 237)?

I haven't played a game since the patch so my XP total is at 0 but I noticed that when I tried to convert HXP, I got a bad ratio of 1000 or something for 1 SP (I think I had 2130HXP I could turn into 2 SP). Can you convert say 40GSP and 30GXP and then whatever remaining HXP you have left to get to the magic number 91?

I knew about the fact that purchasing SP would require C-bills to do it compared to using the available SPs on the mech before the patch. But as I have yet to spend a single SP yet, how does "refunding" work with HSP vs. GXP? Does it cost me C-bills to reset my mech with HSP but I keep my HSP or does it get lost and require GSP or GXP trying to rebuild it again? This has been one of my major hang ups in wanting to spend a single SP yet.

That's about it for now. If you can think of anything else I might have overlooked, please tell me. This whole month plus the previous event looked like it had some REALLY nice things I wanted but the game has gotten a bit hectic with the new Skill Tree for me to get excited and back into the game again. I am curious to know how many other people like myself have stopped playing entirely due to the Skill Tree or if the numbers are that bad that Piranha is keeping tight lipped to avoid a panic in the community. I know I haven't purchased a single pack or mech since the patch when I would always put the minimum $20 into the pot for the newest announcement. I should have been excited about the Nova Cat coming out but I still haven't purchased it yet after nearly a month announcement. =/ My other setback is playing, testing, and tinkering with a mech and once I find the balance that I like, I'll still have 199 more mechs to fiddle around with. Such a nightmare thinking about it... =P

[Shifty McSwift]

If you are looking to minimise you skill tree "mistakes", then just follow the basic trees to start (for the mech class/loadout), or run the mech with no trees to get a feel for what it needs, or more precisely where it is doing well, so you can buff its other aspects etc.

You will find over time like I have, that there are only really a few potential path diversions in the trees overall with all 92 points considered, you either end up lacking a bit in sensors, or defense or mobility, and you generally never fill trees out, just grab those critical buffs.

[vibrant]

First, I'd highly recommend reading the patch notes that came out with the Skill Tree update, that describe it quite well: https://mwomercs.com...y2017#skilltree -- this'll describe the different types of points and currencies that you can use, HSP/GSP/etc.

Now, I'm having trouble trying to find your questions in this wall of text (it'd help if you'd number them next time), but from what I can see:

1) Why 237 points? Because you can only have 91 points active in the tree at once. Using a skill point unlock that node. Meaning, you'll need 237 points to unlock all of the nodes in the tree. You can respec one point to any other unlocked node at any time for a cost of... I think it was 400 XP per node. I tend to respec quite a bit, so I've got perhaps ~150 nodes unlocked on some mechs.

2) For all mastered mechs, you'll have HSP (historic skill points). If your mech was mastered, that'll give you 91 points for that mech. Generally you'll transfer this across to SP, because it's free. GSP was awarded as a 'refund' for old module purchases... generally, once you've used your HSP for a mech, you'll dip into those points. Only then will you want to use HXP/XP and cbills to buy new SP.

Just... go read the patch notes and clarify whatever questions you have left. They did a fair job of explaining it all.

Edited by vibrant, 30 June 2017 - 08:06 PM.