29 replies to this topic

[Prototelis]

If you want build advice hop on team speak.

I can be found on comstar or in game.

Super hot high alpha mechs have their place, they're just harder to use.

[J0anna]

ingramli, on 23 July 2017 - 07:47 PM, said:

For a noob like me too often find that we cannot engage and disengage as quickly as those experts does, the outcome is that we are often being forced to engage longer than we want to, and the heat efficiency of those meta mechs just wont cut it.....

Very True.

My best advice to raw newbies, watch videos and visit websites to see what weapons work together. Decide what playstyle you want (support, brawling, flanking, speedy, etc) and watch what weapons work for that playstyle. Now play trial mechs that support that playstyle. Find out weapon ranges, and how to use them. Learn about weapons and ammo placement, heatsink numbers, etc.

Once you know what mech you want save up enough cbills to have 2x the cost of the mech. This allows you to comfortably change weapons, engines, and do upgrades. Play your mech and master it. Do not get a second mech until you again have the 2x amount. If you get bored of your primary mech, use trials occasionally, but remember you want to master your mech.

Eventually you'll want to get a hero or (C) mech - this will jumpstart your earning potential (especially if you include premium time) - that's why I have over 1200 matches in my Heavy Metal.

Lastly, and most importantly, Play with others. Find a clan/group and drop with them - often. Get on TeamSpeak, listen to their commands, watch how they move, etc. Eventually (if you want) build a drop deck and get into faction warfare. Friends make this game so much better.

Remember we all started somewhere (for me it was TT in the 1980's) so we all had to learn what weapons did and how to control heat.

[Bud Crue]

Soultraxx, on 24 July 2017 - 04:22 AM, said:

Whenever I run a high alpha meta build I find I dont have the heat management/ trigger discipline to keep from shutting down.

Its usually two alphas, overheat, shutdown and then pray that I survive until start up.

I'll never learn.

Now I build slightly cooler on the premise that I output more damage when Im not shutting down every 6 seconds

:-)

This thread, and particularly this post gave me a flashback:

I remember when I first discovered metamechs and the more general joys of meta play. I heard about this most OP mech: the Grasshopper 5P running 5LL or even 5ERLL and oh the hurt it was putting on people, especially in CW. So being the good little team player that I am, I thought: "screw my crap builds, I'm running the meta since the meta is the best!" Dropped with my brand new 5P, 5ERLL on a Grim defense CW drop, baddies came through the right gate and boiled up over the trench and I proceeded to lay down my withering laser fire...

...and over heated almost instantly because I miss timed the firing and ended up Alphaing twice (or maybe it was just once).

The moral of the story: meta is great if you are a meta player. But if you are an arthritic, drunk, potato, the meta is just something to show you a build direction for what a mech can potentially do, but that you and your shi77y reflexes and lack of trigger control should approach with caution and a health sense of one's own abilities.

Edited by Bud Crue, 24 July 2017 - 05:12 AM.

[C4NC3R]

Soultraxx, on 24 July 2017 - 04:22 AM, said:

Whenever I run a high alpha meta build I find I dont have the heat management/ trigger discipline to keep from shutting down.

Its usually two alphas, overheat, shutdown and then pray that I survive until start up.

I'll never learn.

Now I build slightly cooler on the premise that I output more damage when Im not shutting down every 6 seconds

:-)

OVERRIDE!!! For mek-sake

[Galenit]

Play with the mechlab,
try your builds in the testinggrounds,
find the weapons and playstyle you like.

When you find what you like,
play a mech with a build you maked for at least 10 matches,
then change what you miss or need (only a few items,
not all at once or you will not recognize what a change does for you mech),
play again at least 10 matches with the changed build,
then change it a little more and so on ...

Everyone has other skills,
some are better with ac´s others need more velocity rounds and use ppc and others are just better with lasers or missiles.

Just parroting a build dont makes you good,
build a mech thats good for you and you will have fun.

Most metamechs are from competive players, a small minority playing their own game,
mostly in groups where extrem specialized mechs are more useable then in random qp.

Playing qp is different than competive play, thats a point most "comp-players" dont understand.

Edited by Galenit, 24 July 2017 - 06:33 AM.

[ingramli]

Galenit, on 24 July 2017 - 06:33 AM, said:

Most metamechs are from competive players, a small minority playing their own game,
mostly in groups where extrem specialized mechs are more useable then in random qp.

Playing qp is different than competive play, thats a point most "comp-players" dont understand.

Indeed. For the 2k QP games i played. I learned that for QP, being decent as a one man army to a certain extent is important for consistent performance. Which means that, extremely slow mech (<50kph) is a big no (being left alone and hunt down by a scout light), being slow (<65kph) without backup weapons when the primary weapons is out of range (such as PPC or LRM) is another big no, extreme hot build without low/no heat backup weapon is a no (such as heavy/assault ERPPC boat with no other weapons), and many more, to perform consistently, weapons that can deal with different range, or certain level of mobility which allows you to quickly re-position is crucial for success in QP, where teamwork is not something taken as granted.

Edited by ingramli, 24 July 2017 - 06:44 AM.

[Skanderborg]

Build mech's with a purpose.

Get an idea in your head about the chassis that you're using , and what its good at , then find out what you want to do with it.

Go with one of the several play styles

Brawling

Laser Vomit

PPFLD

Autocannon's

LRM's

It's important to use weapons that work well with one another , rather than using a random assortment of weapons that have drastically different range profiles or cool downs.

Then just make sure your speed and heat capabilities are good for what you're doing.

[Pariah Devalis]

Here is my advice to newbies:

Make a point to understand the reasons behind a popular build or build decision.

Blindly following a trend doesn't do you any favors. For example, the asymmetrical trend that cropped up a few months back. I saw too many people preaching asym, but not actually understanding why asym is either good or bad on any given mech. Like Ebon Jaguars. The number of asym EBJ I saw was depressing. If you are trying to run a mech that is designed to deadside to protect your important bits, it's important that the mech's important bits don't stick out and can be hit from anywhere. Regardless of how you move.

The root of the problem is mindless parroting. Use your brains. THINK. Understand why things are done, so you can understand when not to do them.

[H I A S]

Galenit, on 24 July 2017 - 06:33 AM, said:

Most metamechs are from competive players, a small minority playing their own game,
mostly in groups where extrem specialized mechs are more useable then in random qp.

Playing qp is different than competive play, thats a point most &quot;comp-players&quot; dont understand.

Yes, comp is different, because you dont have to carry spuds, but most of the builds working fine in QP as well. You just have to put more Ammo in and know your rangebracket.

[Dr Hobo]

I use Metamechs and builds like that to get ideas and I go from there.

I think that once you get a better understanding of the game,then you should have no problem seeing where they got the idea for a build.

But I honestly usually just run super stocks.