17 replies to this topic

[Kell Morgan]

So I haven't played much since the skill tree change. I have played since closed beta and am just now getting back into it.

Noticed Metamechs is essentially dead... So is the activity of the player base for that matter.

Is there a replacement website for build ideas with the new tech? Don't quote smurfy..... I know how to use that....

If not what are the competitive mechs and weapons these days. I have been leaning towards ATMs. and LBX (believe it or not) I find heavy lasers nice but a bit hard to handle heat wise.

[Quicksilver Aberration]

Kell Morgan, on 05 September 2017 - 02:09 PM, said:

Is there a replacement website for build ideas with the new tech?

Not that I'm aware of, it would be fairly difficult to maintain that anyway given the pace of mech additions and with the latest wave of tech would take a lot of effort to go back through all the mechs and re-evaluate.

[N0ni]

the only other website with build ideas (submitted by players) would be mechspecs, but even that isn't really updated for the most part.

[Smites]

It's rather sad to see that Metamechs, Mechspecs and Rak's Armory are effectively quiet. They're still an incredible resource but we need something more current and active.

[Champion of Khorne Lord of Blood]

For laser alphas the 6ERML+2HLL 78 damage combo seems to be the winner. Its doable on the Marauder IIC and also the Supernova and even many of the heavy mechs can alpha it. Its a true poke build though, you hit hard then are forced to sit back down.

ATMs take the cake when it comes to missiles, in their optimal range 3 damage per missile is very powerful, however they are bad against AMS so its recommended to use the largest launchers you can and fire as many as ghost heat allows at once.

UAC2s have taken over the game for ballistics, at least for DPS builds. IS UAC10s do provide some extra punch on a few builds though.

STD engines are completely replaced by LFEs.

Dual ERML acts as a slightly longer duration but also longer range LPL for 5 tons less weight on IS side.

Heavy PPCs work sort of nice for IS poptarts, but the huge IS ERPPC velocity buff means ERPPCs are still very relevant.

LMGs are crit machines and function nicely to reduce enemy firepower once you open components up.

That's about all I got at the moment. MRMs and RACs put out high total damage but spread horribly, mostly just good for inflating match score, but the RAC also has an added benefit of being good at blinding the enemy.

[Angel of Annihilation]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that those sites dying out is probably a good thing for this game. Why? Because it encourages people to use free thought and creativity to come up with their own builds which in turn adds diversity to the game.

Seriously, Meta or what is considered Meta has been the biggest source of nerfs and general erosion of fun from this game since almost the beginning. I mean we Assault mechs lost their ability to have useful JJs because of the Poptart meta. UAC/10s and UACs in general got nerfed heavily due the KDK-3 and the Dakka meta. Ghost Heat came about due to the PPC Meta. We can probably go on for hours about what in this game has been ruined in some way, form or fashion by this or that meta that I am absolutely happy about anything that reduces that amount of Meta that infects this game.

Edited by Viktor Drake, 05 September 2017 - 04:22 PM.

[Trissila]

Viktor Drake, on 05 September 2017 - 04:22 PM, said:

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that those sites dying out is probably a good thing for this game. Why? Because it encourages people to use free thought and creativity to come up with their own builds which in turn adds diversity to the game.

Seriously, Meta or what is considered Meta has been the biggest source of nerfs and general erosion of fun from this game since almost the beginning. I mean we Assault mechs lost their ability to have useful JJs because of the Poptart meta. UAC/10s and UACs in general got nerfed heavily due the KDK-3 and the Dakka meta. Ghost Heat came about due to the PPC Meta. We can probably go on for hours about what in this game has been ruined in some way, form or fashion by this or that meta that I am absolutely happy about anything that reduces that amount of Meta that infects this game.

Meta happens regardless of whether someone bothers to write it down on a website. People die to things, or they find that they kill a lot with things, and they switch to/stick with those things. Then more people see that, and it snowballs until The Meta coalesces around those things that are most effective. After all, those sites come from somewhere -- they don't just pick The Meta out of thin air. They just figure out what works and what doesn't work faster than less-competitive sections of the playerbase.

By way of example: You will not find CritLynx builds on MetaMechs. Yet here we are, seeing ZOMG NERF MG threads in this very forum.

As it is, all you have is people that are actually following the current meta, and people that are following the meta from several months ago erroneously believing it to be the current meta.

[MrJeffers]

Viktor Drake, on 05 September 2017 - 04:22 PM, said:

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that those sites dying out is probably a good thing for this game.

And I'm going to disagree with you on this point. Why? Because fan sites and fan tools are a sign of a healthy and popular game. Lack of fan sites, and popular fan sites dying is not a good thing for any game, from any view point.

[El Bandito]

Mercstar (MS) has put up a Wiki for up to date builds. http://www.mercstar....ory:Mech_Builds It is still expanding.

Enjoy.

Edited by El Bandito, 05 September 2017 - 06:22 PM.

[Gas Guzzler]

When in doubt, bring Clan lasers and Gauss rifles together, and you will be okay.

[Jun Watarase]

Kell Morgan, on 05 September 2017 - 02:09 PM, said:

So I haven't played much since the skill tree change. I have played since closed beta and am just now getting back into it.

Noticed Metamechs is essentially dead... So is the activity of the player base for that matter.

Is there a replacement website for build ideas with the new tech? Don't quote smurfy..... I know how to use that....

If not what are the competitive mechs and weapons these days. I have been leaning towards ATMs. and LBX (believe it or not) I find heavy lasers nice but a bit hard to handle heat wise.

You dont need a website for that, considering the meta has been laser vomit/UAC spam in the same mechs for over a year now.

[Wildstreak]

Smites, on 05 September 2017 - 02:43 PM, said:

It's rather sad to see that Metamechs, Mechspecs and Rak's Armory are effectively quiet. They're still an incredible resource but we need something more current and active.

JENNER llC, on 05 September 2017 - 04:38 PM, said:

if you have the time watch good players twitch streams, they often thoroughly go thru builds, meta etc

Plus YouTube.

[Kell Morgan]

Hey Bandito I appreciate the site. The thing I liked about those sites was ideas. I never used them exactly as advertised as my playstyle didn't always fit exactly to them.

I also liked them for new players. Get them used to seeing WHY certain mechs were built the way they were "high mounting points for ballistics ect."

I almost feel like a new player again. I dropped with some of my old mechs that used to just murder on the battlefield and while they still worked really well I just felt they were missing something.

Thinking about getting the supernova. IDK if I want 4 LRM 15's with art. or one of the 8 energy variants. If so which variant?

[Kiiyor]

I recall there being something written about metamechs going on hiatus for a while to allow all the new tech to settle after the inevitable adjustments in the months following the patch.

It'll probably be back, once the competitive scene settles and new favourites emerge in the group queues. Give it a group tournament or two to settle down.

[Spheroid]

Screw imitation. Meta should be derived from first principles. The mind is stronger from that approach and allows quicker evolution.

[El Bandito]

Kell Morgan, on 05 September 2017 - 06:37 PM, said:

Hey Bandito I appreciate the site. The thing I liked about those sites was ideas. I never used them exactly as advertised as my playstyle didn't always fit exactly to them.

I also liked them for new players. Get them used to seeing WHY certain mechs were built the way they were "high mounting points for ballistics ect."

I almost feel like a new player again. I dropped with some of my old mechs that used to just murder on the battlefield and while they still worked really well I just felt they were missing something.

Thinking about getting the supernova. IDK if I want 4 LRM 15's with art. or one of the 8 energy variants. If so which variant?

If you got the C-Bills you can get both. Supernova is effective at both las-vomit and lurming. Obviously lurming is hit-or-miss most of the time.

Spheroid, on 05 September 2017 - 08:11 PM, said:

Screw imitation. Meta should be derived from first principles. The mind is stronger from that approach and allows quicker evolution.

Meta gives a baseline for people to add their own touch.

Edited by El Bandito, 05 September 2017 - 10:08 PM.

[Trissila]

Kell Morgan, on 05 September 2017 - 06:37 PM, said:

Thinking about getting the supernova. IDK if I want 4 LRM 15's with art. or one of the 8 energy variants. If so which variant?

El Bandito, on 05 September 2017 - 10:08 PM, said:

If you got the C-Bills you can get both. Supernova is effective at both las-vomit and lurming. Obviously lurming is hit-or-miss most of the time.

For the health and sanity of everyone around you, please do not throw a bunch of launchers on a Supernova and nothing else. It's a miss FAR more often than it's a hit.

Every now and then some kind soul will NARC a target for you and for the next 15 seconds you'll feel like a god.

Then the other 99% of the time you're contributing very, very little to your team's success. Oh sure, your numbers might be high against incompetent enemies, but that 1,000 damage is meaningless when it consisted of 27 damage across all three torso sections of 12 enemy mechs.

Even in a giant target with no ECM or AMS like a Timberwolf, I can count on one hand the number of times I actually take a hit from an LRM each night (that wasn't in a GG scenario like being the only target left against 8+ enemies).

If you absolutely MUST use launchers, use them as supplements to other, more effective weapon systems rather than as a primary.

[InvictusLee]

Smites, on 05 September 2017 - 02:43 PM, said:

It's rather sad to see that Metamechs, Mechspecs and Rak's Armory are effectively quiet. They're still an incredible resource but we need something more current and active.

I'd really like to run some kind of fundraiser and help pay these guys to thoroughly update their sites.
They are really a super valuable resource for builds that sometimes are not immediately obvious on certain mech chassis.