35 replies to this topic

[Tereva]

Hi there,

So I am a returning players and I must that I am impressed and a bit lost. A lot have changed.


First, some questions about the biggest change, the progression system.
1- You do not need to play several variants on the same mech like before right?
2- You play a variant, you gain XP for that specific variant and then you can convert into skill point.
3- XP and skill points are attached to a specific mech right? They are NOT shared between variants?
4- Just to make sure, in theory as long as you play the same mech you can unlock all the skills for that mech right? Not necessarily needed depending of your build, but this is possible, right?

5-Are GSP (general skill point) usable for all mechs? How do you get them?

6-Are HSP attached to a mech (depending how much you researched it before?) or shared between mechs?

7- I am a bit afraid to commit any SP at this point. Especially since I do not know anymore what Mech/Build works today. Any basic advice I should follow?

8- and last but not least, what mech / build would you recommend to get back in the game?

This is a lot of questions, sorry about that. It's good to be excited by the game again though

Shoot straight

T.

edit : corrected HSO to HSP (was a typo)

Edited by Tereva, 04 November 2017 - 06:10 PM.

[Jonathan8883]

I'm a new player (5ish months) but can answer most of these questions.

1- You do not need to play several variants on the same mech like before right?
Correct. There are no mastery bonuses.
2- You play a variant, you gain XP for that specific variant and then you can convert into skill point.
Correct. 800 XP per skill point.
3- XP and skill points are attached to a specific mech right? They are NOT shared between variants?
Correct. For Omnimechs, they're attached to the CT. You can swap out other parts of the mech.
4- Just to make sure, in theory as long as you play the same mech you can unlock all the skills for that mech right? Not necessarily needed depending of your build, but this is possible, right?
Yes, but you can only have 91 nodes active at a given time.
5-Are GSP (general skill point) usable for all mechs? How do you get them?
Yes... 800 GXP per SP. You get 5% of your earned XP as GXP. So if you earn 1000 xp, you also earn 50 gxp.
6-Are HSO attached to a mech (depending how much you researched it before?) or shared between mechs?
I don't know what a HSO is. Seismic, radar deprivation, etc. are skills.

7- I am a bit afraid to commit any SP at this point. Especially since I do not know anymore what Mech/Build works today. Any basic advice I should follow?
Operations is always a safe bet for Cool Run. I often use the mobility tree as well.

8- and last but not least, what mech / build would you recommend to get back in the game?
Go Clantech. Omnimechs are easy to reconfigure to multiple options where a Battlemech isn't. It's a lot cheaper for trying various weapon systems, especially on a medium or heavy. IS has several unique weapons, though (RAC, MRM).

Light: Arctic Cheetah
Medium: Huntsman (not sure if Battle or Omni), Nova, Stormcrow; Shadow Cat is fun but different due to MASC and limited hardpoints
Heavy: Hellbringer, Mad Dog
Assault: Not sure. I run MAD-IIC-D for ECM, but it's not an Omnimech.

Edited by Jonathan8883, 04 November 2017 - 05:54 PM.

[Ertur]

Tereva, on 04 November 2017 - 05:29 PM, said:

1- You do not need to play several variants on the same mech like before right?

You do not.

Tereva, on 04 November 2017 - 05:29 PM, said:

2- You play a variant, you gain XP for that specific variant and then you can convert into skill point.

You get XP for that specific MECH. If you have two Jenner D's, for example, you only get XP for the one you are in.

Tereva, on 04 November 2017 - 05:29 PM, said:

3- XP and skill points are attached to a specific mech right? They are NOT shared between variants?

Yes, as above.

Tereva, on 04 November 2017 - 05:29 PM, said:

4- Just to make sure, in theory as long as you play the same mech you can unlock all the skills for that mech right? Not necessarily needed depending of your build, but this is possible, right?

You can get 91 skills in use at any time. You can unlock all of them, I suppose, but you would have to start unchecking skills that are in use in order to go over 91.

Tereva, on 04 November 2017 - 05:29 PM, said:

5-Are GSP (general skill point) usable for all mechs? How do you get them?

GSP is a system for legacy people, you can't get more of it. It came from whatever modules you may have had before. You can use them on any mech you want.

Tereva, on 04 November 2017 - 05:29 PM, said:

6-Are HSO (I think this is HSP) attached to a mech (depending how much you researched it before?) or shared between mechs?

HSP is for a particular variant. If you had two copies of the same variant, you will have gotten double the amount of HSP for them, but it would be shared between the same variant.

Tereva, on 04 November 2017 - 05:29 PM, said:

7- I am a bit afraid to commit any SP at this point. Especially since I do not know anymore what Mech/Build works today. Any basic advice I should follow?

For lights I would get all of the speed tweak skills and at least 60% of the radar derp skills.
In general, you want to buff any quirks the mech may have. Mechs with armor quirks get a big boost from the survival tree, for example.

Tereva, on 04 November 2017 - 05:29 PM, said:

8- and last but not least, what mech / build would you recommend to get back in the game?

Depends on what you have. If you have the CN9-AH, that still works. I'd avoid Jenners or the other large lights, they got embiggened in a big way.

[Blindbeard the Pirate]

1: You do not need to master three of the same mech anymore. You are correct in that each mech is individually leveled now.
2: This is correct, you gain EXP for that specific variant. If you had played a mech before the changes or multiple of the same mech (ie: AN ACH and the champion version of the same ACH), you may have shared EXP that can be divided between the two identical variants.
3: EXP is no longer shared, except for general experience.
4: You can unlock every skill if you want to, but you can only have 91 active at a time. It costs a very small amount of experience to swap nodes, so it's totally worth it for mechs that you switch builds on frequently to unlock at least all of the firepower nodes.

5: GSP is a remnant of the old system. It was awarded to players who had mastered and played mechs under the old system, and I don't believe you can gain it normally.

6: Historic skill points and experience are attached to a specific mech variant. You may as well just assign them as you notice you have them.

7: The survival tree is considered essential for effectively every mech in the game. Always at least invest the points in that tree because living longer means doing more. You'll want to invest in firepower at least enough to reach the nodes that are specific and helpful to your build. The operations tree is very situational, and usually considered not to be worth it outside of extremely hot energy boats. The mobility tree is considered similarly, if your mech uses a shield arm torso twist speed can greatly improve your survivability, otherwise maybe consider the anchor turn nodes or nothing. The sensors tree is worth investing in if you're a big slow mech and seismic would help you. At least 1 point in the auxiliary tree is almost always worth it, more if you want double air strike or if you're a light for capture assist.

8: If you like assaults, the new mad cat mk IIs are in a very good place, especially the death strike. Old favourites like the kodiak are still amazing. Lights using ballistics like the new version of the ACH and the MLX are doing a lot better, and the piranha when it drops will be amazing. If you're enjoying inner sphere anything, check out the new UAC10, it's amazing, and so are most of their ballistic boats in general. The new MRMs help a lot too.

[Koniving]

Tereva, on 04 November 2017 - 05:29 PM, said:

First, some questions about the biggest change, the progression system.
1- You do not need to play several variants on the same mech like before right?
2- You play a variant, you gain XP for that specific variant and then you can convert into skill point.
3- XP and skill points are attached to a specific mech right? They are NOT shared between variants?
4- Just to make sure, in theory as long as you play the same mech you can unlock all the skills for that mech right? Not necessarily needed depending of your build, but this is possible, right?

1) For progression, no. There's also good reason to own more than one of the same variant as you can unlock them differently to be unique from each other.
2) Pretty much.
3) When you make the conversion, yes. XP is stuck to that mech. Skill points are only locked to it once you make a conversion. Since you're returning, you have plenty of general skill points that are not yet locked to any mech.
4) You can... but that's insanely expensive and pointless. You can only use 91 skill nodes at a time out of 200+. Why waste the effort and cbills beyond that? Just have a plan. (Besides switching activated nodes between unlocked ones is also expensive cbill wise).

Quote

5-Are GSP (general skill point) usable for all mechs? How do you get them?

Yes. But you need to lock around 91 of them to a specific mech to use them.
You don't get them. They are from your refund. Once they are gone, that's it.

Quote

6-Are HSO attached to a mech (depending how much you researched it before?) or shared between mechs?

HSO... Historical Skill Points?
Yes. Stuck on specific mechs.
Always, ALWAYS consume these before allocating GSP. GSP is precious; once it's gone that's it.

Quote

7- I am a bit afraid to commit any SP at this point. Especially since I do not know anymore what Mech/Build works today. Any basic advice I should follow?

Personally, I have never and never will allocate skill points toward a specific build. Instead I allocate toward a playstyle that I feel will fit with the mech. If I want a glass cannon I unload everything that my mech can use in the firepower tree, then funnel some elsewhere. If I want armor and firepower, well there ya go. A fast tanker, mobility and survival. Etc. Under firepower only unlock nodes that apply to your potential hardpoints; no sense unlocking ballistic weapon nodes if you can't use ballistic weapons.

Here's an example. (It is fast forwarded but narrated in normal speed.)

My advice is to play the mech as is without the skill tree and sample it. Where does it perform well? Where is it lacking? Is it too slow to accelerate? You can fix that. Does it not twist as far as you'd like? Does it run too hot? Does it cool quick enough but your shot causes you to run too close to shutting down? (Heat Containment is what to look for under Operations). Do you like capturing bases, if so, there's a few capture accelerators. Like consumables? You can equip 5 of them if you max out that tree. Insane right?

Try it... think about what you want to improve. Then improve that. Don't go based on some specific build, but based on what you feel the mech needs.

Quote

8- and last but not least, what mech / build would you recommend to get back in the game?

This is a lot of questions, sorry about that. It's good to be excited by the game again though
Shoot straight

T.

Really depends on how you like to play. You could watch all four of the 4H vids to see what I used for a new player. Could also watch the recent Orion and Rifleman videos

Welcome back.

[Koniving]

Jonathan8883, on 04 November 2017 - 05:49 PM, said:

5-Are GSP (general skill point) usable for all mechs? How do you get them?
Yes... 800 GXP per SP. You get 5% of your earned XP as GXP. So if you earn 1000 xp, you also earn 50 gxp.

He said GSP... General Skill Points, awarded to players before the new skill tree as part of the refund (instead of a plethora of cbills as we had spent on modules and the like back in the day). But good to know about GXP. I haven't had the luxury of using XP or GXP yet, I had almost 2.5 thousand GSP between my nearly 200 mechs.

HSO was meant to be HSP. Historical Skill Points.

[Tereva]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the answers. It starts to make -a little- more sense.
And yes, I meant HSP (not HSO), I edited the original post.

Something else, in the cockpit, in the middle, on the right or left hand side - depending of the mech-, there is a black square windows with some kind of skull symbols either grey or green. What is it? Some kind of ranking/achievement system?

About what mech to use, are the Commando, Raven, Orion and Stalker still relevant?
Sad news about the Jenner. I liked my JUR7-F a lot.
And yes I am very much an IS kind of guy.
BTW I did not see the "Mad Cat" several of you mentioned. If that a nickname ?

I just saw a drop deck window. Is it to respawn in a different Mech when you are killed?

Shoot straight

T.

[Roughneck45]

Window with skulls in the cockpit is a kill counter.

None of those mechs are considered the best but the skill tree has made most things serviceable.

The Madcat is the Timberwolf.

Drop deck window is for faction play, you use 4 mechs in that mode.

[Tereva]

Roughneck45, on 04 November 2017 - 07:58 PM, said:

Window with skulls in the cockpit is a kill counter.

Oh!, that's new. Ty.

Roughneck45, on 04 November 2017 - 07:58 PM, said:

None of those mechs are considered the best but the skill tree has made most things serviceable.

Sad
I loved my Raven and Stalker. Are they supposed to have any replacement?
Who is the current Assault king?

Roughneck45, on 04 November 2017 - 07:58 PM, said:

The Madcat is the Timberwolf.

Really?
Isn't the Madcat supposed to be an assault mech ? The Timberwolf is a heavy if I am not mistaken.
Was it renamed or something?
Also I do not see a TimberWolf mkII

Roughneck45, on 04 November 2017 - 07:58 PM, said:

Drop deck window is for faction play, you use 4 mechs in that mode.

oh, gotcha!

Ty

[Koniving]

Lore reasons.
Timber Wolf is the Clan name. Mad Cat is the Inner Sphere's nickname for it based on their targeting computers repeatedly switching between identifying it as a Marauder (MAD) and as a Catapult (Catapult) when they first encountered one.

When the Mad Cat MK II was made, the Clans were well aware of the IS name for their Timber Wolves and had actually begun using the name themselves (as it was shorter and easy to say, and if words like Batchall [Battle Challenge] and QUIAFF (Quiery Affirmative? In other words "Do you agree with me?") are any indication, the Clans love short hand even if they are disgusted by contracted words like "Can't" instead of "Can not".

-----------
Orion in recent gameplay.

Skip to 3 or 4 minutes if you want as that's closer to the action.
I kill 2 Mad Cat MK IIs and a Dire Wolf in this video. First kill is shortly after 4 minutes.

Edited by Koniving, 04 November 2017 - 09:23 PM.

[Koniving]

Stalker is still quite relevant, though maybe not used as often since many players have used them for so long. Mine still run strong.

Commandos have always been considered a "harder" mech to play. Armlock has taught people to be ignorant of arm-aiming skills. Without them, the Commando is terrible.

Jenners and Ravens are pretty decent. Many 35 tonners are quite a bit taller than them but tend to have a lot more hardpoints. Ravens are best if you funnel all the armor forward to make them as tanky as possible. Jenners in terms of hitboxes are in the best shape they have ever been in. They don't offer much flexibility though for the new weapon systems due to CT hardpoints for the missiles.

Mad Cat MKII is currently behind a paywall due to it being a preordered mech. As is the Nightstar Osiris, and Arctic Wolf.

[Tereva]

Hey Koniving,

You probably don't but I remember you from two years ago (you are even in my friend list, lol). Still here giving advice I see, impressive

Ty for the lore, I like that kind of stuff : )
About the MadCat >> ok, this explains why I do not see it in the store.


I have the protector. I used to love it.
I run it with
-2 med. laser
-AC10
-SRM6

Not sure what is the difference between an AC10 and the LB 10 that you are using.
Thank you to have shared your build in the video (especially the skill trees, as I have no clue how to use those guys yet).

Happy to learn that my Misery is still a big boy. I am going to take him for a walk

Shoot straight

T.

Edited by Tereva, 04 November 2017 - 09:55 PM.

[Koniving]

LB-10 is basically a shotgun, but its hard to see because one of the few times I do fire it is during that slow motion which the way y video editor does slow motion you don't get to see the shotgun blast since it happened so fast.

I kinda remember the name but did need the reminder.

Here's three score screens from 2 runs I just did with a Stalker.

My first one just now.

And my second just now.

Edited by Koniving, 05 November 2017 - 01:25 PM.

[Tereva]

Impressive, I just got spanked hard in my misery, just now

Do you mind if I share my build with you and you can advise me on the skill to use?

Shoot straight

T.

[The Basilisk]

Tereva, on 04 November 2017 - 10:34 PM, said:

Impressive, I just got spanked hard in my misery, just now

Do you mind if I share my build with you and you can advise me on the skill to use?

Shoot straight

T.

The Misery is still a usable but largely outdated and outclassed mech.
Due to the many fast assault mechs around the repositioning and keeping up with the team problem that the stalker due to engine limitations always plagued reached a point where there are no real alleviations anymore.

Next problem is that most successfull assault mechs nowadays have either very good hitboxes (MadCat II, Marauder IIC) are sufficiently quirked to withstand enemy fire (Annihilator) or bring ridiculous firepower or speed (Annihilator, Kodiak...the hero can reach up to 90kph in bursts due to masc)

The Stalker has nothing of that.

Edit: Anyways try this.

Edited by The Basilisk, 05 November 2017 - 12:50 AM.

[Tereva]

The Basilisk, on 05 November 2017 - 12:36 AM, said:

The Misery is still a usable but largely outdated...
Due to the many fast assault mechs around the repositioning and keeping up with the team problem

Yeah, exactly what happened. I could not keep up with the group and got jumped by 3 mechs not exactly nimble but a lot faster than me

The Basilisk, on 05 November 2017 - 12:36 AM, said:

Edit: Anyways try this.

ty

Shoot straight
T.

[Tereva]

Another question, "before" there was a zoom module that was a lot more powerful that the standard zoom system. In the sensor skill tree, on the right hand side, four skills done there is a "Advanced Zoom" is it the same thing?

Cheers,

T

[Rogue Jedi]

Tereva, on 04 November 2017 - 10:34 PM, said:

Impressive, I just got spanked hard in my misery, just now

Do you mind if I share my build with you and you can advise me on the skill to use?

Shoot straight

T.

bear in mine a few months ago we got a lot of newtech, the Stalkers main advantage was always that it can take a rediculous amoount of damage after loosing a side torso and keep fighting, this made them a Mech which very few people would use an XL engine on due to how much punishment they could take with a standard.

the IS now has the Light Fusion engine, lighter than the standard but heavier than the XL an LFE equiped Mech can suvive loosing 1 side torso much like a Mech with a Clan XL engine, as such unless you want to use a Heavy Gauss Rifle or LB-AC20-X ^{(which would not fit in a torso with the LFE)} you may as well use an Light Engine
other tech you may be interesting include;

Rocket launchers (light weight single use dumb fire missiles),

MRMs (medium Range missiles, unguided, think longer range SRMs with much higher tube count),

Small and Medium ER Lasers,

New PPC types, Light ^{(smaller, less damage than regular)}, Heavy ^{(bigger, higher damage)}, and Snub Nose ^{(shorter range almost shotgun like)}

all Autocannon types are now all available in 2, 5, 10 and 20, Ultra ^{(can double tap for faster rate of fire at risk of jamming)} and LBX ^{(shorgun type)}

new Machine Gun types, Light ^{(less damage per shot, longer range)} and Heavy ^{(more damage per shot, heavier, shorter range)}

2 new Gauss Rifle types, Light ^{(lower weight, faster rate of fire, less damage per shot)} and Heavy ^{(more tons and slots, damage starts dropping off much sooner, at short range does 25 damage)}


as for non weapon equipment
Light Fero armor, (uses less slots than normal fero but not at much weight saving)

Stealth Armor, ^{(can only be equiped on an IS Mech with ECM, makes you Mech completely invisible to sensors but turns off all cooling)}

IS targeting computers

Laser AMS.

that is just the IS stuff, Clans got some new tech as well

for more info visit the links below
https://mwomercs.com/civil-war-update
https://mwomercs.com...26-18-jul-2017/

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 05 November 2017 - 09:23 AM.

[hordes1ayer2]

Welcome back from your time off. I enjoy ATMs and personally feel that unless you have 3 ATM 9s or 2 ATM 12s or more the ATms are ineffective. The ebon is great for a brawl as long as you keep the 120 min. range. The ATms put out so much damage that back shots can bring a assault down to an orange core. Good Luck and Have Fun

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...065ed30e7b4bef4
link for mech

[Ertur]

Tereva, on 05 November 2017 - 09:10 AM, said:

Another question, "before" there was a zoom module that was a lot more powerful that the standard zoom system. In the sensor skill tree, on the right hand side, four skills done there is a "Advanced Zoom" is it the same thing?

Cheers,

T

Yes, that is the press V for the picture-in-picture zoom feature. The seismic sensor module is split between two skills at the bottom of the sensor tree, the radar derp module is split between 5 node at or near the bottom, and so on.