I played for >4 years with Satellite internet and did really well.
First thing, let's talk about your satellite internet stability, then I'll talk about what the experience is like.
Satellite internet usually has a data limit of 15-20 GB, after that, when you go into slowed mode, MWO is impossible to play. That's when there are freezes and skips and disconnects.
If you are in the high mode, your game shouldn't appear to skip or freeze to you, or to any of your teammates.
People are confusing Ping with an unstable connection, but not having experienced satellite internet, I can't blame them for seeing it as one in the same. Most people when they see 600+ ping it's literally because something has happened to their net.
But I digress, in the high mode, your game play should appear to play perfectly normal to you and your unit-mates, and team. But, if you have shoddy wi-fi, or someone is streaming TV, or anything else, that is what is going to cause the freeze and stutters. We used to call it the netflix warp, but that doesn't just happen on Sat, it's what usually causes people to warp around.
Satellite internet doesn't seem to allow many connections to be made at the same time. If I went to download 3 small files, the first two will fly, but the last one will freeze or fail. So, if you are going to play MWO, you need to make sure the net is all but completely clear. No windows updates, no background downloads, nothing.
--------------
The actual game-play:
Assuming that your net is stable, the game will "appear" completely perfect to you.
Spectating, shots are aimed and connect exactly as you would expect, which is kind of strange, as they should almost appear to be double-transit-lagged to you.
---------------
Tactics: Lasers, you only need to aim ahead about 4 mm on a fast moving mech. The closer they are, the farther you have to aim. Your ret will turn red when you actually score a hit.
Missile and ACs, Aim basically one mech ahead, just fire in front of them in most cases. A mid-air explosion is the feedback for a good hit. (same with ppcs)
As much as I used to love this game, and not talking badly about it, but a little perspective is needed. This isn't CoD, 600ms is not big lag, and these mechs aren't moving that fast. Like slow fish in a pond speed, which is okay. Even a hyper twitch raven is moving at a snail's pace compared to almost any other game. So 600ms (steady) is not dying in the desert bad.
MWO does have tech built in to help lower speed players, Active Server Rewind, which in most cases, acts as a graduated buffer. You don't really have to think in terms of lag-shooting.... just try to "bury your shots" This is helpful for anyone whether they have 80ms or 300ms. Just pretend you are getting your shots in deeper. A little ahead. (It will ensure no matter what your connection, you are scoring as much contact as possible.)
I now have 50ms ping on better internet, and the game is very little different. I still see that players need to bury their shots. I see high ping players doing very well, and I see the occasional netflix teleporter.
I think if you are dedicated, and understand that MWO is pretty friendly for high ping, you can make a good game out of it, I did.
-It's really important you get MWO to be steady though. If you are in your high data mode, you shouldn't be teleporting or freezing. If you are, you just can't play.
If you are out of data, it's really pretty much impossible. Good news is, MWO doesn't use much data at all.
- Sorry, lastly: counter-intuitive... a slow "safe" mech is probably your worst choice. Don't feel you need an LRM boat because your ping is bad. A mega fast harasser is the style you want. It needs to hit and run anyways... your ping is going to be fine with your aim, so your net will actually work well with that play-style.
Maybe it has something to do with, the faster you are moving, the slower they are moving relative to you coordinate-transform wise? It works
3
