28 replies to this topic

[Void Angel]

Solaris Seven event! Yay! Let's start grinding with Tier 1 and...

Every 'mech is an Annihilator. For the first four matches. Or some other 'mech that just sits in a corner and outslugs anything that moves. Sure, I can just get down with the sickness, buy my own newbie hammer 'mech, and get to work - but that won't solve the problem. Not really sure what will.

Now, I'll probably try it in other tiers as I have time, or come back to it during a different daypart to see if it's better or different. But right now I feel my time is better spent writing this feedback - I see now why people have done such toxic carping about this game mode. So I'm going to turn off MWO now, and go play Pathfinder: Kingmaker instead.

Initial response to Solaris 7 event:

Nope!

[K O Z A K]

It's part of why solaris got so boring so fast. There is basically 0 variety in tactics, 99% of games look exactly the same because the maps are so small and 1-2 loadouts rule each division. You can still drop a non meta and do well if you're a really good pilot, but you'll always get stomped by another good pilot playing the division meta.

[FupDup]

It's almost like Solaris is a bad mode or something, and shouldn't be used as a balancing metric for anything ever.

[Prototelis]

There's a counter to every meta in every division.

[martian]

Void Angel, on 13 February 2020 - 11:25 AM, said:

Solaris Seven event! Yay! Let's start grinding with Tier 1 and...
...
But right now I feel my time is better spent writing this feedback

There is a dedicated Solaris 7 section:
https://mwomercs.com...um/537-solaris/

[-Winter]

So whose gunna break it to him that he can't use his new Mech for Tier 1 in other tiers lol?

[LordNothing]

Prototelis, on 13 February 2020 - 11:37 AM, said:

There's a counter to every meta in every division.

unfortunately there is no counter to the endless boredom.

[Horseman]

Void Angel, on 13 February 2020 - 11:25 AM, said:

Solaris Seven event! Yay! Let's start grinding with Tier 1 and...

Every 'mech is an Annihilator. For the first four matches. Or some other 'mech that just sits in a corner and outslugs anything that moves. Sure, I can just get down with the sickness, buy my own newbie hammer 'mech, and get to work - but that won't solve the problem. Not really sure what will.

Cause that's Division 1. ANHs are the meta there and there really isn't any higher tier to kick them into. Play divs 2-7 and you'll see a lot more variety.

[VonBruinwald]

Void Angel, on 13 February 2020 - 11:25 AM, said:

Solaris Seven event! Yay! Let's start grinding with Tier 1 and...

Initial response to Solaris 7 event:

Nope!

The lower the tier the more interesting the matches.

Hazeclaw, on 13 February 2020 - 11:32 AM, said:

It's part of why solaris got so boring so fast. There is basically 0 variety in tactics, 99% of games look exactly the same because the maps are so small and 1-2 loadouts rule each division. You can still drop a non meta and do well if you're a really good pilot, but you'll always get stomped by another good pilot playing the division meta.

You should come play with me:

[LordNothing]

LordNothing, on 13 February 2020 - 12:19 PM, said:

unfortunately there is no counter to the endless boredom.

well now that there is 1000 free xp at stake i might play some games, maybe, if i can find the time and get over my revulsion at whats become of the game.

[VonBruinwald]

LordNothing, on 13 February 2020 - 03:41 PM, said:

well now that there is 1000 free xp at stake i might play some games, maybe, if i can find the time and get over my revulsion at whats become of the game.

You me and a couple of LBX-20 Cicada's in Div-7... what do you say?

Edited by VonBruinwald, 13 February 2020 - 03:44 PM.

[LordNothing]

VonBruinwald, on 13 February 2020 - 03:43 PM, said:

You me and a couple of LBX-20 Cicada's in Div-7... what do you say?

thats a thing? how did you scrape up enough tonnage?

[VonBruinwald]

LordNothing, on 13 February 2020 - 03:51 PM, said:

thats a thing? how did you scrape up enough tonnage?

Noisy Cricket

Alternatively
(-30% Jam = More time shooting)

Edited by VonBruinwald, 13 February 2020 - 04:09 PM.

[Void Angel]

martian, on 13 February 2020 - 11:39 AM, said:

There is a dedicated Solaris 7 section:
https://mwomercs.com...um/537-solaris/

Thanks, I missed that.

[Xiphias]

T1 is the most boring division (IMO) for this very type of reason. Big slow mechs don't encourage movement and positioning and without some sort of objectives to force movement it's just going to be very static. This is why faster mechs in 12v12s make the game interesting, because it can force the bigger mechs to move and not just play turret warrior. The lower divisions with faster mechs are a lot more fun (though I may be biased as a light pilot).

That said, if you want to try something challenging and different to break up the Annihilator meta in Div1 there is a build I've run up against that can be an effective counter if you have the skill to play it well enough.

The ACW-1 with speed, ATMs, all the lock time/speed nodes, and a high degree of radar deprivation is fast enough of give the Annihilator a hard time. Effectively, the idea is to peak, grab a lock and then break line of sight. You retain the lock and the Annihilator is too slow to quickly get out of the way. Spam missiles, rinse, repeat. It's critical to play the angles and to minimize exposure time since the Annihilator can easily kill the Arctic Wolf in the open. You just play a long game of cat and mouse and slowly wear them down. It's extremely annoying to play against as an Annihilator.

Granted, against the better players the edge is still in the Annihilator's favor, but this is an alternative play style that does a decent job of countering the players that just sit in a corner and wait. It's more fun to play as, because you're constantly being active, moving, and trying to fake out your opponent.

[Teenage Mutant Ninja Urbie]

VonBruinwald, on 13 February 2020 - 03:59 PM, said:

Noisy Cricket

Alternatively
(-30% Jam = More time shooting)

first off, I wanna applaud you for an LB20-cicada. could be fun.
then..
Laser_AMS ?!
in Solaris ?!
-to close the circle to the opening post: "nope"

Edited by Teenage Mutant Ninja Urbie, 15 February 2020 - 04:12 AM.

[Void Angel]

Xiphias, on 14 February 2020 - 07:59 AM, said:

T1 is the most boring division (IMO) for this very type of reason. Big slow mechs don't encourage movement and positioning and without some sort of objectives to force movement it's just going to be very static. This is why faster mechs in 12v12s make the game interesting, because it can force the bigger mechs to move and not just play turret warrior. The lower divisions with faster mechs are a lot more fun (though I may be biased as a light pilot).

That said, if you want to try something challenging and different to break up the Annihilator meta in Div1 there is a build I've run up against that can be an effective counter if you have the skill to play it well enough.

The ACW-1 with speed, ATMs, all the lock time/speed nodes, and a high degree of radar deprivation is fast enough of give the Annihilator a hard time. Effectively, the idea is to peak, grab a lock and then break line of sight. You retain the lock and the Annihilator is too slow to quickly get out of the way. Spam missiles, rinse, repeat. It's critical to play the angles and to minimize exposure time since the Annihilator can easily kill the Arctic Wolf in the open. You just play a long game of cat and mouse and slowly wear them down. It's extremely annoying to play against as an Annihilator.

Granted, against the better players the edge is still in the Annihilator's favor, but this is an alternative play style that does a decent job of countering the players that just sit in a corner and wait. It's more fun to play as, because you're constantly being active, moving, and trying to fake out your opponent.

Thanks for the advice! I ended up trying a quad UAC/5 King Crab - and got an AC/20 w/MRM KC on the boreal arena. He did not do well.

I wholeheartedly agree with you on the fun of matches. I had a draw with a dervish against my Pirate's Bane (I didn't have many 'mechs in that division) where he was on the defensive the entire time. It was a case study in why ECM skill tree points are useful - the guy couldn't find me, and spent a large part of the match up against a wall. But I didn't have enough time to kill him safely enough to avoid having my leg off.

So I bought a Flea-17 and outslugged a Viper the next match. =) There are definitely better and worse 'mechs within the divisions.

[Void Angel]

Long story short, I managed to get all the solo kickoff event rewards, and I can see where Solaris could be a ton of fun. But I think the maps should be overhauled and the objectives changed a bit. And at least an underdog bonus for 'mech chassis that are statistical underperformers, to at least give people a reason to play more than a couple of "best in slot" 'mechs.

But I digress, and I'm sure all of this has been theorycrafted long ago without me. Thanks again for the advice and/or commiseration, guys. Be seeing you.

[VonBruinwald]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Urbie, on 15 February 2020 - 04:12 AM, said:

first off, I wanna applaud you for an LB20-cicada. could be fun.

Could? Try is!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Urbie, on 15 February 2020 - 04:12 AM, said:

then..
Laser_AMS ?!
in Solaris ?!
-to close the circle to the opening post: "nope"

I understand your concern. It's clearly sub-optimal, you're far better off stripping the LAMS for armour (Those legs!).

As a Mechwarrior, I don't min-max my 'mechs, I'll bring that 'mech to Solaris, QP, GP and FP (both scouting and reg.) without tweaking a single thing. There are some 'mechs I love and changing them feels like an insult. You could get a 20% Cooldown/Velocity quirk by transplanting the loadout to a CDA-3M, again superior. But I already have a 3M.

So realistically, take that 'mech, transplant it to the 3M and trade the LAMS for armour and you have a pretty good Solaris brawler, but it won't be my 'mech.

Edit: Maxed out version: CDA-3Maxed

Edited by VonBruinwald, 15 February 2020 - 12:11 PM.

[Ghost Paladin117]

While the Anni is the meta and for a good reason there are other mechs you can take to compete with it. Positioning, pilot ability, and even picking the right map are critical.

If you jump into it casually chances are you will run into someone who actually knows what they're doing and they will show you the door.

Best if you have any questions about the divs you ask a veteran of Solaris on like discord.