57 replies to this topic

[Reavers]

Maybe I just bought it then. I had 20k credit left over. I preordered the game when it released becuase I wanted it to do well, and then never played it. Can't believe I've missed out all the fun. Bonus though those 20k credits go a lot further today then they did at launch.

Based on the advice above about keeping a distance theme, I replaced the ac5 with an additional er large laser, and then added 4 er med lasers for when things get a little closer then I'd like. Added two clan heatsinks and some extra ammo for my LRM's. Main goal for the build is to stay back and drop missile support.

[Tarl Cabot]

For the win and moving down, that is from the PSR rework and reset. Low MS scorers, W/L will move down. Damage does provide 50% of its points to the Matchscore, so 300dmg applies 150 to the matchscore.

[Reavers]

Ton of good advice in here.

I'm going to join up with a fun Merc squad and really start working on my game.

Any of you guys do the Solaris Arenas? Are the fun, will new players just get murderalated.

[Horseman]

Reavers, on 03 July 2020 - 08:14 AM, said:

Any of you guys do the Solaris Arenas?

Whenever a new Season starts, yeah. My approach is semi-casual - casual time investment at 25 matches per 1v1 division (just enough to qualify for end of season rewards), but when I do play it I play for keeps.

Quote

Are the fun,

Depends on the mindset you approach them with.
If you're there to pew pew with giant robots? You'll probably get stomped a lot, the mode is fairly cut-throat.
If you're there with the aim to become the deadliest son of a ***** on the field? Welcome to your happy place.

Quote

will new players just get murderalated.

Unfortunately yes. Solaris has its' own meta and if you want to go at it seriously, you're looking for at least one mech set aside for each division - usually built and optimized specifically for the mode and not useful elsewhere.
The good news is that you can go over the leaderboards, check the builds used by top rankers (there's enough information that you can work out the rest of the build with relative ease), then either copy what works or improvise something along similar lines from what you have. After that it's down to learning the ins and outs of arena brawling (which, admittedly ARE useful for general MWO gameplay)

[Horseman]

Another piece of good news: your Kraken can be made into a viable Division 2 mech (although if you encounter a Piranha, Huntsman or Linebacker that get behind your back it's still gonna hurt):
https://mech.nav-alp...3c9685d6_AS7-KR
https://kitlaan.gitl...00000#s=Weapons




Word of warning: this build is NOT viable for quickplay. It's entire reason to exist is to smash your opponent in 1v1 and survive long enough to blow up your enemy before you cook yourself with excess heat. I'm not entirely convinced whether to stay 4ML+AC20 (more consistent DPS) or switch to 3ML+UAC20 (higher burst, higher average DPS, but UAC spreads its' damage across three shells and if it jams then you're down a weapon for next six seconds - which might as well be eternity), possibly something to test in the next season

Edited by Horseman, 03 July 2020 - 03:08 PM.

[SharDar]

You are going to die a lot and lose a lot; Don't worry about it. There is a steep learning curve in this game. Set your own goals. Learn to use your weapons and master your heat before you worry about kills and wins.

Bonus tip: turn down your mouse sensitivity. Most people swing too far back and forth because their mouses are too sensitive.

[purplewasabi]

Might have missed the boat on this one, but my one tip for newcomers is Mobility First. Then comes armor and firepower.

Assaults mechs are pretty scary with their armor and firepower. But they can be slow and that makes the window for correcting your errors much much much smaller. For speedier mechs, you can easily reposition if you've over extended or disengaged when the battle is no longer in your favour. Plus, its easier to explore the map when you have speed.

GLHF

[Yiryi-Sa]

My tip: Start out with mechs between 30-60 tons. This range has a lot of flexibility; they're all typically fast and require you to learn how to position correctly & torso twist (e.g., spreading your damage), which will help with heavier & slower mechs that really require unforgiving attention towards positioning.

[General Solo]

You can't do anything if your dead. So try not to die.
The longer you live the more things you can do.
If you can do 50 damage a minute in 10 minutes it will be 500 damage.

If you dead in first minute
You only make 50 damage.

Another is careful with your aim.
Every time you miss you create heat and give away your position for no gain.
Learning to hit what you aim at can mean you kill that opponent in 2 shots instead of 5 shots.

[Horseman]

OZHomerOZ, on 16 July 2020 - 12:42 PM, said:

You can't do anything if your dead. So try not to die.
The longer you live the more things you can do.
If you can do 50 damage a minute in 10 minutes it will be 500 damage.

But don't forget Maxim 13: Do unto others.
Keeping your paintjob intact isn't the aim here, what is is maximizing the length of time over which your mech continues to contribute towards your team's efforts.

[General Solo]

Agreed and dissagree but if your an elite trader/poker/dodger and the opponents aims not up to the task due to elite lets call it dodginess
Is it the players fault their paint is as new, Or the opponents fault?
Just wondering?

Also I feel the aim is to hit and not be hit ideally.
But I understand that team mates mess up, maybe can't aim very far guid, bad at trading etc so some times you got to cover their buts with your own.

But only for the WIN, no other reason is good.

Edited by OZHomerOZ, 05 August 2020 - 08:37 AM.

[Yoho]

As a newbie to a newbie: keep arms unlocked by default (a checkbox in the settings)!
It makes driving and shooting much easier, even if all your weapons are in torso.

[Horseman]

Yoho, on 15 August 2020 - 01:37 PM, said:

As a newbie to a newbie: keep arms unlocked by default (a checkbox in the settings)!
It makes driving and shooting much easier, even if all your weapons are in torso.

Takes some adjustment to learn, certainly, but it's VERY, VERY useful. You'll also want to change the Arm Lock button to Arm Lock Toggle (you tap the button to lock/release the arms until you tap it again, no hold required).
Countless battles have been lost because the last mechs did not unlock their arms and lost a brawl that way.

[Yoho]

Horseman, on 16 August 2020 - 02:38 AM, said:

Takes some adjustment to learn, certainly

Not at all, if you have ever flied in Warthunder. The only thing that cringes me about it is that camera rotation is attached to the torso, and therefore blocked by torso angles, and therefore, arms' control reticle can go way too far from the center of the screen and stay there (and you have to search for it).

[Horseman]

Yoho, on 16 August 2020 - 12:01 PM, said:

Not at all, if you have ever flied in Warthunder. The only thing that cringes me about it is that camera rotation is attached to the torso, and therefore blocked by torso angles, and therefore, arms' control reticle can go way too far from the center of the screen and stay there (and you have to search for it).

For casuals who only ran "normal" FPSes before (COD, BF etc) it does. Had one who quit MWO because he couldn't adjust to it.

Edited by Horseman, 17 August 2020 - 08:51 AM.

[General Solo]

Yoho, on 16 August 2020 - 12:01 PM, said:

Not at all, if you have ever flied in Warthunder. The only thing that cringes me about it is that camera rotation is attached to the torso, and therefore blocked by torso angles, and therefore, arms' control reticle can go way too far from the center of the screen and stay there (and you have to search for it).

Use Free look to see the arm reticle which go way too far from the center of the screen and stay there.

Ultra Pro (ton) Tactic

Some of the top players use this technique in Dragon mechs with triple AC2 in the arm for mega dead side damage reduction.

[Ignatius Audene]

Armlock depends on the mech / playstyle u prefer. Currently I run about 90% arm lock. This way the laser beams are more in one component. I can always unlock if I need the arm pitch.

[Yoho]

Ignatius Audene, on 20 August 2020 - 09:06 AM, said:

Armlock depends on the mech / playstyle u prefer. Currently I run about 90% arm lock. This way the laser beams are more in one component. I can always unlock if I need the arm pitch.

It's not only about about the freedom to move and aim arms separatelty. It's also about the comfort of torso control. When your arms are locked, camera and torso react differently to the same mouse movememnt.

[Aidan Crenshaw]

Yoho, on 20 August 2020 - 01:26 PM, said:

It's not only about about the freedom to move and aim arms separatelty. It's also about the comfort of torso control. When your arms are locked, camera and torso react differently to the same mouse movememnt.

Exactly. That's why I almost always run with arms unlocked. Accuracy be damned.

[Bolo Atari]

Welcome to MWO!

1 thing on LRMs: direct fire them.

Not always, but seriously do not stay in the back and try to keep a lock on. Time is being spent for that lock you could be using to help the team. So move with the Lance and shoot what they see. Frankly, you don't even a lock on: keep your reticle on the target and just shoot. Sure, the spread will be wider, but time is essential.

Otherwise, experience Light Mech players will hunt you down or you'll be one of the last Mechs standing with little to show for it.

For my part, do I LRM? No. Have I? Yes, because I wanted to experience what it's about. It's a lazy weapon overall, but has it's place, yet I'll gladly 'Press R' for those who prefer using it. I found more value as a direct fire weapon, thus this opinion.

YMMV ^^