31 replies to this topic

[Leafia Barrett]

Okay, so last time I played this game was somewhere in late 2013. After that, hardware changes caused me to fall out of the game, and I never got back into it. Earlier today, I had an idle memory of the game and decided to look into things, now that I finally have a powerful computer again, so I'm able to run the game at a respectable framerate. So what's changed? I was a Light mech specialist, primarily working with Spiders and Jenners.

[Nightbird]

Pretend it's a new game, and learn from there.

[TELEFORCE]

Nightbird, on 03 November 2020 - 09:19 AM, said:

Pretend it's a new game, and learn from there.

Best advice I've read for people who are returning after forever. I think it's very unrealistic to expect anyone to just rattle off what's changed in the game over one or two years.

[martian]

Leafia Barrett, on 03 November 2020 - 09:12 AM, said:

Okay, so last time I played this game was somewhere in late 2013. After that, hardware changes caused me to fall out of the game, and I never got back into it. Earlier today, I had an idle memory of the game and decided to look into things, now that I finally have a powerful computer again, so I'm able to run the game at a respectable framerate. So what's changed? I was a Light mech specialist, primarily working with Spiders and Jenners.

Welcome back!

There are many new 'Mechs in MWO.


There are new light 'Mechs in the game such as this Osiris Hero "Sekhmet" ...



... and some new low-end medium 'Mechs that play as light 'Mechs. See the Viper Hero "Medusa":




There are new maps.

Some maps have been redone. I made some screenshots for you.

See the reworked Terra Therma, the enlarged Frozen City or the Hibernal Rift (reskinned Canyon Network):







Some maps are brand new:






Do not be afraid to ask, should you need something.

[Kodyn]

You see that hill over there? Go roll down it. You'll have an excellent idea of the progression of MWO over the time you've been away.

Edited by Kodyn, 03 November 2020 - 10:18 AM.

[w0qj]

Welcome back!

I also have been away for 7 years, and am having a blast! Just returned in July 2020.

You actually now get more bang for your buck should you decide to purchase Hero mechs & Premium Packages, as compared to 7+ years ago!

1. Lots of shiny new mechs to choose from, and the key for you is to grind for C-Bills to buy more equipment and mech!

http://mwomercs.com/civil-war-update

Inner Sphere mechs/tech now has more weapons and equipment to play with!
RAC (Rotary AC--highest DPS weapon in MWO), MRM missiles, more versions of PPC, more versions of Guass, Stealth Armor, Light Engine, etc.

Clan side also has more weapons to play with, my own feeling is that the IS side had been buffed up a little more than the Clan side.
Clan ATM missiles - interesting, albeit runs a bit hot for my taste.
Clan Heavy Laser - I likes it !

Be careful of the maximum and especially the minimum range of your weapons.
Some mech quirks have reduced chance of UAC weapons jam, quite powerful.

2. Whatever you do for IS mech, do not use XL engine; swap it for a Light Engine!
(Remember that you die when your side torso explodes with XL engine in it, while Light Engine does not!).

3. Some/many Clan has OmniPods that you can switch around the head/torso/arms/legs like a lego set,
to customise your mech hardpoint layout!
eg: Any Clan mech with "IIC" label does *not* have OmniPod; fixed head/torso/arm/legs only.
eg: Some later Clan mechs that does *not* have OmniPod: Mad Cat II, Marauder IIC, Kodiak, etc.
(I've bought a few Premium Packages before realizing what's happening).

Basically goto the MWO Store, click on the mech/package details, and [Search] for "OmniPod Hardpoints".
If it only says "Hardpoints", then that Clan mech is not OmniPod, *cannot* swap head/torso/arm/leg.
www.mwomercs.com/store

4. Don't worry about the PSR (tier 1/2/3/4/5) ratings; as a newly returning player with unskilled mechs and need to grind for C-Bills to buy weapon/components for your mech, it'll take a while to get up to speed.
Any mech that gives +30% C-Bill bonus would help!
As would Premium Time (+50% C-Bills, & +50% XP Experience)

5. There are ECM and multiple AMS on some mechs now. MASC. Jump Jet galore, even on a few 100ton Assaults!.

6a. Suggest you stick with a Heavy mech, get familiar with its layout, level up the 91 Skill Points in the skill tree to suit your play style.
And then you decide whether you'll move up in tonnage (Assaults), or down (Heavy/Lights).
Have fun exploring!

6b. Light mechs have been buffed up (or more accurately, Assaults have been buffed down).
~Assaults cannot torso twist as quickly as before to shield its CT (Center-Torso)
~Assaults can no longer run into light mechs to damage them.
~Assault arm pitch reduced--harder to aim down at that dwarf Light mech when it's leg-hugging you.

7. Do feel free to ask more questions on this forum; we'll be more than happy to help answer your questions!
(We don't know what your play style & preferences are).

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
8. External sources of info:

Ghost Heat:
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/equipment

Mech models and layout (Hint: Search for "OmniPod" for the list of 27 Clan OmniPod mechs".
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de

GOOD mech quirk list:
http://mech.nav-alpha.com

GOOD Top Player (Baradul) MWO ingame video advice, with skill tree explanations:
https://www.youtube....+online+baradul
<Baradul consistently take the time to explain the skill tree point allocation rationale>
<Ignore the youtube about MechWarrior5, which is a different game from MWO>


Do have FUN rediscovering MWO!

Edited by w0qj, 03 November 2020 - 10:55 PM.

[LordNothing]

he might get hung up on skill maze. they refunded the old skills so check your ledger you might have some sp to allocate. they got rid of the 3 mech rule though. dont sell mechs now, you will lose those skills even if you buy it back.

light pilot? fleas and fish, go nuts. also urbie, urbie op.

Edited by LordNothing, 03 November 2020 - 10:38 AM.

[thievingmagpi]

w0qj, on 03 November 2020 - 10:28 AM, said:

2. Whatever you do for IS mech, do not use XL engine; swap it for a Light Engine!
(Remember that you die when your side torso explodes with XL engine in it, while Light Engine does not!).

It really depends on the mech. I probably wouldn't recommend an XL warhammer to a new player but if they want to go mediums or lights definitely, XL is a must.

[NoxMorbis]

I'm in teh same boat here. First time I logged back in after early 2013.

One thing I'm seeing that is completely different is the panels and text are sooooo small in the mech bay, load out areas. Seriously, it's causing my eyes to cry. Is there anyway to make the panel bigger so I sit further away than 4" from my screen trying to read them? I have the game at my monitor native rez, like I always do. But man, the panels don;t even take up the entire screen realestate.

After taking my old catapult out for a spin in the practice area, I noticed that "/" does not reduce my firing lag. It's like it doesn't work anymore? I can see the little LED light in the pilot cabin turn red and green, but the firing lag is still there.

I also noticed that my SRM 6's do A LOT LESS DAMAGE? I did a couple alphas on a light dummy mech and didn't even take anything out on it.

Edited by NoxMorbis, 03 November 2020 - 11:37 PM.

[Aidan Crenshaw]

NoxMorbis, on 03 November 2020 - 11:32 PM, said:

After taking my old catapult out for a spin in the practice area, I noticed that "/" does not reduce my firing lag. It's like it doesn't work anymore? I can see the little LED light in the pilot cabin turn red and green, but the firing lag is still there.

This is caused by your missile doors opening before the shot. And you can still switch them to be permanently open. If your key for that doesn't work, check your settings "toggle weapon door"

Welcome back!

[Bowelhacker]

martian, on 03 November 2020 - 09:55 AM, said:

Welcome back!

There are many new 'Mechs in MWO.


There are new light 'Mechs in the game such as this Osiris Hero "Sekhmet" ...



... and some new low-end medium 'Mechs that play as light 'Mechs. See the Viper Hero "Medusa":




There are new maps.

Some maps have been redone. I made some screenshots for you.

See the reworked Terra Therma, the enlarged Frozen City or the Hibernal Rift (reskinned Canyon Network):







Some maps are brand new:






Do not be afraid to ask, should you need something.

That really doesn't seem like a lot for many year's "work"...

[w0qj]

Welcome back to MWO!

Regarding your question of text/display panels too small, perhaps you can try this:

While inside the MWO game interface itself:
[Settings]>>[Video]>>[Screen_Resolution]

==>Choose an appropriate resolution for your (presumably) 16:9 aspect ration screen:
1280x720, or ==> 720p
1360x768, or
1600x900, or
1920x1080, or ==> 1080p
3840x2160 ==> 4k

Remember to press [Save] to finalise your video settings!

NoxMorbis, on 03 November 2020 - 11:32 PM, said:

I'm in the same boat here. First time I logged back in after early 2013.

...One thing I'm seeing that is completely different is the panels and text are sooooo small in the mech bay, load out areas. Seriously, it's causing my eyes to cry. Is there anyway to make the panel bigger so I sit further away than 4" from my screen trying to read them? I have the game at my monitor native rez, like I always do. But man, the panels don;t even take up the entire screen realestate.
...

Edited by w0qj, 04 November 2020 - 05:50 AM.

[ingramli]

If you can stay away from this game for 7 years, the chance is you are not by any definition a hardcore fan of the franchise, my best possible advise would be,

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR, PRESS CTRL+W, FIND YOURSELF SOMETHING ELSE TO SPEND YOUR TIME AND MONEY

After 7 years, apart from the greedy game developer who attempt to squeeze out the last drop of milk with "minimum viable effort" from the disappointed fans of the franchise after abandoning the game development for 2 years, the only people you can find here are the "diehards" of the franchise, who were just unable to wake up from the dream that PGI and Russ will make MWO great again...

Edited by ingramli, 04 November 2020 - 06:54 AM.

[Vyx]

Still a "minimally viable product"

Edited by Vyx, 04 November 2020 - 08:26 AM.

[Swamp Ass MkII]

Honest opinion, start from scratch, and relearn the game.

[martian]

Bowelhacker, on 04 November 2020 - 01:51 AM, said:

That really doesn't seem like a lot for many year's "work"...

Vyx, on 04 November 2020 - 08:23 AM, said:

Still a "minimally viable product"

Do you wanna buy a 'Mechpack?

[Nightbird]

[NoxMorbis]

w0qj, on 04 November 2020 - 05:08 AM, said:

Welcome back to MWO!

Regarding your question of text/display panels too small, perhaps you can try this:

While inside the MWO game interface itself:
[Settings]>>[Video]>>[Screen_Resolution]

==>Choose an appropriate resolution for your (presumably) 16:9 aspect ration screen:
1280x720, or ==> 720p
1360x768, or
1600x900, or
1920x1080, or ==> 1080p
3840x2160 ==> 4k

Remember to press [Save] to finalise your video settings!

I have resolution set at 1080 which is my monitor's native resolution. The panels don't even take up the entire screen space. I hope there is a fix for this because right now, it's just not doable sitting 5" from the screen trying to load a mech and read the information. I'll post a screen shot alter.

[NoxMorbis]

LordNothing, on 03 November 2020 - 10:34 AM, said:

he might get hung up on skill maze. they refunded the old skills so check your ledger you might have some sp to allocate. they got rid of the 3 mech rule though. dont sell mechs now, you will lose those skills even if you buy it back.

light pilot? fleas and fish, go nuts. also urbie, urbie op.

I did notice that. I do have SP to reallocate, but don't even remember what SP does or how to use it--lol. What was the 3 mech rule?

[LordNothing]

NoxMorbis, on 04 November 2020 - 10:19 AM, said:

I did notice that. I do have SP to reallocate, but don't even remember what SP does or how to use it--lol. What was the 3 mech rule?

you used to need 3 variants of a chassis to unlock the top level skills. they got rid of that with the skill tree redux.

Edited by LordNothing, 04 November 2020 - 10:39 AM.