55 replies to this topic

[BOOMLegShot]

It seems completely random when they happen, even if you're directly aiming at the head point blank against a still shutdown mech.

Is there just some random number generator at work?

[Kiiyor]

The main secret is... actually knowing where the head hitboxes are! I think the devs have been tinkering with that particular formula a bit.

I don't think there are any numbers involved. It's still skill based; if you can aim at the head, you'll hit it. If you know where it is... I can still get headshots fairly consistently if i'm patient enough, but I usually find it easier to chew through a torso.

Before the awesome head hitbox fix, I used to be able to one shot them fairly easily, now not so much. Catapaults are the same. Atlases were OK, if they were shut down.

One of the biggest factors is latency and movement speed. It's harder to hit the head on moving targets, and much easier if they are still/shutdown.

[MagicHamsta]

BOOMLegShot, on 13 November 2012 - 08:57 PM, said:

It seems completely random when they happen, even if you're directly aiming at the head point blank against a still shutdown mech.

Is there just some random number generator at work?

Go for the eyes.
Except for the Atlas, where you has to go for the left eye.

[DivineEvil]

It's not called the Head, it's the Cockpit. So, you must land the clear shot exactly into cockpit, and everything encompassing the windscreen is Center Torso.

[p00k]

commando: don't bother, it's squishy enough
jenner: don't bother, just leg it, especially now with the "fall" damage bug
raven: don't bother, ditto. unless it's shut down, then aim for the glass on top

cicada: i'd say don't bother, with the "fall" damage bug legging it is pretty easy too, but it's actually one of the easier ones to head if they didn't max out the engine
centurion: it has to be sorta facing you. shoot for the glass pane in the front. you can't shoot the very top of the "head", just the pane. still one of the easier hs to make
hunchback: the ones with the hunch you can head if they're facing you or if you're on their left. shoot the front of the nub that's their head. doesn't have to be quite on the glass. also one of the easy ones

dragon: also one of the easy ones. glass pane on top. don't bother unless you're taller or on higher ground, since most direct fire weapons will catch the big CT bump if you're firing from below cockpit level
catapult: easiest nowadays. again, shoot the glass pane

awesome: don't bother. they made the head atlas tiny, maybe a bit smaller even. it's the middle glass pane. easier to just core it
atlas: don't bother unless it's overheated and you can do 33+ pinpoint damage. also tiny. left eye, cheat towards the top of the eye.

[Tenzan]

Twin LB 10-X to the face from 10m away usually does the trick

[Wispsy]

If you are aiming at people who have shut down from overheating whilst moving then often their mech will be slightly infront of where your screen says it is. Work to improve this is ongoing and actually a lot better then not that long ago.

[Flapdrol]

It's just shooting in the right place at a target that's standing still.

if someone is moving dont bother trying

[Enigmos]

On the Atlas you can see which is the left eye when you are sitting in it. When he is facing you it is the one on your right: his left.

Good shot if you hit it. It is 18 armor, just remember armor is doubled. Front CT is usually 94. Anything on the apparent head that isn't the eye is part of the CT.

I'm not convinced the Awesome is the glass: I think it is the little hatch door in his forehead.

Catapult cockpit: I believe it is the row of panes farthest back, not all of the glass.

[Jaded Jasper]

- Harder to do if you're too close, due to convergence.
- Harder to do if your weapons are below their cockpit, as you might clip the CT.
- Make sure you have them targeted, and give enough time for your weapons to converge.
- Often not worth it -- you need 33 damage, and anything less is wasted.
- Helps to have weapons that can do it in one volley.

[Elizander]

BOOMLegShot, on 13 November 2012 - 08:57 PM, said:

It seems completely random when they happen, even if you're directly aiming at the head point blank against a still shutdown mech.

Is there just some random number generator at work?

Secret #1 - Have a pinpoint 33-35 damage Alpha Strike (AC20 + 3 Medium Lasers, Gauss Rifle + 4 Medium Lasers, Gauss Rifle + 3 Large Lasers, 4 PPCs you get the idea). The head is estimated to be at 33 points to destroy based on developer comments (that I can't link cause I forgot where it was).

Secret #2 - Look for mechs that do not move (Catapults, Atlas, Awesomes at sniping range, on base cap)

Secret #3 - Get ready for it when a brawler suddenly decides it's cool to overheat in front of you.

You need to know where the headshot hit boxes are so that might take a bit of practice. It's very hard to get a headshot on a moving target. The best way right now is to be ready to go for the head once a target stops moving/shuts down.

[Sean von Steinike]

MagicHamsta, on 13 November 2012 - 09:33 PM, said:

Go for the eyes.
Except for the Atlas, where you has to go for the left eye.

Go for the eyes Boo, go for the eyes!

[Koniving]

BOOMLegShot, on 13 November 2012 - 08:57 PM, said:

It seems completely random when they happen, even if you're directly aiming at the head point blank against a still shutdown mech.

Is there just some random number generator at work?

Learning what counts as the head.

Here's an example from the perspective of the pilot.

Shoots. "Head." Shoots. "Center torso." Shoots. "Center torso." Shoots. "Head."

[Tahribator]

If the target is moving, it's pretty much impossible to get an "intentional" headshot. PGI made sure headshots were not a common way to quickly kill a mech.

If you really want to give it a shot, try headshotting Battlemasters with Gauss/PPC. Their head hitbox is pretty much the biggest in this game.

[oldradagast]

OriginalTibs, on 14 November 2012 - 08:50 AM, said:

On the Atlas you can see which is the left eye when you are sitting in it. When he is facing you it is the one on your right: his left.

Good shot if you hit it. It is 18 armor, just remember armor is doubled. Front CT is usually 94. Anything on the apparent head that isn't the eye is part of the CT.

I'm not convinced the Awesome is the glass: I think it is the little hatch door in his forehead.

Catapult cockpit: I believe it is the row of panes farthest back, not all of the glass.

Correct. Aim high on the cockpit to kill a Catapult with a headshot... that being said, they made the Catapult's "head" smaller a few months back, and it needed the change.

[Kiiyor]

oldradagast, on 21 June 2014 - 05:55 AM, said:

Correct. Aim high on the cockpit to kill a Catapult with a headshot... that being said, they made the Catapult's "head" smaller a few months back, and it needed the change.

Hadn't someone, somewhere, made a hitbox location thread? I seem to remember there being some fancy colour coded screenshots and whatnot. My search-fu has failed, possibly as a result of the large bottle of port consumed in the name of science.

[Exilyth]

You can always go to training grounds, get target lock on a mech and feel around with a small laser to find out where the cockpit is on a mech.

Edited by Exilyth, 21 June 2014 - 10:54 AM.

[Lily from animove]

BOOMLegShot, on 13 November 2012 - 08:57 PM, said:

It seems completely random when they happen, even if you're directly aiming at the head point blank against a still shutdown mech.

Is there just some random number generator at work?

luck,

the head hitboxes are tiny, 18 armor + 15 internal HP is a lot damage to deal. So you need a generous server to make his loca sides Hotbox be at the same spot as your opponents hitbox on your side. Its really a lot of luck to hit a moving mechs head on the server. Additionally to this a lot mechs can not even hit the head at specific rangs (Especially CQC) because their weapon hardpoints are too low to hit the head hitbox from some angles.

Edited by Lily from animove, 24 June 2014 - 05:42 AM.

[Kraven Kor]

Step 1: Locate head and learn its hitbox by shooting things in testing grounds.
Step 2: Remember where head hitbox is, in the heat of battle, while getting AC rounds and lasers to your own face.
Step 3: Aim for, and then shoot, the head hit-box.

[xMintaka]

Luck.

The only headshots I've ever managed against active targets were random chance snap shots aimed at center mass.

Or alternatively, when you and an opponent are both cherry red CT it's almost guaranteed that you'll hit their cockpit (yes, I'm talking about you fellow Timber Wolf poptart).