22 replies to this topic

[Moridan]

There seems to be so much hate and anger on these boards when it comes to premades and PUGs, regardless of the fact that a premade could be on either or both teams (does that still make it a PUG?).

So I wanted to start something more constructive to help those not in a group be more effective in this team-based game. Please feel free to add to the list.

1. This is a team-based game. Dont think you can win by yourself.
2. Lead or follow. There is no in-between.
3. Stick together. This makes it easier for your team to support each other (i.e. a light beating your backside, friendly with weapons more tuned to beating lights helps out)
4. Know your role. Scout, ranged support, brawler.
5. Know your weapons. If you have long range weapons, try to keep enemies at the max range. Also be aware of minimum ranges like those on PPCs and LRMs (90m/180m).
6. It's OK to not have voice chat. The "Y" key is your friend. Use it, communicate!
7. Research good mech builds. It's OK to experiment but expect to take some flak from others that realize you are only carrying MGs and Flamers on that Atlas.
8. Learn from your mistakes, and learn from good players. If you die, scroll through your surviving team mates to see what they are doing to survive. If you see someone getting a lot of kills, check them out and see how and why they are successful.
9. Have fun! If you arent having fun, just leave and dont ruin it for the rest of us.

Anyone else have some constructive advise?

[5th Fedcom Rat]

Moridan, on 01 February 2013 - 06:44 AM, said:

Anyone else have some constructive advise?

Learn the names of all the premade players and disconnect whenever you see them. Oh wait, you said constructive.

[Joseph Mallan]

Yeah...
Pin this thread!
10. When shooting remember: B.R.A.S.S.
Breath
Relax
Aim
STOP very important step. Take one last second to be sure you have the right target, clear LoS, and the right trigger.
Squeeze

[Esplodin]

Why this is a problem:

"Hey cool! There is a new MechWarrior game that's online! <clicks download>"

Game downloads, clicks trial mech, LAUNCH. "This is gonna be epic!"

2min 45 sec later, game summary screen.

"Wow. I died before I could figure out how to redo my weapons load like I had it in MW4"

2-4th game.

"Hey that last match lasted 4 min. Wish there was a tutorial."

4th-9th game, same thing.

"This sucks. Hey Neverwinter is going beta this weekend. Maybe I'll try that one instead of this **** game."

This is a TRUE story from a friend. This game is eating it's young and the grouped community is relishing in it. No tutorial, having to "just know" to download yet more software and connect to a server by pure intuition to not die match after match is total BS. This game is being smothered in the cradle by the community of see no evil players and lack of native team tools in a team based game.

[Mycrus]

don't taking loses hard..

the more lose, the more you learn..

if dead - stay in the game and spectate -- i've learned a lot this way...

[Moridan]

Joseph Mallan, on 01 February 2013 - 06:49 AM, said:

Yeah...
Pin this thread!
10. When shooting remember: B.R.A.S.S.
Breath
Relax
Aim
STOP very important step. Take one last second to be sure you have the right target, clear LoS, and the right trigger.
Squeeze

This is perfect. Thank you! Good, simple, military training. 9-)

[Mechteric]

Joseph Mallan, on 01 February 2013 - 06:49 AM, said:

Yeah...
Pin this thread!
10. When shooting remember: B.R.A.S.S.
Breath
Relax
Aim
STOP very important step. Take one last second to be sure you have the right target, clear LoS, and the right trigger.
Squeeze

By STOP I think he means mentally pause, if you physically stop before you shoot every time you just make yourself an easier target.

[Voridan Atreides]

"Whoooaaaaa. Hey those are some freaking beautiful flowers." -Ignores team and runs to flowers and dies-

"Hey an Atlas. I don't see any one else on my team....maybe since I ran the OTHER FREAKING DIRECTION ALL BY MYSELF but ill just have to take care of him." -Dies-

"Okay brain. Here is the plan. We rush the enemy team....ALL BY MYSELF while my team thinks of a freaking brilliant plan to follow....yeah that is amazing." -Dies again-

"Wow this game freaking sucks. I keep on getting steamrolled by premades. I'm gonnna post a rage quit on the forums and go over to Hawken. That will show PGI!"

Anyways moral of the freaking story: Listen to premade advice and LEARN TO PLAY. There are many guides in the forums on how to play, writen by hard working forum members that want to help you. Check out the one in my sig. Its amazing.

Edited by Voridan Atreides, 01 February 2013 - 07:19 AM.

[Rotaugen]

I'd give the advice of not caring about your KDR. Mine goes up and down. I just look at each match and try to learn something from it. If I am pugging, I'll take a quick look across TS servers just to see the names. Then I have a fair idea if there is a 4 man on the other side. I always ask if there is one on my side and try to come up with a strategy quickly. I've been in a fair number of games where I saw a 4 man on the other side and didn't see one on mine or get any replies when I asked, and won quite a few of them. A huge part of it is whether pugs stay together and communicate or just go Rambo. Solo pugs who think they will win on their own die quickly, leaving you to face a group larger than yours. Don't do it.

[Zeh]

There definitely should be changes to match noobs up only with noobs. Hopefully the ELO-type thingy will adjust for that rather quickly. I hate going up against someone that doesn't put up a fight, but I can't just play poorly on purpose, that doesn't help me, and I could end up getting stomped because I wasn't on my toes.

Joseph Mallan, on 01 February 2013 - 06:49 AM, said:

Yeah...
Pin this thread!
10. When shooting remember: B.R.A.S.S.
Breath
Relax
Aim
STOP very important step. Take one last second to be sure you have the right target, clear LoS, and the right trigger.
Squeeze

And remember to Squeeze, don't pull the trigger! : P

[Joseph Mallan]

CapperDeluxe, on 01 February 2013 - 06:56 AM, said:

By STOP I think he means mentally pause, if you physically stop before you shoot every time you just make yourself an easier target.

Thank you Capper you are correct.

Zeh, on 01 February 2013 - 06:59 AM, said:

There definitely should be changes to match noobs up only with noobs. Hopefully the ELO-type thingy will adjust for that rather quickly. I hate going up against someone that doesn't put up a fight, but I can't just play poorly on purpose, that doesn't help me, and I could end up getting stomped because I wasn't on my toes.




And remember to Squeeze, don't pull the trigger! : P

LOL do we really squeeze the mouse button though? i was thinking about that while i typed it out!

[pcunite]

Esplodin, on 01 February 2013 - 06:49 AM, said:

This game is eating it's young and the grouped community is relishing in it.

Indeed which means we'll need to trust PGI to get us out of this trap as the "founders" can't be counted on to make the tough decisions.

[Elessar]

Another thing to think of,which is related to BRASS...
if deciding which weapons to use always think of your team mates ...
for example using SRMs with their spread might not the wisest thing to do if 2-3 team mates are moving around the targeted enemy and might get hit by at least half of the SRMs

Edited by Elessar, 01 February 2013 - 07:09 AM.

[MischiefSC]

Don't just 'stick with the group' try to help the group. Focus fire on whoever everyone else is shooting at. If you're in the back of the group hang back and keep your team from being bushwhacked.

Identify boaters. DualAC20 cats, SRM6 cats and call them out for people to hammer down on.

Figure out what you're best at. Direct fire weapons and great aim? Try learning to cockpit catapults and hunt them for your team. You a missile-deva? Let your team know from the start so they can try to hold targets for you. You a backstabbing Jenner fanatic? Stick with the heavys/assaults, wait for them to get into a slugging match with the other teams heavy/assaults and do what you do best.

Find a role for yourself and get as good at it as you can. KDR isn't a useful metric. Assists? Very useful metric.

Don't be afraid of team chat. It's a tool to communicate, learn to use it.

Figure out who's the anchor on your team and support them. ECM Atlas? Great, cover his back. A pair of AC20 cats? Awesome, try to draw attention away from them and let them get close enough to do their work. Sniper Stalker? Guard him from rushes.

Playing for the team instead of just yourself can be a lot of fun. On the balance, winning is funner than losing.

Don't drop after you die. Spectate and see what other mechs people drive and what tactics they use.

[NitroDev]

Esplodin, on 01 February 2013 - 06:49 AM, said:

Why this is a problem:

"Hey cool! There is a new MechWarrior game that's online! <clicks download>"

Game downloads, clicks trial mech, LAUNCH. "This is gonna be epic!"

2min 45 sec later, game summary screen.

"Wow. I died before I could figure out how to redo my weapons load like I had it in MW4"

2-4th game.

"Hey that last match lasted 4 min. Wish there was a tutorial."

4th-9th game, same thing.

"This sucks. Hey Neverwinter is going beta this weekend. Maybe I'll try that one instead of this **** game."

This is a TRUE story from a friend. This game is eating it's young and the grouped community is relishing in it. No tutorial, having to "just know" to download yet more software and connect to a server by pure intuition to not die match after match is total BS. This game is being smothered in the cradle by the community of see no evil players and lack of native team tools in a team based game.

So you couldn't help out your friend with some advice or pointers about the game?

http://mwomercs.com/...raining-grounds - tutorial

If your friend is giving up after 9 rounds, I'm going to guess this isn't the game for them in the first place.

[SGT Unther]

My advice is watch your heat scale in your mech. The heat efficiency score in MechLab determines for me how much I have to watch my heat. For example I have a mech with 1.34 heat efficiency which I don't have to watch as much as opposed to another one with .94 that I have to watch the heat scale like a hawk. That mech I've learned I can't fire any of the big guns above 85% heat otherwise I shutdown.

So for news players you should run a mech with a least 1.1 heat efficiency and with practice you can learn how to run the less heat efficient builds.

[TexAce]

Please pin this thread and call it "new players look here!" since the most don't even know what PUG means. I had to research it myself when I started playing this game.

Add this:
#11: Use the "R" button on your keyboard as soon as you see a red triangle popping up on your screen to lock on to targets. This helps your friendly mechs, which are carrying LRMs to attack them.
#12: If you know that your team has LRM carrying Mechs and you happen to have the ECM module, set it on disrupt when near enemy ECM mechs so your LRM mechs can lock onto them.
#13: Don't fight 1on1 against an enemy mech. Even if you win, your mech will probably be very damaged. The next enemy mech you see will be able to kill you very fast. Better to fight together with others against one.
#14: Use buildings as cover as soon as you get the "Incoming Missile" notification. You still have enough time to get in cover, since they are pretty slow. Don't just stand around. And if you don't find cover move your arms to the side of the incoming missiles so you can protect your torso.

Edited by TexAss, 01 February 2013 - 07:29 AM.

[Moridan]

11. In mech design, I dont like to have more than two weapon groups. Which leads to...
12. Setup your controls so that they are easy to use. I dont like to use my keyboard for anything other than "WSAD", and the occasional "Q" and "B" to see who is where. Staying moving = staying alive. So the last thing I want to do is to have to move my fingers from "WSAD" over to "12345". I use my mouse for firing (2 main buttons = 2 main weapon groups), targeting (side mouse button), and Zoom (mouse wheel).

Please use some other post to whine about PUGs or Premades. Keep the PUG advice coming.

[MischiefSC]

Tried one of these a bit ago, it would be nice if some of the best advice from it can be moved here and this one pinned or some such.

http://mwomercs.com/...w-to-pug-guide/

[Esplodin]

NitroDev, on 01 February 2013 - 07:11 AM, said:

So you couldn't help out your friend with some advice or pointers about the game?

Advice and pointers, yes. Unfortunately I was unable to join them for the hour of game play that ruined their opinion of MWO.

NitroDev, on 01 February 2013 - 07:11 AM, said:

http://mwomercs.com/...raining-grounds - tutorial

About as good as issuing drivers licenses after a 15 min safety video.

NitroDev, on 01 February 2013 - 07:11 AM, said:

If your friend is giving up after 9 rounds, I'm going to guess this isn't the game for them in the first place.

Thank you for reinforcing my point about why this game will die before it leaves open beta.