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MechWarrior Online - News and Information Thread

Discobird

Member
I have had more "good" matches since the last patch post-missle fix than I've had a while. I consider nearly any 5-8 match a good one, since that usually means both sides were able to go at it for a while.

I haven't been keeping track of how close my games are, but I have been enjoying myself more since the patch. I attribute that mostly to less Alpine and the introduction of Canyon (which I love) to the rotation.


But then occasionally I get games like this:
XqWvAaS.jpg


We were outweighed by 195 tons on perhaps the least light-friendly map in the game (long sight lines, too small to effectively win on cap alone, and the only fully covered approach is through the caves which are murderous since they added seismic). I duo-dropped with the Cataphract. I couldn't tell if the other lance of lights was premade... I guess this was really the best the matchmaker could come up with the time (it was late at night)?
 

Nickiepoo

Member
I'd go for laser+missile weapon mix instead of pure lasers or pure missiles if i'll get a Stalker. I dislike boating one type of weapons. Want some flexibility/options usually.
Besides, mixed builds are just plain... cooler, visually. Well, would be, if missiles spiraled or something.

EDIT again, that wasn't a base build for my mech, just a study of tonnage and space and speed.

I've found that missles don't actually help stalker laser builds since they've got enough weight to stack them and need all their space for heat dissapation. In other words, better to keep your RoF as high as possible which allows you do to more damage at the full range of your lasers than reduce your overall DPS by adding in secondary weapons that you'll rarely be able to use optimally (particually since artamis is a no-no), and even if you do you can probably get the same damage out of your lasers (and more precisely) by saving all your heat for them and having more dissapation to start with, which also increases your DPS at long range.

For PPC builds there's much more of an argument for backup SRMs and for brawler builds you really need to use them, of course, but for large laser boats they're fairly redundant in terms of actual efficiency.
 

dionysus

Yaldog
For as much fear of the PPC Stalker build ppl have, I rarely see them in game actually.

I have noticed that the popularity of certain builds vary by elo. PPC and gauss highlanders are always a constant though. I play in what I am guessing is middle to lower middle elo when I solo, and there are normally a good bit of LRMs in that elo. When I play with other gaffers in what I believe is a middle high elo bracket, its all direct fire pinpoint builds. (I am pretty sure I am the only one who brings chain fire macroed AC2s in this bracket, catches people off guard I like to believe.)
 

dionysus

Yaldog
Probably because the exact counter to a build which relies on sustained DPS is a quick side-torsoing from a high alpha ally to your target.

I don't think the build is all that great, I just find it fun. The main problem is that you have to completely rely on your teammates as distractions. As soon as someone targets you you either have to stop doing damage, or you are taking hits to your torso. Lights rip you to shreds too. If we were playing competitively, which we might need to do once cw is released, I definitely wouldn't drop with that mech.

I just like knowing how annoying it is with all that cockpit shake, and it can throw poptarters off.
 

Nickiepoo

Member
I don't think the build is all that great, I just find it fun. The main problem is that you have to completely rely on your teammates as distractions. As soon as someone targets you you either have to stop doing damage, or you are taking hits to your torso. Lights rip you to shreds too. If we were playing competitively, which we might need to do once cw is released, I definitely wouldn't drop with that mech.

I just like knowing how annoying it is with all that cockpit shake, and it can throw poptarters off.

Oh yeah, total fire support, it was thanks to that that you got me killed by Teepo which is all kinds of embarrassing.
 

No_Style

Member
RIP Spiders and Jenners

I think the JJ shake is enough to stop poptart sniping on paper, we'll see how it pans out in practice. Poptarting with short range weapons isn't really an issue IMO (no one complains about the 6 MLAS Jenner or the 3 MPLAS Spider or the 3D with an AC-20). Neither is using JJ for general maneuverability an issue.

The amount of fuel required for flight should be relative to the mech's size. Lights should be able to hop around more but they're ultimately mechs and not Elementals.

Slowing down the regen as Llyranor suggested is also a viable option.
 

Llyranor

Member
Too bad about the orion, but I like the sound of the qdraw. 60ton missile/laser platform with default speed of 86 & JJs. Sounds like fun!

Can't wait to test out how the JJs feel now
 

Zaptruder

Banned
PGI really are quite miraculously bad at messaging to their fanbase.

Here's a pattern! Here's a mech we've shown for months! It doesn't fill any of our tonnage slots! You've been anticipating it for months!

Haha! Got ya! Have a quickdraw instead. Geddit? We quickly drew this one so that you could wait another 3-4 months for the one you actually wanted.


Also, reading those patch notes, doesn't look like poptarting will be killed completely - it'll just leave poptarters with a smaller window of stable aiming and a larger degree of vulnerability. Which is a fair balance. (i.e. shake only in effect while JJ are on - burn through JJ and drop, and shake stops).
 

Woorloog

Banned
I wouldn't have any issues with this if they hadn't said that Orion would be the mech for patch of 18th, and if they had shown the art for Quickdraw earlier. Or at least today. Why the fuck not?

Ah, well, whatever. Where's my Vindicator.
EDIT at least now i can spend my money on other mechs, no need to save for Orion.
 

Discobird

Member
Not a fan of this JJ nerf... it's fucked all JJs for brawling uses. Even LRM JJs get nerfed with it!

Well shit. Gonna have to try for myself when I get home I guess. Doesn't sound good for my Jenner.

Would someone kindly post the notes? I cannot access MWO site. :/

Open Beta Update #18
Upcoming Patch - Tuesday June 4th @ 10AM – 1PM PDT
Patch Number: 1.2.226


Change Log

UPDATE


Greetings MechWarriors

Get ready, this is your patch update in 3...2...1!

Oh the burning! TheJagerMech Hero "Firebrand" is here - the 30% C-bill boost is HOT! The custom paint job is HOT! The Hard-point layout is HOT (be careful or your build will run hot too)! I am going to buy one right now because it's time to master my JagerMechs!

I have a new favourite camo pattern and it is called 'Sherman.' It makes your Mech look like a WWII tank and you already own the perfect olive drab Green colour to go with it! So go get some Sherman Camo and storm the beaches of Forest Colony!

Ever wonder how your aim stayed perfectly stable while jump jets exerted enough force to lift all that tonnage off the ground? So did we! We had your mechanic take a look at things and turns out your Gyro was broken.... so we fixed it! You're Welcome. Here is a pro tip - Fire after you let go of your Jump jet thrust.

We also have also completed host state rewind for missiles (programmer talk for awesome missile network code) and some great improvements in this patch for the lance communication and coordination.

Patch up, get ready to drop, and we will see you on the Battlefield!

Matt Newman

Content

New Hero Mech
"Firebrand" JM6-FB
Tonnage: 65
Engine: 280 XL


Top Speed: 69.8 kph
Max Engine Rating: 340


Torso Movement:


100 degrees to each side.
20 degrees up and down.


Arm Movement:


0 degrees to each side.
35 degrees up and down.


Armor: 336 (Standard)

Internal Structure: Endo-Steel
Weapons & Equipment:


Left Arm: PPC, AC/2
Left Torso: Medium Pulse Laser
Right Torso: Medium Pulse Laser
Right Arm: PPC, AC/2


Hardpoints:


Left Arm: 1 Ballistic, 1 Energy
Left Torso: 2 Energy, 1 AMS
Right Torso: 2 Energy
Right Arm: 1 Ballistic, 1 Energy


Heat Sinks: 15 Double

Jump Jets: n/a
ECM Capable? No
Module Slots: 2
30% C-Bill Bonus

Trial Mech


Spider SDR-5D
Hunchback HBK-4P
Cataphract CTF-4X
Atlas AS7-RS


New Skin


Sherman skin


Gameplay


Jump jetting now cause:


Screen shake - Jump jetting Mechs shake while jump jets are active.
Cross hair shake - Cross-hair shake while jump jets are active.
Weapon fire spread - Aiming weapons is randomly offset while jump jets are active.


Weapon Update


LRMs now do 1.1 damage per missile.
SRM spread reduced from 8m to 6m.
Flamer self heat induction reduced from 1.1 to 1.0


User Interface


Lance Improvements Phase 2


Added text and audio notification when user receive an order
Added text and audio notification when a team member takes a command position
Company and Lance commander icons is now visible in team/lance chat channel
Revised chat colours: Chat colours will correspond to each chat type:

Global Chat (White), Team Chat (Blue), or Lance Chat (Green)
Revised order icons to be more legible



Performance

Host State Rewinding Phase 3 (Missile weapons)



Users should no longer have firing delay when shooting missile weapons
Users should now be able to hit moving targets with these weapons even when experiencing latency up to ~450 ms

Affected weapons: SRM2, SRM4, SRM6, NARC


Bug Fixes


Fixed packet sequence number overflow problem in CryEngine


This fixes the random disconnect to Mech Lab bug


Fixed excessive transmission of tiny packets introduced by last patch


This is expected to reduce overall bandwidth and improve the small increases in ping some users have been experiencing


Fixed potential crash that would occur when entering match or when returning to Mech Lab


General


Users can take screenshots by hitting the PrtScn button. Screenshots are saved in the the USER folder in the main directory of MechWarrior Online.


We thank you for your patience and we look forward to seeing you on the battlefield!
- The MechWarrior Online Team
 

Woorloog

Banned
Argh, on one hand, i'd love Firebrand, i think. Rifleman!
On the other hand, it costs MC. I have 10k MC... but... well, these things can go to sale, there has been one Hero Mech sale so i'd be better off waiting and not spending the money since there is a chance i'll get buyers regret, or there will be something i want even more but what is more expensive.
Spent enough money for Veteran's pack, not buying more real-money stuff anytime soon.

EDIT the goddamn XL engine... sigh. Too big side-torsos, can't spare tonnage for a standard though. Difficult mech. Just planning hypothetical builds.
 

Woorloog

Banned
Any JagerMech III fans?
This build is the closest you can get to JagerMech III with current tech. Basically the only change is changing Ultra Autocannon 2s to normal AC2s, while adding two tons of extra ammo. Item placement is identical to actual JagerMech III, if you really want to use this, you will want to move ammo to the legs (and head). You could upgrade to ERPPCs since UAC2s don't exist at the moment... but the extra heat might be too much.

EDIT survivability is naturally horrible due to somewhat lower than average armor and XL engine and wide torso... And AC2s will eat through 3 tons of ammo very fast. Still, should be fun for Davion fans.
Hope someone uses this, want to shoot some Davions.*

*Ironically, being Capellan fan, i use Davion mechs like Blackjack and JagerMech... OTOH, i do have a Catapult, but i don't like it.
 

Woorloog

Banned
Oh for fucks sake!
I was playing a match with Niko Snow (one of the community managers) and fought with him and then the goddamn client crashed!
 

Llyranor

Member
Tried things out a bit.

I like the new SRM spread. Wonder how troublesome it'll be for splat cats.

----

The jumpjet nerf is singlehandedly the worst balancing change they've made for the game so far. Jumpjets were never OP. If anything, they were always underperforming, and possibly not worth the extra weight. I kept them around because they were lots of fun. Maneuvering around with a jenner, jumping up and around obstacles, flying past and launching SRM's into a slower bulkier mech. Doing a flying maneuver while sniping in mid-air with a PPC as a spider, landing right behind the mech and shooting another PPC; you felt like a freaking ninja!

The lights and mediums never even remotely constituted a problem in the poptarting complaints. It was always only the phract-3D and highlander that people were whining about. I wonder what they could have implemented to balance their high alpha-striking potential??????

If they're going to go the lame route and nerf the JJ's combat potential, they should at least massively increase their mobility potential.
 

Zaptruder

Banned
Seriously though. The correct way to nerf pop-tarting is to make it a relatively worthless gimmick to the rest of the meta.

i.e. buff brawling weapons, nerf high damage pin point weapon groupings; more mechs start brawling; less pop tarts means that individual poptarts are more vulnerable to flanking attacks and will get ripped apart quickly if they stay in a single spot and keep popping.
 

Woorloog

Banned
Seriously though. The correct way to nerf pop-tarting is to make it a relatively worthless gimmick to the rest of the meta.

i.e. buff brawling weapons, nerf high damage pin point weapon groupings; more mechs start brawling; less pop tarts means that individual poptarts are more vulnerable to flanking attacks and will get ripped apart quickly if they stay in a single spot and keep popping.

Yeah, well, PGI doesn't quite grasp balancing.
ECM OP? Escalate, add stuff instead of nerfing it...
 

Woorloog

Banned
ECM are in a pretty good place right now though...

Sure. But they could have been fixed much earlier, much easier.
If they had simply reduced max targeting range, and perhaps interfered with some electronics... IE long-range protection from missiles, while advancing to gun range.

EDIT BAP could've been given limited through the ground targeting ability...
 

Llyranor

Member
Maybe I've played too much Rising Storm lately, but I might be starting to get the Kurita mindset. They just like to charge recklessly into the fray with complete disregard of any sort of self-preservation. It's the banzai way.

While I still highly dislike the unnecessary nerf to light/med JJ, I've adapted well enough and did pretty good in my gaussjack yesterday. The real positive is that there are a lot more brawls now, which is nice
 

Woorloog

Banned
Maybe I've played too much Rising Storm lately, but I might be starting to get the Kurita mindset. They just like to charge recklessly into the fray with complete disregard of any sort of self-preservation. It's the banzai way.

The Kurita way doesn't work like that really. Personal honor is important (they're samurai) but that doesn't mean complete disregard of self-preservation. Not that retreat is an option... Marksmanship is priced among the Draconis Combine, PPC is their weapon of choice IIRC*.
Indeed, Kuritans are the closest the Clans in Btech lore, and IIRC SLDF-Kurita Hidden Wars created the basis for the Clan honor system, dueling, along with Ares Conventions.
Stupid players who don't understand the Draconis Combine do this "Banzai".

*Each faction has some weapon of choice or style:
-As i said, DC likes marksmanship and individual skill.
-FedSun likes mobility and range, teamwork (JagerMechIII is a good example of this)
-Lyrans like big, heavy mechs, with a lot of firepower.
-Capellan Confederation's style is combined arms, artillery support (missile Catapults), innovation (Raven, Stealth Armor, etc). Small size of the realm requires this.
-Free Worlds League uses Large Lasers, they have a lot of them. Also they have the largest space navy (at least once IS started building WarShips again), otherwise they just... are.
 
And here's the Quickdraw concept art. Alex did a nice job as always.

The sunlight glinted off the top of his Mech, the sun close to setting in front of him. “This planet ain’t for you to be trompin’ around, lone wolf. It’s time for you to leave.”
The Man shifted the cigar in his mouth, replying “And I guess you’re the ones to show me off, then?”
“That’s right. And we’re thinkin’ that nice Mech o’ yours would be a good partin’ gift. So why don’t you get on out, and we’ll let you leave.”
“Well, that’s mighty kind of you,” he said, biting down on his cigar, “But I think I’m just going to walk outta here, if you don’t mind.”
“The thing is, loner, that we do mind.”
The two Mechs stood, stock still, facing eachother. To each side he saw Mechs coming in to flank him.
“I guess we’re doing this the hard way then,” he stated.
“For you, yeah we are!” the other man sneered, suddenly starting to raise his arms. The Man was faster though, bringing his six medium pulse lasers to bear on the enemy Atlas’ head, coring it in the blink of an eye. He shifted left, as lasers from a Cataphract burned past him. His next salvo took the pilot right in the chest, straight through the cockpit glass. Missiles landed around him as he spun and fired again, obliterating the side-torso of a Commando – he turned away as it slowly thudded to the ground, and stood staring straight at a Centurion pilot hiding behind a rocky outcropping.
“Now you are probably thinking you’ve got me. My guns are overheated and I can’t possibly fire again. If I fire I’ll overheat, shut down, and you’ll have me dead to rights. Ain’t that so?”
“I, uh, yeah. Yeah! Surrender now, get out of your Mech, and I’ll, uh, let you go!”
“Well you’re forgetting one thing, raider. One very important thing that has passed right over you, that you aren’t thinking of, that coulda saved your life.”
“Oh yeah, and what’s that!” the raider shouted, his voice breaking at the end.
“That the entire time I’ve been talking, my heat has dropped back down, and your cockpit is peeking out over the rock there.”

“Oh s-“ the pilot started to say, as six medium pulse laser shots hit his cockpit, exploding it outward. As his Centurion collapsed against the rock, The Man turned his Quickdraw towards the right, saying over his open mic.

9C33D11C401286243D61423FF8B764D2.jpg


“And you there, Raven behind that rock. I’m walking out of here, and you, you’re going to tell ‘em. Tell ‘em what happened here. Tell them that no-one tells me what to do."
And with that, he turned and walked towards the sunset, blue light low forming a halo around him.
 

Woorloog

Banned
Quite nice looking really.
...
Hmm. I like brawling. I don't like using Catapult in a brawl.
Quickdraw looks nice, and has laser/missile mix, and jumpjets. Might suit brawling...
OK, no Orion is forgiven.
 

Zaptruder

Banned
Looks to be an up-tonned brawling cent. With the buff to SRMs this could be pretty nice. Looks decent too.

I was thinking more of a hunchback 4SP.

I think the most obvious build at least at first is 2 LL in the arms, 2ML in the chest and 2 SRM6s.

Maybe std engine - to help replicate some of the 4SP's fantastic survivability.
 

Woorloog

Banned
Brainstorming a brawler build for the mech. Assuming 4 energy and 2 missile hardpoints, though likely the actual base mech will have more.
4xMPLS, 8 tons.
5xJJ Class III, 5 tons.
SRM4+SRM6, 5 tons, 2 tons of ammo, total 7 tons.
Max optimal Standard armor, Endo-Steel internals, 15.5 tons.
These total 35.5 tons, leaving me 60-35.5=24.5 tons.

Hmm. If i shave half a ton of armor, i can use 300-rated Standard engine, giving me 81KPH speed, without speed-tweak.
The mech will be running very hot though, even with DHS, and i may end up wanting some more heat sinks. Ferro-Fibrous and shaving a bit of armor would give me 2 tons, and still enough space to add two heat sinks (ignoring engine-given slots), if i calculated correctly. Still hot.
Downgrading a couple of the lasers to MLAS would allow me to mount two heatsinks without Ferro-Fibrous. Downgrading all lasers to MLAS would make the heat very well manageable with 14 DHS, perhaps one or two less and the tonnage devoted to other equipment.
Leaning towards 2xMPLS, 2xMLAS, 2xDHS, would give me decent if not stellar base-cooling before Efficiencies.

Not the most strongest mech around with this build, but it is mobile and flexible, with good endurance for its weight class.
With total of ten SRM tubes, 200 ammo will be enough for 20 salvos, which isn't much, but using them for breaching weak points after softening up enemies with lasers will probably work just fine. Adding Ferro-Fibrous at this point should free up enough tonnage for one more ton of SRM ammo (total 300 rounds, 30 salvos).

Won't be very expensive (for a heavy) either, about 8.5 million C-Bills total (the mech itself is about 5.5 million), with equipment and advanced technologies, i think. Give or take 0.5-1 million.

EDIT i'll make HBK-4SP build i favor for comparison...
Here HBK-4SP. The MPLS can be swapped for a MLAS and a DHS.
Almost as expensive, slightly more firepower, less maneuverability (no Jump Jets), less endurance though it is a slightly smaller target compared to Quickdraw.

EDIT let's see about Trebuchet...
EDIT or not. No Jump Jet-capable Trebuchet has both 2xmissile hardpoints and 4xenergy hardpoints.
EDIT why not...
TBT-7M. Expensive, mobile and fast but slightly less firepower. STD260 engine.
Switching to XL will give either a lot of speed or better cooling or perhaps even more firepower by utilizing the NARC tube for a Streak SRM. Would require getting rid of Ferro-Fibrous of course.
 

teepo

Member
leaked sale?
30% discount on the Illest Marmoset and Hero Dragons, 50% discount on blue paints and digital Permanent patterns for Dragons, Catapaults, Cataphracts and Jagermechs, and 50GXP to 1 MC conversion - from Friday 7th June at 10:00am PDT until Tuesday June 11 at 10:00am PDT.

i'll be needing to refill my bank after this weekend.

i so want to ride around in this build
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=Ju0ACDPIYOg#
 

Llyranor

Member
I quite like the flame, though my favorite build on it is probably 4LL 300XL ?19DHS. Come to think of it, you could even do a very similar build on the quickdraw, but without 4 arm lasers
 

Nickiepoo

Member
I quite like the flame, though my favorite build on it is probably 4LL 300XL ?19DHS. Come to think of it, you could even do a very similar build on the quickdraw, but without 4 arm lasers

+jumpjets, heh. I actually forgot that the dragon was 'only' 60 tons and how deadly those things can be when used right. QD looks like it could be a lot of fun, I'm always good for more fast flexible heavies.

Having said that, looking through the varient list on Sarna all the valid ones seem to be pretty samey so it might end up as a one trick pony.
 

Woorloog

Banned
leaked sale?


i'll be needing to refill my bank after this weekend.

i so want to ride around in this build
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=Ju0ACDPIYOg#

If true, when will it start today? Evening?
Anyway, the fact Hero Mechs go on sale, if slowly, means i won't buy any Heroes for full price, i can wait a few months to get Firebrand, if i want it still in a few months.

Quickdraw looks intriguing i noticed that after playing with Blackjack, and adding one JJ to my Catapult, i really like the maneuverability JJs give me. Quickdraw is relatively fast and Jump Jets, not too bad hardpoint layout, i think. I think i'm going to like it.
 
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