107 replies to this topic

[Don_Veritas]

spam mines_

[Bazookagofer]

dEd101, on November 01 2013 - 11:09 AM, said:

Actually predators usually go for the weakest/slowest/oldest/sickest animal in the pack so the current playstyle fits the name perfectly.

That being said I suck with this mech right now but I've only played a few matches with it. I like it but I've got to learn it's tricksy ways.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator nope predator is a hunter. What you are thinking about is like omega wolves in wolf packs. Also I think the devs mixed the arms the PEOC should be on. I think it should  be a primary not the seconary. Let the breacher be the secondary.

[[HWK]Vanashinkaku]

ArccBR, on November 01 2013 - 11:07 AM, said:

Planerunner, on November 01 2013 - 10:52 AM, said:

'This is basically the use of the predator.. It is highly positional and should be use to swiftly pickoff the weak.'

This is what is driving me crazy about this design. It is called the 'Predator'. According to what you just described, it is actually the Vulture.

ADH modeled this mech after the Predator from the movies, down to its look. A predator is an ambush killer, much like a tiger or sabertooth cat. it leaps from cover at short range to kill animals that are larger and often faster.

What you described isn't a hunter, predator, or a killer of much anything. That playstyle is of a scavenger, and a lone one at that. Vultures and hyenas travel in packs for a reason - they typically can't take down much of anything by themselves, let alone full healthy animals.

I agree with your assessment of the mech. This is how it currently ought to be played, because it certainly can't take on a healthy B or C class one on one. Even A classes at full health will give it a run for its money. That means the design is broken, at least compared to what it is meant to do.

This thing should be hunting, not picking up the table scraps from a battle it has no business being in. I keep hearing the same thing, match after match: 'it has potential, but it sucks right now.' Right now, this is a failed design. ADH needs to go back and revamp this thing. I don't think it needs much to get it there, but right now it has serious, serious issues and should not be taken out for anything other than aggressive scouting and having a carefree stroll.

The biggest flaw in the Pred is the EOC P. The Breacher is one hell of a weapon, but the EOC P... Damn, just kills the concept, even for an ambush specialist. It doesn't shoot fast enough, has no damage if used in single shots, and to actually be usefull, needs to be sticked in a single place, but Hawken's map is huge, which leads to two situations:

1)The enemy will NEVER step or get close to the trap.

2) Will step once, and never more. An "accidental" kill. A lightning does not fall in the same place twice.

You havn't played against me yet.

[[HWK]Vanashinkaku]

Bazookagofer, on November 01 2013 - 04:34 PM, said:

dEd101, on November 01 2013 - 11:09 AM, said:

Actually predators usually go for the weakest/slowest/oldest/sickest animal in the pack so the current playstyle fits the name perfectly.

That being said I suck with this mech right now but I've only played a few matches with it. I like it but I've got to learn it's tricksy ways.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator nope predator is a hunter. What you are thinking about is like omega wolves in wolf packs. Also I think the devs mixed the arms the PEOC should be on. I think it should  be a primary not the seconary. Let the breacher be the secondary.

Predators are hunters, and hunters usually aim for the weaker, more easier kill.  They stalk their prey and wait for the proper situation to strike.   Predators do not go running into a massive herd of prey, but instead pick off the weak straggler from behind.

Vultures/Scavengers have no part in the kill and only take the leftovers.  I call those people who go running around tagging people for assists in Deathmatch

[havoc5]

Bazookagofer, on November 01 2013 - 04:34 PM, said:

dEd101, on November 01 2013 - 11:09 AM, said:

Actually predators usually go for the weakest/slowest/oldest/sickest animal in the pack so the current playstyle fits the name perfectly.

That being said I suck with this mech right now but I've only played a few matches with it. I like it but I've got to learn it's tricksy ways.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator nope predator is a hunter. What you are thinking about is like omega wolves in wolf packs. Also I think the devs mixed the arms the PEOC should be on. I think it should  be a primary not the seconary. Let the breacher be the secondary.

ALL wolves target weak/sick prey (when given the choice) because it gives the highest chance of actually catching food. This goes for pretty much any predator that must run down their prey. I dont even know why you brought up omega wolves. They're called omega because of their status in the pack, not because of what they eat. They eat whatever the pack kills (assuming there's anything left when its their turn). They have no say in what the pack hunts.

Edited by havoc5, November 01 2013 - 05:31 PM.

[ropefish]

[HWK]Vanashinkaku, on November 01 2013 - 04:45 PM, said:

Bazookagofer, on November 01 2013 - 04:34 PM, said:

dEd101, on November 01 2013 - 11:09 AM, said:

Actually predators usually go for the weakest/slowest/oldest/sickest animal in the pack so the current playstyle fits the name perfectly.

That being said I suck with this mech right now but I've only played a few matches with it. I like it but I've got to learn it's tricksy ways.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator nope predator is a hunter. What you are thinking about is like omega wolves in wolf packs. Also I think the devs mixed the arms the PEOC should be on. I think it should  be a primary not the seconary. Let the breacher be the secondary.

Predators are hunters, and hunters usually aim for the weaker, more easier kill.  They stalk their prey and wait for the proper situation to strike.   Predators do not go running into a massive herd of prey, but instead pick off the weak straggler from behind.

Vultures/Scavengers have no part in the kill and only take the leftovers.  I call those people who go running around tagging people for assists in Deathmatch

can you give lessons to use on day O master of stalking

[DFTR]

It is an odd mech; I feel like I'm not doing well and I've never been able to lure anyone into a trap.  But I'm usually not at the bottom of my team's score!  Often I seem to be in 3rd place and have more kills than deaths (which is good for me).  

I feel more comfortable in TDM; need to chang emy approach to MA.  I may need to stay in one silo location_  Going from silo to silo tends to be inefficient and I don't have time to set any mines in place.

[dEd101]

My facehugging plan failed dismally. This may be due to the fact that I seem to suck right now in general.

[M4st0d0n]

[HWK]Vanashinkaku, on November 01 2013 - 04:45 PM, said:

Vultures/Scavengers have no part in the kill and only take the leftovers.  I call those people who go running around tagging people for assists in Deathmatch

Cant think of any other way to play in deathmatch... Game is not balanced for every mech to be useful in 1vs1 scenario so you always must wait for two dots on the radar. Even with that in mind, fastest retreat will allow for better survavibility, always. But vulturing is vulturing, no matter the cloak you put on to do it.

[Culex]

nvm

Edited by Culex, November 02 2013 - 11:45 AM.

[Deadly_Peanut]

Planerunner, on November 01 2013 - 10:52 AM, said:

'This is basically the use of the predator.. It is highly positional and should be use to swiftly pickoff the weak.'

This is what is driving me crazy about this design. It is called the 'Predator'. According to what you just described, it is actually the Vulture.

Ta DAH... the predator has a new nick... The Vulture!  

Seriously... I think the predator is fine... i've been in several matches where they placed 1st or 2nd.  they're certainly not under powered.

[Wasabi_Wei]

I do better using the same playstyle with RPR-Reaper. The idea is neat, but in practice I find that if I go slow and walk up on repairing mechs with almost anything I do better than with Predator. The 'Predator playstyle' has been around and works better with other mechs in my opinion.

[Taerkasten]

Just an opinion but for the liking for the predator, the peoc, should be replaced and make the breacher the secondary, in my case i'll like much more the functionality of the breacher over the peoc.

[Onebullit]

What [HWK]Vanashinkaku said !

How to play with the Predator_
- Watch the National Geographics channal

"Veni, vidi, vici"

Edited by Onebullit, November 03 2013 - 09:40 AM.

[ShadowWarg]

flimsy, on November 01 2013 - 12:03 PM, said:

If you don't think it has an upfront fighting style I encourage you to fight Dew in his.

Dude. Dew is a friggin monster in this thing.

Anyway after playing the thing for literally hours and failing miserably, I think I'm starting to make some headway. I find it most effect not to travel WITH my pack (team) but to satellite them, sticking close but not to close, this way I can easily fall back to them if I need help, but at the same time I can help pick off the wounded or help wear down the enemies health from a nice distance using the mines and the rail shot so they can land the finish blow. The best range for this guy is mid range, just far enough where you can lay down mines to support your team without being heard and mid range snipe target mechs.

The key to this mech is complete patience. You can't frontal assault with this guy like you can with almost every other mech and I highly advice against boosting.

One more thing. When in the pred, YOU are the most important person you have to worry about period. Even if your team needs help, you cannot help them unless you are sure you will not be seen. A death hurts your team more than anything and you trying to save them with this tin plate of a mech will defiantly not help. Hang back observe and take pop shot when you can.....Unless your Dew, then do whatever the heck you want because you've already mastered this thing.

Edited by ShadowWarg, November 02 2013 - 04:40 PM.

[Vitinary]

The biggest problem I have with Pred is it's secondary. It has low RoF and overheats like hell.
But it would all have been fine if not for it's projectile's superslow speed.
It is awful. I literally can't hit almost anything, unless we are facehugging or my enemy steps on the mine.

[Shogun60]

So far I am running the first 3 but these all seem to have a place just depending on how you want to play it, the sneak setup is good for doing finishing shots from behind your team on the lowest HP Mechs they are shooting at or a HP downed & repairing Mech from behind when they are healing up from a fight, its like being a Rogue from World of Warcraft, stalk in and Alpha and get out and back into Stalker Mode or Set Traps and be Sneakily waiting like a Trapdoor Spider (////0v0) waiting & ready to Alpha when the Mines go off (on jump-pad) like I have&  when they do especialy on the Jump-Pads loaded up in some maps works awesomely..... and yah back in Stalker Mode fast ready to go again, the best maps I have found so far are Orign & Uptown are the 2 best suited to the Predator Teaching yourself to play in a totally different way in game than anyone else. It is a hard thing to train ourselves in as were all used to the run at them and dodge and shoot and dodge etc... bla bla bla lockon missiles bla bla bla, but the Predator is a Ninja/Rogue Dirty lowdown Sneaky Killer in the right or wrong hands... thats just my 2cents worth anyway play around with the setups anyway good luck have fun be Sneaky/Dirty/Lowdown & its Spooky when you sneak away with a grin after a fresh kill under ya belt......

Advanced Armor Fusor:
Killing an enemy mech reconstructs 20% of max armor over 20 seconds. Getting an assist on an enemy mech reconstructs 13% of max armor over 20 seconds. If you have taken damage in a fight as you head of you get a bit back if you survive.

Evasive Device:
Gain 15% faster run and walk speed when armor is below 25%, and 10% faster run and walk speed when armor is below 50% this is a must I think & put alot into Hydraulics as the walk & boost bonus is great you outwalk anyone in the game so you can cover ground fairly quickly.

Shock Coil:
Gain 100% damage reduction from fall damage, is a must for those maps where you need to drop down in stealth and not break Stalker  mode.

Advanced Reconstructor:

After being out of combat for 30 seconds, the mech generates 25 armor per second I think will be a better option as it heals you in stealth while you walk away to hide after a kill.

Replenisher:
When abilities or items are on cooldown and killing an enemy mech reduces ability cooldown by 6 seconds and an item cooldown by 6 seconds. Get an assist on an enemy mech to reduce ability cooldown by a further 3 seconds and item by 3 seconds is good if you in a bit of a 1 on 1.

Cheers Shogun60/GrumpyNZ

Edited by Shogun60, November 02 2013 - 05:02 PM.

[BlackCephie]

After using the pred some more, I actually DONT think it needs very many buffs at all, aside from maybe making the EOCP silent to outsiders, and maybe even having mines indicated on the minimap.

This mech is fuzzy bunny awesome, and refreshing. Harassment. I cant stress this enough. after getting your ability upgraded to 2.5 sec soft cooldown, you go in and out of cloak super fast. The key is doing your best to NOT get shot when u are in this state. Harassing the enemy flank and rear using the Breacher spear shot, popping back into cover after each shot to recloak is very effective, and it also screws with your opponent's head. If the Predator is good at hunting down and taking out wouldn't prey, then you focus on actually weakening them. This is your job in team fights. Get some mines out there, poke them with the Breacher, then reposition for the kill.

Also if ur like me and ur used to keeping your primary weapon charged, I recommend NOT doing this with the pred. Your nail spray shot does a LOT of damage, and you want to have that at the ready most times. That said, if you spec into weapon loader, you will notice a nice drop in the cooldown on your charged shot, allowing you to use it to lead into your nail spray, which will net you more dps. Dont be afraid to get in close with this thing. Its a great close range fighter, you just need to practice tracking and landing your shots. You can create a phalanx of mines ahead of/around you as you advance in a fight, which will punish those that think to just rush you. If you are fighting a particularly squirly opponent, you can defeat them in a 1v1 even by just peppering the immediate area of the fight. Remote det'ing them after popping a couple around where your opponent is dodging will net you a lot of damage in one burst.

Just some stuff I picked up on. Loving this mech right about now :]

[ropefish]

so dew is realy good in it, but [hwk] van, is like him, but 10X better, and makes you run when you see him uncloak O_O

[[HWK]Vanashinkaku]

ropefish, on November 02 2013 - 06:22 PM, said:

so dew is realy good in it, but [hwk] van, is like him, but 10X better, and makes you run when you see him uncloak O_O

rawr :3