44 replies to this topic

[Grafix]

Gestankfaust, on November 12 2012 - 07:09 PM, said:

I get that...but I ws one to try 4 different mechs before settling.

  choosing a mech also depends on your battle style/comfort.  if you like to be in the mix of the battle then the standard Annihilator will be good or the Brawler.  Hit and run is more the Infiltrator and the Berzerker, support is the Sharpshooter and Rocketeer.

I have all of them and use all of them depending on the map, and who I am playing with.  If I have a good team that works together then I do the support mech.  if I have to be the one taking the objective then I use the other mechs.

[LoganGoesPlaces]

Sarkem, on November 12 2012 - 06:16 PM, said:

The response I got was that I needed to hit level 20 before it becomes fun.  I refuse to grind to a level for a game to become fun, so I'm going to uninstall and maybe visit in a few months again. Until then, I'll enjoy some planetside 2 which you can jump in and be effective right out of the gate.

By no means do you need to be level 20 to have fun in Hawken.  Assuming matchmaking is doing it's job you should have no problem hopping in with a low level mech.  I still haven't reached 20 on any of my mechs and I have been playing quite a bit.  If it wasn't fun until 20 I would have given up a while ago.  Yes, it will be difficult if you end up on a server with a bunch of high levels.  Try out the different game modes and game sizes to find a server that you feel more comfortable learning on.

[Necro]

sounds like your rushing in and not trying to dodge at all. that is a surefire way to get you killed.

[Sarkem]

I get the fact that I need to give it a fair shake, but in all the matches I played, I very rarely ever got someone half way in health in a one on one fight.  My ONLY kills were cherry picking the guys that were already at death's door.

I'll be back after it goes live and hopefully gets a good shake at some balancing.  Right now with so many good free to play and "to pay" games out there, why would I grind and be frustrated just to play a game_  I love the concept and so very much want to love the game.

I played this game non-stop at PAX Prime with my buddies and loved it.  But at that point, everyone was equal enough based on what role you wanted to play.

[DieselCat]

Grafix, on November 12 2012 - 07:02 PM, said:

Remember...people that have been playing a while have upgraded their Armor and Mech settings.  Under the "Optimizations" Tab in your Garage you can put your earned tech points to use in any of the 3 categories (Offense, Defence, Movement).

How do you think some pilots dodge your bullets so quickly sometimes or can boost longer and travel faster than you.  Explore your garage and you will find a wealth of options to tweek out your mech.

For a new or relatively inexperienced player, it's tough to grind for level up points when one isn't very good in the beginning against much more experienced players with topped out mechs.
Using myself as an example, my infiltrator is now a level 5 and I had a total of 7 points to spend to optimize it. That doesn't put my mech at much higher that a base model, though the matches played do add up in meteor points & xp points, which does help to upgrade.
Now I'm not disagreeing with what all are saying here, new players do have to go through the learning curve and just practice to get better. I know my movement and aiming skills need lots of work, but where I was getting no kills or asst early on, I'm now getting multiple kills & asst...though still lots of deaths.
If I had more time to put into this game I'm sure I'd get better at a faster rate, but I sense whether one plays this a little or a lot it will take practice and patients with an understanding on how to utilize your mechs equipment. and movements.
Hell I still can't figure out how anything works except for how to fire the primary and secondary weapons.....

[JustJake]

DieselCat, on November 12 2012 - 11:36 PM, said:

If I had more time to put into this game I'm sure I'd get better at a faster rate, but I sense whether one plays this a little or a lot it will take practice and patients with an understanding on how to utilize your mechs equipment. and movements.
Hell I still can't figure out how anything works except for how to fire the primary and secondary weapons.....

Look over the controls page. Play more Missile Command or Seige and ask your team-mates for pointers. Or just check out the keybindings page... Hints:
Shift + A/D - Dodge. Dodging in battle can make you nearly invincible if you're mind-gaming your enemy.
F - use mech ability. Icon is at the top of the screen.
R - use deployable. Icon is at the bottom middle of the screen. Default on Assault is HE Charges (grenades)
C - Repair. It takes a little while to start and stop repairing, so do it after a battle when you're safe

[Hotel6]

String, on November 12 2012 - 02:09 PM, said:

CoinOps, on November 12 2012 - 10:46 AM, said:

i can run up behind someone and empty everything i have in them point blank and still dont get a kill, they turn round and off me in like 3secs flat. its happened.
im not a rage-full gamer i can stay focused but im very close to not bothering with hawken anymore.

Careful with the tow launcher at point blank range.

oops ! DOWNED BY...PILOT ERROR !

[LordofNosgoth]

Sarkem, on November 12 2012 - 06:16 PM, said:

I'm totally with you on the balance in the game. Just played and pretty much might as well have stood still and waited for death.

The response I got was that I needed to hit level 20 before it becomes fun.  I refuse to grind to a level for a game to become fun, so I'm going to uninstall and maybe visit in a few months again. Until then, I'll enjoy some planetside 2 which you can jump in and be effective right out of the gate.

By the time I got around to getting to play CBE1 everyone else - or so it seemed - had at least the 12hrs I was at work to play and level up, so I was at a distinct disadvantage. But I chugged on. I have 4 mechs, 2 Lv 15's (Sharpshooter, Infiltrator) and a Lv 9 (assault) and one I've not touched yet (my poor, lonely Rocketeer). It's more than possible to do well (though you won't be topping lots and lots of leaderboards out of the gate) at lower levels. Hang in there.

Flirx, on November 12 2012 - 06:48 PM, said:

I still think if you going to snipe you should be able to kill in one shot, not shot and pray.

I haven't played a game in years and years and years where a Sniper was a one-shot-kill unless it was a headshot. Closest I've seen yet is BF3 with the M98B (which is ludicrous; do you have any idea what a Magnum Lapua round would do to a human body___ I've shot them, I know) and that's only 95% unless it's a headshot or at extremely close range.

Gestankfaust, on November 12 2012 - 06:50 PM, said:

Flirx, on November 12 2012 - 06:48 PM, said:

I still think if you going to snipe you should be able to kill in one shot, not shot and pray.

Yeah...in any other FPS, one shot one kill as a sniper. You would have to aim bad not to get a 1 shot kill. I dunno how that applies here but....makes sense

Name one recent game where a sniper rifle is a one shot kill for anything but a headshot. Name it so I can can go romp (provided QS'ing is workable).

BlackCephie, on November 12 2012 - 06:55 PM, said:

Well, we are dealing with giant robots, not squishy foot soldiers, so a one shot kill with a sabot doesn't really apply. Even so, the sabot does ridiculous damage.

Negative, Ghost Rider; Sabot doesn't do anywhere near enough, IMHO. And I spec'd all my tech points to damage with the sucker; still can't 1 shot those pesky A-classes... though they do learn to think twice about sauntering out into the open so brazenly when I'm about, I can assure you. I'd say there's one player here in particular who can attest to that, but said individual seems to be upset with me at the moment, so... anyways...

Aim. Dodge. Stay mobile. Don't pick fights with mechs that can easily out-run or out-gun you unless you've got a strategy to put them at a disadvantage.

And if at first you don't succeed_ Try, try, try again. You'll get there.

[BlackSlevin]

Stay mobile and move around in circles around the enemy mech, so keep dodging while attacking. Also keep an eye on the map and target enemies that are singled out, seperated from the group. In my opinion speed and high damage is a lethal combination, so use it wisely.

~Slevin

EDIT: I just learned that its best to read every post before replying. Nothing that I wrote hasnt been said before.

Edited by BlackSlevin, November 13 2012 - 05:34 AM.

[Female]

Roll Sharpshooter.

[iamhoshi]

basic rule - maps. you have to know where is what, where to go, how to move in fastest way. know your mech's +'s and -'s.
second thing - know your enemy. if it's a sharpshooter, get close, if someone with vulcan cannon or more energy than you - try to keep some distance.
3rd rule - in 1 on 1 fight try to take him by the surprise. I often use all my fire power for the one good blow: ( assult class ) primary cannon, secondary RL and rocket from the items.
4th rule - if you are low of energy try to escape and heal yourself using item ( + ). try to get close to your teammates, let them do the job.
5th rule - if you see some fighting going on try to take enemy from the behind.
6th rule - help your team. stay with someone who is low of energy, give 'em healing item.
7th rule - do not involve into fight if you're outnumbered. better to shoot from the distance first, wait for some backup.
8th rule - learn to move, dodge, fly, 180 turn etc.
I would make 10 solid rules but I can't think of anything else right now.
cheers,

Edited by iamhoshi, November 13 2012 - 11:57 AM.

[Skylead]

You most definitely do not need to be level 20 before you can get kills, My mechs range in levels from 2-14 and while it is nice to have upgrades to boost your specialties it is still quite easy to top leaderboards with a lvl 1-2 mech. It really does all come down to proper use of your items and dodging. (Don't forget to use the manual TOW explosion to hit people that dodge behind corners)

EMP is a great item that not enough people use, drop it on the ground near them and take your free kill, no reason you should not at least have these down.

The repair spark item is great bc if you are in an extended fight or just need a quick repair you can put it down and keep your guns blazing during a repair. Or get a 2x repair rate by repairing on top of the spark. I do this a lot after getting low in team fights, dodge your way back to safety and double heal to get back in and keep tearing it up.

Try to stay away from the turret offensive items as they won't really help you improve at the game. Learning to use the Grenades is key to high burst damage. Try getting someone to chase you around a corner and time your throw+tow with the radar.

[Gestankfaust]

LordofNosgoth, on November 13 2012 - 03:25 AM, said:

Gestankfaust, on November 12 2012 - 06:50 PM, said:

Yeah...in any other FPS, one shot one kill as a sniper. You would have to aim bad not to get a 1 shot kill. I dunno how that applies here but....makes sense

Name one recent game where a sniper rifle is a one shot kill for anything but a headshot. Name it so I can can go romp (provided QS'ing is workable).

You can't have it both ways. You either are good aim and get a 1 shot kill the majority of the time, or you are bad aim and don't. Asking me which games_ Who cares which_ So you can argue which ever games I mention. I don't know of a good FPS with true sniper capabilities where you can't get a 1 shot kill if you are good enough.

Anything but a headshot_ That would be good aim right_ Comparing hawken to other games and headshots only would be improper anyway. Totally different guns, totally different hit locations.

[JustJake]

Female, on November 13 2012 - 05:40 AM, said:

Roll Sharpshooter.

It's not the easiest class in the world to carry as. You can get some long-range pick kills against low-health enemies, but close range Sharpshooter combat isn't as no-skill as you seem to believe.

[The_Silencer]

Try with the Hawkins instead ... although that's not an easy task (as you said)

[Grafix]

DieselCat, on November 12 2012 - 11:36 PM, said:

Grafix, on November 12 2012 - 07:02 PM, said:

Remember...people that have been playing a while have upgraded their Armor and Mech settings.  Under the "Optimizations" Tab in your Garage you can put your earned tech points to use in any of the 3 categories (Offense, Defence, Movement).

How do you think some pilots dodge your bullets so quickly sometimes or can boost longer and travel faster than you.  Explore your garage and you will find a wealth of options to tweek out your mech.

For a new or relatively inexperienced player, it's tough to grind for level up points when one isn't very good in the beginning against much more experienced players with topped out mechs.
Using myself as an example, my infiltrator is now a level 5 and I had a total of 7 points to spend to optimize it. That doesn't put my mech at much higher that a base model, though the matches played do add up in meteor points & xp points, which does help to upgrade.
Now I'm not disagreeing with what all are saying here, new players do have to go through the learning curve and just practice to get better. I know my movement and aiming skills need lots of work, but where I was getting no kills or asst early on, I'm now getting multiple kills & asst...though still lots of deaths.
If I had more time to put into this game I'm sure I'd get better at a faster rate, but I sense whether one plays this a little or a lot it will take practice and patients with an understanding on how to utilize your mechs equipment. and movements.
Hell I still can't figure out how anything works except for how to fire the primary and secondary weapons.....

Actually DieselCat, it is not that hard.  All you have to do is have patience and not rush in.  I maxed out my Assult and Sniper mechs so I started an infiltrator and a berzerker both at level 0 and on the same server I was playing on the whole time (missile).  I got 7 kills, 8 deaths, and 15 assists which gives me some great XP for my level 0 mech.

It is all on how you use the mech which it is intended for.  Don't rush in balls to the wall in an infiltrator or berzerker otherwise you will get creamed.  It is all about using the specific abilities for each mech to it's full advantage.  It is funny to see a lot of players just standing there almost with a sign that says "SHOOT ME" instead of moving.

[Shiner980]

The easiest one to start with is assault, and you can't play it the way you'd play other shooters ala CoD/BF. You (as well as your enemies) will not die the moment you open fire upon them, not even if you open up for 2 seconds straight. It requires patience and an ability to remain on target. If you're getting significantly bursted down, then you're being too predictable and/or playing someone very seasoned at predicting your movements.

Shift + D or Shift + A (dodge) and Shift + S (turn 180 almost instantly), can be pretty disorienting, but trust me they're the best way to mitigate your mech naturally being slow to turn and occasionally slow to move. Also remember that you not dying in two seconds is a good thing. Know that once you hit about half health, it's okay to run away, hide, hold C and repair back up.

I kept up near the top of the leaderboard for whichever server I played in even with a level 5 assault mech, didn't even notice enemy levels (except for those darned vulcan level 20's) though even they're plenty beatable. Just remain patient, pick your fights, and learn to land as many shots as possible. For assault, that means not always holding down the fire button (just semi auto clicking will net you a ton of damage med/long range), and using the tow/nade launcher/eoc repeater will take a bit of getting used to, but I'm sure you'll catch on quick.

Oh and yes, put your points in those optimizations, they really can make a difference the more you get along.

[DER3Z]

Class A berserker is pretty fasst i can zip around everyone day and night and finish them easy. It also helps that i have the weapon modifier as my special ability. You combined all those with the knowlege of internals and skill tree points and you have a Deadly chunk of metal trying to kill you. Practice your boosting and shooting. I mean this is beta, so take as much time as you need to get better. Their wiping everything any way, so in the end nothing matters. As you keep playing you'll notice little tricks that you can do to make yourself faster and lethal.

[Stummer_Schrei]

BlackCephie, on November 12 2012 - 06:55 PM, said:

Well, we are dealing with giant robots, not squishy foot soldiers, so a one shot kill with a sabot doesn't really apply. Even so, the sabot does ridiculous damage.

hell no^^

this is not like a call of duty or battlefield, the mechs are slow and have a lot of health (or more clearly, you take mor hits to die than in thouse games)

and the sniper can fight close range too (doesnt it have a flak_)
so it whould make it really overpowerd

also to the rest

dodging is the key to get kills

[LordofNosgoth]

Gestankfaust, on November 13 2012 - 12:40 PM, said:

LordofNosgoth, on November 13 2012 - 03:25 AM, said:

Gestankfaust, on November 12 2012 - 06:50 PM, said:

Yeah...in any other FPS, one shot one kill as a sniper. You would have to aim bad not to get a 1 shot kill. I dunno how that applies here but....makes sense

Name one recent game where a sniper rifle is a one shot kill for anything but a headshot. Name it so I can can go romp (provided QS'ing is workable).

You can't have it both ways. You either are good aim and get a 1 shot kill the majority of the time, or you are bad aim and don't. Asking me which games_ Who cares which_ So you can argue which ever games I mention. I don't know of a good FPS with true sniper capabilities where you can't get a 1 shot kill if you are good enough.

Anything but a headshot_ That would be good aim right_ Comparing hawken to other games and headshots only would be improper anyway. Totally different guns, totally different hit locations.

Since your little rant here made the least amount of sense possible, allow me to enlighten you:

In REALITY: EVERY Sniper Rifle is a one-shot kill if it hits in the chest or any other critical part. Sometimes, even when it doesn't hit "critical" parts.

For example: My M82A1 when I was in the USMC fired a .50Cal BMG round. If that round hits you - anywhere - it will cleanly tear that body part off. If it grazes your arm, it is powerful enough to tear it off at the shoulder. You would die from blood loss in under a minute. God forbid we were given the go ahead for API rounds. Then you'd truly know the meaning of fear.

When I was in the USMC the Cheytac Intervention was still being tested, but it fires a .408Cal round very similar to our BMG's. While I never got to see how well it tears enemies apart, I can imagine; I did get to watch some test firing and what it does to brick, concrete, engine blocks and light armor is impressive.

My M24A3 fired a .338 Lapua Magnum. One round was sufficient to put a cannon-ball sized hole in the back of your chest at 800M.
'Nuff said.

Keep talking trash about "good aim" if you want. But having high-powered sniper rifles mean that "good aim" is being on target - anywhere on the target, preferrably the chest - and is far more than enough to kill the target.

In video games, you people stand a chance. In reality, I never once missed. Ever. And it's the only reason I'm still here. So, yeah, name a game where it mirrors reality when it comes to combat so I can go make the kiddies cry. If not, STFU and enjoy the fantasy that Hawken combat (and other FPS's) provide.