First impressions of MW5

[Jade_Rook]

I played a couple hours of the MW5 demo. We get 5 missions, which there are a good variety, but they still just kind of turn into kill everything missions, especially when you have a dozen weak vehicles buzzing about you.

The gameplay is good. It certainly feels like a MechWarrior game. However, the HUD is terrible. Other than hostile health, none of the HUD info was in a convenient location. It felt like they completely ignored what they developed in MWO and tried to remake the wheel, starting with right angles.

The missions have you facing a LOT of enemies. Over a company of mechs in each, plus two or three times that many vehicles.

Overall, it is good. Not perfect, but I am warming up to it as I play more.

 

[Prussian Havoc]

Great to hear you are enjoying MW5! : )

How is the AI?
Can it hold up to a 4-Player Coop?
Or do you see a heavy push for PvP (even though that isn’t supposed to be in MW5 at all) because the AI will have a hard time challenging 4-players?

 

[Jade_Rook]

The AI is... decent, maybe even good. It focuses on weapon locations and damaged components. Long range mechs stick to long range. Light mechs maintain speed and scurry around annoyingly. It doesn't have pixel perfect accuracy, but that is probably a good thing.

A good 4 player team will tear the AI apart, but that isn't unusual. I would rather have one or two human lancemates than three AIs that only kind of follow orders.

I see no push for PvP. We already have that with MWO.

EDIT: The more I play the demo, the more I am enjoying it. If they improve the HUD (really just give me weapon ready indicators) and I'd be happy.

 

[Prussian Havoc]

Thank you Good @Jade_Rook. :bow:

 

[MeiSooHaityu]

Cool, good to hear. Thanks for the impressions.

I downloaded everything last night, so I haven't had time to sit down and play it yet. From what you have said and what I have seen, it looks fun and promising.

 

[Dmon]

I know you said it felt like a MechWarrior game but did it feel like it was set in the BattleTech Universe?

My major beef with MWO has always been that outside the 'Mechs themselves (that they heavily redesigned) the game has no connection to the rest of the lore thus rendering the game as pretty much a generic robot shooter with a brand slapped on.

So to be a real MechWarrior game needs more than just gameplay mechanics.

 

[Jade_Rook]

I know you said it felt likeva MechWarrior game but did it feel like it was set in the BattleTech Universe?

My major beef with MWO has always been that outside the 'Mechs themselves (that they heavily redesigned) the game has no connection to the rest of the lore thus rendering the game as pretty much a generic robot shooter with a brand slapped on.

So to be a real MechWarrior game needs more than just gameplay mechanics.

I don't think I can say from the demo. MWO is just an arena shooter, so it really doesn't have any lore attached to it. The demo has just 5 instant action missions. There is no story or lore connected to them. That is where the campaign and company management side will come in, and get none of that is included in the demo. I expect MW5 will be better on this than MWO, simply by virtue of having some connection and story.

The MechLab is pretty limited. Hardpoints are 1-1 from loadout and are both size and type restricted. If you have a PPC, you can fit a single medium laser in its place, but not two lasers or an autocannon. There is no changing engines or armor type or structure.

 

[Beagá]

When it will be released?

 

[Prussian Havoc]

When it will be released?

December 10th on Epic Game’s Store.

 

[Beagá]

Nice, gotta finish this campaign then, I liked the MW too much

 

[Ole122]

Can you comment a bit on the controls? How does Mouse+Keyboard work? I remember that in the old Mechwarrior games I struggled a bit with them, but I don't know if that is because I was younger and didn't bother to learn them or if they were inherently clunky.

 

[Beagá]

Really had no trouble with KB and mouse on the MW2s and 4 (didn´t play 3). At worst you could just use lasers, specially as cannons were bugged on the MW2s

 

[Rørik Þrumsålr]

I know you said it felt likeva MechWarrior game but did it feel like it was set in the BattleTech Universe?

My major beef with MWO has always been that outside the 'Mechs themselves (that they heavily redesigned) the game has no connection to the rest of the lore thus rendering the game as pretty much a generic robot shooter with a brand slapped on.

So to be a real MechWarrior game needs more than just gameplay mechanics.

Looking at the myriad of tutorial videos and recently released trailers I can tell you that its non mission play/style is drawing heavily from HBS Battletech. I think we will be pleased.

 

[Ole122]

Really had no trouble with KB and mouse on the MW2s and 4 (didn´t play 3). At worst you could just use lasers, specially as cannons were bugged on the MW2s

Excellent. Was probably my impatient self back then which wasn't willing to invest some time. And 3-key mouses without scrollwheels. Guess 5 keys with a wheel will be more useful.

Otherwise I'm just exited.

 

[Jade_Rook]

Controls are very similar to the other MW games. You won't have trouble with keyboard and mouse. Two fire groups are easy with a mouse and three or four are possible if you have the mouse buttons for it. Zoom is controlled by the mouse wheel. That isn't what I initially expected but it works well. My biggest issue with the controls was with knowing my torso twist. The UI didn't communicate it real well and the mechs feel heavier than in MWO. The difference caught me a bit by surprise, but I think it is more an unfamiliar system that I will adapt to pretty quickly.

 

[Beagá]

OK I took my time to watch more videos on Youtube.

Why the game has so many dislikes? Is it because it went to the Epic store? It isn´t awesome graphically but I´d rather have good physics - it isn´t an AAA game, so... Is it good on that aspect? Or a cannon barely hits different from a laser?

 

[MeiSooHaityu]

Controls are very similar to the other MW games. You won't have trouble with keyboard and mouse. Two fire groups are easy with a mouse and three or four are possible if you have the mouse buttons for it. Zoom is controlled by the mouse wheel. That isn't what I initially expected but it works well. My biggest issue with the controls was with knowing my torso twist. The UI didn't communicate it real well and the mechs feel heavier than in MWO. The difference caught me a bit by surprise, but I think it is more an unfamiliar system that I will adapt to pretty quickly.

Yeah, the torso twist in relation to the legs isn't obvious in MW5 unless you have spent some time with MWO. I say this because MW5 shows it the same way as MWO. On the mini-map there is the FoV cone (torso direction) and an arrow pointing out from the peak of the cone (the direction of the legs).

There is a key for auto-centering the torso, but I'm used to the feel of the torso and legs, so I normally just auto center it naturally by hand. Well that, and because I think auto-center is the 'F' key, and I Re-bound that key as the Jump Jet key. I actually use the Space Bar for firing 'Weapon Group 3'. That may seem odd, but it feels more natural to me than the thumb button on the mouse.

 

[MeiSooHaityu]

Oh, and after playing a few missions of the MW5 demo...yeah, it's good. I really enjoy it and I am glad I bought/kept it. It isn't perfect, but what is? Besides, it makes me happy when I play and puts a smile on my face

P.S. When I saw the MechWarriors to pick from, and one had the classic 'Chapstick' Neurohelmet, I nearly lost it lol. Amazing!

Original Artwork...

 

[Prussian Havoc]

...Why the game has so many dislikes? Is it because it went to the Epic store?...

Partly Epic, partly past PGI and Russ missteps, all exacerbated by a full measure of Internet Torches and Pitchforks. It is all rather unfortunate, if to an important degree, earned.

 

[KnightCole]

The one thing I find extremely impressive about MW5 is the SCALE, they got the SCALE correct, it FEELS like your in a battlemech. The 55t shadowhawk is actually somewhat believable. The SCALE is one thing I find slightly derpy and kinda disappointing about HBS BT. There is no way the Highlander is 90t while a Shrek tank, being as small as it is by comparison, it only 80t. More like the Shrek is 80t and the Highlander is 2500 tons. Watching the cutscenes during the campaign, that one image where the pilot is in front of the Griffin, yeah, no, sorry, there is no way that is a 55 ton mech. The cockpits in HBS Battletech look like studio apartments, not cramped little battlemech cockpits.

Now if only PGI didnt [Mod edit: Language] to Epic.....