See thread: https://www.mechspecs.com/threads/load-screen-tips.7861/ I'm thinking of illustrating a WWII style German tanker manual for MWO's new players or general amusement of veterans. A Battlemechfibel. What better way to help new players than a fallout / WWII style illustrated humorous manual going over everything from getting started, single vs double heat sink analogies to ballistic weapon trajectories (just like the tank crews). I was wondering who would be interested in helping me write the tips / pages out with valuable newbie mechwarrior tips. Real world examples below: Tigerfibel (Tiger tank primer) http://www.alanhamby.com/tigerfibel.shtml Pantherfibel (Panther tank primer) http://www.panther1944.de/sdkfz-171-pzkpfwg-panther/panther-manuals/panther-fibel.html?lang=en
I couldn't help you illustrate it very quickly (just have no time, all my drawing time is taken up by commission work), but I'd certainly add in some text when possible Pictures will take longer.
I plan on doing the illustration mostly. It's the text and composition etc I would like people to help contribute so we can make a Mechspecs illustrated guide to getting started for new mechwarriors.
I could write up some bits I've been teaching my housemates to play in hopes that they will join me on the battlefield, so the info they need to know is still very fresh.
Perfect. We could make it a flip book or a viewable PDF stickied on mechspecs etc with some sharing on the new player sections of MWO official forums. (Which will also draw more people to the light that is mechspecs).
Just let me know how you want to get the info, and how wordy you want it to be Maybe PGI could actually use the damn thing hehe
It Basicly needs to be broken down into chapters and in order, doesn't have to be too long just a handy illustrated manual for brand new players. Hopefully some more people show interest in this and help out otherwise I'm fine with just the 2 of us, I need a project to draw anyway.
We need more than quotes though. Someone who draw comic on the side, and the non-quote content on instructions of basic stuff.
Quotes would just be a blurb here and there throughout guide. I can draw / create the guide I just need some people to write the actual guide or atleast submit ideas / copy like Durandal's says he has I can dig through and sort out.
Some of the info is already done from us, that google.doc for newbies is a good place to start building. Can just edit the stuff there to fit the current state of the game to start. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rEV2TECSJkuzaJmUBx4zw1OTVNE6uauevMFdZUX2_Yo/edit
Prediction: Sadly this will be more helpful than most of the new player experience work in the last 3 years by pgi. I'll try to help out too. I think the doc had a lot of good info in it we just need to update a little and add too it. Also think about it from a new players prespective as to what will make sense to them. What will be hardest to understand. Firing guns nope. Setting up firing groups and heat management practices yep. Independent legs and torso rotation maybe (if they never heard of World of Tanks or any other mech warrior game)
The thing is, how do you get newbies to read this! We all know that MWO is a mech simulator at heart, even though they are marketing it as a mech fps. As a simulator game we know that you have to do lots of read up to be ok at it. There are lots of techniques in controlling the mech, more so than in a simple fps, not to mention different area and hit box and mech performance, weapon position, etc. The build does matter also. Given two identical newbies, one in stock and one in any reasonable mechspecs build... we all know what would happen. But how do you get all these to the newbies without being tl:dr? I think a manual like this would help.
Maybe we'll get lucky and pgi will say well using this is cheaper than makeing one lets link it in the getting started with those vids they have. At the very least lets try to get it stickied in the new person or guides forum at the main site and here.
That's why I think an illustrated manual would help with the TLDR and explaining leg/torso twisting in a cartoon form would help a lot. I was thinking of a Mechwarrior cartoon guy but actually Herby the Urbanmech or something would be cool... Hmm. I'm going to sketch some quick ideas out tonight and see what you guys think. Maybe PGI will even promote it like those cool blueprints? Edit: I'm going to start editing the OP when I add info or show examples etc instead of replying here. Head has ideas... Karl Urbanmech...
I'm going through that Google doc and either adding info, or revising it periodically (until I get bored). Some of the stuff in there is opinion (such as thoughts about trial mechs), but it's a good start
