I know how to toggle the single/group fire by using the backslash(\) but how do I, if its possible, fire all the weapons in say group 1 and then, with the next trigger pull, fire all the weapons in group 2?
When I use the backslash key I either fire one weapon over and over or fire each weapon one at a time in sequence.

do you use a joysitck or keyboard and mouse? the answer is a bit different depending on which it is.

I'm using an saitek X-36.

Ok, here's whay you should do, when Mercs is up and running go to options, then go to controls. go down the list to where it says "Fire Selected Weapons Group" that should be yoru main trigger. Then a few slots lower you should see Fire Group1, Fire Group 2, etc. You can leave Group 1 alone since it will fire automatically on your main trigger, all you need to do then is click inot the column that says joystick and pull the trigger that you want to use for that fire group. When you do this, if a number shows up i the column it is now set and you are good to go. If nothing shows up ost here again and one of our resident tech heads will probably be able to diagnose it better then I.


Sliv.

Thanks Sliv:) I'll give that a try. The more I look at it I may have to try using macros.

I've always found it better to rebind the main trigger to Fire Group 1, rather than leaving at the "Fire Selected Weapon Group" setting.

And set another group to shoot all the weapons. Might come in handy.

Withe the X-36 you can do anything you want. In windows 98. It has limited functionality in W2k, XP with the newest software from Siatek. The X-45 is the monster you want for those 2 O.S.'s. I sure miss my X-45

Not me, I do it the way Sliv said, main trigger is "Fire Selected Weapon Group" though I always have the selected group be group 1, and it's usually, but not always, an alpha-strike group. Then when I switch to chain fire I have every weapon to cycle through. Different strokes and all that I guess.

In a perfect world what I would like to be able to do is: have the trigger fire the current weapons group (I have the top launch button set for alpha) and then with a push of a button be able to use the trigger to cycle and fire grouped weapons. I have been thinking of switching over to Dhauzimmer's drivers. They are supposed to be able take advantage of all the bells and whistles while using XP\W2K. Has anyone had any experience with the Dhauzimmer drivers? I've heard they can be a pain to program.

That's why I need all 6 firing groups. d= My way doesn't require me to change firing modes during combat, only which trigger I'm pushing.

For my non-brawlers, it goes like this:

• Group 1 on main trigger, usually all direct-fire weapons, set to chainfire on spawn.
  
• Group 2 is ERLL (usually set to chainfire on spawn).
  
• Group 3 is missiles.
  
• Group 4 is Alpha Strike.
  
• Group 5 is either the ERPPC by itself or the ERLL again (grouped this time).
  
• Group 6 is either the CGR by itself or the LRMs again (grouped this time).
  

As you can surmise, most of my configs have roughly the same mix of weapons, just in varying quantities and types.

Brawlers are a little different, in that I set only the CLBX20s to Group 1.

I can't remember exactly why i use the same config as Gwyd.

I think it has something to do with the chain firing of weapons. I've already binded it to spacebar, but i rarely use it in any of my mechs ... except for chainfiring LRM boats.

***

Darn, Wad's using 6 control groups!

You really like juggling your weapons eh

Personally? I think if the 'Mech needs more than three groups, I ain't using it.

I tend to divide my weapons up based on range, lead, and recycle time. Faster firing, constant-use weapons go on Fire Group 1 (trigger) and the 'big punch' slower -recycling weapons go on group 3. Most of my variants don't even use Group 2, to be honest. About the only time I use that is when there is a range differential in the Group 1 weapons, and then the longer-ranged weapon will be assigned both to Group 1 and Group 2.

Oh, and sometimes I use Group 2 as a low-heat option on really hot-running 'Mechs. Say for example I'm in a 6 ERLL Mad Cat... I'll have all 6 lasers on Group 1 as my standard alpha. All 6 will be on Group 3 set for chain-fire, and then have 4 of them on Group 2, so if I'm running ultra-hot but still need to get a shot off without blowing up, I can hit Group 2 instead of 1.

Well, you're an inbred Neanderthal-esque hillbilly with only limited higher cognitive functions. We're surprised you can handle 3 groups.

How deeply embarassing it must be to routinely have your little punk ass kicked all over the map by an 'inbred Neanderthal-esque hillbilly with only limited higher cognitive functions'.

I s'pose it would be, if it ever happened.

Going to have to say five weapons groups on my N45 bearclaw has worked the best for me.

Group 1 alpha (brawler) or right hand primary weapon.
Group 2 balistics (brawler) or left hand primary weapon.
Group 3 missles (brawler) or all secondary weapons.
Group 4 missles 1 if two packs are present.
Group 5 missles 1+2 or RAC if present.

This set up allows me to lay down firepower in any manner I choose, cool off when needed and the right and left hand setup to shield CT when needed. AHH the power of the unboat.

Hey Guys... Wildcard's fighting Wadmassi!

::throws down his Tasty-Wheat and bolts for the door::

That was almost funny, too.

Gee if I had known my question would have started a fight I wouldn't have asked But then again things do get interesting around here when the punches fly

Damnit Wad and 'Card, when are you two gonna stop arguing and work out the sexual tension? It's getting a bit old now!

kids, dont click that linky.

BTW, i only ever used 3 groups on my mechs.. long range/direct fire, missiles/indirectfire, alpha.

edit: it took 10 mins of v dodgy googling to find a link i could post that didnt completely break the rules, so no comments about it being bookmarked, asshats!

I, too, only use 3 weapons groups. MS FF(currently with a broken main trigger). I vary mine usually by distance. An example would be that 3 is for LG or missiles, 2 is for LL, and 1 is for alpha.

If I were using a BK with 5LL which happens very rarely, I'll fire 1 on trigger 2 and 2 on trigger 3 and the remaining 2 will fire on trigger 1 on the alpha.

Now, let's take a Fafnir loaded with 8CUAC2's. Set all eight on the alpha(trigger1), 3 on trigger 2 and 3 on trigger 3. Fire 2 then 3 and then hold down the alpha for continuous fire.

As an elite pure keyboard user (without changes from stock ), i tend not to go beyond 3 groups of weapons (Insert, Home and Page Up). Most times i do not even set an alpha because it is just as easy to pound on all three buttons at the same time. I do snipe with keyboard, but tend to need to jump higher than most peeps to get my left hand back on the fire controls.

I only go beyond 3 groups to separate hot weps from, cool weps, missles and then from longer ranged ballistics, usually never beyond 4. I think this is on an avatar because of the varied size weapon slots. Light gauss, ppcs, missles, and a lg-ppc alpha for closer ranges

For most of my mechs, I have lasers 'n' such on the trigger, and then fire button 2 is the left arm and fire button 3 is the right. Group 4 is the shift button + the trigger, and I put both arms on that. That allows me to fire straight down more easily when using jumping over someone and looking down with the hat switch in a brawl. It also allows me to fire sideways with one arm (my thumb has difficulty flipping the hat switch sideways and pressing fire buttons 2 and 3 at the same time, they're right next to each other).

As a keyboard/mouse man also, Im ashamed to say I rarely use more then 2 weapons groups. Left button group 1, right button group 3. Alpha strike = both buttons. Hmm maybe this is why I stink at this game...

I couldn't help myself.... Started laughing so hard I woke up the baby...

Thank you Jimmy for the comic relief Maybe "relief" isn't the proper word to use where those two are concerned...

Anyways, I usually program 1 to 3 groups for most mechs and cycle as needed. I also have macros programmed for special circumstances, jump sniping, hill humping ect. I use a Nostromo N50 and a 8 button Logtech optical mouse so I can set up different loadouts for different styles of play.

+1 to Post Count!

Hey Dragonslayer, I'd consider a bet that the trigger on your FF is not working 'cos the solder that holds the microswitch to the board has dried out. Did it get unreliable first (wouldn't always fire first time....imagine how frustrating that was, children) then stop working altogether?

That's what mine did. Good news: if you're even vaguely capable of, say, fitting a plug to a cable without stabbing yourself with the screwdriver and electrocuting the neighbours then you should be able to fix it if you can beg/steal/borrow a soldering iron.

On my FF2, there are 5 screws holding the two halves of the stick itself together (the stick, not the base). If you unscrew these (being careful not to lose them, or any of the buttons you might drop as you pull the stick apart), you can take the plastic covers off to reveal the innards. Which aren't that exciting.

But: where the triggers are, there's a little circuit board where the actual microswitches for the triggers are attached - and if you're lucky, a little reheat and a tiny dab of fresh solder on the contact points of the main trigger 'switch should have your stick back up and running.

Obviously, YMMV. But it did work for me, much to my GREAT relief.

Dm

Hey thanks, I seem to remember a post a couple of weeks ago and it might have been from you. Thanks for that help. My wife is looking on ebay for a soldering iron as I type this.

I also know mine is only a year old and has a three year replacement which I need to take advantage of.

Again thanks a lot.

i mostly use three myself with the occasional 4th and 5th group. generally i group based on weapon range and type. missiles usually are the 4th or 5th group. as i use a mouse+keyboard, too many groups can be confusing, i use the left click as fire and the right click as the switch to next group button. i just got a new optical mouse so im trying new things now and again.

No prob - the post you remember probably was from me, but I thought it'd be quicker to retype than hunt around for it!

Dm

[quote=Wildcard,May 17 2004, 08:15 AM]
Personally? I think if the 'Mech needs more than three groups, I ain't using it.

I . Say for example I'm in a 6 ERLL Mad Cat... I'll have all 6 lasers on Group 1 as my standard alpha. All 6 will be on Group 3 set for chain-fire, and then have 4 of them on Group 2, so if I'm running ultra-hot but still need to get a shot off without blowing up, I can hit Group 2 instead of 1.


How do you set one group for simultaneous fire, and set another group to chain-fire.
It seems that this setup would chain-fire with the group-3 button, and fire all of them with thw group-1 button.
I can't figure out how to do this

Could you cycle stuff in one group with small lasers while not fire the big lasers in group1?

This is driving me nuts

There isn't any place I can find that covers this in detail.

could you help?
.

Once you have a set of weapons set up, short of altering the config in the mechlab, you can't change it. For the 6 ERL Madcat, I just have group 1 set for Alpha strike which is on my joystick trigger and group 2 also set for alpha. I use trigger 1 for chainfire because I've always played quick firers / energy weapons / secondary weapons on group 1, big punch on group 2 and missiles on group 3. If I'm packing a Tbolt as well as normal missiles then the Tbolt will go on button 4 but I only have 1 config like that. Chain fire will fire each weapon in the group 1 after the other so you can't be selective with which ones you fire. You could try my button arrangement and see how it works for you. Stuff like ER mediums, pulse, machine guns, RACs, ER large goes on button 1, LBX, Guass, PPCs, UAC go on button 2 unless I'm boating where I'll have them on button 1 as well cos it's the one I naturally reach for 1st (4 ER PPC Gladbag or Nova Cat for example, not that I'd ever be seen dead in either or 6 ERL Mad Cat where you do ocassionally need to dig out all 6 lasers at once and not need to spend time turning off chain fire) and button 3 is any missiles which are really an afterthought weapon unless I'm drivin' mah Raven in which case, they're primary armament. Obviously, this method needs adaption for some configs (eg RAC and ERL mechs such as the Thanny XT, the RAC's on button 1, the lasers on 2 or the Hauptmann "Trundling Death", 95 tons of minimum speed mayhem with 3 ERPPCs on button 1 and 2 so I can chainfire them and the Heavy Guass on button 3 or my favourite Landpig with 3 Heavy Machine guns on 1, 3 LBX 20's on 2 and an Assault laser on 3) If you have any more questions on it, just ask and in the meantime, here's the thread where I had to ask about chain fire. Chainfire

I am near the answer, I think, to the weapon cycling problem.

Make a supernova with a bunch of fast-cycleing lasers on each side, and start an instant action mission.

Set invulnerability, no-heat, etc., so you can just sit there and fire the lasers after you wipe out all but one whatever so you don't end the mission

Put half in one group, half in the other.

Hold down the trigger and watch the upper-right charging window as you pull the trigger, and then hold it down.

Toggle the "\" key and watch the display window

Then toggle shift-c and watch what happens in each "\" toggle.

I can't get a feel for the organization, but I think you cycle thru all the firing modes you can have... group, cycle within group, cycle thru all groups, cycle #1 and group #2, single fire in group... and maybe some I just didn't see.

It's interesting, and maybe I can get enough a hold of it to use it .

Maybe not.

i switched the group fire toggle to ###### x so its not so far over on the keyboard...

Man for asfs and vtol shooting you cant beat switching ti chain fire and going at it.