Finally jumped in after lurking for a while. Downloaded all the maps and patches, and, so far, still seem to have a working game (thanks to WildCard for a clear summary).

While I am still on page 1 of the BI newbie guide - play through the SP game - what GMT times of the week would be good to launch into online play?

Another question - I have read a guide somewhere that I can no longer find (I thought incorrectly it was [AK]stalker's guide to team play), which advised on a internet connection test, which related back to ensuring the correct speed is selected in the MW4 connection set up. Anyone got any advice on setting the speed correctly - or should I just select the speed which relates to my lines theoretical max?

Thanks.

jd

Jimi, you ought to be able to find a game at just about any time of day (or night), but BI folks don't usually end up on Ronin until about 2 or 3 AM your time. Of course, I wouldn't know, because I haven't played Mercs in over a month...

For the speed, you should set it as close to your connections actual up/download as you can. Otherwise you can get all kinds of weird lag problems, as many units over at MWL can tell you.

Welcome to the Banzai Institute JimiD Looking at your local time it looks like you live somewhere in Europe. We have a few euro players here at Banzai and I know there are servers that are euro friendly. I'm sure Siegfried will come along shortly and give you a list of euro friendly servers.

Hi Jimi...

Here's a thread I started a while back about connection speeds. It was suggested to me that I set my connenction speed to 56k, regardless if I had dial-up or a broadband connection. The reason being that it's easier on a server with a lot of clients. Hope it helps...

greetings Jimi.

Hi Jimi, I'm just making a flying visit in as I'm away all this week and have just had to nip home for the evening to sort something out at silly o'clock tomorrow morning. (so no TAG match for me tonight). Anyway, as to Euro friendly servers, you are pretty much guaranteed to get a game at NBT Sunder at most times of the day. This is puretech mission play though and may not be to your taste although it is certainly worth trying (you're not limited to driving a Sunder either.) Only word of warning, if your caught putting Clan weapons on IS mechs and vice versa then you will be, at the very least, asked politely to desist and change your config to one with IS weapons on IS mechs etc. So no RAC Daishis or ER Large Marauders. Now what Rat says about Ronin strictly speaking correct. However, as a Euro player who likes his sleep, I have a cut off time of 2.30 am as the latest I'll be fooling around on an open server (exceptions for league matches and practices) and I can usually get a decent game most nights. If you lurk on the server from about 11pm GMT especially on weekends then a few of the more keen Americans / more sensible Euros will be around at some point (you may have a long wait sometimes). Failing that then PATS 36 occasionally has some good games on although mind you don't get caught legging and the Undeads server "A taste of Blood" is allegedly Euro friendly. JM Mechbays return is also occasionally full at sensible hours but I can only connect to it about 1 time in 30 for some odd reason.

Now, onto the servers that may or may not be up. First and foremost is the legend that is Panda Kan. If his server is up (Panda kan LOL) then jump on it. Panda runs a tight ship and the rules are clear. He's also a top bloke and runs one of the friendliest servers around. Never seen any trouble there and Panda's one of the best. Just watch out for the Cauldron Born and the Uller and the Light Brigaders in Mufti . Second is Amanda's, run by an Undead member called, strangely enough, Amanda. Now, don't be expecting miracles here with the ping and it's best to drive a heavy or an assault (a medium if you must but don't take a light unless you and Amanda are the only people on the server.) She will deck you but in the friendliest and nicest of ways. Hers was the first server I started frequentling regularly after Ronin when I first started playing and I still get my head handed to me every time she's got a server up and I feel masochistic but I've learnt a lot from playing with her and I always enjoy myself (if you do go play there, say hi from me.)

That should get you started. Don't be afraid to try servers out. The Stalkers In the Night servers are good too if there's anyone on them and you're burning the midnight oil.

Velcome, Velcome. Come in, take a seat.... Yes that's right that one there... Oh don't worry about the wires sticking out. I'll just be standing over here. *gets into a blast bunker*

But in all seriousness welcome to Banzai JimiD
With the amount of folks that seem to be haunting the boards as of late I'm sure not only will you learn all you need to, you'll find a timeline that works with your drop schedule.





*pushes the button*

Owwww...
Tasty fresh...

I'm trying to find some time to play online again after another "gap", so I'll hopefully be online somewhere during GMT-friendly times (technically BST, at the moment) from time to time. If Ronin's empty (which it frequently is when I'm looking for a game) I tend to go wherever I can find a team game. Specifically, I look for one that isn't populated with too many people sporting the same clan tags, as I generally find that means I'll be reduced to slag within 20 seconds of respawning pretty much every time.

[in case you hadn't guessed, I suck ]

Say hi if you see me...

Oh come now Doormat we'll take good care of you.

Wee

first time on Ronin last night

running round pasting everyone.

err, something not quite right there?

wrong tense

running round getting pasted by everyone (little closer to the truth).

still - had a blast, will be on again tonight - now hooked.




Thanks to all for a good evening, and for being made welcome.

PS, couple more questions:

Ive read that bad connections and fast mechs is not a good idea - what sort of ping causes problems with the fastest mechs?

if i am gonna end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, want to be able to get out of there at 100mph (without upsetting everyone on the server)


All the screen shots on MW4 forums show a HUD with bars rather than mech outlines, and I still have the HUD with outlines - I have searched FAQ, forums, both here and at Mektek, without finding out how to swap it over to bars.

I have found refernce to the High Def HUD patch, but dont run the graphics high enough to warrant installing it for the other graphics enhancements.

I have also read the manual, which is pretty brief and only a pdf, which makes no reference, and tried different settings on options - hope the answers not there, else i gonna look pretty stupid.

Well, I can answer one of these.....

Use the period key for your armor. The comma for enemy armor.

Oh, yeah...welcome to the Institute.

thanks

/mumble err dont know how i missed that /mumble

(slinks off)

No problem. We're always willing to help out here. Hell, I had to look it up in my Mercs manaul, 'cause I usually just use the mech outline. Seems to work better for me.

Well if you have a dial-up connection there isn't too much you can do. You're ping will frequently be over 400 on any server. It's probably a good idea not to run any other programs while you're running MW4 - and don't be afraid to ask other players if you're lagging too much.

With a high speed connection, it shouldn't be a problem. Once in a while just check your ping against the other players by hitting the "tab" key. If your ping is consistently over 300, look at other player's pings. If yours is higher than everyone else's you should probably reboot MW4 - or your computer.

Also, regardless of your connection speed, make note of the server's ping when browsing for a game. Same here: the lower the better.

Glad to see you're having fun!

I play in a light a lot of the time whenever i hit an open. With my notoriously unstable broadband, UK to America by way of Siberia with a short diversion to the backside of beyond, I've had precisely one person whinge at me for being laggy and since whenever I see him on a server he whines about the (nonexistant) lag, I don't think it's me, I think he's a rotten shot who was annoyed because he can't nail a fleeing Raven.

generally Ronin is under 200 - low end broadband.

thanks for all the advice and encouragement.

been loitering around tonight - running around on empty maps (cant seem to get Snow Maze to work - downloaded it from MWL again, still no luck).

@seigfreid

I will have to try other servers - does NBT-Sunder run league matches or is it open for all? Their site is not clear.

As for Amandas, reckon getting caught legging acidentally might become a worry, once Im past getting caught hitting. I need something requiring a little less precision, lbxs... artillery. One use for empty maps - jump sniping trees.

NBT Sunder is open to all, just remember Clan weapons go on Clan mechs etc and it's mission play, not a free for all (I love taking a Raven with artillery beacons on it and sneaking in to drop them on my objectives). Generally if a server isn't for open play it'll be locked and passworded. PATS 36 is the server you don't want to be caught legging in BTW, if I remember rightly (been a while since I 've played on it). And LBX is definately the ways forward

Really? Mmm......maybe that's why they all ganged up on me

I hate that map....never works.