'MechWarrior Online' video takes players to driving school

MechWarrior Online received a new developer diary video today that teaches players the strategies behind customizing and driving mechs.

MechWarrior Online, the the upcoming free-to-play massively multiplayer online shooter from Piranha Games, received a new video today that teaches players strategies for customizing and driving mechs.

In the video, developers cover the finer points of controlling mechs, including a dual reticle aiming mode that allows you to aim faster than your mech's torso can turn.

"The biggest difference from a traditional shooter is that your upper body and your lower body move separately, so you don't always move in the direction that you're looking" said Omid Kiarostami, Piranha's lead gameplay engineer. "It's kind of like piloting a giant, walking tank."

The developers also discuss the "mech lab," the virtual garage in which players customize their vehicles before each match, and mech classes that range from the lumbering, armored Atlas with high firepower but low mobility to the lightweight and nimble Scout, which is quick but relatively weak.

You can watch the developers walk through the nuances of taming the mechanical beasts in the video below.