If you're looking for some Meccha Chameleon tips to get better at hiding or seeking, then you've come to the right place. There are now millions of players trying out this viral hit and it can be hard at first to figure out what's going on, while learning the best ways to avoid detection or track down your opponents. Having played quite a few rounds myself, I'm here to help with tips for Meccha Chameleon, whether you're hiding or a hunter.
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1. Practice in a private server first
They say that practice makes perfect, and it's hard to git gud when you're running around in a panic before the hunters are released. So, if you jump into a private server with just you in it, you can take all the time you need to fully explore each stage to look for the best hiding spots and work on your painting skills.
To set this up, hit the Create Server option from the main menu and then configure the Meccha Chameleon max players count to 1 so you won't be disturbed. Create your server, select the desired map from the lobby, then feel free to wander round and experiment at your own pace.
2. Hiding in plain sight will get you more points
One of the big appeals with Meccha Chameleon is being able to disguise yourself well enough to hide in plain sight, and as you earn points for the time you spend in any hunters' sightline that's also the best scoring strategy. Look for objects you can naturally blend in with and are easy to mimic – I've had huge success in the past curling up next to balloons and matching their color, with whole squads of hunters walking past without spotting me!
Of course, as your skills improve you can start trying to make your hiding in plain sight more audacious, by painting yourself to blend in with increasingly complex surfaces and patterns. You can even try attaching yourself to objects and expanding them – if you look like you're part of the existing structure then you're much less likely to stand out to a hunter.
3. Use the 3D Eyedropper to match your surroundings effectively
If you want to paint yourself to match your surroundings, then you need to get the color(s) you're using as close as possible to the originals so you can blend in. The general Eyedropper tool in the menu will help with this, but the best approach is to use the 3D Eyedropper.
Hold down Space to activate the 3D Eyedropper tool, then hover the mouse over a surface to display a cross that will follow the contours, before using Left click to select the currently targeted color. Make sure you also hold the Right mouse button and move left or right to change the size of your brush – go big for the initial coloring, then shrink it down for detail work, and check the angles to confirm you've painted every part of you that's visible.
4. Hiding out of sight is also a solid option
While it's perhaps not a tactic that's in the 'spirit' of Meccha Chameleon, you can also choose to hide out of sight rather than blending in. While this approach probably won't score you as many points, the trade off is that you're more likely to survive the round if you find a good spot.
If you find a good place to tuck away, you should still give yourself a basic paint coat to match your surroundings so you don't stand out if a hunter starts investigating around you. However, watch out for a warning that "Your body is buried too much!" if you clip too far into the scenery, as if you don't adjust your position to rectify this you'll start flashing red for all hunters to easily find you.
5. Stay where you are unless you're sure your cover is blown
Sometimes while hiding in Meccha Chameleon you just have to hold your nerve when the hunters are near, and have faith that your disguise will keep you safe. I've had times when a hunter was literally crawling on top of me, but I persevered and eventually they moved elsewhere on their search.
Running around the level will make you instantly recognizable as a moving target, so only change position if you absolutely have to and try to stay out of sight if you do. If you end up being chased by a hunter, remember that they have to pause between shots, so keep moving and erratically change direction as you try to break their sightline.
6. Download new maps to keep things interesting
There are a handful of original maps supplied with Meccha Chameleon and new ones are being added, but the solo dev is never going to be able to keep up with the voracious appetites of millions of players. However, there are already a huge number of user created maps in the Steam Workshop, all of which can be downloaded for free.
If the lobby you are in selects a custom map you don't already have, you can easily follow the prompt to add it from the Workshop and jump straight in. My personal favorites so far are The Village, Art Gallery, and Where's Wally?/Waldo?
7. If you're hunting, don't overlook the obvious
As a hunter, you'll be tempted to comb areas of the map in minute detail to see if you can spot something slightly out of place that will give away a hider. However, this means you may overlook something completely obvious when an opponent is hiding in plain sight. When you start hunting, do a quick overall sweep around to see if anything stands out as unusual – especially if you're familiar with the map – before going on to examine areas in more detail.
8. Paint yourself as a hunter
This is more for fun than anything else, but don't forget that it's not just the hiders who can paint themselves. As a hunter you can still bring up all the same tools and give yourself a makeover, whether you want to make yourself look menacing or plain ridiculous! Just don't spend too long on your new look, as you'll be eating in to your hunting time...
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