173 replies to this topic

[cleghorn6]

So, I wanted to talk about the "graduation" to Tier 3.

There have been a bunch of threads both here and elsewhere about how different/difficult/amazeballs/whatever Tier 3 is from 4 and 5 because apparently now you're dropping all the time against Tier 1 try-hards and it's super hard but the author is super skilled and it's not so difficult really if you're super awesome like them.

Well.

Firstly, let me say this. I play in what's known as "The Forgotten Time Zone". I've been dropping for a while with only the Oceanic servers selected (I'm pinging up around 500 to both EU and NA which is... more difficult than I'm prepared to put up with unless I have to) at a time when the world population is at its lowest. Very rarely do I wait even the 2 minutes required to open up the MM to beyond my own Tier, let alone the additional 2 minutes it would take to theoretically open it to the full +/-2 Tiers which would allow me to meet Tier 1 players in-game. So I don't know how these NA prime time-based players are finding themselves matched against both Tier 1 super l33ts AND Tier 5 window licking potatoes.

Anyway, Tier 3. Did the skill level go up? Yes. Noticeably. Which I consider to be a good thing. It's tiresome to be matched up with players in their first matches, still learning how to move AND shoot. Not because that's an inherently bad thing to be, but because my gameplay is beyond that level and needing to account for team-mates who can't figure out how to fire weapons in group 2 is... boring. I've found a much more receptive platform for tactical maneuvers like flanking, setting up cross-fire, using UAVs and so on.

Mistakes are punished far more harshly. If you accidentally wander out on front of an enemy team, it's unlikely that you'll survive and if you do the smoking remains of your 'mech are pretty much only good for wandering around giving away your allies position. This I consider to be a feature. For too long I have been relying on my ability to walk away from ridiculous mistakes, not only intact but still useful. It makes for lazy decision making.

Perhaps I'm an unusual case, or just not representative of the more vocal new entrants to the Tier 3 meat grinder. I've been playing for 3 years and while I've still got less than 10K matches under my belt, I know this game pretty well. I know the maps, I know the tactics. I can tell from where the initial engagement occurs on the map, probably how it's going to go. I know the 'mechs and builds, not as well as I should perhaps but better than someone who has just started.

I guess what I'm saying is that I feel like moving up to Tier 3 is exactly what I wanted/expected from going up a Tier. I would expect that a new-ish player who got lucky (or who has some innate skill) and moves quickly into Tier 3 SHOULD get face-f*cked pretty hard for a while because they're skipped out on a bunch of skills which are necessary to play at a higher level. They need to learn quickly to survive.

Is this just me reverse-justifying my own experience? Maybe. Difficult to tell objectively from here.

Summing up though, I've enjoyed the move into Tier 3. I like the tactical depth and the higher skill level required, it's what I want from the game at the moment. Is the skill level higher? Almost certainly. Have I been on the pointy end of that skill jump? Absolutely just watch my videos. I spend a lot of time eating it, hard core. And that's a good thing. Without challenge, we cannot meaningfully improve.

[cleghorn6]

Oh, hi, didn't see you there.

I'm done mastering the HBK-IICs and I'm just skilling up some Warhammers because they're just so damn fun to drive. I'm a little behind with my videos so expect a big batch to drop shortly. Remeber, if you just drop in and watch the latest one, YOU'RE RUINING MY RETIREMENT PLAN YOU MONSTER!

[cleghorn6]

Right, videos all up to date. Now you can't say I never do anything for you.

[cleghorn6]

Just uploaded a cracking match in my WHM-6D, one of my all time best. A**es kicked, names taken, faces rekt, days ruined.

[cleghorn6]

I fell behind in my uploads so I'm working through the back-log. It means I get to hide a bunch of average matches in a big update that no one will ever watch. SUCKAS!

[cleghorn6]

Elite skills for Warhammers: DONE!

The videos are all uploaded, I just need to add my comments & meta tags etc. I've built a Wolfhound I find interesting so I guess they're next.

If anyone wants to suggest something, go right ahead, either here or in comments on the videos. For builds or chassis' to try. Or the old classic "Git Gud!".

[KrocodockleTheBooBoxLoader-GetIn]

You know i never noticed the game getting harder at tier 3... Huh

[cleghorn6]

Quality humblebrag, 4 stars, would brag again.

[Uparmored Rickshaw]

DrSlamastika, on 11 June 2015 - 01:18 AM, said:

You play 3 years and your W/L ratio is 0,7 . . . . what you are doing wrong?

I hope you will get better.

If that is the bar you judge others on, no wonder there was an exodus.....

[Johndar]

​Great stuff! Keep the videos coming, I also noticed that the bump from 4 to 3 was there. I had to change my play style completely. Teams are generally more organized I guess.

[cleghorn6]

All the WHM videos are posted, if that's your thing. Starting on the Wolfhound ones. I've just finished Basic skills on the 1A, I think the 1B is next, can't remember, I built it quickly last night, 6 x MPL and an XL295.

[cleghorn6]

Wolfhound Basic skills: DONE

I've actually really liked the Wolfhounds, I've done the WLF-2 (6 x ML, XL295) to all Basic skills in, I think, 6 matches. Which is even to my record and not even all 1st of the day wins (or indeed, all wins from memory).

Is this chassis good? Or am I learning to play? Tune in next time to find out if I can handle a laser vomit CRAB!

[cleghorn6]

You want some Crab videos? I'll get you some Crab videos.

Am I just talking to myself?


Yeah, thought so.

[White Bear 84]

I'll sub to this

Love the volume, great gameplay archive you have going!

[cleghorn6]

Honestly it's getting to be a bit of a drag. I'm trying to find a good time to switch over to just posting the good matches, I'm thinking probably when I hit 1000. Maybe sooner if I can think of a reason to stop

[cleghorn6]

EHRMAGHERD!!! I'm so far behind. I'm like 2 weeks behind on my videos.

I'm working away in the background to bring everything up to date. I'm sure you're all rivetted.

[IraqiWalker]

Are you excited about any of the upcoming mechs?

[cleghorn6]

I'm excited about the PHawk for lore reasons, so a stack of those will be dropping into my 'mechbay next week. I bought the Cyclops because who doesn't want to be driving a 'mech covered in eyeballs?

At some point I'll probably pick up the Kodiaks but I'm not really an Assault pilot so it's mostly so I can quad-UAC/10 people in the face. It seems like a satisfying thing to do.

Other than that I haven't really been super keen on any of the new packs. I do like the new 'mech pack format, I think buying new 'mechs chassis by chassis makes much more sense than in the big ol' collections from the olden days. Huntsman, Night Gyr and Viper don't really interest me at all. I'd be more like to back-fill the Archer or Rifleman (which are the only other 2 I haven't bought *whale-ing intensifies* ) if I won one as a prize or something.


I've just realised something. My current project is to get Basic skills unlocked on all my IS 'mechs and I'm getting close to finished ("close" is a pretty broad term in this case) but I've got another ... 8 'mechs arriving (I bought the PHawk reinforcement pack) probably pushing out my completion by another ... couple months.

I really need to stop buying 'mechs



Edit: Welcome back, by the way. Haven't seen you around for a while

Edited by cleghorn6, 15 June 2016 - 01:10 AM.

[cleghorn6]

So




many




Crab



videos


.
.
.



(nearly there)


(also nearly finished Basic skills on all the Crabs)


(if only the match maker didn't hate the CRB-27SL so much I'd be done by now)

[IraqiWalker]

cleghorn6, on 14 June 2016 - 09:24 PM, said:

I'm excited about the PHawk for lore reasons, so a stack of those will be dropping into my 'mechbay next week.

What lore reasons?

cleghorn6, on 14 June 2016 - 09:24 PM, said:

Edit: Welcome back, by the way. Haven't seen you around for a while

Thank you, I was on a long break.