Posted 18 November 2013 - 09:57 AM
My thoughts on the 'state of the game' are as follows (and no I didn't read all 17 pages of this thread to see if someone already posted similar thoughts):
I play every day. There's a small core of my merc group that play multiple times per week, and a smaller core that play ever day.
While in game I'm about 50% pure pug, 50% pre-made groups, and as such I see the following dynamic:
This game still has a moderately sized core of players like myself who have been playing at least since the beginning of open beta if not from further back, and a LOT of newer, lesser experienced players.
The result is that the MM is failing because you have a chunk (20% maybe?) of high ELO players and then the rest of everyone else.
These high ELO players when MM fails to separate them, or compensate for them, beat the livin' {Scrap} out of the newer, lower, ELO players, making this game 'feel' untenable for the 'average' new player. Hence all those threads.
Since the inception of economic recession (a means to encourage premium time purchase, and MC 'mech purchases), it has slowed down 'new player' progression significantly. It's no longer reasonable for the 'new' player to purchase and outfit a new 'mech every few days as it was in the past. No the new players I see coming into my 'merc unit are about 1 new, completely outfitted, 'mech per week on average (though there are few that play A LOT and can do better than that rate), so it's taking A LOT longer for the 'new' player to find that 'sweet spot' 'mech that fits their play style.
Slowing down player progression for new players while having a small, but still sizable, core of vets active in the game causes 'noob' frustration, and the occasional "MM failure"/"## number of losses in a row"/"pre-mades ruin everything" frustration for the pure solo/pug veterans (hence the large number of threads to that affect).
PLUS, on top of that the various nerfs in game making some default designs complicated and overly unintuitive (re: ghost heat, and gauss delays) causes extreme frustration for the noobs, and annoyance to the vets.
Over all, PGI needs to implement some content with REAL depth. New 'mechs are not 'depth' (though I like having new 'mechs). New maps certainly help (and I love them), but they don't have sufficient depth to hold long term interest. I understand that CW is a HUGE undertaking, however, ultimately if you want a "step towards" CW that adds depth then for F's sake, ADD MORE GAME MODES...
The two game modes have been worn thread bare, ESPECIALLY with the semi controversial means of winning assault (by standing on a square and capturing). You would think that an obvious and extremely necessary step on the way to implementing full blown CW would be MORE game modes, game modes that could be introduced AHEAD of full CW release. You would certainly think that PGI would want more than a few hours testing on the Public Test servers, and certainly want more than what their own QA/testing staff could provide.
New maps+new mechs+NEW GAME MODES gives some feeling of depth, and certainly would buy PGI more the necessary goodwill and player patience to wait another YEAR for the ALREADY LATE CW.
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Mister Blastman, on 18 November 2013 - 08:49 AM, said:
