32 replies to this topic

[Xarian]

As the topic says. The tournament encourages the following behavior:

• Blocking your teammates' fire so that you can get a last hit
  
• Letting your teammates die so that you can play cleanup
  
• Ignoring any weaponry that doesn't deal loads of damage (TAG, NARC)
  
• Splashing fire all over the place (instead of killing someone as efficiently as possible)

Not only is this sort anti-team behavior encouraged with tournament score, everyone is encouraged to behave this way by giving the C-Bill award for points. Here's how to fix it:

• Time is short - Shorten match time in all matches by 50% or more. Sometimes, one team will lose without everyone getting killed - this is normal.
  
• Fight to the end - No extra bonus for winning. Normal kills and assists are worth nothing.
  
• Efficiency - Reward for mechs killed quickly - the faster a mech dies, the more points the team gets. Anyone who assists in a kill gets points when that mech dies based on the current game time. Longer time = less points.
  
• Teamwork - TAG/NARC assists count exactly the same as a normal assist, with damage based on how many missile salvos or direct shots hit the target while it is TAGged/NARCed. UAVs don't count for damage, but do give a minor bonus.
  
• Cover your allies - ECM mechs get a small point multiplier based on how many friendly mechs are under ECM (when points are gained). They get a large multiplier based on how many enemy mechs are disrupted, and a very large multiplier for countering enemy ECM. UAVs don't count.
  
• Stay in cover - All mechs get a small point multiplier when under the effect of friendly ECM.
  
• Focus on the objective - Additional bonus reward for finishing Conquest via points, or Assault via base capture. The winning team gets points as though they killed every enemy mech. Already-killed mechs don't count, obviously.
  
• Not a matter of chance - There are two tournament rankings - one for consistency, and one for dedication. First, your median score is used to determine your consistency ranking. It's not influenced by spectacularly amazing or poor games, but is instead influenced by how consistently you perform overall. Your dedication ranking is determined exactly as it is now, using your 10 best games.
  
• Bribery - Bonus C-Bills are the same as now - rewards for playing good games.

Edited by Xarian, 06 October 2014 - 11:30 AM.

[Mikros04]

Since your team actually has to win, I don't think this is as much of a problem as you think. I played a lot this weekend and didn't see any of these things happening.

[Mothykins]

Mikros04, on 06 October 2014 - 11:35 AM, said:

Since your team actually has to win, I don't think this is as much of a problem as you think. I played a lot this weekend and didn't see any of these things happening.

Then you're a very lucky fellow.

[LORD ORION]

Yeah, I've seen alot of BS on the weekend.

People dropping target lock so they can score the kill.
People ignoring enemy ECM scouts that are jamming friendly team "competition" to lower their performance chance.
People only concentrating on last hitting for kill points.
People only touching enemies for as many assists as possible.
Friendly clans running away from the team as fast as possible after engagament so they get muched while softening up the enemy, and then letting 1 team mate get the last kills.

Total derp show....

[Bishop Steiner]

Mikros04, on 06 October 2014 - 11:35 AM, said:

Since your team actually has to win, I don't think this is as much of a problem as you think. I played a lot this weekend and didn't see any of these things happening.

I'd say that means either you were in the minority, or too busy shooting through your teammates to notice then!

But in all seriousness, while IDK about all the "fixes" in the OP (some would make sense), the underlying issues he listed is pretty much exactly what I saw. IDK if it's Elo (egh, can't believe I went there) but since I saw a lot of top Comp guys when I did drop (and quite a few matches where there were multiple people all wearing the same unit tags......hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm)
perhaps the mid to upper tiers are more dog eat dog? Anyhow, can only comment on what I saw and what my mates in 2 different units reported, which was.... pretty crappy, annoying conditions, unless you too were just willing to embrace it.

[Mikros04]

Cavale, on 06 October 2014 - 11:38 AM, said:

Then you're a very lucky fellow.

pug teamwork is crap generally. So when I say I didn't experience this at all this weekend, I mean no more than usual.

[LauLiao]

OP forgot to mention squirrel chasing. That was pretty out of hand this weekend too. I guess people trying to get "easy" light kills, but in several matches I was in I got to watch anywhere from 4-6 mechs running around for 5 minutes chasing a light all around the battlefield.

Of course it still doesn't beat the 3 lights and 2 mediums who I watched start off a match by attempting a frontal assault of 2 DWs, a DDC, and 2 TWs across about 1000 m of open terrain. I don't think I've ever seen an entire lance go down that fast.

[Kamies]

Go play in group queue or in RHOD or wait for CW or something if you wan't play with people as a team. There is no point complaining that solo challenge encourages to play solo. Who the heck wants to compete in NARCing anyway?

And splashing all over the place? Getting the fast kill instead of losing it to killstealer nets you 10 points more than just the assist. 10 points is 150 damage or one kill. I rather take 5 kills than do additional 750 damage.

Edited by Kamies, 06 October 2014 - 11:58 AM.

[KodiakGW]

Mikros04, on 06 October 2014 - 11:35 AM, said:

Since your team actually has to win, I don't think this is as much of a problem as you think. I played a lot this weekend and didn't see any of these things happening.

Like Cavale said, you are one lucky fellow. I might even accuse you of sucking away my good luck and dumping your bad luck on me.

I've stopped playing until this is over. You might see me drop to get my daily 2X XP on the ShadowHawk I purchased, but that is it.

To add to the original poster list:
* Sync dropping
* IFF/ friendly Dorito bug about 20% of games.
* ROFLSTOMPs almost every game (on either side of it).

[Mikros04]

LauLiao, on 06 October 2014 - 11:46 AM, said:

OP forgot to mention squirrel chasing. That was pretty out of hand this weekend too. I guess people trying to get "easy" light kills, but in several matches I was in I got to watch anywhere from 4-6 mechs running around for 5 minutes chasing a light all around the battlefield.

Of course it still doesn't beat the 3 lights and 2 mediums who I watched start off a match by attempting a frontal assault of 2 DWs, a DDC, and 2 TWs across about 1000 m of open terrain. I don't think I've ever seen an entire lance go down that fast.

Now THIS, I did see A LOT of this weekend, and it's a really stupid behavior. Not only do you only have a slight chance of being one of 6 or so people to get the kill, you're likely to cause more team damage hurting your score, and you're also more likely to cause your team to lose than you are helping in any way.

Edited by Mikros04, 06 October 2014 - 12:14 PM.

[Greenjulius]

The main problem I've seen with this challenge is deliberate kill stealing. I've had mechs purposefully move in front of my laser fire to deny me the kill, attempting to make me empty into the sky or risk team damage.

It's a pathetic thing to see, and it's worse this weekend than ever.

The light chasing is hilarious, and I've lost a dozen games this weekend to a bunch of idiots chasing a spider across the map.

The plus I'm seeing from this weekend is increased player numbers.

Edited by Greenjulius, 06 October 2014 - 12:20 PM.

[Xtrekker]

Wait, huh? You mean 3 kills and 87 damage isn't normal teamwork at work?

[Greenjulius]

Yeah, that's pretty hilarious. He still didn't get the bonus though... not even close.

[nehebkau]

This weekend event made my friend want to quit the game. He's been playing for about a month and kept getting steamrolled. I watched a few of his games and he was getting put with many high ELO players (I recognized their names). Since he only has one mech, dying a couple of minutes into the game and having to wait around isn't fun.

When he was playing with appropriate level players, many were in the scrounging for points mode and really made his game play un-enjoyable. I tried to tell him not to play this weekend -- I didn't.

IMHO, points should be damage * percent hit + 10 pts per kill + 5 pts per assist + 10 pts for a win + 2 pts. per assst( tag / arc/spot)

[Barkem Squirrel]

There is a new game mentality.

Get out of my F&^%$$# way or ELSE!


As for the squirrel chasing, LRMs are a great way of ending the chase and tick off your teammates. That is way out of hand. Direwolfs trying to run down a light, augh!.

[LORD ORION]

Barkem Squirrel, on 06 October 2014 - 12:58 PM, said:

There is a new game mentality.

Get out of my F&^%$$# way or ELSE!


As for the squirrel chasing, LRMs are a great way of ending the chase and tick off your teammates. That is way out of hand. Direwolfs trying to run down a light, augh!.

Unless they drop lock on purpose. Which they do.

[LauLiao]

If this was the first and/or only time I might be more forgiving but the game seems to degenerate like this EVERY time there's a solo tournament. The free C-bills they're handing out aren't helping anything either.

Edited by LauLiao, 06 October 2014 - 01:17 PM.

[Darth Mech]

The game is deteriorating in general. These "challenges" just amplify how and why.

It is inconceivable that PGI refuses to acknowledge the actual state of the game and refuses to do something to remedy it quickly--unless one engages in wild theories about profiteering.

Russ's statement that work will continue as long as it remains profitable seems to reinforce that idea.

[Xyroc]

All I know is I did it on this account and my 2nd which I dont use often so you can imagine it is at a neutral ELO.

I ranked up sooo much faster on my 2nd account because I felt like I was just playing like normal but made sure I got an few more assists than I normally do.

On this account I did see some "cut thoatness" going on such as the walking in front to steal kills and what not.

Edited by Beliall, 06 October 2014 - 01:36 PM.

[Uncl Munkeh]

Mikros04, on 06 October 2014 - 11:35 AM, said:

Since your team actually has to win, I don't think this is as much of a problem as you think. I played a lot this weekend and didn't see any of these things happening.

When do you play? I want to play in your timeslot.