Messages

31

General Discussion / Re: Who do you look for to have a good time?

« on: March 08, 2016, 01:18:46 pm »

-Fun, Reliable crew.
1. Do they talk/listen?
2. Do they spam annoying Memes?

If 1 is yes, and 2 is no, then I have a crew I can happily work with. In a pinch, I will drag friends in because we always have a good time. I also adore running with [FIRE] and [CAKE].

If I am flying, my crew must be prepared for hyper-aggressive play. If the ship isn't breaking, on fire, and sitting on top of an enemy, we are doing SOMETHING wrong.

-Enemies
No particular enemies, though I will always try and murder the hell out of pyras and spires first. For practical reasons. (Hwachafish are a distant third)

Also, anyone who uses the term "Dank Meme" goes to the very top of my "must kill" list.

32

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Player-suggested tips

« on: March 08, 2016, 11:32:16 am »

Crew: "Mines do distinguish between friend and foe. Be careful where you shoot them!"

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Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Player-suggested tips

« on: March 08, 2016, 11:30:16 am »

Might be better to say it more directly then. The way blackened put it is a bit confusing.

34

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: I am begging, please add minimum level requirements to pilot...

« on: March 08, 2016, 11:25:53 am »

Side note to all: how about we all calm and chill. After all we're all on the same boat, trying to find a way to make the game fun.

I apologize, I got a bit heated. It was wrong to be so abrasive.

I'm fairly well known (and teased) with my friends for constantly advocating for new players/first time players in other games. It heavily bothers me when I see anyone advocating ideas that can shut new players out or turn them off from something they enjoy.

I do still feel the tools already exist to avoid novice captains if one wants too. Vet games, comp games, and premades all exist already. Rather than adding more arbitrary barriers (which is a huge turn off for many people) I would prefer people focus on using the tools that already to exist to improve their experience.

35

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Player-suggested tips

« on: March 08, 2016, 11:19:41 am »

Use pilot stamina as a supplement to tools you have or a replacement for tools you don't have, but not as a substitute for tools you have

What if you don't want to use a tool that might break a component? You don't want to phoenix claw if it will cost you a turning engine, but stamina might give you just enough torque to get an arc.

36

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Player-suggested tips

« on: March 08, 2016, 11:05:51 am »

Pilots: You keep some momentum after you are done accelerating. Only a few seconds of moonshine are really necessary to get forward momentum on some ships (Particularly galleons), and a few seconds of hydrogen and a touch of stamina can get you plenty of vertical lift.

37

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: I am begging, please add minimum level requirements to pilot...

« on: March 08, 2016, 10:50:24 am »

I won't contradict your numbers or reasoning. I can understand being tired, and it can be very frustrating dealing with some people. Especially when having voice chat disabled turns it off completely. (This is actually a problem and potential bug)

That said, if you want a team that works as a well-oiled machine the simplest solution is to grab some friends to fill half a lobby. I do that a lot, actually, even if my own friends are basically novices/low-mid level. (All of us picked up GoI after a long break on a whim, and we're having a blast!) The means and place to get that sort of play that you and Jazzhands seek (which isn't always, I understand that. Sometimes you want to just play, other times you want to teach, and sometimes you want to screw around.) already exists and is working perfectly fine. Punishing a novice player that might want to try a spire or mobula just isn't the right way to do it.

38

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: I am begging, please add minimum level requirements to pilot...

« on: March 08, 2016, 10:09:03 am »

The answer is simple. Because from day one, you are playing at end game. Every player has access to every tool and every ship. With novices getting the defaults to teach basic game mechanics.

And when said novices get out of novice mode to use said non-defaults. They embarrass themselves by showing no understanding of what the game by design is trying to teach them. Frankly, if you area novice getting out of novice mode, you better be dead sure you can fight at mid-high level. Otherwise you got no excuse if you lose. You have a mode made for you to play at your level and you intentionally skipped it. If you can't hack it, theres no one to blame than yourself.


Frankly Kamo I disagree with your 2 ship building philosophies. There is only 1 philosophy. The noob one is just for those too lazy to learn from teachers, the game and the meta. Which is by far the most efficient way.

Because once you understand the mechanics, you do what bored vets do and create crazy builds with intentionally planned crazy results. With noob builds like double flak, you only get embarrassing 5-0 thats no fun for anyone.

I didn't realize we were playing in a ranked mode/tournaments 24/7 and had to perform in top, 100% meta form at all times ever without any deviation until we fit a narrow definition of "vet" in order to learn and experiment.

Oh wait, no, we don't. Those are on weekends with sign-ups and the Vet queue. That's where you are supposed to bring your A-game.

In any game, the meta is a crutch for learning for new players, and a no-thought fallback of experienced players. Nothing else. Frankly, most matches do not matter. Winning outside of a tournament setting is pointless. Your win statistic is just a number that will steadily go up, nothing more. Outside of a match that has stakes (Glory, Fame, Money) a win is pointless except for the enjoyment you get out of it. The point of any game is to have fun with it, arbitrarily restricting people from a third of the game just because they might do poorly is the complete antithesis of that.

Seriously mate, you sound like a MOBA player right now.

If you don't want to play with novices/novice captains on either team, then don't. Stick to vet games, lobbies without newbies, premades, and tournaments. That attitude has its place, and frankly it shouldn't be in pubs.

39

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: I am begging, please add minimum level requirements to pilot...

« on: March 08, 2016, 09:44:05 am »

To be fair you're both wrong and both right. It depends on if you're learning through trial and error (Jaminis point.) Or if you're end game competitive ship building (Jazzhands)

It depends on the context, and since the balance changes started it's encouraged newbies learn through trial and error as more guides become outdated and more videos become out dated...

Why would a game with an novice in it as a captain be playing in an end-game competitive match?

Winning or losing in normal deathmatch/cp games is pointless. Who cares if you lose? Have fun with it, learn, get better, and work out interesting strategies. Bring in old friends, make new friends, and help others learn. That doesn't mean don't try, but it does mean that we should step outside our box and screw around.

Also, just because someone is new and unfamilier with the game does not mean they are stupid. I actively seek novices to run and captain my ships, and the vast majority of them (about the same ratio of experienced players) are earnest, well-meaning, and pretty damn eager to learn. Just because someone is not experienced or good yet does not make them stupid, or even a deadweight on the team. It is far more effective to explain patiently to a new player how and why certain setups/ammo work, than it is to try and blanket-ban them from a full third of the game until they "prove themselves"

40

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: I am begging, please add minimum level requirements to pilot...

« on: March 08, 2016, 08:57:22 am »

@Jamini

completely incorrect. If you want to experiment your meta. You do it with people that know how to take advantage of your crazy plan. Give criticism and actually understand the build you have. You don't learn anything from people too dumb to not shoot or prioritise something.

The amount of arrogance that drips from your post is exactly why I'd prefer running with a novice that meshes well, than a max-level who is an asshole. You've made my point startlingly well. Kudos.

41

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Player-suggested tips

« on: March 07, 2016, 11:32:59 am »

3. It is better to take an undesirable loadout and suggest changes than it is to refuse and argue. A poorly equipped cooperative ship will always outperform a well equipped dysfunctional ship.

Wholeheartedly disagree. Certain loadouts simply will never work well in a pickup group. It is the responsibility of the crew and the captain to discuss loadouts and come to an agreement before the ship starts.

3. Both Mallet/Pipewrench and Spanner/Pipewrench are poor combinations

Spanner/Pipewrench is a meta combination for squids. Mallet is overkill for everything but the balloon on a squid. Mallet/Pipewrench is a poor combination however.

42

General Discussion / Re: What do you name your ships and why?

« on: March 07, 2016, 11:08:32 am »

In order that they were named:

Goldfish - Dart
-Originally a blenderfish build. The Dart charges in, takes down the balloon of the target, then chases it down to pin their opponent to the ground. I rarely take Hwachas on my goldfish.

Mobula - Depth Changes
-When I first flew my Mobula, I was screwing around with a harpoon - x4 mine loadout. The name was a pun referring to how the mines were used. (Aim DOWN. Aim down!)
-Nowadays I use it to refer to how I fly. Vertical mobility is key for keeping a mobula alive and in arc.

Spire - Stake
-The cousin of the Dart. Can you guess what I try and do with this? (hint: Drogue chute)

Squid - Squib
-I enjoy calling Squids Squibs over voice. Even if it sounds and looks dumb. ESPECIALLY when it sounds/looks dumb.

43

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: I am begging, please add minimum level requirements to pilot...

« on: March 07, 2016, 10:46:00 am »

I actually enjoy flying with novice captains.

For one, the "Novice Partnership" achievements have a category for flying with a novice captain.
Not to mention that games with one or more novice captains allows crews to safely experiment/practice with non-meta weapons and equipment load-outs without utterly crippling their team or throwing the game.
Finally, running with a good novice (or several) on your team is a fairly easy way to get in your underdog games/wins.

Quite frankly, what I've found matters more than experience is how well a crew meshes in personality and play-style. You get jerks and assholes at all levels. A victory with a jerk level 45 captain can be an absolutely miserable experience, just as a loss with a cooperative and fun novice captain can be extremely fun. Having to defend a viable load-out against high-level players who feel slaved to the meta is not enjoyable (Having a pyra pilot call chemspray and buff hammer worthless as a classy example I've had recently. I got too much joy in getting on the opposing team in the next map and utterly demolishing them with a buffed Hwachafish as hull/buff engie.)

Ultimately, I think the system we have right now is really quite good. The only way a novice is going to learn how to fly properly is by trying and failing. It's not like losses matter in the long run either way, the point is to have fun.

--------------------------------------------------

Also, when dealing with novices that have better communication skills and are willing to listen: Simply taking them into a practice match and explaining how ship controls work/damage types work can do wonders. Just last night I took a friend/clanmate of mine who hasn't played since before the pyra nerf on a quick practice match to help him learn/remember the basics. We then went on to win two hard-fought matches back-to-back. Anecdotal, but nevertheless relevant.

44

General Discussion / Re: What are you?

« on: March 07, 2016, 10:08:41 am »

Professional cat-herder and novice-wrangler.

I also engineer from time to time.

45

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Make Gunners A Relevant Choice

« on: March 03, 2016, 12:35:24 pm »

Really, the main issue stems from the fact that all gunner tools are ammo.

Very few guns need more than one ammo type, and most organized ships have set guns for each crewman. This allows a single engineer to be as effective as a gunner... or more so with a buff hammer... on a great number of guns that only need a single ammo type.

A simple solution would be to introduce a set of non-ammo gunner tools. Something that can boost the gun in a similar manner to the buff hammer/chemspray. An engineer gunning a gun can at most take one tool, while a gunner could be much more versatile. Not just temporary buffs (stamina), but something that could be applied consistently. Ideally each would stack with gunner stamina, so that it would be ideal to have at least one gunner (or more for certain load-outs) at all times. All gunner buff items would be mutually exclusive, but stack with the buff hammer.

Example thoughts:

Arc Hook - This tool increases the horizontal arc and decreases the vertical arc of any gun it hits for 5 seconds with a 5 second repair cooldown.
Winch - This tool increases the vertical arc and decreases the horizontal arc of any gun it hits for 5 seconds, with a 5 second repair cooldown.
Spring Loader - This tool decreases the reload and mag size of any gun it hits by 25% for 5 seconds, with a 5 second repair cooldown.
Stablizer - This tool decreases jitter and dramatically slows traverse speed on any gun it hits by 25% for 5 seconds, with a 5 second repair cooldown.

An engineer would not be able to use these tools as well as a gunner, due to the fact that they would not get ammo types. While a gunner could use both a special ammo and a tool to buff their own gun.