Author Topic: What makes a good captain?  (Read 13417 times)

Offline Skymonger

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What makes a good captain?
« on: February 19, 2016, 03:19:19 pm »
Don't get me wrong, this is not a "how to effectively fly" with a competent crew kind of thread. Believe me, I've flown with some of the best and fought against some of the best captains way late into the night and the amount of fun I get from them makes up for the burning eyes, wrist pains, and exhaustion I get from making their ships go.

In general to me, a good captain:
Talks to his/her crew. (Preferably with a mic)
Praises effort of said crew
Generally avoids crashing into mountains.
Helps others learn.
And finally Doesn't have to win, but has fun even when losing.


So aside from those points, what makes a good captain to you?



Offline BlackenedPies

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2016, 04:12:28 pm »
Looks for challenges not hardcounters and communicates with allies

A good pilot is equally comfortable with every ship and uses plenty of pilot tools and stamina. Best tip I can give to pilots is to constantly use tools

Offline Kamoba

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2016, 04:18:53 pm »
A good pilot gives his crew gun arcs while avoiding being shot to death, see BlackenedPies post for more details. ^

A good captain leads the team, much like you said, communicates, praises and helps each member improve.
A good captain shouts at his team in a way they don't think he's a salty fool. :)

Offline DrTentacles

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2016, 05:27:18 pm »
Communication, positioning, and risk-assessment.

Offline ZnC

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2016, 06:35:52 pm »
Brings enough guns.

Offline Skymonger

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2016, 12:15:38 am »
Ain't that up to the engineers that build the ships?

Offline Dementio

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2016, 07:05:06 am »
From a competitive-ish point of view I can see it as:
Crew already knows what it has to do, the captain makes sure they are not confusing priorities.
Hardcore communication with ally, to the point where you know everything that is happening on his ship. Map and killfeed help at telling you everything that your ally doesn't mention. An example of communication is telling him that you destroyed some enemy's balloon which helps your ally know that he can get out of danger easily, if he needs to.
Know the enemy even better than your ally. Again, map and killfeed, but the fact that you are actually looking at the enemy in order to outmanouver him helps knowing more what's happening on their ship, than on your allies.

Praises effort of said crew
Before I was competitive, I once asked my engineer dude, who always engineered for me, if he would want me to say "good job" at the end of games. He said he didn't care either way, because too many people mention that. And because people have high expactation of Rydr I am not used to praising somebody for their effort, more often than not I am complaining like a mad man, but try to do it in a joking manner, so the mood doesn't get brought down.
However, in dire situations I do throw out a thanks when somebody snipes a Hades when we are losing a sniping duel. Sometimes I even thank the Artemis engineer for destroying the enemy armor so our Hades can kill it. That doesn't make sense? If the Hades can't destroy the armor, somebody else got to do it so you can thank them for doing the job better than your Hades.

Offline Skrimskraw

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2016, 07:16:53 am »
this thread dejavu?

Offline DJ Logicalia

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2016, 08:56:18 am »
Being The Sky Wolf

Offline Skymonger

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2016, 05:19:09 pm »

Before I was competitive, I once asked my engineer dude, who always engineered for me, if he would want me to say "good job" at the end of games. He said he didn't care either way, because too many people mention that.

I suppose it's a matter of perspective, too much of a good thing gets old and stale real fast. Guess it applies to praise as well.
I understand where you are coming from, but I feel it's a matter of courtesy given how everyone works hard.  As an upstart captain, I probably give way too much thanks to the crew that ride with me, a lvl 7. Whether or not they actually care is up to them of course.

Offline Squidslinger Gilder

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2016, 07:04:29 pm »
Know when to hold them, know when to fold them, and know when to cackle sadistically as your mines make noobs rage quit.

Oh and know when to strap the little #@^%# troll to one of your mine launchers and use them as ammo.

Offline Skymonger

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2016, 08:16:27 pm »
Know when to hold them, know when to fold them, and know when to cackle sadistically as your mines make noobs rage quit.

Oh and know when to strap the little #@^%# troll to one of your mine launchers and use them as ammo.

I feel like I should report you for sadism and practicing black magic...
Yet somehow I don't think reporting you to the authorities will "fix" you.

Then again...the little twerps probably deserve it.

Offline Squidslinger Gilder

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2016, 09:18:17 pm »
Know when to hold them, know when to fold them, and know when to cackle sadistically as your mines make noobs rage quit.

Oh and know when to strap the little #@^%# troll to one of your mine launchers and use them as ammo.

I feel like I should report you for sadism and practicing black magic...
Yet somehow I don't think reporting you to the authorities will "fix" you.

Then again...the little twerps probably deserve it.

Mines fix everything!

Offline Richard LeMoon

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2016, 11:42:15 pm »
Ordering the crew to all jump off the ship, and they do so without hesitation.

Offline Spud Nick

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Re: What makes a good captain?
« Reply #14 on: February 22, 2016, 04:34:01 am »
Knowing when you have to work around your ally, and knowing when you can work with them.