Nearing the end
So. Something unusual happened today. I had fun in PvP.
I got matched with a player who I assume was new. He was only level 14 and didn't seem to be following the meta, and in that case, the game was actually fun. It wasn't simply a twitch-fest of muscle-memory-winning is the only thing. We both backed off from ledges. The lag gods were with me and I managed to get an absorb to actually work one out of four times or so. And perhaps most important, he wasn't a player who kept using fast to force me into guard until I'm backed into a corner and the camera doesn't allow me to see what's going on while my stamina gets drained. He'd do a few moves and back off, even though he had some stamina left, to re-adjust.
And it was fun. We feinted. We attacked. We dodged. We traded blows. It wasn't a one-sided crush fest as it is every time. Yeah, eventually he beat me, but I didn't mind losing to him because it felt like there was a possibility there.
Unfortunately. That made the next matchups even worse. Because remembering that I had fun in PvP, it brought home what an amazing grind fest it normally is, and that the only reason I'm even doing it is because a quarter of the game-play, as in one of four different styles, is locked behind having to do, good lord, I don't know how many battles I'll have to do to finally unlock drunken style.
So I'm nearing the end. I thought I was going to finally find a thinking person's fighting game. But it seems that this too is primarily a twitch fighter once again. And I'll admit, I'm just not very good at those. I don't have the fraction of a second reaction time to do anything.. even when I *know* what move they're coming up with next, I don't seem to be able to do anything about it. So I get pummelled.. and pummelled.. and pummelled.. I'm level five in combat now. I've had a single win of a match. I've only won about 10 rounds, total, in all those matches.
I know. Git gud. Tried. But it feels more like I'm banging my head against a wall. For no reason other than the gated content.
And though I enjoy the PvE, I'm level 57 there, where they often give you a chance, I'm really starting to think it's not worth it.
So. I'm not going to blame anything in the game for this, I just suck, I get that, as humbling as it is to admit. I'm just not good enough for my suggestions as to move timings or anything to have any weight (though I think my bit about armor still has merit simply because of the logic of it) but, what would make it better for me, things that don't involve nerfing moves or styles or anything like that, because I can't comment on those?
Well, to start, more communication in-game. Give me an emote to point at a person. If I can do that and then guard, maybe they'll get the hint and know I want to try to teach them a move they may not have (and one that I just have because I'm in the school with it) then let me point at myself, to do the same thing. If I point at me, guard, point at them, come on, maybe they'll get the hint that I'm looking for help. And yeah, most people won't, but some might. Then you might start getting some camaraderie in game and that could help retain players when they're up against that gated content wall.
Oh, and that PvP gated content? That's a big problem too. We're already hearing about people who just AFK their way through for the experience. I try not to do that, but I certainly understand those who do, and sometimes, yeah, if the other guy is apparantly happy enough with me just being a punching bag, not wanting to allow any opportunity for me to get in there, then yeah, match two, that's what he gets as I walk away and get a drink or something. But I can't assume that's fun for them.
Or maybe this is me just whining. But I don't think I'm alone, and I think if you guys want a game with staying power, then you need to do something about the brick-wall difficulty curve that new (and bad) players are forced to bang their heads against in this game.
I got matched with a player who I assume was new. He was only level 14 and didn't seem to be following the meta, and in that case, the game was actually fun. It wasn't simply a twitch-fest of muscle-memory-winning is the only thing. We both backed off from ledges. The lag gods were with me and I managed to get an absorb to actually work one out of four times or so. And perhaps most important, he wasn't a player who kept using fast to force me into guard until I'm backed into a corner and the camera doesn't allow me to see what's going on while my stamina gets drained. He'd do a few moves and back off, even though he had some stamina left, to re-adjust.
And it was fun. We feinted. We attacked. We dodged. We traded blows. It wasn't a one-sided crush fest as it is every time. Yeah, eventually he beat me, but I didn't mind losing to him because it felt like there was a possibility there.
Unfortunately. That made the next matchups even worse. Because remembering that I had fun in PvP, it brought home what an amazing grind fest it normally is, and that the only reason I'm even doing it is because a quarter of the game-play, as in one of four different styles, is locked behind having to do, good lord, I don't know how many battles I'll have to do to finally unlock drunken style.
So I'm nearing the end. I thought I was going to finally find a thinking person's fighting game. But it seems that this too is primarily a twitch fighter once again. And I'll admit, I'm just not very good at those. I don't have the fraction of a second reaction time to do anything.. even when I *know* what move they're coming up with next, I don't seem to be able to do anything about it. So I get pummelled.. and pummelled.. and pummelled.. I'm level five in combat now. I've had a single win of a match. I've only won about 10 rounds, total, in all those matches.
I know. Git gud. Tried. But it feels more like I'm banging my head against a wall. For no reason other than the gated content.
And though I enjoy the PvE, I'm level 57 there, where they often give you a chance, I'm really starting to think it's not worth it.
So. I'm not going to blame anything in the game for this, I just suck, I get that, as humbling as it is to admit. I'm just not good enough for my suggestions as to move timings or anything to have any weight (though I think my bit about armor still has merit simply because of the logic of it) but, what would make it better for me, things that don't involve nerfing moves or styles or anything like that, because I can't comment on those?
Well, to start, more communication in-game. Give me an emote to point at a person. If I can do that and then guard, maybe they'll get the hint and know I want to try to teach them a move they may not have (and one that I just have because I'm in the school with it) then let me point at myself, to do the same thing. If I point at me, guard, point at them, come on, maybe they'll get the hint that I'm looking for help. And yeah, most people won't, but some might. Then you might start getting some camaraderie in game and that could help retain players when they're up against that gated content wall.
Oh, and that PvP gated content? That's a big problem too. We're already hearing about people who just AFK their way through for the experience. I try not to do that, but I certainly understand those who do, and sometimes, yeah, if the other guy is apparantly happy enough with me just being a punching bag, not wanting to allow any opportunity for me to get in there, then yeah, match two, that's what he gets as I walk away and get a drink or something. But I can't assume that's fun for them.
Or maybe this is me just whining. But I don't think I'm alone, and I think if you guys want a game with staying power, then you need to do something about the brick-wall difficulty curve that new (and bad) players are forced to bang their heads against in this game.
Comments
It can't have been fun for him, so huge appreciation and thanks!
Also, I found my first sparring partner a couple of days back, and it totally changed the overall experience towards the better. It took me a lot of combat trials and unanswered friend requests, but when the player you had fun fighting against actually responded and you can spar outside of combat trials with neither side feeling the pressure to win, that was priceless.
Wishing you the same luck