Curse

kryshnysh · Aug 15, 2006, 05:27 PM // 17:27

I wasn't around for the long ladder for the most part, only playing very sub-par GvG at that time, but it seems to me that championship point farming seems to be similar to the smurfing problem of old in net result, facing a lower ranked guild with much better players. Maybe thats purely a result of the "fun season" but I don't see it entirely disappearing come next season, and at least some of the guilds farming as such aren't just PuG GvGing for their titles.

Wasteland Squidget · Aug 15, 2006, 07:56 PM // 19:56

There is a lot more rating farming in short ladder seasons, but let's not forget why they originally added the short seasons. If imbalances are discovered during a ladder season that lasts several months, we're stuck with them.

Until Anet is willing to do skill balances mid-season, long seasons have a high potential to lead to disaster.

Greedy Gus · Aug 16, 2006, 02:59 AM // 02:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasteland Squidget

There is a lot more rating farming in short ladder seasons, but let's not forget why they originally added the short seasons. If imbalances are discovered during a ladder season that lasts several months, we're stuck with them.

Until Anet is willing to do skill balances mid-season, long seasons have a high potential to lead to disaster.

They are willing to.

Wasteland Squidget · Aug 16, 2006, 04:00 AM // 04:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greedy Gus

They are willing to.

When have they said they're willing to do large skill balances mid-season? Other than bugs or game-destroying things, the last Anet comment I heard on this was during WoC. Izzy specifically said they wouldn't do large skill modifications mid-season.

A season of whatever overpowered FoTM someone comes up with isn't particularly attractive.

Shortyafter · Aug 16, 2006, 04:16 AM // 04:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasteland Squidget

A season of whatever overpowered FoTM someone comes up with isn't particularly attractive.

Gale wars anyone?

overclocked · Aug 16, 2006, 05:33 AM // 05:33

every season in we have ever had is made up of something like this.

Greedy Gus · Aug 16, 2006, 06:59 AM // 06:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasteland Squidget

When have they said they're willing to do large skill balances mid-season? Other than bugs or game-destroying things, the last Anet comment I heard on this was during WoC. Izzy specifically said they wouldn't do large skill modifications mid-season.

You were suggesting that Anet was unwilling to make skill balance changes mid-season when imbalances appear. This is just false, evidenced by the plenty of changes mid-season they've made since the initial GWWC tourney.

I'll grant that they won't make the widespread skill changes 'for the hell of it' that they do sometimes make between seasons to make things fresh. But those are better spread-out anyway, and do not force the need for 1 month seasons where few teams find their right elo value. And they certainly aren't necessary to keep gameplay balanced.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasteland Squidget

A season of whatever overpowered FoTM someone comes up with isn't particularly attractive.

There is a difference between powerful and overpowered, and the devs know more often than not how to differentiate between the two (and are willing to put an end to overpowered things). Sure they'll change some powerful stuff eventually, because as Jeff Strain put it: "game balance isn't just something you have or don't have, but something that is either fresh or stale".

We will always come to a fairly matured metagame based on the current skill balance, popular guilds, season structure, etc. Why shy away from this? There will always be weak skills and strong skills, and there will be powerful builds in any metagame.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shortyafter

Gale wars anyone?

IMO the matured prophecies metagame of gale wars, dom mesmers, cripshots, and OoB boon prots was a blast. And I know I'm not the only one who thought that.

Akaraxle · Aug 16, 2006, 10:12 AM // 10:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrograd

So basically, the conclusion to this thread would seem to be that you either

a) Go with the flow, throw your balanced build out the window, forget about trying to learn and just run thumpers or spike

or

b) Run a VOD build and bore yourself and everyone else to death while inching slowly up the ladder

Happy days

I thought PnH was running some sort of balanced?

Vindexus · Aug 16, 2006, 10:55 AM // 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greedy Gus

IMO the matured prophecies metagame of gale wars, dom mesmers, cripshots, and OoB boon prots was a blast. And I know I'm not the only one who thought that.

I agree, that was by far my favorite metagame.

JR · Aug 16, 2006, 11:04 AM // 11:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vindexus

I agree, that was by far my favorite metagame.

I'll back Vind and Gus on that one.

glenn_rolfe · Aug 16, 2006, 11:24 AM // 11:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greedy Gus

IMO the matured prophecies metagame of gale wars, dom mesmers, cripshots, and OoB boon prots was a blast. And I know I'm not the only one who thought that.

man getting gale locked was the biggest pain in the ass....but somehow fun when u did it to someone else. Go figure

Akaraxle · Aug 16, 2006, 11:29 AM // 11:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by glenn_rolfe

man getting gale locked was the biggest pain in the ass....but somehow fun when u did it to someone else. Go figure

And AoE -10 energy Signet of Weariness... let's face it, no meta was perfect. But the gale war era was probably the least bad.

JR · Aug 16, 2006, 11:50 AM // 11:50

Cripshot was even easier, and far more effective. Monk's had Offering of Blood, so energy management was like el oh el. Warriors had Gale and the HoD helm, so hexes weren't a problem. So much fun, balanced? Who cares. In that case I could forgive the imbalance because it was FUN.

fenix · Aug 16, 2006, 12:09 PM // 12:09

In the long run, I don't think balance is an issue with that metagame, it was awesome to play GvG matches, because everything just worked. You knew what you'd come up against, but it was good fun playing. I think HA used to be like that some time ago too...

TheOneMephisto · Aug 16, 2006, 01:29 PM // 13:29

O man, unerfed cripshots and OoB were the best.

Gale locking someone for like 20 sec was also sweet.

yesitsrob · Aug 16, 2006, 01:49 PM // 13:49

OoB, yes. <3

And the broken exhaustion mechanics, give me that over RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOing thumpers any day please. The current meta is a bit boooring, maybe nightfall will add some new interesting and really fun aspect to it (no, not the dmo spamming and r/p...spam.. something that's kind of not broken).

I think we have to blame ritualists. ritual lord, shut up.

D E L E T E D · Aug 16, 2006, 02:28 PM // 14:28

i agree, blame the ritualists.

overclocked · Aug 16, 2006, 03:43 PM // 15:43

its almost the same this season as it was why it was all glae cripshot, and im sure therse some noobs who like the thumer, rit, smite stuff better cause its easier to play "well," theres also noobs who like IWAY, if you get my drift.

there hasn't ever been a good ballanced season, and as long as they poop out a new ch every 6 months there wont be.

I guessed the gale war season was the golden age most players will like but I like the pre-spirit spam days much more, facing the same build match after match is boring.

Divineshadows · Aug 16, 2006, 03:51 PM // 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by D E L E T E D

i agree, blame the ritualists.

VODitualists are lame. Many teams that prefer to use them do so to hide weaknesses in their positioning or kiting habits.

Too many ritualists starting showing up, so many teams started to run 3 or 4 melee (many of them with pets as well) to completely overpower ritualist spirits by having them die due to autoattacking faster then they could be replaced. To counter the heavy amount of melee, builds without a ritualist became more defensive by chaining Aegis and such. This is my opinion as to how the metagame reached its current state.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greedy Gus

IMO the matured prophecies metagame of gale wars, dom mesmers, cripshots, and OoB boon prots was a blast. And I know I'm not the only one who thought that.

Why would a mature metagame be desired? Sure you knew what you were going to be playing against most of the time (except for the occassional spike or IWAY team) so you could easily metagame accordingly, but overall there was less variety than I see today.

twicky_kid · Aug 16, 2006, 04:09 PM // 16:09

Sig of Humility = useless rit

All you need is 1 skill to destroy the rit backline. With distortion you can easily reach him and survive.