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Post by Pilot Moby_dic on Aug 19, 2018 9:53:46 GMT -5
Accidentally played my first game of not FFA in about...well since FFA debuted.
After the initial shock to the system - 「whiskey tango foxtrot」 got to get me some blue lights - I learnt three things.
1) FFA has 100% improved my game.
2) Patience, when to attack, back off, scan, scan, scan...
3) team mates still suck balls. OMG.
Background. Iâve since slowly climbed the ranking from 3500 to around 4900 since. I love FFA as I donât have to care about tankers and faders or beacons. I come up against Mrk 2 Hanger all the time and I enjoy it. And yet in the back of my mind Iâve always thought my game may be turning to sh@t
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Post by BossieBos on Aug 19, 2018 9:58:44 GMT -5
It’s true.
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Post by hi5 on Aug 19, 2018 10:39:41 GMT -5
Totally agree that FFA sharpens your senses, especially because that is where the highest leveled hangars often hunt. Every match is intense. They say the hotter the fire, the stronger the steel.
However, I would also say that there is a skill set honed in Random that can’t be found in FFA. Using teammates vs just identifying them as not a threat or strategically dropping (or not dropping) as two examples. More thinking and less fast twitch.
I like FFA, but I can’t play it casually (have to “get up” for it each time). I get outclassed more often - and feel it more - in FFA. When I’m playing exclusively FFA, I’m squarely in the middle of iOS M1. When I play exclusively Random, I’m low Champions League with a dip down every now and then.
This is one type of mode variety I think Pix got right. Now if they can just kill off the worst parts of Random we’d be cookin.
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Post by windcaster on Aug 19, 2018 14:31:49 GMT -5
I agree, FFA will teach you situational awareness.. it's only you so if you wanna survive you gotta pick your battles, positioning matters too.
If you get in a stand off try to get the enemy to take the side of cover that other enemy's are on.. eventually someone will come to attack them and force the confrontation to a head.
Also can use this in various other ways like if you're low on health and obviously being stocked.. dragged them to someone who is stronger and get out of the way.. most people just attack the closest target, the stronger enemy will likely latch onto your would-be assassin.
When the sparks fly kill one or both of them.
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Post by T34 on Aug 19, 2018 18:53:23 GMT -5
FFA heavily relies on situational awareness and one on one engagement related tactics. Under those circumstances it is also far more clear to realise successful and poor approaches. The presents of others in RM dilutes those learning opportunities.
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Post by ranchpig on Aug 19, 2018 19:53:21 GMT -5
I played it relentlessly for about a month and got pretty ok, now it just raises my blood pressure. Can't do it anymore.
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ushtar
Destrier
Posts: 76
Karma: 62
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Post by ushtar on Aug 19, 2018 20:39:24 GMT -5
I also like the fact that we can experiment counters, which you really can't do with random because teammates rely on you. So for instance, almost every first drop is an orkan spec, i'd set up a hangar which i think counters this and suits my game play. I'd literally hunt them down for one-on-one encounters to test. i found that dash bots, storm spec or punisher spec, some inq builds, etc... are good counters. I tried a lot more builds, and failed as well, without affecting other peoples game experience. Its good experience because ancile vs physical shield, splash vs plasma, counters no longer apply as much.
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Post by miscanthus on Aug 19, 2018 20:43:28 GMT -5
The best thing about FFA is the relative lack of Shocktrains.
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Post by windcaster on Aug 19, 2018 23:25:20 GMT -5
Just played a match.. power plant.. killed a orkan spec with my haechi, got killed by a 2nd orkan spec I didn't see.. as I was dying I saw a 3rd orkan spec jumping to kill the one who just killed me.. all this happen within about 10 seconds.
not a fun match.
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Post by Pilot Moby_dic on Aug 20, 2018 1:04:51 GMT -5
Just played a match.. power plant.. killed a orkan spec with my haechi, got killed by a 2nd orkan spec I didn't see.. as I was dying I saw a 3rd orkan spec jumping to kill the one who just killed me.. all this happen within about 10 seconds. not a fun match. I pretty much always use delay drop tactics into FFA now. Not only do you see what everyone else has dropped, but if you’re 5th drop (my sweet spot) you can normally get a couple of Ork Spectre kills as they come out of stealth and are also damaged. The boys they killed also spawn away from the melee so tend to find a little less congested. A strong start and some kills on the board always goes a long way in FFA. |
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Post by OrangeMegatron on Aug 20, 2018 3:31:19 GMT -5
Just played a match.. power plant.. killed a orkan spec with my haechi, got killed by a 2nd orkan spec I didn't see.. as I was dying I saw a 3rd orkan spec jumping to kill the one who just killed me.. all this happen within about 10 seconds. not a fun match. Actually it is a fun... Spork is one of the best killers (fast, descend, lot of firepower), but helpless when it's in open and just after the kill. One of the best counters to the Spork is Scourge Kumiho - give it a try. Can avoid rockets and keeps on sucking HP from you. |
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Post by windcaster on Aug 20, 2018 4:16:31 GMT -5
Just played a match.. power plant.. killed a orkan spec with my haechi, got killed by a 2nd orkan spec I didn't see.. as I was dying I saw a 3rd orkan spec jumping to kill the one who just killed me.. all this happen within about 10 seconds. not a fun match. I pretty much always use delay drop tactics into FFA now. Not only do you see what everyone else has dropped, but if you’re 5th drop (my sweet spot) you can normally get a couple of Ork Spectre kills as they come out of stealth and are also damaged. The boys they killed also spawn away from the melee so tend to find a little less congested. A strong start and some kills on the board always goes a long way in FFA. Sometimes I do that but I take so few games serious anymore that I normally drop my quiz first, ambush.. make a kill or two.. if im half dead, eject.. and usually my bulg/scourge or kumi ork comes out next. If I see a spec jumping at me I just eject on the spot.. without my jump on quiz im a sitting duck for a spec in descend. But anyway back to my previous post this actually happen in mid match. |
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Post by shivaswrath on Aug 20, 2018 6:57:23 GMT -5
Just played a match.. power plant.. killed a orkan spec with my haechi, got killed by a 2nd orkan spec I didn't see.. as I was dying I saw a 3rd orkan spec jumping to kill the one who just killed me.. all this happen within about 10 seconds. not a fun match. Actually it is a fun... Spork is one of the best killers (fast, descend, lot of firepower), but helpless when it's in open and just after the kill. One of the best counters to the Spork is Scourge Kumiho - give it a try. Can avoid rockets and keeps on sucking HP from you. Or scourge Spectre! |
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Post by Koalabear on Aug 20, 2018 7:33:38 GMT -5
FFA bumped me to Masters before I was ready.... Now, I've stopped playing FFA because its too hard to beat Mk2 on your own.
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Post by OrangeMegatron on Aug 20, 2018 10:07:17 GMT -5
Actually it is a fun... Spork is one of the best killers (fast, descend, lot of firepower), but helpless when it's in open and just after the kill. One of the best counters to the Spork is Scourge Kumiho - give it a try. Can avoid rockets and keeps on sucking HP from you. Or scourge Spectre! Scourge Spectre is a beast. The only drawback - 3 seconds auto lock for Scourges. If you face fully loaded Spork, then you may be in trouble  |
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Post by ⓣⓡⓘⓒⓚⓨ48 on Aug 20, 2018 10:51:00 GMT -5
FFA bumped me to Masters before I was ready.... Now, I've stopped playing FFA because its too hard to beat Mk2 on your own. Agreed... my 9/9 hangar is OK against 12/12, but put it up against Mk 2 12 and I start to wish my special ability was to curl into a fetal position. |
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Post by ⓣⓡⓘⓒⓚⓨ48 on Aug 20, 2018 10:52:09 GMT -5
Scourge Spectre is a beast. The only drawback - 3 seconds auto lock for Scourges. If you face fully loaded Spork, then you may be in trouble All depends on the jump timing, but yeah, managing the lock on is an art in that build. I love it though. My favorite Spec build so far. Even in FFA. |
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Post by codebrown on Aug 20, 2018 11:07:01 GMT -5
All I learned from FFA is it only takes one jerk tanker/whale with a single MK2 Orkan Spectre (because he keeps reviving the same bot) to totally ruin a game. 
I'd be totally fine with FFA if it weren't for people being able to spam the same OP bot over and over.
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Post by hi5 on Aug 20, 2018 11:58:10 GMT -5
All I learned from FFA is it only takes one jerk tanker/whale with a single MK2 Orkan Spectre (because he keeps reviving the same bot) to totally ruin a game.
I'd be totally fine with FFA if it weren't for people being able to spam the same OP bot over and over.
It used to be that evenly leveling your hangar was the best route. Now it makes sense to level at least one good build above all others for use in FFA. An Ork Haechi can beat a Spork if piloted well - save your dashes for after it jumps and stay near to places to dash/hide behind. Wait for stealth to end, then kill. You can then do the very same and respawn multiple times. But don’t open with this bot - drop in as your second after you have the lay of the land. Spawning multiple times is actually a benefit for players who do not have an all maxed hangar, since it can level the field a little. |
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Post by mechtout on Aug 20, 2018 12:18:01 GMT -5
The best skills on reading a playing field are honed in Domination
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Post by Koalabear on Aug 20, 2018 13:43:14 GMT -5
Scourge Spectre is a beast. The only drawback - 3 seconds auto lock for Scourges. If you face fully loaded Spork, then you may be in trouble All depends on the jump timing, but yeah, managing the lock on is an art in that build. I love it though. My favorite Spec build so far. Even in FFA. The biggest drawback to the Scourge Spectre, especially in FFA is the Taran or Orkan pilot who knows it's weakness. This happened to me too often and is the reason why I switched back to Orkan Spectre. Picture this. A Taran Haechi is walking casually by. You want to finish it off quickly so you move into short range. You've got him cold after all. He sees you and dashes. Too late, you're locked on! He walks to a small thin cover, barely qualifies as cover really, but he positions it to cover his centre. Your Scourges hit the cover and not the Haechi. Uh oh...you're in trouble now! He casually waits for your stealth to wear off. You're out in the open cause you thought you had him cold. Maybe he'll step out of cover to hit you with all 3 Tarans....nope, 2 Mk2 maxed Tarans is all he needs to wipe you out before you can run to cover. |
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Post by mothbot on Aug 20, 2018 14:03:15 GMT -5
I tried FFA a few times but didn't care for it. It didn't seem to be balanced.
As far as teammates, I haven't found that to be true. The vast majority are good players. You just notice the bad players more.
Also, we tend to overlook the great players because we tend to assume their better performance is based on better equipment. A lot of times, that's not true. It's just hard for a lot of us to admit we got outplayed.
I believe this also.
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Post by Pilot Moby_dic on Aug 20, 2018 19:59:45 GMT -5
All I learned from FFA is it only takes one jerk tanker/whale with a single MK2 Orkan Spectre (because he keeps reviving the same bot) to totally ruin a game.
I'd be totally fine with FFA if it weren't for people being able to spam the same OP bot over and over.
I prefer one vs a full squad of Champs Mrk 2 in Domination #shocktrainhell |
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Post by Pilot Moby_dic on Aug 20, 2018 20:07:44 GMT -5
I tried FFA a few times but didn't care for it. It didn't seem to be balanced. As far as teammates, I haven't found that to be true. The vast majority are good players. You just notice the bad players more. Also, we tend to overlook the great players because we tend to assume their better performance is based on better equipment. A lot of times, that's not true. It's just hard for a lot of us to admit we got outplayed. I believe this also. Fair points. I didn’t mean this as one mode is better than the other. They both have their merits. But as someone who struggled against Masters and Champs with a under powered hanger, before you throw in tankers (on the blues) and having to rely on ‘team mates’ I found Domination etc very frustrating - I just have to read the forums to remind myself of the grips. My observation was that FFA has improved my domination play far more than just playing Domination mode ever did. And I was surprised as I thought FFA might have ‘dumbed-down’ my general play. But it hasn’t. |
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