Arena mode poll, please read, and vote.

Arena server (no crits outside natural items that do?)


  • Total voters
    66
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I'd say it makes it more random, which is fine for other game types.
Keep it the same,crits are what make the game well the game.
Of course Arena would play differently without crits, but nothing is wrong with trying something new. They are a fun part of the game, but they aren't the only thing I play for. The art style, gameplay, classes, maps etc. also make the game what it is.
Crits are part of the game, if you can't handle it, play another game =P
This thread is about removing it from Arena mode. I like crits, but they don't work well in competitive play.
 
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I don't think valve cares about competitive play with tf2. They have only barely, barely made some minor concessions in that regard.
 
No crits would make the Arena server more attractive to the competitive crowd, and this game mode is already aimed at them. It also makes the Kritzkrieg, backburner, axetinguisher and K.G.B.s far more useful.

IIRC the no crit option does not disable the backstab or headshot crits, and they recently fixed the Kritzkrieg. I'm not sure abot the other weapons.

Thinking about this some more, I think Morbo brings up a good point. Looking at the Arena stats, I don't think we're going to have the server for much longer if things continue the way they have been. The server's rank has pretty much been in freefall since it was changed from ToyFort.

Based on this, I wouldn't mind something else being given a try if it means it'll increase the amount of people who play on it. Perhaps something like this would help set our Arena server apart from other Arena servers and thus make it more attractive.

I'd be willing to give this a try before we lose the server. I'd much rather have a no crit Arena than no Arena whatsoever. So, I guess, after thinking about it, I'm going to vote yes.

Personally, I think the biggest problem with our arena server is actually the amount of slots we have...

I guess this is sort of a separate issue, but I wanted to comment on this as well. I've noticed the Arena has a really bad retention rate. Perhaps some of this just had to do with the short games (ie people play a few rounds and go somewhere else), but I believe some of it has to do with the whole sitting out aspect. I have seen people get annoyed when they have to sit out a round when they'd rather be playing. Instead of just sitting and waiting for their turn, they just go find a different server to play on.

I don't know what the stance is on lowering the server's cap, but I had heard it talked about in the past. I think if we lowered it enough to where no one ever had to sit out, maybe people would stick around longer. (Although I do understand where the council might be against that since it'd affect sponsorship.)

Whatever the case, hopefully the powers that be try some different things before deciding the Arena isn't worth having around. The arena is a fun mode of play, but I also think it's not something that can necessarily be approached from the same angle as some of our other servers. It might just be that we need to try some finagling before we can find out how to draw people in to this new mode of play.
 
As of now, I like the idea of turning off crits, they're rack up deaths, and take no skill to use.

Find a strategy to avoid them? Since when has spamming grenades around a corner, and getting a crit kill a good strategy? It requires no skill, and is pure luck.

TRUE STORY: I had a very good friend of mine (Non-ego) who I invited to play on our Arena server, he kept getting killed by random crits out of nowhere, and eventually left, mad that he waits forever to respawn, to be killed almost immediatly by a stray rocket/grenade/sticky.

Sounds like a blast.

Maybe you should tell your friend to stop getting shot?

The fact that he was getting hit by enemy fire means they do have atleast some skill in you know... shooting their weapons.

LR2FINDCOVERANDNOTSTANDOUTINTHEOPEN
 
:mad::mad::mad:
Guys, did you actually thing about balancing? Crits ruin the balance (IMO) in arena. There's no reason at all why a soldier/engi/whatever should win against a heavy in close range. A lucky crit is VERY frustrating then. And no class would be useless without crits. If you play soldier/demoman for the rocket crits/sticky crits then you should seriously ask yourself why you are playing this game.
Anyway, I'd like to see crits off, simply because crits in your face are frustrating. Always. Especially in arena... I actually saw people leave because of a crit rocket.

-Calle
 
this would essentially render the soldier useless :(
I disagree a lot, and only because it's a matter of logic. If a soldier doesn't get crits, it's useless, but when he does, he's extremely helpful. Just sounds like a double standard.

But looking at those stats, we are actually the highest ranked arena server out there, but of course, rankings are hurting in comparison. However, if you look at the graph, you'll notice it empties out about the same time as every other server. I say the problem is what Tattis said, and I agree because I witness this when I play there, people leaving because they don't want to sit a round, and I don't blame them that much. Think about it:

Valve made Arena so that only 22 players or less of an even number can bout at one time. If there is an odd number of players, someone must sit out, if there are more than 22 players, someone must sit out. It's a bit ridiculous. If the server is full, still, only 22 players of the 32 must sit, and here's the worst part: Whenever a team loses, EVERYONE except for one lucky person gets to sit in spec for a round. Arena would probably be best as a 24 slot.

Back to the crits, I still think we should give it a go. No problem with going experimental. We've done it many times before. :p
 
I play on that server more often than any of the other ego servers on a day to day basis. And i hear many non-ego players (and some ego) that truly hate the random critical, especially rockets/minigun rounds. Now, however, with medic kritzkrieg charging 25% faster. A soldier is the #1 kritz target in arena because of the fact that you can take a losing match to a win, or completely devastate a team used in the right moment, and if you play it safe. Its always possible to use at least one kritz (often by the :30-1:00 mark, two is possible as well with just one medic on 11 players. The soldier is truly far from useless without crits. pyros (a real threat in lumberyard) scouts too they can obliterate (a medic killer class) spies (heavy/medic killers). Now with this too, you add more depth, as a pyro with AB can really turn the tables too (do you take BB for crit rate boost for surprise attacks? or use Air Blast to reflect a kritz attack and stickies/grenades) The scout, is actually hit and run, as they were aimed to in the arena mode. scout scattergun critical damage is 180 damage (that one shots all but soldier and heavy) By removing the crits outside unlocks that can. You promote teamwork, not rambo groups on both teams, and give medics a definite priority value, especially for snipers and spies, as the loss really hurts the team. The demo now isn't as cheesy with the crits, (it one shots anything with sticky or grenade) as well, but still you are quite deadly, as the soldier still benefits more from direct line of fire, you from angles and surprise attacks.
 
I'm actually interested if anyone here actually plays arena?

I'm not sure, but I think you could find that out fairly easily on the GameTracker page. ;) I would just hope that the people who are posting in this thread have actually played on the Arena and are offering an informed opinion. Dealing with crits on a normal server is much different than one where you have just the one life. Like I said before, the arena brings a new sort of gameplay to TF2, and because of that, we shouldn't be afraid of change.
 
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I'm not sure, but I think you could find that out fairly easily on the GameTracker page. ;) I would just hope that the people who are posting in this thread have actually played on the Arena and are offering an informed opinion. Dealing with crits on a normal server is much different than one where you have just the one life. Like I said before, the arena brings a new sort of gameplay to TF2, and because of that, we shouldn't be afraid of change.
I would trust GameTracker a bit more if the server didn't used to be Toyfort. :p
 
I think it brings balance and lucky to teams that may be down 3-1 people I think it balances more classes versus the others classes. No sapping my crits thats my opinion
 
Crits are a fun, random element to the game. TF2 isn't meant to be realistic, and a lucky medic can often swing a 3-1 game I've seen. Leave Crits in!
 
Crits are just a fact of TF2, weather you get killed by them or rule by them. It upsets me that players will disconnect just because of crits. I think something else happened there and it was not just crits that made them ragequit.
 
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