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also, that crossover is amazing. Partially because I'm amazed Nintendo would even consider it. It's so common for Nintendo to let other companies include their mascots in their titles (like MH4U), but the other way round? I can't even think of one example!

That's like half the point of Smash Bros nowadays.

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Yeah, that final boss is intense! Took me five tries and I almost gave up! :(

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Got stuck in C/C+ limbo this morning.

 

I think the mood killer with Ranked is when you get stuck in a pool and That Guy exists. The pool revolves around the team That Guy is on. That Guy can carry a team that's only three people because of a disconnect to victory, and That Guy will take a full four man squad to a 100-0 shutout. That Guy is sitting in the C+ pool with a 18-0 KD and should be B+ and I can only wonder if this is a new profile they've created to spite me and me alone.

 

I hate That Guy.

 

I finally hit level 18 though!

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Yeah, that final boss is intense! Took me five tries and I almost gave up! :(

try doing it with the fucking charger

 

|: |: |: |: |:

 

(i did it first try tho)

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I like that even though the attacks of the final boss are pretty repetitive the platforms and obstacles the player has to over come are really varied. On paper a 30 minute fight with a boss who repeats the sames moves sounds tedious, but its actually AMAZING! Some of my favorite music as well, actually that boss is just badass all around!

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I hate That Guy.

 

If that starts happening, quit after the next match and re-start ranked. You'll then get a different bunch of people, who'll be bad/good until you become That Guy.

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I feel bad for you european gents missing out on the dubstep jokes that NoA saw fit to pepper throughout that final boss fight in the NA localization.

 

I also enjoyed the single-player.

 

On another note, I wish the motion controls in this game used the wiimote pointer. That'd be much better. I agree that the motion controls are better than the stick, but, then, what isn't? Stick for aiming is hot trash. I can't play this game for extended periods of time because of the control method. For whatever reason, I haven't felt physically ill since the first time, but it's still less than stellar. \:

 

So i thought about this, what this game would be like with some of the pointing schemes Nintendo's done with the wii-mote, and i don't think it would work.

The way the motion control works, translating about a 45 degree twist of the pad into a full 180 degree turn, lets you pretty much follow the full arc of a fight before needing to readjust, while i think you would constantly be fighting with screen push in a pointer scheme.

 

The only real issue with the game's motion control is an issue the pointer has too, it's the noticeable latency in all of Nintendo's motion schemes. That's where the analog would still be slightly superior. You can definitely feel the control lag when playing against good opponents who know how to juke to mislead shots on their approach, it's a struggle to hit them with precise shots. (The benefit of the accuracy far outweighs any issues caused by that latency though. Don't play dual analog.)

 

Physically ill though? How did the motion control in this make you feel physically ill? That's quite odd.

 

Got stuck in C/C+ limbo this morning.

 

I think the mood killer with Ranked is when you get stuck in a pool and That Guy exists. The pool revolves around the team That Guy is on. That Guy can carry a team that's only three people because of a disconnect to victory, and That Guy will take a full four man squad to a 100-0 shutout. That Guy is sitting in the C+ pool with a 18-0 KD and should be B+ and I can only wonder if this is a new profile they've created to spite me and me alone.

 

I hate That Guy.

 

I finally hit level 18 though!

 

I feel like i might be that guy.

I've been having a pretty breezy and easy time in C ranks, it's not challenging at all for me, definitely some 18/0-ish games. Then i get into B- and i feel like i'm instantly hit with a mixture of bad teams, legitimate shutdowns, and lagged disconnects that keep pushing be back into C+. It's the disconnects that really kill me, if at least those weren't happening, i would still be climbing.

 

For real though, the bad teams thing, i try to avoid pushing blame onto my team, but holy shit... When i see everybody on my team hurling themselves back into a fight on the near hill with no ounce of strategy, super jumping repeatedly into areas that are already enemy controlled and surely prepared for their landing, i want to throw my controller. I can loop around the fight, take the rear hill closer to the enemy base, and my team will still have attempted no change in strategy and will leave me trying to salvage the match by myself. They're like goddamned lemmings sometimes. Just disengage from failed fights and regroup! That kind of shit is why the game needs some voice communication. (So i can yell at them and tell them they're bad and that they should feel bad.)

 

It feels like the matchmaking thinks i'm good enough to carry a bad team, but i'm honestly kind of not.

 

SUB WEAPONS.

Which sub weapons are you guys preferring?

 

Generally, i'm looking for either the homing grenade or the sprinkler, and failing those, the sticky bomb or the timed grenade.

 

I don't understand how people ever die to the homing grenade, it's so incredibly easy to either swim left or right of, or actually just jump over. In all the hours i've been playing, and despite how frequently it's used, i've probably been killed by it fewer than a dozen times. It seems so easy to dodge that there have been so many times where i've thrown that thing out, seen somebody run away, assume it was going to miss, and still have a kill pop up a couple seconds later. I don't understand what people are doing that makes it so easy to land kills with, but there you have it. It's also a fun way to create a path for quickly rushing a hostile area, just toss one out and dive in after it. (Note: You can also choose your target by holding the grenade button before releasing.)

 

The sprinkler is just great for so many things, but especially for building meter on weapons with weak coverage and holding hills in ranked. It's also a great distraction, and great for denying a path. Try to place it in obnoxiously difficult to reach spots. (The big screen tv's hanging over the map center in urchin underpass is a good example of what to look for.)

 

The sticky bomb and the timed grenade are really just great for the main reasons you use grenades in any mostly any other shooter. Flushing people out of cover or harassing choke points from safety.

 

I've seen most of the rest all be put to good use as well. (People get pretty tricky with those mines, some real assholes out there.)

Though i really, really struggle to see any value in the contact grenades. It takes two direct hits to get a kill with them, when many of the guns can kill in 4 hits and less time and often with longer range. The instant damage also prevents you from really using them to set up other attacks. I could see the value as a short-range defense when they're bundled with snipes, you can actually throw out four on one full charge of ink, but i don't really think they're useful anywhere else.

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Physically ill though? How did the motion control in this make you feel physically ill? That's quite odd.

Suffice it to say I disagree with everything you're saying, for one reason only: that fucking gamepad is too fucking big and unwieldy for motion controls in a fast-paced game. Half an hour of playing even the single player and I have to quit because my wrists are hurting. I can't imagine playing more than three rounds of the multiplayer - obviously a much more demanding situation - at a time, which basically means I have no inclination to play the multiplayer.

 

As for what I actually quoted: dunno. Can't explain it. It just did. It only happened once. Have you never experienced motion sickness while playing a game? That's what it was.

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So you haven't actually played any multiplayer, correct?

 

I've personally found that my hold on the tablet tended to be a lot steadier in the multiplayer, using the analog stick for painting and navigating, and only using the tablet for the quick and short bursts of fighting that would come about intermittently. The single-player tended to, surprisingly, be "on" much more of the time. So perhaps that's something to be aware of.

 

I've done four hour stretches of Splatoon's multiplayer without feeling like feeling like i'm exhausting any tolerance for twisting that thing around, especially with such small movements being translated and magnified as much broader turns on screen. Moreover, as opposed to big dramatic turns to respond to enemies that just spawned in at your side like in the solo game, it's much more about small adjustments to right your aim on a target you can see approaching from far away. Even if you don't know their location, if you keep on with the "look with your reticle" mentality, the adjustments you have to make to steady aim on a suddenly appearing target should always be very small. (Hey, that's good advice i just gave, don't ignore that.)

 

Be comfortably seated in an upright position with somewhere to plant your elbows and i don't feel like there should be any issue.

 

I mean, but i also don't find the tablet uncomfortable just in general, so whatever.

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I have played the multiplayer.

 

I don't mind the tablet normally, just in this game.

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or real though, the bad teams thing, i try to avoid pushing blame onto my team, but holy shit... When i see everybody on my team hurling themselves back into a fight on the near hill with no ounce of strategy, super jumping repeatedly into areas that are already enemy controlled and surely prepared for their landing, i want to throw my controller. I can loop around the fight, take the rear hill closer to the enemy base, and my team will still have attempted no change in strategy and will leave me trying to salvage the match by myself. They're like goddamned lemmings sometimes. Just disengage from failed fights and regroup! That kind of shit is why the game needs some voice communication. (So i can yell at them and tell them they're bad and that they should feel bad.)

 

It feels like the matchmaking thinks i'm good enough to carry a bad team, but i'm honestly kind of not.

YUP

 

I've had matches where I'll go 9-2 or some equivalent (I'm not quite 18-0 level...), but have a team of 1-9, 3-4, 5-11, and it's painful to watch. JUST HIDE. HIDE FOR A BIT. BE A SQUID. AMBUSH. IT'S IN THE AD

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I sailed through C ranks in an afternoon, but now my girlfriend is playing every time I log on, my B- rank is down to 10 or 20 points. I doubt I'll ever make it past B- at this rate  :violin:

 

I do get irritated when I'm the only person at the capture point, and I see everyone picking skirmishes all over the map. GET YOUR ASSES TO THE CAPTURE POINT. Kills don't win games!

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I'll make the quick counter argument that if your teammates are *winning* those skirmishes, it means a lot to take out your opponents in ranked. If you can get into a good spot and defend the point from one or two incoming stragglers while your teammates hold the rest at bay, you're in a good place. I found this to be *extremely* effective on maps like Port Mackerel. Once my team grabs the second point, I tend to go spawn camp and make sure they can't even get close to "their point." A fight at the point is a chance to lose the point and get a penalty; better to keep the fights on the opposing team's side.

 

I won five ranked matches straight in C this morning and got back up to C+ I think largely based on that strategy. The maps in rotation were Blackbelly and Arowana, and Arowana gets extremely onesided if you can cut off the three points of entry. It's actually interesting how the grates that I think are supposed to induce balance can do the exact opposite.

 

Also, looks like the "optimal clothing configuration" has been found... seeing everyone with Jungle Hat (Ink Saver - Main), White Anchor Tee (Ninja Squid), and a pair of shoes with either Stealth Jump or Ink Resistance Up.

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YUP

 

I've had matches where I'll go 9-2 or some equivalent (I'm not quite 18-0 level...), but have a team of 1-9, 3-4, 5-11, and it's painful to watch. JUST HIDE. HIDE FOR A BIT. BE A SQUID. AMBUSH. IT'S IN THE AD

 

When this happens I try to remind myself "Hey, its a Nintendo game! These other players could just be young kids trying their best" but sometimes this doesn't happen and I end up cursing my teammates names under my breath. Goddammit Timmy! Timmy sucks.

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Also, looks like the "optimal clothing configuration" has been found... seeing everyone with Jungle Hat (Ink Saver - Main), White Anchor Tee (Ninja Squid), and a pair of shoes with either Stealth Jump or Ink Resistance Up.

 

If Nintendo knows what they're doing in terms of competitive balance, we're going to see someone wearing a different outfit come in and wipe the floor with teams assuming everyone's wearing those clothes.

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When this happens I try to remind myself "Hey, its a Nintendo game! These other players could just be young kids trying their best" but sometimes this doesn't happen and I end up cursing my teammates names under my breath. Goddammit Timmy! Timmy sucks.

 

I too attempt this, but I also get mad at Timmy. I get mad at Timmy a lot.

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I've had matches where I'll go 9-2 or some equivalent (I'm not quite 18-0 level...)

Just so i'm not creating a false image of my own playing ability, my average game is closer to 7/4.

 

Still stuck in B minus though!

 

When this happens I try to remind myself "Hey, its a Nintendo game! These other players could just be young kids trying their best" but sometimes this doesn't happen and I end up cursing my teammates names under my breath. Goddammit Timmy! Timmy sucks.

 

This is why, in the same breath that i am cursing the game for not allowing voice chat, i can recognize that it was absolutely the right choice for Nintendo to not allow voice chat.

 

If Nintendo knows what they're doing in terms of competitive balance, we're going to see someone wearing a different outfit come in and wipe the floor with teams assuming everyone's wearing those clothes.

 

Yup, never assume a meta is set in stone this early into a game's life. People don't even understand the underlying stats well enough to begin making claims about what's the best to build for. The game is still definitely in flux in a lot of ways, i've even finally started seeing snipes show up commonly in both playlists and be quite dominant. Hell, ink strikes could even fall completely out of favor by early next week. Who knows? (Oh my god, there are so many ink strikes happening right now. I just had a match where at least 5 were traded back and forth in the first 30 seconds of the game.)

 

Has anybody tried organizing any group games around here yet?

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So here's a teaser trailer for the first splatfest, i guess. These upcoming splatfests seem like they're going to be staggered a week apart from eachother depending on region. Japan gets it first, then the 20th for NA, and apparently the 27th for Europe. (It's set up like a fairly typical faction metagame, you contribute to your side by winning games, and there may or may not be unique rewards to earn.)

 

The teaser seems to imply that at least one more map will be unlocked, and i think i spy a few new weapons in there too. Also, i guess there's night variants for all the maps and the main hub will have an alternate concert-themed configuration.

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New map tomorrow! Kelp Dome!

 

I'm realizing more and more that Urchin Underpass is 100% my worst stage, and that Port Mackerel is absolutely my least favorite Ranked Battle map. Having only three aisles of attack, and having them be so close to each other that one good Charger can stop anyone in their tracks makes it a terrible battle of attrition. I've only seen a few knockouts while playing on Port Mackerel, and it's because neither team can make it down the got-dang aisles to get at the other side.

 

On every other stage, there's an element of surprise in play, where one player can't man all the various entry points. Whether that's because of a height difference in platforms or straight Random Approach Aisles (heyo Blackbelly), there's something that can catch you off guard. On Mackerel, you can tell when someone is coming as soon as you see ink changing color in one of the aisles, and that makes it exceedingly frustrating. It essentially comes down to "well okay, which team has more Inkstrike players in addition to a Charger or two," which is actually Ranked in general, I guess.

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Yeah, I have to agree on Port Mackerel. A good charger is still fairly rare but if they are really good playing on that map then its game over. I think the main problem I have with the map is that the flanking lanes from the start area don't extend out of your own third-ish of the map. The only really reason to use them is to mop up at the start, and offer no tactical advantage otherwise. The maps with good external lanes, like Walleye Warehouse, and Blackbelly Skatepark, offer the possibility to flank from different angles, which Port Mackerel doesn't.

 

In other news, apparently I was desperate for a good multiplayer game, as I have managed to blast to max level in 10 days with completely upgraded 3-star gear. Playing a game this much is extremely rare for me, and I can't tell if I'm sick of it or still desperate for more. Kind of tempted to jump on tonight just to see what the new gear is, even if I don't play. Christ Splatoon! What have you done to me? I want a cool new hat.

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Don't dismiss those flanking lanes in Port Mackerel, it's enough to get out of your base if the other team is trying to shut you out of the map, and it's super frustrating when playing with people who don't really recognize this.

 

Dealing with good chargers in the map center can be tricky, but totally manageable if you make good use of the climbable forklifts to leap across the crate tops, or simply juke in and out of the crates on ground level. It takes time for a charger to line up a shot, and when so many paths and pieces of cover are available to you, you have the advantage.

 

Definitely though, you don't see a lot of ranked fights end in knockout on that map, it's always a slog. I find i just instantly get worked over the second i get lazy. It's not really a map i enjoy all that much, i'd say it's one of the clunkier maps in the game.

 

 

I'm realizing more and more that Urchin Underpass is 100% my worst stage

 

Really? That's probably my best map. The sniping position on the side is easy to harass and climb at if you skirt around the right side of your approach from the base, and the rest of the map center has tons of flat ground to allow for tricky maneuvers, it's easy to get behind somebody. Most people don't realize that you can squid jump across the gap in the middle, that usually catches a lot of people off guard. Also, the main base entrance can be easily harassed with grenades. Keep people out of the map center if it's ranked, and if it's a turf war, once you're in and past their fence, it can be really hard for them to push you back out. I feel like i probably haven't actually lost very many games on that map.

 

For me, my worst map is Arowana Mall. I constantly eat shit on that map, i hate that map and i have zero intuitive sense for what i'm supposed to do there. It is extremely difficult to wrestle the map center away from an entrenched team, and I feel like the only time i win there is when i've somehow been matched against a team with even less sense of what to do than me.

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That's like half the point of Smash Bros nowadays.

 

Sure, but they're all video game characters. And usually pretty popular series too. This is a pretty obscure anime from like 5 years ago, and the manga isn't all that popular too. And for Nintendo gave it the go ahead? Definitely strange.

 

Sorry for dragging up a late post, but it just clicked as to why this is weirder than the roster of Smash Bros.

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For me, my worst map is Arowana Mall. I constantly eat shit on that map, i hate that map and i have zero intuitive sense for what i'm supposed to do there. It is extremely difficult to wrestle the map center away from an entrenched team, and I feel like the only time i win there is when i've somehow been matched against a team with even less sense of what to do than me.

 

POLAR OPPOSITES

 

Arowana is probably my best map, and I think it comes down to "I love elevation" moreso than anything else. In Ranked, the dumb little grates they add that connect the platforms make it such that it is *super* easy to get over to the opponents side if you're willing to just charge through it. As soon as you get through to one of the aisles to their side, you're home free; just ink a path back to the middle, up around the other side, and just run figure eights to keep them off guard and having to continually re-ink their way back to the center.

 

In Turf War, it gets a little trickier, because those grates are gone, and it changes depending on your Weapon of Choice. When I play Charger, I head straight for one of the sniper points and just *sit there*. Don't leave, don't worry about your points, just sit up there and pick them off as they come in. If someone makes it through, ignore them in the immediate moment, keep an eye on the minimap (squid if you need to check) to see if they're still running amok, and deal with them *if necessary*. I've found as soon as I leave a sniper perch to go chase someone down/chase glory, everything unravels. Someone needs to be holding that middle point. As a Roller, you should, uh, roll? I dunno, I don't play Roller >_>. As a Shooter/Splatter, I find the best way is to participate in the usual "book it to the middle" race, followed by immediately hopping up the wall to the enemy base on the left and going in from there. If even one member of the other team has to chase after you, and you can catch and splat them off guard, that's Free Turf for you, and as the enemy needs to pull back into their own base to deal with you, your teammates get a firmer hold on the middle point. Inevitable Inkstrikes are what really shake Arowana up, and you have to be ready to recapture the middle (and have the numbers advantage doing so!) in the event that giant swathes of turf get inked, allowing people to slip past Chargers.

 

Of course, if Mr. 18-0 is on the other team, none of this applies anyways, since their strategy is "you will lose"

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