OT: 58th Obsequious Banter Thread - Something Something Leier

[JojoTheWhale]

Fair enough. Thanks for the responses.

Not my cup of tea, but have at it! I did watch a Netflix documentary on it a few months back to see if I could see what made it engaging, but I still came away perplexed on why it's popular. I'm 32, so maybe I just missed the boat?

I'm a few years older than you and I didn't get it either until I tried a game I play (Dota2). I can't watch shooters because I don't play them. I don't understand the finer points well enough to be amazed. When it comes to Dota2, it feels like I'm watching black magic.

Before even getting into a game, the draft is fascinating. Being able to keep 100+ well-balanced heroes straight enough in your head to draft/ban the right ones and figure out where your opponent is trying to go while masking your strategy is almost impossible to do consistently well, even at the highest levels.

There aren't even set map positions like other games have. It's basically the jazz of MOBAs where you're only limited by the solutions you can dream up. When you get into the actual gameplay, it's the same situation as sports where the end result (goal scorer vs guy that gets the killing blow) is the obvious hero, but understanding the 6 or 7 decisions that lead to that point give you a completely new appreciation.

I play mostly Supports at an MMR that puts me in the top 5% or so worldwide. In professional terms, that means I'm utterly useless.

 

[Juicy Pop]

If anyone is really interested in learning more about the game that Comcast Spectator bought into, you can always check out [Twitch] for streams of current regional tournaments.

I'll also [link] to the page for the NA OCL [Overwatch Contenders League] which is the current highest level league prior to the franchising era which will be coming within the next year. They actually do have a few matches lined up for tomorrow and there are also full match replays cataloged on the site.

It will probably be difficult to follow if you've not really had much contact with gaming, but it might help to pique your curiosity.

 

[Flyotes]

Also, without playing League-- you don't understand it is sort of like a battle chess level up game and money game, with 3 distinct game changes (early, mid, late)-- all of which change the game dramatically and feed off each other. Early, people will be in lanes, making money, trying to kill each other if able. Mid, people will have bought items, some defensive turrets may fall, some group fighting will start. And late, turrents don't provide much if any shelter any more, your entire team will engage their entire team. If you did well early and mid, this is much much easier as you can snowball in power and become a killing machine. Of course, with the myriad of champions you can play-- all these rules can change. Some games can be over really early.

The xpeke backdoor is what got me into League of Legends. That'll go down in history.

That's old as hell now. Looking at the graphics pre-updates.

For non-Leaguers:

xpeke is playing a champion who has among his abilities the ability to teleport a short distance. If you destroy the Nexus (that building-- you can see the health of it decreasing), then your team wins. It is the last building, well defended until mid / late game.

He basically sneaks behind enemy lines, starts chopping it down to win the game, and every time the player playing Olaf is trying to kill him, xpeke teleports OVER the building and out of harm, all the while whacking it down. He is also super near death, which ramps up the intensity. He's become known for pulling off plays like that.



So, there are narratives like these just like the more established sports that are drawing tons of fans in.

 

[Juicy Pop]

Also, without playing League-- you don't understand it is sort of like a battle chess level up game and money game, with 3 distinct game changes (early, mid, late)-- all of which change the game dramatically and feed off each other. Early, people will be in lanes, making money, trying to kill each other if able. Mid, people will have bought items, some defensive turrets may fall, some group fighting will start. And late, turrents don't provide much if any shelter any more, your entire team will engage their entire team. If you did well early and mid, this is much much easier as you can snowball in power and become a killing machine. Of course, with the myriad of champions you can play-- all these rules can change. Some games can be over really early.

The xpeke backdoor is what got me into League of Legends. That'll go down in history.

That's old as hell now. Looking at the graphics pre-updates.

For non-Leaguers:

xpeke is playing a champion who has among his abilities the ability to teleport a short distance. If you destroy the Nexus (that building-- you can see the health of it decreasing), then your team wins. It is the last building, well defended until mid / late game.

He basically sneaks behind enemy lines, starts chopping it down to win the game, and every time the player playing Olaf is trying to kill him, xpeke teleports OVER the building and out of harm, all the while whacking it down. He is also super near death, which ramps up the intensity. He's become known for pulling off plays like that.



So, there are narratives like these just like the more established sports that are drawing tons of fans in.

Another huge element is the level of contact and accessibility of professionals. As long as you're an extremely skilled player yourself, you can occasionally match up with and against them in your own games. On top of that, a number of the more successful orgs have really compelling video series that document each week of the season, almost like a permanent version of the 24/7 show from the Winter Classic.

for example:

TSM Legends

 

[Rebels57]

I'm a few years older than you and I didn't get it either until I tried a game I play (Dota2). I can't watch shooters because I don't play them. I don't understand the finer points well enough to be amazed. When it comes to Dota2, it feels like I'm watching black magic.

Before even getting into a game, the draft is fascinating. Being able to keep 100+ well-balanced heroes straight enough in your head to draft/ban the right ones and figure out where your opponent is trying to go while masking your strategy is almost impossible to do consistently well, even at the highest levels.

There aren't even set map positions like other games have. It's basically the jazz of MOBAs where you're only limited by the solutions you can dream up. When you get into the actual gameplay, it's the same situation as sports where the end result (goal scorer vs guy that gets the killing blow) is the obvious hero, but understanding the 6 or 7 decisions that lead to that point give you a completely new appreciation.

I play mostly Supports at an MMR that puts me in the top 5% or so worldwide. In professional terms, that means I'm utterly useless.

You totally lost me after the 1st paragraph

 

[Juicy Pop]

You totally lost me after the 1st paragraph

This [playlist] might help.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Here comes my 128GB Pixel XL! **** yeah! Can't ****ing wait. It'll be here Monday or Tuesday. Or hopefully luck is on my side and come Saturday .

They replaced my 6P with massive battery issues with a 128GB Pixel XL for free .

 

[Cody Webster]

Lucky *******

 

[Rebels57]

What is special about a Pixel?

 

[flyersfan018]

I only know what I've heard from people involved with the competitive Overwatch scene, but it appears as if Blizzard doesn't really know what they're doing and that the game isn't "esport ready". So it seems like Blizzard is doing a lot of big things with a game that might not be able to support this much being built around it.

On top of that I see a lot of complaints that the game is just too hectic to enjoyably watch, and I definitely understand that. It's just a rainbow tornado of colors and movement to the spectator.

Regardless of how ready it is or not, these are the types of things I'd expect to see out of a firmly established game, League, Dota, CSGO, etc. not one that's just starting out with a very unclear future.

I can get that to a certain extent. Being a current player and watcher of Overwatch it isn't quite the easiest to follow. You should check out some of the World Cup qualifying matches if you're into it. I found some of them to be very entertaining. But then again I feel the same way about some of the other top video games. This is the type of genre where shooting games will always have the advantage. Incredibly user friendly.

I think Overwatch has a chance though. It's only been out a year and a half so it's considered brand new compared to its other counter parts. Also it's almost always one of the top games on websites like steam so it definitely has a big enough following. I feel like Blizzard could take a massive **** and still find a way to market it to millions.

 

[Flyotes]

According to Equifax they got my info. Joy of joys. I did a credit check one time-- 6 years ago.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Lucky *******

What is special about a Pixel?

A year newer than the 6P with no where near the same issues as the 6P. Better specs, better camera, longer support and basically I got a much better phone for free.

Plus, it's directly a Google phone, not an OEM like Samsung or HTC, where I can get the latest updates before any other company would get them.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

If someone had told me in 1985 that at 8:45 a.m. on a September morning in 2017 I would be sitting in an apartment in Bangkok watching Rob Lowe playing saxophone in "St. Elmo's Fire" ... I would have said "Yeah, that sounds just about cartoony and stupid enough to happen"

 

[Embiid]

Canelo vs Triple G.....should be a good fight...

And it was a draw...

Unlike that side show between Mcgregor vs Mayweather...this was a real boxing match.

Look forward to the rematch. Triple G is tough...methodical but Canelo is equally tough...

 

[FLYguy3911]

The chick had it 118-110 for Canelo.

 

[Lotusflower]

The chick had it 118-110 for Canelo.

Great fight ruined by judging again. GGG was robbed but it is what it is.

Boxing always seems to shoot itself in the foot.

 

[CodyTheHuman]

Just more proof you can't let boxing matches go to the judges. They are incompetent.

 

[Embiid]

Triple G seemed to have won to me...but I am a Canelo fan

 

[Embiid]

Great fight ruined by judging again. GGG was robbed but it is what it is.

Boxing always seems to shoot itself in the foot.

I wouldn't say GGG was robbed..it was a close fight..he probably edged Canelo. Nobody dominated...it is best it goes to a rematch

 

[Lotusflower]

I wouldn't say GGG was robbed..it was a close fight..he probably edged Canelo. Nobody dominated...it is best it goes to a rematch

Agree to disagree. It was a close fight but I cant see anyone realistically having Canelo ahead at all once it ended.

I aint mad though I thought it would go the distance, bet that way, and won $.
My first time taking Vegas bookings in a while...
They said a 20:1 payoff on a bet draw Wish that was me.

Canelo fought a beautiful fight though, by round 10 I was cheering for him

 

[Hurricane28]

118-110 is laughable and they wonder why boxing is becoming less and less popular. Not sure if corruption or incompetence

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Teddy Atlas unsurprisingly lost his mind over the decision.

 

[Hurricane28]

Teddy Atlas and Stephen A lol

 

[JojoTheWhale]

118-110. I'm still laughing.

 

[GKJ]

Teddy Atlas was worth the whole thing