KingsHockey24
Registered User
- Aug 1, 2013
- 14,598
- 13,457
Darn; that's unfortunate. I haven't had the chance to play it yet but saw the new design of DVA and wanted to cosplay it.
Overwatch 2 - Early Access Beta out today on Xbox
- Thread starter Dolemite
- Start date
PK Cronin
Bailey Fan Club Prez
- Feb 11, 2013
- 34,561
- 23,991
Darn; that's unfortunate. I haven't had the chance to play it yet but saw the new design of DVA and wanted to cosplay it.
It's free, so that's nice, but it's more a large expansion or patch than it is a new game. I've only played quick play or mystery heroes because I don't care enough to play ranked at the moment. I'm not seeing much of a difference in abilities or gameplay to warrant diving back in. It's a game that relies too heavily on team synergy to be fun if you're playing alone I find.
John Price
pro gambler/drinker
- Sep 19, 2008
- 387,892
- 31,719
Hammettf2b
oldmanyellsatcloud.jpg
Dogewow
Such Profile
- Feb 1, 2015
- 2,883
- 291
Eventually I think the game will hit a more formal "sequel" status once the PVE story missions come out and more content gets released for the PVP. Additionally I would hope that they add more progression systems outside of the battle pass. That, along with some of the stats systems seems to be in its "fledgling" phase (at least I hope).
I will admit the game feels like its in a weird transitional phase and it seems like the devs wanted to get this version out asap.
The gameplay is a lot more casual friendly now. It isn't quite as punishing or harsh as I found the previous game to be. A lot less rock paper scissors and hard counters, a lot less holding hands with your teammates through choke points, a lot less CC. It still has its frustrations (like tanks feeding or teammates going into fight 1v5s withouth their team) but I find myself malding quite a bit less than the original and having more "casual" fun with the game.
As an Overwatch vet, I'm not 100% sure how to feel about the new direction. Like I've said I'm a lot less frustrated and its easier to jump into a game without needing to turn on "pro gamer mode", but I also do miss the slower and more measured approach to gameplay the previous game had to some degree. Like another poster said the game feels much more "deathmatchy".
I will admit the game feels like its in a weird transitional phase and it seems like the devs wanted to get this version out asap.
The gameplay is a lot more casual friendly now. It isn't quite as punishing or harsh as I found the previous game to be. A lot less rock paper scissors and hard counters, a lot less holding hands with your teammates through choke points, a lot less CC. It still has its frustrations (like tanks feeding or teammates going into fight 1v5s withouth their team) but I find myself malding quite a bit less than the original and having more "casual" fun with the game.
As an Overwatch vet, I'm not 100% sure how to feel about the new direction. Like I've said I'm a lot less frustrated and its easier to jump into a game without needing to turn on "pro gamer mode", but I also do miss the slower and more measured approach to gameplay the previous game had to some degree. Like another poster said the game feels much more "deathmatchy".
PK Cronin
Bailey Fan Club Prez
- Feb 11, 2013
- 34,561
- 23,991
I think the PvE will be a good time and I'll definitely revisit the game for that.
Hivemind
We're Touched
Just finished the season 1 battle pass (level 80). Free mode (no XP boosts or anything). Took about 45 hours of actual in-game time (rough napkin math based on adding up my hero time played). Still over 30 days left in the season, and I was out of town for a week. Should be very doable for anyone who at least is willing to work towards some of their challenges for the bonus XP. I didn't do every single challenge by any means, but when you have them active it does accelerate XP progression a lot.
That being said, not getting that sick Level 80 Genji skin unless I purchase the Battle Pass is a bummer. Not enough of a bummer to make me actually purchase it, but a bummer still.
That being said, not getting that sick Level 80 Genji skin unless I purchase the Battle Pass is a bummer. Not enough of a bummer to make me actually purchase it, but a bummer still.
Hammettf2b
oldmanyellsatcloud.jpg
meh, i haven't been paying attention to the challenges because theres nothing in the battlepass that I actually want.
Dogewow
Such Profile
- Feb 1, 2015
- 2,883
- 291
Ultimately it depends on what you value and what you're willing to spend.
I personally think the new skin is very cool and like that it is customizable, has unique sounds/features, etc. Even though I rarely play Genji, I think $10 for that, plus the other stuff in the BP is pretty fair.
I will say that I hope they add more progression systems to PVP outside of the BP in the future.
If you look at the weekly tab, you do have the ability to earn in game currency if you complete a certain number of challenges (not the old legacy credits, the actual new currency). It's only a small amount week to week but if you're interested in a legendary skin or something but don't want to pay money then it's worth taking a look at those.
If you don't care at all about any of the cosmetics then yeah, its not really worth looking at.
Hammettf2b
oldmanyellsatcloud.jpg
I actually have been doing all the ones that require 4. So i've been getting 30 credits a week. not going to really put a dent on the prices of skins but i guess if i keep doing them im bound to find a skin i like and use those credits on at some point. as far as doing more of the challenges, im usually not interested if it requires playing a role/character i don't know as i'm still rather new.
All that said, I'm having quite a bit of fun learning the game and all the characters (moved from bronze to silver in both dps and support) so the battlepass/store isn't really a deterrent for me.
Hammettf2b
oldmanyellsatcloud.jpg
Dogewow
Such Profile
- Feb 1, 2015
- 2,883
- 291
The new patch should be live. It does look like they nerfed both Sombra and Genji. They also nerfed Zarya who I think was very oppressive at times and absolutely needed to be tuned back.
Honestly I'm surprised they didn't touch Sojourn. She can be very difficult to deal with at times and apparently is not well liked at the highest ranks.
Dogewow
Such Profile
- Feb 1, 2015
- 2,883
- 291
What to expect for Season 2: Ramattra, Shambali Monastery, and the Battle for Olympus
Season 2 is around the corner, and with it, a myriad of new in-game developments!
overwatch.blizzard.com
New Season 2 update and information reveal. Not a tank player but Ramattra looks cool and is a new style of tank called "Tempo Tank" that can change forms basically on the fly (not sure if there's a cooldown on this but its not his ultimate). Will definitely be giving him a try once the new season drops.
The new map Shambali Monastery visually looks a lot like Nepal, but appears to be an escort map which is by far my favorite game mode. Excited to try that out and see how fun it is to play. Also looks like they're finally going to nerf Sojourn and are also going to "adjust" quite a few different heroes based on the update. Expecting a big shift in the META once this launches.
Two things; one, I am kind of surprised and annoyed about the recipient of the Mythic Skin for season 2's battle pass, which is Junker Queen. Nothing against the skin artistically, I just find it odd that they're giving what is basically a brand new hero the Mythic Skin. For the most part, the character is not that popular amongst tank players from what I've seen, let a lone a popular hero in general. Have to think Blizzard would get quite a bit more revenue from the Battle Pass if they gave the Mythic to a hero like Rein, Winston, Mercy, Lucio, or Tracer/Widow if they stuck with DPS. I just found this to be odd from a surface level financial standpoint and also am selfishly annoyed that I will have to wait another season to hopefully get a Mythic skin for a character I play (support main here).
Secondly, I'm also a bit annoyed at the map rotations they have this season. Glad to see Rialto and Blizzard world coming back, but also bummed to see Hollywood and Watchpoint: Gibraltar leaving the rotation.
I understand that, with so many maps, you can't have the map pool watered down to the point where you might be waiting hours and hours of gameplay to experience each map. They do have to do something in that regard. Unfortunately it's coming at the cost of the removal of some of my favorites. I hope they take a look at some type of vote system or some other mechanic to address this rather than straight up removing certain maps for 2 months.
This may be a hot take, but if we're talking about removing maps or even entire game modes, I would love to see Blizzard take all of the control maps and the entire game mode and permanently delete it from OW2. Those are by far my least favorite maps visually and gameplay wise. I always find myself not having fun or stressed/annoyed while playing. The game mode requires a bit more teamwork and can result in some very harsh, frustrating losses if your teammates aren't on the same page or have no clue what they're doing.
Last edited:
Hivemind
We're Touched
Control is infinitely better than push right now. Hearing someone hate on control more than push is downright shocking. 
Push definitely needs some work, but it's also better than the 2CP mode it replaced. Not really sure what should be changed about push, other than maybe reducing the speed the robot pushes the barrier even further (although that would make the rewards for winning teamfights even smaller). But the speed the robot moves when not pushing the barricade (ie, the speed in which you can push it back after winning a defensive fight) can't be sped up, since its already moving full player running speed (if it moves faster players will have to burn movement cooldowns just to keep it moving, and you'll risk accidentally ending your own OT pushes in the process as the robot outruns the players). Maybe just shorten the mode even more and make it a Bo3, like control. The nice part about push is that, unlike 2CP, even if you're in a game that goes sideways, it's guaranteed to be over in about 10 minutes. As opposed to 2CP, where games could last like 35 minutes if both teams kept capping B.
I think the map pools are about the right size. Some decent maps will rotate in, other decent maps will rotate out. Just how it works. Personally, I'm pretty glad that Watchpoint Gibraltar is rotating out. It's one of the maps I think takes the biggest hit in functionality between OW1 and OW2. Even in OW1 it had gone thru a bunch of reworks over the years (remember when it had 4 checkpoints, with the first one being under the bridge - aka "carwash" - at point A?). But Gibraltar has the most "overpass"-style high grounds of any escort map, and controlling these overpasses is essential to moving the payload on point A and point B. It was already difficult enough to break a defensive position, especially on Point B, with 2 tanks on OW1. It's even harder now, when you you have to choose between splitting off your tank to challenge high ground and keeping your tank in the area of the payload to prevent the other team from just rushing payload. Because of the map design for Gibraltar, it's a much bigger deal here than most other maps. On top of the plane at point B, a DPS player can see all four entrances into the room and just lay down relatively safe fire. Rialto has its own issues with being a sniper's paradise on point A & C, but that's an issue regardless of it being OW1 or OW2, and doesn't really change with 2 tanks. And point B Rialto's overpasses have multiple angles they can be attacked or bypassed, so they aren't as oppressive as Gibraltar's.
Push definitely needs some work, but it's also better than the 2CP mode it replaced. Not really sure what should be changed about push, other than maybe reducing the speed the robot pushes the barrier even further (although that would make the rewards for winning teamfights even smaller). But the speed the robot moves when not pushing the barricade (ie, the speed in which you can push it back after winning a defensive fight) can't be sped up, since its already moving full player running speed (if it moves faster players will have to burn movement cooldowns just to keep it moving, and you'll risk accidentally ending your own OT pushes in the process as the robot outruns the players). Maybe just shorten the mode even more and make it a Bo3, like control. The nice part about push is that, unlike 2CP, even if you're in a game that goes sideways, it's guaranteed to be over in about 10 minutes. As opposed to 2CP, where games could last like 35 minutes if both teams kept capping B.
I think the map pools are about the right size. Some decent maps will rotate in, other decent maps will rotate out. Just how it works. Personally, I'm pretty glad that Watchpoint Gibraltar is rotating out. It's one of the maps I think takes the biggest hit in functionality between OW1 and OW2. Even in OW1 it had gone thru a bunch of reworks over the years (remember when it had 4 checkpoints, with the first one being under the bridge - aka "carwash" - at point A?). But Gibraltar has the most "overpass"-style high grounds of any escort map, and controlling these overpasses is essential to moving the payload on point A and point B. It was already difficult enough to break a defensive position, especially on Point B, with 2 tanks on OW1. It's even harder now, when you you have to choose between splitting off your tank to challenge high ground and keeping your tank in the area of the payload to prevent the other team from just rushing payload. Because of the map design for Gibraltar, it's a much bigger deal here than most other maps. On top of the plane at point B, a DPS player can see all four entrances into the room and just lay down relatively safe fire. Rialto has its own issues with being a sniper's paradise on point A & C, but that's an issue regardless of it being OW1 or OW2, and doesn't really change with 2 tanks. And point B Rialto's overpasses have multiple angles they can be attacked or bypassed, so they aren't as oppressive as Gibraltar's.
Dogewow
Such Profile
- Feb 1, 2015
- 2,883
- 291
Control is infinitely better than push right now. Hearing someone hate on control more than push is downright shocking.
I'll have to disagree. I've hated control even prior to OW2 with a passion (at least some of the maps, don't mind Busan as much). While I have had some frustrating games on Colosseo, I've enjoyed playing the other Push maps in general. Possibly this is due to the "newness" of the maps and game mode.
I think the "casual" or uninformed player psychology plays into it. Some of the biggest frustrations I've had with teammates include dealing with tanks/others who make dumb positioning/pathing decisions or just press W into an clearly unwinnable fight. Obviously this is an issue regardless of what map/mode you're playing, but I've found through experience this can be especially harsh on some of the control maps.
As an example, look at Lijiang Tower Gardens map (the one with opposing bridges). Too many rounds of that I've played where the game is basically over after the first team fight. So many times I've seen entire teams get tunnel vision and bash their heads against the wall trying to cross that damn bridge just to repeatedly lose over and over. If players end up realizing they need to try something else, its still difficult to get players on the same page about changing paths to the objective, or using their abilities to properly counter boops/environmental kills, if you're still trying to go the bridge route.
Like I've said, obviously this is an issue with the game in general and can cause problems in any mode/map, but I've found that making bad decisions with pathing, timing, taking team fights are more harshly punished in the control game mode (at least in unranked). Personally, if I have to play with a bad team, I'd rather play it on a payload/push map and feel like I'm making some progress, as opposed to basically being hemmed in right outside spawn in control, because our team can't figure out how to hold hands to get through a doorway or cross a bridge against a competent team.
Keep in mind this is coming from a player who, while experienced with this franchise, almost exclusively plays unranked and non competitive modes. Obviously if you're in a rank higher than silver and are communicating coherently with your teammates in a ranked match, your approach and experience with certain maps and game modes is going to be different. While I understand what you've said, your description of maps/modes in your last two paragraphs is literally a foreign language to a free-to-play newbie who's just trying the game, or someone who only wants to play the game as casually as possible.
Last edited:
Hivemind
We're Touched
I think your first sentence here really nails the point, tho. Staggering and poor communication impacts every game mode.
I think the worst game mode for what you're describing was 2CP in OW1. The 2CP map design would have chokes before each point, so you could often get into a "beating your head against a wall" scenario in which players wouldn't coordinate thru the chokepoint and your team would get nowhere. There can be similar things on the Hybrid game mode (since the Point As are usually somewhat similar to 2CP control points), but the choke points aren't usually quite as oppressive (although everyone certainly has memories of teams that just couldn't figure out how to get past the choke on Hollywood, Blizzard World, or Kings Row).
The issue with Push is actual game design, not just team communication though. On Escort and Hybrid, each team gets Attacker/Defender rounds - so they're essentially balanced by default (slight advantage to whoever attacks second because they may know how far they have to go in order to win). But for Push and Control, both teams are interacting with a neutral objective simultaneously. The issue with Push is that it's an oppressive advantage to any team that takes an early lead. On Control, if you lose the first teamfight, you'll be down about 0-30 by the time you retake the point. But winning the second large teamfight and retaking the point, you can essentially tie the game back up at 30ish-30ish before the next teamfight.
On Push, if you lose the early fights cleanly, you then have to win MULTIPLE fights in a row to tie it back up. If the other team pushes the robot 50 meters, you win a teamfight, the robot is generally only going to get back to around mid-field before the next teamfight happens. That means both teams have won one teamfight, but the team who won the first one still has a 50ish-0ish lead when the third teamfight starts, as opposed to about a 30-30 tie in the same situation on control. This interaction gets further and further magnified the farther the winning team pushes (since it takes even longer for the robot to get back).
Hammettf2b
oldmanyellsatcloud.jpg
Dogewow
Such Profile
- Feb 1, 2015
- 2,883
- 291
I'd agree, but I'd also argue that there are elements of map design/psychology currently in some of the Control maps, that is similar to what made 2CP frustrating to play. Like I've said not all maps play like this, but there are a few (Lijiang, Nepal, Oasis) where games often devolve into roadblocking a specific choke point and the other pathways to the objective are just ignored or are not properly utilized throughout the round by the losing team.
Regarding the second bolded, I've seen numerous games in Push (unranked) where a team will win multiple team fights in a row and ultimately lose the game (in some cases, I've seen teams push the objective almost as far as they can without ending the game early and STILL lose). I've seen enough games like this in unranked to the point where I don't find it to be a serious problem or an impossibility to eventually win a game/enjoy my time in the mode.
Maybe it's different in ranked modes (if that's primarily where you're playing) where communication/coordination is at a higher level and losing team fights is punished more harshly, but in unranked it hasn't been a problem to the point where it frustrates me similar to some 2CP or Control maps.
Last edited:
Hammettf2b
oldmanyellsatcloud.jpg
Patch Notes live today
overwatch.blizzard.com
Overwatch Patch Notes
Read the latest Overwatch patch notes or research historical changes to the game
overwatch.blizzard.com
Gaylord Q Tinkledink
Registered User
- Apr 29, 2018
- 35,114
- 38,897
I thought they fixed the match settings so you wouldn't get shit teammates every game ? Cause losing 10 in a row dealing way more damage than anyone and having the most kills every game and still losing f***ing sucks.
Nope. In fact according to their own developer blog and several players their changes actually butchered it more.
The basic gist of it is this; before they used to try and match people of equal ranks or within a decent window, which generally worked okay up until the twilight of OW1's life. Now from their own words they now take duos of ranks and try to match it.
So you'd think "oh so they're taking gold tanks and diamond healers and doing it like that?" Nope. Instead of taking players of equal ranks on equal roles, they took a blender to it. So while team A may get say, a diamond tank player and a gold support, Team B might get a diamond DPS and gold tank. I shouldn't have to explain why that was a terrible idea.
That and allegedly (this is more speculation that raw evidence) They're also not matching based on that anymore either. They sold out fair games for faster queue times to an extent. Combine that with your frontfacing rank and internal MMR now being totally different concepts (but why tho) competitive and quick play are basically the same thing now. No one knows what rank they belong at, games are absolute slaughters. I had a game back when season 2 started where the DPS totals for my team were a combined 2-15 with about 4k damage whereas the enemy's two DPS had a near perfect 20-1 split with about 10k damage done in a payload game. You get players who can't aim, players who don't understand they're not supposed to be sitting in the enemy's backline trying to DPS as Moira.
It's straight up not fun for anyone like this. Not fun for the new players, not fun for the veterans. I feel bad for a lot of the players getting yelled at. Before it was mostly a skill issue when somebody screwed up but now it feels like people are being thrust into games they don't belong in to absolutely zero fault of their own.
I was a reliably mid plat tank/support. Can't crack gold on tank anymore or platinum on support because it feels like games are decided before they even start due to the matchmaking.
Played pretty reliably from day one of the game's life (even if it did piss me off) but if they don't tweak the matchmaking i think me and the guys i played with are all done. Haven't played since the very beginning of season 2.
Hammettf2b
oldmanyellsatcloud.jpg
From what I understand the rank doesn't matter since you are paired with other players of similar hidden mmr.
JaegerDice
The mark of my dignity shall scar thy DNA
- Dec 26, 2014
- 25,667
- 10,394
Despite your warnings, I did go back and play some Overwatch 2, just 10 placement matches worth in open queue. 5 of the games were tank, where I just used Dva cause that's who I was most used to. 3 games I played support, and I was Lucio for the same reason, familiarity. For DPS, I went with Tracer and it was great.
Wound up in Master 2, which is waaaaaaaay higher than I've ever been. So I don't know if they rejiggered the matchmaking or something.
I will probably hop back in again, despite the legitimate flaws you pointed out, if only cause it feels a bit more... structured than Marvel Heroes, without being an absolute white-knuckle sweatfest like Valorant.
