Over the last few days, just to see how the classes affected perk use, I started keeping track of all the perks everyone is using when I play. The results really shed some light on the current state of balance, I think...
For background: I play typically on Hard, Whitelisted 6-Player servers, and occasionally on Sucidial, Whitelisted 6-Player servers. I ignored players who weren't in the game for at least long enough to play a full round, and noted their most-used perk (IE: When everyone switched to Sharpshooter/Support for the Patriarch, I didn't count it, though I'll make note of that below...). So...
Encountered 143 different players total in about 20 or so different games:
15 Field Medics. Usually one per game, occasionally 2. Most used the Crossbow or Bullpup and focused mostly on (Surprise!) healing instead of trying to tank and kite. Almost always at the low-end of the kill chart but awesome teammates as they tend to focus on the Husks, Scrakes, and Sirens that our Sharpshooters ignored...
14 Support. Had typically one per game. Almost all started with the Shotgun/Hunting Shotgun combo and went to the Shotgun/AA12 combo when they could afford it. Often carried Dual Handcannons as well. Consistantly had the highest kill totals and were generally VERY good team members, able to dish the damage and hold the line. Still, not a hugely popular class for some reason...
57 Sharpshooters! Yes, around 1/2 of all players were Sharpshooter. Of those, about 3/4 used the M-14 and a Handcannon. The other 1/4 used the Crossbow and a Handcannon. The Crossbow ones were BY FAR more useful, as they picked off Scrakes, Sirens, Husks, and FPs. The M-14 ones were, more or less sweepers who spammed off shots at anything and everything, often ignoring priority targets like Sirens and Husks to waste whole clips on Clots other classes could wipe instantly.
25 Commandos. Most used the Bullpup/SCAR combo, with a few using the AK/SCAR combo. Had kills consistantly around the middle of the board and overall, were fun to work with as they were willing to shoot anything moving.
3 Berserkers. Almost never had one, bad ones usually quit after the first death, but the good ones stuck around until a bit. And I MUST note that every single one of them used the Katana. There were about 4 or 5 more that STARTED as Berserker, but quickly switched perks when they saw how ineffective they were being and never touched Zerker again...
5 Firebugs. Almost as rare as the Berserkers. Depending on the map, almost always either on the bottom or top of the kill board. Tended to light everything up regardless of the situation. Hands-down died the most times to Scrakes! ALL of them used the Flamethrower and either a Katana or Handcannon...
24 Demomen. A popular class, usually hovering around the middle of the scoreboard. Typically didn't KILL themselves with explosives, but were great at gimping themselves and being picked off by enemies before healing could get to 'em. Mopped the floors with Clots, Crawlers, and Sirens, but wasted tons of ammo on Gorefasts and Scrakes (Of which, the Scrakes tended to enrage and absolutely disassemble the reloading demomen!)
Overall, Demomen are still a flavor of the month, Commandos are a multi-purpose mainstay, and almost every group typically had a Medic and Support who are basically their backbone. But Sharpshooters are EVERYWHERE (Usually not good ones, either...), and Berserkers/Firebugs are largely ignored.
Not really sure what I'm trying to say here, I just found my results to be interesting and to show that, at least in players' eyes, the balance has been tipped pretty heavily to certain classes and sharply away from others...
For background: I play typically on Hard, Whitelisted 6-Player servers, and occasionally on Sucidial, Whitelisted 6-Player servers. I ignored players who weren't in the game for at least long enough to play a full round, and noted their most-used perk (IE: When everyone switched to Sharpshooter/Support for the Patriarch, I didn't count it, though I'll make note of that below...). So...
Encountered 143 different players total in about 20 or so different games:
15 Field Medics. Usually one per game, occasionally 2. Most used the Crossbow or Bullpup and focused mostly on (Surprise!) healing instead of trying to tank and kite. Almost always at the low-end of the kill chart but awesome teammates as they tend to focus on the Husks, Scrakes, and Sirens that our Sharpshooters ignored...
14 Support. Had typically one per game. Almost all started with the Shotgun/Hunting Shotgun combo and went to the Shotgun/AA12 combo when they could afford it. Often carried Dual Handcannons as well. Consistantly had the highest kill totals and were generally VERY good team members, able to dish the damage and hold the line. Still, not a hugely popular class for some reason...
57 Sharpshooters! Yes, around 1/2 of all players were Sharpshooter. Of those, about 3/4 used the M-14 and a Handcannon. The other 1/4 used the Crossbow and a Handcannon. The Crossbow ones were BY FAR more useful, as they picked off Scrakes, Sirens, Husks, and FPs. The M-14 ones were, more or less sweepers who spammed off shots at anything and everything, often ignoring priority targets like Sirens and Husks to waste whole clips on Clots other classes could wipe instantly.
25 Commandos. Most used the Bullpup/SCAR combo, with a few using the AK/SCAR combo. Had kills consistantly around the middle of the board and overall, were fun to work with as they were willing to shoot anything moving.
3 Berserkers. Almost never had one, bad ones usually quit after the first death, but the good ones stuck around until a bit. And I MUST note that every single one of them used the Katana. There were about 4 or 5 more that STARTED as Berserker, but quickly switched perks when they saw how ineffective they were being and never touched Zerker again...
5 Firebugs. Almost as rare as the Berserkers. Depending on the map, almost always either on the bottom or top of the kill board. Tended to light everything up regardless of the situation. Hands-down died the most times to Scrakes! ALL of them used the Flamethrower and either a Katana or Handcannon...
24 Demomen. A popular class, usually hovering around the middle of the scoreboard. Typically didn't KILL themselves with explosives, but were great at gimping themselves and being picked off by enemies before healing could get to 'em. Mopped the floors with Clots, Crawlers, and Sirens, but wasted tons of ammo on Gorefasts and Scrakes (Of which, the Scrakes tended to enrage and absolutely disassemble the reloading demomen!)
Overall, Demomen are still a flavor of the month, Commandos are a multi-purpose mainstay, and almost every group typically had a Medic and Support who are basically their backbone. But Sharpshooters are EVERYWHERE (Usually not good ones, either...), and Berserkers/Firebugs are largely ignored.
Not really sure what I'm trying to say here, I just found my results to be interesting and to show that, at least in players' eyes, the balance has been tipped pretty heavily to certain classes and sharply away from others...
)
