RO2 The cycle after every update

[Balthasar]

I've been playing RO2 since release. And here's what I've noticed happens after every single update, especially in the recent days:

1. Massive sale. Player count jumps to 2000+. The forum rejoices, people praise TWI.
2. People start playing. Fed up with getting team killed or getting stuck at certain difficult points, the veterans flood the easier side on that map. (This isn't *****ing about axis stack, as I see it go both ways often enough. Please don't make this about axis stack either.)
3. The new players get slaughtered map after map, and then leave and never play again, because it wasn't fun.
4. 2 months later, the veterans are on the forum complaining that we need more content to attract more players.
5. Rinse, repeat.

Seriously, this happens every time. Right now, I've found it especially bad, as the Germans got the new toy. Today on Bridges, the allies were outnumbered something like 30-22, and every single player on the allies, save for me and 2 others, were below rank 25. Lot's of them were getting fed up.

Please, for the sake of RO2, can the veterans play the harder team on difficult maps? Don't just play the easy side. Lets break the cycle!

 

[utek]

...hmmm
or maybe the game is still to hard for the casual players,so they leave...
and to easy for the hardcore players,so they leave...


Classic mode is dead (it was made to late and in the wrong way) the only thing left to play is "realism"mode...and i wont play this.
the IOM is looking good,but...man with the player count that small and dropping...huh

i think is time for a new plan?! the ultimative Red Orchestra plan!


*support RO2/rising storm for a little bit longer*release killing floor 2*make millions of dollars

...and then for the next Red Orhestra game

1.move to unreal engine 4

2.hire talented modders and mappers like dibbler67,Panzer Jager '43,azz...(sorry if i skip some of you )
*use the IOM mod as a early alpha/prototype/test range...some of the stuff in it is -like the dynamic movement -still kind broken but hey,it can be fixed,and the new weapons and so on.

3.return to your roots https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5aRxEpIfew
(one game mode only,not "realism"not classic mode ,a proper hardcore Red Orhestra mode)

4.skip the unlock/prototype/perk,level up bull****(keep the visual character progression)

and then together,we will make the greatest Red Orchestra game of all time,that will leave a mark on the gaming history,as as one of the best hardcore-teamwork-realism games ever created.:IS2:

 

[Rattler]

Today on Bridges, the allies were outnumbered something like 30-22,

Thats actually pretty good! A few months ago when it was still possible to join your desired team using a "certain" method, it was going something like this

Good times. It was a mistake to remove this feature tbh.

 

[=GG= Mr Moe]

Just wanted to say it really bugs me when people say the Veterans flood to the easy side for a map

 

[Cordite]

Just wanted to say it really bugs me when people say the Veterans flood to the easy side for a map

Yea but it's mostly true

I've been seeing it A LOT since the update

 

[Jank]

So play on servers with autobalance.


It's no fun to lose a good role by getting balanced, but it's also no fun to have a 3+ player imbalance...


As for the cycle mentioned in OP, it ends up with more content after each iteration. And more content = better retention of new players.

 

[Balthasar]

Jank, the problem with the so-called autobalance, is that it doesn't balance those who are doing well, it autobalances those who die first... its really quite random. at least, thats how I think it works. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Rattler, are you seriously saying that was a GOOD thing??? How in any way is that fun at all? Unless you're using sarcasm, which I quite obviously missed.

Guys, the point of this thread is not to yell about what we need to 'fix' RO2. It's about acknowledging that veterans stacking one team or another (and frankly, if you deny this has been happening, intentionally or not, you really need a reality check) is directly destroying the player count. I'm not saying every veteran is stacking, I'm pointing out that its happening unintentionally. We know the maps. We know which side is easier. And we've been picking that side. Please, be leaders. Keep the game fun. Don't kill the player count.

 

[Cwalk]

Let's face it, the learning curve on this game is pretty steep. Regardless of how the teams are stacked, the noobs are going to killed a lot by the more experienced players, and for many, that's not a very fun experience. Yes, team stacking is a factor in this, but for every horribly unbalanced match, there is a usually a well balanced and hard fought match, and yet the noobs will still be little more than cannon fodder.

However, every so often, there will be a noob, who, despite getting slaughtered countless times when first venturing into multiplayer, decides to keep playing, and gradually gets better and more experienced, until becoming what we call a veteran.

So by nature, this game is never going to have a giant playerbase. Yet, as long as we maintain a core group of veterans, it will stay alive, and with every surge after an update, we will gain a few more dedicated players, making that core group get ever so slightly larger. That is how we can make this game not only survive, but grow and prosper, at least until the next Red Orchestra.

 

[Bane5]

I've felt pretty guilty in past free weekends when I got 100+ kills in the T-34 tank on a 15 minutes map occasionally.

This game must be intimidating to new players when a few vets on the scoreboard have 40, 50, and 60 kills and the rank 10s are at the bottom 20 of the list with only 2 or 3 kills.

A new player matchmaking system/button for TWI's official servers could help. This system would only be turned on when there is a major steam sale or free weekend.

 

[RoastinGhost]

I make a point of choosing the more difficult side on each map. I've won only 19% of my games. That's a pretty awful imbalance. I have no idea how people can think slaughters are fun for either side. Autobalance does essentially nothing, either.
Frustrates me at least. I imagine it's even worse for the new guys.
I'm in favor of map balance fixes and better autobalance.

 

[Frostedfire]

Spoiler!

Thats actually pretty good! A few months ago when it was still possible to join your desired team using a "certain" method, it was going something like this

Good times. It was a mistake to remove this feature tbh.

quoted for posterity

J
Rattler, are you seriously saying that was a GOOD thing??? How in any way is that fun at all? Unless you're using sarcasm, which I quite obviously missed.

check his responses in the patch notes thread from April

 

[Rattler]

Rattler, are you seriously saying that was a GOOD thing??? How in any way is that fun at all?

It is a good thing because you were able to play in the team you want. The devs can't understand that they can't force somebody to play with the team he doesn't want. With autobalance on they just make more people to stay in spectators until there's a free spot in their desired team. Why they are giving us the opportunity to pick team if they will switch is a few moments later? It doesn't make any sense. They could've removed the team selection entirely if they want random teams, like in every CoD game after CoD 4 and every BF since BC1.

With this bug/feature present, it was just easier for the people to join the team they want, without going through the boring waiting of free spot and losing a class. Which won't make them to play in the team they don't want to play of course.

There always was a team stacking in every game where you are able to pick your team. If you don't want stacking, remove the ability the players to choose their team. You can't deal with it otherwise.

 

[=GG= Mr Moe]

Yea but it's mostly true

I've been seeing it A LOT since the update

I don't see it, but then I stay away from servers where there is a lot of immature and juvenile behavior. I guess I do what a real mature and knowledgeable Veteran does.

I swear, when I see complaints like this, for the love of god, if its a problem play on different servers.

---------------

On another note, it is often harder for newer players who aren't used to the game mechanics to do well, and that is just the way it is. What would you propose, get on Voip and ask "Hey, to the guy running in the open, are you a new player or a veteran, because I won't shoot you if you are new"

 

[7-CLOWN-7]

I can't say I see this on our server. I always get in game and pick Auto-Select for me it doesn't matter what team I'm on nor do I look at this so called stacking and never have.

We have our server auto-balanced but not upon deaths. Sure if people quit then teams can become unbalanced if no one to fill the spot.

I always play with the worst gun in game (Bolts) and I'm more than happy to always play on the worse side per map because for me it's just more fun with all the challenges presented and that's how I play and always have.

When I see posts like this I can only think of one thing. Find a better server.

 

[Cat_in_da_Hat]

Regarding the stacking of the 'easier side' that Balthasar mentioned. I reckon a solution would be to add a difficulty points bonus to those that play on the 'underdog' side.

Something as simple as Axis is the underdog side so they get a 15% points bump.

 

[Cat_in_da_Hat]

Jank, the problem with the so-called autobalance, is that it doesn't balance those who are doing well, it autobalances those who die first... its really quite random. at least, thats how I think it works. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Doesn't the outbalance on death process start by swapping people with the lowest score ? That would make more sense as these players would have less invested into the team they are getting swapped from.

Also it should only swap rifle class and no others.

 

[BuSHid0]

I think the problem is that the new people who come expect to see a COD.
They want to run around the map doing Rambo and kill other players every 10 seconds (like COD). But start a RO2 game, run like headless chickens and they get killed from 150-200 meters with no idea where is the guy who shot them, get frustrated and stop playing.
This game is not for everyone and will never be a game for masses like LoL or COD. You ought to understand this.

 

[Jank]

Doesn't the outbalance on death process start by swapping people with the lowest score ? That would make more sense as these players would have less invested into the team they are getting swapped from.

Also it should only swap rifle class and no others.

No, as far as I can tell, Balthasar is right - it's random. Even if you're Team Leader at the top of the scoreboard it can hit you. And although it is annoying to get autobalanced (especially from an in-demand class or right before match end), nobody can say its unfair or unjust. Randomness is good like that.

Consider it a test of character.

It would be nice if it swapped only low scores or only newcomers. I don't know if that's even possible though.


Although when its random, it serves better to balance any team bias on a given map. It plucks randomly, possibly good players, and possibly desirable classes. Then new players can get their hands on an advanced role and get some practice with something maybe they can't get at map start. And a struggling team of noobs might get a 99. Everything about autobalance helps lower the combat effectiveness of the stacked team, and not just the number of players...

 

[nejcooo]

When I started playing this game a year ago I was owned like a little girl all the time. My keyboard suffered, but it still works. And I still play game and don't suck that much at it anymore.




Majority of players sadly don't like realistic shooters and prefer games like COD/Battlefield/CS/TF2. Some people are just don't like realistic shooters

 

[Arbeiter1980]

2. People start playing. Fed up with getting team killed or getting stuck at certain difficult points, the veterans flood the easier side on that map. (This isn't *****ing about axis stack, as I see it go both ways often enough. Please don't make this about axis stack either.)
3. The new players get slaughtered map after map, and then leave and never play again, because it wasn't fun.

Please, for the sake of RO2, can the veterans play the harder team on difficult maps? Don't just play the easy side. Lets break the cycle!