Profile of The Dave

I want to add this to the list to bugs/technical features that really degrade this game and keep this discussion going -

Sometimes fausts do 0 damage to m3 clown cars from the rear. 0...STILL

This is going to be long and I tried to post my thoughts on the game in another post, but I wasn't logged in and lost the text.

At any rate, I honestly can say that I want my money back on this game. Is there any way I can get it? Through Steam or something? It just plain and simple, isn't very fun. Certainly not nearly as much fun as other games on the market and leaps and bounds behind the first game which came out over 6 years ago. I also feel as if I was lead to believe that this game would have more in it than I actually paid for. Basically, I feel duped into purchasing something that was not what I had been promised.

From that I will continue on with my thoughts on the game after MANY MANY matches.

Technical -

I don't understand what is so challenging about making a smooth running game. P2P has basically made 1 out of 3 matches completely unplayable. This is a result of a game depending not solely on the connection of the other player but, because this game is for some reason so resource tasking, the system of the other player as well. This is incessantly frustrating. I can't be asked to sit down and play a 30 minute game that doesn't run smoothly. This is 2013 - not 2006. There has been a complete and utter regression from the first game in so far as the not just graphics but the smoothness of the playing experience.

As far as the weather and FPS rates in the game. At the end of the beta I voiced my opinion that the blizzards were just really awful and added a lot of pain and frustration to the experience because it downgrades the technical fluidity of the game and shifts balance way too much. On top of that, the blizzards effect FPS rates way too much. I have the following specs:

Core I7
16 GB RAM
ATI 7850 1GB (I know this is a mid-range card but still)

At 1080 res/60 hz with AA and VSYNC off and all other settings low I get max 48 fps, bottoming out to 11.8 fps and averaging about 22 fps. When do you think I see the most significant frame drops? That's rhetorical.

The sunny maps are infinitely more balanced and fluid. They actually feel not only like COH but a competitive strategy game where both sides have equal opportunities to prevail. Blizzards don't provide this and I will tell you why. The balance of this game depends heavily on the ability to deal with certain units. Infantry are very valuable in this game and blizzards make them less valuable and more fragile to the many units on the field that can instantly hinder their effectiveness (mortars, tanks, mg's, flamers, snipers in clown cars). The most valuable AT in the game for the Osteer is the Panzergrenadier with an absurd 120 munitions cost for shreks that fall on the ground very often. Right now in the current state, this is the most valuable AT to stop the SU85 rush. Blizzards ruin line of sight (not really for the SU85) and will constantly lower the health of the PG's rendering them extra fragile when they are already fragile (and because they may drop a shrek and literally end the game) or risky to begin with. The weather simply effects balance too much. In a heated and contested game the weather favors the soviets at this stage. Now, can the weather be balanced? I guess, but I'm skeptical since it was put into the game without much foresight in regards to how it would effect gameplay from a balance perspective. Relic simply has too much on their plate I think and lacks people that think in a critical way about their product. At least, at this moment, that's what it seems like. They have yet to release a patch that deals with weather effects in the game, and I honestly don't see them having the ability to address this...what with qduffy running around with his favorite mortar units and all.

To sum that long, somewhat rambling, part up, I simply don't want to play on snow maps with blizzards. I would rather just exit the game and try for a sunny map the next time because I feel that I'm being cheated in the snow maps and tbh, there's no recourse for quitting without a ladder. I imagine it's the same for many of you others out there. It is a fundamental problem for any game when people do not want to play it. Sure some maps can be unfavorable (many of them in this game are just horrible btw - especially in team games) but we, as players, have no way to disregard the filth and compete on a fun/level playing field assuming the player doesn't want to play custom games. As a suggestion, Relic could take a step from COD and put in place a map voting system at the game start - say 2 map choices and a random. This would provide them with valuable feedback about what maps the community favors and lets us as players participate in a democratic process of some sort.

There are many random, quirky technical "kinks" in this game. It's klunky overall and screams that it does not have the polish that even the first game had at the start. A few issues I can mention (and feel free to add some in the responses) off the top of my head are:

1. Mgs setting up immediately after they get out of a building.

2. The commands in this game are clunky. Sometimes I have to click "B" twice to get a barrage ability to come up on a mortar. Sometimes I have to hit "E" a few times before the circle appears to faust or throw a nade. Sometimes it takes a couple of clicks to get a commander ability out (such as a strafe or something). It'll start the motion and then completely not complete the command and reset. What the hell is wrong with rifle grenade cancelling? I have voiced this concern and was met with "we think it's a bug and hope they will fix". That isn't good enough for my 60 bucks and to be honest, it shouldn't be for yours (90 or something for those of you who purchased the CE). Right now the rifle grenade cancel takes both the munitions and the reload time. This is ludicrous to have been carrying on from the beta.

3. The pathing in this game is just deplorable. I don't know how it could be worse from the last game - but it really is. My units do some very strange things like jumping into fire, tanks circling into heavier slower snow for no reason. I like the reverse key. That's a great addition.


Gameplay and Balance

So this last patch changed things a bit and I understand that Relic is "committed to this game for the long haul". This, at least I hope, means that critical decisions about balancing the game and providing a fairer experience for both sides (and streamlined for team games - all the way to 4v4 - which is something they could never do with vcoh: OF). Tuning units and whatnot is fine my critique stems from the fact that Relic doesn't appear to be thinking about the overall metagame that they want us to be a part of. I think it's a fundamental necessity of this series that Relic have some sort of vision that they see each game progression to. This is very simple and I'll use VCOH (Wehr vs Ami) as an example of how Relic did this pretty well:

In VCoH (again Wehr vs Ami) the games usually flowed somewhat like this, all skills being somewhat equal -

The Ami had a slight advantage early while the Wehr had to usually consolidate their units. There were tactical decisions that effected micro and teching (nades, bars, quick m8) and the Wehr had to respond and certainly had the options to do so at his/her disposal. T2-T3-T4 all had their merits for each faction and they were applicable to each situation in the game REGARDLESS OF DOCTRINE with the exception of T3-Blitz which was a very powerful strat that relied on a call in unit for early-mid game AT. On the other side, the Ami's had Rangers/Paras for the same sort of AT capability from a call in unit (Soviets have this, Osteer have NOTHING like this). This greatly enhanced the strategic possibilities in the game (basically made it more fun). The Wehr had to not necessarily survive but play a little more conservatively until they could get units out from t3 or t4 that made them more aggressive putting them at an advantage. Wehr T4 was awesome, every unit useful. Both sides had end game armor that was useful - both as call ins and from T4 buildings.

If you push on to present day with COH2 there is no sort of thought out fluidity to the meta game that works like this. The Soviets SCREAM right from the start of the game -GO GO GO GO GO GO. Their units are not intended for consolidation in a small area of the map that maintains resources. The Ostheer seem to work the way Wehr worked in VCoH and Relic has made changes to make them stronger in this capacity to take down the waves of conscripts etc (4 man MGs, lmg42's that fire only when stationary). About the 15-20 minute mark, if the Osteer has maintained a decent amount of resources they can get their best unit out - The P4. In a typical game this will do one of two things. If the Soviet has made the egregious error of going t3 he will be put back on the defensive a bit or figure out a way to deal with the P4 collectively as not one unit will counter it. This system seems somewhat similar to VCOH. If a Soviet wants to win, he/she would just get an SU-85. I haven't exactly figured out the timing on the SU85. I've gotten them out as quick as 10-15 minutes. The SU85 realistically trumps anything the Wehr might have which instantly shifts the metagame putting the Wehr back on the defensive. The only problem is, they don't have anything right now that can realistically deal with the SU85. People will say "OH YOU CAN GET THE PAK43 OR AN ELEPHANT"...If the Soviet is forcing you into a doctrinal choice for your own self-preservation from a base-built unit, this is a balance problem. I was never pigeon-holed by a few m10's in VCoH forcing me to hope I can get to a Tiger Ace before the game ended. By the way, all late game heavy tanks for both factions in this game suck. They are supposed to be like fun toys you get for persisting through a tough game. We, as players, rarely get to use them. They should be useful. Right now, they aren't useful/feasible in most games therefore I'm not having a fun experience.

So to sum up the current meta game with the SU85, the Early game is somewhat balanced I guess with both sides having equal opportunity. The Soviets are faster and more mobile, have multiple upgrades to conscripts that make them really adept at fighting multiple untis, they have loads of MP to spare which shows up many times in the mid-late game as they can build OP's or just have excess units sitting around. There is about a 5 minute window where the Ostheer have a bit of an advantage. Against infantry, the PG's work well, plain of course, The P4 is a great unit but as soon as the SU85 comes out the momentum shifts to the Soviets creating a third transition in the game. There is no fourth transition usually because VPS and resources become an issue as the Soviets amass units and the army's start to get very lopsided. In my opinion, as far as the meta game goes, the Osteer should have a late game tank destroyer that is as good if not better than the SU85. The T34 should be better against tanks but I'm not sure how much better because the P4 either needs a move to t4 with some other unit being a decent multi-use AI and AT weapon or the stug needs to have way more viability than it does. Right now, I don't think the game has a unit that would make this work. The Panther was supposedly useful some time ago, before I started the beta. It isn't now. It's range renders it ineffective against SU85's. It's cost and the other units in T4 being somewhat useless (perhaps maybe the stuka is ok - it won't win the game for you in most cases) renders bypassing a p4 a risky/dumb decision.

I realize what I'm saying is a bit lost in translation for some of you. Try picturing the meta game of VCoH as being a 3 round fight inside each individual match - early, mid, late. Each side had advantages. R1 - Ami, R2 - Wehr, R3 - Up for grabs based on 1 and 2. This game seems to have about 2 and a half. There is a small window for the second where the Osteer have a clear advantage all things being equal. The third round clearly goes to the Soviets with the SU85's ability to trump all other late game armor. Again, I reiterate that a doctrine should not be a necessity for victory. Can a strategy incorporate one to make it better? Absolutely, in fact, that's what makes them awesome. I shouldn't HAVE to choose one to deal with an individual base-built unit.

Thanks for reading and I'm serious about my 60 bucks so if someone knows a way to get it back please let me know.

I should have figured Infiltrator and The Dave were buddies. So what's up Dave? Why are you insta-quitting when we match up in Automatch? DOn't worry, I understand. You're one of those types that can't stand losing. That's cool.

I crashed to desktop, which was fine by me. I'd rather not play someone who's going to think he's good spamming overpowered crap in an imbalanced game - especially without a ladder. We've played 3 times and you've won twice as OP soviets. I've stomped you hard the one time I ranked as Soviets. Of course, this was all pre-patch

Like I said in the last game we played you have a chemical imbalance and are just plain weird. You are despised by an online community you so desperately are seeking attention from. That must be a tough mirror to look into.

Like I said. Leave the statistics alone, increase the price to be in between a PIV and a Panther. It should be the ultimate expression of Soviet AT (beside doctrine units, of course), just as the Panther is the Ostheer's ultimate expression of AT.

Then currently that's a really shitty ultimate expression for the Ostheer.

I'm pickin up what you're puttin down.

nice game