Profile of HappyPhace

18.4k concurrent players for rome 2.

5003 concurrent plaers for CoH2.

good luck MVGame

gg vs. RtN.Con

2 major flanks from 3 ways allow the soviets to take the game, oh also armoured terminator troopen

this became Company of Germans, no one will play with sovs anymore

What? I don't even...

I've only been playing for about 3 weeks now so my knowledge is a very limited about soviet industry commander (I don't have it), but as a whole there doesn't seem to be much hurting soviets overall.

The only thing I see relevant as nerfs are 1 to 2 cp for shocks/guards. Most games I already have 2-3 cp by the time I need to call in a shock/guards. Learn to use your core army first before relying on clutch call ins like shocks.

In regards to pgrens and their AI capability I think they are fine where they are at. A sniper, maxim, 2 conscripts at range with luck will counter a charging pgren, at least bring them to half.

The only problem I have with them is their extreme long range and accuracy with the streks. Seriously they are homing missiles for no apparent reason, I have been shocked at the range they have at times on a tank that should clearly be out of range.

I'll list a series of points from viable to sheer pipe dream. These are all made with the hope of getting more people into CoH2.

#1 - Bring back custom lobbies ala coh1 style (and maybe chatrooms):

Why was it necessary to remove custom game lobbies? They were probably the most popular feature in CoH1. I understand maybe a quarter were comp stomps and Relic have indeed setup an automatch system for comp stompers. However for the rest who actually wanna verse other players, automatch is pretty intimidating. So by force funnelling the entire player base into competitive automatch, while the community may have gained a few extra players who may not have automatched had the system not been in place, it effectively alienated an untold number of players who simple do not want to play automatch with symptoms like "ladder anxiety" or not knowing who they are up against.

Custom lobbies in CoH1 gave you the comfort to know who you were playing against. While they still exist in the form of invite only in CoH2, why was it necessary to remove PUBLIC custom games? I speak for myself, and I know many others, but I played for a solid 6-12 months of custom game lobbies, learning the game, taking comfort in the certainty of the map that was being played and who I was up against. I.e. no one too good, no obvious smurfs etc.

After that, I was able to gather the balls to actually get into automatch. I know for a fact that this form of progression was not unique to just myself, many followed this path. Now I add "and maybe chatrooms" to the end of that, like the fansite chatrooms we used to have on CoH1, for something awful forums, gamereplays etc., they were mostly cesspits but sometimes you could find some friends. Sometimes.

Custom game lobbies was what formed the in game community. New players shouldn't be obliged to go to community websites like CoH2 to chat or meet new people in game.

#2 - In game ranking system similar to CoH1

Bring back the 1-20 rank style system, or as marcus said earlier leagues. Something OBVIOUS in the form of a portrait, avatar or icon to SHOW what skill bracket/skill level you are at. This level 1-100 nonsense is pure fluff that tells me nothing of an individual player's skill. Anyone can hit level 100, you will get rank 1-2000 players at that level. You may as well add a prestige system like Call of duty. *facepalm* (not serious DON'T do this)

Bring back a tangible rank system like CoH1, it was pretty awesome seeing that you were a colonel or brigadier general or whatever.

#3 More free to play weekends

The last free to play weekend had a HUGE surge of players. I think CoH2 peaked at 16k concurrent players on the weekend which is amazing. Please do more of these, once a month or perhaps twice a month. I'm well aware that this game still has a business mind set so this is why this is listed #3 in terms of viability.

#4 - Tone down the mountain of DLC or market it differently

This is probably the biggest culprit as to why there is little player retention or barely any new players are sticking around for multi, and yet it is listed as #4 because I know that this will most likely not change. Lets forget the fact that removal of custom game lobbies and/or chat rooms have neutered the possibility of blossoming a thriving community, the sheer amount of paid DLC is staggering to the point where it is almost comical.

Is CoH2 going to down the path of train simulator where it had over $2k in DLC options? Obviously not but to many on the outside its getting to that point. Its a joke for a game like this to have a mountain of DLC like that. Many uninformed consumers are simply going to think that some of these commanders are ESSENTIAL to stay competitive in MP which is simply not the case. Yes, many think the game is pay to win. Either sell only DLC that affects single-player, theatre of war etc., and release more SKIN DLC. Skin DLCs, avatars, portraits are GREAT for DLC. No one cares about those in terms of keeping the game competitive, go nuts on those if you want.

I know this marketing design was due to sega, so I forgive Relic for this one. They have to meet some sort of quota or whatever for DLC, I have no idea but I know it was as a result of pressure from sega. So please, relook how and what DLC is sold. Make all commanders free, or unlockable in game. Refund players who bought commander DLC, prioritise making a lot more single-player, or co-op DLC and more aesthetic related DLC.

#5 - Go free to play

For the last one, its obvious as why this is the least viable, but I will say it nonetheless. With the amount of DLC available, its the starter to a free to play model. This is probably the fastest and easiest way for the community to skyrocket to a daily 15-20k + concurrent players, if the free to play weekend was anything to go by. From a business point of view, its probably not feasible unless someone competent with brains can think of how they can still make the game profitable by adding more DLC, or increasing prices on DLC and such for free to play consumers. I don't know, I'm not the paid professional here, those at Relic are, so its up to them.

Some suggestions off the top of my head are make the MP a free experience, make the single player a paid for add on, like wise for theatre of war. But if you make the MP a free experience it would create a huge surge of new players into the game and skill brackets may actually exist now. Foreseeable problems for the game from a consumer stand point from this first and foremost is that there will be a huge increase in drop hacks/potential cheaters.

Anti-cheat specialists at Relic would have to work hard to figure how to counter this, but I have faith that they would eventually figure it out. From a business stand point, it takes huge balls from relic/sega, and it requires a competent team to make some smart decisions to figure out how they can maximise profits. You want more players? You want to make the name of CoH2 bigger and get it out there? Go free to play.

Anyway, this point is literally a pipe dream like I said in my first sentence. But hey, its there.