Don't quit playing just because of Phantom

(avidCow) #61

Fragger’s grenades are on a much longer cooldown and require precise timing and good awareness, which makes him distinct from Phantom and lolcloak every few seconds. This should be obvious.

(RuleofBooKz) #62

RyePanda one of ghost boys current loadouts specifically thwarts turrets and mines.

(proficientNavy) #63

I think you are underestimating how much of an impact this has on certain classes of player.

E.g. I like to play a mix of support (Kira) and fast/light (Proxy) merc. Both of these in their different ways are completely ruined by Phantom. Kira, and Archie, and also Skyhammer if you have a semi-auto gun, thrive on engaging at medium to long range using precision fire to go for headshots. However, the guns in question do not by and large have scopes on them. So being able to actually see opponents, even just the faintest glimpse of them, is critical to actually being able to play.

Now with Phantom, this type of engagement is virtually impossible. He is, contrary to what people here claim, functionally invisible at range in any kind of active battlefield.

Once he gets close up, it’s too late. E.g. with Kira, your absolute best case is nailing 2-3 body shots on him in close quarters with the semi-auto. This will not take him down. It is pretty well impossible to realise he is there, turn, locate him, nail 3+ headshots (which is required to overcome the magic armour) and still keep him out of magical katana range.

So while he is there, Kira is unplayable.

Then take Proxy. I play her with the SMG, which is a handy little weapon capable of doing moderate damage at moderate range, and capable of accurately producing headshots. But it has a relatively small magazine. And to take down a 100 health player requires enough space between you and the target to unload close to a clip into them. Again, once Phantom is in close quarters, there is minimal opportunity to do this, because you have to focus on getting the hell away from him. As soon as you have to reload once, you are dead.

I just think it’s a crying shame. This game was all about territory, combined use of complementary classes, trade offs in gun power and accuracy, etc. Now there’s this one class that completely wrecks all of that, because half of the trade offs (semi auto support guns… useless; light SMGs… useless) are not useful at all.

And so, you might think, well, just avoid close quarters. But you can’t. Most maps require you to go into confined spaces to get from A to B, especially because not doing that gets your head blown off by snipers. And how the hell is Kira or Fragger (for instance) supposed to create space in a tight corridor to get away from a camping invisible ninja who can one-hit you with a katana?

SD needs to URGENTLY modify Phantom. I would imagine I am in their target market for ‘non-hardcore’ players. With no phantoms, I am a competent but not amazing player, typically ranking somewhere between the middle and top of games. I have already spent actual cash money on the starter pack in this game. Yet now I have no intention of playing while Phantom is in his current state. The game has gone from extremely fun to utterly deplorable. For the first time in many hours, I just quit out of two games in succession because of the Phantom situation.

It’s up to you, Splash Damage. Fix this ASAP or lose my interest, and the interest of many others like me. You’ll end up with a small player base of people with the high level of skill and many hours of free time to learn how to play this much less pleasant version of your game, while the ‘enthusiast’ and casual players disappear off somewhere else.

The really sad part is that until Phantom came along, this was the first online multiplayer game I’ve truly enjoyed since Quake III. Now that’s gone.

(proficientNavy) #64

Both of these scenarios remain consistent with the idea of controlling territory. Phantom is inconsistent with that idea - he is designed to ignore territory and go rampaging around behind enemy lines.

Previously you could have your soldier/heavy classes up front, with support classes behind, you know, supporting them. Now the support classes get eviscerated from behind and the fun/teamwork of these scenarios is gone.

(proficientNavy) #65

[quote=“hiddenSpring;42060”]Thiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssssss.

Since Phantom was released, my level 21 partner is currently using Phantom and people just cry and cry about how OP Phantom is, but they do the same thing with Vassili if he uses him. He’s been playing FPS for years. Of course any merc in his hands is OP, and he’s clearly had ample time (in being at level 21) to acclimate to the pace of DB and excel. He gets wicked good k/d’s.

People just forget that there’s a player behind the merc that might be freakin’ competent.[/quote]

If this was true, then the exact same scenario would have been unfolding last week. But it wasn’t. Something has definitely changed. There have always been 1-2 super good players in each game, but they were not so OP that average players didn’t have a hope against them.

The fact that people are going nuts complaining in every single game should tell you something.

I have seen one example of spawn camping before this week. Now I have seen it in almost every game I play.

(cly) #66

yea playing comp against 5 phantoms you cant see who ALSO have armor while invisible isn’t op at all

jk

(Maveras) #67

Ofc i wont quit, its double credit weekend, i will quit after its over

(imPuls3) #68

First off why would you bring a an invisibility character into a fps. Enough said right there but ill elaborate. Your all wrong just get rid of him it makes pubbing so lame and kills competitive play. You cant have a character the is given a main weapon and 1 shot melee insta gib plus armor and cloak. Not to mention delayed reaction to mines and turrets. How many other mercs have this many perks at their advantage… none.

The only real counter is the heart beat. And i saw someone post oh red-eye will balance him out. Not sure how but even so how do you not release a counter at the same time if thats the plan. Just no common sense and thats what has me concerned. The phantom issue isnt how OP and lame he is. Its the fact that the devs didn’t see it in the first place before roll out.

Why dont we focus efforts on things that wont kill the game. Like…
-fixing MG bug
-smoothing out walls and EV to avoid clipping on everything
-release more maps to avoid redundancy
-allow a forfeit system vote in match making
-fix match making ranking system
-finally add stats
-ANTI CHEAT
-get rid of ridiculous penalties as a result to leaving because or poor match making and hackers
-mini map memory leak fix
-implement load out card buy back for crappy cards. (personally think most cards are junk)

Just my two cents, I realize people have a difference of opinion and creating a well balanced captivating game is difficult at best. I have enjoyed the game thus far and think it has a lot of potential but without some major fixes and implementations I feel you will lose this communities competitive players and this will turn into something like Combat Arms.

(Tranceplant) #69

I don’t think it’s really fair that he can kill a few of the mercenaries with 1 katana hit if he has the right loadout card. He can kill Aura, Proxy, Sparks, Kira and Vassili all in 1 hit, I think it’s gotta be minimum of two hits to be fair. Other than overpowered melee damage he isn’t so bad, as the game advises from the beginning STICK TOGETHER! That’s how you beat them.

(Sup) #70

Im having a hard time forcing myself to play on since Phantom was released. Really frustrating. And I never felt any of the other mercs were OP. Not sure what devs were thinking with relatively high health, speed and very wide radius of katana. Knife kills aren’t special anymore because all I see are katana kills.

(savoryLettuce) #71

[quote=“Watsyurdeal;41742”]

  1. Why should we have to play one merc to counter another? Rock paper scissors just sort of slows things down. It should really be more like, yes, scissors beats paper if he can catch me lol. It shouldn’t be so cookie cutter.[/quote]

It is like that already, when Phantom catches you scissors beats paper…rock only beats scissors when he catches him but still rock is more usefull against him than is paper…

(tickledKitten) #72

The issue is he’s changed the fundamentals of the game, mainly no 1 hit deaths (but he does that with medics). Games like LOL do crazy things with characters but dont change the fundamentals of what makes the game fun. Phantom has done exactly that, the dynamics have changed and not for the better.

(RuleofBooKz) #73

an issue is ghost boy is super fun to play (if u dont mind easy mode) but not so fun to play against.

all mercs have that balance that they might be strong in one area but that is balanced by a weakness or a deficiency in another area. Ghost boy atm is all pretty much stacked in the “its all good” side of the scales

(Ghosthree3) #74

I actually grew weary of him tbh. Sure you’ll get a lot of kills against bad players, but death is quick and inevitable and I don’t like playing a class who’s play style guarantees death.

(Eddie) #75

^

I don’t even like to play as phantom it just feels cheap and nasty. Too easy. you barely need any skill >,<

(PurpleNurple) #76

I feel like the way I’ve been playing him lately is so dirty it’s making people want to quit. All you have to do with him is stand still in a popular hallway and wait for squishies to run up to you. No one looks hard enough when it comes to his transparency when standing still.

(Potato_Ladder) #77

@PurpleNurple Either they didn’t hear your humming or he didn’t hum because of the bug.
I admit though, I hate the fact that a heavy attack with the katana have a chance to hit the same player twice.

(Szeg007) #78

Lets give him the best weapon in game, lets give him 120hp+ armor that makes him as tanky as a rhino, lets give him cloak too that makes him invisible when he stand still, and give him an aoe meele attack just to spice thing up a bit.

Remove the armor or the cloak completely, fix the huge aoe meele attack, and give him a light smg instead of the kek and the crotzni and then hes balanced.

(Rhyno) #79

The only reason he is overpowered is because his invisibility bullshit absorbs damage for whatever reason. He isn’t even fully invisible. I’ve had no issue ever not being able to see one that is cloaked.

He should never ever have had the ability in the first place to absorb damage. But he does. And on top of that has the same amount of HP as Skyhammer.

(watsyurdeal) #80

I’d rather he be more of a glass cannon than a tank.

110 hp, no armor, but allow me to be completely invisible unless I sprint, jump, or take damage.

It’s not like the Spy in TF2 because he can’t instant kill anything but a Vasilli or lower, everyone else it takes 2 swings minimum.