Ranking System. It's needed.

[Kintosi]

Galactic Star fighter is broken. Badly.

 

Pre-made teams of mastered ships queue up against beginners and win every time, and by a huge margin. Usually, those teams are republic side, on my server, but i understand that is revered on some servers.

 

Teams of 2-4 drone bombers can completely shut down an enemy team, spawn camping them with railgun drones while they sit pretty in a cluster of repair drones with power to shields.

 

Flashfires/Stings buzz around the map with burst lasers, out maneuvering everything else and hitting for 1000-1100 damage a shot. This is easily turned into a 1 shot by powerups in team deathmatch.

 

There are almost no counters to these strategies available to new players, or new characters. I am NOT a newbie pilot. If this forums allowed screenshots, I could show a dozen images proving I am almost always top of my team, and sometimes top the game. I flew in beta, flew on the first day of early access, i am playing now, and have flow every day in between. And i still have zero chance of taking out a mastered ship if i am on a new character, or a new ship. Yes, if i spent something like $100 on cartel coins, i could use them to power level to a mastered ship in one weekly quest like all the GS guilds seem to do, but 1. i dont have $100 to blow on pay-to-win, and 2. I don't want to be on the same level as those who do.

 

Solution:

 

1. Nerf the crap out of drones. They are aim bots, cause constant missile locks, ignore shields, and generally make it zero fun for anyone not using them. their damage needs to be about 25-50% of what it is now, or they need to be one-shot only, like mines, with no shields.

 

2. Gunships should not have barrel roll. With this upgraded, they can move faster than anyone who does not have barrel roll. Even a blackbolt or novadive (highest engine pool and speed in the game) cant catch one if they themselves don't have barrel roll at level 2 or higher. gunships cannot have damage, high durability, AND speed. there is no balance.

 

3. Remove power ups form deathmatch all together. The weapon power up makes rapid fire lasers (lowest damage im aware of) hit for ~850 a shot. this can kill even a bomber in about one second of continuous fire. full hp to zero. Burst lasers with the powerup one shot ships full hp and shields to zero. the engine powerup makes even the slowest ship untouchable. And these last for FOURTY FIVE SECONDS? i could understand 5 to 10... enough to take out one ship... but 3/4 of a minute is a ridiculously long time to have god mode in any pvp game.

 

4. Remove the ability to queue in groups, or make groups only queue against other groups. The ability to form an 8 man team of mastered ships, and queue up against a team of random people is essentially an instant win for the perpetrators, and a sentence to 10-15 minutes of slaughter for the other team. This creates a massive amount of frustration for the losing team, who cant get any medals, and thus no requisition, while the offenders rake in 1000+ requisition each. This just encourages breaking the game and picking on those who are leveling.

 

5. Create a ranking system for god's sake. Currently, GS is analogous to putting level 10s in with level 55, max valor, pvp-geared players, who win by default stats. I dont care if this system is based on time played, tokens earned, tokens spent, ship upgrade level, character level, or anything else, BUT IT IS NEEDED. NOW.

[Costello]

I agree its broken badly.

 

Something I didn't think possible even more broken than ground PvP. I know as if such a thing is possible. I don't know about other servers but I know on my there is a couple of groups of pre-mades though they do fly solo as well that as soon as you see them stacked with a fully set of fully upgraded ships while everyone in your side is on 2 ships probably with no upgrades its not going to go well. Often one of them will manage to self destruct before the enemy even come into sight.

 

I don't know if it can be improved in the current setup though, or at least not before people get bored of it and then the queues manage to kill the die hard fans. At which point I think it will go the way of Space PvE rail shoter and it will be all but ignored.

 

What it really needs is a PvE option that allows people to practice and get at least some comparable equipment much like the ground game. It needs to improve the combat so people aren't getting one shotted and you need an option to black list people you wont fly with as its too easy for people to either free ride it or worse just screw your chance of winning up. With ground PvP its much easier to keep track of some traitor on your side, on GSF only at the end do you notice they never hit anything and just died a lot and by then its a little late and not much you could do about it.

[BobBudJones]

/signed

 

Let me say first that I have been enjoying the heck out of Starfighter for the most part; I think it's a great addition to the game and the ship unlocking/component upgrading/crew choices are probably even better customization than is incorporated into our actual characters. However, that said....

 

The OP is correct in all of his points.

 

What's especially bad about the matches pitting noobs in un-upgraded ships against vets in mastered ships is that it isn't even a learning experience for the noobs; they die so quickly and every few seconds you find yourself in a 1v5 because the rest of your team is dead.

 

Seriously, I don't understand how Bioware can make such a big deal about Bolster, and reduce the gap between entry-level end-game PvP gear vs maxed gear, and then let this situation with GSF slide. Not only are we not filtering matchups by "gear" (i.e. upgrade level, which all told adds up to a HUGE advantage) but there's no regard for skill/experience level either.

 

I was in one game where one guy had 27 kills and 90k damage and no one else had more than 3 kills. Second most damage was 30k and then it dropped off sharply after that. Even though I was on the winning team, it wasn't fun or good practice because every time I engaged someone the 27-kill guy would fly by and blast them out of the sky in half a second.

 

And the railgun/missile drones are just ridiculous.

 

And to add one last point, the AFKers are pretty commonplace and having an option to vote-kick them is simply insufficient. Usually it's hard enough to notice someone is AFK until the end of the match because the action is so furious, and for the same reason, every time I initiate a vote it simply goes unnoticed. Plus, getting kicked presumably has no other penalty, and they can just do it again, while the kicking team still flies a player short or forces someone to join a bad match already underway. I had the same AFKer sit at the cap ship and do zero damage two straight matches last night.

Edited February 5, 2014 by BobBudJones

[okiobe]

Agreed on the title of your post and solution 5. Skill beats type of ship and components most of the time. Solve the skill disparity and I think the other issues you see will be eliminated or reduced drastically.

[Nemarus]

Hmm, I'm on your server and I haven't seen the mined spawn yet. Though I'm curious if they mined both spawn points for the team?

 

Anyway, I'm pretty sure it was no one in my guild. Only two of us are really flying Bombers often, and they are both Razorwires ... and I never fly mine in a Deathmatch.

 

I do agree that Deathmatch in particular is troublesome for new players. In Domination, a team that knew it was going to win could at least allow the losing team a satellite to hold and defend. But in Deathmatch, there's no clean and distinct way to "play nice". Dogfighting is dogfighting. Though certainly spawn camping is not cool.

 

I find a lot of pilots are not choosing the alternate spawn though. I almost always choose the spawn farthest from the action. It gives me freedom to explore the map and grab power-ups and to flank the enemy.

 

I think a couple problems in Deathmatch could be solved by getting rid of the capital ships and instead having 4-5 hyperspace beacons on each side. That way, both fleeing / hiding at your spawn or camping the other team's spawn would be impossible. I'm not sure why BioWare made only two spawns--perhaps to try and make the Hyperspace Beacon useful in Deathmatch? Either way, I don't think it is working.

 

Anyway, if I see any of that behavior on the Imperial side, you can be sure I'll try and get them to stop.

[Kintosi]

Hmm, I'm on your server and I haven't seen the mined spawn yet. Though I'm curious if they mined both spawn points for the team?

 

Anyway, I'm pretty sure it was no one in my guild. Only two of us are really flying Bombers often, and they are both Razorwires ... and I never fly mine in a Deathmatch.

 

I do agree that Deathmatch in particular is troublesome for new players. In Domination, a team that knew it was going to win could at least allow the losing team a satellite to hold and defend. But in Deathmatch, there's no clean and distinct way to "play nice". Dogfighting is dogfighting. Though certainly spawn camping is not cool.

 

I find a lot of pilots are not choosing the alternate spawn though. I almost always choose the spawn farthest from the action. It gives me freedom to explore the map and grab power-ups and to flank the enemy.

 

I think a couple problems in Deathmatch could be solved by getting rid of the capital ships and instead having 4-5 hyperspace beacons on each side. That way, both fleeing / hiding at your spawn or camping the other team's spawn would be impossible. I'm not sure why BioWare made only two spawns--perhaps to try and make the Hyperspace Beacon useful in Deathmatch? Either way, I don't think it is working.

 

Anyway, if I see any of that behavior on the Imperial side, you can be sure I'll try and get them to stop.

 

Hey Nemarus, good to see you again. I've been flying imp side under the name Fixer-two. And yea, it was the republic side who mined out spawn. I was only the one, but all 8 of them where inside the mine field, so spawning and getting in behind them did almost no good (i think i scored maybe 2 kills that way?) Hyperspace beacons would be great, if my team had one. it was a full premade team with 5 ships each, mostly flying bombers and gunships, vs mostly scouts and strikes. It was simply a win from the moment the premade queued.

[-Streven-]

Broken is a pretty big statement to make. I haven't seen anything that remotely resembles a 'broken' game on Harbinger. I don't like one sided matches and ive been on both sides of the coin but for every blow out I experience I have 2-3 fun competitive games. The issue is obviously skill related and my solution to this would be to have an unranked in flight training ground where you can practice against drones and even allow groups to join and fly together.

 

Badmouthing the game will only discourage people from playing who otherwise, given two weeks of flight time, would likely be competent pilots and contributors to their team.

[Kintosi]

The issue is obviously skill related

 

Exactly why we need a ranking system. and exactly why there is a ranking system and bolster ground side. I cant speak fro harbinger, but i've got plenty of screenshots of single players with 15-20 kills and the next best with 3-7. thats a 100% increase in kills. those players are also always drone bombers or flashfires. thats pretty definitive. 2x the kills with half the effort is over powered. sorry.

[Armonddd]

TIL I paid to win and thus should have 100% win rate on those characters. Better report this as a bug.

 

I agree that a ranking system is necessary, but I don't think we have the population to support it. Common problem, that.

[HoloGrinder]

To the OP...

 

What you are saying is the truth. Every one knows it is true and you are not alone in speaking against it. I and others have been siting these same game breaking problems for weeks and calling for them to be fixed. You will catch a lot of flack on here from the people that are busy exploiting the new players and turning them away from GSF. They want you to shut up. They want me and the others to shut up too because it will eventually ruin there fun. There fun is at the expense of the rest of the people that are trying to learn GSF and have fun them self. There fun is in griefing them and making sure that no one but them is having fun. There fun will kill GSF. Don't give up the fight. When they press you and call you a troll press back harder. It is the only way we can get these things fixed. No matter what don't give up the fight because you know you are fighting for what's right and you do not stand alone. It would be awesome if you check out my threads and put in your 2 cents.

 

They are: (Bail on premades), (Nerf Bombers Please), (Awesome changes that will make GSF Great!!!), (A Money making idea that would fix GSF)

 

To every one else: Sooner or later this issues will be fixed and these exploits will be removed and you can either be know as part of the problem or part of the solution when the dust settles.

[Tangenobi]

I agree on the ranking system idea but I dont agree on the notion that all of these ships are OP. Ive seen posts about every ship (flashfire, gunships, and now bombers) being OP. The sad thing is bombers were already nerfed in beta (due to them being too strong) they dont need to be nerfed ahain. IMO GSF is about skill and teamwork without both u will fail. Ive been in matches where we both lost badly and won and the end result is always the same: Players who only look for kills and chase other ships all over the map often ruin chances of winning. I do understand however that new players getting steamrolled isnt very fun. (If u are on Harbinger rep side and u r new give me a hollar. Me and my friends will help u out)

 

A ranking system I would be ok with but all of the nerf talk about these ships I dont.

[HoloGrinder]

I totally agree with the OP as it is very similar to what so many of us have been saying. I would also like to point out how you can tell the premade noob farmers on the forums as well. They are the ones that speak out against any one who suggests that there is an imbalance.

[SavingPrincess]

As a GS "noob" farmer who has mediocre skills yet still tops k/d charts, I can concur with at the very least removing barrel roll from gunships. With that kind of firepower and range, the last thing I should be able to do is zip away from something faster than it can chase me down. xD

 

Deathmatch is super easy as a gunship, and domination is super easy as a bomber. As a bomber, I just drop my drones, camp the capped satellite by myself, and pick off everything that comes at me from the enemy base. The have to send 3-4 ships for me to actually "die" (if they send 2-3 ships I can just circle the satellite and "thick" out the damage until reinforcements arrive) and even then that leaves the rest of my team to cap the other two satellites easy.

 

Am I a good player? Hell no. I love flying a scout, they are the most fun, but I cannot contend with a gunship 1v1. So, in the effort of not wasting comms, I just grind using my OP'd Gunship or Bomber so I get the most purple points.

 

I would love to see stealth added to scouts and fighters as an option, or an option to queue in to ship-specific matches (i.e. all scout class).

[Tangenobi]

I totally agree with the OP as it is very similar to what so many of us have been saying. I would also like to point out how you can tell the premade noob farmers on the forums as well. They are the ones that speak out against any one who suggests that there is an imbalance.

 

No, they (we cause I like to team up with my friends also) just disagree with you. I know that me and my friends don't go out our way to farm noobs we play against whomever is qued against us. There are plenty of players who feel as though this game is pretty well (not perfect) balanced. Just look at the history, almost every ship was called OP even strike fighters very early on. Flashfires OP, Gunships OP, Bombers OP, even Novadives at one point were called OP because of their near unlimited engine boost. Now tell me how can everyone of these ships be OP all at the same time..Pikes are dangerous with the right pilot suprised they werent called OP yet.

 

As I stated before I understand no one wants to get pummeled over and over again but there are ways around it..like a ranking system that the OP suggested or maybe asking people on your server to team up with you.

[Lyet]

No, they (we cause I like to team up with my friends also) just disagree with you. I know that me and my friends don't go out our way to farm noobs we play against whomever is qued against us. There are plenty of players who feel as though this game is pretty well (not perfect) balanced. Just look at the history, almost every ship was called OP even strike fighters very early on. Flashfires OP, Gunships OP, Bombers OP, even Novadives at one point were called OP because of their near unlimited engine boost. Now tell me how can everyone of these ships be OP all at the same time..Pikes are dangerous with the right pilot suprised they werent called OP yet.

 

As I stated before I understand no one wants to get pummeled over and over again but there are ways around it..like a ranking system that the OP suggested or maybe asking people on your server to team up with you.

 

This gentleman has got it right! It's probably because he's a Harbinger pilot, but I suppose other realms can be cool too

 

As for your comments, HoloGrinder, calling posters names and calling people to abandon the match are both poor tactics. If you're truly trying to improve the game (as you claim in so many threads) please post civilly and consolidate all your different threads into one constructive post! That way you don't come across as a spammy troll, and you might find you get more support.

 

SavingPrincess, I realize I've probably never flown against you, but I love eating up both Gunships and Bombers on my NovaDive. With my EMP Field I can lock them down, lower their accuracy, and watch them melt :3 Maybe there are no skilled Gunship pilots or Bomber pilots on my server (lol, there are. They make sure things stay interesting for me!), but I've seen a lot of success in the last 36 hours with this (and I the preceding months before the NovaDive got this new ability). I'm sure you get your great kill count, but I'm equally sure that the ability to shut you down is there, even if the pilots on your server are behind on their meta...

[HoloGrinder]

This gentleman has got it right! It's probably because he's a Harbinger pilot, but I suppose other realms can be cool too

 

As for your comments, HoloGrinder, calling posters names and calling people to abandon the match are both poor tactics. If you're truly trying to improve the game (as you claim in so many threads) please post civilly and consolidate all your different threads into one constructive post! That way you don't come across as a spammy troll, and you might find you get more support.

 

SavingPrincess, I realize I've probably never flown against you, but I love eating up both Gunships and Bombers on my NovaDive. With my EMP Field I can lock them down, lower their accuracy, and watch them melt :3 Maybe there are no skilled Gunship pilots or Bomber pilots on my server (lol, there are. They make sure things stay interesting for me!), but I've seen a lot of success in the last 36 hours with this (and I the preceding months before the NovaDive got this new ability). I'm sure you get your great kill count, but I'm equally sure that the ability to shut you down is there, even if the pilots on your server are behind on their meta...

 

This fella does not care for me but don't worry I don't mind him at all. The ones that are trying to crush every ones threads about balancing GSF are the ones that are exploiting the imbalance and every one knows it.

[HoloGrinder]

I just can't get over how telling of the current state of GSF this is.